Scene #4585: Gems and dresses

Owner	Pose
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli had her eyes closed as she flew through the air, her wings of water spread out from her back and allowing her to glide effortlessly across the air. She had chosen this world for one simple reason, it was populated. It also had a lot of water. Now, while not quite something she normally liked too much, currently she wanted to avoid going anywhere with low populations. Last time she was somewhere like that, she'd ended up... well, she'd become trapped again. Besides, these creatures were just humans. They were, for the most part, harmless. She doubted she had anything to fear. And she was certain she could blend in with them simply enough. They had different colors, too. If they asked about her blue skin, she would merely say she came from the east. Wait, was she in the east, or was this the west? Maybe she should just say the beach. Yes, she comes from the beach. Humans from the beaches are probably blue. She began to glide down, lowering herself down amongst a small sector filled with other shoppers. She probably got a few looks, but considering the changes the world had been going through, probably not too many.
Tomoyo Daidouji	The shopping centre of Tomoeda is bustling. School has just come out, so children of all ages in different uniforms are peering into windows, wandering about with all manner of treats, and just having a pleasant time in this pleasant town. Lapis' arrival does draw looks though... but none are suspicious, anxious or hostile. Most are just mildly surprised, before going back to their business. The ones that don't go back to their business though? They make comments along the line of; "Wow, her skin is blue! Such a nice shade too..." "Mom, that woman had water wings, isn't that cool?!" "Is that that one card? No, it's not the same..." All in all, everyone is surprisingly nice! At least, until someone suddenly bumps into Lapis' back. "Ah! I'm so sorry," a girl's voice says, the owner staggering back. It's Tomoyo in her school uniform, so busy talking on a cellphone she wasn't looking where she was going.
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli froze and whipped around. An attack! Going right for the gem, of course. She should have known that-- it took her a few seconds to realize the human just hadn't been paying attention. She stared for a few moments. Shoot, how did humans talk? Well, she knew how she talked, but this was a different place. Well, at least they all spoke the universal language. English! Well, that or gems just... spoke without words and seemed to be words. Either way, she stared at the girl for far, far longer than was polite or comfortable. Then, just as abruptly, she smiled. "Hello, child. I am Lapis Lazuli! A pleasure to meet you!" That's how Steven did it, right? "Shall I sing you a song?" Nailed it. Then blinked a few times and sighed. "Actually, no. That'd be annoying." And that was how Lapis did it.
Tomoyo Daidouji	Tomoyo is actually speaking in Japanese! And yet, the translation effect allows the two to converse perfectly. It's so second-nature in the Multiverse that it doesn't occur to Tomoyo that Lapis might not understand this. The girl certainly doesn't seem to mind being stared at though, because she stares right back. Though she seems more interested in Lapis' skin and dress. "Oh, it's good to meet you Miss Lazuli~" Tomoyo replies without missing a beat. "I'm Tomoyo Daidouji. I'm very sorry for bumping int-a song?" She does seem a bit taken aback by the abrupt offer. But once again, she's all smiles. "That sounds wonderful, we could do a du-oh..." Goodness, she's actually a bit let down. "Anyway, I can tell you're not from around here~ Welcome to Tomoeda!" She gestures around, smiling brightly. "What brings you here~?"
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli blinked for a few moments. She seemed saddened by that. Perhaps singing songs was a human thing? They did seem to have a lot of music. "Tomoyo? And no, I am not. I am from the..." She paused for a moment. "The beach. Yes. That is why I am blue." ... She was not a very good liar. She then gave a soft sigh and rested her face in her hand. "... humans don't come in blue, do they? Perhaps I should have brought Peridot to this. I've come here because I wished to be... free from a few rather uncomfortable situations back home. I needed a chance to... escape, for a bit. Your world looked quite nice and this town appeared friendly enough. No one has tried to imprison me yet, so I assume it is nice."
Tomoyo Daidouji	Tomoyo tilts her head. The beach, huh? That was very evasive indeed... but, she's sure Lapis has her reasons, so she doesn't press her on it. "Not that I've seen, no. But don't worry, you look very nice~" Always ready with a compliment, that Tomoyo. She nods along as Lapis explains her reasons as to being here. "I understand. If you would like some privacy, I can leave you be. But... if you would like some company, perhaps I could show you around~? Would you like something to eat perhaps?" Is everyone here this nice, or is Tomoyo just kind of a weird girl?
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli decides to believe that they're all just this nice. To be honest, most the humans she had met up to this point were nice. Granted, most of them were Peridot's friends. But that was good enough. "I would take water, but I already had pizza about a day ago, I do not require any more sustenance." She didn't need the pizza but it would have been impolite to say so. Humans only ate once a week, right? She only saw the kids on camp pining hearts eat every few days, so she was sure it was that. The girl seemed nice at least, though. "And... company would be nice. I think. I am... new here and I would like to see the things this place has to offer. Tomoyo." She holds out her hand. "I think you look quite friendly as well."
Tomoyo Daidouji	Tomoyo tilts her head again. "Goodness, it's not often I run into a human that can go that long without food..." she muses aloud, almost like she was dropping a hint for Lapis. Surely she couldn't have seen through that masterful lie?! "But that's fine~ We can go on a tour. Tomoeda is a wonderful place with a lot to see!" The hand is offered, and Tomoyo seems a bit taken aback again. Humans, especially most in Japan, wouldn't do such a thing, especially with a stranger. But again, this girl is an odd one, and she takes the hand not a moment after. And so the tour begins! The first stop is a certain Penguin Park. The cute playground, with the slide in the shape of a giant penguin as the centrepiece, is bustling with kids fresh out of school, having a merry time together, surrounded by greenery and with a stream flowing nearby. "This is Penguin Park~ Oh, I have so many good memories of this place..." Tomoyo says, her eyes alive with delight as she regards the slide.
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli blinked a few times and stared at it. "Is... that normal? I believe I saw creatures like that once when I..." She trailed off and stared for a few moments before shaking her head. "Never mind, it's no matter." She then sighed. "I'm not human. I'm not going to insult your intelligence by pretending to be anymore. I really thought I could at least fake it. But it's just... really not working for me." She crossed her arms and gave a dejected sigh. "I am a gem. Not a crystal gem. Just a normal gem." Right, a normal gem. "But not of Homeworld... anymore." She then glanced to the woman before holding both hands out. "If you'd like, I could fly us to the next location you wish to show me? It would likely be faster. And less dangerous. While I have never been hit by one of those cars, I have seen the destructive capabilities of vans and I do not wish to experience it again. And I don't wish to accidentally break anyone's legs, either."
Tomoyo Daidouji	"It's just a fun design," Tomoyo explains. "A normal slide would make this just another park, not a landmark," she adds in a knowing tone. As Lapis explains what she really is, Tomoyo wonders if pretending to be surprised would make the Gem feel better... but ultimately, she feels it would just be condescending, so she nods. "I thought so... it's okay Miss Lazuli, I don't mind what you are. And I'm sure that many would agree with me." She honestly doesn't know much of anything about the Gems, but she realizes that Lapis might be feeling persecuted. At Lapis' offer, Tomoyo blinks, a slow smile spreading across her face. She grips Lapis' wrists, a much more secure way to grasp on to her. "I'd like that~ Don't worry, I have some experience in being the passenger. Let's go!" The next location is the Tsukimine Shrine. Tomoyo directs the Gem to land not in the courtyard, but in front of the gates so they can enter properly. "Do you know about religion? Do Gems believe in any gods?" she asks, genuinely curious.
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli nodded and took to the air, flying high up and above the masses. She held on firmly, of course. And with the other girl holding on too, it wasn't much trouble. She was a bit heavier than steven, but not by much. The boy did love his cookie cats. "You do? have you flown with others, then? I didn't think humans could fly." She landed where she was directed, landing down by the shrine. "I am not too familiar with religion, I'm afraid. Gems are a..." She frowned. "We aren't like humans. We don't age or die in the same way you do. We merely shatter. And... I believe there was talk of..." She frowned darker. "I don't know the finer points, I'm afraid. But it seems like an interesting concept, to be sure. I amcertain Peridot would find it fascinating. Where to next?"
Tomoyo Daidouji	Tomoyo looks up at Lapis as they fly over the town, looking very happy about it. "Oh, normal ones like me can't~" she says good-naturedly. "But I have a very wonderful friend who can do all that and more~ I've gone flying with her a couple of times." Her eyes are sparkling again, the same way they were when she was looking at the slide. At the shrine, she nods. "We humans have a lot of religions, to try and explain things we couldn't. Like what happens when you die. I suppose an immortal race would have little need for that..." She looks around the shrine and says, "I think you might like Shintoism~ It talks about how every object in nature has a soul. Each blade of grass, each leaf... even gems." Another mysterious smile. "Hmm... next is... oh, I know!" Directions are given, and Lapis is directed to a grand building, adjacent to another one of similar design. This time, Tomoyo points Lapis to land on the roof. "This is where I go to school. It's empty right now though... do Gems have school?"
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli stared at it for a while, with confusion. The previous place had made her uncomfortable. If she had a soul, she had no idea. She didn't think she did. After all, if a creature had a soul, surely it would know. Right? She hugged herself a little bit then. Weren't things with souls supposed to be good? She knew she wasn't that. She managed to shake herself out of her stupor and look back to the building. "I think so. This is some kind of great storage facility, yes? We had many such places. though we did not call them schools, we often called them warehouses. What is the purpose of the circular field and nets?" Her eyes widened. "Oh, wait. Is this place one for training? Perhaps a... ummm... a gym? I think they are called?"
Tomoyo Daidouji	Tomoyo listens to Lapis, and giggles softly. "Close~ A school is a place for young humans to go and learn things. There is some physical training, sports and the like. But it's more to encourage teamwork. It's a place to grow and develop before you enter the world..." She certainly has a romantic view of things. "The circular field is called a 'running track.' The nets are for volleyball. Perhaps I can show you sometime!" She goes to sit on the edge of the roof, and pats next to her, indicating Lapis can sit too. "... what's wrong at home? Is there something I can do to help?"
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli froze in place. Her eyes widened. "I-it's for... it's for t-teaching?" And then she shuddered and hugged herself even tighter. Then she turned on the woman. "Y-you. Who are you? What is the meaning of this?!" she yelled, her wings coming out to the sky. Luckily there was no real water around or Tomoyo would be in deep trouble. "Do you think it was FUNNY?" she screamed. Oh, she now remembered where she heard school from. She looked like she was going to start crying. "This isn't my dimension, this isn't where I am from, how did you find out? Did Peridot tell you? Pearl? Rose Quartz? Or maybe those other humans. WHO WAS IT?!" she screamed.
Tomoyo Daidouji	Well. This is unexpected. Tomoyo immediately backs up, hands raised placatingly. Up here, away from her guards... if this gets violent, she hasn't a chance in a fight. She looks frightened, but speaks clearly. "Miss Lazuli... Lapis. Please, I didn't mean to take you somewhere upsetting. I had no idea you would react like this. No one has ever told me about you, I swear." Her eyes meet Lapis', and her words seem truthful. Allowing a moment to pass for her words to sink in, she continues, slowly walking towards the Gem, hands still raised. "I'm sorry, for whatever happened, and I'm sorry that I brought up bad memories. I honestly just wanted to show you around as a pleasant way to pass the time." Closer, closer. "If you think I'm lying, you can attack me. But I swear, I had no malicious intentions. Please forgive me for distressing you." She's within arm's reach now, and she uses it to... Gently take Lapis' hand again, and give it a gentle squeeze.
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli just stared at her with rage filled eyes. but she didn't attack. The girl slowly moved closer and closer, her words were calming, soothing. They weren't dangerous. Weren't threatening. Weren't menacing. Then her hand was taken, it was gentle. Slowly, the boiling from the girl relaxed and she gave a sigh, then her cheeks turned a slightly darker shade of blue. "My... my apologies. I was... a school once. Or... I was supposed to be and then..." She shuddered. "I was a tool and... and I was tossed aside. To be a school." Gems had the weirdest metaphors. Also, she was definitely starting to cry. "I just... I just wanted to be free. I just... and she... six thousand years she held me. And then she just tossed me away like I was nothing. Like I was just a useless, broken tool that she didn't need anymore and I... I..." She pulled her hand back, covering her face with both hands. Oh yeah, she was skirting that knife edge of being unstable and psychotic. Tomoyo best be careful less she get hurt.
Tomoyo Daidouji	Tomoyo smiles at Lapis as she calms. It's one filled with calm forgiveness, with a bit of relief mixed in. The roof of her school at the hands of a strange alien would be a horrid way to go. When the Gem talks in broken fragments of what happened and pulls away, Tomoyo walks behind her to gently rub her back. The lower half, to be safe. "That's awful..." she says sympathetically. To be honest, the very fact that Lapis thinks of herself as a tool is the most awful part to her. But the Gem doesn't need to be told her whole culture is horrible right now. "You're wonderful, Lapis. We've only known each other for an hour now, but I can tell. Whoever threw you away? They were foolish to do so. They could have had a wonderful person at their side, but they wasted it." She lets Lapis absorb all that, all while continuing to rub her back soothingly.
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli sniffled, nodding. "S-she was so... so stupid. I-I would h-have done anything for her. I-I would have fused with her a-and made her strong a-and she wouldn't have h-had to be just a pearl anymore! A-all I wanted w-was for her to l-let me out of that mirror b-but she didn't even know I existed!" She just cried on the girl. And when a lapis cries, they cry. "A-and now Rose is back! That's all she ever cared about! Rose Rose Rose! Show me Rose, have Rose tell me I'm good. Repeat Rose's greatest battles! Rose left her! Rose ABANDONED HER! I was always there for her! But then... then she just... she aimed her spear at me! Again and again and again! she would have poofed me! S-she kept me trapped in that mirror for six thousand years and she didn't even care! she just... she just wanted to attack me! She didn't even feel sorry!"
Tomoyo Daidouji	Tomoyo is getting a huge whiff of someone else's personal laundry today! Throughout it all, she just nods understandingly and makes noises of agreement when needed, ignoring the thorough soaking her uniform is getting from Lapis' tears. What she gets from it is that the Gem was essentially the slave of someone named 'Pearl,' who used her to mimic her love, someone named 'Rose,' who left but came back. "That's awful," she finally says, meaning every letter of it. "But, you're free now. Free to move on, in the physical and emotional sense." She gives Lapis a long look, before saying. "I know what it's like, to have your feelings so tied up in someone who will never return them... but you can get over them. I know things seem awful right now, but one day, you'll look back on this and wonder what you ever saw in them."
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli whimpered and gave a soft nod. "I... I think so. I just... I just... I hate her. So much. I want to destroy her. I want to tear everything apart from her. To crush her. To leave her a beaten, helpless wreck. But... but I also want to protect her a-and keep her safe and make sure n-no one ever hurts her and that Homeworld never finds her. B-because they'd shatter her and... and then she'd be gone. She'd... be like one of you. she'd die." She wiped her eyes and looked up at the human. "I-I'm sorry. I just... can... can we g-go somewhere else? Please? I don't... I don't like this school. It is... not a nice place. H-how about we try this ummm... eat you mentioned? Let's do that. She hated eating, you know. She couldn't stand the fact humans had to swallow things and then let them go through them. It's a bit weird, I think. But not altogether unpleasant." Poor Tomoyo, getting this first hand weirdness.
Tomoyo Daidouji	Okay, that Tomoyo can't understand. But she nods as if she does, because again, Lapis doesn't need to hear that kind of stuff right now. "Of course," she says softly, shrugging off her bag and removing a roll of carpet from it. Unfurling it on the roof, she sits on it and pats the back. "I'll fly us this time. You could probably use a rest~ I know a nice little bakery we can go to." The trip is slow. The carpet can fly, but not very fast. When they touch down, they're outside a bakery that doesn't seem to be run by humans, judging by their batlike wings and spaded tails. But they all seem to know Tomoyo, and soon the two are set up with all manner of sweet treats.
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli nodded and sat down on it. She couldn't deny that it was nice to be flown and not have to fly. She sat across from her, staring at the human then at the strange treats. "These are like... those strange snacks Steven likes, yes?" She picked one up and took a bite, blinking. "They are interesting. A heavy composition of sugar, I believe." She eyed her for a few more moments. "Do some humans normally have wings and tails? I thought they all came in bipedal shapes, like you. I wasn't aware they had such forms too." She was relaxing a bit more. "You mentioned you... knew how this felt. Was there someone who did that to you? Someone who just... wanted to pop you the moment you weren't needed anymore? Someone you just hated and still needed?"
Tomoyo Daidouji	Tomoyo herself daintily eats an eclair, nodding to Lapis. "They're called 'pastries.' Sweet things are the perfect thing to eat when you're feeling low~" She looks around at the staff and nods. "Yes, but they're not humans. They're demons from a realm called Makai. I'm a friend with their queen's daughter, you see~ They decided to open a bakery here in Tomoeda." That question though... it makes Tomoyo slowly put her eclair down, and think carefully before answering. "Not like that, no. Just... someone who would never return all the love I had for them. Not because they hated me. Just for reasons no one was at fault for." She looks into the distance, head resting on her hands. "But it's okay. We're still very good friends, and they know I had those feelings for them now. Maybe you could end up the same way with this person someday."
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli nodded and took another bite of a pastry. "I see. I have not heard of these demons, but they seem nice. I don't think I've been to Makai. Is there a lot of water there?" She tried a drink of water, next. "I'm sorry. Perhaps if you..." She frowned and looked down at herself and gave yet another sigh. "When I was... freed, when I had a body again, I thought she'd like it. But she charged me with her spear then, too. Told me to get away from Steven. Treated me like I was some monster." She sighed and shook her head. "but I suppose I was. I did almost kill Steven. and them. and broke his dad's leg and stole their ocean. I gave it back, though!" she added quickly. "Then almost got them all killed and..." That dark frown was on her face again, her hair covering her eyes. "How... do you cope? Humans do that, right? When you're... when you've... done things? Is it because of the things you've done she can't fuse with you?"
Tomoyo Daidouji	Tomoyo shakes her head softly. "No, not much water at all. It's all volcanic." But that's a quick aside as Lapis continues to talk of the things she did. She nods slowly. "We try to cope, yes. Not all of us manage, but..." And then Lapis brings up fusing, and Tomoyo looks lost all over again. "W-Well, no... like I said, no one was at fault. It's just because of what we are. We're incompatible, in a romantic sense." She shakes her head, and reorients the conversation. "But, er... coping. It sounds to me like you do regret what you did. And the best way to show that you regret it, and move past it, is to show that you've changed, that you're not like that all the time. To everyone... and to yourself."
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli urked at that, her eyes going wide. "v-volcanic?" But then she keeps going and she relaxes a little. Yes. Focus on that other stuff. She latched onto that first thing. "Romantic sense? What does that mean? I'm talking about fusing. Becoming one with another..." She paused. "Oh. Can humans fuse? Now that I think about it, you might not be able to. A shame." She took another sip of her drink. "And what if you don't reg--" and then she burped. She shot back in her chair, her eyes going wide and looking around in horror. "W-what was that what happened?" she asked, looking around frantically before staring at the water and food as if it was poisoned.
Tomoyo Daidouji	Okay, they're talking at cross-purposes here. Tomoyo never thought she would have to give this talk to someone. "It's like... how you feel about Pearl. The feelings that aren't hatred and murderous. Those are romantic feelings, like love." She nods at Lapis' explanation, going a bit red in the face. "I-I understand. No, humans can't do that." She only caught half of that, but she realizes what Lapis was getting at. But the moment has passed, and the tailor can't help but giggle at the Gem's reaction. "It's okay, you just burped. It's um... a thing that happens when you eat and drink. You're not sick, it's okay."
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli nodded. "O-oh. So that's what that is. Funny. I thought love was supposed to be pleasant. It comes up so often in those shows of Peridots." She blinked. "I am not chasing off a bear for her. I could, but I won't. Not that a bear could hurt her." She stared down at the food and then... "It wasn't... altogether unpleasant. It was like having a great... air build up inside, then the pressure was gone. And it was similar to a sound Steven showed me. ah, hold on." She put her palm to her mouth and blew. She was making fart noises now. At the table.
Tomoyo Daidouji	Tomoyo understands that all too well. "A lot of things romanticize love. It can be very beautiful... but it can also twist people, drive them to do awful things in the name of it. Some say that love and hate are two sides of a coin. Both are outwardly focussed emotions, usually centered around one person, someone who is always on your mind, someone that can make your heart pound, your stomach tighten..." She pauses, and clears her throat. Her mind had wandered again. "But because they're such powerful emotions, our laws usually impose less harsh penalties on those who act under them. We call their acts 'crimes of passion.' They weren't thinking straight so they shouldn't be treated as poorly as someone who would do the same things with a clear head. But if someone were to keep doing things like that when in the throes of passion..." She shakes her head softly. "Do you understand Lapis?" And then she makes a fart noise. It's so unexpectedly crude and Tomoyo actually bursts out laughing, instead of a demure giggle. "Hahahah~! Oh, oh dear, that's..." She sniffs, and wipes a tear of mirth from the corner of her eye.
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli blinked a few times. "That sounds silly. Why would someone make your heart pound or your stomach tighten? How could someone not make you think straight? Things make someone think not straight, but people?" Her cheeks went a little blue. Pearl definitely did that to her. However, the girl seemed to like that sound. She smiled. "Steven liked it too." And then she did it again. And after a few more moments she managed another burp. She was having a grand old time making fart noises and burping sounds. Poor Tomoyo was probably getting so many looks after bringing this strange person into the restaurant.
Tomoyo Daidouji	Tomoyo spots the discoloration on Lapis' cheeks and smiles. "I don't know, they just do~" she says knowingly. And yes, they certainly are getting weird looks, but the tailor doesn't mind. She's happy to entertain Lapis for now, to keep her mind off the awful things. Hopefully the Gem will learn to open up more about this kind of thing after one good episode.
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli continued making those sounds for a while, before she stopped and started laughing so hard she was crying. She rocked back and forth in her chair, wiping her eyes before grinning to her. "T-thank you, Tomoyo. That... that felt nice. You know... I..." She blinked. "When I came to earth, I was only visiting. I never thought I'd be captured and... turned into a mirror for that long. And when I got out, I thought I'd hate this world. I did for a while. It was my prison for so long. But... you humans... I think I like you. I do hope that Homeworld doesn't destroy your planet and slaughter all of you. Though I still don't see how you have any hope of fighting them off, they're just so much more advanced than you."
Tomoyo Daidouji	"I was happy to do it~" Tomoyo says truthfully. But what comes after makes her face fall. But only a little. Soon, she's smiling again. "There's more to humans than you think~ You'll see if you keep exploring the Multiverse. We're capable of amazing things if you give us a chance."
Lapis Lazuli	Lapis Lazuli nodded and sighed. "True. And I suppose that's just my dimension. To be honest, a lot of these other worlds are nothing like the earth I know. So maybe the rest of you will be spared." She gave a soft shrug. "If it comes to it, I suppose I could just flee. Thank you, this was quite the experience. I hope we can meet again, tomoyo." And she got to her feet, her wings forming once again. "I should probably head back, however. This place a... more dry than I normally like. I will try to visit you again, okay? You live in this area, yes?"