Clouds began to roll in, draping their long shadows over the city buildings and dimming the streets. A chill settled over the air, and the smell of rain seeped in, competing viciously with the lingering scent of ash and smoke.
Steven grunted in frustration as another one of his punches missed, and Spinel cackled impishly, spinning out of reach. The fight was surprisingly even, Spinel was so good at evasive maneuvers that, so far, Steven hadn't landed a single hit. He panted, muscles jittery from over-exertion, and sweat gathered on his skin. A few drops even ran over the smooth surface of his gem, which was overworking itself to keep both his physical and light form in motion.
The Diamonds watched the fight fixedly, looking for any opportunity to use their new, much less violent abilities. Blue's clouds just kept getting deflected, and Yellow hadn't found a safe opening yet. The last thing she wanted to do was hit Spinel by accident, but it was so difficult to just stand by and watch.
Most stressful was the fact that Spinel had yet to unsheathe the Rejuvenator. They knew she was just waiting for the right moment, but for the Diamonds, that moment was taking forever to arrive.
Spinel seemed to have much more patience.
Steven tried a charge at her, but Spinel quickly wrapped her hand around his wrist, using his own momentum to twirl him around. He was sent stumbling backwards, and barely caught himself from stepping straight into one of Blue's clouds. Spinel had been trying to corral him towards them, and was making more progress than he'd like to admit.
Steven righted himself and shook his head, trying to get his vision to stop spinning. He'd been tripped, swung around, knocked over and toyed with enough times to give him vertigo, and was beginning to wonder if they'd specifically sent Spinel after him because of his tendency for motion sickness.
But enough was enough.
Taking a moment to eye his target, Steven stepped into the air and shot himself at her like a meteor.
In the split seconds she had before impact, Spinel finally saw her moment.
He barely had time to skid to a stop, twisting his body and maintaining a safe distance of fifteen feet. For a few moments, both froze, staring at each other. Steven breathing heavily, and Spinel clutching her weapon for dear life. The Rejuvenator hummed, glowing brightly under the dim sky, with Spinel branding it in her steady hands like a baseball bat.
Spinel's arms quivered once, and she unfroze, rushing at him and whirling the familiar weight of the Rejuvenator with natural ease. Steven tried to block with a shield, but the blade sliced through like it was tissue paper.
Any rage that had built up during the fight turned to cold, hard fear. He grit his teeth, trying to hold on to whatever scraps of confidence he had left, but it was draining fast.
He was forced to backtrack, taking up the evasive role and barely managing to keep himself out of harms way.
Finally, he got a hold of the Rejuvenator's grip, locking them both in a deadly game of tug-o-war. Steven was easily stronger, but Spinel had been trained for this type of situation by Amethyst.
She grinned, digging her fingers into his side, wiggling them furiously. He burst into unconsenting giggles, grip loosening on the hilt.
With a sharp tug, she ripped it from his fingers, and he lost his balance, falling to the ground. Blue's clouds drifted around them like a gate, blocking off his exit.
"Yellow!" Blue shouted.
He felt it before he saw it. His body thrummed with electricity, yellow light encompassing his vision as Yellow forcefully tried to reshape his physical form. His limbs started to shorten, and his body began to look more like it had before. Soft and weak and pathetic. Because they wanted their old Steven back; the one who wasn't a threat, who was fine being used as a stress toy as long as his abuser could learn and grow.
The Steven who was always afraid, all the time, who cried some nights because he wished his mother hadn't created him.
Yellow finished her work, and Spinel went in with the scythe raised high. Steven's stomach flipped with terror.
"No- Stop!" He held up a hand and tried to push himself back, but Spinel just gave him a sad smile.
"Sorry, buddy."
"I said STOP!" He bellowed. Spinel was knocked off her feet, dropping the scythe, which clacked against the hard concrete. The clouds were blown away, along with any dust or debris on the roof, and for several seconds, everyone was still.
Steven scowled, curling his fists and standing up. He steadily returned to his Diamond Height, which was still much, much smaller than Yellow or Blue, but at least he didn't feel weak helpless afraid.
Never again.
Spinel broke from her shock the fastest, and her eyes locked on the Rejuvenator. She dived for it, moving like a striking cobra, but Steven was just a split second faster.
She was inches away from the target when his foot came down on her head, poofing her instantly.
The Diamonds were paralyzed with shock. They stared at the spot Spinel's gem lay, while Steven picked the weapon up. He gazed at it in disgust for a moment or two, before snapping it over his knee and tossing the two halves over the ledge like garbage.
A few feet away, a drop of rain burst on the cement, the first of many.
Emerald snarled rage. Her saber was the only thing between her face and Pearl's spear, quivering with the force of their struggle. She could barely get any leverage from the position she was in, as Pearl had knocked her clean onto her back.
"Embarrassed?" Asked Pearl. Emerald hissed like a trapped snake.
Behind them, the beginnings of rain drummed against the glassless windowsill of the deserted fastfood place. Pearl's hair hadn't fully dried, and was cemented around her gem, hanging limp and pale under the blinking fluorescent lights. One bar hung from the ceiling, flickering treacherously, and a breeze slithered in through the blown out windows, rustling napkins on the floor like autumn leaves. Pearl looked a little like a drowned bird, almost as tired and scuffed up as the establishment, but never seemed more triumphant.
The injustice of it made Emerald sick. It had to be a trick, an illusion, Emerald had been cheated out of victory by a deceitful Pearl, pretending to be a better fighter than she really was. There was no other explanation for it.
Bismuth's head poked through one of the longer, viewpoint windows. She rested her palms on her hips, giving Pearl a smile.
"Hey Pearl! I got- I got. Um…" She trailed off, mouth going ajar. A slight blush stained her cheeks.
"Yes, Bismuth?" Pearl asked, not taking her eyes off Emerald.
"Well, I was just checking in on you, but it- it looks like you- like you're good."
"Very good." Said Pearl, and Bismuth blushed even more.
"Well, that's, that's uh- hey," Bismuth peered back over her shoulder, frowning at something behind her. There was a thick, dull crash, and the sound of Holly Blue's angry muttering as she crawled out of the rubble.
"You're still- ! Aw, hang on Pearl, I gotta go."
Bismuth left, and Pearl and Emerald were back to where they left off.
Garnet caught Hessonite's sword just seconds before it carved through her head.
She grunted, arms shaking as the sharp end inched closer and closer. Rain had slicked the blade, making it difficult to grip. To make matters worse, droplets were collecting on her visor, making it equally difficult to see.
"Stronger than me, huh?" Hessonite breathed. She had Garnet pinned, her lower back against the railing of the bridge, with Hessonite's fangs winking at her. It was an incredibly precarious position, and it took all of her strength and balance to keep from being pushed over.
She chanced a look behind her. Raindrops fell into the empty street below, polishing the leaves of any remaining city trees. Garnet's arms trembled, and her feet struggled to remain planted on the increasingly slippery sidewalk, but her resolve held strong.
"...Absolutely." She said, curling her fingers tightly around the blade. She grunted, muscles flexing with a last release of stored up power, and the blade finally snapped, forcing Hessonite to take several long steps back.
She glowered, but formed another sword.
"You- you realize- you two are shamelessly sacrificing all of- all your combined dignity-"
"Don't be jealous." Said Garnet. "You'll find someone. Eventually."
Hessonite snorted through her nose, getting ready to charge again.
"Might want to work on your approach, though." Garnet added, taking a defensive stance.
"Don't you ever quit?" Jasper asked.
Amethyst wiped dust from her mouth, laid out in a pile of dark, rain-soaked rubble. Mud was sticking to her arms and legs, staining her hair. She blinked a few drops out of her eyes, staring blearily up at Jasper.
"Not good at it." She replied, but when she tried to get to her feet, Jasper put a foot on her gem, pinning her.
"I don't understand." Jasper said honestly. "You know you shouldn't exist. Your form is weak, you're useless. Why are you still here?"
Amethyst grunted, tried to push the foot off, but lacked the strength.
"I'm kinda not useless," She said. "and I should exist."
Jasper growled, frustrated at the lack of emotion Amethyst was displaying. No despair, no outrage. She pressed harder on the gem, making her wince.
"I could shatter you." Said Jasper. "I could-"
"Steven wouldn't forgive you." She rasped.
Jasper scowled.
"He hates you."
"You wish."
Jasper increased the pressure, and Amethyst screwed her eyes shut in pain.
"Shut up." Said Jasper.
She got ready to finish her work, when she heard Steven's Song begin to pick up and amplify. It was louder, more urgent. They both stopped to listen.
It was a distress call, sent for Jasper. Amethyst's heart sunk at the realization, but she saw her opening, and she'd be damned if she wouldn't take it.
She snapped her whip, wrapping it around one of the horns on Jasper's helmet. With a yank, she threw Jasper off balance and rolled out from under her.
Jasper hissed, steadying herself and fixing Amethyst with a glare.
"I don't have time for this, runt."
"I do."
"You can't beat me."
"Probably not, no."
Jasper rolled her eyes, turning to leave, but as soon as she lifted one foot, Amethyst caught it around the ankle with her whip and pulled with all her strength.
Both pairs of eyes widened in shock when it actually brought her to the ground.
Jasper snarled, ripping the whip out of Amethyst's hands and lumbering to her feet.
"I sure can slow you down, though." Said Amethyst, forming another two whips.
"What are they doing?" Asked Mean Lapis.
"I don't know." Said Regular Lapis.
Rain pattered atop the canvas of the picnic tent they stood beneath. While the weather had made plenty of ammunition for the two, they'd gotten distracted from trying to kill each other and were now watching the ensuing death match between the two Peridots.
Squaridot had lost one of her limb enhancers already, and as a consequence, had landed back first onto the console of the communication center. She was trying to shield herself from Peridot's tiny hands in what had become a one-sided slapping competition, while Peridot let loose a maelstrom of feral growls and expletives.
"Go Perry! You get her!" Lapis shouted, and Mean Lapis quickly stepped forward, screaming at the top of her lungs.
"Don't let her pin you!" She cried. "Just- get her- oh my stars."
They continued to observe the battle, cheering on their own side. Peridot was easily more aggressive than the two, and while Squaridot had longer reach, Lapis's supportive cheering spurred her on. Mean Lapis was much harsher on Squaridot, but there was a soft undertone in her voice, and she was fighting off a smile. Neither Lapises were taking the fight seriously anymore.
"...This is actually pretty fun to watch." Said Lapis.
"...Little bit." Admitted Mean Lapis.
Blue gripped onto Yellow, staring dumbly at Steven. His breathing was harsh and heavy, and he continued to stare ahead. The rooftop was caught in a dead silence.
Yellow took a step forward, and he tensed, beginning to shake.
"Steven…" She said, voice tense but quiet, and angry. Chills went up his spine.
His body reacted before his mind did, and all he could think was get them away get them away from me don't let them hurt me they want to hurt me-
The wall formed before any of them could react, thick and spiked, like the one he'd made when don't think about that horrible night it never happened it never happened.
He sent it toward them with everything he had, but they easily caught it with their hands, and the wall came to a dead stop.
Steven panicked, adrenaline shooting through his veins, and his glow intensified. His gem lent him every bit of strength he possessed in reserve.
But it wasn't enough. The Diamonds began pushing back, and he grunted, chest heaving as he struggled to fend them off. They gained momentum, and he found himself losing ground faster and faster. He called for Jasper through his Song, more from instinct than anything, though he knew she couldn't defend against the strength of two full-sized Diamonds.
And you certainly can't fight them off on your own, you little runt. You're too weak to even take one of them, let alone two… you can barely call yourself a Diamond...
… Don't forget, White's stronger than the two of them combined. If she's hiding somewhere, if she sneaks up on you like last time, it's over.
Unable to sustain the wall, he gasped and dropped it, nearly falling to his knees in exertion. He tried to control his labored breathing, but the strain had left him feeling faint and dizzy.
Watching them close in, he had one final, awful, desperate idea.
He grabbed Spinel's gemstone, holding it up for the two to see, and squeezed.
A crack rode down the middle, not thick enough to shatter, but visible enough that it made Blue and Yellow gasp in horror.
He used the distraction to muster up two large panels, the biggest he could make them, and lugged them at his enemies. Yellow and Blue were both hit in the stomach, throwing off their balance and sending them backwards. Perhaps if the roof had been dry, they would have kept their footing, but the twin forces of surprise and a slicked ground sent them tumbling from the building. Two huge quakes rocked the earth as they hit the ground, followed by the sound of their colossal forms bursting into dust. Steven deflated in exhaustion.
His curls stuck to his wet forehead, damp with a mix of sweat and rain, and he looked down at the gem in his hand, barely comprehending.
What did I-
Did I- !
He swallowed, and his fingers began to tremble against the rock.
Why did I do that?
His knees felt weak, and he took a deep breath, running his free hand through his sopping wet hair.
I can fix this. I'll fix her. Later. I will.
After taking a second to catch his breath and calm down, he turned to the edge of the building, Spinel's gem still held carefully in his hand. He stared at it, turning it over. It was alright, it was ok. He could fix it, when he was ready to. It'd be like nothing ever happened.
...But for now, he had just found a way to bring White out of hiding.
He looked over the city, numbly absorbing the violence below him. The Homeworld Quartzes were beginning to reach the square, slowly plowing their way through his spread out defenses.
Looking around, he finally spotted his com, laying dangerously close to a silvery patch of rainwater. Spinel must have been keeping it in her clothes, then.
He picked it up, inhaled quietly, and called in the much needed backup.
Amethyst had talked a lot of shit in her time, but in truth, she hadn't expected to survive the fight with Jasper.
When Jasper had declined to kill her for fear of Steven's judgement, it had come as an enormous surprise. Even then, she knew she could only keep Jasper busy for so long. It was just a matter of time before she'd be poofed, best case scenario.
So it hadn't been too much of a loss when more of Steven's Quartzes showed up, heading in the direction of the square. Any small chance of a win was lost, and at that point, she could only hope that the rest of the Crystal Gems were doing ok. She hadn't given up, per say, but there didn't seem to be any alternative.
That being said, she was in for another spontaneous bout of luck.
The sword cut smoothly through the Quartz's middle, and the burly arms holding her vanished. Amethyst hit the ground with a grunt, and before she could even gain her bearings, a slim hand had tightly ensnared her forearm. Then she was being swung around onto Lion's back, too shocked to make a sound.
Amethyst scrabbled to get a better grip, and looked up, peering over Connie's shoulder. A bright light unfolded in front of them, swallowing them both.
And they were gone.
Steven delicately stepped down, gracefully breaking into a stride towards the control center. Emerald's ship finally touched down, just in time to meet him.
The hatch burst open, and Emerald and Holly Blue rushed out as if they were late for school. Both gems were roughed up pretty good, hair a mess and clothing caked with a noticeable layer of dirt and grime. Holly Blue was dragging along the President, kicking and screaming, by his ankle.
"My Diamond!" Holly wheezed. "Oh, thank you, My Gracious Diamond, for sending reinforcements!"
"Yeah, no problem."
"We are most ashamed for our tardiness, My Diamond," Emerald said, cowering in his presence. "We… had…"
"Ship problems!" Holly Blue blurted. "B-But- we're not making excuses, we just-"
"Guys, chill." Steven held up his hands. He looked the President over, observing the sweat stains on his shirt and the spray-tan running off in the rain.
"You did good." He finally said. "Let's get this on air."
The final step of the plan was completed as scheduled, Steven operating on autopilot the entire time. He was vaguely present, allowing Holly to drag the captive towards the cameras at the control center, while Squaridot (who, along with Mean Lapis, looked very dishevelled for some reason as well) spoke for him.
When it time to say his line, Steven turned mechanically to the President, and politely told him to surrender.
The plan worked seamlessly, and all across the country, screens and radios played the President's defeated words in high definition.
America had ceased resistance.
The screen blinked out, and Steven stared blankly at it for several seconds, to the point where it started getting uncomfortable. In full honesty, he was just too tired to pretend he wasn't tired.
Finally, they were joined by Hessonite and Jasper, jogging over from the west.
"...My Diamond,"
"What is it, Hessonite?" He turned to face her. "Is it White? Is she here?"
"Well, no… but all human governments have surrendered, My Diamond."
Steven stared at her a moment, expression unreadable.
"Good." He finally said, voice flat and devoid of emotion. "Spread the good news." He turned around, facing the burnt, empty crater in the middle of the city. "If anyone needs me, I'll be in my tower."
"What tower?" Asked Mean Lapis.
Not a second later the ground began to shiver violently. Out of the burnt Earth shot several jagged, glowing crystals, clawing their way up to the sky. Much thicker, and darker pink than Steven's usual panels, they widened and expanded, connecting together, and soon a structure began to take form.
It grew into an enormous spire, rain beating against it's glassy, pink surface. It stood out among the gray buildings, a sharp, vibrant magenta against dark, cloudy skies.
Steven's acolytes stood dumbfounded, and even Jasper found herself momentarily speechless at the impressive show of power.
The building stopped growing, and the dust settled. Steven stepped inside it's jagged doorway as if he'd lived there all his life, and the door closed behind them with a hollow sound, rock meeting rock.
A beat passed.
"Ahah, yes. Well." Holly Blue laughed nervously, craning her neck to get a glimpse of the whole thing. "I'm sure we're all very impressed by His Radiance, but we don't have time to waste. Standard wrap-up procedure! Back to work! All of you!"
"That includes you!" Hessonite barked, pointedly looking at the few Quartzes who'd stopped to gander. They balked, scrambling back to their task, all too excited to get away from Hessonite's critical eye. She chuckled, coming to give Jasper a slap on the back, making the Quartz jump.
"It sure is coming together, huh?"
Jasper nodded, but didn't look at her companion. She knew she should be making herself useful, but she found herself fixated on that heavy door, unable to look away from it.
She wondered if this was how things were going to be from now on; taking remote orders from him like she had with Pink and Yellow. It would only be natural, he belonged up there, just like she belonged down here.
The rain continued to pour, soaking her from head to toe and laying her mane flat against her back. She pulled some of it out of her eyes, staring up at the tower, trying to figure out why all of this felt so wrong.
hey guys! hopefulkidweaseleclipse on tumblr made some art for this scene! check it out on this deconstructed url:
hopefulkidweaseleclipse . tumblr (dot com) /post/634806052001611776/apex-predator-by-doctorlizard-on-ao3-hella