LOG-043.
Hmhmhm.
LOG-043.
As I took the final bite of my chosen sacrifice, I savoured the intricate dance of flavors that burst onto my tongue. The crispiness of the crust, the rich, tangy sauce, and the harmonious blend of cheese and toppings all melded together into a culinary symphony that made me nod in approval.
Fish Stew Pizza had certainly lived up to Kofi's confident recommendation.
Dabbing my lips with a relatively small napkin, I leaned back in my chair, my gaze drifting over to the rest of the Gems seated around me. Rose was finishing her own meal with a contented smile, Garnet appeared equally pleased with her deep dish, and even Pearl and Vermilion seemed at ease, despite their nonparticipation in the actual eating.
I spotted our ever present waiter watching us from a table over, even as he collected a few plates from the one other group currently present within the building.
Just a couple of teenagers laughing about this and that. It...it was nice to see.
Clearing my throat gently for effect as the future restaurant manager began to approach our own table, I caught everyone's attention. "I must say, this has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience. The food in an of itself was a rather delightful mix of flavours and textures, and the service was impeccable. Kofi, you and your family run an exceptional establishment."
The young man's face lit up with a visible mixture of relief and pride beneath some of the sweat that had gathered atop his brows. "Thank you, madame. We at Fish Stew Pizza always strive to offer the absolute very best to our customers!"
"You certainly do." I responded warmly, before glancing at Rose. "And thank you again for bringing us here. It's been...quite an enlightening experience."
The Rose Quartz's eyes twinkled with satisfaction as she shifted in place beside a quiet Vermilion, the red Pearl gently holding the cup of water she'd been provided close to her mouth. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Slate. It's always nice to try something new, especially when it brings us all together like this."
She sighed, gaze turning distant.
"I can barely remember the last time we all just...went out and did something for fun. We'll have to do this a bit more often, I think."
Both parts of me churned with amusement as Pearl immediately piped up, the renegade's eyes wide and expression amusingly supportive for someone who was so firmly against eating.
"Oh, I'll have to prepare a timetable!"
Said eyes blinked as Rose, Garnet and I all began chuckling, their owner frowning slightly in response.
"What? It's good to be prepared!"
Vermilion's supportive nod seemed to reassure her well enough, at least.
Turning in my seat, I smiled down at the crimson Gem, her cheeks turning slightly darker as I leaned forward and gently took the glass from her hands, setting it down on the table.
"I'm glad you came along. I get that all of this can be a bit..." My expression turned slightly conflicted as I thought of what to say. "...daunting, but it's how we grow and learn things, in the end."
The Pearl blinked just as her counterpart had, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she processed my words. "Thank you...Slate. I'm still getting used to all of this, but…I think I'm starting to understand a few things."
The glance she sent Pearl's way wasn't lost on me.
It was nice to see that she was getting along with someone besides Viridian.
Regardless, a second later and Rose was suddenly moving. It was almost seamless, the way the Quartz wrapped a thick arm around the comparatively tiny Gem's shoulder, her own expression lighting up as Vermilion looked back up at her in confusion.
"And we'll be here to help you every step of the way, don't forget that."
It was a very touching moment, all in all, one that I felt was perfect to end things at.
Across the table, Garnet gave me a small smirk.
And as my entire world became light with a few surprised yelps and gasps sounding out, I simply smiled back in complete and utter contentment.
---
"Sla-Viridian!"
"Amethyst?!"
I blinked as I plopped down into the seat, barely avoiding the purple form that rolled across my lap to settle onto the floor. Then I was being turned around to stare into my Batchmate's concerned eyes, the red Gem glancing between me and the prone Quartz that Pearl was now looking over.
"Are...are you okay?"
Glancing around showed a few different reactions. Pearl and Rose both looked just about equally worried, albeit for likely different reasons. Garnet, predictably, seemed perfectly calm. Likely due to knowing what was going to happen well ahead of time.
"I'm okay!"
Vermilion's eyes darted to the floor as Amethyst's thumb came up, the overcooked warrior Gem flipping over onto her back with a pleased groan.
"Whew, I think I got all the pizza out of that whole thing. Cool."
The statement prompted a giggle from Rose and for both Vermilion and Pearl to glance at each other with twin disgusted expressions, even as my own thoughts rapidly turned inward. A flash of light shined across a certain visor, and I simply elected to carefully ignore Garnet's staring in the process.
A few seconds of recollection, and I felt a likely disturbingly wide smile finally stretch my lips apart.
Never had I been more thankfuly for my perfect ability to recollect things. Because I remembered everything. Slate's presence. Her thoughts. Her feelings. The way her mind had bounced around in between being a meld of me and Amethyst while also somehow remaining its own independent entity.
More specifically, I remembered the exact makeup of her insides. The mental blueprint for tastebuds and a functioning digestive system for what I needed, alongside what was effectively newly formed code that Amethyst had somehow managed to bring to the table, which in turn meant the tastebuds would actually do something.
Honey Lemon had practiced minor and sometimes even major shapeshifting during her time aboard the Roaming Eye when she'd gotten bored of singing, dancing or cleaning. I remembered those methods as well. Methods which I now replicated as the feeling of something moving and twisting and turning erupted within my mouth, alongside various parts of my torso.
I practically fell forward against the table, palms flat against its surface as Vermilion once more yelped in concern, the anxious Pearl grabbing hold of me.
"Viridian! What's wrong!?"
Shaking my head, I waved her off with a "I'm fine" and glanced forward.
The half consumed milkshake sat in front of me, time almost seeming to slow as I reached for the thing and pulled it closer to me.
Red and white flashed in my vision for less than a second before I finally popped the straw in between my lips and pulled.
Taste.
Chocolate to be specific. There were minor differences, of course. Amethyst's...or rather Slate's tastebuds weren't exactly the human standard after all, and I'd had to modify them even further to ensure the entire system fit within my own form without countless issues cropping up.
But it worked, and a moment later I was violently swallowing, even as I continued to desperately pull more and more of the drink through the thin straw, part of me angrily cursing the papery bottleneck that was stubbornly keeping me from acquiring even more of the chocolatey goodness.
A moment or two passed just like that, in complete and utter silence. It was only occasionally broken by the loud slurping as I rapidly emptied the glass cup of its contents, twisting the straw around a bit more before finally relenting and letting go.
"...Viridian?"
Rose's voice drew my attention as I set the empty cup back down on the table, blinking a few times as a worryingly familiar haze entered my vision.
"Eh...yes?"
A bout of hesitation crossed the hidden Diamond's face, before she gestured to her eyes with a hand.
"Are...are you alright? You...you're crying."
The uncertain statement was apparently enough to snap me out of the state of sheer euphoria I'd been locked in, my lightform finally registering the feeling of the usual twin streams trailing down my cheeks. Hoping otherwise but resigning myself to the fact, I slowly brought up a finger, trailing it across my face before bringing it forward for inspection.
A thick glob formed by multiple tears sat on the digit, before disappearing in an almost imperceptible flash of light.
"Ah...so I am. That's a little embarassing."
The sinking feeling deep in my chest worsened, even as the sensation of my new not-quite-organs at work lightened it ever so slightly.
Glancing back to my captive audience (alongside a completely bewildered looking Kofi, who was still glancing between me and Amethyst in what seemed to be mild shock), I let out a small, utterly impolite (by my trained standards, at least) snicker.
"My apologies. It...it was a really good milkshake. I uhm...wasn't prepared for the flavour?"
The stares continued from there, lasting well after the awkward process of Pearl attempting to pay for our food with several incorrect currencies (our waiter's eyes had widened even further than they already had when she'd pulled out and dropped what seemed to be a bunch of large coins made from pure silver onto the table) before finally choosing the correct one, and all the way to our eventual return back to the temple.
Yet even so and despite the sheer awkwardness of the concerned looks I was receiving, my mood remained rather high.
...I was going to need to thank Amethyst somehow. I owed the little gremlin a lot.
LOG-043.
As I took the final bite of my chosen sacrifice, I savoured the intricate dance of flavors that burst onto my tongue. The crispiness of the crust, the rich, tangy sauce, and the harmonious blend of cheese and toppings all melded together into a culinary symphony that made me nod in approval.
Fish Stew Pizza had certainly lived up to Kofi's confident recommendation.
Dabbing my lips with a relatively small napkin, I leaned back in my chair, my gaze drifting over to the rest of the Gems seated around me. Rose was finishing her own meal with a contented smile, Garnet appeared equally pleased with her deep dish, and even Pearl and Vermilion seemed at ease, despite their nonparticipation in the actual eating.
I spotted our ever present waiter watching us from a table over, even as he collected a few plates from the one other group currently present within the building.
Just a couple of teenagers laughing about this and that. It...it was nice to see.
Clearing my throat gently for effect as the future restaurant manager began to approach our own table, I caught everyone's attention. "I must say, this has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience. The food in an of itself was a rather delightful mix of flavours and textures, and the service was impeccable. Kofi, you and your family run an exceptional establishment."
The young man's face lit up with a visible mixture of relief and pride beneath some of the sweat that had gathered atop his brows. "Thank you, madame. We at Fish Stew Pizza always strive to offer the absolute very best to our customers!"
"You certainly do." I responded warmly, before glancing at Rose. "And thank you again for bringing us here. It's been...quite an enlightening experience."
The Rose Quartz's eyes twinkled with satisfaction as she shifted in place beside a quiet Vermilion, the red Pearl gently holding the cup of water she'd been provided close to her mouth. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Slate. It's always nice to try something new, especially when it brings us all together like this."
She sighed, gaze turning distant.
"I can barely remember the last time we all just...went out and did something for fun. We'll have to do this a bit more often, I think."
Both parts of me churned with amusement as Pearl immediately piped up, the renegade's eyes wide and expression amusingly supportive for someone who was so firmly against eating.
"Oh, I'll have to prepare a timetable!"
Said eyes blinked as Rose, Garnet and I all began chuckling, their owner frowning slightly in response.
"What? It's good to be prepared!"
Vermilion's supportive nod seemed to reassure her well enough, at least.
Turning in my seat, I smiled down at the crimson Gem, her cheeks turning slightly darker as I leaned forward and gently took the glass from her hands, setting it down on the table.
"I'm glad you came along. I get that all of this can be a bit..." My expression turned slightly conflicted as I thought of what to say. "...daunting, but it's how we grow and learn things, in the end."
The Pearl blinked just as her counterpart had, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she processed my words. "Thank you...Slate. I'm still getting used to all of this, but…I think I'm starting to understand a few things."
The glance she sent Pearl's way wasn't lost on me.
It was nice to see that she was getting along with someone besides Viridian.
Regardless, a second later and Rose was suddenly moving. It was almost seamless, the way the Quartz wrapped a thick arm around the comparatively tiny Gem's shoulder, her own expression lighting up as Vermilion looked back up at her in confusion.
"And we'll be here to help you every step of the way, don't forget that."
It was a very touching moment, all in all, one that I felt was perfect to end things at.
Across the table, Garnet gave me a small smirk.
And as my entire world became light with a few surprised yelps and gasps sounding out, I simply smiled back in complete and utter contentment.
---
"Sla-Viridian!"
"Amethyst?!"
I blinked as I plopped down into the seat, barely avoiding the purple form that rolled across my lap to settle onto the floor. Then I was being turned around to stare into my Batchmate's concerned eyes, the red Gem glancing between me and the prone Quartz that Pearl was now looking over.
"Are...are you okay?"
Glancing around showed a few different reactions. Pearl and Rose both looked just about equally worried, albeit for likely different reasons. Garnet, predictably, seemed perfectly calm. Likely due to knowing what was going to happen well ahead of time.
"I'm okay!"
Vermilion's eyes darted to the floor as Amethyst's thumb came up, the overcooked warrior Gem flipping over onto her back with a pleased groan.
"Whew, I think I got all the pizza out of that whole thing. Cool."
The statement prompted a giggle from Rose and for both Vermilion and Pearl to glance at each other with twin disgusted expressions, even as my own thoughts rapidly turned inward. A flash of light shined across a certain visor, and I simply elected to carefully ignore Garnet's staring in the process.
A few seconds of recollection, and I felt a likely disturbingly wide smile finally stretch my lips apart.
Never had I been more thankfuly for my perfect ability to recollect things. Because I remembered everything. Slate's presence. Her thoughts. Her feelings. The way her mind had bounced around in between being a meld of me and Amethyst while also somehow remaining its own independent entity.
More specifically, I remembered the exact makeup of her insides. The mental blueprint for tastebuds and a functioning digestive system for what I needed, alongside what was effectively newly formed code that Amethyst had somehow managed to bring to the table, which in turn meant the tastebuds would actually do something.
Honey Lemon had practiced minor and sometimes even major shapeshifting during her time aboard the Roaming Eye when she'd gotten bored of singing, dancing or cleaning. I remembered those methods as well. Methods which I now replicated as the feeling of something moving and twisting and turning erupted within my mouth, alongside various parts of my torso.
I practically fell forward against the table, palms flat against its surface as Vermilion once more yelped in concern, the anxious Pearl grabbing hold of me.
"Viridian! What's wrong!?"
Shaking my head, I waved her off with a "I'm fine" and glanced forward.
The half consumed milkshake sat in front of me, time almost seeming to slow as I reached for the thing and pulled it closer to me.
Red and white flashed in my vision for less than a second before I finally popped the straw in between my lips and pulled.
Taste.
Chocolate to be specific. There were minor differences, of course. Amethyst's...or rather Slate's tastebuds weren't exactly the human standard after all, and I'd had to modify them even further to ensure the entire system fit within my own form without countless issues cropping up.
But it worked, and a moment later I was violently swallowing, even as I continued to desperately pull more and more of the drink through the thin straw, part of me angrily cursing the papery bottleneck that was stubbornly keeping me from acquiring even more of the chocolatey goodness.
A moment or two passed just like that, in complete and utter silence. It was only occasionally broken by the loud slurping as I rapidly emptied the glass cup of its contents, twisting the straw around a bit more before finally relenting and letting go.
"...Viridian?"
Rose's voice drew my attention as I set the empty cup back down on the table, blinking a few times as a worryingly familiar haze entered my vision.
"Eh...yes?"
A bout of hesitation crossed the hidden Diamond's face, before she gestured to her eyes with a hand.
"Are...are you alright? You...you're crying."
The uncertain statement was apparently enough to snap me out of the state of sheer euphoria I'd been locked in, my lightform finally registering the feeling of the usual twin streams trailing down my cheeks. Hoping otherwise but resigning myself to the fact, I slowly brought up a finger, trailing it across my face before bringing it forward for inspection.
A thick glob formed by multiple tears sat on the digit, before disappearing in an almost imperceptible flash of light.
"Ah...so I am. That's a little embarassing."
The sinking feeling deep in my chest worsened, even as the sensation of my new not-quite-organs at work lightened it ever so slightly.
Glancing back to my captive audience (alongside a completely bewildered looking Kofi, who was still glancing between me and Amethyst in what seemed to be mild shock), I let out a small, utterly impolite (by my trained standards, at least) snicker.
"My apologies. It...it was a really good milkshake. I uhm...wasn't prepared for the flavour?"
The stares continued from there, lasting well after the awkward process of Pearl attempting to pay for our food with several incorrect currencies (our waiter's eyes had widened even further than they already had when she'd pulled out and dropped what seemed to be a bunch of large coins made from pure silver onto the table) before finally choosing the correct one, and all the way to our eventual return back to the temple.
Yet even so and despite the sheer awkwardness of the concerned looks I was receiving, my mood remained rather high.
...I was going to need to thank Amethyst somehow. I owed the little gremlin a lot.