This is the rewritten chapter 26. I wrote the last one horribly, I knew I wrote it horribly but I had this kinda 'nah it's fiiiine' 2am feeling going on, so I posted it anyway. I'm sorry for not adding anything new this update, but I couldn't really push through with the trainwreck I originally had up.
In other news, I'm looking for a beta to help me with some of the editing of this story. I can do it on my own, but being the writer I don't really get that much of a second opinion on my work until it's already public. This request is also coming at the 26th chapter of a pretty out-there story, so I figured I'd get more luck here than searching through Steven Universe betas.
As always, I hope you enjoy! :)
The evening passed peacefully into night, and the night turned to day. The moment the sun peeked above the horizon, however, one could perceive a distant hand-like figure in the sky.
Steven and Amethyst were woken up. Peridot was dragged from their favourite episode of Camp Pining Hearts. Everybody ran to Lion, who seemed to know that something was wrong and immediately took them to Beach City.
Within a matter of minutes they were back on the beach, Steven calling up Mayor Dewey to organise an evacuation. They stared up at the hand in the sky, which now appeared blue as the sun rose above the horizon.
Garnet looked around at their friends. "Alright, everybody. This is going to be tricky, but as long as nobody provokes them we'll be alright."
"Sounds like a good plan." A voice came from behind. The Gems looked and saw Aventurine step out of the house and jump down onto the sand.
"Aventurine!" Pearl summoned their spear, Garnet and Amethyst doing the same. "Why you little-!"
"Aren't you guys forgetting something?" The cloaked Gem pointed at the ship. "Homeworld's watching. And what have they got on board again?"
Reluctantly the three withdrew. Aventurine grinned at Peridot.
"Hey, pieslice! How's that stab healing?"
The green Gem crossed their arms, saying nothing. Steven in the meantime ran up to the cloaked Gem.
"Steven!" Pearl called, but they didn't slow. The boy dashed up to Aventurine and gave them a hug.
"What's this?" The cloaked Gem blinked in surprise before settling back into an easy smile. "It seems I still have a fan."
Steven gripped the Gem tightly. "You can't go to Homeworld! Peridot said they were gonna harvest you – whatever that means - so you could stay here!"
"No, she can't!" Garnet called.
"Hey, buddy." Aventurine was beginning to look distinctly uncomfortable. "Blue Diamond wouldn't touch this stone. Now, would you let go?"
"No! You can't leave!"
"Steven." The cloaked Gem's darker tone struck a chord within Peridot. "Let go."
"Steven, let go!" Peridot, then looked to the other Gems. "What are you standing around for?! Do something!"
They mobilised, the light of the Homeworld ship on their backs.
Luckily, Steven recognised something was wrong and backed off, staring with wide eyes up at Aventurine. The Gem pulled their cloak tightly around their form as the wind blew harder, facing the glaring Crystal Gems. "Thanks, Steven. This was fun and all, but the giant ship is thatta way."
Garnet spun around. "No time to worry about Aventurine. They're nearly here!"
The five assembled in a tight group, half looking up at the ship and half keeping an eye on Aventurine. The blue Homeworld ship began to slow, turned over and slammed down on the beach in the exact same manner the green one had.
Once the sand cleared, they could see a small pod roll onto the tip of the index finger, which dropped on the ground. Five Gems stepped onto the beach; a Peridot, three Rubies and a pale Pearl, whose head was bowed low. All of them had some sort of strange black device around where their gemstones were
Peridot blinked in surprise. They sent another Peridot? Around them Pearl gasped in horror, and Garnet clenched their fists.
Aventurine smiled. "Hello, Homeworld."
The Homeworld Peridot frowned, bringing up a screen on their limb enhancers – the exact limb enhancers Peridot used. "This is the... Aventurine, Amethyst sent us to pick up."
The Rubies shrugged, so the Pearl spoke up. "They do fit our description."
"Yes, yes." The Homeworld Peridot spoke into their screen. "Amethyst, the Gem does fit our description."
"Amethyst?" Amethyst raised an eyebrow, which was met by a knowing grin from the cloaked Gem.
"You're not unique. Well, you might be because you're a runt, but-"
"Excuse me?"
"You two!" The Homeworld Peridot pointed. "Can't you see I'm busy? Stop talking!"
Aventurine snorted. "Why, of course. I'll stop talking right now; I'll just zip my lips and let you carry on with what you're-"
"Shut up!" The Peridot snapped, then looked down fearfully at their screen. "Wait, not you Amethyst! I-it was for the Aventurine, she was being most uncooperative... ahem. No, it won't happen again. Yes. Yes, I will, right away." They shut down their screen with a pouty glare.
"What'd Amethyst say?" One of the Rubies asked.
The Homeworld Peridot pointed a floating finger at the Crystal Gems. "Amethyst told me to separate those traitors and wait for further instructions."
"Right." One of the Rubies – the same one that had spoken before and appeared to be the dominant voice - cracked their fists and ventured forward, the other two following close behind. "Let's beat up these Rebels!"
The Crystal Gems crowded together around Steven and Peridot, their gemstones glowing.
"Beat us up, will ya?" Amethyst balled their fists.
"Ahem." Aventurine intervened before anything could truly go wrong. "We made this thing called an agreement, you know? It's where I go and tell Blue Diamond important stuff, and you don't shove around this here group. Capiche?"
The Ruby blinked. "Oh. Right." They turned to the Peridot. "What does Amethyst say?"
"Yes." The Peridot sighed. "Those unfortunately were Amethyst's orders from her Diamond. Though I wonder what my Yellow Diamond would say about this strategy."
"So if we can't touch them, what do we do?"
The Peridot sighed deeply. "We'll just have to perform a count and a visual inspection. It's better than nothing, I suppose."
"There's five of them." Aventurine chipped in. "Just like I told-"
"Shut up! One, two," They pointed at Garnet. "three four, five, six... wait a minute, that's one more!"
The cloaked Gem snorted.
"What is that sound for? Explain this to me, Aventurine!"
They shrugged, earning an aggravated glance from the Crystal Gems. "Maybe you just stink at counting?"
"Why you little... Don't make me call Amethyst again!"
The Homeworld Pearl quietly intervened. "Perhaps our informant mistakenly counted the fusion as one entity?"
The Peridot narrowed their eyes at Aventurine. "No, that seems too... Rubies! What is your opinion?"
"Aventurine could be lying to us!" The leader suggested.
"Yeah! And if she's lying we can punch her in the face!"
"Yes..." The Peridot smirked. "And any lie told by the informant authorises me to use the corruption device!"
Garnet shot a glare at Aventurine. "Do something!"
Aventurine shrugged.
They pressed the button. The ship behind them began to lift into the air, emitting a loud whirring sound as it moved into the position of a pointing finger. A small grey nozzle was beginning to extend from the tip.
Pearl gasped. "I can't do this again! I can't!"
"Do what?" Peridot frowned.
Before any answer could come the green Gem felt something push them to the ground. They looked up and saw Garnet racing forwards, only their left gauntlet summoned. They powered past the Rubies and jumped onto the ship.
"Garnet, no!" Pearl cried out. The fusion punched the nozzle completely off, causing a spurt of clear liquid to shoot out and land on them. Garnet lost their grip and fell right in front of the Homeworld Peridot, who let out a rather undignified squeak and caught them with a tractor beam.
The Crystal Gems tried to come to their aid, but the Rubies fused together and stood in the way. Amethyst and Pearl formed Opal and the two clashed. One was much more suited to close combat than the other, and it wasn't the one with a bow.
"Opal!" Steven rushed forwards to help, much to Peridot's distress.
"Steven, wait! Look at the ship!"
The ship was turning in their direction, tip glowing in anticipation to fire, and with a final punch the Ruby jumped out of the way. The boy didn't seem to have noticed.
Peridot reached out to Steven just before the ship blasted them, throwing the two in completely different directions. The green Gem landed on the soft beach in the middle of the dust cloud thrown up by the explosion.
"That was a mess!" Somebody was speaking from somewhere in the dust. "What will Amethyst think? Rubies, load these Crystal Gems in the ship."
The green Gem stood up, trying to make their way towards the Gems. They walked around before splashing right into the sea; with a yelp of surprise they drew back.
"Wait. What was that?"
The green Gem froze.
A voice Peridot recognised as Aventurine spoke up. "Ah, it's probably a fish or something. So where are we going again, Mars?"
"I'm sure that Blue Diamond already told you. But... hmmm. I could've sworn there were two more of those Crystal Gems."
"Hey, hey, let's not get mixed up with counting again, eh?"
"Fine. Let's go."
Peridot breathed a sigh of relief. Then they realised what this meant.
"Wait!" They shouted through the clearing dust. There was a whirring sound as the ship began to start up again. "Amethyst? Garnet? Steven?"
"Peridot!"
"Steven!" Peridot turned just in time to get a tackle hug to the ground. "Nyah, Steven! Why are you attacking me?!"
"You're alright! I saw the explosion and I was so worried – wait." They sat up and looked around. "Where's Opal and Garnet? Where's the ship?"
Peridot shoved the boy away with a grumpy expression. Then looked up, and their mood changed instantly. "Steven, I think we have a problem."
The ship was flying away.