"I came here to fight Rose, not some runt!" Berated the towering tanned woman, looking down to the much smaller Amethyst she stood there relaxed with her whip in hand.
"You think you can just keep popping up and picking fights with us? Why don'tchu get a life!" Yelled Amethyst, squaring up to the taller gem.
"I thought gems were on our side?" Matthew said to himself. Taking in full view of the battlefield Matthew his attention immediately fell on the children as Steven and Connie were standing at the ready against a towering behemoth, its eyeless gaze preying on them both, as well as a pink lion. The lion however stood protecting the children as the trio stood still.
"Matthew!" Cried a familiar voice, taking his eyes away for the battle Matthew saw Kiki standing at the door of the pizzeria, beside her stood Sourcream and Jenny, the trio looking on in worry as everything was unfolding.
"Fighting is my life, it's what I was made for. It's what you were made for to, Runt!" Snapping back into the moment Matthew looked to the three teens and clenched his fist tightly.
"Get everyone to safety! We got this!" Commanded Matthew, his voice shaking as he did so, this though still had the effect he wanted as Kiki directed everyone into the restaurant and out of the rear entrance.
"Okay okay, nothing to see here, just Steven's crazy monster shindigs." Kiki said with a slight panic, her lax attitude breaking as she and everyone else evacuated the beachside.
Letting out a haggard breath Matthew brought his attention the fight ahead and charged forward, his training now being put to the test.
As he made his way across the sandy beach both Steven and Connie charged ahead with their Lion, the behemoth having trouble singling any one of them out, Amethyst however was in trouble as the larger gem was darting across the battlefield running her over repeatedly.
"Matthew, go help Amethyst!" Said Steven, as he ran around the monster with Connie mirroring him on the opposite side.
"Got it!" Taking the directive without question Matthew beelined it towards Amethyst as soon as possible.
As he made his way to the one sided fight Matthew felt something form in his stomach, a tight knot took hold of his gut, as if to tell him to stop and hide. Shaking the feeling away it hid in the back of his mind as he trudged his way across the golden sand, passing several keystone beach decorations like towels and beach chairs one item caught his attention as he grew closer to the fight.
"Are you so desperate for troops Rose, that you would keep a defect like this?" The towering Gem sneered, Amethyst barely pulling herself up stood defiantly.
"Rose said I was perfect, just the way I am." Looking up to the orange gem Amethyst shared the same look of anger with her opponent, this changed for the larger gem as her expression changed to that of disgust.
"Amethyst!" Matthew shout as he charged between both gems, taking the both of them by surprise.
"What!?" The towering gem said in angered shock, pulling her head back just as Matthew took a swing with a closed beach umbrella.
"Pathetic parasite!" She growled as Matthew lunged forward with another attempt to give Amethyst some breathing room.
Annoyed by this point Jasper took a swipe at Matthew, Matthew though narrowly ducked underneath her arm pushed the tip of the umbrella into her face before unraveling it and causing it to pop out unexpectedly.
"What?!" Jasper said taking a step back readying herself for some follow attack.
Seeing all of this Amethyst shot forward like a spinning disk and took her chance to get a hit in.
"Coming through!" She shouted, this caused Matthew to jump to the side leaving Jasper to take the hit and slide back slightly.
"Annoying pests!" She sneered ripping the umbrella into pieces, she both Matthew and Amethyst down with feral rage as they both stood side by side readying themselves for what was to come.
"Allying yourself with these pathetic bugs? You give us real Quartz soldiers a bad name." Chided Jasper, staring down at both Matthew and Amethyst, Amethyst staring back to Jasper with equal determination, Matthew however was worried.
Sweat slowly trailing down his face, wide eyed as he had no idea of what to do next, adrenaline fading as the daunting fight that laid bear for him finally taking front row seat in his mind.
"I came here to fight Rose Quartz, not her pathetic Quartz runt." Pausing taking a panning glare across Amethyst, her gaze fell on Matthew and his diminutive stature. Reeling her head back in disgust she bared her teeth as she her eyes pierced Matthew still like stone.
"Or this pathetic local who thinks they're worth something they're not!" As her venom left her mouth Matthew was taken back, his knees began to give out from underneath him as he took a slight step back.
"A bugs a bug, and when it becomes a pest..." Jasper said trailing off slightly, her face becoming hidden from her war helm as she looked down to the sand, she then fiercely jerked her head back up with a sinister manic gaze that froze Matthew breathless.
Within the blink of an eye she charged forward with unrestrained rage, arm reeled back for a single deadly attack Matthew didn't know what to do. Jaspers eyes held glee as she bared her teeth as if enjoying the fight, as if she was happy to crush a bug.
Falling onto the sand Matthew was breathless, his mind was empty as the weight of what had happened left him still in time.
"Aghhh!" A cry of pain echoed through the air as both Connie and Steven were pulled away from their fight to look in shock.
"Amethyst!" Cried out both children, their worry filled voices pulling Matthew out of shock.
In front of him was Amethyst and Jasper, the latter still pushing into her strike with Amethyst not showing an a ounce of fear, her eyes were looking down to Matthew as she stood where he did just a moment ago.
Her face held a stressed look of accomplishment as she took the strike that was meant for her human friend, and then poof.
"Amethyst...?" Matthew whispered, her body disappeared into a puff of smoke as the towering Gem stood over him with her hand holding the Gem that Amethyst held in her chest.
"Pathetic runt." Jasper said holding the purple Gemstone in her hand, briefly appraising it as she felt a lack of worth from it.
"A Quartz soldier has no right to exist if she can't fight." Taking the gem into her palm she lifted it to show Steven and Connie as if to taunt them.
"Is this the refuse you call a soldier Rose?" Grip tightening as she did, it was clear what she was about to do, savouring the moment as she held a manic grin.
"A pathetic Gem like this doesn't deserve pity!" She said with a wild rage as her grip began to tighten, both children look on in horror as they immediately tried to run to her aid.
They wouldn't make it, they were too far to make it in time.
"Raaagh!" But I can.
Taking a step back Jasper was taking by surprise once more the the small human, this level tenacity was something new to Matthew as he was swinging his makeshift weapon with such fervour that he almost look like a madman.
The ferocity of his attacks for a mere moment caught Jasper by surprise, the fury at which the human was swinging with left to take two steps back, a feeling of respect for him nearly rose up as the bravery of such a pest caught her eye, but at the end of the day that was all this human was to her.
Eyes narrowing she felt disgusted at what laid before her, and she knew what to do with rats like this.
As Matthew rounded back his arms to take another swing against his opponent a boot the size of his torso was planted directly on his chest. The kick sent him hurdling backwards as the force of the kick had made the remains of the umbrella he held slip out of his grasp as he tumbled and spun repeatedly away from Jasper.
"If a rat like you wants to end up like this disgrace of a Quartz I'll gladly give it to you!" Stomping forward Matthew was wide eyed as he gasp out, trying in vain to breath short chokes were all that creeped out of his mouth.
The kick left him reeling in pain grasping at his chest as if to force any air to crawl down to his lungs, none however came as he laid defenceless as Jasper trudged her way to the human.
Trying desperately to get off the orange sands Matthew could only squirm as he saw the determined march of Jasper grow closer and closer. Barely pushing himself onto his knees Matthew was taken back at what he saw.
The large beast that had been busy with the children and the strange lion was suddenly flung back to the side of Jasper, ignoring it though she was completely concentrating on me. This left her open for Stevens pink shield to strike the side of her head with great force which sent it flying upwards. The strike caused Jasper to stumble to the side as she looked to see which one of the children was foolish enough to disturb her, but instead she was struck once more by someone new.
Kicking Amethyst out of Jaspers grasp the new warrior flipped backwards and caught the purple gemstone with care.
A deep glare was sent to Jasper from the new warrior as they stood tall with long poofy hair.
"You?" Jasper looked on confused as to who this new warrior was, but after a quick glare the them she immediately knew what had happened.
"You two brats fused!" She yelled.
"You Crystal Gems would go so low as to fuse with humans!" She roared, sickened at what she was seeing.
Paying no care as to her chide remark the new warrior lifted their hand up to deftly catch Steven's pink shield as it fell.
"That's enough out of you, I don't want to hear anything else, unless it's sorry." The new warrior said lifting up the purple gem waiting for an apology.
Letting out a low growl Jasper clenched her fists in anger as she looked to her opponent defiantly, at the same time though the large beast got back onto its feet and tried to make its way back into the water.
"Oh no you don't, you're not going anywhere until crush these traitors!" She said dragging the large behemoth, making sure that it would stay until she deemed it so.
Jumping into its back she pulled on its long white mane as the creature took a more docile stance underneath its master.
Seeing this the warrior held their stoic state as the pink lion walked beside them waiting. Seeing this they laid looked to the lion and have a confident smile before placing Amethysts crystal on the sand gently.
"Wait here, I'll protect you." They said before climbing onto the back of the lion, sitting heroically sharing a staring match with their opponent.
As each side stood silently, gauging each other for what was about to happen, the warrior looked to me and gave a familiar smile that left me surprised.
"Just the way I like it, head to head!" Cheered the large gem, as she and the new warrior's eyes were locked with intensity both of their steeds began to growl.
Then as the silence began to take hold as both sides stood silently, getting on to my feet I looked to both mounted warriors. As the silence became unbearable it was the lion that first broke it, letting out a ferocious roar this signalled the charge.
Grinning madly Jasper whipped the beast into action as the Lion without any command did the same, both charging in head to head my attention instead fell to the Amethyst quartz that laid on the sand next to me.
Kneeling down I hovered over it for safety, the thought of Amethyst herself laying heavily on my conscience as the only thing I could so was sit here and watch the outcome of the battle.
Leaping up into the air the warrior flung Steven's shield down aiming directly for the head of the larger Gem, the aim was true for the shield flew through the air coming closer and closer to its target, but the shield was caught with ease.
"Hah, Predictable!" She said clutching the shield with both hands, eyes focused on it, this though blinded her with overconfidence.
"Huh?" She said as an over head strike from the warrior came crashing down, her eyes widened as she had no time to defend herself.
"Hyahh!" The Warrior roared landing a powerful attack downward against Jasper's War-Helm, the strength of which sent her shooting right through her monstrous steed which just like Amethyst disappeared into a puff of smoked.
"Woah..." Kneeling down next to Amethyst, Matthew was speechless, seeing the Warrior land stoically next to their Lion left him in awe as they stood against the large plume smoke.
Just as this was all happening a bright violet light began to shine from Amethyst's crystal, the light had caused Matthew to skitter to the side as the gem began to lift itself up with a shining light, the light was at first formless and random just as fast as it had shined several shapes and forms began to reach out before settling on a familiar short view.
"Amethyst!" Matthew cried seeing his friends return as she was dressed in a new white tank top.
"Matthew!" She said with cheer as a thankful smile began to form on her face, this though was quickly changed to that of worry and action.
"Steven, Connie! Don't worry I'm here to hel-" Her sentence was cut short though as her sights fell on to the Warrior standing against Jasper, who by this point was picking herself up from the sand, a manic look taking over her face.
"Fusion!Fusion! It's always Fusion!" Jasper yelled angrily, her rage building with each passing word.
"Are you ready to apologize now." The Warrior said as if waiting for an apology, instead Jasper pulled herself onto her feet.
"This was just a warm up." She said smugly backing away from the beach and into the ocean.
"Get ready for next time Rose, Jasper's never give up, we keep going, until we get what we want." Disappearing into the water she pulled her head below the waters surface.
Seeing this, both Amethyst and I began to make our way to the Warrior.
"Huh, she must live in the ocean now." They said calmly.
Stopping behind them I was speechless, Amethyst though was quiet and looked confused.
"You guys won?" The short Gem asked in disbelief.
"Amethyst, you're okay!" The Warrior said, then with extra pep they took a step forward and immediately taking a careful look over her and then myself.
"We're both relieved that you both are safe, you both had us worried like crazy!" Looking at the taller Warrior I was confused at how they were describing their selves.
"Both?" I asked taking a glancing look behind the Warrior only to see that no one else was there.
"Yeah?" They said confused, as if some mystery person was standing along side us.
"Umm, you guys fused." Amethyst told them, whatever that meant caused the stranger to take a look at themselves as a surprised expression quickly formed before being drowned out in a bright light.
"Wha-!" The Warrior said before literally being torn into both Connie and Steven, the sudden disappearance of the stranger caused Matthew to leap back slightly as the two children sat on the sand looking at one another.
"I didn't even realize we formed Stevonnie!" Connie cheered loudly, a look of pride forming on her face as she looked to Steven who also shared his own excitement for whatever had just happened.
"I didn't either! We must have fused without knowing it!" He yelled sharing Connie's excitement, though this left both Matthew and Amethyst standing there baffled at what had just happened.
As Matthew stood with his mouth open as he was still processing what had just happened he jumped into the children's celebration with his own jovial confusion.
"That was you two the entire time! Who's Stevonnie? What's fusion?!" Sharing in his excitement both Connie and Steven looked at each other as they both grew ecstatic at how interested Matthew seemed in how fusion worked.
"Its amazing, it's something where gems am an combine and make an even more powerful super gem!" Steven said aloud this caused Matthew's eyes to glow with wonderment as Connie spoke up as she clutched her fists.
"We should go back to the temple, Garnet and Pearl are going to be so excited to here that we took care of Jasper all by ourselves!"
Hearing this both Matthew and Steven both shared Connie's excitement and mimicked her stance.
"Yeah!" As both Connie and Matthew began to sprint down to the temple Steven briefly followed them both before turning around.
"Hey Amethyst aren't you coming?" He asked, this left Amethyst slightly befuddled as she looked around before letting out a soft chuckle.
"Uhh sure kiddo, I'm just going to make sure everything here is fine first, I'll catch up."
"Oh, okay see you soon!" Steven said trying his best to catch up to both Connie and Matthew which took no time at all, Amethyst however let out sigh before taking in her surroundings.
"You don't need me anyways..."