DISCLAIMER: I do not own Steven Universe or its characters. They belong to Rebecca Sugar! I also do not own the cover image. I only own the plot.
May contain unintentional OOC and contains implied Jaspis.
"Lapis?"
A short, green-skinned woman placed a foot into the crunchy grass, off of the crystalline platform, and then her other foot, now standing in front of the barn she had called home for more than a year now. Sunlight reflected off of the triangular green gem on her forehead as her gaze swept across the area, adjusting the yellow-tinted visor she wore. Still on the platform behind her was her accomplices, a chubby, curly-haired boy and a stout woman with purple skin.
"Lapis! Where are you?" she shouted, the woman trying to find her roommate. She had only been at the barn for a few weeks when she had reunited with her former informant. While they were hesitant of each other at first, they have learned to respect one another, and they even ended up becoming close friends.
"Lapis? Lapis?" she called once more.
"That's weird," the purple-skinned woman muttered. "Lapis would of come out by now."
Taking a few more steps towards the barn, the green woman decided to take a look inside the barn. Stepping off the platform, her accomplices followed her.
"Lapis? Please answer me!" she cried once more. She could feel remnants of her anxiety over the Cluster bubble deep inside her, expecting the worst to have happened to Lapis Lazuli.
Standing in front of the barn door, she gazed into it, looking for a familiar blue figure. The first thing she noticed was the white sheet that normally covered the entrance was hung up, revealing more of the barn than if it was left alone. Second, two lime green bubbles caught her eye, floating close to the ceiling of the barn. In one was a rectangular turquoise gemstone, tinted green by the bubble. It was one of the woman's greatest achievements, being the first object she had ever bubbled. In the second bubble was another object - a silvery, smooth gemstone in the shape of an oval that she had captured and contained on her latest mission, the one she had just returned from. She was proud of this accomplishment, believing the mission was an overall success.
Third, she finally spotted the Gem she was looking for. Sitting on the floor of the barn, was a slender, blue-skinned woman, eyes heavy with pity. Her thin hand stroked the mane of an green-spotted, orange creature, who was curled around her. The beast was humongous, blocking the blue woman's waist and dress from the other woman's line of sight. The green woman caught a glance of the orange gemstone that replaced her nose. What was happening seemed so foreign, yet the people involved were all too familiar.
"Is that..." the boy started, in awe of the sight of Lapis Lazuli petting the beast.
"...Jasper?" the purple woman finished.
The only reply from the blue-skinned woman was a slight nod as she continued to stroke the creature, a soft purr rumbling throughout the barn. Taking a few steps closer, the curly-haired boy decided to investigate.
"Steven," the blue woman said, raising her voice. "Don't." The boy, known as Steven, stopped his advance, his muscles tensing.
"I... just want to help her," he explained, still being cautious. "She's so calm right now. I know I can help her!"
"I don't want Jasper to hurt you," Lapis Lazuli said, her voice now a whisper. "I know she will, if she had the chance." Lowering his shoulders, Steven looked at the corrupted gem before him. The blue woman's eyes drifted to Jasper, her eyelids drooping. "...I'm sorry," she muttered, keeping her voice low.
"I've never seen Jasper this calm," the green woman whispered to the purple one, commenting on the situation. "And that's just coming from being on a ship with her."
"Me neither," she replied. "She just had no chill. But the question is, how did Lapis know Jasper got corrupted?"
Hesitating for a few moments, the green woman finally spoke. "I... told her what happened at the Beta Kindergarten that day." Realization then struck her. "...And if I hadn't, Jasper wouldn't even be out here, right in FRONT of us, in the first place!" Her straight face had now turned into a frown at this realization.
"P-dot, it's alright. She had to know sooner or later," the purple woman consoled, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We can't keep that a secret forever."
"I know..." The green woman, known as P-dot to the purple one, let her black eyes, tinted green by her visor, drift down to the calm beast. Her short tail thumped on the ground every now and then, as her roommate continued to stroke her main.
"I'm sorry I had to release her," Lapis muttered, her eyes not focused on anyone in particular. "But, Peridot..." She glanced up at the green-skinned woman, known as Peridot. "I got lonely while you were on your mission with Amethyst and Steven."
"What about Pumpkin? Don't you have her for company?" Peridot questioned.
The blue woman paused, lifting her hand off of Jasper's fluffy mane. The creature lifted her head, and then turned to face Lapis. She turned around, looking behind her, and then she lifted an arm, fingers pointing towards the toilet meep morp. Looking closer, Peridot could see an orange, circular figure, peeking out of her hiding place.
"She's scared of Jasper," Lapis explained. "I've been trying to get her to come out, but she insisted on staying there."
"Ahem, Lazuli. Answer my question," she pressed, slightly annoyed with the Gem's avoidance of her question.
Lapis glanced around the room nervously, not giving an answer. Peridot just stood in place, waiting for an answer.
"It's OK, Lapis," Steven said. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."
Lapis remained silent. The corrupted gem curled around her began to get back up on her feet. The boy took a few steps backwards, his head looking up at Jasper. In reality, the Quartz gem was much bigger than Lapis, making Peridot seem pale in comparison. Now that she was looking at the corrupted Gem up close, Peridot felt much more intimidated than she was back at the Beta Kindergarten, where she had seen Jasper get corrupted right in front of her own eyes, and then poofed her right before she managed to land a hit on Steven.
"Jasper?" he muttered. Resting her gaze on the boy, the corrupted gem started to emit a low growl, taking a few steps towards the human-gem hybrid.
"I-I don't understand," Lapis stuttered. Alarmed by Jasper's sudden hostility, she got up on her feet. "She was so much calmer when I was stroking her."
Her hands now by her side, the purple-skinned woman known as Amethyst stepped in front of Peridot. Placing her hand on the purple gem on her chest, it began to glow, and the handle of a whip began to materialize in her hand. Pulling it out of her gem, the whip solidified, its three tails lashing out at the air. Peridot flinched, not wanting to get injured. She took a few steps backwards. Peridot saw Steven summon his own weapon - a pink shield with the symbol of Rose Quartz in the center of it.
Raising a clawed hand, Jasper lumbered towards Steven, swiping at him. Peridot heard a large clank as it collided with his shield. He made a nervous whimper as the beast continued to attack him. Amethyst lashed her whip at the corrupted Gem's face, pausing it from her advances. She now laid her gaze on Amethyst.
"Leave him alone," she growled. She lashed the whip once again, causing Jasper to flinch. Steven backed up, terrified from the encounter.
After a moment of hesitation, Lapis Lazuli raised a fist. Sprouting from the toilet meep morp were streams of water, joining together to form a large, watery hand. She thrust her hand forwards, and the water-hand followed her command, now hovering over Jasper. Lowering her hand, she clenched her fist, the watery hand grabbing the corrupted Gem by her waist. Surprised, she failed her limbs about, the orange beast trying to escape its grasp.
"Steven, run!" Lapis shouted, eyes wandering to the chubby boy. Peridot looked up at Jasper. Realizing she could not escape, she swiped at Steven's head, with the boy ducking to avoid injury. Turning around and screaming, he ran out of Jasper's range.
Lapis tightened her grasp on the corrupted Gem as Amethyst continued to lash the beast. And all Peridot could do was watch the two gems assault her former ally. Jasper continued swiping her hands at the ground, trying to injure whoever would cross paths with her. She took a few steps back, with Steven now by her side. She had to admit, Peridot was not surprised the corrupted gem had not poofed yet. Quartz gems, as she knew, were surprisingly durable, almost as durable as a Peridot, and Jasper was no exception.
Amethyst groaned, irritated. Putting a free hand on her chest, her gem began to glow again. She pulled out of her gem another three-tail whip, and lashed it out into the air. Peridot flinched, taking another few steps backwards. With both whips, she lashed at Jasper repeatedly at an alarming rate. The corrupted Gem let out a screech of pain as the whips hit her one by one, and her rage intensified. A worried look came across Lapis's face, but that did not relax the watery hand's grip.
Peridot clenched her head, trying to block out Jasper's cries. She knew Jasper was a terrible Gem, but this was more than enough torture done to her. She couldn't wait for the moment she was put out of her misery.
"Just... a little... more..." Amethyst was struggling to keep up the pace of her lashes. She was breathing heavily, exasperated from the nonstop whiplash. She paused momentarily, trying to catch her breath. Peridot looked up at the corrupted Gem, noticing the scratches present on her face. She had seriously taken a heavy beating from Amethyst.
For a moment, Peridot could see weakness in the Gem, her swipes slowing down. Steven took note of this and opened his mouth to speak.
"Lapis! Now!" he screamed.
Blinking, Lapis looked away from Jasper, closing her eyes. Clenching her fist as hard as she could, the watery hand's grip on Jasper tightened. She raised her fist, bringing the orange Gem up to the ceiling. As fast as she could, she slammed her hand down, bringing Jasper down with the watery hand. Within an instant, orange-tinted, pale smoke filled the barn, with Peridot turning away from the source of the smoke. A clink could be heard as the orange gemstone fell to the ground. The green-skinned woman returned her attention to the scene.
In the corrupted Gem's place was a gemstone surrounded by water that trailed back to the toilets, previously the water-hand, although it had now fallen apart. Walking over to the orange gemstone, Lapis picked it up. Peridot, Steven, and Amethyst all joined her, gazing at the gemstone. Pumpkin came out of her hiding place and joined the group, too. Barking, Peridot walked over to her with outstretched arms. Pumpkin leaped into her arms, licking Peridot's face. The Gem then turned around to look at Jasper's gem, with the pumpkin dog safe in her arms.
"What are ya gonna do with her now?" Amethyst asked. A look of worry came across her face. "You're not gonna let her reform, are you?"
"No." Holding out Jasper's gemstone, a royal blue bubble formed in the palm of Lapis Lazuli's hand. "She'll be safe in here."
The Gems marveled in wonder at the formation of the bubble.
"Woah..." Steven started, amazed. "I never knew you could make bubbles, Lapis!"
Lapis pulled the bubble closer to her. "I guess I can." She let go of the bubble, letting it float to the ceiling, joining Peridot's two bubbles. The others in the group watched as it joined the other ones. After a moment of silence, the blue woman lowered her head, eyelids heavy.
"I'm sorry, Jasper. I'm sorry I had to do this to you," she whispered.
A/N: And, done! I hope you enjoyed this lovely one-shot that I wrote in the course of a day. This idea popped into my head, and I thought, "Why not?". Once again, I apologize if any character seems OOC, this is my first time writing a Steven Universe fanfiction. Well, I don't have anything else to say here, so Branchwing, out!