Everything was absolute chaos. There was fire and yelling and the sound of metal clanging against metal. The giant Gem standing amongst the chaos had her axe lifted slightly, ready for anything as she scanned the menagerie of battle for her true target. She charged forward at the sight of vibrant pink hair, giving no thought to the smaller Gem she slashed with her weapon on the way.
She kept going, knocking and slicing and stomping any enemy Gem that dared get in her way. She paused, her hair standing on end, turning just in time to block the sword that had been aimed to stab right through her chest with the handle of her axe. Indigo eyes clashed with light blue from underneath her helmet. With dexterity belaying someone of her size she lept up and over, swinging her one handed axe downward only for the other smaller Gem's second sword to join the fight and catch her attack in the crux of the two sabers.
The bigger of the two grinned, seeing the strain she was putting on the weaker Gem, watching as one of her knees bent to compensate for the clash. She was shaking. Still, it was rather impressive.
For a pearl.
Said pearl suddenly rolled out from under the axe, the shlick sound of the swords skimming across the blade of the axe noticeable above the chaos. Blue eyes were a light with determination and fury. The soldier's grip on the mauve handle tightened, her very being singing with the thrill of battle, indigo eyes danced with sadistic delight. Today was the day she finally conquered the renegade. And she would enjoy every minute of it.
Without warning she lunged forward again, blade dragging against the ground. The pearl shifted one foot back, prepared to endure whatever the Earth made Homeworld Gem would throw at her. With a roar the axe was swung sideways and the pearl jumped up, almost twirling out of the way. She was surprised, however, when something wrapped itself around her lower torso.
Looking down, she saw a purple jewel encrusted whip had caught her and with a sharp jerk she was sent crashing back into the ground. The sudden impact knocked the wind out of the thinner Gem. She looked up, pushing herself up onto her elbows to see the brute standing above her, axe comfortably in one hand while the whip handle was in the other.
"Amethyst."
The hulking figure sneered.
"Amethyst."
She raised the weapon above her head before driving it down on a collision course with the gem on the pearl's forehead.
"Amethyst!"
A scream tore itself out of her throat as she sat up sharply, panting with air she didn't need, feeling the heavy pulse of a heart she didn't have. Her hand clenched onto her own shirt, just below where her gem was embedded in her chest. Her very being was shaking, harsh, sad sounds caught in her throat.
"Amethyst."
Wide eyes clenched shut, her form curled in on itself. Her forehead was slick, her palms clammy, form trembling. It took a moment for it to even register that there was a hand resting tentatively on her shoulder.
Pearl didn't pry, didn't say anything. Nothing good had ever come from pushing the smaller Gem. So she just sat there next to her, letting her know she was there if she wanted to talk about it. Whatever had happened, it had shaken her to her core.
"You know," the purple Gem started, her voice thick and uncharacteristically quiet. "Peridot said...other amethysts... They're supposed to be huge, loyal soldiers."
Pearl's mouth set in a grim line.
"She said a lot of things back at the Kindergarten. She actually had the audacity to say that if I hadn't come out 500 years later than the others in the Kindergarten, I'd be in charge of things here." The hand that wasn't clutching her shirt curled into a fist, her teeth grinding together. She barked out a harsh laugh. "Can you imagine? Me? In charge? A huge, hulking soldier, brainwashed?" The laugh continued until it turned into a mixture of tears. "I'd be like Jasper."
"But you aren't," came Pearl's quiet reply, her hand trailing into Amethyst's thick hair, playing with the strands of lavender.
Amethyst took a deep breath, stuttering and curling tighter in on herself. "I dreamed I was. I dreamed I was there during the rebellion. I dreamed I was supposed to hurt Rose." She hated herself for saying it. "I dreamed you stepped in the way and I-" The words stuck in her throat, she couldn't say it. It made her sick to her stomach. She'd fought Pearl before, but she'd never ever wanted to hurt her or the other Gems like that. Not even Peridot.
Long, lanky arms curled around her and Amethyst found herself being pulled toward Pearl, between her legs and against her chest. The taller Gem's hand was still petting her wild mane, trying to soothe the crying Gem. "When we first found you," she began. "Every time I looked at you, all I saw where the amethysts we'd fought during the war." She bit her lip. "But over the past few thousand years I've learned that was never who you were. Like I said in the Kindergarten, you're the only good thing that came out of that mess."
Amethyst remembered those words. She hadn't forgotten them. Doubtless she ever would forget one of the nicest things Pearl had said to her since Rose's death. Short arms wrapped around Pearl's torso as she buried her face against the other Gem's chest.
"Dreams aren't real Amethyst. You're here now, with all of us, and we love you."
A genuine but short laugh burst from the purple Gem's lips.
"You're a sap, P."
"I know."
It's amazing what can inspire you. I really like AUs. But since this isn't based as a AU fic, I decided to see what I could do if Amethyst had a dream. Chille Tid was also inspiration naturally. And I mean, it is an interesting thought. Whatever kept Amethyst from being mined with the others gave us this lovable, if somewhat obnoxious, goofball that we all came to care about. I know also that a lot of my one shots are centered around Amethyst and Pearl but I do love their dynamic and how well it's progressed since the beginning of the show. Though I personally look forward to what becomes of the relationship between Peridot and Amethyst.
And yay, this is the longest one yet.
Review please.
I'm out. Peace.