A/N: Thank you all for the amazing reviews! Just to let you know, I always ask for input so I know what I'm doing well/wrong! Thanks for continually supporting me and this fic! I do apologize for the long wait, I did start a series of Perinoldo drabbles and got a little side-tracked.
To answer some questions, the puma that attacked Peridot was in fact a puma and not her Purple Puma wrestling form. Also, in regards to Ronaldo saying "I lo-" in the last chapter, that is up to your imaginations! Maybe he was about to confess his love, maybe he wasn't! Who knows (well, I know)?
Just to let you know, I am planning a Livestream/Livewrite tonight 7/8/2015! Details are on my profile and Tumblr (link on profile) if you are interested!
Without further ado, enjoy Chapter 13!
"A Crystal Gem?" Peridot quickly activated her fingers, placing one on the giant cat's exposed belly. An electric shock sent Amethyst flying off the green gem with a pained yowl and Peridot took the chance to run.
"Hey! Get back here!" Amethyst growled with her charred hair as she transformed back to her usual form.
"She's not going anywhere." Pearl's spear was pointed directly at Peridot and the technician froze in her place. Pearl stood blocking her front and Amethyst was close behind.
"Guys, wait!" Steven's voice huffed. Peridot could spot the boy rushing from behind, his pace much slower than the others.
"Steven! Stay out of this!" Peridot heard the fusion named Garnet say. Peridot turned and saw Garnet's gauntlets pointed at her as well. Peridot gulped. She was surrounded. There was only one way to escape and that was up. She was ready to make her aerial escape when another voice piped in.
"Leave her alone!" Ronaldo cried, running up to the gems.
"Ronaldo, don't-!" Peridot yelled with genuine concern. What was with him and picking fights with other gems? Did all humans do that?
"Amethyst, keep him out of this!" Garnet instructed.
"You got it, Garnet!" Amethyst turned and faced Ronaldo without another word with her fists ready.
"Don't hurt him!" Without thinking, Peridot tackled the purple gem to the ground only to get tossed back into the sand a few feet away from the wild haired gem.
"Amethyst!" Pearl rushed to the fallen gem's side with Garnet following close. Garnet was not happy.
"Peridot! You have overstayed your welcome! I think it is time for you to leave!" Garnet said angrily. She pulled her fist back, ready to send the technician into space with a punch and Peridot quickly shut her eyes in fear.
A loud echoing clang resonated through the area and Peridot's eyes shot back open in shock. A large familiar pink emblem held its place in front of Peridot and her eyes went straight to the owner of the shield.
"Steven! Get out of there!" Pearl angrily shouted with concern.
"Steven! Why are you defending her?" Amethyst asked with slight irritation. Garnet stayed silent. She slowly made over to the small boy and Steven lowered his shield, letting it dissipate in the air.
"Steven. Why did you protect Peridot?" Garnet asked cautiously. Steven held his ground in front of the fusion.
"She deserves a chance, Garnet. We can't hurt her without hearing what she has to say!" Steven reasoned.
"And you truly believe that?" Garnet asked. Steven nodded without wavering. "Even after she captured us and nearly sent us back as prisoners?" Steven hesitated but nodded nonetheless.
"She's a gem too and I want to hear her side of the story!" Steven said confidently. Peridot looked at the boy with surprise. This child stood up against the larger gem to protect her. Even though she nearly destroyed his planet, Steven still wanted to give her a chance and was willing to defend her against his caretakers' will. Garnet stared at the green gem with hard eyes.
"She's changed!" Ronaldo added, defending the gem in question. "I don't know what she did in the past, but she's not the same as she was before!" Garnet's expression didn't waver.
"We'll let her stay." Garnet stated simply before turning.
"What?" Pearl and Amethyst shouted in unison.
"Garnet! What do you mean-?" Pearl stammered in shock.
"If Steven thinks Peridot can change, we'll give her a chance." Garnet said before turning back to the cowering gem. "But if anything suspicious happens," Garnet summoned up her left gauntlet threating, "you can forget about ever going back to Homeworld in one piece." Peridot shivered at the words before standing back up, placing a hand on her chest where her yellow diamond emblem used to be.
"I am no longer affiliated with Yellow Diamond or Homeworld." Peridot stated. The other gems seemed shocked.
"Excuse me?" Pearl asked, wanting an explanation. Peridot gulped, not wanting to think about that fateful day.
"She saved my life!" Ronaldo burst in with enthusiasm. Peridot couldn't help but blush with embarrassment as Ronaldo recounted the events in the Kindergarten. The gems, on the other hand, did not seem as thrilled.
"You contacted Homeworld?" Garnet angrily asked Peridot. Peridot stiffened at the sudden outburst and shrank back.
"We're so dead! Yellow Diamond's going to send in an armada and we're all going to-!" Amethyst began freaking out, digging her hands in her messy hair.
"That possibility is very unlikely." Peridot reasoned. The Crystal Gems all looked at her in confusion. "I have destroyed all possible connections and contact with Homeworld. All records and documents have also been terminated. For all Yellow Diamond knows, I am the only gem on the Earth, and she is not likely to waste her armada on me." The gems looked at each other deep in thought.
"Garnet, please. If…if other gems are coming, we're going to need all the help we can get!" Steven said, hoping to convince the fusion. "Peridot knows technology we don't!" Garnet let out a sigh.
"Steven is right. We can not fight Homeworld alone. We need all the information we can get and Peridot seems to be the best source of information at the moment." Pearl and Amethyst stared at each other nervously but quickly dropped their weapons, agreeing with Garnet's decision.
"We have lots of questions to ask so, Peridot, you should stay here for tonight." Garnet explained, making her way back to the temple.
"Yeah! Slumber party!" Steven cheered, dragging Peridot along who followed with a confused expression.
"Slumber party?" she asked with confusion.
"Yeah! It's when friends get together and tell stories and eat snacks and sleep!" Steven chimed.
"Gems do not need to sleep." Peridot deadpanned. The mention of sleep reminded her of a certain human. "What about Ronaldo? Is he coming too?" Ronaldo ran after them.
"Yeah, what about me?" The gems all stared at the human with little interest.
"You? Just go back home?" Amethyst suggested. Garnet and Pearl seemed to nod with agreement.
"I can't just leave Peridot!" Ronaldo shouted without thinking.
"Why not?" Steven piped curiously. Ronaldo felt a slight blush creep on his cheeks when he realized what he had just said.
"Uh, b-because I still need to put stuff on my blog…" Ronaldo said trailing off.
"Garnet, can Ronaldo stay for the slumber party too?" Steven asked excitedly.
"Steven, I really don't think it's necessary to-"Pearl started.
"Actually, I am fine with Ronaldo staying for this 'party of slumber.'" Peridot added. Pearl looked at Garnet, hoping she would side with her.
"I don't see why he can't stay." Garnet said simply. Pearl groaned and crossed her arms in defeat.
"Why does he always end up at our house?" Pearl grumbled to herself remembering all the times he had shown up to their home uninvited.
"Oh man this is going to be so fun! It'll be like there isn't an evil gem coming to destroy the Earth!"
"Steven!"
Waves crashed along the shore. The soft sounds of ocean currents echoed through the surface, but beneath it, chains rattled violently.
"You can't hold onto me forever!"
"You shouldn't be concerned about me!"
"Unfuse before we lose ourselves!"
"Never!"
"Once Malachite takes over, we will be nothing but a killing machine!"
"Shut up!"
"What would Steven think of you when you kill off his family?"
"BE QUIET!"
The searing fusion's limbs stretched to its back, its clawed hand digging into the blue gem.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to end this, while I still know who I am."
A/N: Thanks for reading!