As the sun set in Yokohama, A.C.M.E. helicopters landed near the candy settlement. Lapis, Peridot, Pumpkin, and Stevonnie were there to greet them. Anthy untied the ropes bounding the V.I.L.E. operatives, with A.C.M.E. agents replacing them with cold metal handcuffs. She and Utena then retired to their house in Miura. On their way out of the city, both helicopters flew over the settlement, a clear mistake. Candy cannons went off, shooting at them. One helicopter, with Tigress and the Henchmen, escaped without a scratch, speeding away to the secure A.C.M.E. hideout in Siberia. However, the other had been damaged, whirling in a downward spiral toward the settlement. The helicopter hit the ground outside the settlement and exploded, killing the pilots on impact. While Lapis tried to catch the prisoners, she could only save El Topo and Le Chevre, with Paper Star out of her grasp. Stevonnie, Pumpkin, and Peri could do nothing, standing helplessly as they watched this unfold before their eyes.

Once inside the settlement, Paper Star’s body became covered by some of the remaining pink creatures, who had not turned into full-fledged candy beings, caramelizing her as she screamed in pain. El Topo and Le Chevre watched in horror, with Lapis flying them away as quickly as she could. The transformation of Paper Star turned her into something new, a sea change from her previous form. She had become Candy Star.

Her hair still had its heterochromic style, part grey, part white. Her head looked like a pink gumdrop, with purpleish lipstick, with the rest of her body the same, having a humanoid appearance. She wore a dark bluish suit and a neon green jacket, coupled with white leggings and white candy boots. Instead of throwing paper, she now threw pizzelles. But her new personality wasn’t the same as her old psychopathic personality, through which she loved inflicting pain on others to get what she wanted. She was now much sweeter but not as smart, although she had retained some athletic abilities.

Peri, Pumpkin, and Stevonnie retreated to the Peri-Jet, preparing to leave Japan. They didn’t want to visit Utena and Anthy again, recognizing the importance of not smothering them with additional visits. Waiting by the ship, Lapis and Peri began texting each other:

“Peri, I’m leaving that dreadful secret hideaway in Siberia now. It’s so…cold. Pearl, Adora, and Garnet told me to say hello. ‘Lapis, that’s great. We are hanging out by my wonderful Peri-Jet near Yokohama. ‘Yeah, I remember where that is. See you there! ‘Best wishes on your flight through the sky, water wing goddess!

Lapis snorted and giggled so hard at Peri’s text she almost dropped her phone into the Tunguska Sea, a body of water wider than Mediterranean Sea, and many times larger than the Black Sea. Due to the fact she no longer had to carry oafs like El Topo and Le Chevre, she could fly even faster. As she yawned, she passed across a thinly populated Eastern Russia and moderately populated Manchuria. Before she knew it, she could be reunited with her lovely Peri. She hoped this whole affair would be over because she hated fighting V.I.L.E. Their despicable nature made her think negatively about humans and the world. If there were such awful people out there, what right did she have to enjoy herself and accept others? The thought crossed her mind, but it dissipated into thin air when she saw Peri.

Winding through the air, she landed in Peri’s arms, whispering in her ear that she’d like to “go home.” Asking if she’d like to fly back instead of stepping into her hypersonic jet’s cockpit, Lapis responded by rubbing her eyes, saying she’d like to rest for a bit. Accepting this, Peri, holding Lapis in her lap, sat in the pilot’s chair, firing up the engines, with Pumpkin and Stevonnie jumping in afterwards. The plane took off from the ground with a jolt, booming in the air as it went to a hypersonic speed, en route to Beach City.

In the meantime, Pearl, Adora, and Garnet sat in the secret A.C.M.E. hideout in Siberia. Like Peri, Pumpkin, Lapis, and Stevonnie who had departed Japan, they also hoped to go home. Even though each of them had volunteered to accompany the imprisoned evildoers, it seemed like a mistake. While battling the Homeworld Gems and the Diamond overlords had been a challenge, combating those enemies appeared better than fighting such unpleasant V.I.L.E. figures. None of these villains appeared to have any value in the world. However, for Adora it was different. The cold temperatures made her miss Etheria a bit, even though she had been born on another planet, with her parents likely killed by the Horde. An idea suddenly popped in her head. She texted Peri, asking if she could borrow her tablet for a “special project.”

Back in the Beach House, Peri grumbled. She showed everyone else Adora’s text. Steven and Connie had unfused, each with their own lives to attend to, with Connie’s parents wanting her to return home after the trip to Japan. Both suggested Peri agree to Adora’s request. As Pumpkin laid in her lap, Lapis had a better idea.

“Maybe you should ask what Adora wants to use the tablet for, so I don’t need to fly you to the base, and neither of use needs to suffer in the cold weather.”

Peri liked this suggestion and texted back Adora, inquiring why she wanted to use the tablet for a so-called “special project.” After recounting the low temperatures in the base, she admitted what she meant: using the tablet to talk to her friends on Etheria, specifically mentioning Bow and Glimmer. Peri’s ears perked up, especially when she read the word “Bow,” and she knew what had to be done. She could do a collect video call. However, for this to work, it would require that someone in the Siberian base had a camera phone. Reading this Peri’s message, she enquired if Garnet or Pearl had a phone so she could video chat with her friends in Etheria. Pearl enthusiastically pulled out her cell phone. She texted Peri back, her plan getting the “green light.” Almost immediately, Adora called her, so both could continue their conversation.

“Hi, Peridot! I am freezing my ass off in this base. It’s horrible. How are you doing in Beach City and what happened in Japan? ‘Oh, not much, Adora, just some lowlifes who tried to mess with us, like some lady who threw paper stars, a guy who tunneled in the ground, some lady with sharp claws, and another who had enhanced strength. We just got back in Beach City. ‘I’m going to patch you through to Bow. I sure hope this inter-dimensional video recorder works. It might take a while because the signal needs to travel to the Moon Base, then through the Panama Wormhole to Etheria itself.

After waiting a couple minutes, a clicking sound could be heard and Bow’s kinky Afro buzz could be seen, his eyes, which were dark, almost black, staring directly at the screen. He waved hello and began speaking into the camera.

“Hey, Peridot! I wondered when you were going to call us!

“Us?” Peri bewilderedly answered. Glimmer stepped into the camera’s view, with a big smile on her face, clearly happy to see Peri.

“Great to hear from you! We are so glad you called! A lot has been going on since you left. The trials against the Horde are starting and the archives of Etheria is being expanded. What about you all, what have you been up to? ‘Well, I can’t speak for everyone, but me, Lapis, Steven, and Connie fought off some evil people near this candy settlement with our pet Pumpkin!

Pumpkin wagged her tail and barked excitedly as Lapis softly petted her.

“You…have a sentient pumpkin as a pet. That is…interesting. I didn’t know you had that. Adora, what about you? How is Earth treating you? ‘Well, Glimmer, it’s been a bit of an adjustment and I’m still getting used to it, but I love the people I’ve met, such as Bismuth, a guardian and blacksmith who can transform her arms into all sorts of stuff, like hammers, scissors, and whatnot. It’s so cool. ‘Oh, I’d love to meet her…even if we can only do so virtually…for now. You should come back some time to visit. It makes sense why you left, with Light Hope being a genocidal monster and all, but we miss you, right Bow? ‘Yeah, Glimmer is right. Mermista, Frosta, Perfuma, and even Entrapta, the latter who is awaiting trial right now, all would like to see you. We only have the Best Friend Duo, but maybe we can have the Best Friend Squad virtually. It’s the best we can do for the time being.

As Adora shook with a chill, Pearl and Garnet sent their greetings, neither appearing like they would say anything more. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Pearl began speaking confidently, recounting their exploits.

“Adora is such a great friend. I get why you all miss her. She fought wonderfully by my side when we assaulted a fortress of evildoers, in an attack which she helped plan. You know, she loves strategizing, which I really appreciate as a person who likes organization and order. There’s one person she didn’t mention to you: Carmen Sandiego, a master thief who steals from other thieves, a person she gave the impression of being “unusually fascinated” with.”

Bow and Glimmer were surprised, as she hadn’t openly discussed who she liked on Etheria apart from Catra, who she now detested. Bow approached the subject delicately as he didn’t want to cause any divisions between himself and Adora.

“So, Adora, do tell us about this new friend of yours. What’s she like? Can we meet her?”

Adora trembled a little bit and her feet shuffled, caught off guard by Pearl bringing this up, her cheeks pinkening like the opening of a carnation. Breathing deeply, she attempted to respond, trying to be as upbeat as humanely possible.

“Bow and…Glimmer…Carmen is wonderful! I was drawn to her after seeing her long, elegant brown hair blowing in the wind after she arrived unannounced on the beach and an impromptu song she sung. What a gorgeous sight! I loved hanging out with her in Japan and fighting those evildoers on the island by her side. ‘Do…you have a crush on her? Because it certainly sounds like you do. And that’s completely ok. We’ll accept you for who you are, no matter what. We don’t judge. That would be wrong. ‘Um…well, I don’t know, Glimmer, because I haven’t seen her that many times. I’d like to hang out with her more, but she probably has her own friends, although two of her friends were transformed into candy. She never really appeared to be interested in me. Even when I embraced Pearl as a true friend on the island, after she shot that beefy woman in the back with a weapon of some kind, she just wanted to move forward and defeat the villains. There was no time for chit-chat. I don’t know if she is the type of person who lets her hair down. ‘Do you like her because she has long flowing hair, like the light blonde hair you had when you changed into She-Ra? Because it sounds like that could be part of the reason. ‘I didn’t think about that, Glimmer, but subconsciously perhaps I am yearning for my long hair again and that’s part of the reason I like her…But she is a really kind person who wears a lot of cool outfits, so I appreciate that. I only had that warrior outfit, that dress I wore to the Princess Prom, and that outfit I wore all the time with the cut sleeves and turtleneck, through…

The conversation went on like that for some time, and Peri tuned it out. She almost regretted connecting Adora to her tablet and those in Etheria. She didn’t mind talking about fashion, she felt they were yammering on for too long. Preparing to push a button on her tablet which would end the call, Glimmer got up and left suddenly, remarking she had to return to “princess duties”: overseeing the trials. Although they were in peacetime, their work wasn’t done. Peri took advantage of this opportunity and break in conversation to chat with Bow.

“Have you come up with any other cool inventions since we last saw you? I mean, you were a tech master, right? ‘That’s a good question. I’ve just been tinkering around a little and I created this arrow that creates a huge explosion of color in the air with a crackling sound when shot into the air. ‘So, it’s basically fireworks? ‘I haven’t heard of that word before, but sure, you can call it that. There hasn’t been much time to make anything new since we have been so busy with dehordification. Wartime is stressful, but peacetime is just as much work! It’s so infuriating. How are you and Lapis doing? ‘We are doing great! We are part of this video chat thing and… ‘We created our own talk show on the internet! Both of us are so excited about it! Maybe we can have you on as a guest sometime. ‘Lapis, I don’t know what you mean by ‘talk show’ or ‘internet,’ but I’d love to help both of you. ‘A talk show is where one or more people discuss various topics, interview others about what they are doing. It’s a lot of fun. ‘You’ll have to show me sometime how this ‘talk show’ thing works and about the ‘internet.’ We have technology here on Etheria, but there’s no interconnected system or anything, just that weird M.A.R.A. system my dads stumbled upon when helping us in their library. ‘Anything else you’d like to share, Bow? ‘No, Peridot, I think that’s it…except that upcoming trial of Catra. She’s the highest-ranking Horde prisoner we have, after Hordak got killed…you know, by Horde soldiers. We’ll be counting on your testimony, Adora, so she can be brought to justice for her crimes.

Adora’s ears perked up when she heard Catra’s name. Perhaps, deep down she still had some empathy for her former friend since they had been so close until she left the Horde to join the Rebellion. But, Catra refused her entreaties and stayed in the Fright Zone, clawing back in anger, climbing up the villainous hierarchy, loving the power she held. Clearly, she wanted to be one of those “calling the shots” as she had told Adora all that time ago. Despite all that effort, what she dreamed of never happened, with Hordak still in charge. Although Adora didn’t know the internal struggles Catra had endured, she had lost faith in her as a possible friend and only saw her as a villain out to cause harm. Perhaps that could change in the future, but at this point, her mind was set against Catra. Without saying anything, Adora nodded at Bow’s request. Peri continued her video chat with Bow.

“Bow, that sounds good. Would you like to talk again next week, you know as a thing we could do weekly? ‘Yeah, sure, I’m up for that. I mean, if you want to contact me more often, that would be great too, but I’d warn you that it’s a bit hectic on the planet right now, as we all have a lot to do. Talk to you soon, Peridot! ‘Talk soon, Bow! Best of luck with the dehordification…and your inventions.

The video call with Bow had ended, with Peri breathing a sigh of relief. On the other hand, Bow’s conversation with Peri annoyed and bored Adora, although she liked talking to Glimmer, feeling left out. To remedy this, she had a marvelous plan: they could video chat with Carmen on V.I.L.E. Island. After consulting with Peri, Garnet, and Pearl, everyone agreed it would be a good idea. Adora hoped she could make a courageous attempt to be better friends with Carmen, only stating to Peri that she’d like to talk to Carmen alone.

As A.C.M.E. agents, with Shadowsan, swept the entirety of V.I.L.E. Island, Carmen, Julia, and Amethyst continued to check the remaining V.I.L.E. facility, searching for any artifacts that could be added to their museum. All of them confidently believed that no V.I.L.E. operatives remained on the island, but each person remained on guard in case anything happened. Out of the blue, for Carmen at least, her phone began ringing. Grumbling, she took the phone out of her pocket and gazed at the screen. No caller ID came up, so she didn’t answer it, as a matter of personal policy to not reply to spam callers or telemarketers who had no lives of their own. Afterwards she received a text: “Hi, its Peridot. Just called you. I’d like to chat. Please call back.” Those words flustered her, with her internal monologue arrayed against herself for not answering Peri, a person she wanted to know better. From her observation, Peri was a nice and friendly being. In order to save face, she swiftly called Peri back.

“Peridot, I’m…sorry I didn’t answer you before. Your number isn’t in my phone yet. I added Stevonnie, but I haven’t added your number. ‘It’s ok, Carmen. You can call me Peri or P-dot if you’d like. I don’t need to be called by my full name all the time. ‘That is a perfectly reasonable sentiment. Player calls me “Red” and my…former friends used to call me “Carm.” So, either of those would be fine by me. Thanks again for saving me from those terrible candy people in Japan. ‘No problem, I’d do it anytime. How’s V.I.L.E. Island treating you? You seem a lot more dressed down than usual, which is why I ask. ‘This red v-neck t shirt and grey sweatpants just feels more comfortable. I don’t need to wear my wide-brim red hat or red trench coat all the time… ‘I get that…Have you found any data files in the V.I.L.E. servers yet? ‘We are still going through what we have and are almost finished sweeping the V.I.L.E. facility for information and artifacts. There’s no reason to stay here much longer. Although it was difficult to come back here…I had to in order to serve justice. ‘Before I forget, there’s someone who’d like to talk with you, who is included on this collect call. I’ll put it on mute while you two talk.

Carmen didn’t know who Peri meant and confusedly observed the screen. She could see a teenage woman curling her dark blonde hair with her index finger: her friend Adora.

“Hi, Carmen! It’s me, Adora. You know, the one who blushed after you arrived near the Beach House, enjoyed your unscripted song inside, helped you during that mission to Japan, and assisted you in the fight on V.I.L.E. Island, and in the planning stages… ‘Yeah, I know, Adora, you didn’t need that preamble. You can call me Carm. What would you like to talk about? ‘Well…I was thinking that we should get to know each other better. We could hang out and go to a movie, a form of entertainment Steven and Connie tell me is great, or something, you know, that friends do. I love your outfit by…the way. ‘Are you asking me out on a date? I wasn’t expecting something like that from you. Thanks for the compliment…this is one of my favorite fashions apart from the red trench coat and hat ‘If that’s what it’s called, then…yes?

While Garnet snickered, Pearl let out a yelp of “whaaat!?” since she didn’t expect Adora to be so bold, with the shock washing over her face. She had hoped to show her the world she knew and loved. Chuckling at their reactions, Adora rapidly rejoined the conversation before Carmen could say another word.

“Don’t mind Pearl. We are good friends now and she’s completely accepting. After all, she had a long relationship with this large peach-skinned woman with long, curly pink hair, who wore a flowing white dress, resembling a rose, called Rose if…I remember right. She’s cool. ‘Adora, I don’t mind it at all. Where would you like to go? ‘I want to experience something I couldn’t see on Etheria. There were no stars there and while the planet had its beauty, it continued to be plagued by war, so I didn’t have an opportunity to explore. Bring me somewhere new and exciting. ‘That’s a tough call. I’ve been to so many exhilarating places as a master thief, whether in Northern India, the Indian Islands, Indonesia, Eastern Australia, Ecuador, the Grand French Republic, California or the Swiss Republic. I also know of the Australian Islands, Rizalia, Turkistine, Mozambique, the Brazilian Coastal Republic, Hawaii, Lova Bilci, and the Mexican Islands. I recently read that the Floridian Archipelago is picturesque. ‘Let’s go there! Anything to get out of this dreadful cold environment. Somewhere warm would be nice. I’d love that. ‘Great! When would you like to go? I’m free after we finish examining this V.I.L.E. junk. How about next Wednesday at lunch time? ‘Sounds great! I’ll be there. ‘Just remember to dress for the warm weather. See you then! Bye!

Carmen clicked off the phone and danced around in delight. She had never felt this alive in her life. While Amethyst toyed with her, Julia’s face dropped, gazing up at Carmen with sad eyes. Seeing her disposition, Carmen walked over to her and outstretched her arms, asking if a hug would suffice. Crying, she said it would be okay. Carmen whispered in her ear: “It’s all right. I’m your friend and I like you too.” Julia hugged her back.

Back in Siberia, Pearl bawled her eyes out. She angrily glared at Adora, thinking she had abandoned and left her behind in the dust. Lashing out, she started berating her.

“How can you do this to me? I was going to bring you on a world tour to all the great existing Gem sites like Mask Island, the Shooting Star Shrine in China, the Sand Castle in the Northern African Republic, Rose’s Fountain in Olgut, and the Galaxy Warp. I really wanted to take you to the Ancient Sky Arena, the Sky Spire, and the Strawberry Battlefield. You RUINED all of this! ‘Pearl, it’s all right. I didn’t know you had this whole thing planned for me. We can still go on this tour if you’d like. I can be friends with you and Carmen at the same time. I don’t like you any less just because I’m doing this “date” with her. ‘I understand and I’m ashamed for scolding you. Sometimes my insecurities bubble up at the most inopportune times. Thanks for explaining that to me. Let’s do this as soon as we can, maybe in a couple weeks. ‘No need to apologize! I want to go to places on this world that are unique and exciting. Hopefully nothing will get in the way, like trials on Etheria…including an upcoming one for Catra. I used to be friends with her, but she turned into a monster I can’t recognize anymore. I don’t like to say that about people, but it’s true. ‘Let’s talk to Peridot and the others in Beach City about our plans. ‘That sounds swell. Let’s do it!

Adora and Pearl continued talking, but since Peri had the chat on mute, she didn’t know they were saying anything. Irritated, Adora texted her the message “Peri, unmute your video chat. We’d like to talk to you.” She speedily rectified her error and started chatting:

“Sorry about that! After the conversation with Carmen ended, both of you were arguing and I didn’t want to get involved. Adora, Pearl, is everything alright? ‘[Adora answers:] Peri, you don’t need to worry. Pearl just had an emotional outburst and I explained myself, so she calmed down. ‘Adora is right. Negative thoughts invaded my brain and I thought she would abandon me for Carmen. I know Steven told me that Adora wouldn’t leave me behind, but my deep-seated fear and insecurity resurfaced like an exploding volcano. ‘Adora, how did the talk with Carmen go? ‘Peri, it went great! I asked her out on a “date,” whatever that is. It’s going to be this upcoming Wednesday, about a week from now. We are going to have lunch in the Floridian Archipelago. I’m so excited! ‘That’s wonderful. Congrats for you. How are you going to get there? ‘I…didn’t think of that. I became so enthusiastic I forgot about that part entirely…wait, Lapis, can you fly me there? ‘Yeah…sure, Adora. When and where is it happening again? ‘The Floridian Archipelago next Wednesday at noon. ‘Oh, I know where that is. I can bring you there. ‘Thanks, so much Lapis! Can you fly me in a grand and sweeping way so she can gaze up in awe at my arrival? ‘I can do that. I always fly gracefully, so that isn’t a problem. ‘Lapis, thanks again. See you in a week. Thank you! ‘It’s my pleasure to help wonderful friends like you.

The video chat had come to an end, with Peri wishing everyone else a good rest of their day. A new energy, a new lease on life flowed through Adora’s body like a rushing river. That feeling faded a bit as her shivering returned, thinking of herself as a person trapped inside the unpleasant secret Siberian base of A.C.M.E., “guarding” prisoners. Not even the Kingdom of Snows in Etheria compared to these temperatures. She suggested to Pearl they go on a walk to get a breath of fresh air. Observing their emotional tension, Garnet proposed that she could stay behind to guard the prisoners. Before going into the cold air, Adora grabbed a white fluffy coat, emblazoned with the A.C.M.E. logo, off a metal rack in the room’s coat closet. She also grabbed one of the many ushanka hats on the shelf above the coat rack and a pair of felt gloves, both with the same logo. Reverberating from her yanking motion, the metal hangar clanged against the wall. Unlike Adora, Pearl didn’t put a hat, coat or anything on, surprising her.

As they stepped toward the door, Adora fastening the hat at the chin to protect her face and head from frigid temperatures, Garnet gave them a thumbs up. Once outside, the wind whipped around them, and snow drifts covered the landscape as far as the eye could see. Adora hoped to talk to Pearl so they could gain a better understanding of each other. She couldn’t because wind currents made it nearly impossible to hear what the other person was saying. This changed when both settled down in a nearby ice cave which Pearl discovered, escaping the biting cold.

“Pearl, as you know…I’m an orphan from one planet who crash-landed on another planet. Rather than talking about myself, I’d like to hear more about you and your birthplace instead. ‘I came from a place far away known as Homeworld, with a rigid caste system created by White Diamond as part of a so-called “perfect empire.” I was created to serve Pink Diamond, replacing her old Pearl, as she got a new colony, this planet, Earth. The plan was to hollow it out so Gems could be created. But she fell in love with this planet and changed her form.

With Adora listening to her intently, Pearl continued her story.

“She pleaded with the fellow Diamond leaders to not complete the colony and preserve life on Earth…but nothing worked. She started a rebellion in her alter ego, Rose Quartz, intending to scare the Gems away. She continued to plead with Blue and Yellow Diamond to end the colonization, but they didn’t listen. After Rebellion’s many years, more and more recruited to her cause, I helped her with one bold and final move: to fake her own death, her shattering as they called it. I transformed into her alter ego, Rose Quartz, holding her Gem in my hand, so everyone would think Rose had killed Pink Diamond. This changed everything. Earth was deemed to be a place not viable for a colonization, so they began experimenting on it, bringing together gem shards of our fallen comrades to create a secret geo-weapon. Then, the Homeworld Gems were told to leave Earth and the three remaining Diamonds, White, Blue, and Yellow released a blinding light, corrupting all Gems caught within its grasp, except for myself and Garnet, both protected by Rose’s shield. An utterly horrifying sight to say the least.”

Sighing, she continued, seeing that Adora remained fascinated and engaged with her story. What she told her was a quick summary of her life, leaving out various details, like not telling anyone about Rose’s real identity until relatively recently after Steven discovered the truth in shock. It would be tough, struggling to restrain her emotions.

“We then had to deal with corrupted Gems…which we bubbled since we didn’t know what else to do. Fast forward to the last century where Rose met this long-haired human, a failed rockstar apparently, named Greg. I thought she loved me, but she fell in love with this human and I… ‘Wait, who is this “Greg”? I’ve never heard of him before. Tell me more about that. ‘That’s where it gets sad. Greg and Rose fell into a deeper relationship, as she became more accepting of others, and she decided to give up her form…less than 20 years ago, to create Steven. She was GONE! I miss her every day!

Pearl began to cry, tears flowing down her cheeks like a waterfall, more than what Adora had ever seen before. She decided to calm her down, hugging her.

“It’s okay, Pearl. I get you are despondent, but Steven is something wonderful, a person, a being, a human-gem hybrid to be exact, who can grow and change. ‘By the way, how are you not freezing out here? I’m barely warm even when wearing this hat, gloves, and coat. ‘Oh, my physical form is a manifestation of light. We might seem humanoid in our appearance, but our Gems give us all the subsistence we need, meaning that it isn’t necessary to eat. Similarly, temperatures of this world, or any world, do not affect us. ‘But what about Lapis, Peri, and Amethyst? They all eat food. I’ve seen it with my own eyes! ‘That’s true but they enjoy it for one reason or another, even though there is no need for them to eat or sleep, despite the fact they can do so.

Without warning, shaking with excitement and seeing an opportunity that would never come again, Pearl spun around, her eyes sparkling. Flirtatiously, she coiled strands of her peach hair with her index finger and spoke to Adora face-to-face.

“Do you still feel cold under that heavy coat and with that fur hat? I have an idea that will knock your socks off… ‘Thanks for asking. I’m still trembling from the cold. What’s your brilliant plan? ‘I was thinking…don’t get angry…that we could fuse! It’s the most intimate and personal action Gems can do to bring themselves together. ‘I’m nervous about this…I’ve never fused with anyone before. I could mess it up. ‘It’s ok. I’ll walk you through it. You just do an elegant dance with me. ‘Oh, like the dancing I did at the Princess Prom. I could do that! I’m willing to give it a try.

While Pearl didn’t know what “Princess Prom” referred to, she began dancing gracefully like a ballerina and extended her hand outward, with Adora grabbing it eagerly. As they twirled around, Adora grasped her around the waist. As Pearl dipped down, she stared up at bluebell eyes and brown eyebrows with satisfaction. Suddenly a flash of white light exploded, filling the ice cave with intense color.

The being that emerged had mid-length very soft orange hair, with a slender, athletic build. She wore a white puffy coat with an A.C.M.E. symbol over top a reddish cyan jacket with a blonde-colored star on the back, covering a long-sleeved whitish teal shirt. She also had on light pinkish-gray slip-on pants with a belt and slip-on reddish boots. Her pearl gem still sat in her forehead, but she had blackish-brown eyebrows overtop medium blue eyes. Like Stevonnie, she was half-human and half-Gem. Unlike them, she had extremely soft orange skin and four arms!

She let out a yelp of joy, enthusiastic to be in her new perfect and grand form. Before she returned to the base, she sprinted out of the ice cave, through snow drifts, doing cartwheels and handstands. After having so much fun, she self-confidently opened the door into the A.C.M.E. facility, finding Garnet sitting with her arms folded, meditating. This being cried out “we fused!” Opening her eyes, she gleefully gaped up at the human-Gem hybrid.

“Pearl…Adora…Peadora…what do you think of being fused together? ‘Oh, it’s so much fun! I thoroughly enjoy this already. I feel like a totally new person…a new being who can do so much! Peri, Lapis, and the others should see this!

Back in the Beach House, Peri, Lapis, Connie, and Steven had begun playing one of their favorite card games, shanghai rummy. Bismuth worked outside, trying to improve the Peri-Shack so Peri and Lapis could have a more permanent home. Peri gazed perplexedly at her tablet after seeing a video chat request from Pearl’s phone. When she accepted, the being she saw made her shudder with a jolt.

"What…are you? A fusion? You seem a little like Pearl and…a little like Adora. ‘Hi, Peri and everyone else. We are not Pearl and Adora separately but are together as one! You could call us “Peadora,” a delightful name Garnet came up with. ‘Have you discovered your powers yet, what abilities you have? ‘I’m not completely sure, but I am physically fit and athletic, and can summon items from my Gem, like a comb to brush through my beautiful orange hair, scissors to cut it, a clock to tell time, and a cleaver to attack enemies, ha. I couldn’t do this on Etheria and I’m so glad that Pearl suggested this as something.

While Lapis chuckled and smiled, Steven and Connie peered at Peadora with interest. Their fusion reminded them of Stevonnie. Instead of speaking in unison, they proposed a plan, hugging each other and fusing before the video screen.

"Since you are still experimenting the ins and outs of this fusion, maybe we can go out somewhere together, somewhere nice, as…fusions together. ‘I’d like that! Maybe it could be part of the world tour Pearl had planned for…

She stopped speaking. Pearl, ashamed this had been mentioned, wanted to un-fuse, but Adora convinced her they needed to stay together as one being and see this through.

"…Adora. I apologize for stopping…but we had to consult with each other in order to ensure we were doing the right thing. But, yes, we’d love to go on a date with you! ‘We make sure that as a fusion that what we are doing is comfortable with our two parts, Steven and Connie. Consent is key to a workable fusion. Well, if you want to call it a date that can work. I thought it would be a friend thing. ‘Oh, that’s ok too. I don’t know all these words very well, since I’m still learning, so I mixed them up a bit. I apologize for any confusion I caused. ‘We will think about a place we adore, and will let you know, in your separate forms, where it is, so we can enjoy ourselves there. ‘I’d appreciate that. Thanks for being so understanding. ‘It’s our pleasure. See you soon in Beach City! Bye!

The call ended abruptly with a yelp of delight from Peadora. As the sun set on the horizon, with the outside light fading, she laid down on a cot, cuddling for warmth in a sleeping bag, resting her head on a soft pillow. Garnet laid on the ground, a “perma-fusion” which brought together Ruby and Sapphire, who loved each other deeply and were always together. Even though they could have unfused, Adora and Pearl wanted the experience to last, and were tired, wanting to rest until the next day. Whatever would come in the days, weeks, and months to come, Pearl and Adora were closer to each other than they had ever been, like peas in a pod, with a strong emotional bond between two kindred souls.