Another day, another chapter. I had to rewrite this one to get it where I wanted it, but I think it was worth it in the end. Today we meet an antagonist! Enjoy!


The silent Gem pulled the hood of her cloak lower over her brow, sensitive to any kind of attention. Her shadowy shape slipped between the buildings in a winding path, doing her best to be unpredictable. She paused at an opening to the alley, standing before the moving wall of people crowding the major street. She caught her breath, leaning against the wall, so she could scan the crowd for potential danger. Everything looked clear, just everyday Gems going about their everyday business. A cloak joined the tide of bodies.

She moved with the flow, sliding between shifting lanes of travel to cross the busy road. The Gem only felt more conspicuous in the crowd. She should have ditched her cloak long ago, she knew, but a guard had been on her tail since the rally. Losing her cover would have been destructive to her cause. But, she felt she had lost her pursuer, though still too cautious to drop the cowl.

Her caution was rewarded as the burly soldier burst from an alley farther up the street, not ten yards from where the hidden Gem shuffled with the crowd. Her eyes tracked the big, orange guard as she moved with the crowd, scanning for a glimpse of her prey. The covered Gem only looked away when her eyes met the soldiers. She knew that she had been spotted, and she hustled to get across the street. The sounds of grumbled commands and complaints and shoved Gems was nearing behind her. Finally, she broke through and found herself in the mouth of another alley. She looked back once to see the guard closing in, Gems making way for the authoritative power. A wicked grin stretched between her cheeks in confidence.

The cloaked Gem took off running, again. Pounding feet were not far behind. She could see an opening ahead, an intersection of alleys that created more space. The familiar, smooth ring of a weapon being drawn resonated from behind her, and she was encouraged to increase her speed. However, it was too late.

The cloak billowed behind her as she sprinted across the opening, but was forced to a halt when a golden hammer slammed at her feet. The cloak swirled around her as she turned sharply. The guard was advancing on her, already drawing a second hammer from her Gem.

"No where to run to, now." The bigger Gem threatened and stalked closer. The other Gem allowed her cloak to crumple at her feet as she crouched low, preparing to fight.

The guard leapt forward, swinging her hammer at the cloaked Gem's head. She responded by dropping to all fours and shooting between the tall Gem's legs. She rolled as she came out the other side and sprang to her feet to deliver a swift kick to the soldiers back. The soldier stumbled, but swung her hammer around to face her opponent, using the momentum to right herself. She moved forward, keeping her swings short and precise, but the cloak fluttered as the Gem nimbly dodged and dipped and leaped and leaned to avoid taking a hit. She was backed up to a wall, and the soldier sneered as she jabbed the head of her hammer straight at the center of the dark cloak. Again, the Gem dodged, ducking beneath the weapon. She reached up, grabbed hold of the mallet and leaped, pulling herself to the sky. As she rose she brought her heel up and underneath the chin of the guard, knocking her back and away. But, the guard did not lose her bearing and swung again, catching a lucky, glancing blow to the side of the cloak. The hammer met the Gem's head with a soft thud, but she did not slow. Before the guard could regain her balance once again, the cloak had disappeared above the rooftops. The soldier cursed and sent her hammer away, rubbing her chin painfully but proud in the blow she had delivered.

The cloaked Gem did not go too far. She was only a couple buildings away, atop the roofs, when she had to stop and rest. The strike had caught her above her temple, against the flat of her skull. The spot throbbed and burned, and the Gem's vision was unsteady and full of lights. She couldn't stand, the ground refused to steady beneath her each time she tried. So, she lay perfectly still and allowed the world to flash and spin and shift around her.

Eventually, the earthquake ended and the strobe lights ceased. The throbbing reduced to a noticeable pulse, and the Gem stood. Her legs still did not want to cooperate, but she willed them into motion. The first few steps were shaky and ineffectual, but they grew stronger, and she was able to get down from her rooftop sanctuary. There was no sign of the soldier.

The Gem knew she would not be able to last long in this state, whether she was caught or not, she had taken a serious hit. She removed her cloak and cast it aside, deciding it was only going to attract more attention from here on out, revealing her blue shading. She immediately staggered off, knowing where she must go to find the help she needed.

...

Jack sat down at the desk, waving good bye to Pearl as her long blonde hair disappeared around the corner. The desk sat against the wall, facing a large window in the crystal, opening out into the lounge. The lounge was an area for those without serious conditions to rest and relax before being treated, and also for any Gems who already received treatment but wished to rest a bit longer. It was generally a calm and peaceful place.

Smooth, arching struts of emerald and marble stretched across the ceiling, running the length of the room in parallel paths. Clear pieces of crystal sat between the supports in regular intervals, capturing the outdoor light to illuminate the hall. The dappled blue floor was littered with an array of couches and chairs of various style. On them lounged Gems of every shape, size, and color, alone and in groups. The small parties were chatting quietly, hardly able to be heard over a small fountain set in the far wall, a graceful Blue Diamond summoning water in seven different directions to splash into the pool.

As Jack began his shift, all was well. He began the slow trudge through piles of paperwork, letting his mind wander to allow his hands the freedom to perform monotony. He couldn't help but begin to imagine the rally, yet again. The events still remained so fresh in his mind.

Long, full cloaks covering head to toe, all in bright shades of pink with a darker diamond on the back. All of them standing perfectly still, arranged for shortest to tallest in a neat line. The formation was broken when a Gem from the middle stepped forward and began speaking.

"We speak against the Diamond tyranny once more," She began, the voice uncharacteristically loud for her smaller frame, "Cycle after cycle, we merely accept that we are nothing before our esteemed leaders." The sarcasm made obvious the invisible sneer. Jack remembered the core of the speech only vaguely. Most of the words had been repeated from past speeches, how Diamonds did not need to be born, how any regular Gem could rise through exemplary effort. Then, they would speak of Pink Diamond, her rebellion, the clashing armies, and Yellow Diamonds cowardly victory through deception. All familiar sentiments to Jack. But, he thought more carefully on what was said next.

"Why should they have the right to tell us how to live? If for the betterment of society, they may tell us how to work and where to go, perhaps, but they should never dictate us inside our own Gems. If two Gems should choose to fuse, there should be no one in their way to stop them. If two Gems choose to share their existence with one another, why should a third party even care? If two Gems become one, become a new Gem, why should we let the Diamonds separate them and chip their gems so they may never fuse again? What do the Diamonds fear?" The leader's words echoed through Jacinth's mind.

Why did the Diamonds so harshly regulate fusing? Jack thought about how everyone believed that it was a tendency for weak Gems to fuse, and the fusion was, at best, only as strong as an upper level combat Gem. Was there more to fusion than that? The rebels seemed to believe that two fused Gems experienced more of the fusion than a single Gem could comprehend. And, why was Spinel so interested?

Jack shook his head. The questions had started to distract him and his pen had stopped moving. He leaned over the desk and took a couple minutes to focus on the work. The rooms usual quiet hum had gotten louder, only a slight buzz more usual. Jack looked up to sweep his eyes across the room, noting the change of Gems since he'd first arrived. A couple Gems he recognized, not from personal contact, but from the rally. A few of the guards that had attacked the rebels were there, including the Jasper he had told Fluorine and Spinel about. She was leaning back in a plush recliner, laughing with a slim Topaz. The Jasper was big, easily overfilling her seat, orange arms falling over the sides. A deep amber stripe ran down each arm, from the shoulder to fingers. Her crystal sat low on her chest in the center of her body. Her hair was cropped short at the sides, but a long, shaggy mohawk came over her shoulder to rest on her black jumpsuit. Jack couldn't help but watch her for a moment as the curiosity built inside him.

He stood, ignoring his work for the moment, and stepped around the office to enter the lounge. He weaved between Gems and wormed his way closer to the fighters. He was careful not to make eye contact, trying to get close as inconspicuously as possible. He didn't have much to worry about, though, the two were so engaged in their own conversation they hardly noticed anyone around them.

"... believe we didn't get even one. They're quick." Jack heard the Topaz say as he finally got close enough to eavesdrop. He had hoped they would be talking about the rally, and he smiled to himself as he lowered onto a couch facing away from the pair.

"Nah, they're not that quick, they're just tricky. I almost had that talkative one, but the moment I grabbed her cloak, she just vanished. She didn't run, just disappeared. It was weird." Jasper laughed again, and the Topaz joined in.

"I wonder how they do it. You'd think if you could get your hands on 'em, they'd be done for."

"It doesn't really matter," Jasper waved off her companions comment, "They're just cowards, and cowards always run themselves into a corner eventually. I actually heard that Citrine is closing in on one of their bases. Just a matter of time."

As they kept talking, going on about how they would 'crush those stupid rebels,' Jacinth got up to leave. He swept the room again, mostly out of reflex, and began walking. He didn't get far, however, as the noisy Gems behind him suddenly became startlingly vocal. Jack turned back and saw both fighters on their feet, hands clenched in fists at their side. A calm, blue and purple Gem was meeting their eyes. She stood with her right hip back, hand resting on it, the other arm hung relaxed. Her forward shoulder sported a bright blue sapphire, but the hand at her hip had an amethyst on its back, labeling the tall Gem a fusion.

"Sodalite." Jack mumbled under his breath, identifying the fusion and moving towards the altercation. He reached their side just as the Jasper was yelling again.

"Are you deaf, you stupid cluster?"

"Yeah," The Topaz chimed in, grinning, "We want to see some approval." She was holding her hand out, as if asking for something.

Fusions, once approved by White Diamond, are required to constantly carry proof. It's not an official requirement, but it wouldn't be the first time if a guard decided to forcibly separate a fusion because they 'believed them to be illegal.' The Sodalite had reached across to her amethyst and pulled a small badge out to identify herself. She held it in front of her, clear to see, not making any motion to hand it to either of her instigators. But, quick for her size, Jasper stepped forward and snatched the fusion badge from her hand. Sodalite looked panicked for just a moment, but immediately mastered herself and returned to composure.

"Give it back." Her voice was cold and steady. She did not step back when the Jasper stepped forward to loom over her threateningly, only lifted her eyes to match the angry gaze. Jasper grinned, and held the badge at arms length away from Sodalite.

"Oh, but I don't see why I should. We need to test its authenticity." She looked back at Topaz, "Hey, how do we check if a fusion badge is real, or not?"

"Oh, well you gotta crush it and check if it's gotta a Gem shard." Topaz nodded assertively, arms across her chest.

"But, if you.." Sodalite started to object, but returned to her stoic silence as she realized what was going on.

"That's right," Jasper sneered, "I've gotta crush it to check if it's real. But, then you won't have a badge to prove you're allowed to be fused. What a conundrum." Jasper's grin widened and her fingers tightened.

Jack stepped in, then, taking hold of the badge and Jasper's wrist. A sharp tug caused the large Gem to stumble back, releasing her tight grip and allowing Jack to pull the badge free. Jasper turned to face him, but Jack turned right with her, spinning behind her back to bring himself face to face with Sodalite. With a smile, he placed the badge in her palm and turned to face the seething warriors.

"I think White Diamond's signature is more than enough proof." Jack said, gesturing at the ornate carving in Sodalite's hand. "And, I do not appreciate this kind of abuse in a place of relaxation. Here, all Gems are equal in their healing." Jasper spit to the ground at his words.

"No fusion is equal to a full Gem. It's a sum that's less than its parts. A weak bridge between weak foundations. And rotten pinks aren't much better." Jasper was clearly unhappy. She stood with her shoulders pitched forward, as if prepared to charge. Topaz was no more relaxed beside her, weight on her toes, hands in front of her face.

Jack set a foot back and brought his own hands before him, the left pointed at his opponents, and his right held close to his chest, over his crystal. He was prepared to draw his weapon, if need be. He looked into the eyes of the Gems before him, gauging them, preparing. He could tell the Jasper relied heavily on her size and strength, he would do best to divert her rather than try to stop her or counter. The Topaz looked like a true fighter, the kind he would dance with a little bit before finding a opening to land a clean hit. Apart, they would be no trouble, but together they could be formidable.

Jack smiled at the irony.

Just then, the door to the office swung wide.

"Sodalite! We are ready for you to come back." Spinel stood in the doorway, a clipboard in hand. The whole room seemed to breath a sigh of relief as the combatants relaxed their postures and turned away from each other. Jack lead Sodalite to the doors and followed her into the hallway, passing Spinel. He didn't look back to see what the other two did.

When he heard the door shut behind him, he turned to grin at Spinel.

"Great timing!" Jack was giddy with the energy his body had prepared for a fight. Spinel's frown did not agree.

"Not by accident, I saw the whole thing from the office." She turned away from Jack and addressed Sodalite, still standing in the hallway. "I'm sorry about that. Sometimes I wish we could turn away Gems like them, but what kind of healing Gem denies healing?" She was smiling sheepishly, eyes begging forgiveness. Sodalite merely smiled and shook her head, turning to look at Jack.

"Thank you, for what you did." Her right hand with the amethyst was placed over the sapphire in her shoulder, "I don't know what we would have done if we had to get another fusion badge. I owe you my very existence. Perhaps I can pay you back, someday." And, with that, she nodded at Spinel, and turned to walk down the hall in search of whatever service she had come to receive.

Jack turned to look at Spinel, still grinning, but her cheeks were flushed red with anger.

"Twice! That's twice I've had to bail you out in a single cycle! You owe me for this one." She was jabbing her finger into Jack's chest accusingly. He put his hands up in surrender and backed up a bit.

"Fine, I owe you, whatever you ask, I will do. Any single thing." He bowed low in submission, accepting this trade for her services.

"Perfect." She was smiling when he straightened. "Meet me in my room after our shifts are over. I'll tell you what we're doing then." Jack was curious, but he agreed without any questions. Spinel nodded her approval and headed down the hall, back to whatever she was doing.

"By the way," she called back over her shoulder, catching Jack just as he started entering the office, "Fluorine wants to talk to you after you're done at the desk." And she vanished around the corner. Jack sighed and returned to his seat behind the desk. A quick glance out the window and around the lobby showed an apparent lack of angry combat Gems. He settled in to get back ahead of the tide of paperwork.

"Life couldn't be sweeter." He mumbled to himself sarcastically. He began scribbling at a new form and fell easily back into his productive trance, pretending to forget his upcoming meetings.


I'm still dying for reviews. I just need some outside input on where this story is going. Even if you don't like it, I'd love to hear why. And, positive reviews always inspire me to write more quickly! Please leave me a review!