Bismuth frowned as she looked over the strange, nozzle-like device. It was a gem weapon that had been sent to her forge by it’s owner - apparently it was broken, but she didn’t have the first idea what was wrong with it.

“Hmm…” She turned to Pearl, who was standing next to her. “What do you think?”

Pearl shrugged. “It’s not like any weapon I’ve ever seen…”

Bismuth reached forward and picked up the nozzle - it suddenly shot forward, slamming into her stomach and fixing itself where her bellybutton would be.

“What the-”

Her stomach and chest suddenly blew out, expanding as they took on a rubbery sheen, her gem losing all depth and appearing as if it was simply printed onto her. She reached down to pull out the nozzle, only to find her hands had turned into useless, puffy mittens. She stepped back, and her feet squeaked.

“Bismuth, what’s happening?!” demanded Pearl, alarmed.

“I-I don’t know!” Bismuth replied. “I thin-squeak! Squeak!”

Her mouth froze in a toothy grin as her head changed, her dreadlocks turning into long, floppy tubes. Pearl could see a sheen over her eyes as the light reflected off her.

“Bismuth!” exclaimed Pearl.

She reached out and squeezed her arm, feeling nothing but air beneath her rubber skin.

“Oh my stars, we need to-”

She blinked. Bismuth, frozen in her happy expression, wondered why she’d suddenly stopped talking. Was she being affected?

“-oh!” said Pearl, smiling. “What a lovely balloon! I think I’ll take it home, it’ll look great in the living room!”

She grabbed Bismuth and carried her along as she walked merrily back to the warp pad, apparently completely forgetting the strange transmogrification that Bismuth had undergone. In her mind, Bismuth remembered some of Homeworld’s experiments with memetic weapons - devices that could change reality…

Oh, tumble my rocks, she thought, letting out an annoyed squeak as she bobbed along behind her friend.