Welcome to Season 4! This season is gonna be awfully short (thanks a lot filler), but it'll be exciting, so let's go!
Should I really be doing this? Spinel asked herself, as she had been doing these past few weeks.
She had given herself some time to think about this choice she wanted to make. She thought of all the words to say and all the possibilities of how things would turn out.
It was in the middle of the night, and she had made sure Steven was in bed and everyone else had gone into their rooms or where doing something else. She didn't want anyone, not even Steven to know. She knew very well what she was doing was incredibly risky, but she hoped what she was doing was right. She wanted it to be.
After she stood in the middle of the Burning Room, next to the pool of lava, her eyes searched for a particular Gem. There was Beryl... Ocean Jasper... Hawk's Eye... Serpentine... Druzy... Larimar... Amber... Helenite... and- Aha!
Spinel spotted the Gem she was looking for and reached up for it with her stretched arm. She held it enough to get a grip on it, but not enough to pop it. She held it up to eye level and smiled calmly.
Placing the items she needed into her gemstone, Spinel took the bubbled Gem with her and, after checking around the house once more, she warped away.
Steven murmured in his sleep when he thought he heard something, but ignored it and went back to sleep.
The Prime Kindergarten
Spinel sighed as she arrived into Amethyst's beginnings. She was quite surprised, even now that the injectors remained in the same spot they have left them.
"Alright," She whispered, gazing at the gemstone, "Let's do it."
She laid it on the ground. Stepping away from it, she reached a finger out, put pressure on the bubble to make it pop, and the gemstone landed on the ground. After a second, it glowed and floated upwards, revealing the one and only...
Jasper.
Her outfit was quite different than the typical soldier, her top now a brown-orange with tan markings on it.
When she landed, the orange Gem groaned and stood up, and looked around, puzzled. She sensed someone behind her and turned to face it, only to gasp.
Spinel swallowed back any fear, "Heeeeeey Jasper..."
"W-Where am I?!" Jasper snapped, standing up, "What... Why did you let me out?" She snarled.
"Oh…" Spinel thought back to what she was going to say, but that didn't stop her from feeling nervous, "You remember when I said we'd talk later back in the... Beta Kindergarten?"
Jasper stood still, "Of course I do, don't be stupid."
To her internal surprise, the pink Gem didn't scowl or retort. They continued to stare at each-other, not knowing what to say. Even Spinel didn't think of this happening.
"Alright, let's try some ice breakers," said Spinel, "Hey Jasper! I was hoping you and I could have a friendly chat with no one else around!"
Jasper glanced from side to side, "Not even Rose?"
Spinel's smile faltered, "His name is Steven. He's Rose's son. She gave up her form to become Steven. All that remains of her is the gem in his stomach."
Jasper wasn't buying it and humphed, "Well, if you wanted to talk, then too bad. I'm in no mood to talk, especially to little cowards like you."
Again, surprisingly, Spinel didn't fight back against her insult, "Alright. If I'm a coward, why not go ahead and punch me then?"
The orange Gem blinked, "... Really?"
Spinel nodded, "Yeah, let's have a rematch. You and me. Let's see how much I improved, even though I did throw you on that finger months ago, right?"
Like she expected, Jasper actually seemed pumped up to fight. She didn't need to say anything as the other Gem swung her arm towards her. Spinel grabbed it with both hands, grinned and spun around like a tornado.
Then she flung Jasper to one of the holed walls, creating a crack from the impact. Jasper chuckled, not bothering to clean off the dirt as she summoned her helmet and charged into Spinel.
But she jumped, and Jasper collided into the ground. Standing up, Jasper began to throw punches, which Spinel deflected with her own punches and stepped backwards. They kept this up for a few seconds until Spinel found an opening and punched Jasper square on the jaw.
Jasper almost fell back, a smirk still spread across her face, "Not bad..."
"Want more?" Spinel ignored the exhaustion. She wasn't going to end this fight too soon, not until both she and Jasper were too tired.
"... Of course I do..."
After for what like forever passed, both Gems, still in the Prime Kindergarten, kept standing and heaved for breath. Dust and small injuries covered their bodies. More craters and broken pieces of rock were strewn around them. Some, but not all, exit holes were damaged in the process.
"Wanna..." Spinel panted, "Wanna keep... going?"
Jasper, who was kneeling, stood straight up and let out a hearty laugh, "Wow! You actually put effort into that! And not even staying on the ground or running away… That's some improvement."
Spinel nodded, "Why, you're welcome!"
"That wasn't a 'thank you'," Jasper grunted, wiping the dust off her chest, "That was just a comment."
"Got that," The pink Gem smiled softly, patting her dress from the ash and pieces of rock that clung to it. They fell into silence again, but this time, it wasn't as awkward as before as Spinel sat down and took out her items.
She could tell Jasper was looking, so she didn't want to make it look weird, so she gently placed the blanket down, along with a picnic basket. She opened the flap, grabbing an orange, which she gently peeled with ease and carefully took each piece out and popped them into her mouth.
"... What are you doing?" Jasper asked, breaking the silence.
"Eating."
She didn't even need to see Jasper's scowl, "Gems don't need to eat."
"They can, and I will." Spinel said back, no malevolence heard in her voice..
After a few minutes, Jasper finally gave into her curiosity and walked over to Spinel, sitting down a good distance from her. Spinel only gave her a glance before turning back to her fruit.
"... ... Actually," Jasper looked away for a second, "Are you sure you want to talk?"
Spinel nodded, "Of course." She handed her a piece of orange.
Jasper stared at the piece in her large hands, "... How do you… eat?"
The pink Gem took a piece and placed it in her mouth, "Like this."
The other Gem was bewildered by that, but her undeniably burning curiosity made her do the action Spinel did. And when she swallowed, she did the same thing. Jasper was taken aback by the sweet, citrine taste of the orange.
"What is that?" Jasper asked, "Is there more?"
Spinel was taken by surprise, but took out another orange and peeled it, "Here." She gave Jasper another few pieces, which accepted them and ate them.
For the third time that night, silence fell between them. It was rather nice this time, Spinel feeling Jasper's hostility fade just a smidge, but that was good enough for her. As long as they were having a nice time after that hour-long brawl.
"Okay…" Jasper sighed, "About that whole… 'talking' thing." She made air quotes with her fingers, "What exactly did you want to talk about?"
"Well…" The pink Gem ate the last piece, "You."
Jasper blinked, "Me?"
"Yeah! We're…" Spinel thought back to what Garnet said to Peridot, "We're very different. I appreciate that."
The orange Gem raised a brow, "You do?" She asked, unsure.
Spinel nodded, "Along with Garnet, Peridot, Pearl… and Amethyst. In fact, this is the place where Amethyst was made. 500 years ago." She stood up and walked towards the smallest exit hole.
Jasper followed, staring at it, "Hmph, it really is small."
"Yeah," Spinel agreed, "A failure coming out of a big success. It's something Amethyst thought about for a long time."
The orange Gem glanced at her, "What do you mean?"
"Amethyst may seem like she's this laidback, carefree Gem who likes to approves of mischief, but from the years I've spent with her, Pearl and I learned that she wasn't completely that. In fact, like you, she agonized over that there was something wrong with her."
"..."
"She joined the Crystal Gems to get away from that fact, but she never forgot about it. Like you."
"What?"
"I'm sure you already know, but we visited the Beta Kindergarten. I never really thought much about it back then, but now… Now I think I understand why you're this way."
Jasper groaned in frustration.
"But that shouldn't change the fact that you're perfect."
"... Perfect?"
"Yeah! I mean, you have the biggest exit hole in that place. Straight wall, perfectly shaped hole, and even frictional rock melt? That's amazing! You're the perfect Quartz soldier!"
Jasper almost began to blush and something that wasn't anger or vengeance in her arose, "Why are you talking like that? I thought you hated me?"
"I did…," Spinel admitted, "But after learning about your history, I want to give you a second chance."
"A… second chance?" Jasper stared at her and scoffed, "You don't mean that."
Spinel turned to her, "Of course I do! I promised myself I would only tell nothing but the truth!"
The Quartz soldier crossed her arms, "Well, even if you are telling the truth, why me? I've sworn revenge on you, planned to kill those defectives you call 'friends', and I was going to shatter you myself."
"I know. But I understand your situation now. You don't have to live that regret anymore. Pearl, Amethyst, Garnet, and I realized our creation doesn't make us who we are. We don't need to prove ourselves to make us feel better. If we just make our own choices, we'd realize… We're already great just the way we are."
Jasper didn't look at her, looking down at the ground.
"And sure, you're right about being the opposite from Amethyst. You are different in one way, but the same in another."
"Like what?"
"You and Amethyst came out differently from the other Gems that were made. To put it specifically, in success, can come failure. But in failure, can come success."
Jasper felt that emotion swelling in her once more, but tried to push it away, "Whatever."
"Yeah, heh heh heh," Spinel laughed lightly, "That does sound needlessly complicated. But… I just wanted to let you make your choices. Your choices aren't mine. Neither the Diamonds'."
"..."
"Jasper… … Remember when you said we only get what we deserve?"
"... Of course."
"Well… If we go by that, then you deserve an apology."
Jasper froze, facing the pink Gem, speechless.
Spinel: … Jasper, I am humble for tonight I understand,
Your history to them never meant to have been said again.
You've suffered such injustice, such as thousands after you,
I offer an apology, one long overdue…
I am… sorry. Jasper, I am sorry.
Hear my song, and know I sing the truth.
I know you want to fight, but I reached kindness in your heart tonight!
And if you can forgive, and if you can forgive, love can truly live.
And if you can forgive, and if you can forgive, love can truly live.
Jasper couldn't fight that emotion anymore and just stood there, in awe of Spinel's singing.
Spinel: Jasper, I was frightened, but I'll even use my last breath,
To tell you that I'm sorry, let us end this dance of death.
Over 5000 years of agony, that to your heart they sent.
I am here with my amends, this senseless killing ends…
I am… sorry. Jasper, I am sorry.
Hear my song, and know I sing the truth.
I know you want to fight, but I reached kindness in your heart tonight!
And if you can forgive, and if you can forgive, love can truly live.
And if you can forgive, and if you can forgive, love can truly live...
Spinel finished her song, light dancing in her pink eyes, staring back at the awed Jasper. Wind blew through their hair.
"I..." Jasper turned away, "I don't know."
"Know what?"
"I DON'T KNOW!" The orange Gem barked before relaxing and sitting down.
Spinel smiled gently, wondering if Jasper had ever been given an apology before. She guessed not, since all Jasper has done was slave herself to Yellow Diamond, which made her feel more pangs of sympathy towards the soldier.
"Hey," Spinel spoke quietly, "You don't need to come with me if you don't want to. You do you, alright?"
She got no response. Knowing the morning sun wasn't too far from rising, Spinel walked back over to the warp pad.
"Hey!"
Spinel, nearly startled, turned to the other Gem, "Hmm?"
"Are..." Jasper hesitated for a moment, "Are you coming back?"
Spinel blinked, "Do you want me to?"
The orange Gem lowered her head, "... Maybe."
After hearing that, Spinel smiled kindly, "Alright then. I'll make sure to stop by when I can. I'll bring more oranges if you'd like! And we'll fight even more too!"
"That... That would be nice..."
Nodding, the pink Gem warped away, leaving Jasper alone in the Kindergarten. There was a gleam in the Gem's eyes as she thought about Spinel's words. Gazing back at Amethyst's hole, she could see Spinel was right about one thing.
She and Amethyst were total opposites than the Gems they were created with. And perhaps... she should be okay with that.
...This episode is gonna cause some controversy, isn't it?
But if some of you guys are bothered by me redeeming Jasper, then... That's fine. You don't have to like the changes I make. You're still an awesome person ^^
