[ENTRANCEWAY] IC CONTACT

[slapfight]

 

You've reached Peridot, leader of the Crystal Gems. I can't get to your call right now, but you can leave a message, and if I'm not too busy being a great savior and all-around wonderful gem, I'll get back to you.

[pause]

...Is that all I do? When does it- [BEEP]

Comments

[sslillappy]

I wonder!

[slapfight]

If we figure out her secrets,
we might actually find a way to defeat her! Wouldn't that be great?

[sslillappy]

[Well. Peridot seems to have a basic misapprehension here. Lapis doesn't really want to shut her down too bluntly, which would probably bring down the mood, but she also doesn't want to humor this too far, or say anything too incriminating. Plus, this is already way less fun than talking about themselves.]

Are you sure it's not just that you want to play spy?

[There's another tongue-sticking-out-smiley. Just to make sure.]

[slapfight]

[She turns red again.]

It's just you're such a nice
Mirror! What happens to nice Mirrors over there long-term? It can't be easy.

[sslillappy]

The company leaves a lot to be desired, but I'm not dumb enough to get into any serious trouble.
Such as, for instance, listening to Reals who try asking me to commit treason. Just as an example.

[slapfight]

[awk... ward.]

That's a good point. You'll be okay.

[sslillappy]

Besides...
You realize I could steal an ocean too.

[Y'know, if there was one.]

[slapfight]

That thought hadn't actually occurred to me until this moment...

[Mostly because Mirror Lapis just doesn't seem like the type to steal oceans.

And a little bit that she wanted to believe Mirrors were just less powerful in general. The look on her face suggests it might actually be more than a little bit.]

[sslillappy]

Haha, don't worry. We don't even have one over here.

Mirror writing, also pretend this is vaguely backdated some big chunk, I'm a slacker

[sslillappy]

[M'Lapis knew it was irresponsible to let communication drop off. In that time leading up to the war, Peridot must have been worried about her -- or she hopes so, anyway, so she should have made sure. And she'd meant to, more or less, and she'd thought about it.

But when it came down to it, she couldn't think of anything she wanted to say. This Lapis may not be ruled by fear like certain parties, but she has a certain brand of conflict aversion nonetheless. What was there to say that would do anyone any good? Why stand around and struggle with it, then?

All of that is over with now, though! Things are... well. Things are good in strange and entirely unexpected new ways, such that she doesn't really know how to approach that either, but at least it's a positive. Things are changing, and it's a perfect time, M'Lapis thinks, to revisit some other positive changes. And it's still never hard to find Peridot passing through; despite all that, she is easy to not overlook.]

Well, well! Look who's come to see me!

SALUTES

[slapfight]

[Instinctively, Peridot still doublechecks to make sure no one is coming down the hall before she climbs up on a chair and scribble back. Things might be better now, but she was here when the White Queen's Christmas event occurred. She trusts nothing. No authority is her master! She is a free gem!

...Anyway.]

I should have said something sooner, but... you know.

[Wars. New regime changes. Etc.]

[sslillappy]

Heheh, no kidding! It's been kinda crazy around here, hasn't it?

[Thank heavens that good ol' Peridot makes slipping back into it so easy. Bless her.]

[slapfight]

I'll say. But at least the Queen of Hearts is gone. You must be pretty excited about that.

[sslillappy]

I'll be honest with you, I really never thought it was even a possibility.
It must be a little like changing Diamonds, you know?

[slapfight]

Just trading one strict regime for another.

Though she does appear to be... nicer.

[sslillappy]

She sure does. It's too bad that can't fix everyone else over here.

[slapfight]

I didn't even think of that. Hah! My Mirror must be absolutely out of her depth.

I apologize for what you'll have to deal with. Knowing her, she'll be completely insufferable about it.

[Simultaneously the most self-aware Peridot has ever been and the LEAST self-aware at the same time.]

[sslillappy]

It's not like I talk to her. Honestly, I'm almost curious now, but it still wouldn't be worth having to deal with her.

[slapfight]

Oh believe me, I know. She's so irritating. I'm so glad I was never like that when I was loyal to Homeworld.

[y e a h.]

[sslillappy]

[Fortunately, Peridot cannot see or hear M'Lapis laughing at her.]

What would you have done if you got orders to be a little nicer and have more free will?

[slapfight]

Oh that's easy. I would've believed that being ordered to have free will is illogical and that it was a trick of some sort. A true test of my loyalty.

[And the second she finishes scribbling that and looks it over, she.... realizes where she went wrong here. SHE PLAYED HERSELF...]

[sslillappy]

[l a w l]

Yeah, see, definitely not worth checking on her. It's like if every other killjoy fused their killjoy-ness together to make the ultimate mega giant killjoy.

[slapfight]

[there's a lot of snickering on this side of the mirror.]

Which is funny because she probably finds fusion deplorable!

[ISN'T GEM RACISM FUNNY...] Anyway, I'm glad you're still taking the time to talk to me... even if I think Real Lapis would still find it upsetting, even though we're not technically enemies anymore.

[sslillappy]

[Just as Peridot couldn't see how much she was being laughed at, so too it is that she cannot see the laughter die down. She probably has no idea just how much that killed the mood, and that's okay, really. M'Lapis rolls with her punches. It's not like that wasn't always there, and she's gotten far enough to say something about it, hasn't she?]

You're not hurting her by talking to me. You're not hurting anyone. This has nothing to do with her.

[slapfight]

[Well, that's... blatantly untrue.]

It's... complicated. I don't want her to think she's being replaced. I, personally, think that there's nothing wrong with being friends with both of you, but... It is kind of a sensitive subject.

But you have absolutely nothing to worry about. It doesn't affect you any.