30. → "What about a compromise? I'll kill them first, and if it turns out they were friendly, I'll apologize."
"Fusion seems to be the LAST thing we need to do right now!"
Gypsum had her back pressed against Calcite, both of them faced with different fusion experiments, that were now surrounding them. Gypsum wielded her chisel, her grip on the handle tight, though she was growing tired. Calcite had wrapped them around in a bubble shield, but it wasn't meant to hold enemies off, but to conceal them. And the experiments had already seen them, and knew they were there. Calcite grabbed the other's hand.
"I'm scared, and she can protect us." They whispered. Gypsum frowned.
"We can fight them off." She promised, but Calicte's yellow eyes showed no confidence in her statement. Gypsum looked around. The experiments were closing in.
"We can't let her take control of us…" Gypsum said. Calcite nodded, before letting the shield fall.
Gypsum forced away her weapon, before turning around, just as Calcite did. There wasn't room to dance.
"I guess you'll have to kiss me to fuse…" Calcite mumbled under their breath.
"Oh my god, we are in a fight." Gypsum said, rolling her eyes, before smiling a bit at the other. Even if they were fighting, she couldn't deny their humor.
Calcite smiled back and laughed slightly. Gypsum wrapped her arm around the other's waist and dipped them slowly, before opening her eyes.
"Don't let her take control of us." She begged, and Calcite reached up, gently touching a hand to the grey gems face.
"I'm sorry if sometimes I just want to stay with you forever." They whispered. Gypsum smiled softly as a white light shone around them.
The fusion experiments stopped advancing as the light grew brighter and taller.
Alabaster opened her eyes when she came to life. She hovered above the ground, looking down at her hands. It had been so long since she had came together.
She laughed darkly, before looking around her. She could see her parts had been in a bit of a battle.
AN echoing scream reverted through them as Alabaster wailed, before zooming down at the monsters, summoning her Asgardian Hammer before flying after them in a rage, swinging it around as she fought them off.
It didn't take long for her to defeat the experiments, and she flew above them, staring down at their gem forms. Her ghostly figure loomed over them as if they were dead bodies in a graveyard. She frowned deeply, but refused to disappear.
"Wanna….stay…" She said in a rickety voice that would send shivers down anyone's spine. Of course, Alabaster wasn't the most stable fusion, due to her parts having such different views, but their friendship and love held her together, and she refused to come apart.
She floated around, before summoning feet and deciding to walk. She was taller than the trees surrounding her. She wanted to return back to the temple.
She walked for a bit, while inside her, an internal battle was taking place. Gypsum knew what was happening, but a part of her just didn't want to break apart, the same for Calcite. They knew that Alabaster could be dangerous, but neither of them could let go. They never got to come together like this. They could be so different. So when they did form ALabaster, it was hard to let go.
The ghostly white gem's hair floated around her. In all appearances, she seemed like a giant spirit, Calcite's desire to hide away and Gypsum's denial of the truth forcing her into such a form. She dragged her weapon behind her as she walked back to Beach City, knowing better than to use the warp pad. Her parts regretted that the other gems hadn't came with them to prevent this, but Alabaster was glad they weren't here, she didn't want them to see her.
So to go back to Beach City seemed contradictory of that, but it was the only place she knew. She supposed she could go to the barn, but those other gems were there. She just wanted to go home, despite it being the one place she knew she could be torn apart.
When she first entered the city, she received a few stares from the humans around them. Of course, they were used to the gems, but Alabaster seemed different. She seemed dangerous, careless of her weapon or looks. She could easily ignore the humans, though she was quite self conscious of them.
When she came to the beach, she noticed that the gems were already waiting for her. Her grey eyes grey wide, and she grew anxious.
"Alabaster, it's time to come apart!" Garnet called up to her. She wondered what human had given her away, and she growled under her breath.
'Don't….wanna...;" She said, her voice chilling Steven, though the other gem's didn't seem phased.
"We don't want to fight you Alabaster, we just need Calcite and Gypsum back!" Pearl explained. Alabaster looked down at her hands, then looked around.
She didn't want them to come back. This was the only time they ever got along. No arguing about going home, or about Homeworld, or about the rebellion. They could both agree on her existence, and that made her not want to be gone. She let out a scream, stunning the gems a moment, but Garnet spoke up.
"Alabaster! You can't fix them! They need to fix themselves!" Garnet yelled, making the ghost gem look down, grey eyes growing sad.
"Need….me…." She whispered, but her size made it impossible for her words not to be heard. Garnet shook her head.
"If you stay, they will never really learn how to love each other. You aren't ready yet." She said softly. Alabaster hugged herself, before lowering herself down to the gems. Everyone took a step back, unsure what she would do. Alabaster came close to Garnet's face.
"They love you, but until they work things out, you have to go." Garnet told her, before offering a smile. "Give them time." She said. Alabaster nodded, before looking down. Garnet was right. The gem was suddenly pulled apart, sending Calcite and Gypsum to different sides.
Gypsum landed in the sand face first, and groaned loudly.
Calcite landed on their butt, and looked back at the other gem's.
"We um...got a bit carried away." They said, rubbing the back of their neck nervously. Steven went over to help them off the ground, which Calcite took thankfully.
Gypsum had rolled over in the sand and was staring up at the sky.
"She has your eyes." Garnet said, walking over to Gypsum. The grey gem looked over at Garnet, before sighing.
"Will we ever figure this out?" She asked, looking up at the fusion. Garnet held out her hand to help Gypsum up.
"It will take time, but you will. But don't be afraid to tell Calcite what you want." She said. Gypsum stood up, before looking towards Calcite, who was smiling sheepishly as Steven began asking about Alabaster, having never seen her before.
"What if what I want isn't what they want?" Gypsum asked, her eyes watching the pale gem closely. Calcite twisted their braid around their finger as they talked, showing a bit of nervousness despite them and Steven being friends.
"I think they will always want what makes you happy, Gypsum, even if I don't agree with it." Garnet assured her, before walking towards the two, who had also managed to pull over Amethyst and Pearl. Gypsum watched them for a moment, before looking up towards the sky. Of course, she wanted to go home. But Calcite would never want that. She sighed.
"Gypsum!" Calcite called to her, making the grey gem look towards the group. She wasn't a crystal gem, she really didn't belong, but they all looked at her with smiling faces, and Calcite's bright yellow eyes were filled with joy when they said her name.
"Ah, coming." Gypsum said, walking over to the group, a small smile on her face. She could play along for a little more. If it made Calcite happy.