Lapis Lazuli awoke from her slumber after hearing... noise? She opened her eyes, wait.. she could see? She hadn't seen anything since her imprisonment thousands of years ago. Her eyes burned as they struggled to adjust to the light. What's going on? She wondered. Could I... Am I being freed?! She could barely make out an image of someone staring at her, and as her eyes adjusted she recognized it as the young Pearl who had found her when she was first trapped in the mirror.
"We found this gem-powered mirror at the Galaxy Warp." Pearl said. Images of the location began to flash within Lapis' mind. The explosions, the Bismuth poofing her, being stuck within the mirror, and finally being found by a Pearl.
That was so, so long ago...
"It can display any event it's witnessed in all gem history." Suddenly, her vision shifted and she was staring into the eyes of... what was it? Certainly not a gem, at least it didn't look like one. But what would it be doing with a Pearl otherwise?
How long has it been? Is this what gems look like now?
Pearl appeared behind the unfamiliar being. "It'll offer you everything you've ever wanted to know about your fellow gems and our culture." So it was a gem. A new one it sounded like.
The younger gem plastered a huge smile on her face. "I must be incredibly important to gem culture!"
Pearl shook her head. "It's just you in there, it hasn't been activated yet." Lapis couldn't help but laugh at the new gem's ignorance. Pearl cleared her throat. "Show us the Galaxy Warp." Lapis refused, the last thing she wanted to remember was that awful place and the memories that came with it. Let me out! She tried to scream, but she had no way of communicating that wish to the gems outside. "Show us the Galaxy Warp!" Lapis refused yet again. "Oh, come on!" Pearl grabbed the mirror. "I know you've seen it!"
Don't you understand? Lapis wanted to shout. I'm not just a piece of technology! I'm a gem like you! Please, let me out of here!
Pearl sighed. "It is in pretty rough shape, maybe it's finally broken." Lapis felt like crying. The Pearl didn't realize she was a real gem, not the kind they used for energy on Homeworld.
Lapis' vision changed again to the younger gem, who admired herself in the mirror. "Aw, it doesn't look broken to me."
"Oh well, I guess that's the end of our 'school.'"
The younger gem gasped. "So... you could say school's out for summer?" Lapis had absolutely no idea what they were talking about.
Pearl waved him off. "Yes, Steven, there's many ways of saying the same thing." Lapis perked up, what kind of a gem was a Steven?
Steven started to run off. "School's out!" Steven looked straight into the mirror. "Happy summer vacation, Steven!" Lapis' was growing dizzy from how the mirror's vision kept changing with Steven's sporadic movements. What was she going to do? How would she be able to convince this young gem to help her out of the mirror if even the Pearl wasn't smart enough to figure it out?
"Yeahahaaa!" She heard the gem shout before a loud crash was heard.
"Watch where you're going you little... Steven." Shouted a tall, lanky being.
Are those gems too? Lapis couldn't help but wonder. Now that they were outside, she could look around (kind of) at the scenery. Oh right, this is still Earth. These are humans. She grew even more confused. Wait, so is Steven a human? But why would the Pearl say she was a gem? Lapis pushed the thought away as she tried to focus on what was happening outside.
"..away from home and their boyfriends." the tall human was saying. "If you know what I mean."
"Well, maybe I'll make a new friend." the shorter human responded.
Steven looked back at the mirror. "Maybe if I keep using the mirror, I'll meet my own Beach Summer Fun Buddy!"
What is she talking about? Lapis saw a flash of white and noticed something heading her way; toward Steven. "Hey- Watch out you little-!"
"Huh?" Steven said, before noticing Mayor Dewey's van. "Noooo!" The van slowed to a stop in front of him. The Mayor took a minute to reprimand him before continuing on toward the beach. Steven turned toward the mirror. "What.. just happened?"
Lapis' eyes widened. Did...did she hear me? She realized she'd repeated what the tall human said earlier. I might be able to talk to her! Relief filled Lapis, and she started to laugh. Through the mirror, she repeated Steven's laughing from earlier.
Steven smiled. "You work! This is so cool!" Lapis was so happy, Steven was actually talking to her! "What's it like being a mirror?"
Lapis thought for a moment, she couldn't yet say what she wanted to. Instead, she repeated what Steven had just said, "You work!"
"So you can repeat stuff?"
"Yeahahaaa!"
The conversation was cut short by Mayor Dewey giving his speech. Lapis watched Steven press her hand to her mouth before creating the weirdest, funniest noise she'd ever heard. Lapis laughed so hard tears sprang from her eyes. She kept repeating that moment through the mirror, and laughed along with Steven and the rest of the humans on the beach.
Steven laid on the beach, watching the mirror in amazement. "You got a lot of mileage out of that joke. You're pretty funny for a mirror."
Lapis smiled, she was starting to like this new gem. "You're pretty funny for a mirror."
Steven laughed. "I'm not a mirror."
Lapis paused, she had nothing copied that she could say that would make sense. If only she could put the right pieces together. Wait, can I do that? She decided to try. "You're pretty funny for a..." She looked for a piece that said her name. "..Steven."
"You made something new!" Steven said, amazed. "Say something else!"
She smiled. "Steven... Is... A new friend."
"Really?"
"Yeahahaaa!"
"You're my friend, too!" Lapis laughed, spending time with Steven was the most fun she had in a very long time. Unfortunately, her world shattered when she heard Steven say, "I gotta show you to the gems." Gems... on Earth? Lapis suddenly remembered; the "Crystal Gems"
"No!" She cried. You can't go to the Crystal Gems, they'll shatter us both!
"Don't be shy," Steven reassured. "They'll love you."
Suddenly Lapis couldn't breathe. Was Steven... a Crystal Gem? Had it all been just a trick? To draw her out and expose that she was still intact and functional? What were they going to do to her now?" No... "Noooo!" Steven only laughed as he made his way back to the house.
"Hey guys!" Steven burst into the house.
Lapis looked up, only seeing 3 gems. Is this what's left of the Crystal Gems? My stars, how long have I been in this mirror?
"Yo, Ste-man!" Greeted an Amethyst, laying down on the couch. Lapis paled as she noticed the fusion gem sitting beside her. She no doubt had to be the leader. Wait, but what happened to the Rose Quartz? Did Homeworld win? But then why are the rebels still here?
"Symmetrical means both sides have to be the same!" cried the Pearl from earlier as she threw a torn stuffed animal off to the side.
"MC Bear Bear!" Steven cried at his slain friend before focusing back to the news he had. "Okay, that's great. Anyway! I fixed the mirror!"
Steven, stop! Lapis pleaded, though she knew it all fell on deaf ears.
"That's wonderful, Steven." Pearl congratulated.
"You didn't tell me it was like a person." A disturbed look fell on each of the gems' faces, and Lapis knew it was too late now. "Say, 'hey.'" Steven suggested, facing the mirror toward them. Lapis remained silent, maybe if she stayed that way she could fool the Crystal Gems. "Little buddy?" Still nothing. "Uh, excuse us." Steven turned away from the gems, and spoke quietly to the mirror. "Come on, you wanna come out, don't you?"
Yes! I want to be free! I want out of this prison! She wasn't even supposed to be on Earth; this wasn't fair! Why couldn't she make Steven understand?
"You've so much to say, and funny noises to share from across the ages." Steven said, smiling. "Are we not Beach Summer Fun Buddies?"
Lapis looked at Steven. She wasn't sure if she could trust her anymore; she was part of the Crystal Gems, and Lapis knew exactly what would happen once the Crystal Gems got their hands on her. But there was just something about this strange gem. Perhaps because Steven was newer, did she even know about the war? Or maybe because Steven was the first gem that'd shown her such kindness in such a long time. Lapis couldn't help but smile as she remembered the day she spent with Steven.
"Pfffft!"
Steven laughed. "Just couldn't help yourself, huh?"
"Just for you, Steven." Lapis said, resigning her fate. Either way, she was trapped by the Crystal Gems, and she was most likely going to be shattered. She replayed their laughter from earlier today. At least her last memories would be good ones.
"It's... talking to him?" Pearl said, horrified. "It shouldn't be able to do that. It should only be able to follow orders!"
"Garnet, do something!" Amethyst whispered.
Lapis couldn't help but release a "Noo!" as Garnet loomed behind Steven.
"Steven," Garnet knelt down. "you should just give us back the mirror. It'll be safer where we can watch it."
"Yeah, let's bubble it!"
She was going to be bubbled?! That was worse than being stuck in the mirror! "No!" she cried. Steven, please! Don't let them do this! No! No!
"It doesn't want to go with you," Steven said, slowly backing away. "Can't you hear it screaming?" Lapis started to feel relieved, was Steven really protecting her?
"Steven!" Garnet said, a little harsher. "It's just a mirror. It can't want anything!" Lapis kept screaming 'No!' as Garnet's hand got closer and closer. "It wants to be with me!" Steven cried, slapping Garnet's hand away and accidentally striking the other gem. All three of her eyes focused in on a glare toward Steven. The young boy screamed in fear before running out the house. "I'm sorry!"
Steven ran out toward the ocean, hiding behind a giant rock.
Lapis looked out toward the ocean; her element. If she was free, she could beat the Crystal Gems with all that water and her disposal. The Crystal Gems were after her and Steven; she'd got the young gem involved, and she had to protect Steven like she'd done for her.
"What am I gonna do?" Steven asked, looking at the mirror. "What's their problem with you?" Lapis couldn't answer, she didn't have anything copied that would let her do so. "Are you trying to say something?" She had to have something! She thought of everything she'd overheard today, why didn't she pay more attention?
The taller human, "...away from home.."
The human on the beach "Let-"
Steven, "..me!"
The fusion, "Owwww-t!" She said it. She said it!
"I don't understand!" Steven cried, tears pricking his eyes. "Come on, I wanna help you! What can I do?"
I can't tell you! Lapis yelled in frustration. Suddenly, she had an idea. I can't tell you... maybe I can show you? With what little power she had, Lapis used the mirror like she used water, showing visions of what she wanted Steven to do. Come on, Steven! Set me free!
Steven turned the mirror around, admiring the broken, tear-shaped gem embedded in the back of the mirror. He grabbed the gem and pulled with all his might. The gem came loose, and the mirror shattered.
Instantly, the gem glowed a bright light and floated above the ocean. Lapis burst out of her gem, collapsing on the beach as she wasn't used to have a physical form anymore. She felt the sand beneath her fingers, and she could smell the ocean. She was free!
Steven raced over to help the new gem. Lapis turned to face him. "Thank you." she almost cried. "You didn't-" She attempted to stand, but her legs weren't strong and she almost fell had Steven not caught her. Lapis smiled. "You actually talked to me. You helped me!" She released Steven as she managed to stand on her own two feet. "It's... Steven, right?" The young boy nodded.
"I'm Lapis. Lapis Lazuli."
End.
I hope you enjoyed reading this little snippet, and I thank you so much for taking the time to do so.
If anyone's confused, the reason I kept referring to Steven as "she" in this, was because I think that's how Lapis first thought of Steven. She knew Steven was a gem but didn't know he was half human (or a boy, but I don't know what gems know about the basics of humans), and all gems (that we know of so far) use the "she/her" pronoun. And this is from Lapis's point of view...so yeah. :3