Chapter One: A Graceful Dance
Chapter One: A Graceful Dance
It was a typical day for the people of Beach City, not much was happening. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, and all was calm. The Temple, where the Crystal Gems made their home, was also quiet, aside from the sound of Steven's T.V. which played the sorrowful sobs of his favorite cartoon, Crying Breakfast Friends. Steven himself was sitting inches from the T.V. with small tears in in eyes.
Sitting on floor and leaning against the foot of his bed drawing quietly in a black sketch book was a light blue gem, with long slightly straggly dark blue hair that fell slightly above her hips, with bangs that completely hid her right eye and fell half an inch past her chin. Her dress was a light pink high-low with a hot pink belt wrapped perfectly around her waist. Her gem it's self, was slightly darker than her skin and cut in the shape of a diamond, and located on her chest. Her name, was Blu Topaz.
Blu had been found by chance whenever she was traveling the world and happened to stumble across Beach City. Now, with Blu being a bit of a traveler, she loved little tourist towns and decided to stay for awhile. It was at a trip to the Big Doughnut where she met Steven, who had no problem figuring out she was gem, and invited her to stay at his home for awhile. Blu recognized the Temple and the gems that lived within almost immediately. She thought that they were dead, but laughed off the idea it was all too real to be a dream. Naturally, Blu invited herself in, and wound up joining the Crystal Gems.
That was around six months ago, and nothing really seems to have changed. Now Blu was just doodling a picture of a young unicorn in her sketch book as Steven watched his silly little cartoon. The unicorn was quite young, like a few weeks old type young, it had icy blue eyes and a snow white pelt, laying down with it's knees tucked under it's body like a cat, as it looked towards the sky. It was alone yet, unafraid knowing that it's mother would return.
"Wow. You're a really, really good artist Blu." Steven said as he stared in admiration at the unicorn on the page.
"Thanks." Blu replied with a small smile. "It's not my best work though."
"Well, it's the best that I've seen." Steven argued, with a large "don't under rate you're self" smile.
"I'm glad that you like it." Blu nodded in embarrassment, but it cleared over when she got an idea. As Steven started to head towards the stairs, she turned toward him, "Hey Steven, come here." She called as she closed her sketch book, placed it on the ground and rose to her feet.
Steven stopped in his tracks and turned to face her, "What is it?"
She waited a few seconds before she rushed towards him, lifted him up, and, as gently as she could, threw him over her shoulder as if she were Santa and Steven was her bag of toys, "I got you!" She laughed, "I got you, you silly little boy!"
"Ahhhh!" Steven cried out through a fit of giggles, "Blu! Put me down!" He continued laughing as Blu romped down the stairs.
"Never!" She chuckled, as she continued to trot around his house. "Well, not until you say the magic word!"
By now, Steven was laughing so hard that he was crying, "Okay!" He giggled, "Blu please put me down!"
Blu stopped dead in her tracks of play and placed the laughing boy onto the ground. But, Steven was laughing so hard that he fell over on his side, he just couldn't stop laughing. Blu was also allowing her inner human child to show as she tried not to even giggle at the scene before her. Although she has done this to him a few times, it just never grew old, watching a kid laugh was just something that she enjoyed.
"He melted!" A third giggle now filled the air, it was light, and rather dainty, but enough to get Blu's attention. She turned her head to see the one and only Pearl standing by the Temple door, covering a large smile on her face. "I just can't believe that he still falls for that one, I mean you've done it to him, um... four or five times already!" Pearl continued giggling as she walked, almost on point, to the kitchen.
Blu stood there quietly and watched in silence as Pearl went about the morning task of preparing Steven's breakfast. Every step she took seemed to form into a dance. As if she were in a ballet, Pearl would rise onto the tips of her toes, and gracefully reached for each item. When she would turn, she seemed to go in perfect form. Every time Pearl would make meals, Blu would watch her "dance" around the kitchen, with such grace, that it almost made the blue gem stare.
"Hey Pearl." Blu called in a nervous tone.
Pearl stopped working and turned face Blu with kind eyes, "Yes."
"After this..." Blu started twirling her deep blue hair, "Would you... umm.... could you...."
"Blu I'm busy, just tell me." Pearl urged.
Blu nervously balled her hands into fists, "Can you teach me ballet?" she said at a million miles per-hour.
Pearl raised an eye brow, "Teach you ballet? I thought you were more of a jazz and contemporary dancer?"
Blu's cheeks were now turning into a darker blue blush, "I know!" she whined, "But, it won't hurt to try. Would it? Could it?"
Pearl stood there in silence for a few moments. Teaching another gem to fight was one thing, but dancing? That was more natural for that gem, why would they want to change or learn a whole new dance? It seemed impossible, but it was happening. Pearl took one more look at Blu, who was on the verge of tears, before she sighed, "I don't understand why you want to do this." She muttered, "I'm not even sure if I CAN teach you, but, I'll try."
"Really?" Blu sniffed, her one visible eye was glowing with hope.
"Really." Pearl replied as she handed Steven a bowl of cereal. "We'll begin at noon, in the arena. I expect that I won't have to remind you."
Blu smiled brightly, ran forward and gave Pearl a huge hug, "Thank you so much Pearl!" She giggled excitedly. Pearl muttered an embarrassed "you're welcome" before almost forcing Blu to end her embrace. Naturally, Blu had never been happier.