"Mr. Penn would you be so kind as to place me down," came an unfamiliar voice. With dainty white paws the mouse removed the quartz from his mouth and carefully dried it off. "Pardons, my lady," said the mouse. "Umm, hum, hum," she clears the chattering of crowd of gems. "This fine fellow is Mr. Pennsylvanicus G. Mouse, also known simply as Mr. Penn and I am Essper. Mr Penn has lived along side of me for many years and unlike most mice he understands us gemstones. Also he has a heck of a talent for arranging pretty things to make them look even better. And NO he doesn't eat or harm our kind."
"I am a smokey quartz and wish to enquire about us staying here amongst all of you.," asked Essper.
All of the Matrixes agreed in unison. Emerald's Mother spoke up for all of them, "All of our homes and some of our loved ones are crushed or collapsed this day. We all need to adjust to this new way of being. So as long as we may do so in harmony; I don't see why not."
Later that day Mr. Penn scurried to and fro in the cave cleaning what rubble away that he could with what little strength he had. Picked up and righted the fallen gems, crystals, and pryzms. Gently propping the broken and factured ones against the walls so that there may mend themselves over time. Next he dug a small hole to the surface as to let in light, air and away for him to come and go. As the sun set light flooded in by way of the hole, the entire place filled with a rainbow of colors dancing upon the walls and ceiling. A beautiful sight for his mousey eyes to behold.
"Mr. Penn, how do you understand us?," asked Ruby in her tiny voice.
With tender, onyx eyes Mr. Penn answered her. "Everything has a life force and is connected to each and everything. As you grew yours from your Mother Matrix, she in turn grew hers from this very Earth, as so have I from my own Mother Mouse. A special few can truly understand that and hear it from other beings. I can hear and speak with many things life forces. Though my ears are tiny I can even hear the changes in Mother Earth before many other beings. Thus I continue to survive."
Exhausted from the day Mr. Penn curled himself into a ball in a nearly barron part of the cave not far from Essper, Emerald, and Ruby. Before drifting off to sleep he mumbled, "My Lady, tomorrow I shall be coming in and out quite a bit, so please don't worry for me, as I will be making myself a proper bed. I am getting a bit to old to be sleeping upon a damp, cold floor. As I am not a gem it is hard on my poor body."