A/N: Credit goes to jigokuhana on tumblr for many of the ideas found in this. Check out their blog for more of their TTGems AU, it's some really great stuff!
A lone figure loomed in the distance as it approached the temple. It was a tall being, with four arms, a blue and purple cloak that covered their body completely, and had blue skin and hair. There was a certain melancholic quality about them, and yet, happiness as well. They walked along the beach, only stopping to observe a curious site.
There was a young, human boy playing on the beach with his friend. Ordinarily, to a being like Mercury Mist Topaz, this wouldn't warrant any attention. But she could see a gem in the boy's stomach where his belly button would ordinarily be. She approached the boy.
"Excuse me." She said.
The boy responded to her presence, having somehow not noticed her before now. "Woooooow, a giant woman I've never seen before, are you a gem?"
She blinked, "Yes, I am, who are you and what's with your gem?"
"Oh, I'm Steven Universe, and my gem was my mom's. Uh, you're not loyal are to Homeworld are you?"
"No, I'm not."
"Oh good, my Mom was Rose Quartz, she gave up her physical form to make me."
This was certainly news to her. It had been one-hundred years since she had last visited the temple, so this must have been a relatively recent thing in her absence. "So, you are a crystal gem as well?" She asked.
"You bet!"
"Then you know the other gems at the temple?"
He nodded with an infectious smile.
"Mind escorting me to the temple then?"
"Sure thing!" He exclaimed, and motioned her to follow him.
It was refreshing to have such an innocently happy individual around her again. It reminded her of Ametrine. She let out a small smile at the memory of her old friend. It had been so long since they had left her life.
She assumed they would be walking in silence, but Steven broke the silence early on.
"So, are you a fusion? You're really big and have four arms and everything."
"Yes, I am."
"So, you're like Garnet then?"
"In a way, who I am made up of love each other very much, but it's not quite as simple as that for us."
"How come?"
Steven could see a smile forming on her face, but it had an element of sadness to it as she looked back to him.
"Perhaps some other time, we have arrived at our destination."
"Oh, well, anyway, GARNET, PEARL, AMETHYST, THERE'S A GEM HERE ASKING FOR YOU!" He bellowed at the top of his lungs.
The three came running as soon as they heard the word "gem" and came prepared for a fight as they drew their weapons.
"Oh," They all said in unison, "It's just you."
"By the way, who is she?" Steven asked.
Pearl stepped forward for her usual explanation, "Steven, this is Mercury Mist Topaz, she was part of the rebellion, but part of a specialized unit. She prefers to be alone since the war ended. This is great though! Mercury, Homeworld is coming back, we need as much help as we can get."
She gave her usual sad smile, "I'm sorry, but I don't want to be involved."
"What, why?!" Amethyst exclaimed.
Pearl, Amethyst, and Steven seemed utterly baffled by her apathy to the incoming danger. Garnet, though, remained as stoic as she remembered her being.
"I already lost what I was fighting for long ago. I'd really rather stay out of this conflict."
With that, she turned to leave. Things would now be too awkward for a personal visit with this disagreement running between them. She would meditate atop the temple, and then leave. Hopefully, they would still be around during her next visit.
Mercury Mist Topaz settled into her meditation atop the temple. She sensed that she had come up to talk to them. Continuing her meditation, the two sat in silence as the world seemed to stop around them. Finally finishing her meditation, she opened her eyes.
"Garnet."
"Hello, Mercury."
"I suppose you're here to convince me to change my mind?"
Garnet shrugged, "Partially, but I also wanted to talk to my friend."
Her sad smile returned, "That makes me happy to know that you consider us a friend, us fusions have to stick together, right?"
Garnet nodded, "I'm glad you remember to crack a joke every now and then. Now tell me, is there anything that would make you change your mind?"
"No, I don't think so. Garnet, you're lucky you still have Pearl and Amethyst around. I… we, lost everybody that we loved but each other."
Garnet's expression didn't change. "I understand, but you must know that Homeworld won't let you go free right?"
"Of course I do, but we resigned ourselves long ago to what would happen if Homeworld took us."
"Then you're ok with being shattered?"
"Yes," an uncomfortable silence hung over the air, "We'll be with our friends again, and don't tell me that if it came to it, you'd rather be shattered together instead of individually."
It was true, Garnet knew that Ruby and Sapphire would rather not live on without the other if it came down to it. But there was a greater fear in being caught by Homeworld.
"Mercury, have you ever considered that Homeworld would only shatter one of you, and keep the other prisoner? The Diamonds are very cruel gems."
"THEN WE'LL MAKE SURE TO SHATTER OURSELVES" She responded with fury. It was one of her flaws that while she would generally let things go, her temper was not one to cross. It seemed that this might end in blows at this point, when a new voice interrupted them.
"WAIT!"
It was Steven.
Garnet and Mercury turned towards him. "Steven, have you been eavesdropping?"
"Yes, but please, Mercury, you can't just give up on everything, would your friends have wanted this?"
"Well, no, but-"
"And what about each other? The gems who make up you? Wouldn't you rather be able to continue on living with each other?"
She thought about it for a minute. "I don't know, it just… it just hurts so much to have lost our family. Pietersite and Anyolite love each other, but they both agree that they'd be even happier with them."
Garnet stepped forward, now thankful for Steven's intervention. "Mercury, you think you're alone, but you're not. Pearl, Amethyst, Steven, and I are here for you. Peridot and Lapis are new, but I'm sure they'd love to meet you as well. Let us help you move on."
Mercury looked down towards the two. For the first time in a long time, she gave a genuinely happy smile.
"You know, Anyolite once said something similar to Pietersite, and that may have just been the beginning of their love for each other, are you coming onto me Garnet?"
"Four's a crowd." She smiled back.
"Of course it is," she turned to Steven, "And you, Ametrine and you would have gotten along spectacularly."
"Was she one of your friends?"
"One of the best," she got up, "I'll be leaving now, but I'll be sure to visit more often." She took out a mirror. "Here, take this."
"What is it?" Steven asked.
"It's a communication mirror that Pietersite gave Anyolite for when they were too far apart to be together in person. Call me if you need me, and I'll come running."
Mercury gave her goodbyes, received as much of a bear hug as she could get from Amethyst, and left to continue her wanderings. It was nice to know that there was still people that cared for her besides the obvious. This time, she would not let Homeworld take another family away from her, even if she was shattered in the end.