Since starting the next chapter of Renegade is taking me so long I'm just gonna do a quick little one shot about the decisions Garnet makes all the time with very little time as the team's leader and the only one who can see some semblance of the future. It's just a thing I dreamed up last night and I wanted to put it to words. Either way, I will probably do a couple more oneshots. Some may be connected to Renegade, some may not. Depends on how I feel and what's going through my head at the time. I hope you enjoy!
"Time... such a simple thing, and yet a cosmological constant. It never ebbs or increases, but remains the one thing that keeps the universe flowing in balance. There are those who wish to stop time, as though they can conquer the mere idea that it is. Then there are those like me who use it to their advantage."
"GARNET!" Steven was on my left and Pearl and Amethyst on my right. The two sides were too far away to help both in time, so I needed to make a decision, especially with the monster we were fighting. A giant weaponized cluster comprised of an overly large head of four colors and four overly large arms to match, each in a color representing the parts of the head. The gem was placed solidly in the monster's forehead and I was pressed to make a choice. Arms were coming for each of us and the others were in no position to dodge them.
"Some like me frequent taking as much time as possible,"
I ducked under the high swing from the hand coming for me and bolted for Steven. I heard a crash and shouting from behind me, but didn't dare to look. The Crystal Gems were tough, they'd handle themselves for a couple minutes. I caught Steven and rolled before the hand clasped down and crushed us. The hand that initially went for me came back and we were caught on both sides. Luckily, Steven summoned a bubble just in time to prevent the imminent collision. The hands bounced away and provided me an opening and just enough time to race up one of its arms. Another hand flew toward me, but I vaulted over it. Then another, and another, each one I successfully dodged, until I was at the twisted beast's face. With all my strength I pulled the gem from its socket, lodged in the middle of its forehead, and the beast was no more. I looked back to Steven and saw him crouched down, tears streaming down his face. It took me a moment, but then I realized, as I was running up the creature's arms it was attacking me with the other three. There was no more Pearl or Amethyst.
"or as little time as possible."
I ducked the high swing again, this time I grabbed on, running up the arm while it was here, rather than waiting for it to come to me. Again I heard the crashing from behind me, but I knew if I could act fast enough that Pearl and Amethyst would be fine. The beast never saw me coming, his attention focused to my left. I, once again, pulled with all of my strength at the twisted gem in the middle of its forehead and fell the creature. Pearl and Amethyst ran up to me to congratulate me on the swift takedown, but something wasn't right. "Where's Steven?"
"My time was up and my decision was closing in on me at, literally, breakneck speeds, but I already used my time. I've never been one to rush things or take things too slow. I am efficient. I am effective. I am a leader for those who need me, and right now they needed me most."
I ducked the hand one final time, but rather than bolting for either side I shot my gauntlets out, pushing Steven, Pearl, and Amethyst into safety as well as directing the monster's grotesque eyes towards me. "Come on then!" I yell. It doesn't take long for the arms to reach for me, I duck and dodge all that I can, but it is both too strong and too large to evade forever. When its arms finally grasp my arms and legs I feel it tugging me in every direction. It could make such easy work of me, but it finds some form of sadistic pleasure in testing my tension. Homeworld has truly gone too far this time. "GARNET!" I hear them yell, over and over again, until my vision starts fading and my world turns black. The last thing I hear is a clash and the beast roar.
"I hear... Birds. Wait, my voice."
"Are those... waves? Wait. Oh no!"
A short blue gem wearing a large blue dress jumped up and looked around. She was laying down in the temple, just next to the kitchen and beside her was a short red gem who was now staring up at the ceiling. They both locked eyes for a minute and mirrored their greeting, "Good morning." "Ruby! Sapphire! Welcome back!" Steven's voice permeated the room and spread a contagious mirth into everyone present. Amethyst cheered from the couch and Pearl wiped her forehead from behind the kitchen counter, before breaking into a nervous smile. "We had thought you were gone for good! Your gems were a little cracked when we found you two." Amethyst laughed, "A LITTLE!? Those things looked like they were made of CHEAP GLASS when we found'em!" Somehow, Amethyst made this very dangerous occurrence sound almost laughable. Sapphire giggled and Ruby fell onto her back. "I told you that was the right choice." The blue gem sang. Ruby shifted onto her side to look at her partner, "Yeah. You did. You win." She looked up at the three gems they took care of together and giggled again, "No. We both won, silly. We beat the clock!" Amethyst laughed again and suddenly burst into tears, "The clock beat you guys..." The stocky purple gem fell to her knees and pulled them both into a tight hug, soon joined by Steven who was already tearing up. "I wanted to see you guys again, but not like this." Despite crying, he couldn't help but try to giggle a little. Pearl nervously held her arm before joining the group hug. "You really had us worried there." Ruby and Sapphire looked at each other and smiled, "We worry ourselves, sometimes. But every minute we have is worth the risk."