Whips and Vines
By: Emerald Padparadscha
The vines coiled around her wrists and arms, forcefully binding them behind her back. The more she fought,t he more the thorns dug into her physical form. Some were pretty deep already. It wasn't enough to send her back to her gem. No. It was meant to hold her in place, just like the ones around her hips and thighs kept her from using her bodyweight to pull against them. Jasper assumed she was still on the battlefield. THe soil still smelled like heat and light. While some Gems would tell her light didn't have a scent, the heavy fighter knew any Gem who could say that witha straight face hadn't been close toa gemstone as it shattered.
She gathered all the strength she had left and roared, surging to her feet. Her muscles screamed as vines ripped away, shredding her faux flesh of light in the process. Several more lashed out toward her, but their attempt at containment was fruitless. A reddish-brown hand closed around them in a firm hold. Bringing her other hand around, the large Gem pulled. The entire ground moved as the bush the thorny vines came from threatened to come up by the roots.
"Jasper..."
The vines disappeared, pink flowers billowing in their wake, They swirled up and around before catching the wind and disappearing. Jasper knocked most of the blooms out of her hair, her outward scowl masking the feeling growing in her chest. There was anger, sure. There hadn't been a time when anger wasn't always there. There was something else she couldn't quite pinpoint, though. The morning sunlight slowly spread over the field, taking the thorn vines with it. MOre and more flowers joined the first ones until the sky was filled with a cloud of pink. Soldiers all around her rose to her feet. There hadn't been any lasting damage. All it had brought was Rose's own Gems enough time to retreat.
"Jasper..."
"Jasper...!"
Jasper looked up from where she slouched in her seat. Her arms remained folded across er chest, her eyes half-lidded. She'd been willing to make a fairly significant bet Peridot didn't have an emotion other than 'irritated'. "Were you sleeping?" Peridot frowned. The larger Gem's non-reply only caused Peridot's frown to deepen. "You were, weren't you? I've been talking the past several minutes and you didn't hear a single word I said!" Yeah, Jasper sighed. Irritated. The only recognizeable emotion the technician had. "Are we there yet?"
"That's what I just aid." She rolled her eyes and turned back to the ship's controls. "We've just entered Earth's atmosphere. We need the informant to know if we're over the right sector."
Jasper stood. THat was her cue to find that scrawny, blue brat and pull her up here. She took a moment to look down at the blue and green world, grinning at the nearly tasted sweetness of it. Round two, Rose. Round two.
~FIN~