-Meddling Kids-
-Finding Garnet part 2-

Peridot's P.O.V

"Nyeh heh heh heh heh!!! It wooorrrrkksss!!!! That's a much easier way to plant the clustered clods in places no one will find them but ME, HA!!!!!!" She buried the shard and compacted the dirt so that it wouldn't ever be able to reform, not without someone disturbing it first. "Perfect! Now to get this communication hub up and working so I can message Yellow Diamond." So far, her plan had worked out, until she heard faint identifiable whispers. "Ah! I-is that...the Steven?" She flattened her back against a crystal pillar, side glancing, watching Steven and some other unrecognizable life form enter from the rear.

"Steven, c'mon, just think! We could find her here for sure this time. This is the last place to check!" IT claimed, with it's arms up high in the air.

They don't know I'm here...

Steven's P.O.V

He tried his best to block out Connie, letting his eyes sweep the structure for anything unusual....then he spotted a point; a small triangular arch with a greenish pigment. PERIDOT!!!! "C-Connie look..." he stammered. She stopped mid-sentence and thrust her head in the direction he was pointing-

Peridot's P.O.V

Peri ducked to the left to hide herself in a hurry. "Oh no, I was spotted!" She bit her lip out of frustration and crouched. "They-They're coming over here!!" She gritted her teeth tightly. What do I do? WHAT SHOULD I DO!? Her mind raced.

Connie's P.O.V

"Steven, wait!" She closed the space between them and lowered her voice. "You should sneak up there, and I go around behind her, that way we'll catch her for sure."

He nodded in agreement and crept forward slowly, while she went around back and listened to Peridot's murmuring.

For Steven.

"Which way do I go?" Peridot hollered, apparently too panic-stricken to move. "This wouldn't have happened if Yellow Diamond answered my direct messa-"

"GOTCHA!!!!!!!!" Connie screamed from behind her.

"AGH!!!!!" She stood, turned and-

"NO YOU DON'T!!!!!!" Steven shouted, pushing her to the ground.

"EEP!!!!!" Peridot fell, trapped, and just as she tried scrambling away, Steven stepped closer..."I WASN'T BURYING CLUSTER SHARDS IN PREPARATION FOR THE EARTH'S DESTRUCTION, I SWEAR!!!!!!!!!!!"

Steven's P.O.V

He hoisted her up by the strong fabric of her neckline. "Sure you weren't." He spoke firmly, summoning a bubble to enclose the both of them. "WHERE'S GARNET!!!"

"Wha- ack!!!! Agh....I-I DONT KNOW THE WHEREABOUTS OF THAT PERMA-FUSION!!!!!" She exclaimed.

He only tightened his grip, not moved at all by her immediate answer.

"YOU G-GOT YOUR, ACK, ANSWER!!! NOW LET ME OUT OF THIS-THIS ANNOYINGLY RADIANT SPHERE!!!

"NO! NOT UNTIL YOU TELL ME WHERE. SHE. IS!!!!"

"I said I don't....KNOW!!!!!!!!" Peridot lodged her foot into his leg and he threw her to the back of the bubble, raising a foot over her face quickly. "NONONO!!! DONT HURT ME! I-I REALLY DON'T KNOW!!!" She squealed with fright. "I-I CAN BE OF USE TO YOU! YOU CAN USE ME!!"

"I don't want to use you..." he lowered his foot. "If you really, honestly don't know anything," he mumbled, watching Peridot nod frantically. "Then....Connie, let's go." He let down the bubble and walked off.

"So she really doesn't have Garnet held somewhere captive." Connie sighed. "What should we do about her?"

"Let her live to see another day. We'll just find her again, but for now, there's nothing we need here. " Steven clenched his fists. He knew something was off. Everything was WRONG...and it all came down to one person...

Connie silently trudged on behind him. "I wonder where she is..."

The Temple....

((The cat's outta the bag, or is it really? Stay tuned tomorrow for more exciting suspenseful chapters, from FANFICTION365!!!!!!))