A/N: I'm rather sad that I can't write an SU fic without it being depressing. Wait, no I'm not.
The edge of Pearl's sword sliced through the edge of Connie's shoulder.
"You have to react faster than that," scolded Pearl, "if I hadn't been holding back, that would've cost you the battle!"
Pearl lunged at Connie's stomach this time. The young girl only barely blocked the strike with the side of her sword.
"Faster, Connie!"
Another strike came at Connie's head. Connie raised her sword to block it but Pearl pulled back and attacked her stomach again. Connie failed to lower her blade in time and felt a sharp stab in her stomach.
"Your defense is pathetic! You'll be useless to Ro-Steven like this!"
Connie tried going for the offensive by swiping at Pearl's side. Before her blade could connect, Connie felt another sting in her side and fell to the floor.
"Don't go for an opening you aren't fast enough to make!"
Pearl looked at the sky and saw that the sun was almost down.
"Alright, I think that's enough for today. Go back home and make sure you cover yourself up enough so your parents don't know what you've been up to. If they ask tell them you fell into a thorn bush or something on your way home."
Connie bowed her head respectfully and said, "yes, master Pearl."
Connie turn to leave before hearing Pearl say, "and next time try not to be a disappointment, Connie. If you fail on the battlefield you fail Steven and Rose."
Getting past her parent was getting increasingly difficult. Each day she had more and more bruises which made getting past them harder. She had already used the excuses, "attacked by birds" and "fell on the streets after narrowly avoiding a car." Soon enough her parents would start driving her back and forth from Steven's house. After the usual barrage of questions and scolds, Connie ran up to her room. She closed the door behind her and quietly locked it. Her parents were against her locking her doors, they said there nothing she should be doing that they shouldn't be able to know about, but she needed privacy.
Her room was mostly filled with pictures of her and Steven. There were a few Unfamiliar Familiar posters and a couple of pictures of her family on her desk but for the most part just pictures of Steven on the walls. Before moving to Beach City, her room's had typically been empty. She never had much in her life to express into her room. Then Steven came along…
Steven was everything Connie wasn't. He had friends, he had a home, he was confident and he was interesting. Like a character in her books. The moments Connie spent with Steven felt like the best moments of her life.
Your defense is pathetic! You'll be useless to Steven like this!
Steven was the magical hero. Connie was just one of those friends the hero has early on that gets forgotten in later books.
Connie looked at the pictures of the two of them goofing off in front of the camera.
Lisa used to be best friends with Taylor. Taylor's life basically revolved around Lisa. Where's Taylor now? She hasn't been heard from in the past two books.
Connie dug through her backpack and pulled out the sword Pearl lent her. Pearl told her a true knight is never without a sword.
Are you forgetting that Steven is a gem? How can you expect to protect him if you can't even protect yourself?
Connie couldn't imagine herself without Steven. All the magic, all the adventure; there's no way she could just not be a part of it. She didn't want to wind up being the friend Steven forgets about as soon as things got more interesting. She wanted to be a part of his life. If she couldn't be with Steven then what reason did she have to go on?
I know you like hanging out with your friend, Steven, but I wouldn't get too attached. You know how much we have to move around because of my job. This new client looks like he'll stick around for a while but you can never be sure with these rich types. I know this is hard for you and I'm sorry.
Connie rubbed her fingers against the edge of her sword and winced in pain once it cut her.
Is that it? I only grazed you. If that's all it takes to bring you down, you have no business even being near Steven.
What if Pearl's right? Thought Connie. What if I'm really not good enough? I can't fight gem monsters like Steven can. I'm not magic. I'm not exciting or interesting or brave or anything. I'm just nothing. Just a nobody that no one will ever miss. Steven will forget me, my parents won't have to worry about me. Why am I even here?
Connie looked into her sword. In the reflection, she saw a girl crying over how weak she was.
I know there's at least one enemy I can defeat. The monster holding Steven back the most.
Connie stood up and raised her sword with the blade pointed to the floor.
Seppuku, the samurai suicide art. Restoring your honor after failure. I can't help Steven, but I can at least stay out of his way.
Connie took one last look at her pictures with Steven.
I'm doing this for you, Steven.
Connie closed her eyes and plunged the sword through her stomach.
A/N: The end? Anyhow, before anyone claims "horrible OOC story," the point of this fic is not to demonize characters, but rather to shed an alternate light on them through an AU situation. Sworn to the Sword shows us that Connie can be overly attached to Steven and easily impressioned. It also shows us Pearl can be overly devoted, less caring to human life and (likely unintentionally) manipulative.
Anyhow, leave some constructive criticism and such so the stuff I write doesn't entirely suck. Cya.