Put a smile on...

[myownpearl]

Who: Pearl and whoever is around...
What: Another gem finds her way to the carnival...she is not impressed.
When: Day 95
Where: The Backyard, The Big Top, The Cookhouse, and just around
Warnings: None...yet.


After running in to Steven in the mirror maze and figuring out that she had in fact done something to incur the need for a contract, Pearl had taken it fairly well. She didn't like it, but what was she going to do? Even if she hadn't, she couldn't exactly leave Steven here and now she needed to get an idea about exactly where here was.

Pearl had decided to start with the essential places: her new trailer, where she would perform, and where to find others. After looking at a map of the grounds she'd decided that the best place to start (aside from the trailers) was the Cookhouse. She wasn't a fan of food herself, but she could use the familiar layout of a kitchen to find some comfort in this place. Besides, if most lifeforms here required food it would be a good place to get some insight. A year wasn't TERRIBLY long for a gem, but it was enough time that she'd need to know a little more about this place, especially if she was going to be able to help Steven at all. He had three months on her and she needed to learn all that she could to "catch up" as it were.

If you meet her around the Backyard she is mostly looking at trailer numbers and trying to locate her own. This is similar to how she just wanders the carnival grounds just to see what she's gotten herself into and to familiarize herself with the layout.

Otherwise, she will make her way towards The Cookhouse and do a little people watching. She may get ahead of herself and clean up any tables that are left dirty or reorganize certain areas if there are more pepper shakers on one table and no napkins on another. She's an organized gem and sees it as her duty to make sure these things are sorted out if she's going to be staying here. You might notice she doesn't actually eat anything herself.

After that, her tour will take her to the Big Top, as even though shows have not begun yet this is where she has been assigned to work: as a performer. She wants to get a feel for what kind of act she can put on or what is already being done. You may see her try a few moves of dance or attacks with a spear to get a feel for the space. Just be careful not to get into a fight with her hologram Pearl, who may or may not be summoned to spar with her.

[ooc: I did prose, but I can switch to action if necessary]

Comments

Cookhouse

[periphrasing]

Word of Pearl’s arrival had gotten around quickly enough. It’s funny how that works, actually; sometimes new arrivals show up, and Peridot doesn’t hear anything about them or even see them around until weeks after the fact. And then other times? Other times, a new gem shows up, and it’d be impossible for her to not to hear about it.

She’s heard some other stuff by now, too, specifically regarding Pearl’s job placement. That’s probably why, when the green gem marches into the dining area looking for her, she’s carrying herself like she has a bone to pick.

With little regard for standard sanitary regulations, Peridot marches in and hoists herself up onto the table that Pearl is currently cleaning, both to get her attention and also so that they can talk to each other at a more comparable height.

“Pearl,” she says, somehow managing to sound polite and clipped at the same time. “Lapis told me you were here. Good to see you again.”

[myownpearl]

Of course Pearl has no idea that her job placement would cause such conflict. Lapis had behaved strangely enough, but she was so unfamiliar with Lapis that she just wrote it off as the usual attitude from her. Now, while she hadn't expected as touching a reunion as Steven's had been, she still felt she would have received a slightly warmer greeting from the little green gem.

Granted, it was Peridot, and despite any "bonding" they might have had she was still a little odd about emotions and feelings.

Pearl looked over when Peridot approached, offering her a polite smile, "Hello Peridot. I guess word got around then. Is everything all right?" Peridot didn't strike her as the type to desire food.

[periphrasing]

Well there goes any plans Peridot may have had for bringing the issue up casually.

"Um, no, everything is NOT alright," the smaller gem says a little loudly. "Allow me to recap: First, you impress me with engineering skill that far exceeds the standard for your gem type. We 'bond' with each other working on that drill together. And then after all this time, you show up here and you go to work as a performer, instead of coming to work with me in engineering?"

Throughout her whole tirade, Peridot puts on a good show of being angry, yes, but catching a glimpse of the emotion below that, of the driving force behind her coming here, it's much more notable that she seems to be hurt by this development. Which is childish, of course, but Pearl's right: Peridot is still pretty odd about emotions and feelings.

[myownpearl]

Pearl blinked. That's what this was about? Her brow furrowed in confusion, this seemed strange -- she knew Peridot was starting to actually come around to respect her and they did have a friendship developing. But, well, she didn't think the green gem would take it so personally.

Pearl sighed, deciding to address Peridot's points. "At the time, I wasn't aware that you were in charge of engineering. I was asked what skills I had and I listed them all. I was told that they were in need of more acts. I knew Steven was a performer so I figured I could keep a better eye on him if I was an act as well," she paused and then added, "Not to mention I wasn't even aware it was a negotiation. I figured I had to accept my assignment as it stood."

She studied Peridot for a moment, her expression softening, "I'm sorry. I wasn't intending it as a slight against you or working with you Peridot. You know if you ever need my help with a project, I'll be there."

[periphrasing]

For a while, it doesn't seem like Peridot is going to be much swayed by all that, given the way she keeps scowling throughout the length of Pearl's explanation, but. After taking a moment and considering it all very carefully, she finally relents. Her expression softens, her shoulders relax.

"It's fine," she sighs, flopping down to sit at the end of the table. "I know no one really has any control over where they get assigned. It was just... Disappointing to hear. That said, your apology is appreciated, and accepted. And you're always welcome to come and provide your input on all engineering projects, if you find yourself with the time or inclination."

[myownpearl]

Pearl wasn't sure if it was going to be enough either, quite frankly. She was still learning about Peridot as much as the other gem was still learning about them. Steven was always better at these kinds of things than any of them had ever been. Well, aside from maybe Rose herself.

"I know. I thought I had excellent qualifications to help with repairs of anything they could have here--but I suppose it wasn't meant to be," Pearl replies. Peridot could be a handful at times, but their time spent building the drill had been more or less enjoyable. Honestly, even Steven's robot competition had some good memories attached -- even if the reasons for it weren't so great. She enjoyed when she could exercise talents that most other pearls didn't even consider. It gave her a thrill, one that was hard for her to find sometimes.

She nods, "Thank you. Is there usually down time available like that?"

[periphrasing]

"For performers? Definitely," Peridot snorts. "There's always an off-week whenever we go some place new, and in that time I'm guessing all you need to do is attend practices. Plus... You know. Being gems and all..."

She makes a weird, airy hand gesture that doesn't really clarify her meaning at all, before clarifying the point anyway. "We have a distinct advantage over the organics here. No need to waste time with sleeping and eating. If anything you might find yourself getting bored."

[myownpearl]

"Well...I always kept myself occupied between missions with upkeep around Steven's part of the temple and then our various projects. So I'm sure I'll find similar ways to keep myself occupied," Pearl states. True, she's only been here a few hours, so she could be wrong. But she's trying to find something to focus on, to keep her mind off of things.

"It sounds like we will have plenty of time to work together then."

[periphrasing]

"Plenty of time with plenty to do," Peridot agrees enthusiastically. And then as a more somber note: "Seriously. The idiots around here break things all the time."

[myownpearl]

Pearl shakes her head, understanding pretty clearly what might be troubling Peridot. "Humans rarely build things to last as long as we do. I've also found they have a tendency for breaking things--on purpose or by accident hardly matters."

Well, she didn't have much to do now, she looks down at the green gem, "Are there any projects you're working on now?"

[periphrasing]

She brightens again. "Funny you should ask! I was actually approached by one of the other supervisors recently with a request to design and construct an "obstacle course" for the other carnival members to utilize in their training regimen. We're having a meeting soon to discuss plans for it... You should come join us! We could probably use some extra input."

[myownpearl]

Pearl blinks and immediately looks interested. You can practically see the gears spinning in her head as she goes through the multiple possibilities at hand. "Hmm...that does sound interesting. I'll see what kind of plans I can draw up for consideration."

[periphrasing]

Peridot looks pleased as punch. "Excellent! Er... Truth be told... I can build a lot of the equipment they might need, but... I'm not really sure how 'fitness' or 'training' works well enough to come up with a comprehensive course on my own."

[myownpearl]

"Yes, the human idea of staying 'fit' can be a little strange...but training isn't too difficult a concept as long as you keep in mind that they lack our endurance and stamina," Pearl admits. She'd been mentoring Connie after all, so she felt pretty confident in her own skills at that. She tilts her head, considering some of the forms she had seen. "But...does that still apply with the changes I've seen for many of the workers here?"

[periphrasing]

“Not sure,” she says, shrugging indifferently. “I don’t really monitor them very closely… If it’s made a difference, it hasn’t been enough of one to make an impact on me. Most of them seem just as fragile and soft as ever.”

Peridot Greg is your underling and he can literally turn into a boulder now, you should know about this shit.

[myownpearl]

That wasn't particularly helpful. But, Peridot was still new to Earth and humans were still a new concept to her. Pearl would have to keep an eye out and make sure that Peridot's idea of training didn't go too far and harm anyone. Not that Peridot would do that intentionally, but she might underestimate how fragile humans could be.

They also tended not to come back when they got hurt too badly.

"We'll have to keep that in mind then. Perhaps you can devise a way for there to be levels of difficulty."

[periphrasing]

“That’s…. Actually a really good idea,” says Peridot, mountingly enthusiastic. “Yes…. and we can add harder, more treacherous difficulties for the humans who want more of a challenge!”

[myownpearl]

"Well," Pearl scoffs, "I do have them occasionally." It was a joke, Pearl liked to think she had good ideas fairly often. Still, she took the compliment. It wasn't often for Peridot to give them--though at least Pearl knew it was sincere in that case. She nods at Peridot's next assessment, "That would be a good idea--and people can work up to those levels as they grow stronger as well."

[periphrasing]

Peridot beams. "A gradual improvement! Yes! Brilliant!"

She's back on her feet on the table again, practically bouncing with excitement. "Listen, there's going to be a meeting tomorrow night at my trailer. You should draw up some plans and come contribute! Technically it's only for the engineering team and the Nightrider, but I can bend the rules a little bit in your case."