AN: So this is just a test run on two fanfic's I've made a little. I made this one first and awhile ago. Around last year, but the issue with the two fanfics are that they are WAY to similar to be running side by side. So I decided to post the first chapter as the pilot and the one better received get's to be made. For those wondering, no this will not interrupt Steven Diamond that's still being made. So just relax and give me some feedback on the two if you please. And rmeebr if you enjoy then check out my tumblr: Dragonrusher21 at my Nest of Insanity.
The promised day has arrived. The cluster has been stopped already and the only problem left to face was the oncoming Homeworld assault. We thought we were prepared, we thought we were ready. We steeled ourselves and stood on the beach ready to fight whatever onslaught that came at us. Our naivety was foolish. The city engulfed in flames. The temple torn apart and left in cinders. With my entire body aching I look around and examine what was supposed to be a battlefield, not the scene of a slaughter. Blue flames snake upwards as a brigade of hand shaped ships descend from the sky. Sirens screech in the background along with the sound of blood chilling screams. I search for any of my friends that were taking a stand with me. All I see is there gems lying in the sand. All instantly poofed in that last blast. I should have joined them, if only I even had the ability to poof. I climb to my knees. Head face downwards towards the sand. The headship lands with a thud and the sand disperses. I can tell someone steps out. Massive in size and an air of reverence carried with them. I don't dare look up, but more ships land and warrior gems pour out armed to the teeth. The massive figure stops right in front of me.
"Who are you," the booming voice orders.
I don't dare disobey," Steven," I answer.
"You're gem," the voice snaps.
Fear is welling up inside of me, but I don't dare let it block my voice," Rose...Rose Quartz," I answer.
"They hybrid," the voice realizes. A wicked chuckle escapes from her.
"I'll offer you an ultimatum, you may be half organic, but you are half of Rose Quartz," the booming voice continues," serve me. Serve Homeworld! I'll let you retain you're pathetic excuse for an existence. Abandon any thoughts of rebellion and serve as a loyal Homeworld general. Or get shattered."
Is my pride really that worthless? Is my loyalty really that shallow?" YES," I exclaim answering my own questions.
"Welcome to Homeworld...Rose Quartz," responds the voice of my new boss. White Diamond.
A thunderous noise rocks throughout the planet stirring me from my slumber," it was just a dream," I tell myself wiping the sleep and the small amount of tears in my eye.
"Nearly 2 centuries and I still haven't come to grips with it," I admonish myself.
I stand up from the place I was resting. It's a large blueish toward witha large pillar of light ejecting from it. Which communication hub is this? Hub...4 or 7? Well that doesn't matter. Kilometers below me is a corrupted gem, and I stationed myself here to get rid of them. I take a single step over the edge of the hub and I plummet. My name, Steve-, no. Rose Quartz. Top ranking general under the authority of Homeworld and selectively taking orders from the Diamond authority themselves. Head of the anti corrupted gem department of Homeworld. After all, I have the most experience with them from my days as a rebel, but those ended nearly three centuries ago. Along with any last lingering smolders of Rose's rebellion. No, more crystal gems exist. No one to protect the Earth after all I have given up that ideal. Hell I was one of the people that oversaw the kinggardening of this planet. As result this entire place has conformed to the image Peridot pulled up ages ago. Hollowed out, with kindergartens covering the planet. How much did my body age since then? I was 16 when I gave up my ideals as a crystal gem and I naturally found myself aging to twenty three? Before White Diamond called for me to put it to a halt. Of course I obeyed. The formerly bountiful planet left a husk; a barren husk. Alas I do not focus on the past now. I'm nearing the corrupted gem.
I reel back my arm and summon the circular pink shield over my arm and toss it downwards right through the corrupted gem; with an audible piercing sound as it cleaved through the air. "Corrupted gem shattered," I say. The gem poofs into a cloud of smoke, but once it clears; I'm visible and the gem of whatever poor fool got corrupted is shattered under my feet.
"What was this," I recognize that mewling voice. A screen beckons to life behind me. It's the one that called for me to be stationed here.
On it is A peridot, but not the peridot I knew. She was shattered long ago," what do you want?"
"Rose Quartz sir. What is the cause of the disturbance," she ask.
"Nothing. I just saved this… 4th communication hub from getting damaged by a beast," I explain.
"...this is the second communication hub," she corrects," nevertheless. You are dismissed to pursue whatever duties you intend now."
The screen dies and goes away. I don't bother picking up the fragments of the gem I shattered. I've smashed too many to care about it anymore. I head away from the hub and begin my long trek towards my last bastion. The remains of the temple, or as it more fittingly should be known as; my home. The trek is long, but too me it seemingly goes by in the blink of an eye. My life has grown far too long for something like this to be of note. The temple shouldn't be called a temple anymore. The statue has grown decrepit and old. The wooden exterior I once called a home has grown worn down and the only last remaining person from the crystal gems is there. Person is actually the wrong word. It's Lion. The pink puffball that was left to me by my mother. I don't think of her any more than I have too. If she saw what I was doing now. I know for a fact that she'd shatter me herself. And Lion knows that. He was never one to truly listen to my commands, but now he rarely even looks in my direction.
"Lion. How are you," I ask. He doesn't even stir from his slumber.
I pass him by heading over to the door of the temple. Four points of it have disappeared and only one remains. Without even trying the last one lights up. Revealing Rose's room, or my room now. Lion does notice this and heads on in ahead of me," oh! Now you get up and do something," I sigh heading in myself.
The room instantly switches form the conglomerate of pink clouds to what I did call home before. The wooden house reshaped in here good as new; outside the window is a bright beach and rolling tides. And a city in the distance I recognize instantly. Alas it's all an illusion I conjured up with this room. None of it real. Lion gets on the couch in the living room and lays down heading to sleep once more. Sticking to little interaction with me. I leave him alone. Preferring to take a shower long since needed. I noticed that I have made a habit of taking long showers; hoping water from the shower may wash away the dirt and grime, but only if it could wash away sins from my past; like I wish it could. Drying myself off I examine myself in the mirror. I did grow a slight beard below my chin, but not enough for it to be called a beard. And without anyone to cut my hair it's grown long and curly resembling the hair my mother had. Except instead of a nice rosy pink it's brown like my father's. I've also grown to a fair height myself. Around… the upper side of 8 feet. So in a run down I'm eight feet tall, broad shouldered, with long curly chestnut hair. I'm a fitting example for a quartz warrior. And a superb look fit for a general. The uniform White Diamond picked out for me. Is predominately white in coloration. A white shirt with black lines running up it forming a Y shape. And long white pants to complete it. The Diamond authority symbol right over where my heart is, a symbolic reminder of who exactly I sold my soul to.
Stepping out into the living room I see Lion glare at me from his napping spot. I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to kill me… and he might be in the right to do so anyways. A beeping noise ebbs throughout the air. I quickly let the facade of the beach front house fade away and replace it with what looks like a cold, yet orderly area. With the Diamond insignia on the floor. The beeping is coming from a diamond shape object. The direct diamond communication line is what's creating this noise, and it's blinking red. I turn it to the left and an image forms, but I take a knee and point my head at the I can tell I'm speaking too. It's Yellow Diamond," Rose Quartz," she ask probably expecting one of the many Pearls she gave me to answer. I normally do serve directly under White Diamond, but I don't selectively take orders from her. The generals of Homeworld are like shared property between the Matriarchs.
"Apologies My Diamond. The recent Pearl you gave me was shattered in one of my recent forays as collateral damage," I explain.
"No need to apologise. There just mass produced Pearls."
"As you wish, My Diamond."
"I called you for something else, other than the Pearl," it's rare I get called for something other than getting scolded.
"Is it a mission to quell a corrupted gem….My Diamond," I make sure to add the title to the end of my question.
"I wish. I actually need you to quell a rebellion."
"A rebellion?"
"Yes. A colony on one of our planets has lost control to an insurrection. I want you to take 100 Ruby's and 10 Jasper's with you on this foray."
"Any extra specifications you would like to add," I ask.
"...don't let a single rebel gem live and don't let the kindergarten get damaged," she commands.
"As you wish, My Diamond."
The call ends and I hear Lion grumble," shush. Complain later, I have a mission to go on," I drape my white jacket over my shoulders as I head to the warp pad. Sending myself to the galaxy warp.
Worker gems are passing through here all the time. Monitoring the kindergartens and communication hubs. Waiting for me is a Peridot," what's the details of this mission," I ask her.
"The planet is Kindergarten #1379 or… Theia. It's mostly covered in water, but it's useful for producing rarer gems because it's rich resources-"
She's about to continue but I stop her," I don't care about how useful the planets are. Just tell me which and where and I'll see to it," I admonish.
I step onto the galaxy warp and it sends me to a base stationed near Theia. On one of the planets moons I believe. It' odd to for me to travel to different planets. I don't auto-adjust to the gravity meaning I either feel a bit floaty or heavy. I have the ability to adjust my decent, but I've never trained it and it's still unreliable, since it's tied so heavily to my phycology. Even more so than my other abilities. The clothing I've been assigned is designed to lessen the strain of gravity changes. One of the few merciful gifts I've been given," Rose Quartz you're armada is waiting," a gem tells me. There's a fleet of ten hardships that are all docked and ready to go.
"That's more than enough," I sigh heading on to the flagship of this entire foray.
There's some engineer gems that are piloting this thing. I take a seat and rest for this mission. I'm not asleep mind you. I can still hear all the hushed talk these gems have," this is the hybrid general?"
"Doesn't look like much."
"Appearance can be deceiving. He serves directly under the Diamonds."
"Really? A former rebel working for the Diamonds?What'd he do to earn that?"
"It's his odd state as a hybrid. He can't be poofed by any means making him excellent for gem vs gem warfare."
"I guess Homeworld got a good bargain. Crushing the," whatever Peridot that's speaking doesn't say the name. Saying the name of the faction I once belonged too. The Crystal Gems.
"But, he is a hybrid. Still partially an organic life form," they admonish.
"I may be organic, but I could still crush this entire fleet if I felt like it," I say out loud.
I smile as they all enter a small panic and quickly go back to their jobs with hushed fear. The silence is broken by a rattling that rings throughout the ship," what the hell was that!?"
"The rebels on #1379 are attacking the ship," one of the mechanics cry out.
"Bolster the defenses! Ready to drop as soon as we enter the atmosphere of #1379! Tell all the other ships to do the same," I order.
They heed my commands as we rattle upon entry. The planet's gravity begins to weigh me down, but these clothes abate most of the force," HATCH IS READY," the mechanics call out.
"Tell all soldiers to leave as soon as we get to the surface!"
Breaking through this planet's clouds I see one giant sprawling deep blue ocean with metallic pathways ligning the entirety of the planet. The ships land on what WAS the sight of the galaxy warp that's been smashed. They all concentrate fire on my ship unfortunately. An explosion erupts somewhere and we begin heading downwards at a terrible angle. Muttering unkind words under my breath I get up and begin running towards the windshield of the ship. The mechanic gems duck away as I drive my heel into it. Smashing through the 4 inch thick flame retardant carbon glass like it was nothing. I toss myself forward summoning the rose pink shield on my right forearm. I roll to a stable landing on the galaxy warp as what was my ship crashes and burns in a mess of blue flames into the water. The war has truly begun now. Or as I should correct: the slaughter. A gem rushes towards me with a destabilizer ready, but I smash the gem that was it's replacement for a nose with a solemn punch. I tear through enemy ranks with my own two hands. Most are fighting unarmed, so dodging their sloppy attempts at punches are easy. I aim for their gems bypassing the whole poofing process. Hitting the gem on an Amethyst soldiers thigh. And smashing my foot against a poor fool that has its gem right where mine is. Over its stomach. By the time the other ships land with much better time than me; all the rebel gems on the galaxy warp have been shattered.
"Head towards the central communications tower," I order.
The army marches towards the central hub of the planet and we're met with fierce resistance by the opposing rebel side. We reach the crossroads where it's me and my army a little over 110 in size and the rebel's army numbering over 200. I would say I don't get payed enough for this, but I don't get payed at all for any of this. I signal for my army to move forward, but I stand still as they all flow past me towards the rebels. I'm not going to run head first into an outnumbered fight. The way to win this is through strategy and nothing else. I make sure to stand in an area above and away from the carnage. So far my side's taken the heavy casualties. I don't fret, the mechanics back at the galaxy warp are repairing it now. Reinforcements could come in handy, but even now this is still something I could have done with half the number of gems they gave me.
"I guess this small rebellions ends now doesn't it," I ask myself. Stepping out and running into the field.
I summon my shield blocking an axe from a fusion between what appears to be 3 ruby gems. I toss my shield forward at it. And it falls onto it's back. I take my shield once more and jam it down on the gems neck with all the strength I can muster. I keep my emotionless expression and bring down the shield on the fusin's neck. Causing it to poof in a large cloud. It does stir some feeling within me seeing a ruby gem. I examine the battlefield. It's still going on, but the reinforcements aren't far away. I choose to press onward heading towards the central command. My feet clanking on the metallic floor.
On my way to the central hub I slow down my pace to a walk as I watch the sea of this planet #1379 slosh around. By the time Homeworld's done here this entire ocean will be left barren. Just like the one that used to be on Earth. What kind of warrior am I? I became a turncoat at the first sign of despair. And not only working for the one's I was told to fight against, but fighting to help them maintain what I was told to considered a nightmare. Fighting to maintain and establish kindergartens. How would the crystal gems react if they saw me now? How would my own mother react if she saw me now? If she knew that this was what my eventual fate would be, would she have sacrificed her life for me? Would she even consider me worthy of being called her son? All these questions are thoughts I choose not to linger on for the sake of my own mental health.
I reach the central hub and awaiting me there is a burly warrior gem. Who I'm guessing started it all. "Who are you," I ask.
"That doesn't matter, but I know who you are," the gem responds.
We both ready ourselves for a fight. Assuming a posture for battle," Answer me. That's an order," I command.
"I don't take orders from traitors," she growls.
She reaches towards the gem on the center of her chest and withdraws a doubleheaded axe," weapon summoning," I mutter to myself. It's been awhile since I've fought a gem that knew how to do that.
She swings it my way, but I block it with my shield. Skidding back," you don't deserve that shield. You don't deserve that gem!"
I don't respond as we begin exchanging punches. Blow after blow," you are the son of Rose Quartz! Are you not!?"
I still don't answer, but I can't just glance off her words," you were a crystal gem! I thought you were the prime example of what gems can do when they work with organic life instead of destroying it!"
I parry the battleaxe with my shield and land a solid punch square on the rebel leader's face," that has nothing to do with this," I finally answer.
"Oh. I believe it does. For a former leader and son of the legendary Rose Quartz. For you to betray everything they stood for," I hesitate when memories of when I was young resurface.
My enemy takes this advantage and slashes with the axe. If I didn't react quickly and backstep away it would have split me in two. But, even with my quick reflexes it still leaves a thin cut going right along down my chest and narrowly ending before it reaches the circular gem on my stomach. I stumble back maintaining my footing. It's been awhile since I did actually get hurt like this. Maybe I was being naive deciding to take on this rebel leader alone. This gem isn't a leader for no reason. Being the leader of any rebellion is something to respect. I've fought a fair share in my time as a general, but this is one of the few planet wide ones that only come once a century. But, Homeworld crushes them within a second. Not letting them grow large enough to even rival Rose's Rebellion. The rebel leader examines the blood on the axe. I guess she's never actually seen something like this. Gems don't bleed however I do.
"What? Have you never seen blood before," I mock. Taking this chance to throw my shield landing square in the face of the gem. And ending it with one solid punch sending her sprawling to the ground.
"You remeber what you said about me not deserving this gem?" I bring up my shield.
"You're probably right," I answer. Bringing it down and smashing the rebel leader's gem to tiny fragments. Ending this rebellion within a single day.
"Another victory for Homeworld's great general: Rose Quartz," I tell myself walking back to the galaxy warp.