Chapter 1: The beginning
Chapter Text
It all began, as many things do, in darkness.
All he could see was darkness, like a thick miasma, until suddenly, there was light! A colossal golden armored entity burst into existence, the embodiment of everything opposite to the darkness. It wielded a sword and shield, ready for battle. From the oozing darkness emerged a dragon, its form amorphous and composed of pure shadow.
How long did they fight? It felt both fleeting and eternal, like a broken clock. The battle raged on until the armored sentinel plunged the sword into the dragon's heart. The creature exploded into multiple crystals, each containing a shadowy draconic silhouette. They scattered into eternity. Realizing the beast was not defeated, the sentinel, with a moment of clarity, stabbed itself in the chest, shattering into multiple orbs of radiant light. Each orb followed one of the crystals into the unknown.
"Wake up," a playful voice called out. He shifted and rolled over, trying to cling to his sleep. "Wake up!" A push abruptly awakened him, and he tumbled into a body of water.
Underwater, shadows peered down at him, and panic washed over him as he remembered the need to breathe.
"Gah!" He took deep breaths and coughed up some water, his clothes now damp. Wait, something was off about his attire. "What's wrong with my clothes?" He glanced down and saw himself dressed entirely in black—a black shirt, jeans, a black trench coat, and boots.
He looked up and confirmed his suspicion—he was no longer in home. His last memory was falling asleep in bed, wearing only briefs. He turned his attention to the voice and saw a blond woman, seemingly in her twenties. The second thing he noticed was her attire—a blue vest, a white loincloth held by a brown belt, and gravity-defying purple earrings.
But the strangest aspect was her appearance, as if she had walked straight out of a CalArts animated show.
"Wait, I know that look..." he muttered under his breath. Then he yelled to the stranger, "Hey, who are you?"
"Me? My name is Jay-Ten!" she replied, looking slightly guilty. She approached him, offering a hand to help him out of the water. "And who might you be? I've never seen anyone like you before."
"I'm Jacob..." Jacob glanced at his hand in hers and realized that even his hand had transformed into the CalArts style. Composing himself, he took a deep breath and pinched his free hand. "Ow!" he exclaimed as a sharp pain shot through him. He could deal with this somehow; strangely, the red mark from the pinch faded quickly, returning his skin to its normal paleness.
"Are you okay?" another Zooman asked. Jacob turned and saw Wy-Six approaching, his face filled with childlike curiosity. Jacob struggled to contain his panic, knowing where he was and what lay beyond this Zoo terrified him. It all rushed out like an unleashed flood of anxiety.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Jacob's panic erupted uncontrollably, lacking any hint of dignity. He couldn't suppress or ignore it, no matter how hard he tried.
He ran.
And he ran fast.
"Wait, new friend!" Jay-Ten called out from a distance, her voice lost amidst the pounding of his heart.
"Don't go!" Wy-Six's voice faded into the distance as well.
Jacob focused on one thing—running. He ran as fast as he could, hoping that maybe this was all just a dream. Maybe he could wake up in his bed with his cat, but no, the more he ran, the more anxious he became. Tears ran a marathon down his face as his denial became a worn-out dam.
WOOOSH.
Jacob turned. The wall opened up to reveal an Amazonian woman of a purple shade—full lips, long and flowing white hair, and bright purple eyes. However, what stood out was a gem embedded in her body, positioned over her heart.
"Hey, hey, hey, are you okay?" asked Amethyst, slowly crouching down. Her hands were up as she walked over to him. "Are you okay? I've never seen you in the Zoo before."
That did it. Whatever dam held back his denial broke, along with something in his mind. Jacob felt everything slow down and saw the opened door. He saw an opportunity and took it.
He dashed.
Amethyst, codenamed 500 Cut 426G, was shocked. She saw the strange human in front of her, and then it was a blur. Where the human once stood was a deep indent in the ground, leaving a small crater.
"Oh, shards."
Amethyst turned around to face the door, seeing the human turn a corner down the hall. Oh, sheet rock. Amethyst made a mad dash into the hallway and placed her hand on the panel next to the door. Gemcode scrolled down her eyes as she felt herself link up with the speaker system.
"Attention, all Amethyst guards! There is a rogue human loose! Please detain them alive! They are wearing strange black clothing and appear to be faster than a normal human." Amethyst disconnected from the system and ran after the human.
Today was a good day for Holly Blue. The Amethysts were all orderly, perfect, and obedient. She may have had to shock some of them for not being in proper saluting form, but that was the fun of it. Oh yes, all was well for Holly Blue...
"Attention, all Amethyst guards! There is a rogue human loose! Please detain them alive! They are wearing strange black clothing and appear to be faster than a normal human."
Oh, those useless clods! They couldn't even keep a human where they belonged. Oh, when she gets her hands on them, pain will be dished out like they've never experienced.
"Come on, I think it went this way!" A black blur ran by Holly Blue, followed by the thunderous footsteps and a sea of purple from a stampede of Amethysts. Holly Blue stood disheveled amidst the commotion, her hair buns undone, her dress dirty and scuffed, and her once-sterile, perfect white boots now bearing dirty footprints all over them.
Holly Blue was not just mad; she had reached a plateau beyond rage. Someone needed to be punished. That was the only thing that could quell her fury. She withdrew her whip from her gem and raced off after the Amethyst, her eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. As a superior cut of Gem, she was naturally faster and stronger than an Amethyst—traits necessary to keep them in line.
"That human..." rumbled Holly Blue as she chased after the chaos. It wasn't hard to follow the chase with all the dents, scuffs, and tranquilizer darts piercing the walls. Each passing second fueled her anger even more. Every moment the human remained free was a direct insult to her honor as an Agate.
With her ego in tatters, she turned the last corner, only to come face-to-face with a sight that somewhat stunned her. The human was cornered, yes, but they were evading every attempt to catch them—be it physical lunges or tranquilizers from a distance. From the look on the human's face, they appeared to be in pain, suffering from some kind of migraine. However, they still dodged and leaped over Amethysts and avoided darts without even looking. Hiding behind the corner of the hallway to observe and evaluate the human, Holly Blue witnessed something shocking. As the human jumped onto one of the walls and kicked off it, it left an indent of spider web-like cracks upon the surface.
"How are you doing this?" Holly Blue muttered to herself. Non-Gems had never been documented accomplishing feats of such caliber before. Before Holly Blue had more time to process this new information, the human leaped over the Amethyst guard and ran towards her direction. She saw her moment to strike, and strike she did.
Using her whip, she clotheslined the human, wrapping its arms and legs together midair. With all her might, she dragged the human down and slammed it into the hallway floor. Blood spewed from its mouth, and the motion from the slam created a crater underneath the human.
"I've got you now, human. Sing for me," Holly Blue said, activating the lightning mode of her whip, relishing in causing further pain.
Jacob screamed as the excruciating pain engulfed him. The migraine-like sensations constantly directed him away from danger, but he was surrounded by it, overwhelming his senses. He tried to make a break for it, only to be clotheslined by a whip, flinging him into the air. The whip wrapped itself around his legs and midsection, bringing him down hard. He looked up into the cold eyes of Holly Blue Agate from the show Steven Universe.
"Wait..." But before Jacob could utter a word, his body was filled with lightning. Every muscle and cell pulsed with the power of Zeus himself, intensifying the pain. He tried to look back and saw the amethyst guards covering their mouths with their hands, their eyes wide with horror and empathy. Jacob began to smell smoke, and his mind, unable to bear the strain, blacked out. Deep within Jacobs very being something snapped, it felt old, beyond ancient. Trillions of screams echoed in his subconscious as something was ripped from its hive mind, traumatizing the symbiotic organism.
Holly Blue reveled in her victory. She had captured the human and was going to shock them a few more times to teach them a lesson. Consumed by her triumph, she was oblivious to the extent of harm she was causing. Gasps filled the air, and when she turned her head, she saw the horrified looks on the faces of the Amethysts.
"This is how you catch a human! You can't do anything right, you Earth-born rejects!" However, the Amethysts' eyes were not on her. They were fixated on the human's body as its clothes transformed from cloth, leather, denim, and rubber into a viscous, oozing substance that began to spread and engulf the human.
In an instant, the event known only as Black Wednesday occurred. The black ooze completely covered the human, its tendrils flailing about, shredding the whip that restrained it. It stood up, taller than before, approximately seven feet according to eyewitness accounts. It turned and opened its jagged milky white eyes, its jaws revealing a mouth full of razor-sharp fangs and a long, slimy tongue dripping with green ooze.
"Yoooooooou. Huuuuuurt. Hosssssst!" the beast before them uttered with a his, staring Holly Blue in the eyes. Her form trembled at the sight of its imposing frame. Its face, oh, its face was utterly horrifying, something out of nightmares she didn't know even existed.
"I'm sorry." She truly meant it in that moment, however brief it was.
"You're noooooot," snarled the beast. "But yoooooou will be!" The beast reached forward, grabbed Holly Blue with its tendrils, and repeatedly slammed her body into the wall. Each impact created a larger crater in the wall. The Amethysts were too horrified to respond to their superior being brutally attacked.
POOF! CLATTER!
Where Holly Blue Agate once stood, there was now only a cracked gem. The monster lifted its foot, prepared to shatter the gem completely for all she had done. At that moment, the Amethysts finally snapped out of their stupor. They aimed their tranquilizer guns at the beast and administered many times the normal dose. After the 50th shot, the beast finally fell. The black ooze retreated into the human, returning the human to their original form, clad only in a small pair of cloth shorts.
Slowly, the Amethysts approached, cautiously poking the unconscious human's body. What stood out was the absence of injuries—not a single mark from the Amethysts' attacks or even electric scars from Holly Blue's infamous whip. They shoved the tallest Amethyst to the front of the group to carry the human. With a grimace, she did so and brought the human to the Med bay.
‘Pink Diamond needs to know about this,’ was the thought of the tallest amethyst.
Chapter 2: The Examination
Summary:
The Diamonds have their chief biologist examine the human.
Notes:
Italics - Thoughts
Bold - Powerful voice/Demonic voice/Voice of the legion
Chapter Text
"What happened?" Pink Diamond asked, with the Famathyst standing outside the medical wing room, their "ears" pressed against the door. Inside stood Pink, her Pearl, and a Turquoise responsible for the medical, mental, and emotional well-being of the humans in Pink's zoo.
"Well," began Turquoise, her fingers gliding and dancing across the holographic screen. In front of the group, the healing vat contained the human, floating in healing fluid while small orbs scanned its body. Another screen displayed X-rays, blood tests, CAT scans, and MRIs. "It's not good."
"What is it?" asked Pink, her arms crossed and her foot tapping away in worry and confusion. 'Who is he? Where did he come from? How did he end up like this?'
Peal, standing behind her, despite not caring, was worried for her Diamond's sake. She fretted over the fact that no human technology had shown the capability to transport a human from Earth to their location without abduction. Following the instructions of Yellow and Blue, Peal had already notified them about the incident. They were concerned about Pink's sudden departure from the meeting, which initially started with annoyance and the beginnings of discipline, but had now simmered down to concern and curiosity.
"He has a parasite, unlike anything I've ever seen. I remember when you sent probes to connect to the 'World Wide Web' to record all Earth's ailments, parasites, and bacteria. So the only explanation I can think of is that it's either engineered or extraterrestrial." Turquoise immediately tapped another key on the holo-screen. "However, upon examining the entity attached to our subject, we found no genetic information that matches anything on Earth. This leaves us with only one option—extraterrestrial. The problem is, no human technology has advanced enough to travel this far into space."
"So how..." Pink began, but her Diamond line suddenly rang. She glanced at her pearl, grabbed it, and walked into an empty adjacent room to the Med Wing. She picked up her Diamond line and answered the call.
"Pink, why did you leave like that? In the middle of a meeting, no le—" Yellow started, but she was slightly elbowed by Blue.
"Pink, you left so suddenly. Are you okay?" asked Blue, her concerned expression softening Pink's anxiety caused by Yellow's impending reprimand. Pink shuffled her feet, rubbing her arm, and looked up at her older sisters to explain.
"It's one of the humans at the zoo," Pink began.
"Why would one of your organics be so important that you would leave a meeting?" said Yellow, raising an eyebrow and expressing disappointment.
"Yellow! Pink, what is wrong with your humans?" Blue interjected, looking at Yellow disapprovingly.
"That's the thing—it's not one of mine," Pink said, carefully choosing her words. "It just showed up, and that's not even the weirdest part. I haven't added any new humans to my zoo recently, but this one arrived in a state of severe anxiety and managed to escape the housing area. It led to a massive chase, and an Agate ultimately shocked the human into submission. That's when... well, take a look at this." Pink sent the video file of the incident to the other Diamonds.
Their reaction was nothing short of horrified—though even that felt like an understatement.
"What was that!" Yellow bellowed, her face leaning closer to the screen as she meticulously observed the playback. Pink could see the wheels turning in her mind, as she strategized containment and, if necessary, extermination of this disturbing subject, as was typical of Yellow.
"Pink... what is that? Is your human okay? What did it do to him?" Blue backed away from the screen slightly, her hand covering her mouth in worry.
"I'll let my Turquoise explain everything she knows at the moment." Pink motioned for her Gem to step forward and brief the Diamonds.
"My Diamonds," Turquoise began with a salute.
"Cut to the chase," Yellow interrupted.
"The human has a parasite of extraterrestrial origin, indicated by the shape of its DNA. Although its body is organic, it is made of a substance currently unknown to us. Our initial scans reveal that the creature is nearly 600 million cycles old and relies on the host's nutrients and neurochemicals to survive. Scans show that it regularly consumes Phenethylamine and Adrenaline, and the previously overweight human in question lost weight as a result of the parasite consuming nutrients and calories.
Currently, we are administering nutrients to the human dermally, primarily through the liquid in the healing vat. We have no information on how the human arrived here—there is no evidence of a spacecraft or teleportation device. Additionally, we are investigating whether any other humans in the Zoo have been compromised. This concludes my current report, my Diamonds."
"Pink, you need to keep this human under lock and key and observe it. We need you to question it once it wakes up to gather more information—why is it here, how did it arrive, and what is the nature of the attachment?" Yellow Diamond said.
Blue Diamond looked from Yellow to Pink and back again. Finally, she nodded in agreement with Yellow. "Make sure the human is comfortable, Pink. Maybe if you can gain its trust, it will provide more answers. It's probably terrified. Please handle this one with care," Blue said. Alluding to pink harming her previous pearl, causing a sense of shame and guilt to swell behind Pink’s indifferent facade.
Bubbles began to form in the vat as Jacob slowly regained consciousness. As he woke up, he felt a tube down his throat, causing immense discomfort. Gagging uncontrollably, he desperately tried to remove it.
Gag! Gag! Gag!
Amidst his struggles, a plump blue-green gem approached him.
Gag!
Jacob's throat began to throb with pain, a burning and itching sensation that was agonizing. The muffled beeping sound of the heart rate monitor intensified, reflecting his anxiety and suffering. Unable to breathe on his own due to the machine, it conflicted with his natural instinct to draw breath.
Suddenly, something filled his lungs, causing him to retch. Slowly, ever so slowly, until there was a squelching sound followed by a pop!
Jacob could taste something unfamiliar. It was a combination of noxious decay, burning metal, and space-like substances.
He looked to where the breathing apparatus had been and saw black ooze leaking and enveloping his nose and mouth. And then, he could breathe! A surge of happiness washed over him as he immediately recognized what he had bonded with—a Klyntar. The question remained: which variation? There were countless iterations. Was it a known or unknown Klyntar? 1610 or 616?
"How do you know about my kind?" a voice echoed in Jacob's mind. He could feel probing and exploring in his brain and very consciousness. Suddenly, an understanding flooded his mind, followed by a spike in fear and anxiety. "First, let me help clear your mind of those neurosis," the Klyntar said.
In a brief flash, Jacob could feel his neurons being rewired, and finally, the images, urges, and intrusive thoughts came to a halt. All was still. The roaring ocean of his mind had been quelled and replaced with tranquility compared to the chaotic and turbulent sea it had been before.
Peace.
The burden that once weighed upon him was now replaced by the presence of the Klyntar. For the first time in years, he felt peace. "Now that you're feeling better, let's talk about our current situation. I've glimpsed some of your thoughts, and you know who we are. Can you elaborate?" the Klyntar conveyed.
"I think I can. Now, I need you not to freak out. Can you do that?" Jacob thought back to the Klyntar.
"I will try."
"We aren't in Kansas anymore."
"What do you mean—" The sound in the back of Jacob's mind resembled someone blowing dust off something, followed by the start of a film reel. "Oh, huh, that movie was good! Nice reference. But let's get back to our discussion. You're saying we're not where we're supposed to be?"
"Neither of us belongs in this universe. I'm from a different reality than you, and we've ended up in a universe where neither of us belongs."
"Alright, I'm familiar with the concept of the Multiverse. However, I don't know where you're from, and I am no longer connected to the Hive Mind. This is very concerning, so stop beating around the bush and tell me," the Klyntar anxiously insisted.
More of the black biomass leaked out and attached to the sides of the tank in which Jacob was floating. In the back of his mind, Jacob grinned, imagining himself looking like Harry Osborne floating in a tank with the Symbiote in the PS4 Spider-Man game.
"We are in a place called the Zoo, specifically the Human Zoo. It was created by the Diamonds Yellow and Blue for Pink Diamond. Pink Diamond chose not to colonize Earth, so the other Diamonds decided to throw some humans in the zoo to claim that Pink hadn't exterminated a sapient race during their colonial efforts."
"What do you mean by colonialism?"
"Gems reproduce by draining the minerals, nutrients, and life force of a planet. They use an injector to create gems through this process, which leaves the planet infertile, barren, and lifeless. The gems then colonize the depleted planet and establish their society."
"Should we be worried?"
"We should exercise caution. A single Ruby guard can produce flames, which we both know is harmful to both of us. Gems are also physically stronger than humans, so depending on the time period we find ourselves in, we could be in danger."
"We need to find a way out of here. They could have already experimented on us and examined us."
"I agree, but we can't just go on a rampage. If we do, we won't see the light of day. We need to approach this subtly. Perhaps we can find allies who can help us escape!"
Jacob had an idea. He lifted his head up and leaned forward, looking at the blue-green gem. Their uncertain and curious gazes met as he reached his hand forward and wrapped his knuckles on the glass.
"Come on, come on, understand that I'm conscious. Let me out of here," thought Jacob.
He watched as the chubby blue-green gem walked over to the holo-pad next to his tank and pressed a button, causing a clear blue fluid to be released into the vat. Immediately, Jacob could feel the effects. The black biomass that covered his face and nose began to retract, along with the rest that was attached to the tank. Soon, darkness enveloped Jacob and the Klyntar once again.
Pink Diamond returned, summoned by the urgent announcement from her Turquoise. "What happened?" asked Pink Diamond, her concern evident in her voice. Turquoise looked at her Diamond and began to explain.
"He was awakened, my Diamond. He was conscious, and whatever the parasite was, it removed the breathing apparatus. It utilizes its own biomass to filter the healing fluid, enabling the host to breathe. This isn't characteristic of a parasite; it's indicative of a symbiotic relationship!" explained Turquoise.
"Please elaborate," requested Pink Diamond.
"A symbiotic relationship occurs when two entities of different species live in a mutually beneficial association, where both members of the relationship derive advantages from the partnership," replied Turquoise.
"So, both organisms are working together?" pondered Pink Diamond. Turquoise turned to the holo-pad and pulled up the video footage, pressing play and then turning back to her Diamond.
"After reviewing the video footage, it is evident that the entity only emerged after pain was inflicted upon its host. You can see how the host began to emit smoke? That Agate was inflicting electrical burns on him, torturing him," Turquoise explained.
Pink Diamond watched the video intently, her horror growing as she realized that the Agate she had healed was the same one who had subjected this poor human to torture. Now, everything made sense to her. She understood why the entity was trying to break free from the cracked Agate.
"Please transfer the human to a comfortable and calming room. Assemble a troop of Amethyst guards, along with my Jasper. I will personally interview the human when he wakes up," commanded Pink Diamond. She turned around and left the room, her Pearl following closely behind from her stationary post outside the door.
Turquoise turned and pressed a button on the holo-pad, causing the healing solution to drain from the vat. The liquid receded, leaving behind a 19-year-old human lying unconscious on the floor.
"Well, let's get you cleaned up," Turquoise said softly. She clicked another button, summoning a small army of robonoids to clean, bathe, dress, and gently move the human to a soft surface in a holding cell, where he would rest until he regained consciousness.
Chapter 3: The Interview
Summary:
Pink Diamond interviews the Human and Klyntar.
Chapter Text
The first thing that came to Jacob was a soft, warm feeling. 'Okay, I'm not in the test tube. Where am I now?' Jacob felt around and slightly pressed down; it felt like a soft bed and quilts.
'Maybe it was all a dream?'
'Not in your wildest nightmares.'
"Gah!" Jacob launched up to 19 degrees, looking around. To his left, he saw a blank pink room with a toilet, shower, and what looked like fluid bags filled with colored jelly on a table. To his right, there was what seemed to be something like a one-way mirror.
'So, we are trapped. Surrounded on all sides by aliens, stuck on their own turf, and they're armed to the teeth. I'm gonna freak out.'
Bump, bump, bump, Jacob's heart started going miles a minute. He could feel the cortisol and adrenaline pumping through his veins, and the thundering in his ears drowned out the world around him.
'Calm down!'
The world was spinning like a carousel and teacup ride combo on steroids. Jacob couldn't focus on what was in front of him. This was all too much. Where is my family? My mother? Can I go back? Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods.
'That's it!'
Jacob felt something flood his body, washing over him in waves. Whoosh, his mind started to clear. Whoosh, his shoulders untensed. Whoosh, his muscles uncoiled. Whoosh, he was calm with the last wave, and he returned to earth.
'What did you do?'
'Well, you were freaking out, so I released some Oxytocin.'
'Thank you.'
Jacob relaxed, his body now in a state to process things fully. He started a train of thought only to be interrupted by-
Whoosh!
Standing in the doorway that wasn't there before was the illustrious Pink Diamond, wearing that gravity-defying Tinker Bell-like outfit she was known for.
"Hello, may I know your name?" Pink Diamond asked. She stepped forward gracefully, resembling a performer or ballerina. Behind her followed the famous Pearl of the legendary Crystal Gems, saviors of the universe! However, something in the back of Jacob's mind surfaced.
'Why is her outfit different from the mainstream?' Pink's outfit was more flowery and jester-like.
"May I kindly know yours first?" asked Jacob. Pearl looked affronted and ready to scold him. However, Pink placed her admittedly large hand in front of her, stopping Pearl in her tracks. A twinkle appeared in Pink's eye, and a very faint smile flashed on her face for a moment.
"My name is Pink Diamond. May I know your name, my human?" Jacob thought about it, slightly anxious, and answered.
"My name is Jacob," said the human. However, Jacob decided to be brave despite knowing the social customs of Gems. "Nice to meet you, Pink," Jacob stuck his hand out in front of himself.
"How dare you!-" Pearl began, a miscommunication making her perceive it as an insult or disrespect to her Diamond.
"Pearl! What are you doing?" asked Pink Diamond, she lightly scolded Pearl and turned to look at Jacob's hand in confusion.
"It's called a handshake, a gesture used when two different people meet and shake hands in greeting," said Jacob. Pink raised her eyebrow with an amused smirk and extended her hand, shaking his. A jolt of pain flooded through Jacob's body, followed by a sickening pop. Pink recoiled and saw the now broken wrist of the human.
"Oh my stars! I'm so sorry! Here, let me help-" Pink began anxiously, reaching forward towards the human. However, before she could even reach Jacob's hand, his skin started to ripple and wave, like something was slithering under the skin, snapping and cracking things back into place with otherworldly precision.
"No need," said Jacob, holding up his hand and rolling his wrist, wiggling his fingers, and clenching and unclenching his now healed hand in front of Pink.
"Wow... Oh wait, that's something I need to talk to you about. Do you know about the parasite-" began Pink, only to be interrupted by the unknown observer of the conversation. Black ooze engulfed Jacob's left shoulder, producing tendrils that formed into a familiar head with rows of sharp teeth, a long prehensile tongue, and jagged milky white eyes.
“Parasite! How dare you! I am a Klyntar born and raised. How dare you degrade me so!” began the Klyntar, only for Jacob to grab it by the "throat." He pulled it backward away from Pink's face, and Pearl looked close to erupting. Jacob brought the Klyntar face to face with him.
"Do not insult the alien interrogator!" said Jacob. The Klyntar growled in annoyance and anger, hissing in response.
"She called me a parasite! Apologize! Apologize!" The Klyntar turned to look at Pink, demanding an apology. Pink looked surprised, observing the new life form with fascination and curiosity.
"I'm sorry," said Pink, looking intensely at the Klyntar in awe. "What is your name?"
Jacob looked at his roommate, a silent conversation ensued between them. ‘Do you have a name?’ thought Jacob.
‘I don’t have one, my kind has no need for names. However, having a way of identification seems to be necessary. Do you have any ideas?'
‘Impulse?'
‘Nah.'
‘Heckler?'
‘Nah.'
‘Slice?'
‘Nah.'
‘How about Blight?'
‘That one! That one!’
"My name is Blight," said the now christened Blight. Pink looked at both Jacob and Blight, confused by their long periods of silence. Their long, quiet conversation had not gone unnoticed, and their momentary glossy-eyed expressions were obvious.
Jacob and Blight blinked, their glossy eyes cleared up and refocused on what was happening in front of them. Pink looked back at her Pearl in concern for the way their prisoner was acting.
"My Diamond, are we sure we should be in here with this-“ Pearl was interrupted by the sound of shuffling of quilts and sheets. Sitting up in the bed now, feet on the floor in front of Pearl and her Diamond was the human.
"I’m sorry, That was rude. Blight and I were talking, we were wondering how to answer that seeing as how his species has no use for names. So I just ran down a list to see which one he would choose." Spoke Jacob, he looked Pink in the eye and both of the gems couldn’t tell if he was lying.
"Ok, we'll. Let's get on with our interview, yes?" Pearl said to her Diamond, Pink perked up, flattened her ruffled clothes, and began the interview.
"Ok, did you know about the par-“ Began Pink, only to be interrupted.
"Klyntar." Said Jacob, shuffling in the bed.
"Ok, Klyntar, did you know about this Klyntar attached to you?" Finally asked Pink, she tilted her head slightly in an almost cat-like curiosity.
"Not at first, Blight only talked to me when I was in the healing tank. We did try to get that gem's attention by tapping on the glass, it was uncomfortable. We felt like we were in a test tube." Said Jacob, he took a breath to steady his nerves.
"It’s ok, relax. I’m just gonna ask you a few more questions, ok? Then you can relax." Said Pink.
"Ok," said Jacob.
"You seem to know about this foreign entity attached to your biology, can you tell us more about them?"
"Ok, so I’m gonna quote a famous Klyntar on this, ok? “Though they are a benevolent species, there is no literature on their home planet. And though it is their goal to make the universe better, they create no art, no music, no culture. At least, not as other civilizations would understand it. All they have is their hosts -- the beings they join with -- to forge through the cold and unforgiving cosmos with. The bond between a Klyntar and its host is sacred. We give their lives context and their existence meaning. We give them history. All they have are us hosts to tell them who they are.” Ok, does that summarize enough?" Jacob finally took a deep breath, after having to explain so much laconically and concentrated with enough information at once.
"Ok, that explains a bit, but how did you get here? We didn’t see any ships or teleportation devices, how could a Homo Sapien get to our area of space without us noticing?" Pink asked.
“I… I don’t know? I woke up here. Last I remember was being asleep in my bed with my cat in my undergarments, I woke up attached to Blight in the middle of what I can guess is a holding station of sorts?” Jacob asked, trying his best to lie and hide his knowledge. However, he begins to sweat and tap his arm with his finger.
"My Diamond, may I make an inquiry of the human?" Asked Pearl, walking forward and curtsying to the alien monarch, Pink Diamond nodded, and Pearl turned to face the human. "What are your intentions now that you're here? Do you wish to harm the Gem empire? Shatter the Diamonds?"
“No, nothing of the sort. I just showed up here, I am still in a cell despite how good it looks, and you all know how to subdue me. How am I supposed to do anything?” Asked Jacob, stroking their egos. A bit of flattery never hurt anybody, especially when he was trying to hide information and somewhat failing with how his face starts to smile nervously.
Pearl and Pink looked at each other, a silent conversation passing between each other. Finally, they both nodded to each other. “Thank you for your time.” Said Pink Diamond, as she and her Pearl turned and exited the room, sealing the door as if the door was never there.
Pink and her Pearl were walking down the hallway away from the holding cell, a bit of unease and tension passed between them. Finally, that tension was released with a question.
“You know he is hiding information from us, my Diamond?” Pearl said.
“I know,” said Pink. “And I don’t know whether to be scared, intrigued, or excited. Nonetheless, we have to help him, we don’t know the nature of this bond between the Human and “Klyntar”? Is it actually true it wants to help him? Or is it just puppeting his body? He did pause for a while in his conversation, and the scans we did showed that the entity consumed phenylethylamine found in human brains.” Pink placed her hand on the chin and rubbed it, thinking very hard on the conversation with the human.
“I don’t know? Maybe we can ask the diamonds to pool a few gems together? For more tests, I mean, we need to find out more information to form a full opinion on the human.” Said Pearl from behind Pink Diamond, Pink didn’t like the idea of experimenting on an innocent human, but if she didn’t and the alien consumed the human from the inside out she would feel untold guilt.
The two Gems kept walking, past the Famatyst trying to act inconspicuous, past some Peridots fixing some technical malfunction in the wall, and into Pink’s private chamber. The whole room was pink, except for the support columns based on a place called Rome; oh, Pink had such good memories of Rome. She even got nicknames by the people, Aphrodite and Demeter. Depending on what she was doing, she would help with the crops or just party at the festivals. Oh, how she missed them.
Pink wiped the fond look off her face, fixed her clothes, and steeled herself, pressing the diamond line on the right arm of the throne activating it.
A chiming rang through the private room, on the arm of her throne, the diamond line was flashing, it sang out a final melody before two holographic screens displayed Blue and Yellow Diamond.
“Pink!” They both chimed, in a compassionate and authoritative tone, respectively, at once. Blue looked concerned and inquisitive, while Yellow looked determined and demanding.
“Blue, Yellow,” said Pink Diamond. She pulled up the recording of the interview and a written transcript of the conversations from the camera. Looking at the transcript and sending both a copy of it and the video file to Blue and Yellow Diamond. “So, the human appears to know of the now-dubbed “Klyntar” inhabiting its body, it also shows sights of knowing what the Klyntar is, even giving us a small insight into their culture.”
Pink fast-forwarded the video file and played the quote the human paraphrased.
“Is that really the purpose? I really hope so. If so, that is adorable,” said Blue with a small smile flashing across her face before it went all business again. Yellow sighed at Blue's comment, her gloved hand rubbing between her nose and eyes.
“It may be lying, for all we know the alien could be piloting the host to say that. Making itself look better in our eyes could give it an advantage. You saw at the beginning of the video how glossy and unresponsive both the human and later the alien's eyes went after asking names?” Yellow stated, leaning back in her chair and exhaling a stream of air from her nose.
"Oh, all right, Yellow," said Blue. She waved over her Pearl and whispered something to her. Yellow did the same, confusing Pink and her Pearl. Before they could question it, the Diamonds sat back up and returned their attention to them.
"We are sending some gems of ours known for their scientific expertise to research this bond between the Human and Klyntar. You will receive them in two rotations, and until then, you will try to win his favor. Try to get as much information as you can out of them, watch them through the security in the room even! I want to know if this thing is a threat like that damned Rose Quartz is!" Yellow slammed her arm on the arm of her throne, causing the holographic screen to flicker in and out of view for a moment.
"Yellow, I know you're upset. I know I was almost shattered. But that was 800 cycles ago! We're still looking for the Quartz; we'll get her. I feel like you might be blowing this out of proportion!" pleated Pink, recognizing that one of Yellow's paranoid episodes was brewing.
"Pink! There was an attempt on your life! How can you just forget that? We almost lost you!" Blue's voice quivered, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"I underestimated one threat, I will not underestimate another one," said Yellow, gripping the arms of her throne tightly, almost fracturing them. Pink could see the concern buried deeply behind Yellow's eyes, masked under anger, pain, and guilt, under her veneer of disappointment and authoritarianism.
"I know, but this is my problem. It falls under my jurisdiction; it is my responsibility. I appreciate the help, but I will do it myself," said Pink, her hand over her heart as she pleaded to her fellow Diamonds.
"At least take a Peridot," said Yellow, and with the misty eyes of Blue and the emotionally constipated concern of Yellow, Pink relented and agreed to let Yellow send over one of her lead scientists.
After the meeting was finished, and the protected holo-screens of the Diamonds were gone, Pink was left alone with Pearl. As Pearl stood beside her Diamond, out of the corner of her eye, she could see her Diamond's form flicker between the great Pink Diamond and the rebel Rose Quartz and back again.
"I don't know what I'm going to do, Pearl," said Pink. Her head resting in her large hand. Pearl walked forward with concerned and instinctual grace, laying her hand on her Diamond's shoulder, trying to comfort her as best as she could. It usually got like this after an intense bout between the three Diamonds. Pearl spent that night letting her Diamond cry into her shoulder.
Andrew_Mack on Chapter 2 Mon 17 Jul 2023 02:03AM UTC
Comment Actions
Scurra71900 on Chapter 2 Mon 17 Jul 2023 10:14PM UTC
Comment Actions
Meowzahar on Chapter 2 Tue 18 Jul 2023 06:50AM UTC
Comment Actions
Scurra71900 on Chapter 3 Sat 05 Aug 2023 02:58AM UTC
Comment Actions
Kamenlion (Guest) on Chapter 3 Wed 27 Sep 2023 06:29AM UTC
Comment Actions