"He kind of has a pinkish hue," Peridot argues, peering sideways at her, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. "It's not as bright or vivid as a diamond would be, but I also wouldn't go so far as to say he's not pink at all."

She shrugs, and faces ahead again, still snickering. "Stars. Flirted at by a human. What kind of rotten luck--"

Peridot breaks off abruptly, stopping in her tracks and flinging an arm out to halt Lapis as well. There's a patch of scrub just up the road ahead, off to the side. Something is rustling within it.