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On the corner of West and Street Avenue in the small town of Beach City, in a small little antique store, there lived a little toy soldier named Peridot.
Peridot was a special toy soldier. She was made out of aluminum, with movable arms and opposable legs. She was dressed in green military garb, looking somewhat like the design of a nutcracker, with a single gold medal clipped to her chest. She had spectacles glued over her bright green eyes and plastic hair shaped like a triangle. Her skin was bright green, almost similar to her uniform, but distinctly different.
And, one more notable feature, she was missing a leg.
It had happened quite a long time ago, some roughhousing and careless children the cause, with her previous owners. It had been shoddily repaired with a screw, a tiny of piece of wood, and some glue to shape a new leg. After that, the donation to the antique store was soon to follow.
The old lady that owned the shop took great care of Peridot. She placed her on the highest shelf in the shop, like a throne overlooking a kingdom. She dusted her and polished her and tried to remove as much rust from her joints as possible. But then again, she did the same for all of her toys and antiques in her collection.
Peridot, along with most of the antiques, were special through.
Because they was alive. Well, only when no one was looking
She would wander around the store, looking at all the knick knacks and bobbles that lined the shelves, jumping from cabinet to cabinet and box to box. Sometimes, she'd find others like her, toys, porcelain dolls, even piggy banks, all alive.
She offered condolences and counseling to those donated like her, and encouragement to those fearful of not finding a new home.
And that's where we find ourselves, on the old day of December 1st, in this wondrous tale.
And it starts with a new arrival...
~☆~☆~☆~
Peridot hid behind the top of one of the shelves, behind the elaborate carving at the very top, peaking out only enough to see the new human entering the shop.
She seemed tired, with wrinkled jeans, frizzy hair, a scurry hoodie, and bags around her eyes. A smaller human, her daughter no doubt, stood by her side while holding her hand begrudgingly.
"Mommy, Mommy! Let me go see the other toys in the shop!" The little girl begged, pulling at her mother's hand.
Peridot let a little chuckle escape her mouth. Children were always so excitable when they walked into here.
"Hang on, sweetie. We have to speak with the shop owner first... if she'll ever show up." The mother grumbled.
It's at that point Peridot noticed the plastic bag in the mother's hand, filled with something clearly large and heavy, judging by the strain on the handles.
A noise came from the back of the shop, and the little old lady that owned it turned a corner, causing Peridot to slip briefly behind the carving to hide. She peeked her head out again when she heard the old lady begin to speak.
"How may I help you dear?" She spoke in a gentle tone.
"Mommy, let me go look now!" The daughter interrupted.
"Hang on, Mimi!" The mother shushed the child before turning her head to the shop owner. "I have this old Music Box I want to sell. It's in pretty good condition, but it's music box is busted. I figured you might want it for, I don't know, decoration?"
"Oh, well set it over here on the counter so I can see it."
Peridot frowned as the humans moved out of view, making it impossible to see the music box without putting herself out in the open.
She heard the old woman gasp as the sound of the plastic bag being removed was heard. "Oh my, she's beautiful. How ornate, you sure you want to sell her?" Peridot heard her say.
"Yeah, like I said, the music box's busted. Plus, Mimi here grew out of her ballerina phase. She's more interested in action figures now, for some reason."
Peridot's eyes widened as she looked down at herself. She smiled with anticipation.
"Well, I can give you $65, for her, but I recommend keeping her." The old woman said.
"Can you do 70?"
"Mmm... that's fine."
The toy soldier heard the sound of the cash register opening, and money being exchanged. It was then that she heard those hopeful words, those promises of something better.
"Okay, Mimi, you can pick out one thing, but it has to be cheap. One. Got it?" The mother said to her daughter.
"Yes mama!" Her daughter said, before racing off through the shelves.
Peridot took that moment to quickly move, her peg leg giving her a slight hobble as she hopped from place to place, finally ending up in a wide open spot on a shelf where the child could clearly see her.
"Now, what pose? Maybe, sitting? Nonono, arms to the side! Or... maybe a salute!" The toy soldier debated with herself.
She wouldn't get much time to decide as those small footsteps came closer. She quickly decided on a stern face and a salute, standing perfectly still.
The child zoomed down the aisle, looking from side to side until she spotted Peridot. She gasped, quickly stopping and turning to the toy.
She gently grabbed it from the shelf, her hands glossing over it like she was a sacred treasure.
She almost had stars in her eyes, and was about to take her back to her mom, when her hand stopped at the makeshift leg.
"Oh... you're broken." She muttered, her amazed expression disappearing. She placed the toy back onto the shelf, quickly looking for a new object.
Once she was out of sight, Peridot released her pose, sighing and looking down at her feet. However, she chuckled to herself and snapped her metal fingers.
"Welp, there goes number fifty five. Better luck next time." She said to herself, turning around and climbing up the shelf. She peered over to the daughter to see she had picked our a slingshot from one of the drawers. Her mother looked down, sighed, but reluctantly paid for it. The old woman bid them farewell and watched as the front door of the shop shut behind them.
"I think that'll be the last one for today. Now, let's see what's wrong with you, dearie." The shop owner said, grabbing the music box which Peridot still couldn't see. She walked away towards a back room, disappearing behind the door. In a few moments, the lights shut off and the air as well. The old woman re-emerged from the room, now wearing a warm fluffy jacket and keys in her hand. She walked to the front door, exiting and locking it behind her, before walking down the street out of sight.
Peridot let out a sigh before climbing down from the shelf, landing on the carpeted floor. She walked slowly towards the back room door, noticing movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head slightly to see some of the other antiques moving around.
"Hiya Peridot! Oh, bad luck again?" Asked one of them, a porcelain doll named Amy.
"Eh, you just can't let it get to you. Like I always say-"
"Epepep. Don't say it. I've heard it enough to take it to heart, don't worry."
Peridot rolled her eyes with a smile and approached the large door. She climbed up upon a drawer and jumped atop the handle, using her weight to actually open the door. She let go and dropped back down to the floor.
The room was sort of a manager's offices, with a nearby computer and tower atop a table, along with a fuse box, and a coffee maker atop a counter. But the most notable was a large table the other antiques called 'The Workbench', where the old lady would work her magic and fix up all the new arrivals.
Atop the table sat the music box, though it was covered by darkness and Peridot was too far away to see any details. She climbed up to the top of the table to get a better look.
She would've never expected what she saw.
The music box was wildly ornate, with a blue, black, and gold color scheme surrounding the base. The gold made up the engravings and highlights while the blue painted the almost wave like designs along the sides, and the black provided a nice place for negative space. The key that turned for the music was gold itself, and a small plaque sat above it.
However, that wasn't Peridot's focus.
Atop a rotating pad, that presumably moved while the music played, was a beautiful ballerina. She was made of porcelain, with blue skin, golden freckles on her shoulders, a blue flowing dress, and wild hair that was molded like the tides of the sea.
But, she wasn't in any dancing position, or anything that indicated her profession.
She was currently sitting with her knees to her chest, sobbing quietly into her knees.
Peridot slowly approached the ballerina, not wanting to scare her. She got to the base of the music box, her head and upper body peaking over the edge. She cleared her throat to get her attention.
The porcelain girl flinched, then slowly lifted her head. He face was even more beautiful to Peridot, with dark blue eyes and more golden freckles. Though, she hated the tears that filled them, hated the emotion she knew the trinket was going through.
Abandonment. She had felt it before.
"H... Hello there. My name is Peridot. What's your name?" Peridot asked, careful of what words escaped her mind.
The ballerina waited for a moment before crawling over to one side of the music box, where the key was located, and pointed to the plaque on the side. Peridot moved to see what she was pointing at.
"La... Lapis? Your name is Lapis?"
The ballerina nodded.
"That's a very pretty name. Do you like it?"
The ballerina waited for a moment, then nodded again.
"Wh... Are you afraid of speaking?"
Lapis looked at Peridot with wide eyes before they scrunched up, her lower lip quivering.
Peridot felt pangs of guilt in her heart. "Oh nonono, I didn't mean to... Oh stars I'm sorry." She quickly apologized, trying to rectify the situation.
Lapis shook her head, trying to convey something, before desperately grabbing the key and winding up the music box. When the machine clicked into place, she let go.
The music came out extremely distorted, like a radio tuned to all the wrong stations. Static loomed in the background, and the music itself slipped, jumped, and lagged. The ballerina listened to the song with contempt, her hands balling up into fists before she slammed them into the box, silencing the machine.
She breathed heavily, Peridot watching her with a mix of fear and pity.
"That... is what my voice sounds like." The dancer said, her voice having a similar effect to the music.
"Oh... I'm sorry." Peridot spoke, her brows furrowing in apology.
"My owners, they didn't take care of me. Tossing me around, not cleaning me. Eventually, they dug me out of the attic for a Christmas decoration, and found out I was broken... they just threw me away without a second thought! I... I'm broken!" She exclaimed, breaking down into sobs at the end.
Peridot acted quickly, recognizing familiar signs she had seen before. "Hey, no. You're not broken! Nobody here is!" She said, climbing up and sitting next to where Lapis was kneeling.
She let out a sniff, turning and glaring at Peridot. "Don't lie to me. I'm worthless like I am now."
"No. None of that talk. Everybody in this shop has flaws, and they're all a part of who they are. Heck, look at me!" She lifted up her peg leg to emphasize her point. "My own leg is made up of junk! Not to mention the dust starting to build up. But I don't let that take away from me."
She scooted ever so closer to Lapis.
"There's a saying I tell all the new arrivals here: there's always someone waiting for you. Just keep your hopes up and you'll find them."
Lapis still stared at Peridot, but no longer glaring or crying at her. "You some kind of counselor? Talking to all the other like that?"
"I mainly just like helping the toys and trinkets here keep their spirits up and not grow sad. I've been here for a long time, I know what it's like."
"But... how can any human want me with a voice like this?" Lapis asked, pointing to her throat.
"Well... I think your voice is still nice. Kinda like, some sort of Sci-Fi princess." The toy soldier complimented, her head turning away slightly.
"... What's Sci-Fi?" Lapis asked.
Peridot quickly turned back around, a certain look in her eyes. "Oh, I've read almost every single book in this store, and Sci-Fi is one of the genres! It stands for Science Fiction, and it's got all sorts of amazing stories, interesting characters, and beautiful pic-" She stopped herself for a second, mumbling sheepishly. "Uh... I mean. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ramble. I can sometimes go on tangents."
"Nono, it's fine!" Lapis quickly said."You seem very... passionate about it. It was nice... hearing you talk about that."
Peridot stared for a moment before smiling.
She had never known anybody willing to listen to her tangents.
~☆~☆~☆~
The two talked throughout the entire night, enjoying each other's company and their personality.
Peridot talked all about how the shop was full of people like her, like Lapis. They were somewhat of a community, all supporting each other in their endeavor to find a home. It brought comfort to know there were people willing to support her here. The toy soldier also shared a bit more about herself, even cracking a joke or pun that somehow seemed to make the ballerina smile. She had never met anyone who liked her bad puns either.
Lapis slowly came out of her shell, but not completely. Peridot visited many other nights throughout the week, and the weeks beyond, comforting the ballerina while she was in the process of trying to be repaired.
At one point, Lapis asked if Peridot wanted to see a dance. She quickly said yes after being offered.
The way Lapis moved, with grace and rhythm as if the whole world couldn't stop her, stunned Peridot beyond belief. If she could perform in public, Lapis would be the best of all the dancers, in Peridot's opinion.
Lapis was very appreciative of Peridot's comments, dawning a small smile when she clapped and whooped at the end of each performance.
She seemed to get better, more comfortable with where she was. Peridot became as close as she ever got to a true friend, and even gave her genuine hope that maybe, just maybe, there was a family out there willing to take her in and care for her properly.
That changed when the old lady finally gave up.
Peridot saw her walk out of the backroom one night, this time holding a price tag in her hand, choosing a select spot where the sun would shine upon a countertop, illuminating it like a spotlight.. It left Peridot giddy, it meant Lapis would finally get a chance to show off how spectacular she was. 'Stars,' she thought, 'she'll probably be picked right off the shelf as soon as they see her!'
'As... As soon as they see her.'
Peridot's smile wavered for, realizing that this might mean the ballerina might be gone soon. And she'd probably never get to see her again, giving that most of the time people who buy from here live much farther away than most small towns.
'No matter! She'll be much happier in a new home than in this cloddy shop. Why, I must go visit her at once and see how excited she must be!'
The toy soldier jumped down from her shelf and quickly marched over to the backroom door, ready to congratulate her friend.
However, when she opened the door, she only saw Lapis sitting down on the desk in the corner, staring with a blank expression at the blank computer screen.
Peridot moved on unsteady feet towards the desk, not wanting to climb up to the ballerina's side in fear of disturbing her. "Lapis?" She called out to her.
Lapis didn't moved, still staring at the screen.
Peridot took a deep breath and finally climbed up to the top of the desk. She carefully approached Lapis, wringing her hands nervously.
"Why, uh.... What's wrong?" She asked, hesitant to
"...She couldn't fix me."
Peridot kept staring before moving forward, taking a seat next to her. She reached forward for a moment with her hand, but retracted it after nor figuring out exactly what she should do with it.
"She couldn't fix the music box I had, so she tried to buy a new one for me. B-But... there were none left. I'm decommissioned, apparently. I... I..."
Lapis stopped for a moment, taking deep breaths clearly meant to calm herself and keep from tears. Peridot kept staring at her with concern.
"I'm scared, Peridot. I know you keep saying that there's a family out there for me, who will like me as I am, but... but how can anyone like me with a voice like this? With music like this?" She asked, desperately imploring an answer.
The toy soldier, gaining clarity, finally knew what to with her hand. She moved to gently grab Lapis' hand, rubbing the back of it caringly.
"Lapis, you're one of the... no, the most special person I've ever known. You're beautifully made, you dance spectacularly, and..." Her cheeks blushed dark green for a moment. "W-Well, my point is, any family would be lucky to have you. No matter your voice."
Lapis stared at Peridot with wide eyes, silent with something strange behind them. Peridot let out an 'umf' as she was pulled into a tight hug by the ballerina.
"Thank you..." She muttered.
Peridot said nothing more and returned the hug.
~☆~☆~☆~
It was the very next day and Peridot was nervous beyond belief.
It was only three days before Christmas, and it was at this point that people started to buy gifts and presents for their loved ones, and the antique store was no different. Five people today, all with children in tow, came in to look through the aisle.
Peridot was nervous with excitement, sure. This was the one time of the year where she had the biggest chance to be chosen.
But, this year... she was also nervous with despair. Because Lapis was on display today.
Peridot figured she would be bought by the end of the day, given how amazing she was, but... the thought of Lapis leaving made her sick to her core and her metal joints lock up. She wanted her to leave... and at the same time, it was the last thing she wanted for her friend.
Another child ran through the halls, skidding to a halt when he saw Peridot on display. "Aw, cool, toy soldier!" He grabbed the toy a little rougher than others had, bringing it close to his face.
"Eeooo... Leg's busted. Eh... I'm sure I could probs fix yo- Oh my god, is that a toy robot!" He spotted another toy in a wooden box nearby, quickly forgetting about Peridot and tossing her back on the shelf. She hit the back wall of it with a clatter.
As soon as the child was out of sight, Peridot picked herself up, grabbing her arm to soothe the blunt pain she was dealt. "He isn't even alive, you clod. He's a metal box with lights." She grumbled, moving towards the front of the shelf to peak at the other object.
He saw the boy staring at the little retro robot as it moved around on the floor, propelled by a windup key and sprouting lines from some bygone era.
She sighed, her brows furrowing as she pulled herself away from the edge. She sat down and rested her head on the side of the shelf, bringing her knees close to her chest.
"I almost had him, too..."
She stayed like that for but a moment before the thought of windup keys reminded her of a different, much much better antique. Deciding she had enough of the toy rejection today, she climbed up to the very top of the shelf to spot where Lapis had been placed.
She spotted the familiar light stand she had visited before the shop opened that morning, and climbed over the other shelves and cabinets to get to it. When she got much closer, directly across from the stand, she spotted the music box itself.
Lapis, however, was nowhere to he seen.
She panicked slightly for a moment. Had someone already come for her? Had she missed the opportunity to say goodbye? But then she noticed that the price tag was still there, still unchanged and still bearing the 'ballerina and music box' title on its front.
So... where was Lapis then?
Her question was answered when she saw a shadow move slightly, emanating from behind one of the display shelves. She watched it for a moment before seeing it move again, revealing the blurry form of her friend.
She tilted her head in confusion. Lapis had no reason to hide, she would be picked any second now. Why was she back there?
The toy soldier resolved herself to find out. She climbed down from the cabinet and, when seeing that no one else was coming, quickly ran across the space and behind the cabinet in question.
She saw the porcelain dancer curled tightly into a ball, tucked in between the cabinet and the store walls. She approached her on hesitant feet, fumbling with her hands as she got closer and closer.
"L... Lapis, why're you hiding? You should hurry and go back out, everybody's gonna miss you!" She said, trying to encourage her friend.
"Nobody wants me, Peridot. Nobody." She mumbled, still curled up tight.
"That can't possibly be true, your perfe-"
"No, I'm not! All five children that have picked me up and twisted me up, all of them expecting pretty music, and what do they get instead? Static and a jumbled mess! They all put me back right away, all of them ran away from me!" She shouted, finally uncurling partially to turn to face Peridot.
The toy was shocked, recoiling slightly in apprehension. Lapis' expression changed, going from surprise to shame as she realized who she had yelled it.
"They don't want me, Peridot. Nobody wants me."
"Lapis..." She bent down and placed her hand on the small of her friend's back."You can't give up hope like that, you can't let yourself surrender after a few children pass by. You have to pick yourself up, you have to keep going. Do you I would've quit after the first few kids left me back on the shelves?"
"I... I don't know?"
"Nope, I never did! I picked myself back up, set myself back on the shelf, and tried again! No matter how many past me by, I knew there was still a family out there waiting for me." She boasted, holding her head up slightly. "My point is, Lapis, you can't let your first failure be the thing to hold you back. You have to keep powering through. Every part of you is perfect, because very part is a part of you, and I know that a family will want you as soon as they lay eyes on you."
"But-"
"Nope, no buts! I... I believe in you, Lapis."
The ballerina completely unfurled, sitting up slightly before Peridot offered a gentle hand to pull her up.
"How about this? You promise me you'll try again, and I'll give you my special good luck charm?" The toy offered.
"Your... good luck charm?"
Peridot nodded, and reached over to the small medal attached to her chest. She pulled it off gently and looked at it in her hand.
"This is a medal of valor, of courage. Given to only the best of toys. But... I think you deserve it much more."
She took the metal and gently pinned it into her hair, being mindful of the porcelain nature, making it look more like a broche than a medal.
Lapis' hand traced over the medallion with stars in her eyes. "No one's... ever given me something like this before."
Peridot blushed dark green again. "W-Well, aheh, it's really no big d-deal. You-"
She was silenced as soon as she was pulled into hug.
"Thank you..."
Peridot said nothing more, too overwhelmed with emotion at the expression of gratitude.
After the hug, Lapis waved goodbye as she climbed back up onto her stand, the setting sun now in a position where it seemed like a spotlight on her stage. Peridot stared at the beautiful picture for a moment before shaking her head and climbing up the cabinet she found herself behind. At the very top, she was at the perfect position to observe any potential children while also keeping an eye on Lapis.
The day went by much slower, much less tense, for some reason. Not that many families came back into the shop, and many just came in pairs of adults.
It was near the very end of the day, however, when the last child entered.
She was younger than a few she had seen before, with tan skin, curly black hair, and blue eyes. Her mother, or perhaps grandmother, had graying hair and gentle eyes, and the child held her hand as they entered the shop.
The old shop owner immediately greeted them. "Happy Holidays! How can I help you?"
"Oh, I'm here to help my grandbaby pick out of Christmas decoration. Apparently she had seen something on display earlier today." The grandmother explained.
"Oh, I see! Well, let me know if you need any help finding it." The shop owner said with a smile.
The grandmother leaned over to her grandchild. "Ok, Lucy. You lead the way!"
The little girl smiled and slowly walked down the antique passage ways. Peridot watched, hidden away at the very top of the cabinet, as the little girl... made her way over to Lapis!
She gasped in anticipation was the little girl finally located the ballerina. Her smile grew wider as she released her Grandmother's hand and rushed over to the display. She gently turned the music box around to locate the key to turn. When her hands finally found it, the grandmother had reached her sides.
"Look at her, Grannie! Isn't she beautiful?" The little girl said.
"Yes, she is. Look almost a little like you, doesn't she?"
The little girl gasped with joy. "You're right! She's perfect, I wanna hear her music!"
Peridot felt herself grip the wood on the cabinet tighter, her makeshift leg shaking slightly. She was sure this was the one for Lapis, but she didn't know what would happen next.
The girl gently turned the key, each revolution winding up the mechanism in the box until a click was heard. She let go of the key...
And the shattered tune played.
The little girl instinctively covered her ears in surprise and dislike, while the grandmother noticeably winced at the glitched tunes. Lapis kept moving along the rotating platform, giving a perfect performance (In Peridot's opinion), but the music distracted the two from the dance.
When the music finally ended, the grandmother looked over at the little girl pitifully. "Oh... I'm sorry, Lucy. She seems to be broken, the music box must've come loose." She said, trying to offer condolences.
The little girl removed her hands from her ears, but kept staring at the music box.
"Maybe we can find something else in here, like her. Come on, we can still keep looking."
The little girl didn't move still, moving closer to take the music box into her hands.
"It... It's okay, Grannie. She's not... She's not broken. Sure, her music's funny, but..."
The little girl turned to her grandmother, still holding the music box in her hand. "She still dances perfectly. I think all she needs is a little care, and she can sing better, too!" She said with pep in her voice.
"Are you sure, dear? We can still get something else, if you'd like." The grandmother offered.
The little girl shook her head. "Nope, she's perfect. We can take her come and clean her up, we can!"
The grandmother laughed a gentle laugh. Peridot kept staring at the two from her hiding place, smiling a wide, yet emotionally conflicted smile.
"Alright then, let's get her."
The two started walking back over to the front counter, the little girl still gently holding Lapis in her hands.
Peridot let out a sigh and turned her back away from the family. "She did it... I knew she could, she just needed the right kid."
She started walking over to the edge of the cabinet when a thought hit her.
'She... She's found a new home. She did it, i knew she could! ...She won't be coming back, she might even be leaving the town. S-She'll go to a new place, somewhere beautiful!
'I won't be able to see her again.'
'S-She'll meet new people!'
That was my last moment with her and I didn't even realize it.'
She froze in place, her eyes going wide.
'I didn't get to say goodbye.'
"I... I... I have to say goodbye!"
She quickly dashed towards the edge of the cabinet, scrambling down the side and landing on the carpeted floor. She turned to the path the family had come from, seeing with distress that they were already paying for her. She was running out of time.
She ran as fast as she could, cursing her other leg for hindering her speed. She dashed in and out of the tight corners and display alleyways, keeping hidden from Human eyes as much as she could.
As she got closer, she saw Lapis being placed into a bag and handed back to the child. She was almost there, just one more minute!
The two turned towards the door, and the old lady turned to the back room. Peridot wanted to scream and call out Lapis' name. She kept running, watching as the family pushed open the glass door to the cold outside. She was mere inches away!
Her feet pushed against the ground, her hand reaching out towards her goal...
Right as the door closed in front of her face.
Her hands hit the glass roughly, the door clacking as she finally stopped her momentum.
Her eyes followed the family as they walked back to their car, her chest twisting painfully. She panted and blinked rapidly as the car pulled out of the parking spot, and turned around the corner, disappearing from sight.
"Lapis..." The toy soldier couldn't look away from the outside.
But suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching from behind. She instinctively froze up in an inanimate pose as she felt herself being picked up.
"Well, well, well, how did you get over here, little soldier?" She asked, picking her up and turning away from the door. "Let's set you back on the shelf so you don't get stepped on, huh?"
She placed Peridot on the shelf that kept her in the line of sight of the front desk, furthermore the shop owner, ensuring she wouldn't move lest she wanted to be caught.
The door swung open again, and this time a mother and her daughter entered. The daughter immediately raced away from her mother, giggling as she explored the shop.
The mother, texting from her phone, barely acknowledged this. "Limone, don't run." She muttered, not even looking away from the device.
"Can I help you Ma'am?" The shop owner asked nicely.
"My daughter wants something." The mother said, still tapping away.
The old woman said nothing, simply staring at the woman with disappointment.
The little girl seemingly managed to have run around the entire shop, for in a few short minutes she looped back to her mother. The girl than began zooming from shelf to shelf, looking at all the things lining it.
Then, she saw Peridot.
The little one gasped and snatched her off the shelf, squealing with joy as she eyed it. Her hand briefly touched the peg leg but, seemingly, this changed her mood none.
She raced back to her mother, waving the toy in her face. "Mommy, mommy, look! It's a princess! And she has a pirate leg!"
The mother, finally taking some time to simply acknowledge her daughter, looked up from her phone. "That's very nice, dea-" Her eyes bulged cartoonishly out of her head as she snatched away the toy. "Limone, don't touch that! You could've gotten hurt!" She yelled.
"But, mommy, it's jus-"
"Eugh, look at this, this... tetanus infested danger. Is that a loose screw?!" She held Peridot up by her arm as if she were a weed she had just uprooted in her own yard. With a huff, she turned towards the shop owner, tossing the toy haphazardly onto the counter.
"Excuse me, what is this?!" She said in a shrill voice.
The old lady, confused, looked between the toy soldier and the lady. "W-Well, she's a toy soldier, perfect fo-"
"I don't want to know what it is, I want to know why you still have it! My daughter could've gotten hurt!"
"Mommy, I'm fin-"
"Not now, dear. Look at this! It's made of rusted metal, it looks like it's just crawling with disease. And is that. A. Rusted. Screw?!"
The old woman gently picked Peridot up and stood her up straight. "Now Now, Ma'am. This is merely a repair made to her. It's too replace her missing leg, perfectly fine, see he-"
"So she's junk? And broken junk, furthermore. Why haven't you gotten rid of her yet?! Some other kid's going to come in here, pick this scrap up, and hurt themselves on that jagged metal! You're lucky I brought this up to your attention first. I should sue, honestly. Compensation should be in order."
"Mommy. I said I'm fi-"
"Not now, honey. This thing needs to be removed immediately. You're lucky I caught this, you could've had a lawsuit on your hands in the future."
The old woman, confusion now replaced by annoyance, huffed and set the toy soldier to the side. "Miss, I think you need to leave. I will not have you barging into my shop and insulting my merchandise. Peridot here is perfectly safe."
"Excuse me?! How dare you speak to me like, especially after I tried to help you with this problem."
"Miss, leave now or I'm calling the police."
The mother huffed, snatching her kid's hand. "Fine, don't say I didn't warn you when you get taken to court for endangerment." She placed back at Peridot for a moment. "Besides, no one would ever want something as broken as that."
She turned and walked out of the store, her daughter struggling in her hands. "But, mommy, I wanted the princess!" She yelled as she was dragged back to the car.
Once the two were far away, the woman shook her head and gently picked up Peridot. She walked back over to the shelf she once was and placed her there, adjusting her arms to give her a saluting pose.
"Don't you listen to them, dearie. You stay right there, you're fine just the way you are."
But Peridot had listened.
She heard the whole thing.
'No one would ever want something as broken as that.'
~☆~☆~☆~
Bounce.
Catch.
Bounce.
Catch.
Peridot tossed the little piece of rubber back and forth, watching it bounce against the wall behind the top of the cabinet. It was a little bit of hardened playdough she had molded into a ball.
She was currently sitting at the very top of one, hidden behind the engravings and carvings at the top with one leg to her chest and her makeshift leg extended out. She was trying to entertain herself through the store hours, but the day was slower moving than most.
She sighed, catching the ball in her hands. She looked down at it for a moment, before squeezing it tightly and beginning her routine of tossing it again.
In the background, she heard the front door of the shop opening, clearly marking the entrance of new customers. The toy soldier should've leapt off the cabinet top, racing towards the nearby shelves to position herself for another chance!
But she didn't. She didn't even look to see who had entered. She kept bouncing that rubber ball between the wall and herself.
She soon heard the rapid footsteps of the new shop owner approach the front. The old woman had long since gone, and in return her son (a young, curly haired man named Steven) had taken over the shop's duties in her memory.
"Hi, how can I help you?" She heard him say in the distance.
She was praying for the shop to return to silence again. She was enjoying the peace before whoever entered disturbed it. She caught the ball in her hand again, stopping her pace.
"Hi, um... listen I don't know if you specialize in this here but, I purchased this from here a long time ago. It's basically a family heirloom at this point, and I wanted to preserve it. So, I wanted to ask if you could help me repair it." A voice said, most likely the customer that had entered.
A giggle rang out in the store as small footsteps ran through the store.
"No, Chrysi, don't run! Please be careful sweetie." The customer said again.
Steven chuckled. "Eh, I'm sure it's fine. Can I see the product?"
Peridot grumbled, giving up on the hope of a quiet afternoon, and stood up. She peeked her head around the engravings to spy on the customer and store owner.
She merely glimpsed the customer handing over the product to Steven, not actually seeing what the product was. The customer... was extremely familiar. It almost reminded her of someone she knew, but she couldn't quite place who.
She was tall, a bit fit, but the most notable detail were the blue highlights in her hair.
She heard Steven gasp as he most likely uncovered the item. "Oh wow, it's really elaborate! You sure you bought this from here?" He joked.
"Yeah, it was a long time ago. When I was... maybe ten?" The customer replied, before noticing something. "Chrysi? Chrysi Lanzui you get back here right now." She yelled in a half serious, still a smile on her face.
A giggle came from the back corner of the room. "Coming, Mama!" She giggled, running back to the front of the store.
"So, what's the problem with her?" Steven had asked.
Peridot tried to maneuver herself to see what this mystery object was, but she couldn't glimpse it, not even a smidge.
"Her gears are locking up. She gets halfway through her dance, and then it stops. I've talked to other repair shops, but none of them can help. Took me quite a drive to get all the way back here." The customer explained.
"Oh, gears are easy. My mom taught me about them before she turned over the shop to me. I can definitely fix her, but it won't be until tomorrow. I'll do it for free, even." Steven answered.
"Really? You're too kind, I promise you'll get paid for it. We're staying in town a few days so I can show little Chrysi here where her mom grew up. I'll pick it up then." Peridot watched as the mother ruffled the hair of her daughter.
"That works for me! Can I get a name and phone number?"
"Lucy Lanzui. And uh... here, I'll write down the number."
'Lucy Lanzui.... I swear I've heard her name before. It kinda reminds me of...'
The toy soldier closed her eyes and trembled for a second.
'Don't think about her. She's gone. It's been years.'
Peridot opened her eyes again, calming herself slightly.
"Alright, I'll get started on her right now! You guys wanna take a look around for anything else?" Steven asked.
"When we come back for her, yes. I did promise her we'd get a new Christmas decoration for her."
Peridot watched as the two family members left the shop, letting the door close behind them. Steven carried the object back to the back room, his body hiding it from view much to the toy soldier's chagrin.
She looked back towards the front door and sighed.
'You should've gone out there, shown yourself to the little one. She would've picked you, you know that!'
The toy growled to herself. "Shut up." She muttered angrily.
She turned back around and sat back down behind the engravings. She picked up the rubber ball into her hands, running a finger over the top of it.
She'll just sneak into the backroom at night. Part of her was still curious as to what this mysterious object was. But, until then...
Bounce.
Catch.
Bounce.
Catch.
~☆~☆~☆~
Night time finally came, and Peridot began the slow descent to the bottom of the cabinet. She wasn't nearly as spry as she used to be, her joints a bit stiffer than before.
'Yet another reason why I shouldn't have gone over to a shelf this morning.' She reasoned to herself.
After a rough landing she finally touched down to the floor of the shop. She dusted herself off and slowly hobbled over to the backroom of the shop.
Along the way, she could hear distinct whispers from the display shelves, and she could feel the eyes burning into her back. But, she didn't care at this point.
She reached the door and, using momentum and a nearby chair, opened the door to let her inside. She hobbled over to the central table (the layout of the room having not changed a bit), and climbed up to the top of the table. It wasn't easy, her leg almost slipped on the edge, which would've sent her tumbling below.
If she had a beating heart, it would've stopped when she got to the top.
There sat a blue, gold and black music box, with wavy engravings and a golden key for music. And at the top of the music box, stood someone Peridot never thought she'd see again.
She had beautiful blue skin, gold freckles dotting her shoulders and face, flowing hair with a golden medal adorning it, and dark blue eyes. A porcelain ballerina, one she know all too well.
Lapis Lazuli was back in the shop, and staring at Peridot with an unknown emotion in her eyes.
The toy couldn't move, she was locked in place, stuck and frozen by overwhelming feelings.
"L-L-Lapis? I... Is that really you?" She finally sputtered out.
Lapis didn't say anything for a moment, but soon broke into a wide smile as she nodded.
"Peridot..." She whispered.
The other's eyes widened in surprise.
"L-Lapis?! You're v... Your voice, it'- AUGH!"
She didn't get to finish her sentence as she was tackled to the table surface in the tightest hug she had ever felt. She wheezed as the ballerina nuzzled into her neck.
"Oh Peri, I missed you so much, you have no idea how excited I was when I heard we were coming back here!" She exclaimed.
"M... Me too. Stars, I did as well." Peridot responded, reciprocating the hug as she closed her eyes.
The two stayed like that for a good chunk of time, before Lapis pulled away from her own python grip.
"How have you been? You look a tiny bit tired there." The ballerina asked.
Peridot chuckled at that. "Yes, I suppose I do look a little bit weather-beaten. But besides that, I've been doing.... Fine. Doing fine."
The toy soldier took pause for a moment to look over what she had just said. Something about this whole thing brought to her two emotions: one over-joyous and happy, and another angry and morose.
"Mainly, I'm bummed I never got to say goodbye when you were picked. This is a nice twist of fate."
"You're telling me! It was so different at the new house, and there was no one else I knew there. I... I kept missing you the entire time. And with every new thing I saw and happen, I wanted to share it with you more than anything else. Especially after recent, ahem, repairs were made." Lapis ended that shpeel with a smile. "Perhaps... you've noticed something different?"
"Y-yes, big different, your voice! Someone changed It! What happened?" The soldier asked.
"Well, when little Lucy took me home all that time ago, her grandmother began tinkering with me, trying to see what's wrong. Eventually, very gently, she replaced my music box with a different one, one she had lying on hand. Oh, you should listen to how it sounds!"
The ballerina left the embrace to rush back towards the music box, grabbing the metal key and twisting it to wind up the contraption. As soon as she let go, it spun, letting out lovely music into the air.
Have yourself a very merry Christmas...
Lapis tapped the key slightly with her foot to stop it from turning, only providing a taste of the song played.
Peridot listened, stunned. "W-Wow, that... that's wonderful. Does it sound like the original?"
Lapis shrugged her shoulders. "Not quite, but honestly, I could care less. I love my new voice, and my new music. I think they fit me perfectly."
The soldier nodded. "I t-think they fit perfectly too."
"Come sit down, let's keep talking. We still got time, right?" Lapis said, sitting down on the box and patting the spot beside her.
Peridot nodded, wobbling over to the box and sitting down as well.
Truth be told, she'd rather sit and talk with Lapis for the rest of the time she was there than go back out to the shelves.
~☆~☆~☆~
The night passed quickly for the two of them, with talk of both past and new experiences filling up the hours together as they enjoyed being reunited.
Well... at least, Lapis was reminiscing.
The ballerina noticed that, when talking about the past, how distant Peridot seemed to get. She would fidget, stammer through her words, and her eyes darted ever so slightly. Things she had never seen the soldier do when she last saw her.
Still, it didn't stop her from enjoying reuniting with her first and only friend. She hadn't met anyone so passionate and hopeful as Peridot in those 20 years since she last saw her. It was something magical for Lapis, how the other had managed to lift her spirit in such a short amount of time.
But, soon, the sunlight began streaking in through the front door windows, reaching all the way back through the open door of the backroom. Lapis watched as Peridot began squinting from the change in light.
"That's daytime. How long till the shop owner gets here?" Lapis asked her friend.
Peridot glanced towards the backroom exit before back at Lapis with a nervous chuckle. "O-Oh, not for a couple of hours. We still got plenty of time."
Lapis nodded and placed an arm around Peridot's shoulder, pulling the two closer so she could rest her head on the toy soldier's shoulder.
"I'm so glad to be back with you, Peri. Even if it is for a few days." She whispered.
Peridot stared intently at her friend's face. "M-Me too." She muttered.
"You know... I still kept your good luck charm. Do you want it back now?"
Peridot shook her head. "No, keep it. It suits you far better than it would me."
"How many books have you read since I've been gone?" The ballerina asked, offhandedly.
"A-All of them. S... Several times over."
That made her pause. She turned more to fully face her smaller companion, looking her straight in the eyes. "All? Has it really been that lon-"
But her question was cut short by the familiar sound of the front door unlocking, followed by the grumbles of an early morning Steven.
"That's the shop owner, you should start heading back." Lapis said.
"N-Nonono, it's fine!" Peridot quickly dispelled the thought with a nervous smile. "I can stay a few more hours, I'm sure he won't mind."
Lapis smiled softly at the soldier. "Peridot, you'll miss your chances today. Go back to your shelf, I'm not going anywhere. I promise I'll be sitting right here come night."
"B-But... But I want to spend time with you."
"And I'll be right here tonight, wanting the exact same."
"P... Promise?"
"Promise."
Peridot reluctantly removed herself from the music box, dusting herself off slightly before slowly and hesitantly moving towards the edge of the table. She gave one last look back to Lapis, which she responded with a wave, before turning and slowly climbing down the table leg.
Lapis sighed and brought her legs close to her chest. There was something definitely different about Peridot, but she couldn't quite place what it was. All she knew was it had her worried.
Time didn't help her worries either, the day passing dreadfully slow with few people entering the store that day. She just wanted to be reunited with her friend, someone she may never seen again after this. It wasn't in her best wishes to send Peridot away, but it was in her friend's.
However, midday brought with it a wonderful idea.
She was quite agile, and nimble too. Nobody would really noticed if she... snuck about, would they? Besides, she could finally see Peridot in action, showing off all of that charm she wowed her with.
She, ever so carefully, climbed down from the table and snuck out of the backroom, making her through the aisles of the store. She didn't quite know where Peridot was displayed, but she had the rest of the day to search for her. It couldn't be that hard to find her, right?
As it would turn out, yes, it would be that hard.
Lapis scoured the store, looking all over the shop for wherever Peridot may be, but she couldn't find her. Every shelf, counter, and cabinet was blank of her green compatriot. The porcelain dancer risked exposure, climbing to the top of the highest cabinet and looking over every nook and cranny. But... she wasn't there.
Her shoulders slumped as her chest tightened. Had she been bought while she was waiting? Had she missed her chance to say goodbye, like the other had so many years ago? Was she... gone for good.
These dreadful thoughts were cut short when she heard the front door of the shop swing open. She moved to crouch behind the engraved part of the cabinet, merely peaking ever so slightly.
The person who had walked in wasn't a family, wasn't even an adult. She was a small little girl with blonde ponytails and a scarf around her face, with large doey eyes and brown freckles.
The shop owner quickly came out from behind his desk. "Hey, what are you doing here, little one?" He asked gently.
"Juft lookin aroun." She said, her voice muffled by the thick scarf.
"Okay! Let me know if you need any help finding anything." Steven responded.
The little girl nodded and walked through the shop, Lapis following her movements. She watched as the little girl approached a cabinet with a wall of toys and trinkets. She looked amazed at all of them, but she didn't reached for a single one.
'Wonder what she's looking for?' Lapis thought to herself. 'Maybe she's trying to fin-'
It was ever so brief, but she noticed it immediately. Movement. Something was moving. Her eyes left the girl and looked up the cabinet. She could only briefly see it, but she immediately noticed who it was.
Peridot's large green eyes stared at the little girl, showing apprehension and fear, like she wanted to jump down right in front of the child and do her very best to get picked, but wouldn't out of terror for... what?
Lapis couldn't comprehend it. Why was she hiding while a patron was in the store? She needed to find out.
As soon as the little girl left that cabinet, and she saw Peridot slink back away from the edge, Lapis climbed down from her own perch and ran over to her target in question, she climbed up to the very top and looked for her friend.
Peridot sat in the very corner, her knees towards her chest and her head buried in them. Her body shook slightly and Lapis swore she heard sniffles coming from her.
"P... Peridot?" She called out.
The toy soldier violently flinched as she raised her head from her knees. Her head turned slightly as she side eyed the ballerina. "L-Lapis? What're you doing here?" She nervously asked.
"Peridot, what're you doing up here? Nobody's gonna see you if you're hiding away up here." Lapis took tentative steps closer towards the aluminum girl.
"W-W-Well, yes I understand! I'm just, um... taking a break! Yeah, just a l-little old break!" She said nervously, trying to flash a smile but making a strained line instead.
"Peridot, you're not a very good liar." Lapis said bluntly. She picked up her pace and came up right beside the toy. She sat down and drew herself closer to her. Her blunt tone became softer and more caring. "Peri, please tell me what's wrong. This isn't like you, not how I knew you before I left."
"I-I'm still the same! Nothing's wrong!" The blonde yelled defensively.
"You can tell me anything, you know that. Please, tell me what's wrong."
Her mouth opened and sputtered, but Peridot couldn't find another excuse that would rid herself of the guilt. She hung her head, huffing in defeat before turning back to Lapis.
"Do you know how long I've been in this shop?" Lapis shook her head. "I've been here for decades, Lapis. Decades of sitting around, hopelessly waiting for someone to come and take me away from all this. I... I kept telling myself, telling others that seemed just as hopeless as me, that there'll be some family out there for all of us."
"And you were right! Look at me, I found the perfect family for me, and I'm sure you'll find one too!" Lapis exclaimed.
Peridot shook her head. "No, not me. Never me. Day after day, year after year, antiques have gone home with people care for them. Amy the doll, that one wind-up with wedding rings, even Pearlie the Pterodactyl found someone, everyone but me. No... No one wants trash like me."
"You're not trash, Peridot, don't say that! You-"
"Can you stop pretending like I mean something to someone else?!" The soldier shouted, anguish overtaking her. "I've been trying for so many times, been picked up and tossed around by so many children, yet no one has ever wanted me! It... It isn't fair! I tried to keep up a positive attitude, I tried to keep pushing forward and keep trying, but nobody wants me!"
Tears began welling up in her eyes as she shot up from her spot, storming away from the edge to stomp and growl. "I told everyone, I helped everyone here! I tried so, so hard to make sure everyone kept up hope, make sure everyone knew there was someone out there for them, b-but what about me?! W-W-Why... Why doesn't anyone care about me? Why doesn't... who am I kidding, I know why. I'm junk, broken. My first family didn't want me, and no one else would want me either."
The tirade ended, and her back turned away from Lapis. Her shoulders slumped and, before her friend could do anything, sobs escaped from her mouth. Her arms wrapped around herself in an attempt to comfort herself, but it did nothing to stop her tears.
Lapis didn't even have time to process the speech, she didn't have time to process the sadness coming from her friend. Her body and soul reacted in such an instinctive manner that she didn't even register moving until her arms were wrapped tightly around Peridot, moving to tuck her head under her chin as she let her cry into her chest. She didn't know why she had done that, all she knew was that she had to do that.
"Peridot, you know that's not true. And you can say whatever you want in response, but at least hear me out." She whispered.
Peridot continued her sobs, but slowly nodded.
"It's true, Peri, life can be tough. Especially for us, especially for you. But you can't let people who don't like or don't care about you bring you down. They'll come and go, they'll fade from your memory, but the people who do care about you will stick around forever, in both place and feeling. You'll find those people in your life, but you have to try. You can't give up, because you're right. There will be a family out there for you, but they may come from the most unlikely place. If you don't even try, they may never find you."
"B-But..." Peridot sniffled. "I haven't found anyone who's cared for me up until now. How can I be sure someone out there is looking for me?"
Lapis gave a tender smile. "Silly, there's already people who care about you."
She looked so confused. "Who?"
"Think of all the people you helped, the antiques you kept going even if their spirits didn't want to. You were their beacon of hope, they cared about you. Think of the old shop owner, who took care of you like you told me. She cared about you. And... Me. I care about you. You did so much for me, comforted me. You were the one who found me my home. You're my friend, my closest friend, my only friend. I care about you."
Lapis thought of an idea, and reached up into her hair to carefully unclip the golden luck charm she had kept from so many years ago. She brushed her finger over it before reaching down and clipping it onto Peridot.
"You said this medal was for bravery, right? Well, I can't think of a braver person than you. You deserve it." She said calmly.
Her lower lip trembled, and Peridot quickly returned to crying into her chest. But, between the sobs came blubbery 'thank-yous' from her voice.
Lapis still held her close. "Maybe a break today could do you some good. Let's go back to the back room."
Peridot simply nodded.
~☆~☆~☆~
Give him this, Steven was extremely gifted when it came to repairs.
Lapis' music box was fixed in little more than a few minutes. It was, of course, done on the very last day in a truly procrastinated manor, but give the kid a break. He had enough on his plate as is.
She was ready to be returned since morning, and on the very day Lucy said she would be back. Which means... her time with Peridot was coming to an end.
She had tried her hardest to re-instill that hopeful optimism she had once found in her friend when she first met her, but it had been tough. It was a new mentality that had grown in place, one that had overridden her enthusiasm, but Lapis wasn't deterred. She kept on working with it with what little time she had. She swore she was making progress, but she couldn't be sure.
Today would be the test of that.
Peridot was practically shaking, clutching onto Lapis in a goodbye hug neither wanted to leave. Lapis loved her new family and all they had done for her, but she was so conflicted on wanting to go back with them and wanting to stay with Peridot.
"I... I'm going to miss you. So very, very much." Peridot muttered.
"Me too. I wish there was a way for us to stay together." Lapis replied.
"Do... Do you really think I was right? Did you really believe me when I said there was someone out there for everyone?"
"Wholeheartedly. Just keep trying for me, Peri. Someone will find you."
The toy soldier nodded. "I will. For you."
Both antiques flinched when they heard footsteps towards the room. Peridot quickly scrambled off the table to hide away in a corner, while Lapis ran to pose on top of her music box. The door to the back room swung open, and Steven walked in to grab the mechanical dancer.
"Welp, looks like your owner has come back for you, gearbox. Good thing I fixed you this morning, huh?" He said to Lapis as he left the room, carrying her to the front counter.
Peridot watched with dread as history seemed to repeat itself. Every joint and opposable limb yearned to run back and jump into the ballerina's arms, to smuggle herself away and turn from this place, but she knew she had to do this by the book.
She slowly walked out to the front of the store, towards an empty display cabinet space where she could sufficiently perch herself and still get to watch Lapis leave one last time. She climbed up to the space and stood firm, but not immobile, while watching Lucy and Steven talk. Money was exchanged, as were words, and Steven finally handed over Lapis to her family. It was anticipated, as was the ache in her heart.
What she didn't anticipate was the words she heard next.
"Okay, Chrysi, you get one decoration to take home." Lucy said, essentially giving her child free reign of the store.
Peridot's eyes widened. 'A decoration? C-Could that mean...' She quickly turned her back. 'No, she wouldn't want me. But what about what Lapis said? She... She cares about me, she believes in me.'
With a deep breath and determination in her eyes, Peridot turned back around. "I can do this. For Lapis. For myself." She muttered. "Even if I fail, it'll be the first step to getting back in the game."
She thought about her pose long and hard, but she settled on the ol' reliable: the salute. And this time, she added a smile to it, too. 'It's been so long. Hope I'm not rusty. You'd think standing completely still wouldn't be so strenuous...'
But she put those thoughts aside as soon as she saw the little girl approaching. She was at just the right height for her to not only see her, but easily access the soldier.
The little girl was giggling and skipping along, looking at the shelves in search of her perfect addition to her home.
But she stopped as soon as she saw Peridot.
Seeing the little soldier, with blonde hair and a makeshift leg, it lit something deep inside her. She walked closer to the shelf, her little hands gently wrapping around the toy. She brushed a few traces of dust from the body. She moved the saluting hand away and down to Peridot's side, and turned the toy over and over, overlooking every part she could find.
And when she moved down to that makeshift leg, she never said a single comment on it, nor make a single face about it. Instead, her mouth widened into a genuine grin.
"Like a superhero..." She muttered, pulling the soldier close to her chest and hugging it.
The little girl rushed right back to her mother, carrying the toy in her hand, and waved it right in front of Lucy's face. "Mommy, I want to get her!" She exclaimed.
Lucy looked down at her child, and the toy, and showed slight concern. "Are you absolutely sure, sweety?" She picked up the toy from her daughter had shown and turned her over on her back.
The little one nodded rapidly. "She's like a superhero, mommy!" She motioned her mother to lean over and then whispered into her ear. "She... reminds me of mama."
Lucy moved back upright and then looked back down at Peridot. After a few moments, she smiled pleasantly. "She reminds me of mama, too." She told her daughter.
Lucy turned around and handed Peridot to Steven. "How much does this one cost?" She asked.
Steven looked down at Peridot like she had three heads. He looked back up at Lucy. "I'm sorry ma'am, but I've never seen this toy in the store before, and I've done stock on the whole place ten times over."
"B-But, my daughter must've found it somewhere in your store. She couldn't have grabbed it anywhere else." Lucy argued, turning to her daughter. "You did find it in the store, right Chrysi?"
The child nodded and pointed back to the shelf where she had found the aluminum trinket.
Steven shook his head. "Are you sure? Cause she seems older than I am."
"Sure I'm sure!"
"Well, can you give us a price for her, then?" The mother asked.
Steven picked up the toy and looked at it for a moment, then looked back at Chrysi. Then, he immediately placed her in a plastic bag, one separate to the one he had placed Lapis in. "It's Christmas eve, ma'am. Your little girl can have her as a gift."
"Really? I mean, we're willing to pay."
"Honestly. She's not on my price list, so she's free to go home with you guys. Seems to me like it was a stroke of luck your little girl found her."
Lucy smiled and picked up the bag, holding her items in one hand and her daughter's hand in the other. "Thank you very much. And merry Christmas to you!"
Steven nodded to the two as they left the store, heading back to their car and getting in. Lapis was placed in the empty passenger seat, secured by a seat-belt, while Chrysi immediately grabbed Peridot out of her bag and held her close, letting her mother strap her into the toddler seat in the back.
Peridot stayed in the arms of the young one for the whole car ride.
~☆~☆~☆~
It turns out the Lanzuli residence was farther away from Beach City than Peridot had thought before. They had left in the morning, but they had gotten to the home by nighttime.
Chrysi was practically nodding off in the final stretch, but forced her eyes open as she saw the car pull into the driveway. She moved to unbuckle her seatbelt and, once the vehicle halted, jumped out of the car and raced to the doorway.
Lucy, grabbing Lapis and stepping out of the car, quickly called out to her child. "Heyheyhey. It's bedtime, missy." She said, only the slightest bit stern.
"Just let me show the new decoration to mama, okay?"
Lucy smiled and nodded. "I'm sure she'll love that. But after that, it's straight to bed."
Chrysi swung open the door to her home, and called out into the air. "Mama, Mama! We're back!" She yelled out.
Peridot, imobile in her hands but still very much aware, got her first look at the place she would now be residing in. It seemed small, but not tiny. Quaint, but not barren. It gave off such a comforting feel despite its size that the toy felt right at home. Hopes were high she wouldn't be stuffed into the attic after this Christmas.
"I'm in here, sweety!" A nasally voice called out from deeper within the house, causing the girl to follow with haste.
She ran into the a room which seemed like a kitchen, where a new, shorter woman, was crouched down in front of the oven.
"Mama, mama, look what we got from the special store!" Chrysi exclaimed, holding out Peridot so she had direct sight of this new person.
Once she turned around, it became quite clear why the little girl saw a resemblance in the toy soldier to her family.
This woman was slightly shorter than Lucy was, with short blonde hair and dark brown eyes. She was currently wearing a dark blue t-shirt with the words 'Don't take me for Granite' printed on the front, and was wearing green Christmas pyjama pants with one of the legs rolled up to reveal...
To reveal...
Well, that was quite odd. Peridot could've sworn she knew what human legs looked like. But, this one seemed to have a different one in place of her left limb. It was plastic looking, with a metal pole connecting the thigh to the foot.
It looked almost... like Peridot's foot. Just a bit more professional like.
The woman was holding a large dish pan, which in turn held a delicious looking ham.
"Oh, let me put this down real quick." The woman set the ham on a nearby counter and took off the oven mitts placed on her hands. She walked up and gently took Peridot from her daughter's hands.
"Well, she looks like she's been through quite a bit." The short haired blonde commented.
"Mhmm. She's a superhero! Just... Just like you, mama." Chrysi said, a bit shyly at the end.
The woman looked back at her daughter and smiled proudly. She wrapped her daughter in a tight hug. "She'll look perfect. We may have to give her a bit of a wash tomorrow. And maybe find her a much better prosthesis than a screw."
"Dottie? Are you back there?" Lucy called from a different room.
"Yes, sweetie!" The woman, Dottie, replied.
Lucy came into the door frame of the kitchen with a smile. "Alright, Chrysi. Time for bed. We'll set up everything else. Have you given your new addition a name?"
Dottie handed Chrysi the soldier back, and she looked at her with joy. "How about... Peridot! She looks like one, right mama?"
The blonde gave a stare at the aluminum trinket before nodding. "Yes, she looks about the right shade for a Peridot."
Chrysi handed Peridot back to her mother before turning to take Lucy's hand, leading her away out of the kitchen. Dottie, smiling fondly, took Peridot and walked out of the kitchen towards what seemed like a living room.
On a shelf right above the fireplace, Dottie placed Peridot right next to Lapis, who also found herself set up on display. She positioned the soldier to look like she was almost guarding the ballerina.
Lucy came up from behind Dottie, wrapping her arms around her neck and embracing her gently.
"How did the world's best geologist fare on her own?" The taller girl asked.
"Better than expected. I take it Chrysi was tired?"
"She went out like a light. That trip took the energy out of her."
"Did you guys get the music box fixed? I think it's one of her favorites."
"Yep. Although, she might have competition with that 'super hero.'"
Dottie shook her head. "Hey, they kinda look like us, don't you think?"
Lucy snorted. "Speak for yourself. My hair's not that wild."
"Yeah. And mine's definitely not that long. Or shapely."
Lucy nodded, pressing a kiss to her wife's cheek. "Let's get to bed, okay?"
"You go on ahead. I have to put in ham in foil so it can stay warm for tomorrow."
"Okay."
The two adults left the living room, leaving Peridot and Lapis alone to themselves.
As soon as they were sure they wouldn't be caught, the two moved out of their positions to face each other. Or rather, Peridot did. Lapis got straight to the point and rushed to hug her friend.
"Peridot, you made it!" She exclaimed, squeezing tightly.
"That I did. You were right. I... I just had to try."
A few tears of joy escaped from Peridot's eyes, which she wiped away while not moving from the hug. After a long while in the sweet embrace, they moved away to face each other.
"So, did she get your name right?" Lapis asked.
"Surprisingly, she did!"
"Lucky. I got stuck with Bob. She didn't even look at the plaque on the side."
"Bob, Lapis, all that matters is that you are here by my side."
Lapis blushed hard, but kept smiling at her friend. "I didn't know you could be such a sap." She teased.
"...M-Me neither." Peridot commented, showing her own blush.
"Hey, I have an idea. To celebrate you coming back with me."
Lapis quickly turned and rushed back to her music box. She turned the golden key as much as it would allow her, but stopped it momentarily as she hopped onto the platform. She turned to face Peridot and held her hand out, gesturing to join her.
"My brave little soldier, may I have this dance?" She asked tenderly.
Peridot stared in awe, but quickly looked down at her feet. "I-I don't think I'll be much of a dance partner with my leg."
"That's never bothered me. Every part of you is perfect to me, Peri. Every part."
Peridot felt her metal heart swell with joy as she finally made her way up to the platform, taking Lapis' hand as they moved into a dance position. Lapis used her foot to kick the key into motion, making the platform under them rotate and music fill the air.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
Peridot leaned in closer and rested her head into Lapis' neck, enjoying the proximity and the emotional warmth from the waltz-like motions.
Make your new year's bright.
Lapis slowly rocked the two from side to side, taking the lead.
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.
Peridot tried more tears of joy, and Lapis quickly took note, rubbing her back gently while pulling the soldier closer.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
Let your tears be dry.
From now on, your troubles will be far behind.
"Thank you... for convincing me to try again."
"Thank you, Peri, for helping me find my home. Our home."
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.
The song ended and, without hesitation, the two leaned in close and kissed, gently yet with more emotion than they had ever shown before.
The music box was wound up once more, and a new dance was started all over again.
They had finally found a home. Both in location, and in each other.