As the fights and events continue on Homeworld, several developments in those events and struggles take place.

...

As the war for Homeworld raged on, the fights that would decide the planet's future continued forth. As they did though, a particular couple were not present on the battlefield, at least not on ground level. Flying high above the action were Lapis and Connie as they continued moving towards Peridot. As they went about trying to track her down throughout the higher elevated points of the kindergarten, the two noticed several other gems were present in the area.

"Seems Black wanted to make use of every gem at his disposal." Connie noted as she looked around at the peridot gems, who thankfully didn't seem to notice the pair as each of them kept their gaze to the battlefield.

"We'll deal with them here in a bit. Right now, we need to find Peridot. I'll be cracked if I'm going to let her continue to be a part of this for any longer." said Lapis as she continued looking around.

After sometime, the duo noticed a gem flying around in the distance. Seeing that it was the same speck that Lapis had seen earlier, the two began to accelerate towards the gem. Once Peridot had landed at unoccupied location, the two followed after, landing in the same area. Once on the ground, the duo noted that she hadn't noticed their approach as she was also keeping her eyes on the battlefield with a screen opened.

"Peridot!" cried Lapis.

Gaining the technician's attention, she turned and faced the two. "Oh Lapis, Connie, this is a surprise. I didn't believe anyone would think to look up here."

"Peri...we've come to save you." said Lapis.

"While I appreciate the effort Lazuli, I'm afraid that's not a viable option. I have work to do and workers to oversee."

"It wasn't a request. This isn't right and I know you'd agree if you weren't being forced to side with Black Diamond." said Connie

"While it's true that I disagreed with my diamond initially, I can see the, oh how would you say it...the method to his madness. Besides, with me under his care, I've been given purpose again. To have the ability to have meaningful tasks once more, I haven't been able to keep myself this occupied since our construction attempts at taking out the cluster."

"Peridot...I know you enjoy these types of tasks...overseeing, managing, putting things together in a way that it fits...but this isn't you, not all of it anyway. You may say you agree with his madness, but I know that if you had the choice, you would see yourself out of this...this...pointless effort. While you might not want to be rescued right now, we'll still try to bring you back to your senses."

"(sigh) I knew talking it out wasn't going to work with you, but I still had my hopes. Seeing as how you won't listen to reason and leave me be, I'll be returning to my work now, thank you very much." With this declaration, Peridot turned her attention back to her screen, but was cut off shortly afterwards as Connie charged with the intent to poof. Peridot jumped back with a surprised yelp as she avoided the attack.

"Peridot, the only way to break Black's control is by poofing either you or him...and it's going to be a minute until we reach the latter of those options."

Seeing that the two weren't going to give up, Peridot elected to attempt to escape. Using her powers as she hopped on her metal lid, which upon closer inspection was another variation of her trash can lid, handle and all, Peridot began to fly away in a rush.

"C'mon, we need to stay with her." said Lapis as she grabbed Connie and summoned her water wings.

As the chase began, Peridot reached for her communicator. "My diamond and all peridots, I've been compromised and will be unavailable for sometime."

"Alright Peri. Try and shake off those who are after you. Once you do, return to your duties. All other peridots, continue your work. If you need assistance or clarification, contact me unless Peri has signaled her return." Black said.

With the chase for Peridot now underway and in motion, the other peridots continued their work, though after sometime, they began to show less progress as their immediate leader was unavailable. With this, some fights were beginning to make a turn for the worse in Black Diamond's case. As this happened, one gem in particular began to attempt to make the best of the commotion. While the others were preoccupied with the higher priority gems, Amethyst was going about near the edge of the battlefield. As she went about, she poofed any enemy gem should could while also helping those who needed the extra assistance.

She had just finished helping a nearby quartz and was about to move on to the next battle when she was cut off by a flying orange object. As she narrowly avoided the object, which crashed into a nearby section of the kindergarten, she saw that the large object was Jasper. Once she recognized the gem, she moved to check on her.

"Jasper, you alright? What happened?"

"Step aside Runt. I have a gem to poof." Jasper said with more anger than she usually had. Now looking towards the direction in which Jasper had come flying from, Amethyst saw what had caused the commotion. Stepping through the crowd was Red, who was casually advancing towards the two.

"I guess you haven't really learned your lesson from last time Jasper. Guess you need a refresher and lucky for you...class is in session."

As Jasper attempted to get back up and charge at the enhanced gem, Amethyst intercepted. "Jasper wait!"

"Get out of my way Runt. One way or another, I will take that gem down."

"And you really think you can do that by yourself?"

"Are you calling me weak!?"

"No Jasper, I'm calling her strong, at least in her current state. You already tried fighting her one on one and look where that got you."

"So what do you suggest then? That I just back off and retreat like some coward?!"

"No Jasper, I'm suggesting that you try and take the lesson I was trying to teach you at the crater to heart."

"You really think this is the best time for this? Listen, although I am grateful that you dragged me out of my slump, I wouldn't exactly call it a lesson since I didn't learn anything."

"Jasper, have you even given what I said any thought? About what I said we had that you didn't?"

"Not recently, no. Haven't exactly had much chance to think it over."

"Jasper...we had trust...and we had each other. We were able to do the things we did and defeat our foes who had nearly every advantage over us because we trusted each other and worked together. Jasper...I know that teamwork isn't exactly your style, but as things are right now, you don't stand a chance at beating her and you know that as well as I do. If you want to win, then you'll need some help...and lucky for you, my schedule is free at the moment." Amethyst declared as she summoned her whip.

During their talk, Red had continued getting closer. Now a few meters from the two, she looked in a surprised wonder. "Well know, did you finally realize the truth? You get that you won't be able beat me so you asked the half baked disgrace here for help."

"I didn't ask for her help, she offered it. And while I didn't accept it, I won't exactly make her leave either. If she wants to stay and join in this fight, then I won't stop her. Regardless, this still goes along with my plan. One way or another, your going down Red!" With this, the two charged at the ruby as their fight continued.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Pearl and Earl had been continuing their swordfight. Although Pearl's sword skills were greater than Earl's, the latter of the two held a speed and power advantage. As the two dueled, as if to make her point, Earl used her enhanced abilities to break through Pearl's defenses and land a gut punch, sending her to the ground several feet away. Now standing over the gem, Earl began to move for a final blow.

"I'll admit Pearl, I'm impressed. Not too many gems are able to overpower me in a swordfight. But like I said earlier, I don't think you'll be able to overpower me. Although you proved me somewhat wrong in sword skills, I still hold a speed and power advantage. I wonder if my diamond will give you the same abilities? Guess we'll have to wait a-" Earl said before she was cut off as a pair of stretchy arms had wrapped around the gem. Before she could have time to process what was happening, she found herself being tossed into the air. Looking around, Pearl found that Spinel had interjected herself into the fight.

"Hey there Pearl...you doing alright? You looked like you could use some help."

"I'm fine Spinel...and I did. Thank you."

"Well now, if it isn't the abandoned gem herself. You get tired of fighting all by your lonesome already?" Earl said as she re-approached the two.

"No, I just don't appreciate bullies picking on my friends. You want this fight...then you'll have to take me on too."

"That could be arranged. It's kind of poetic anyway. The two gems who were closest to the late Pink Diamond...and the two who were the most hurt from her actions...well aside from Steven at least."

"Spinel...you don't have to do this if you don't want to. I can handle her on my own.

"Pearl, I think we both know that you'll need my help here...besides after all the blabbing on she's done, I wouldn't mind taking a swing and knocking her down a peg or two."

"Alright then. Let's show her real strength then." Pearl said with a light chuckle.

Seeing that the two were set and ready, Earl charged forward, continuing the fight.

As the fights raged on, Lapis and Connie continued their pursuit of Peridot. As some time passed, Connie noticed that Peridot was going slightly faster than the two of them.

"Lapis, at the rate this is going, we're going to lose her."

"I can't do much as I am right now. With having to carry you around, it's weighing me down a bit."

"Well, what if we try something different then?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, let's try and poof her now before we lose our chance. I have an idea I'm willing to try. Do you think you could get me over to her with the water you have?"

"Probably...though I'm not sure how accurate it'll be."

"It'll have to do then. Get me as close as you can with your water. I'll try to even myself out and poof her along the way. Afterwards, you catch me again and we'll go from there."

"Alright. Here goes." Just as planned, Lapis enveloped Connie in water and began to float her over towards the fleeing gem. When Lapis reached her range limit for the water, she made a move to toss Connie the rest of the way. Once done, Connie found herself above the technician. With some careful mid air adjustments, Connie found herself coming down right where she needed to. Bringing out her sword, she gave a clean cleave through Peridot, who hadn't seen the attack coming. Shortly after, the gem poofed, leaving Connie hanging on to the stone in a freefall. Before she could fall far however, Lapis moved and recovered the girl. With their plan successful, the two landed in an unoccupied space below them, not far from where the metal lid Peridot was using had crashed down at.

"Good throw Lapis."

"Thanks. I'm glad that worked."

"Yeah...now we just have to wait for her to reform. From there, we can try to set up another counterattack."

With this, the two looked on from a elevated area at the battlefield below as the fights for the future raged on.

...

Peridot's free and the fights continue on. Originally way back when, I thought about having Connie and Pearl vs Earl, but I wanted someone to help Lapis out and Connie fit the role best, especially seeing as how she was the only one available to be moved around. Thankfully though, Spinel can fill in the role and I like that she can since the two gems are somewhat connected considering their respective past histories. Now with all that, tune in next time to see just how the fights come to an end and where that leads us.

Happy Friday everyone. Hope the week went well enough for all. Thanks once more for stopping by to view my ever growing story I had thought of on the random. It's really amazing what you can think of while alone at a factory job. For the record though, funnily enough, I planned on it being a decent length, but had never envisioned this story becoming this long...and this isn't even touching the aftermath of everything that I'm still planning out (am thinking of making that one into it's own separate follow up story though...not sure yet though 100%. Thankfully, still have some time before we're there). Anyway, as mentioned previously, tomorrow is at the moment a no go, so I will see all you peeps hopefully once more later on in chapter 37.

One Final Effort by Martin O'Donnel and Michael Salvatori