You've got to understand that in life things almost never turn out the way we would like them to, so there's no choice but to get over it asap so as not to get stuck, because time waits for no one and life goes on with or without you.

...

It's impossible to guess what fate has in store for you, maybe it's a good thing... or maybe not, you don't know that. But wanting to force things to happen the way we would like them to happen won't do any good, much less force someone to be with you. A relationship like that will never work, it's just not healthy. You understand that, don't you?

I... do. *lowers her head in sorrow* Do what you have to do.

I didn't understand anything at all.

Don't worry, you'll soon understand everything.

(Lapis uses her powers to create some water figures in the shape of the things Nice Lapis likes and what she did in Little Homeschool.)

[After a while.]

Do you remember anything yet?

Umm, yeah! I remember now. *begins to glow and returns to her current self* I remember everything. *she said while giving Mean Lapis an angry look*

Just hear me out, please! I'm so sorry!!

What you did to me is unforgivable!

I know, it's just... you left me. I never thought it would affect me so much, but as the days went by I felt more and more alone. Everything I did was because I wanted to spend time with you again.

*enraged* That's no excuse! I left because I thought it would be interesting to change my lifestyle, and so it was. You and I could've gone to earth together, but you just refused.

*looks away* It's... not easy for me to change my lifestyle from one moment to another, I guess that's why I missed you so much.

If you had genuinely missed me "so much", as you say, you would've visited me every now and then to spend time together, you didn't even need to enroll school! Please, it's just a little common sense! But no, you had to complicate matters! So don't blame anyone for what you did, or don't you remember that before I left you acted like a total jerk?

[Flashback - Shortly before Nice Lapis joined Little Homeschool.]

That Lapis is really strong. I can't deny that her strength impressed me greatly, but...

(Without even glancing at the brochure Steven gave her, Mean Lapis begins tearing it into pieces.)

I still consider her a pitiful Gem. She can do whatever she wants with her powers, yet she prefers to lower herself to the level of Pearls. Haha! *throws away the pieces of the brochure* She's pitiful, don't you think so, partner?

(Nice Lapis wasn't even listening to Mean lapis, she's too focused on reading the brochure.)

No way. You're really reading that thing? Come on, give it to me!

What? No, you've already got one.

I SAID GIVE IT TO ME!!! *snatches the brochure from Nice Lapis*

Hey, give it back to me! I was reading it!

Oh please, this is stupid and you know it. *tears Nice Lapis' brochure into pieces and drops it*

Why'd you do that!?!

Wait a minute, don't tell me you let those two morons put nonsense in your head?

If we don't give it a try, we'll never know if it's nonsense or not. I actually found some of this stuff very interesting, like dancing. I didn't know how much fun it was.

*burst into mocking laughter* That's a good one, that's a good joke, for real! *laughing out loud*

(At Mean Lapis' laughter, Nice blushes in embarrassment as she looks away sadly.)

*stops laughing* Whew, it's been a long time since I've laughed that hard- *notices Nice Lapis' sadness expession* Hey, cheer up. *places her hand on Nice Lapis' shoulder* It's all right, this is the best for you.

Oh, really?

Yeah. In fact, you should be grateful to me.

Why?

If I hadn't torn up that brochure, you would've gone to earth and everyone would've laughed at you when they heard you talking this nonsense. I saved you from making a fool of yourself, thank me.

*muttering* Yes, right. Thank you for laughing at me.

Excuse me, what'd you say?

: Nothing, don't mind me and keep laughing.

Hehe, sorry about that. I couldn't help but laugh, I just couldn't. I don't have to apologize though, jokes are meant to be laughed at after all.

Hmph.

Steven and his Lapis are gone, so let's just pretend their visit never happened, shall we?

(Nice Lapis doesn't answer her and just ponders on her own.)

SHALL WE!?!

I don't know. After today, I have a feeling you'll be laughing at me again later on. If this is the way things are going to be from now on, I think I'd better leave.

Yup... Wait, what!?!

I don't need the brochure. *summons her wings* I had already read the address anyway. *flies off towards the warp pad*

*summons her wings* Wait!! *flies off after Nice Lapis*

*lands on the warp pad* Let's see-

Hold it right there! *lands on next to the warp pad* Where do you think you're going?!

To school, I've made up my mind.

But why?! That "school" thing, or whatever it's called, sounds stupid!

We've always done everything you said and wanted, now it's my turn to choose, don't you think so?

What I wanted was what the Diamonds wanted, the same thing you wanted - terraforming! I know very well that you like it as much as I do! We've been terraforming for centuries and nobody ever told us it was a bad thing, so don't you find it suspicious that out of the blue those two tell us it's wrong?

Well, yes... I guess.

I'm pretty sure they just want to manipulate us, confuse us and make us join their nonsense, as well as force us to give up what we love to do. Come on, don't fall into their trap! You can't give up what you love, you can't give up ME- *blushes* I-I-I mean, you can't give up, uhhh... terraforming! Yeah, that, not me! Why would it be me? Silly, huh? Hehe! *nervous laugh*

You lost me.

The point i'm trying to make is that neither you nor I can give up terraforming just because a couple of strangers asked us to, or rather, forced us to.

You've got a point there, but the empire is over, it's pointless to keep terraforming for no purpose. Besides, we've always been terraforming one world after another without a break, maybe this is the perfect opportunity to get out of that rut and do new things. I won't know what I want to do now if I don't find out for myself and so will you.

So... You're telling me you want to leave and throw away all the centuries we spent together? *blushes* I- I mean the centuries we spent terraforming world! Are you thinking of throwing them away?!

Of course I'm not! I just-

Then why do you want to leave?! Come to your senses! Don't leave!

Why are you so insistent that I don't leave? I get the feeling that it's not so much because you want to keep terraforming, there's another reason behind it, isn't it?

*blushes* Well, kinda.

What do you mean "kinda"? Explain yourself better, why don't you want me to leave?

*nervously* B-Because I... I... I...

Because you what?!

I... I... I can't tell you yet.

Why not?!

I don't have the rocks.

Huh?

Look, just stay with me and give me a century or two to pluck up the courage- NO! To be more sure, give me a thousand years.

You really expect me to wait that long?

...Yeah, I don't see why not. After all, we've been together for centuries.

I don't deny that for centuries we did a lot stuff as terraforming partners. It's impossible for us not to feel attached to each other after spending so much time together. Actually, I'd hate for us to drift apart or for our friendship to be broken because of it.

That's right- Wait, what? Our friendship?

Yeah. More than terraforming partners, we're friends.

*that shocked her quite a bit*

That's why I'd like both of us to enroll in school, what do you say? We could change, do and learn new things together!

And then what? We'll go around, doing Pearl stuff, being the laughingstock of every Gem in the universe? Pfft! No, thanks. I'd rather get shattered than act like a Pearl.

Oh, really!?! Well I'd rather act like a Pearl than get my butt kicked again for acting like a total jerk! You laughed at me and it really hurt me, especially because it was you; but I can't blame you entirely, I've laughed at other Gems too, I deserved it.

...

Now I understand how that Lapis felt when we laughed at her, she had good reasons to do what she did!

*rolls her eyes* Ugh. They really corrupted your mind.

Can't you see we got our butts kicked for acting that way!?!

All I can see is that those two morons filled your head with nonsense- Wait, I just thought of something! Let's leave this world alone like we were told, we can look for another one much farther away and terraform it! Maybe that's the only way to get those stupid ideas out of your head.

And then what? Get our butts kicked again? No, thanks. Go and terraform all the worlds you want, but count me out.

Tch. *frowns and clenches her fists in frustration*

That said, I'm leaving. *waves goodbye* See ya.

*gets upset* NO, YOU'RE NOT!!

Huh?!

*jumps onto the warp pad and seizes Nice Lapis' arm* I'M NOT LETTING YOU LEAVE!!! *pulls her hard by the arm* YOU'RE STAYING WITH ME!!!

Let go of my arm, you-you're hurting me!

*regains her composure as she realizes what she's doing* Oh, sorry... *lets go of Nice Lapis' arm* I'm really, really sorry.

*pushes Mean Lapis off the warp pad* What the heck is wrong with you!?!

I don't know what happened to me, I didn't mean to hurt you! I just-

Ugh! That's it, this was the last straw!

The hell is a straw?

I... I have no idea. What I'm getting at is that I'm outta here! I've seen what you're really like! *quickly warps away*

NOOO!!