A/N: Wow I lost track of time! My apologies, the mundane life loves to keep me busy -_- Thank you for your patience!

Chapter 14

"I do not like this. They should have come back already."

"Mmhmm."

"How can you not be worried?!"

Pearl paced about, a hand hanging over her mouth in unease, her eyes keeping locked to the town below from the hilltop they were camping on. Pearl had wanted to go into town, to find those two before anything could happen, yet Garnet informed her this was a good training lesson for the two youngest of their troup; so a compromise was made and this hill was chosen to watch the small town of Blossom Falls. Begrudginly, Pearl was at least pleased that the view allowed them a birds eye view to the land below, yet with how Garnet laid on the grass, arms lazily tucked behind her head, her foot tapping to some tune in her head; the gem was too relaxed!

Jasper was out there, and corrupted! The very thought of those two facing that... creature, chilled Pearl to the very core, causing her gem to itch. Ignoring it though, she continued to pace about, every few steps stopped to glance, and return to pacing about to try feebly in containing her anxiety; she was worried!

Pearl sucked down a sharp breath in surprise when in her midst of turning to yet once more pace in the crushed grass line she had made, there in her path stood Garnet, yet no longer humming and looking relaxed as she sternly stared over the landscape to the town below, fists tightly clenched.

"Garnet?"

"Trouble."

As if on cue, moments later, the faint cries, screams echoed from below and slowly, a tendril of smoke began to lift into the air.

"Steven! Amethyst!"

Pearls gem blazed bright as she kicking up her legs, leapt into the air in pursuit of Garnet's decending form who already summoned forth her gauntlets. Panic arose in her chest as Pearl felt the staff finalize forming in her tight grasp; humans and a corrupted Jasper, she dared to not think what would happen!

...

The oncoming evening air was chilly, a bit of a breeze danced about, lifting some of the old leaf debris from the long passed fall. Humans walked lazily or hurriedly about as if on predesignated tracks for their lives, some with bags in hand, others with brief cases, be it young or old, nothing was different to them as they wandered through the town at their paces. Nothing was out of place, and all seemed normal; the air was rendered apart with shattering glass, a blur of soft purple, ivory and black spun from the deli, colliding to the ground with a sickening crunch before skidding across the pavement to a slithering stop.

At first, the bystanders nearby had simply frozen, a few cries arose yet none tried to move as confusion littered their minds. The shards of glass now littering the sidewalk and street, gittered almost soothenly in the waning sunlight, it was when the large goldenrod hand came to rest on the vacant window sill top, any remaining shards of glass crunched dully, their edges ignored as livid yellow eyes glared at the lavender form as it struggled to rise to its fit, hands grasping onto the gem encrusted whip. Teeth clenched and bared, the large soldier lifting her foot onto the sill, still ignoring any attempts of the glass trying to give one final stab in its weakened, shattered state, lurched her form forward, the heavy boots crunching along the large shards of broken window littering the ground below. Standing straight, roling her shoulders and rotating her neck mockingly in a slow manner side to side, lips curled upward in a cruel sneer as her heavy form stalked forward with far more speed than the bystanders could have fathomed.

Selenite running past the fear stricken manager, and bruised, gut kicked child groaning on the ground, threw herself to the windows gaping hole, hands curling blindly onto the remaining shards of mounted glass, wide eyed, saw the many humans all around frozen, locked up, confused as with a vivid flash of light, Jasper's battle helm formed and hands clenched into broad fists.

"Everyone! Get out of here! They, uh... They are gems, run, run, RUN!"

Her voice yelled, bellowed into the cooling air and as if it was a bolt of lighting cracking over the sky, the humans snapped back to reality. Screams began to arise, footfall echoed all around, and swiftly even if the gem wars were tales of old, they were not forgotten, nor was the danger of these aliens even if dulled and muddled with these short lived creatures.

"Shit, put it out, put it out!"

The cook struggling to tear his apron off, throwing the cleaning gloves and stove charcoal to the ground, his eyes were locked to the corner of the deli near the window, drawing Selenite's attention, saw one of the small oil fueled candles that had been sitting on the booths table, had tipped, the oil spilling onto the table, trailed quickly by fire as it pooled into the small waste basket by the restroom of different variants of paper as smoke began to arise. Quickly, Selenite reaching down and plucking the wired waste bin, tossed it outside, the bin rolling wildly down the street for only so far, spilling its burning contents all around. Forgotten, Selenite looked back to the two quartz soldiers as Jasper was now giving into a uproarious laugh, Amethyst's whip locked in her crimson hand as she wrenched it down, pulled the gem from the ground, to be met with the curled up knee forcing a painful howl from the stunted soldier as she crumpled to the ground.

"Face it! You can not defeat me, you pathetic runt!"

A groan from the floor behind her made Selenite chance a glance over to the boy as he seemed to be coming to. This was all going to hell and quickly, she had to do something! Her eyes darted around in the deli for something, anything that could maybe end this! That was not likely... Pulling from the windowsill, Selenite colliding to a knee, bent over the boy and turned him onto his back, pulling a agonzied groan from his lips, his eyes ever so barely open as they tried to focus on her.

"Good, you're alive... Sean, grab me an ice pack. Lauren tend to him please, I need to stop Jasper!"

"Y-You're fired, you know that right?! This is ALL your fault!"

Lauren's panicked tone, high pitched and breathy reached Selenite who with a growl, narrowed her gaze and glared right at the human female who was frozen in place, eyes wide and staring very stricken to the battle going on outside.

"Do you think I give a fuck right now about a Job?! Sean, toss it!"

Clearly seeing Lauren was in no condition to be of use, Selenite held her hands up, catching the ice pack and quickly went about tugging the boy's shirt up, only to wince as she saw the already rising black, purple and blue mark on his gut, surrounding a-

"Rose Quartz?"

She whispered weakly, her hand trembled for a moment over the child's stomach; was Jasper telling the truth then of this child?! Was this Rose- No, impossible! He was not her, for if he was... would she not have protected the deformed soldier as she was being thrashed outside? Tossing her head, pushing those thoughts away for now as they were nothing to her for now, Selenite pressed the ice pack perhaps a bit rougher than need be to his stomach as he rasped painfully.

"You'll live, I need to make sure your friend lives as well... Fired or not, take care of him!"

Selenite rising to her feet, yelled the words yet focused at the backdoor, anything and everything behind her now forgotten as with the chime above the doorway, she stepped out of the deli and into the back alley where the large truck resided, waiting quietly.

The car belched black smoke as the engine roared to life, the care of the vehicle for the moment though was ignored as Selenite gripping the wheel, engaged the gears and slammed her foot onto the gas peddle. Tires screamed as the truck slamming backward from its parking spot, screeched and whipped forward to the main road from the alleyway, burning rubber smoked the air, mixing with the blackened smoke of singed oil. Those still fleeing, cried out, threw themselves out of the barreling pathway of the large truck as it grinding onto the road, its tires gripping the pavement, was thrown into a sharp corner; humans meant little to her right now, something else roared in Selenite, to protect, to get her out of here before-

"You have got to be fucking kidding me!"

The gem bellowed in rage as she saw the thin pale form zip past, colliding into the ground before bouncing and rolling sickeningly down the road a bit further before ceasing motion in a crumpled heap. It was the Pearl... So no doubt that Garnet was here as well! Stomping on the gas, tires spun out for a moment before the tread grabbed and slammed her forward and sharply around the corner where the battle was taking place. Shop windows all along the strip were shattered, cracked, blown out, debris littered the ground, cracks and gouges were grounded from the pavement as there in the middle of the ravaged road, Jasper bellowed as with her helm flashing in the dying sunlight, lurched forward, fists curled, head coming down on top of the fusion; Garnet.

Not even thinking, Selenite's foot pushed the peddle all the way down, the engine roared, black smoke spilled out from the exhaust as the vehicle began to gain more and more speed. Jasper looked up and upon seeing the vehicle, her fists in mid raise to the Garnet, gave one final swing before the soldier leapt to the side. Garnet having blocked the messy blow, turned around no doubt to see if the Pearl was safe, yet her jaw clenched tightly as she saw the trucks grating right before her.

The truck gave into a grinding cry as it slammed into the fusion, the wheels rolling over the form like a mutated bump along a road and clearing the obstruction, locking onto the pavement once more, Selenite lifting her foot from the gas, slammed it down onto the brakes. Throwing her door open, she saw the Amethyst running over to the downed Garnet who was recovering quickly; there were too many of them for just two of them...

"Jasper, get in, now!"

At first there was nothing and Selenite feared the soldier would defy, yet when the back end of the truck lurched, a loud bang of a fist to the side of the bed, Selenite floored it. The back end sliding to the side before the vechile regained itself, the gem felt both utter panic and relief fly through her as they screeched out of there. That was close, too close...

Silence fell over them as they flew down the road, even beyond the towns limits, she refused to slow down. Already Selenite plotted the backway to her cabin, it was rarely used and heavily overgrown, but she felt it was safer this time, and with how the engine of the truck was sounding, it may not matter what path they pick if too much time was wasted.

The night sky was near fully upon them when Selenite turning onto a unmarked, mountain road, slowed the vehicles speed down and began to crawl through the trail. As the thickening trees began to make the road near pitch black, Selenite pulled the switch to turn the lights on...

"Shit... fucking crystal gems..."

Slowing the truck to a stop, Selenite exiting the vehicle, with phone in hand, went to the front and upon holding the phone's activated light, softly cursed to the sight of crushed grill and one head light, the other; she assumed must have already been burned out due to it sitting outside for a few years. A sudden hiss of hot air and violent rattle startled a cry from the gems lips as she pocketing her phone, quickly returned to the cab and turned the truck off. Slowly, the engine rumbled off, white hissing steam began to arise underneath the hood, fueled with a sickly scent Selenite knew all too well.

"Shit! Raidiator is busted... we walk from here."

Was all she mumbled after the harsh curse as she now with the energy of the fight leaving, felt a twinge of unbelievable guilt as she came to rest a hand on the side of the trucks scratched and dinged paint. The trucks back end lurched as Jasper rising up, leapt effortlessly over, feet dully crunching over the rock and plant life as she made her way over, helm still residing over her head, tucking the wild ivory hair beneath.

"This truck was on its way out anyway... I guess I just held onto it for... stupid reasons..."

A flash of thought, a summers day, windows rolled down, the paint fresh, the engine purring as she drove down the coastline of the ocean as in the bed...

No; with a toss of her head, Selenite sucking down a weak breath, looked up to Jasper as her helm shimmered and faded to nothing, allowing the hair to spill around her face. Smiling faintly, Selenite reaching forward, curled her fingers around Jasper's crimson hand and lifted it up for her to look at.

"You are okay I hope... two and a half against once is a bit unfair."

"Hmph, I could have beaten them."

"I bet you could have, there is no doubt, but I prefer the town I call home to not be destroyed."

Or risk you being...

Quietly scorning herself for the dark thoughts, Selenite allowing Jaspers hand to fall from her own, turned and began walking upward the rock coverd road. Soon, the heavy footfall fell into place behind her and Selenite felt a wave of tension she had not realized she was holding on to, flit away. As time passed, they remained in mostly silence, yet as almost a full hour ticked by, Selenite felt she was going to go stir crazy with all that was rattling in her skull. Ceasing her steps, Selenite whirled around and looked right up at Jasper who seemed rather confused for the sudden motion.

"You were right by the way! That Steven kid, he has Rose Quartzs gem! Yet it makes no sense, he acts exactly like a damn child!"

Grumbling, Selenite throwing her arms over her chest, looked at Jasper for some response, yet gaining nothing, she continued.

"There has to be some connection with his father, Greg. I never engaged them, but it doesn't mean I did not spy on them. There has never been a fusion of human and a gem, yet... I guess, if you can mold your body to be similar to that of a human, maybe it is possible? None of this makes sense, furthermore, those crystal gems now know the town we thrive in and no doubt come skulking about."

"We should have shattered them."

"Why? What purpose would that be for? Other than you, who would care?"

Upon hearing Jasper's angrily hissed words, Selenite retorted as she fixed the soldier with a side glance of her blue eyes.

"Ask yourself this, is your wanting to shatter them what you were originally made for, or do you truly want to see them turned into dust?"

Quieting her tone, Selenite turning, looked right at the quartz, yet any trace of glare or agitation was gone.

"I..."

Was all that was uttered, yet the defiance, and stubborn expression warped as Jaspers eyes glazed over, lost in thought. Uncertainty hung there, and Selenite understood all too well what Jasper must be feeling... they were both made to fight, to destroy the Diamonds foe; the crystal gems. To realize the truth of this, to go against what you were made to do was a challenge; at first. Jaspers form flinched when Selenite reaching out, grasped the soldiers wrist, gaining those sharp eyes as she smiled up at her.

"It will take time, lets go home an we can figure it out together, all right?"

Giving a slight tug toward the moutain trail that would guide them up, Seleniter refocusing on her destination, continued to hold onto Jaspers wrist as she felt a ping of anxiety... From what though? Perhaps fear that she had over stepped with the contact and the soldier would become furious if not let go soon, or perhaps... dare she even fathom the idea that, it having been so long since she had anyone near her, to touch them even a little sent her head spinning. A few moments of silence passed and the weight of the wrist she held seemed to grow heavier and heavier, with a trickle of a breath slipping past her lips, Selenite attempted to ease the strained air she was mostly certain only she felt...

"I am surprised they came this far out here, I wonder why... typically they stay close to their base. Still, they now know you are here... I doubt they think anything of me other than a crazy human helping a soldier. What? Hey, I am not a quartz, fighting isn't always my thing."

Selenite chuckled the last of her words upon hearing Jasper's grunt to her commentary of being a human. It really was no surprise Jasper saw her form as a means of weakness, but even if so, Selenite was happy, it kept her all the further from what she really was and allowed her to experience this organic planet as close as she could like a real human.

"They were after me."

Selenite paused when she heard Jaspers words, the wrist fell from her grip as the soldier walked past her and continued moving forward.

"Wait, what? Jasper, what do you mean?"

When the soldier stilled, Selenite made quick work of catching up yet stopped alongside her, looking up at the soldier confused and befuddled. She had known the quartz had come here to retrieve the crystal gem leader, rose quartz, yet failed- wait... Blinking, her eyes grew wide as she suddenly clicked the pieces of the puzzle. She had figured Jasper coming to this planet had not been long ago, yet it seemed far sooner than she had previously thought. Originally she had figured it was a few sun cycles ago seeing that child was not terribly old, yet now she began to figure; it was much, much sooner than what Selenite had thought...

"You fought them before you got corrupted and they have been after you ever since. You came here not long ago, less then I had thought even, wait, wait, wait... Jasper, do you know what this means?!"

Too excited to even register Jaspers raised eyebrow, Selenite laughing, grasped the soldiers red hand and examined it closely before lifting the arm up so Jasper could see as well, gaining an all the more confused expression.

"Jasper; you were corrupted for barely any real amount of time, you may be truly cured! Am- mmm, Amethyst was corrupted for so many cycles, and any others I had tried to... help. But you! You must have only been corrupt for what, not even a full sun cycle?! Especially with how volatile the crystal gems were when they- um... I did not mean, I am sorry, I-"

"You did nothing wrong, cease the use of that word."

"Wha- oh right, no I guess I did not, it, I'm s- uh... guess- um, r-right then, shall we?"

Silenced by a Jasper, that is a first...

Dropping Jaspers hand, Selenite stiffly turned on her heel once more and began walking down the mountain road upon Jaspers gravelly tone stealing the words from her mouth. Selenite felt embarrassed, foolish even for having acted so... eager? Childish? Her hand lifted up and gripped her concealed gem as she sank her teeth into her bottom lip, the gravel crunching muffled beneath her feet while she felt the flush along her face.

The silence hung heavy as they walked onward, the minutes turned into an hour, and as it crept into a second, Selenite releasing a heavy breath came to a stop as there, in the pitch black fueled by the waning moonlight...

"Home."

Selenite stood in place, eyes wide when she heard the word utter from not just her own lips, blinking she glanced over to Jasper as she stood there, a large intimiating form in the moons weak light, yet that soft spoken word held so much more than a basic statement. Sighing softly, Selenite looking back to the cabin, began making her way toward the doorway.

"I am happy we are back, but after a shower, I am passing out. Sleep well Jasper."

The final words wracked with a yawn, Selenite pulling the door to the side, stumbled into her cabin and made her way looking at nothing further but the direction of her bed. Uncaring to remove her clothing, to change into her sleeping wear, Selenite felt her legs lock up and before her body made contact with the bed, unconciousness overtook her from the hellish day that was suppose to be a day off; her desire for a shower forgotten as quickly as the thought had trickled into her mind.