"Steven, pass me the metal conjoiner. Quickly," Peridot yelled as she cycled through the tools she kept floating over head, unable to find the one she needed.
The young half-gem saluted and rushed over to Peridot's workbench. Peridot's room looked like a bunch of random piles of electronics, tools, and garbage on the outside. But a closer look showed everything was labeled and placed in specific spots.
That made Steven's job of finding the right tool easy. Especially since Peridot had the habit of renaming her stuff. He found a welding torch labeled as a 'metal conjoiner' on her desk.
"I think I saw my dad use one of these once. He was trying to attach a fin to the top of his van. He called it a welding torch."
Peridot snatched the tool out of Steven's hands and focused back on the domed device she had been working on feverishly since Jasper's return.
"I don't have time to discuss your father's mental foolishness Steven! I need to finish this before Jasper wakes up and comes after me!"
As Peridot worked Steven walked around to get a better look at what she had built over the last few hours. To him it looked like a patchwork turtle shell. It was mostly made from mismatched metal panels with a circular window on top. A small arched entrance, just big enough for Peridot to fit through, seemed to be the only way in or out.
"What is this thing supposed to do anyways," Steven asked, clanging his knuckles against the dome. Causing a very dull thud.
Peridot finished her welding and tossed the torch into the air. She used her ferrokinesis to gently float the tool back to the bench it had come from. She stepped back and gazed at her creation with glee. "Can't you tell just from looking at it?"
"Uhh, you're going to use it to disguise yourself as a turtle?"
"No Steven," Peridot said exasperated. "This shell is going to protect me from Jasper! Look. Look inside."
Steven did as he was asked and stuck his head through the tiny archway. Inside were dozens of electronics, wires of various color and length, and what looked like a bear trap on steroids.
Peridot's face popped up behind the glass window, watching Steven from outside the dome.
"The Anti-Jasper Dome is held in place by six foot long spikes in the ground. Each one has a dozen barbs on it that will prevent them from being yanked out of the ground. The exterior is made with salvaged bits off of that Homeworld ship we found recently. This metal could be hit by a meteor shower and come out fine."
"Even if Jasper was somehow stronger, which I highly doubt, I've lined the inside with momentum dampeners. They'll suck up all of her punches' kinetic energy, and disperse it useless into the ground. Her punches will be as weak as-"
"Yours," Steven interrupted with an oblivious smile. Peridot grumbled an agreement.
As he looked around, he realized that the large bear trap was wired directly into the dome. "What about this crazy thing," he asked.
"Ah ha," Peridot exclaimed. "I see you finally noticed the most important piece of the AJD. The Jasper Trap!"
Steven cocked his head sideways, trying to see the device like Peridot did. "I think it's just a bear trap."
"The Jasper Trap," she repeated through gritted teeth. "Is for when Jasper realizes she can't break through the walls of the dome. She'll look through the window and see me completely unharmed inside. In her rage she'll strike at the glass. Once her fist is through, the trap will shut." She pantomimed the trap being triggered with her hands
"Her arm will be stuck inside while you and I, make our escape."
Steven nodded his head thoughtfully. "Wow Peri. You put a lot of thought into this."
She beamed back at him with pride. "Oh please, this is nothing for a genius like me."
"It's a shame that genius was wasted on a lame toy like that." Came a voice from behind.
Steven and Peridot spun around to see Jasper standing in the doorway of the room. Her orange crash helmet already on while a toothy grin split her face.
"Wait! How are you here? My robonoids should have told me when you woke up!"
Jasper shrugged. "Should have left more than four robots." Not wasting another second she jumped high into the air and started spinning rapidly. A corona of fire engulfed her as she sailed towards Peridot's structure.
Upon impact there was a deafening crash and a large plume of dust. Followed by bits of the AJD as it rained down around the room.
Peridot stood there, both hands on her face, her mouth agape in a combination of shock and fear, and stared at her destroyed shelter.
Steven formed his rose colored shield over their heads to block some of the debris.
"Ahh," Jasper sighed. "Nothing like a good stretch to get you going in the morning."
Steven released his shield and rushed over to where Jasper stood amidst the destruction. Peridot remained where she was, mouth still hanging open.
"That was awesome," Steven exclaimed.
Jasper pulled some of the broken spaceship out of her hair and threw it to the ground. "Of course it was. Do you know who you're talking to right now?"
"Only the strongest gem this side of the galaxy," he cheered.
"That's right," she responded. "And she's got her strongest friend right beside her!" The two then quickly ran through a series of bodybuilding poses they had seen on TV before. Silly grins stuck to their faces as they enjoyed their inside joke together.
"Alright, that's enough of that," Jasper said finishing her routine. "We've got a surprise to get to." With a wink she led the way out of the room.
Steven's eyes filled with stars as his mind ran through what the surprise could be.
"Yessssss," he yelled into the air. "Are we going to visit a new planet? Did you meet a new gem? Have you learned a super secret martial art that you can only pass down one time, and you've chosen me as your disciple?" Steven bowed deeply towards Jasper. "I am ready, sensei."
Jasper was used to Steven's hyperactive imagination and decided to string him along a little bit.
"You're not ready to learn the uh," her mind drew a blank until she remembered an old movie Steven had shown her once. "Kneeling….cobra, angry...toad….fist."
He beamed at her, "You mean that's real?"
She pointed to where her nose would be. "As real as the gem on my face. Now lets get moving. You're going to love what I have planned."
As Jasper passed the dumbstruck Peridot, she reached down and tucked her underneath her arm like a newspaper.
"For all of us."
