Jasper's transition into the Crystal Gems was rocky at best. The general aura of mistrust and doubt always lingered in the awkward air between them, and in all truth Jasper hadn't done much to disprove it. She was still wary of her new comrades, still held tight to that attentive focus ingrained in every soldier. Relaxing for her was similar to a boulder staying afloat in the sea. Too many strange people and places always made her hair stand up on edge, and her hands just itch for a weapon.
Despite all this, it wasn't actually too bad. The general group, Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, and occasionally Steven, were as hospitable and cautious as they could be. Garnet was probably the most careful; even without her constant icy and cool demeanor, her and Jasper hadn't exchange more than threats and grunts since joining. Her watching eyes were always trained on her, and she barely had the luxury of an empty room. All despite the annoyance, she somewhat respected Garnet, a gut feeling of two old soldiers. Both were on edge. neither let their soft side show. Perhaps after stirred feelings settled, they could actually sit back and talk.
Amethyst was most likely the most trusting of the entire group. She joked and played around with Jasper almost like a toddler, throwing herself into her lap and calling her attention from all the way across the room to show what she had done. Her caution at times did flare, mostly around Steven or the other Gems, but her general laid-back attitude trumped those instincts. Always the most willing to explain or guide Jasper around, she probably appreciated her the most.
And lastly, Pearl. The persnickety but enticing gem had caught Jasper's eye the most. Pearl seemed to turn up her nose at everything Jasper related, but multiple on multiple occasions she had caught the pretty gem sneaking glances, and turning back scandalously when caught. A few times, Amethyst at Jasper's side had snickered and poked fun at her, to which she'd blush and squawk indignantly. And though it was more rarely caught, Jasper would secretly do the same. Something about her cotton candy pink hair and the way her eyebrows would crease when she got upset and every cute stomp and huff always set a strange fluttering in Jasper's chest. She always averted her eyes quickly, but an even stranger hot flush would set fire on her cheeks.
These awkward and secret exchanges continued with seemingly no results. Their currently undefined relationship was only characterized by short stares and blushes, and neither did either go any further than that. Like a dog chasing it's own tail. Until, of course, it did go further.
Gem lesson with Steven happened occasionally, and the gems didn't seem to mind having Jasper there either. Maybe they thought she would learn something from their one-sided history lessons, or new moves from their strange fighting. Each gem was a solid individual, and their tactics reflected it as such. They tried to teach Steven by their own unique style; Garnet taught how to swing heavy hits and take little damage from your opponent. Amethyst's style was a little too advanced for Steven, involving lots of gem exclusive moves and zigging and zagging, but her more basic dodging and whipping seemed to do the trick. But overall, Pearl's was the most difficult for him to learn. Her elegance and mastery clashed with her teaching; after all, not every could balance on a pin like she could, and her fighting purely reflected that. The very least she could show were the jabbing and thrusting, but to do more, especially in her own technique, would require flips through the air and bending back to nearly the ground. Even though all this was about useless to Steven, Jasper found it captivating. All of Jasper's life, she had been taught and learned herself the strongest hits and fastest charges, but never given thought to the grace of it all. No doubt, her own was brutal and effective, but nothing like the ballet of moves Pearl exhibited. The differences were extreme, and that somehow made her appreciate them more.
The strength of them individually could well carry them in a battle, but their true power lay in partnership. Though Jasper was no stranger to fusion, they had withheld such lessons up until now. Perhaps they thought it would be too much too soon, but on about her sixth month of solid behavior the lesson of the day was announced.
Steven, their pupil, obviously wasn't a stranger to this subject. Jasper could vouch for the run-ins with various run-ins with his fusions, but apparently the gems thought it suitable to fine-tune and condition him even further with fusions. Once more, their strong separate acts were brought into play. Carrying the foundations of their fighting styles, they spelled out their distinctive moves with fists that didn't fall and kicks that weren't carefully aimed for the enemy. Steven was drilled for what seemed like hours, and Jasper was only observing, not even out there, being the one forced to repeat the step-forward-kick five more times to get it right. Though her pity was with Steven, her eyes helplessly drifted off and found themselves locked on Pearl. That gem was probably the hardest pressed on getting everything to a level of perfection, usually her being at his side the second he moved a degree off target. Her tongue clucked and she shook her head back and forth, but her motives were only in his best interest. Jasper could appreciate that, almost taking her back to her days as a lower level soldier, being drilled for hours, but the commanders held none of the warmth in Pearl's eyes.
Finally, when he was able to perfect every step and follow through everything they had saw fit, they advanced to the next step. Never doing anything without a demonstration, Pearl selected Garnet as her partner. Each gem performed flawlessly, as expected, and kept to the rigid steps they had practiced all so Steven wouldn't become tripped up or confused. Jasper found this part the most interesting as her few fusions had never involved so many fancy steps. Starting from two opposite sides and slowly joining each other at the center as their practiced feet guided them, Pearl and Garnet finally clasped hands together. That touch was like the detonation of a bomb, and immediately their forms were dissolved into baths of light, rejoining slowly like a river working upstream, and their form gained mass and definition. A massive fusion appeared just briefly enough to bow in the wake of applause (she was later told this particular one was named Sardonyx) and Pearl and Garnet soon reappeared, looking quite pleased with themselves. Steven's turn was immediately after, but she paid no attention it. Jasper was mesmerized by their fusion; it looked so easy compared to what she had been through, and almost fun. The ones she had experienced were barely bonded together, ripping at the seams, but no effort had come from theirs, and they certainly didn't look pained or drained after separating.
Once she thought of that idea, it wouldn't let her be. Flitting in her head like a mosquito, and buzzing all the louder every time she looked Pearl's way. It was definitely an insane idea, one that was almost guaranteed to get her thrown back into the confines of a magical bubble, but hopefully, her strange request could be read as an eager chance to change. It kneaded in the back of her brain for the rest of the lesson she had to sit through. Some spark of irritation flared as it took Steven well into the night to finally get it down enough for the gems to dismiss him with the promise of a review tomorrow. Steven, exhausted and relieved to go, ran the way back to his house from the beach. The gems were left behind, partly because they had no need to rest, and partly because Jasper needed a constant eye just in case, and no one was prepared just yet to let her walk behind them. While Jasper sat on the log the tide had heaved onto shore while the gems spoke, almost secretly, about Steven and his level of learning. From what she could guess by facial and hand expression, he had done a good job but still needed more training. As short of a statement she reduced it to, the actual conversation took much longer, fringing on twenty minutes. Jasper's body language reading couldn't take her as far as what they hoped to cover in the next lesson, so she was left out of the discussion for a big chunk of time.
At the very least, it gave her time to review and let the hypothetical situations play out. With hope and persuasion, she wouldn't end up a misunderstood prisoner in their creepy bubbled room. But as she landed on a sound plan, she had nothing left to do but stress as she waited for their conversation to wrap up.
After about another twenty minutes, laughter bubbled up as they broke apart, signifying an end. As they made their way over to her, she just had to believe in them to give her a chance. Jasper sprang up from the log, and that alone set them dead in their steps, but no weapons were drawn yet. She decided speaking now would be in her best interest rather than continue advancing.
"Listen," she tried to make herself seem as reasonable as possible, even putting her hands out in front of her peacefully. "I know we didn't do well with fusions in the past. Not even recently, but I think this would be the best way to show you guys you can trust me. That I can trust myself." So far, no one tried to stop her, and she almost stopped to breath a sigh of relief. "Pearl, fuse with me."
That sigh would have been short-lived had she let it out. Her words on impact set them in a flurry: Amethyst squawked disbeliefs, Garnet pulled her gauntlets out of thin air, and Pearl face contorted with every blurred emotion and question that seemed to pop into her head.
"You what?" Garnet nearly shouted, and Jasper could do nothing more than wave her hands to maintain peace and not elicit an attack. This situation had escalated dramatically, almost further than her make-believe hypotheticals where they all ended up dead.
"I don't mean it like that!" Her voice tread on dangerous ground; too loud and it could be seen as retaliation, and too soft and it would be stomped over in the bustle of the moment. She wasn't used to having to control her tone. Usually she only use her voice for shouting insults or orders to either enemies or troops, and neither would help her here. Another deep breath.
"I know you don't believe in me, and I accept that. I don't blame you. But this-" She carefully gestured towards them, making sure not too move too fast or hostile. "Won't end between us until we can trust in each other. So, Pearl…" She extended a hand, as gently as she could. "please?"
The silence was stifling, and Jasper felt like she was at the bottom of the ocean again, miles and tons of water above and around her, and the- she quickly shook that thought from her mind. It wouldn't do her any good here to bring back those thoughts. Instead she focused on Pearl. The petite gem seemed shocked but from the scrunched-up eyebrows and intense expression on her face, she appeared to… actually be thinking about it? Swallowing thickly, not wanting to mess anything up with another dumb and uncalculated move, she remained as still as a statue. Meanwhile, Garnet and Amethyst stared at Pearl with her, as if appalled and confused by her even considering it.
Finally, a delicate hand, smooth and light, placed itself in her own giant paw, and an equally fragile and nervous smile lit up Pearl's face. Jasper found her own face breaking out into a grin, and relief flooded her system. So maybe she could find her own place within the Crystal Gems after all.