Defiant Bravery, Resolute Courage

by H411OWED KN1GHT 64

Fear can be all too consuming. It can dictate a person's actions, thoughts, even their life. But when someone finds the courage to face that fear and bravely rise above it, that person can create a new future for themselves. Alternate ending to Jailbreak. What if Steven stopped Malachite from forming? What if Lapis Lazuli defied Jasper? Feel free to read and review this story.

Defiant Bravery, Resolute Courage

Began writing on 02/09/2021

Lapis Lazuli was truly not having a good day, or any day for that matter.

Ever since she was freed from the wretched mirror that she had been imprisoned in for countless millennia by the only friend she ever made, a human called Steven, it led to from one moment of pain and misery to the next.

Ever since she left Earth after Steven healed the crack on her gem, she returned to Homeworld, only to see it had changed dramatically during her imprisonment.

It was nothing like the Homeword she knew, it was strange and completely alien to her…

Its technology had advanced far ahead of her, she couldn't make sense of anything.

As soon she arrived, she was captured by the troops of Homeworld and was taken to Jasper, the ruthless subordinate of Yellow Diamond, one of the Diamond Authority, the rulers of Homeworld.

In the interrogation that followed, Lapis was forced to reveal the location of the Crystal Gems, the rebels who had defied Homeworld for reasons she could not even begin to fathom.

In a last-ditch attempt save her friend, Lapis contacted Steven and the Crystal Gems know as Garnet, Pearl and Amethyst that Peridot, another of Yellow Diamond's minions, and Jasper was coming to Earth and warned them not to resist, for it would only lead to devastation.

However, this warning was ignored.

As soon as she, Peridot and Jasper had arrived on Earth, the three Crystal Gems and Steven tried to resist them, or to be more precise, Jasper.

The result?

The monstrous orange gem had decimated them, forcing Garnet, the recently revealed Fusion to be undone and after a viscous onslaught, Steven was taken prisoner.

Inside her cell, Lapis was beyond despair.

If only they had listened to her, none of this would have happened.

If they had only accepted their fate and opened their eyes to reality, they would not be on the ship as prisoners, flying back to Homeworld, where they would surely meet their end.

During their voyage, Steven had managed to break free from his prison and tried to help her escape.

However, Lapis only said to Steven to not resist any further by escaping, hoping that they would go easy on them, despite knowing otherwise.

Steven, naturally, ignored this defeatist attitude and told Lapis that he would come back for her, before running off to find his powerful caretakers.

Sometime later, a great battle was waged between the reformed Garnet and Jasper, the severity of which caused to ship to crash land on the hill where the Crystal Temple resides.

Lapis cursed her misfortune.

"Why does Steven keep fighting?!" Lapis raged inside her mind, "Why does he refuse to give up when there is no chance of winning?!"

"All it does is bring him more suffering!" she soon muttered to herself as she tried to find a hole to crawl out of, "If he'd just listened to me when I told him to stop fighting back, he wouldn't be hurt at all! What is it that I'm not getting?! What does he see that I don't?!"

She soon found a piece of rubble that was likely an exit, given several streaks of light that shone through.

She pushed the large piece of rubble as she growled, "Why won't he just see the bigger picture, face reality and accept fate?!"

Eventually, she managed to push the large slab behind her and fell to the sandy ground.

Lapis soon rose her head to analyse the scene playing before her, a scene wreathed in emerald flames.

Looking to her right, she saw Steven, the Crystal Gems who left her in the mirror despite knowing that she was in there and some strange pink creature.

When she looked to her left…

Realizing who was there, a terrified Lapis tried to take to the air to escape, but Jasper grabbed her by her left leg with her right hand and roughly swung her to hold Lapis' right arm with her left hand while she said with a malicious grin, "Come here, brat! Aw, don't fly off so soon."

"Lapis!" Steven cried in fear and tried to rush to her aid, but was held in place by Pearl and Amethyst.

"Let me go! I have to help her!" cried Steven as he flailed his arms and legs in a desperate bid to break free.

"Absolutely not, Steven!" Pearl replied adamantly.

"Yeah, I'm with Pearl on this one!" Amethyst agreed, "Your already jacked up as it is!"

Steven struggled, trying to find a way to break free!

He had to save her!

Jasper brought Lapis to eye level and said with a manic look on her face, "Lapis, listen, fuse with me!"

"What?!" replied an incredulous Lapis Lazuli.

Not so long ago, Jasper said that Fusion was a 'cheap tactic to make weak Gems stronger.' and now she was going to go against her own principles and do the very thing she so despised?!

Jasper replied, "How long did they keep you trapped here on this miserable hunk of rock?"

Jasper dropped Lapis who fell with a thud.

On her hands and knees, she looked at the struggling Steven and his guardians as Jasper raved, "These Gems, they're traitors to their Homeworld!"

The three rebels glared daggers at their enemy.

"They kept you prisoner, they used you!" continued Jasper as Lapis rose to her feet, "This is your chance to take revenge!"

The orange gem then said with an evil smile, "Come on, just say 'yes'…"

Lapis continued to look at Steven, who struggled to break free.

"Lapis, don't do it!" cried Steven as he wiggled and squirmed to escape.

Lapis pondered for a moment; she knew Jasper made many compelling points to her arguments.

They, the Crystal Gems, had left her to rot inside the mirror, they even knew who she was and still they did nothing to aid her!

The moment that Steven had free her from her torment, they attacked her, with the intention to imprison her again!

It would be so easy to just jump at Jasper's offer, act on her impulses and rid herself of her jailers and tormentors!

But such an act would break Steven's heart.

She would rather be shattered than betray him in such a fashion.

Lapis frowned as she knew what she must do…

"I'm so sorry, Steven." Lapis sadly thought to herself, "But this is the only way. If this miserably planet is to be my prison, then so be it."

She then looked at Jasper as she further thought, "I've accepted my fate. This is reality. It's time for you to accept it, Steven…"

She raised right hand to hold Jasper's left hand.

"Let me go!" cried Steven, frantically trying to find some way, anyway, to free himself from Pearl and Amethyst's combined grasp!

"Er, did you not hear what we just said?!" Amethyst replied as she maintained her grip.

"There's nothing we can do!" Pearl added.

"We won't know unless we try!" Steven argued as he tried to concentrate on freeing his right arm.

"Pearl is right!" Garnet, who was behind Steven replied, "Lapis has made her choice. Both us and her must deal with the consequences of what comes next."

"That's just giving up!" replied Steven defiantly, "I won't give up on her, I refuse to!"

"Steven, you must accept her decision! Now stand down!" Garnet answered with an authoritative tone.

"I won't!" cried Steven, as he managed to free his right arm, startling Pearl and summoned his shield!

"I said stand down!" ordered Garnet, her Ruby's temper getting the better of her, "That's an order!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Steven roared as he threw his shield with all the strength that he could muster!

Steven's aim struck true as the shield struck Jasper's left hand, causing the imposing Homeworld Gem to howl in pain!

Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl stared in shock and awe at what in the name of Rose Quartz had just happened!

Steven knew he had to act quickly; his protector's surprise would not stay for long.

Although reluctant to do so, he encased himself in a bubble and expanded it to push Garnet, Pearl and Amethyst away!

Even Lion, Steven's leonine pet and guardian was pushed when he tried to stop Steven from escaping!

Steven rushed forward, ignoring the three Gems pleas to stop and stopped some distance in front of Jasper and Lapis, the former gave him a hateful glare while the latter looked at him with a horrified stare…

"You leave Lapis alone, you mean bully!" said Steven, summoning his shield to his left hand while shifting to a battle stance.

"Steven!" cried a horrified Lapis as she began to run towards Steven.

Unfortunately, Jasper grabbed Lapis' hair, brought the blue terra former to her face and growled angrily, "I'll deal with you later!"

She roughly tossed Lapis to the shoreline, causing Lapis to become wet.

Jasper continued, "After all, just like I said to that idiot Peridot before…"

She then turned to look at Steven, summoning her weapon, her Crash Helmet and said, with absolute venom in her voice, "…Rose Quartz takes priority."

Jasper rushed towards Steven and slammed into an enlarged shield that Steven had created.

Seeing an opportunity, Steven ran under Jasper's legs and when he was on the other side, he threw his shield again, which slammed into Jasper's stomach, just she had turned around!

Jasper grabbed her stomach in agony and stood there, her back hunched over.

There was silence in the air…

Steven remained on guard as he brought up his weapon.

Did he get her?

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…" chuckled Jasper.

Not good…

"Not bad, Rose… It seems that you do have a backbone after all…" said Jasper evilly, "I guess now no one at Homeworld can say you're a coward…"

Seconds later, she rose up her head to reveal a manic grin on her face as she yelled, "But let's see if you can keep this up!"

Jasper turned into a living ball and sped off towards Steven, who managed to dodge just in time!

But Jasper soon turned around and dashed towards Steven again.

With no time to dodge this time, Steven brought his shield and took the hit, flying before hitting the ground!

Steven rolled to the side, got back up and charged at Jasper.

Meanwhile, Garnet, Pearl and Amethyst watched the unfolding battle with utter frustration.

"Darn it, Steven!" the purple Gem growled, "Would it kill you to listen to us, just this once?!"

"Because he would never allow it." Garnet replied.

"What do you mean?" asked Pearl.

"Yeah, what's that supposed to mean?!" Amethyst seconded.

"Steven would never abandon someone who he considers to be his friend, just like Rose would." Garnet clarified, "Rose would try to protect anyone, even if it means protecting a Homeworld soldier that was going to be unjustly punished."

"Yes, that does sound like something that Rose would do." Pearl conceded.

It has even led to those rescued Homeworld soldiers to join the Crystal Gems in the past.

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with her?!" Amethyst said angrily, pointing a finger at the shellshocked and horrified blue Gem that was watching the battle on all fours.

"She's been nothing but trouble!" she continued, "When Steven let her out, she attacked us, and then she tried to use the Atlantic Ocean to reach Homeworld! Her stupid water clone of Steven nearly drowned Connie and broke Greg's leg, in case you forgot! She even told Jasper and Peridot where to find us! What does he see in her?!"

Lion stared at Lapis with disapproving eyes, sharing the purple gem's sentiments.

"Steven has always been empathic to another person's feelings and sympathised with the plight of others, that's what drew Steven to Lapis in the first place." Garnet replied.

"Steven has always been someone who puts the needs of others first before his own, so that should come as no surprise." Pearl said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I guess so. Steven wouldn't be who he is otherwise." Amethyst conceded

Looking at Lapis, Garnet resumed, "Looking back on it now, we made the wrong decision when we found Lapis in the mirror."

Pearl, Amethyst as well as Lion looked at their leader in confusion.

Garnet soon clarified, "She was trapped inside that thing for years and we did nothing to help her. We allowed fear to cloud our judgement and did not investigate if she was a threat or not. If we had thought to free her from the mirror, our history with Lapis would have been different."

"Oh sure, you only realised this now?!" a small part of Lapis thought rather sourly, who overheard the conversation.

A large part of her thoughts was focus on Steven and his battle with Jasper.

She watched the battle unfold with pure horror.

"Steven, you idiot!" cried Lapis mentally, "Why did you do that?! I accepted what was going happen and drag her down with me! Why do you refuse to accept the inevitable and just stay down?! You're only going to get killed if you resist any further!"

Jasper tried crush Steven by using her Crash Helmet to turn him into paste, but the Human/Gem hybrid dodge out of the way and flung the shield at the rampaging Gem on her left side!

Jasper grabbed her left side in pain as she glared daggers at the young youth that stood before her.

"You can't keep dodging me forever, Rose!" said Jasper with an enraged look, "Stand still, and pay for your crimes like a Gem, if you still consider yourself one!"

This was starting to become ridiculous!

Steven learned how he was created!

He recently saw the whole video with one of his other friends, Sadie!

Rose told Steven, in the video, that there was no way that the both would able to exist at the same time!

Rose had to sacrifice her physical form to give birth to her only son, her pride and joy, the first ever Human/Gem hybrid of his time!

She gave up her life to bring him to this world!

What will it take for these Homeworld jerks to finally realize that he is not Rose?!

He is Steven!

Steven Quartz Universe!

Jasper once again rolled into a living ball and sped towards Steven, but crashed into a large shield that Steven had created!

Jasper kept on rolling and rolling, trying to break through, but Steven refused to concede an inch.

Steven was slowly pushed back, but he refused to give up.

Using his strength, his pushed back, sending the brutish Homeworld soldier flying a bit before landing on her feet.

Steven took this reprieve to catch his breath.

Lapis took the opportunity to reason with him.

"Steven, that's enough! Just stop!" she cried, causing the boy to look at her.

"But why?!" Steven cried, his voice laced with sadness and confusion.

"Because it's pointless!" replied Lapis, "There's no way you can win! If you keep fighting, you're just going to die!"

"No, I'm not going to give up!" said Steven resolutely, "I'm going to save you!"

"WHAT'S THE POINT?!" Lapis yelled, "I already made peace with the fact that is no way you can beat Homeworld! It's advanced far beyond when I was free, before I was caught up in a battle with the Rebellion! Every time you resist, more and more Gems will just be sent here until there is nothing left!"

Silence hang in the air.

"So please, just stop. Just stop fighting, and accept the inevitable…" Lapis pleaded, tears rolling down her eyes.

"I already told you, I'm not giving up on you!" Steven replied with determination.

"WHAT'S WITH YOU?!" roared Lapis, her emotions now running rampant like a raging tidal wave, "WHY DO YOU STRUGGLE FOR SOMETHING THAT'S ONLY BROUGHT YOU NOTHING BUT PAIN AND MISERY?! WHAT IS IT THAT YOU SEE THAT I DON'T?! THERE IS NOTHING THAT'S WORTH ALL OF THIS! THERE IS ONLY SUFFERING AND TORMENT ON THIS WORLD! THIS MISERABLE, WRETHCHED AND WORTHLESS PLANET IS NOT WORTH FIGHTING FOR!"

"THIS WHOLE PLANET MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME!" roared Steven, his emotions past it's limit.

Silence reigned on the emerald inferno ridden battlefield.

No one spoke a word.

Lapis just stared at the young boy in stunned silence…

Regaining his composure, Steven continued, "My mom said that this world is filled with so many possibilities. She saw the beauty in everything, that's why mom choose to stay on Earth. If Homeworld's allowed to do as they please, they'll take away everything that makes it wonderful and everything and everyone I know and love will be gone…"

"Steven…" whispered Lapis.

Steven continued, "I know that Earth isn't perfect and that not everyone is as good and kind-hearted as everyone is here in Beach City, but there are more good people than there are bad people in the world. I know you are scared, that you don't want to fight out of fear of getting hurt, but that's just giving up on everything that makes life worth living."

He turned his head to look at the three Crystal Gems as well as Lion and said, "If it helps, I'm scared too. But I can't let fear get the better of me, not when the people I cherish are in danger. I won't abandon them."

Steven turned back to Lapis and said to her, "I won't abandon you."

Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl smiled while shedding silent tears.

He truly is his mother's son…

He's grown up so fast…

Lion could only look at Steven with approving eyes.

Steven walked up to Lapis and said, "I know what it's like to give in to fear, but when some bully tells you to move, you plant your feet like a tree and say to them, 'No, you move!'."

Lapis wordlessly looked Steven right in eye.

"Besides, what kind of a friend would I be if I turn my back on them when they need me the most? A lousy one, that's what."

Steven stretched out his left hand and added, "You're my Beach Summer Fun Buddy. You'll always be my friend."

Those words, his 'Beach Summer Fun Buddy'…

She remembered the fun they had, especially making that weird yet funny sound.

That made her laugh the most!

And then, when she tried to use the water of this planet to return to Homeworld, rather than fight her, he convinced her to stand down.

He even went as far as to heal the gem on her back, when he had no incentive to do so!

Above all else, he showed no fear, even he was ordered to hand the mirror back to her jailers like anyone else in his place would, he still refused to leave her!

Lapis still looked at the hand of this boy, her…

Her friend…

This tender moment was sadly ruined when Jasper grabbed Steven's hair and yanked him from where he stood!

"Eyes up front, Rose!" Jasper yelled as she tossed him towards the ruins of the ship, "Never turn your back on the enemy!"

Steven managed to activate a bubble just in time before he hit the rubble and fell into the sand.

Looking up, he saw that Jasper was upon him, looking to stomp him into a fleshy mess on the sand!

Steven rolled out of the way before her foot came down.

This was repeated several more times as Steven rolled and rolled to evade Jasper's repeated attempts to squash him beneath her feet.

It was upon seeing this that Amethyst had finally had enough.

"All right, that's it! I'm gonna-"

But before she could finish, a tune close to the three Gems was heard.

They turned to look down and see that it was Steven's mobile phone!

It must had fallen from his pocket when he ran earlier.

Pearl picked up the device, pressed the accept button and brought it up to her ear.

"Hello?" asked Pearl nervously, unsure of who it was on the other end.

"Steven, I got your message! Are you ok, what's going on?"

Pearl recognised that voice instantly.

It was Connie, the daughter of Doug and Priyanka Maheswaran, all three who happen to live here in Beach City!

"Oh, err, hello Connie. It's me, Pearl." Pearl replied, her voice unsure of what to say.

"Pearl, what's going on? Where's Steven?" asked Connie, confused as to why she was talking to one of the Crystal Gems and not Steven.

Amethyst went over to the phone and said, "Some Homeworld jerks came along, kidnapped all three of us and Steven. Then we crashed their ship and now he's fighting the leader of their operation, and that's the abridged version."

"Shhh! Don't tell her that!" Pearl hissed.

"What!?" cried a horrified Connie on the other end, "I'm on my way!"

"Err Connie, that's like, totally not a good idea!" said Amethyst, worrying about what could happen if Connie showed up here.

"Connie, you'll be much safer if you stay at home with your parents!" Pearl added.

"My parents left two hours ago!" Connie replied, "They've gone to have some fancy dinner in some fancy restaurant in the city outside Beach City! They even paid for a room in a fancy hotel! They won't be back till long after tomorrow afternoon!"

"Connie, you are to stay right where you are, and that is final!" Garnet ordered with authority.

"Not when Steven's involved!" countered a defiant Connie, "I'm going and you can't stop me, end of discussion!"

The cut of her transmission severed to punctuate her steely resolve.

"Ugh, can tonight get any worse!?" groaned an agitated Amethyst, not at all liking the current chain of events.

A cry caused the three Crystal Gems to turn and see, to their collective horror, Jasper was holding Steven by the throat with her right hand, the emerald flames serving to enhance the image of the despicable Homeworld Gem as a conquering general!

"It just got worse." Garnet simply replied as all three Gems called forth their respective weapons.

Lion also prepared to pounce at any moment.

"Hold it right there!" yelled Jasper, turning her attention at them, "I have your leader in my hands! If any of you traitors so much as take a single step forward, I will end her miserable existence here and now!"

All three Gems growled, frustrated that they were unable to do nothing but deactivate their weapons while Lion also stood down…

Seeing that her threat had the desired effect, she turned her attention to Steven with an evil smile and said, "After all, ending you would not be as fun or satisfying if you fight me as you are now…"

Steven struggled to break free, but to no avail…

"So do it!" said Jasper with a furious expression and tightening her grip on the son of Rose Quartz, "Change back to your true form Rose, so I can make you pay for the crimes you've perpetrated against Homeworld and all the Gems you've shattered!"

Lapis rose to her feet, horror clearly evident on her face, her eyes on Steven…

"I… I am not Rose Quartz!" wheezed Steven, struggling to free himself with a brave and defiant expression, "Rose was my mom! My name is Steven, her son!"

Lapis looked at Steven, seeing that he wasn't afraid or terrified. His eyes with filled with persistent determination, determination to save his friend, not matter the circumstances and no matter the cost!

When she looked at Jasper's, she saw only rage and anger.

That was all there was to it.

These were not the eyes of a living being, only the eyes of a hollow and shallow husk of a soulless entity.

Anger and Rage…

Two emotions that she knew all too well…

To think that she too, was blinded by such dark emotions…

Lapis soon frowned her own eyes, as she was realising now what it is that truly must be done…

"How long do you plan to maintain this useless and pathetic form!?" roared Jasper, gripping Steven's throat even harder, "How long do you intend to keep using that lie!? I know your true form Rose, and I will not leave this miserable wasted space of rock until I see you kneeling at my feet and begging for forgiveness, of which you will not receive! Then and only then will I be satisfied!"

Steven looked at Jasper with one eye, his teeth gritted.

Garnet, Pearl and Amethyst glaring hatefully while Lion growled at the orange gem, cursing themselves for being unable to do anything!

Jasper's expression lessened as she lowered her grip as she said rather calmly, "You know what? I was wrong about you, Rose. You are a coward. You refuse to return to your true form and grant me my chance for vengeance, vengeance for my Diamond, vengeance that I crave!"

Jasper then smiled an evil smile and said just as evilly while resuming her grip, "So I think I'll just go ahead and shatter you right now!"

But before she could carry out the foul deed, something pulled her hair, causing Jasper scream in pain, forcing her to let go of Steven, who quickly tried to get air back to his lungs!

Seconds later, two watery chains clasped around both of Jasper's wrists, the villainous Gem trying to make sense of what in the name of Homeworld was going on!

Turning her head to the left, Jasper whispered an incredulous "WHAT!?" at who was foolish to defy her.

It was Lapis who, with a determined look on her face, was using her hydrokinesis to create the three chains that bound Jasper!

Her face turning into an angry scowl, Lapis growled, "You. Will. Keep. Your. Filthy Hands. OFF HIM!"

With a mighty roar, she flung Jasper far across the beach, far, far away from Steven!

Lapis immediately ran to Steven's location.

She knelt to Steven and asked, "Are you ok?"

Steven looked at Lapis and said with a smile, "I'm now, thanks!"

Lapis pulled Steven back up, after which they turned their attention to their shared enemy...

It was upon this scene that which Connie, wearing her coat arrived, with a second individual following close behind.

"Guys!" cried Connie as she ran up to the three Gems and Lion.

"Connie, while your concern for Steven is greatly appreciated, Garnet had specifically ordered you to remain in you- ".

Pearl's reprimand was cut off as Amethyst cried, "Greg?! What the heck are you doing here?!"

Connie, Pearl, Garnet and Lion turned to see the bearded, long haired, white tank topped, blue jean and sandal wearing father of Steven and widowed husband of Rose Quartz huffing and puffing to catch his breath as he wheezed with his hands on his knees, "Hey, huff-huff, I was just minding my own business when I, huff-huff, I saw, huff-huff, saw Connie running towards that green inferno! Huff-huff-huff-huff…"

After getting his breath back, he rose back up to what was ahead of him and saw one particular individual.

"Hey, isn't she the Gem who sold you guys out?!" Greg cried, pointing a finger at the Gem whose antics caused his leg to be broken.

"Lapis Lazuli?!" cried Connie, still remembering the time she was nearly drowned by a water doppelgänger of Steven, "What's she doing here?!"

Pearl replied, "After we were kidnapped, Lapis was taken prisoner as well."

"KIDNAPPED?!" Greg yelled in horror, "You guys and Steven were kidnapped?!"

"Lapis was held prisoner?!" cried Connie, her horror matching Greg's.

"Yeah, after Jasper, that's the name of the jerk over there, threw me, Pearl and Garnet around like ragdolls..." said Amethyst quite bitterly.

Connie looked at Lapis with sad eyes.

From what she had heard from Steven, Lapis had suffered greatly while she was imprisoned inside the mirror.

To finally to be free, only to be made a prisoner again…

That was beyond cruel…

"When we crash landed back here, Jasper tried to force Lapis to Fuse with her." added Garnet gravely.

"Forced Fusion?!" cried both Connie and Greg, looking at each other worryingly.

Both of them had an understanding of how Fusion works.

For Connie, she was one of the two alongside Steven that formed Stevonnie, the very first Human/Gem fusion of its kind.

As for Greg, he had some understanding about it from what Rose told him and seeing the fusion of Rose and Pearl, Rainbow Quartz first hand.

By understanding fusion and its ins and outs, they both understood what Garnet's words meant.

Forcing Gems to Fuse against their will?! That would be the Gem equivalent of pushing someone into something that they no wish to be a part of!

The very idea of it repulsed the both of them.

While they may not have a high opinion of Lapis, and for varying reasons, not even they would want her to suffer like that.

They would not wish that kind of fate on anyone, not even her….

Lion also looked at Lapis with same emotions as Connie and Greg…

"We tried to stop to him, but Steven refused to listen and rushed off to save Lapis and battle Jasper alone." Pearl added, continuing where Garnet left of.

"AND YOU LET HIM?!" cried Greg, outraged that the three gems he grew to trust would let his son to do something as reckless as this!

"Hey, we tried to keep Steven outta this, but he used that bubble of his to force us apart before we could do anything!" countered Amethyst.

"You could've at least helped him!" said an equally angered Connie.

Garnet replied, "Jasper grabbed Steven by the neck and threatened to kill him if we moved so much as an inch to help."

Both humans gasped when they heard this.

They turned their attention to the rapidly approaching form of what they assumed to be Jasper.

Greg grinded his teeth in anger, this overgrown muscle head had some nerve to hurt his son like that!

Connie shared the elder man's sentiments, how dare this jerk of a Gem use her best friend as a bargaining chip like that!?

Both of them had half a mind, no, scratch that, they were determined to walk up to her and teach her a lesson!

Garnet moved her glasses to activate her Future Vision and remarked, "I wouldn't do that if I were either of you two. It doesn't end well…"

Both flinched at the mention of this.

"She's going to cream the both of us, isn't she?" asked Greg, rather meekly.

"Pretty much." Garnet replied.

Greg slumped in defeat, while Connie glared daggers at Jasper, annoyed that she was unable to help.

When she finally got back, Jasper snarled, "What in the name of Homeworld do you think you're doing, brat?!"

Lapis immediately replied, "Something that I should've done all along!"

"Have you forgotten how long they have kept you prisoner?!" Jasper yelled, incensed at this turn of event, "Have you forgotten what they have done to you?!"

"I HAVEN'T!" cried Lapis before calming down and resuming, "I know they have done me wrong."

Lapis turned her head to look at the gathering behind and added, "But I also acknowledge that I have done them wrong…"

Connie and Greg soon realised that Lapis had noticed them, the former turning to the side while whistling a random tune.

Meanwhile, the latter smiled meekly and waved his fingers in a 'hello' fashion.

Lion looked at Lapis with a neutral expression.

Steven didn't see either Connie or his father as his full attention was on Jasper.

"They have kept you prisoner; they did nothing to help you!" Jasper angrily cried, "You should be taking this opportunity to make them pay for what they did to you! You should be demanding retribution; you should be seeking vengeance!"

"I have seen what anger and vengeance brings!" Lapis replied, turning her head back to look at Jasper, "It offers you nothing. Looking at you, it has only turned you into a hollow and lifeless shell, an empty husk that is full of nothing but rage, anger, hatred and malice! I refuse to walk that path any longer. I will not be consumed by a lust for revenge anymore! I will forsake my pursuit for retribution! I have cast aside my want for vengeance! I forgive them for what they did!"

Jasper growled louder and louder…

"I am getting sick and tired of just running away! I am getting sick and tired of cowering in fear! I am getting sick and tired of feeling powerless! But more importantly…" Lapis growled before pointing a finger at her one true tormenter and yelled, "I am getting sick and tired of YOU!"

Garnet, Pearl, Amethyst, Lion, Connie and Greg stared at Lapis with awe and wonder at this speech.

"ARE YOU SERIOUSLY PLANNING ON TURNING YOUR BACK ON HOMEWORLD TOO?!" Jasper roared, her anger consuming her, "ARE YOU SERIOUSLY PLANNING ON SIDING WITH THESE TRAITORS AS WELL?!"

"If being labelled as a Crystal Gem is what it takes to protect Steven," said Lapis resolutely without fear while pointing her left thumb to herself, "then I might as well be one!"

Lapis turned to Steven, who turned to look at her and asked with a smile, "You got room for one more?"

Steven immediately replied joyously, "Of course!" and jumped into her arms.

Greg and Connie smiled, seeing their son/best friend was happy to see Lapis finally free and happy.

Lion purred happily.

How could they hold a grudge against her after seeing all of this?

Resting their heads on each other, Steven and Lapis looked at each other and giggled.

Their giggling soon turned into joyous laughter as Lapis spun with Steven in her arms.

Soon, the both of them were consumed by a white light!

And that means only one thing…

"You've gotta be kidding me!" said Greg, astonished at what was playing out before him.

"Ah yeah!" whooped Amethyst with huge grin on her face, "It's Fusion time!"

"Impossible!" gasp an incredulous Pearl, "Steven and Connie I could understand, but a Fusion between Steven and an actual Gem?!"

"I did not expect this…" Garnet merely replied.

Jasper just watched what was happening in anger…

After a few seconds, the light turned into a ball and took to the air!

"Hey, where are they going?" asked Connie who looking up with the others.

The ball soon stopped, and began to take a humanoid shape.

The humanoid rose its right arm as if it were holding something.

"Errr…" Amethyst murmured, unsure of what was going on…

KRA-THOOM….

The Crystal Gems, Connie and Greg soon saw a huge cloud hovering over the entire area.

Soon, rain soon poured over the area, dousing the emerald flames that spewed from the wreckage!

"Gah! If I knew it was gonna rain tonight, I would've taken my coat!" cried Greg as he tried to shield himself from the downpour.

Connie pulled the hood of coat over her head and replied, "Good thing I did!"

Lion groaned; he hated getting wet!

Amethyst soon transformed into an umbrella to cover everyone until the rain stopped, the clouds dissipating.

The purple gem soon transformed back to normal and began to wring the water from her hair, while she kept her eyes on the descending human shaped light as it touched down to the ground like the rest of them did.

"What kind of Fusion do you think it's gonna be?" Connie asked Garnet who replied, "We're about to find out."

The light soon dissipated and from where they were, they could see an armoured individual who wore a familiar pink coloured cape with a shimmering yellow star on it.

In terms of seize, it was as tall as Jasper.

From where Jasper stood, the armoured Fusion was coloured deep green laced with a shimmering pattern of silver.

The sides of its gauntlets, couter, fan-plates and ankle area of the greaves had an angel wing design.

Its pauldrons shared the same angel wing design.

The rims of its tasset had what appeared to be angel feathers

The gorget around its neck protected the area completely.

The barbuta helmet it wore had a Y-visor and nose guard and also had a pair angel wings from the cheeks and spread upward.

The visor had a pair of angel wings around the eye area, making look like an exaggerated pair of eye brows.

The comb of the helmet sported a pink tassel.

The individuals' eyes were heterochromia, it's left eye pink while its right, blue.

The fusion soon summoned its armaments.

In its left hand, it held a deep green and silver version of Steven's shield that had the same shape and patter, but now had a pair of angel wings on the sides.

In its right hand, it wielded a deep green silver arming sword with a pink angel wing shaped guard and a pink rose shaped pommel at the end of the deep green silver hilt.

Its whole being seemed to radiate with a holy aura.

Jasper, whose anger was well beyond breaking point roared, "YOU WOULD FUSE WITH ANOTHER GEM JUST TO WIN?! HOW DARE YOU, ROSE QUARTZ!"

The Fusion stared at Jasper with determined and resolute eyes.

"Lady Rose Quartz hast long passed on from this realm." said the fusion in a male British accent, "He who stands before thee is Seraphinite, guardian angel of the Crystal Gems!"

With a swing of his sword, Seraphinite's cape rose up and transformed into a pair of resplendent and radiant wings!

The wings were coloured pink and were laced with a shimmering pattern of yellow.

"There are male Gems?!" asked Connie with wonder, her eyes turning diamond.

"I can't believe it!" gasped Pearl, "Such a thing has never even occurred before!"

"So, there has never been any male Gems before?" asked Greg, who was rather confused.

"Nope," Amethyst replied with a grin, "but I like what I'm seein'!"

"I was not expecting that…" Garnet added, truly at a loss for words.

Amethyst looked at Garnet and chuckled.

The Crystal Gem leader had the biggest excited grin on her face right now.

Lion looked on with amazement, wonder and… respect.

"Don't you have any shred of decency for who you are Rose, to fuse with a worthless Gem and create this abomination?!" cried Jasper, outraged at the being that stood before her.

"Thou art a fool to believe thyself to be holier than I, thou who hast turned thy back upon thy words, dishonourable knave!" replied Seraphinite, brimming with righteous anger.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" yelled Jasper.

"Thou wouldst sayeth that Fusion betwixt different Gems be beshrew, a curse upon our kind! A blight that can ne'er be washed away, thus they should be exterminated from existence!" Seraphinite answered, "Yet, t'would seem that thou wouldst cast aside thy honour and force Lady Lapis to become the very thing that thou wouldst abhor and distain!"

"Desperate times call for desperate measures!" Jasper angrily countered, "If you filthy traitors never kept on using that cheap tactic to make weaker Gems stronger, I would never even consider Fusion in the first place!"

"Tis not a 'cheap tactic' that thou wouldst describe Fusion," Seraphinite replied, "Tis a great union, a union betwixt those eternally bound by love, trust and camaraderie, something that thou wouldst ne'er understand, vile beast of rancour!"

Jasper growled angrily at Seraphinite's words.

"If thou art allowed to run rampant and unchecked this night, thou wouldst bring naught but devastation and ruin upon this peaceful hamlet in search of meaningless and misguided vengeance!" Seraphinite added.

"MY VENGEANCE IS NOT MEANINGLESS OR MISGUIDED!" roared Jasper, "MY VENGEANCE IS THE VENGEANCE OF EVERY SINGLE GEM THAT YOU HAVE SHATTERED, INCLUDING MY DIAMOND! I WILL SEE YOU AND LITTLE BAND OF FILTHY TRAITORS SHATTERED FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE, BEFORE THE DIAMONDS DESTROY THIS PATHETIC- "

Jasper's words were cut off when she was hit by a deep green crescent shape beam of light, square in the chest, causing her to reel in pain!

Jasper soon glared at the heroic Fusion with incredulousness and anger as he pointed his sword at her.

"Still thy tongue, villainous cur!" cried Seraphinite, "Thou wilt cause no more harm to the people of Beach City! By my troth, before the morrow, I shalt best thee and rid this realm of thy evil!"

Seraphinite took up a battle position while his wings turned back into his cape.

"Now, the time for discourse hast past!" he said after which he added, "Prepare thyself!"

With great speed, he dashed forward, his sword clashing with Jasper's Crash Helmet, thus beginning the battle anew!

Watching the battle from afar, the three Crystal Gems, Greg and Connie looked on in wonder and amazement.

"Whoa, look at him go!" said Greg, astonished at what was going on before him.

"YEAH! YOU GO, SERAPHINITE! WOO!" whooped Amethyst, who had the biggest grin of her face, "KICK HER BUTT, BIG TIME!"

Lion roared, feeling the same way as Amethyst did.

"This great! Isn't it, Pearl?" asked Connie, who was just as excited.

"Yes, I am inclined to agree. Jasper is finally getting the comeuppance for what's she's done." Pearl agreed. "That being said," she remarked, "what my question is, in all honesty, is that how is he maintaining the Fusion without fall apart? Steven and Lapis have only fused for barely a few minutes while we've been doing this for centuries!"

"Err, Stevonnie did last for quite a while too, y'know." Amethyst remarked.

"I know that!" retorted Pearl, "What I mean, is how is Steven maintaining a Fusion with an actual Gem!? Such a thing has never been seen before!"

"It is because they are of one mind." replied Garnet replied, causing the other two gem, the two humans and Lion to look at her.

Garnet chose to clarify, "Just as Seraphinite explained, Fusion is a union between two or more Gems who have strong feelings of love, trust and friendship. Steven had always trusted Lapis and always saw her as a friend. While Lapis may not have trusted Steven at first due to his association with us when she was freed from the mirror, the lengths of how far Steven will go to save her, it reignited the feelings that she thought had lost throughout this fiasco; trust and friendship."

The four turned back to observe while the Perma-Fusion continued, "A Fusion is most stable when it's participance trust each other to share their light, their feelings, the trust that one each have for the other."

"Case in point." Connie added while pointing to herself, referring to Stevonnie.

Connie soon began thinking to herself, "A Fusion born out of trust and love... Does that mean Steven feels the same way about me as I do..?"

She would have to ask Steven about that at a much later date.

"Ok, that explains that." Amethyst replied, after which she asked, "But what I wanna is how he's keeping up with her?! Jasper's more powerful than most of Homeworld's stooges!"

Seraphinite's sword and Jasper's crash helm clashed, a resounding CLANG!

The sound of metal clashing on metal reverberated throughout the battlefield.

"It's their combined resolute resolve." answered Garnet, "Steven's resolve to protect his friends, Greg, us and his home combined with Lapis' resolve to protect Steven is giving Seraphinite the strength he needs to face her. It is determination that gives him power. But the question is, will it be enough?"

Meanwhile…

Seraphinite's sword and Jasper's helmet clashed again and again, sparks flying in the air!

Both combatants' movements were swift, each keep the other on their toes.

The two rushed towards each other, the orange Gem's helmet colliding with the Fusion's shield.

The battle became a stalemate, one pushing the other, neither conceding an inch.

"Verily, thou art indeed a mighty foe," said Seraphinite, "but surely thou doth knoweth upon which side that justice dost reside! Surrender now, duplicitous cretin, and mayhap I shalt take pity and grant thee mercy, though such notions wouldst be lost upon thee!"

Don't you dare speak of mercy, Rose!" Jasper yelled angrily, "AND DON'T YOU DARE PITY ME!"

Jasper then launched herself backwards into the air!

Everyone looked up at the night sky.

After spinning to gather sufficient energy, she flew down towards to Seraphinite with the speed of a meteor!

The heroic Fusion transformed his cape into wings and flew to the right, towards the shoreline!

After crashing, Jasper saw she had struck nothing, and looked frantically, seeking her adversary.

Looking to her left, she saw her foe in the air, looking down at her with a steely gaze…

"STOP RUNNIG AWAY AND FIGHT ME, YOU COWARD!" Jasper yelled.

Seraphinite refused to give her a response, merely raising his sword upward.

"Err, what's he doing?" asked Amethyst, who was unsure of what make of it.

KRA-THOOM…

Clouds soon gathered at the area again, this time, more ominous than before…

"What's he gonna do?" asked Greg, looking at Garnet, who activated her Future Vision and replied with a smile, "Something awesome…"

After enough clouds were gathered, Seraphinite yelled, "FEEL HEAVEN'S WRATH!"

With a downward swing of Seraphinite's sword, a bolt of thunder came crashing towards Jasper!

She managed to escape it by dodging the left.

Serephinite pointed his sword where Jasper was, causing another thunderbolt to fall, which Jasper also avoided, much to Connie and Greg's chagrin.

Jasper rolled into a ball and sped off as she tried to dodge the numerous bolts of thunder that Seraphinite sent after her.

"He can use Thunder Magic?!" cried Connie, her eyes turning into the shape of diamonds, "This guy's literally a Black Paladin from Last Illusion, my favourite JRPG series!"

It was clear to everyone involved; the tables had been turned and now it was Jasper who was been dominated, rather than the other way around a few moments before!

"YEAH, LET'S SEE HOW YOU LIKE BEING THE ONE THAT'S BEING PUSHED AROUND FOR A CHANGE!" cheered Amethyst, thoroughly enjoying seeing Jasper finally getting what's coming to her.

An unsure Greg looked at Garnet and asked, "Am I the only one who's feeling vindictive right now?"

"If you mean feeling vindictive after all Jasper has done to Steven,", Garnet replied, "than no, you're not the only one."

"Ok, just making sure." replied Greg before turning back to what was going on with a grin on his face and yelled, "YOU SHOW HER WHAT FOR, KID!"

"YEAH, TEACH HER A LESSON!" Connie cheered, with a smile

Lion roared again, sharing Connie's confidence

Despite herself, Pearl couldn't help but chant over and over, "Get her, get her, get her, get her, get her!"

Deciding she had enough, Jasper rolled over to a piece of rubble and used it as a ramp to launch herself into the air and flew towards Seraphinite!

Seeing what was happening, the noble Fusion stopped his assault and flew back down, moving just in time to dodge Jasper's attack, causing it to miss and she careened into the sea!

Seraphinite landed back on the beach, his wings turning back to his cape and turned around to face the shoreline to where Jasper was.

The dreadful silence that hung in the air was tangible...

Bubbles were soon seen coming from the sea water….

Seraphinite became on guard, determined to face what was coming from the deep….

Seconds later, Jasper rolled out from sea, causing the holy warrior to dodge to left and turned to see where she was going!

Jasper turned around and used the same ramp to fly into the air, only to uncurl and fly straight towards her hated enemy, colliding with Seraphinite's shield!

The guardian angel of the Crystal Gems was pushed back by the force of the collision, but he refused to give up and resolved to stand firm!

"How long do you plan to resist, Rose?!" said Jasper, who smiled evilly as she poured more and more energy into her assault, "Why delay the inevitable?! You are too weak to face me by yourself!"

The Gems, Greg, Connie and Lion all glared angrily at the Homeworld villainess.

"It's no use," Jasper yelled, "you can't defeat me! Give up!"

Serphinite looked at Jasper and growled, "I say thee…"

Using all of his current strength, he moved his right arm to the left, causing Jasper to be unbalanced!

Not wasting a second, Seraphinite deactivated his shield punched Jasper with a powerful left uppercut to the jaw as he yelled, "NAY!", causing her to fly towards the rubble, while her helmet flew off her in the process!

Not even a second after that, turning his cape once again into wings, he flew into the air and sliced the wretched weapon into pieces!

The three Gems and the two Humans cheered while Lion roared, believing that the battle was as good as won!

Jasper, who had crashed into the ruins of the ship, stared in horror at what just happened.

This filthy traitor had destroyed her most prized weapon!

She was now defenceless!

She looked frantically to find a weapon, any weapon, that she could use!

She soon saw what appeared to be the hilt of a weapon of some kind and made her way to it, but stopped just before she could reach it, fearing that 'Rose Quartz' would attack her from behind!

"Hie to claim thy weapon and return to the fray!" said the voice of Seraphinite, causing Jasper to turn to see the Fusion landing back on the sand, his wings changing back to his cape while reactivating his shield, after which he added, "I wilt not sully my honour as thou hast and battle a weaponless foe…"

Jasper growled at what she saw as arrogance, grabbed the hilt and pulled it out of the wreckage.

The weapon was revealed to be a rather large double handed Zweihander, one that was too big and heavy to be lifted by any Humans and smaller Gems, but was easy to lift for someone of Jasper's strength and size.

The blade was as large as it was tall, and had not guard.

It suited Jasper just fine; she never was one for defence, all-out attack was her preferred strategy anyway.

It was in rather good condition, despite the crash landing.

Jasper leaped down from the wreckage, readied her new weapon and growled, "Your arrogance and cocky attitude will be the end of you, Rose Quartz!"

Each with their own war cry, their weapons clashed, the clang of metal and shockwave that it emanated signalled that the battle had recommenced!

From the side-lines, the six spectators voiced their own displeasure…

"No, no, no, no, no! This is not the time to be a goody two-shoes!" cried a dismayed Amethyst, pulling her hair, revealing both her eyes.

"We've just discovered Seraphinite's fatal flaw!" said a rather worried Garnet, "Steven's sense of fairness and Lapis' resolute refusal to ever stoop to Jasper's level has made him far too honourable for his own good! He'd rather fight fair and square than be known as a dishonourable coward!"

"Does he really think Jasper reciprocates the same sentiment?!" Pearl wailed, "She'll do anything to win, even cheat!"

"This always happens in the movies!" Greg groaned, "The hero always gives the bad guy a chance to change their ways, and the instant their backs turned, the bad guy stabs them in the back!"

"That kind of thinking is gonna get Steven hurt!" fretted a panicking Connie, her face a look of pure terror, "Or worse, killed!"

Lion growled, baring his teeth.

Garnet stepped backwards to get a better view of her fellow Crystal Gems.

"Pearl, Amethyst, get ready to form Opal at a moment's notice!" Garnet ordered, "We'll need to give our fellow Fusion a helping hand!"

Both Gems nodded, the smaller Gem heading to the tall Gem's position, the two on standby.

"YOU'RE A FUSION?!" cried both Connie and Greg at the same time, scandalized at what was just heard!

"Garnet, when were you and Steven going to tell me about this?!" interrogated a rather peeved Connie, believing that Garnet and Steven were hiding secrets behind her back.

"Yeah, and I was with Rose since day one of our relationship! Why wasn't I allowed in on this?!" demanded an equally peeved Greg, believing that he should've been privy about that kind of information, right from the get go!

Garnet looked at both humans and replied rather sheepishly, "In Steven's defence, he only found that out earlier tonight, before the ship crashed down…"

Three soon returned their sights on the battle…

Things were not looking so well for Seraphinite…

Despite the holy Gem's ability to keep up, he was steadily being overwhelmed by Jasper's overwhelming strength and ferocity.

Sparks rapidly flew as Seraphinite worked overtime to block his foe's sword strikes with his shield and sword.

The sweat that rapidly dripping across his face showed how outmatched he was becoming…

"Aw, what's the matter?! Your abomination's not looking so great now, is it?!" taunted Jasper, a maniacal grin etched to her face, "You could always give up! It'll be less painful that way…"

Seraphinite managed to block a sword strike with his shield, and tried to remain standing, despite his perilous situation of being crushed under the zweihander's weight!

"Nay, for I only hath begun to fight…" the guardian angel snarled, "Ne'er wilt I surrender to the likes of thee, vile temptress!"

Jasper, her face contorted with rage at this show of defiance, roared in anger, rose her weapon and brought it down, only for her enemy to dodge just in time!

Deactivating the shield for a second, Seraphinite punched Jasper square in the face, disorientating her, after which he jumped back and fired a deep green crescent shaped beam, sending the evil Gem flying towards the shoreline!

Jasper landed on one knee to the ground, utterly fuming!

The five spectators cheered while Lion roared at this turn of events.

Perhaps Opal might not be needed after all!

Turning his cape into wings, Seraphinite flew towards Jasper to disarm her and grant her another chance to surrender peacefully.

If she refused, he would poof her, causing her to retreat into her gem.

Grabbing a handful of sand in her left hand, she flung the sand at the Fusion's direction, which caused him to jerk to a stop and activate his shield just in time to block the sand, thus preventing the orange Homeworld Gem from blinding him!

This however, was exactly what the foul villainess was hoping for…

No soon than he lowered his shield, Jasper punched Seraphinte in the stomach, pain coursing through his body!

Angered that it not had the desired effect, Jasper then preformed a powerful jump kick to the same area, sending the hallowed Fusion towards the ruins of the ship, with the villainess following after him!

Seraphinite soon crashed into a piece of rubble, causing him to drop his weapons and his helmet to fall off and slumped to the floor…

Jasper soon stood before him, pleased that the second attempt had worked as she planned…

Meanwhile, everyone else reacted with horror!

"STEVEN!" cried Greg and Connie, terrified at what was happening!

"Pearl, Amethyst, we need Opal, NOW!" Garnet barked, ready to rush to Seraphinite's aid.

"Right away!/we're on it, G!" Pearl and Amethyst replied respectively and began to fuse…

Garnet turned to Lion and ordered, "Stay with Connie and Greg!"

Lion nodded, showing he understood.

Meanwhile…

Holding the zweihander with one hand, Jasper used the tip of her weapon to make Serephinite looked at her.

He had smooth black crew cut hair, the same heterochromia eyes and the gem of Lapis Lazuli, now coloured deep green and laced with silver lines, resting on his forehead, as if it were a third eye.

"All of that power, and in the end, I'm the one that's still standing…" mocked Jasper with evil grin.

Seraphinite coughed and looked at Jasper with righteous fury.

"Thou craven devil!" growled Seraphinite, baring his teeth in anger.

"I already told you, Fusion is a cheap tactic to make weaker Gems stronger." Jasper said, her face turning to an angry frown, "I don't need Fusion. I rely on my own strength, something you Crystal Gems never had the will to do! No Fusion can ever defeat me!"

Jasper soon took notice of Lapis' gem and she soon smiled an evil smile while a malevolent idea came to mind…

"Hey, do Fusions defuse when one of their gems is shattered? Let's test that out, shall we?!"

Jasper then grabbed the neck of Seraphinite and flung him to the left and fell on the sand, his eyes looking at the night sky.

Seraphinite tried to get back up, only for Jasper to use her left foot to crush his throat!

The holy angel struggled to pry the foot from his neck but to no avail…

He could only look in horror as his adversary held her blade aloft as she declared, "Once I end this abomination's existence, that useless Lapis Lazuli will be as good as shattered! Then, I will make you change back to your true form, Rose Quartz, I will make you fight me and I will finally achieve vengeance for every Gem you shattered, including my- "

Her speech was cut short as dodged to the left to avoid an arrow fired from an unseen attacker!

Coughing, Seraphinite turned around while gasping for air and looked up to a familiar periwinkle skinned, long off-white haired, baby blue eyed and pointy nosed bow wielding ally!

"Lady Opal!" cried Seraphinite, overjoyed to see a fellow Fusion!

"THIS AGAIN?!" roared Jasper, her face of pure rage, "I'VE ALREADY PROVEN THAT NO FUSION CAN BEAT ME! WHY EVEN TRY?!"

Opal merely summoned a larger version of Pearl's spear and replied calmly, "Because we're not alone."

This angered Jasper, who readied herself as she was charged Opal, her spear ready to strike.

Opal thrusted her spear towards Jasper, who blocked the blow with her zweihander, that didn't break on impact!

Opal was astonished at what happened, the Pearl side of her remarking that the weapon was rather well crafted to take the full force of the blow and not break while the Amethyst inside her agreed, saying that Homeworld must have one heck of an Amazonite who has access to the good stuff to make a weapon like this…

Deciding that she needed to get Jasper away from their new member, Opal moved away from the wreckage, successfully making Jasper give chase, demanding Opal to come back and fight her.

Seraphinite was trying to get up when she was Garnet moving towards him.

Garnet stopped in front of him and asked while extending her right arm with an open hand, "Need a hand?"

Seraphinite gratefully took the hand and was pulled back on his feet.

"It's good to see you safe." said Garnet kindly with smile.

"Aye," replied Seraphinite with a grateful nod, "I wouldst not hath survived, if not for Lady Opal's aid."

Seeing that he was now safe, Garnet went straight to the point.

"You were far too lenient." Garnet said rather bluntly, "You were too honourable for your own good, insisting on fighting a fair fight."

"Aye." replied the holy fusion, looking utterly ashamed, "Tis as thou sayeth, Lady Garnet…"

He turned and walked to his helmet, picked it up, turning it to look at the visor and said in a regretful tone, "T'would seem that I still hath much to learn…"

Garnet could keenly sense the turmoil that was swirling inside him, the shame he was feeling in thinking to show Jasper any amount of mercy.

He was probably mentally kicking himself in the shin right now…

Garnet walk over to Seraphinite, placed her left hand on his right shoulder and said, "Seraphinite, there is nothing wrong about believing in honour, I understand your desire to never stoop to Jasper's level and to be the better Gem. But there are beings out there who could never comprehend good, could never understand righteousness and honour and could only know only evil and destruction."

Seraphinite, with helmet still in hand, turned to look at Garnet, who now placed her right hand on his left shoulder and continued, "Jasper is such a being, a being of pure evil. She could never understand the concepts of love, friendship and as you rightfully said, mercy."

Seraphinite stared at the Perma-fusion in silence…

"In the face of such evil, we can't afford to hold back, lest they destroy everything we know and cherish." Garnet continued, "If you still want to believe in honour, I will not stop you, but don't let it cloud your judgement or you will place everyone in danger."

"Lady Garnet…" murmured Seraphinite.

"Don't hesitate." Garnet added, "When the time comes, just act."

His face turning to a look of determination, he placed his helmet back on and replied, "I thank thee for thy words, Lady Garnet. Thou hath opened my eyes and strengthened my resolve. I shalt pay heed to thy counsel."

He went over to where his weapons to reclaim them while Garnet followed behind.

Retrieving his weapons, Seraphinite turned to face Garnet who summoned her gauntlets and asked with a smile, "Shall we?"

Seraphinite rose his sword in a formal salute and replied with smile, "Lets shalt!"

Both turned to where the battle was unfolding and rushed to their fellow Fusion's aid!

Meanwhile, sometime before…

Jasper and Opal continued to trade blows with each other with the foul Homeworld Gem managing to fight the giant Fusion on equal footing, despite the size difference.

Such was Jasper's strength…

She soon decided it was time to topple this grotesque titan…

Rolling into a ball, she rolled into Opal's left leg in an attempt to throw off balance!

Opal managed to dodge it move her left leg quickly, but Jasper turned back around, uncurled and jumped into the air and bash Opal in the back, and fell into the sand!

Opal tried to get up but stopped when she Jasper in front of her, her weapon poised to shatter Pearl's gem…

"I already told you," Jasper said with a smug look as well a smug tone in her voice, "I can never be defeated by any freaks of nature like you Fusions! All I need is my own strength to win my battles, unlike you, who only know they can only win just by Fusing! Defeating that Fusion of Rose Quartz and that pathetic Lapis Lazuli was more than enough to illustrate my point! All you traitors are doing is delaying your inevitable failure, your destined destruction. So, I ask again; Why even try?"

Opal saw what was coming and replied with confidant smile, "We already told, we're not alone…"

Jasper's look turned into confusion before turning around to see the other two Fusions rushing towards her.

It was then she realised: she had been hoodwinked!

She'd been had!

Turning to Opal, Jasper roared, "YOU TRICKED ME!"

Without wasting another word, she turned and dash towards the oncoming Crystal Gems!

Opal resumed rising to her feet while shouting, "Garnet, Seraphinite, heads up!"

Jasper was soon upon them, ready to strike them down with one blow!

Fortunately, Seraphinite blocked the blow with his shield while Garnet pushed behind him to keep her ally in place!

"HOW LONG DO YOU PLAN TO CONTINUE THIS USELESS RESISTANCE?!" Jasper roared, her anger an all-time high.

"As long as it takes to best thee, shameless villainess!" replied Seraphinite with renewed resolve.

With a powerful shove, he pushed the zweihander away, causing Jasper to stumble backwards!

Sensing an opportunity, Garnet jumped into the air to try a powerful superman punch, but she unfortunately missed as Jasper recovered enough to dodge…

Garnet and Jasper continued to trade blow with one another, sparks flying from their respective weapons, and dodging whenever they can!

Garnet brought her fists together to perform an overhead smash, but Jasper used her weapon to block the blow, standing firm!

"You can't win this, Jasper!" cried Garnet, applying more power to break through, "We outnumber you three to one! Even with your strength, you can't keep this up forever!"

"N-nev-never!" growled Jasper as she began to push back, "I… I will never lose to a filthy war machine!"

Using her strength, Jasper pushed forward, throwing the Perma-Fusion off-balance.

Jasper wasted no time to thrust her blade towards Garnet to run her through!

Luckily for Garnet, she was saved when Seraphinite's shield struck the zweihander, making it go off target!

Jasper turned to her left to see the hallowed knight resummon his shield and resumed his battle stance.

"YOU!" yelled Jasper hatefully as she prepared to attack him when Opal, who managed to catch up, used Amethyst's whip to ensnare the evil Gem and flung her towards the wreckage!

Connie, Greg and Lion saw Jasper crash on to the rubble of the ship.

Greg looked what was happening with a frown and started to traverse the wreck towards the formidable Homeworld Gem!

"Greg, what are you doing?!" cried Connie, horrified at what he was doing.

"I've got to do something!" Greg replied, as he made his way to Jasper, wisely circling her from behind.

Jasper stood up, shaking her head and regained focus.

"I will not lose, especially to a group of abominations!" Jasper murmured angrily.

"Seriously, Rose must be helping me out, big time!" thought Greg, for whenever by accident or design, he managed to sneak up on Jasper undetected!

It also helped that his son's captor was too busy to notice or hear him approach….

Managing to find a piece of rubble that he could lift, he rose it above his head and roared, "YOU LEAVE MY SON ALONE, YOU LONG HAIRED CREEP!"

At the same time, all three Fusions saw what was happening!

Opal gasped in horror, covering her mouth with her upper left hand!

"GREG! / FATHER!" cried both Garnet and Seraphinite respectively in terror!

"What?!" said Jasper turned around to see what was behind her, only to hit by a piece of rubble directly to her face!

Greg blanched, for that was not where he was trying to aim for…

Transforming his cape into wings Seraphinite flew to Greg's rescue!

Shaking her head from the remain bits of rubble on her face, Jasper looked at the bearded human and growled, "You miserable organic!"

"Don't hurt me!" squealed Greg, raising his arms as if it were a stick up, "I was trying to throw that piece of rubble at the back of your head, not the face!"

Jasper was not amused and was about to skewer him when Seraphinite flew in front of her, deactivated his shield and punched her in the jaw which sent her flying!

Turning to look at Greg, the holy warrior asked worryingly, "Father, art thou safe?!"

Greg realised that it was the part of Seraphinite that was Steven, his son, that was talking to him.

Greg breathed a sigh of relive as he replied, "I am now, thanks!"

After breathing his own sigh of relive, Seraphinite cautioned, "Tis not safe for thou to be here. Hie thyself to a place of safety away from the fray, till this war is done."

"I'll take your word for it!" agreed Greg as he made himself scarce, turning his head back to cry, "YOU SHOW THAT JERK WHOSE BOSS!"

"Aye…" Seraphinite replied softly with a smile, before turning back and sped off to face a rapidly approaching Jasper.

Greg managed to return to Connie and Lion, the young Indian American saying, "Thank goodness your safe!"

"Yeah, and now we need to amscray!" Greg replied, after which he scooped Connie up and carried her to behind the wreckage while Lion stayed behind.

"Hey, let me go!" Connie demanded, "We've gotta help Steven!"

"No way, little lady!" Greg argued as he laid her on her feet, "We're way over our heads in this one, and I'm not prepared to explain to your ma and pa about how you got sliced into itty bitty pieces!"

Connie growled.

She knew that Greg was right, but she hated the idea of feeling powerless, unable to help…

Both Greg and Connie climbed up the wreckage to view the battle from a safe distance…

Meanwhile, Seraphinite's sword and Jasper's zweihander clashed, thus both were in a deadlock!

"Treasonous blackguard! How low wilt thou stoop?!" roared Seraphinite, his expression full of anger, "Not only thou show complete lack of honour, thou wouldst not only cheat to win, thou wouldst also harm a defenceless civilian?! Fie on thee!"

"Aw, do you truly care for these filthy parasites, Rose Quartz?" mocked Jasper with a savage grin, "Then how about this? After I shatter you and your hideous war machines, I'll destroy them and this waste of space next!"

Seraphinite's face contorted to a look of pure rage as he bellowed, "AWAY WITH THEE!" and pushed her away to Garnet and Opal's position!

Seraphinite turned to Steven's leonine guardian and cried, "Lion! Come hither, for I have need of thee for thy aid!"

Lion roared, opening a portal he then jumped through!

A second later, a second portal opened, of which Lion came through of.

Lion walked up to Seraphinite and nuzzled him affectionately.

The holy Fusion knelt down and stroked Lion's mane kindly.

Getting back up, he mounted Lion like a horse and cried while pointing sword forward, "Now we ride, Lion! For honour! For freedom! For justice! For the Earth!"

Lion roared and charged forward with Seraphinite riding him like a noble steed, the holy warrior ready to face his enemy in battle!

Meanwhile, Jasper was holding her own against Garnet and Opal, matching them blow for blow!

Garnet tried another superman punch like before, but Jasper used her weapon to block the blow and then headbutted the Crystal Gem leader in the face!

How Garnet's glasses were still on was anyone's guess…

Opal tried strike Jasper while her back was turned, but her opponent blocked the spear and pushed forward and caused the Fusion to tumble to the ground!

"See?! What did I tell you?!" said Jasper with a wicked smile, huffing and puffing, "No Fusion can ever hope to defeat me!"

Shaking her head Garnet replied, "You're not as invincible you believe yourself to be, Jasper! You're slowly beginning to tire. You can't keep this up forever!"

Jasper laughed and replied, "I want this to last forever! So, just keep trying to resist me! This is far too entertaining!"

"Your arrogance will be your undoing…" Opal replied calmly.

"It's not arrogance if you can back it up!" Jasper countered, "I fight with only my own strength, that's all there is to it."

"We are a united team while you are only one." Garnet replied in a matter-of-fact tone, "This is a battle you cannot win."

"You can only win if all you do is Fuse!" Jasper replied with the same smug look, "I look at you all and do you know what I see?"

She looked at Opal and said mockingly, "A treasonous Pearl and deformed Quartz who can't even grow properly!"

Opal growled, Jasper's words grating on her nerves.

Jasper smiled, see it had the desired effect then turned Garnet and said in the same mocking tone, "A pathetic Ruby and an equally useless Sapphire!"

Garnet growled, the Ruby side getting angrier and angrier by the second while the Sapphire side of her was trying to calm her down, tell her not to fall for orange Homeworld Gem's taunts.

Jasper cackled as she continued, "The whole lot of you know that you can't beat me on you own, so what do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO?! I'll tell you exactly what you do; YOU FUSE!"

The two Fusions grew more and more agitated.

As thing are, they would defuse at this rate….

"It doesn't matter what trick you pull; I'll always win! We Jaspers never stop fighting until we have what we want!"

"That's not going to happen!" replied a determined Garnet, "This ends tonight!"

"Did you not hear what I just said?!" Jasper yelled, pointing her blade at the Crystal Gems leader, "We Jaspers always get what we want, It's only a matter of time!"

The two Fusions prepared to fight again.

"Which means," Jasper raved on, "I will destroy you all, I will make your precious leader fight me in her true form, I will shatter her, I WILL HAVE MY VENGEANCE FOR MY DIAMOND, AND THE REMANING DIAMONDS WILL DESTROY THIS PATHETIC-"

The rest of Jasper's mad ravings were cut short as a familiar roar was heard and she was struck by an energy blast that sent her some feet away!

Garnet and Opal looked to see where it came from and saw Seraphinite, riding Lion, rushing towards them!

Upon reaching them, Lion came to a stop in front of the Fusions.

"Lady Garnet, Lady Opal, art thou safe?" asked Seraphinite, still mounted on Lion.

We're alright." Garnet replied, though she gave Lion a look that said that he should be watching over Greg and Connie, but reprimanding him would have to come later.

They had more pressing matters to deal with…

Jasper got up to see the three Fusions and their disgusting organic pet standing before her.

Seraphinite pointed his sword at his vile adversary and said, "Jasper, we three wouldst hath words with thee…"

Jasper glared at the four heroes that stood before her with anger…

"You freaks think you can take me?" asked Jasper as she picked up her zweihander from the ground and took a battle stance.

"Then c'mon…. C'MON!"

Each with their own war cry, the five combatants rushed towards each other.

The weapons of the four gems clashed each other with a resounding CLANG!, while emitting a powerful shockwave!

All four pushed and pushed, until Jasper, with a burst of strength, managed to push herself and them away from each other!

Deciding that they need a new strategy, they opted to surround their enemy from all side and rush in on her!

Using her great strength, Jasper managed to block most of their attacks and managed to strike a few of her own, while the Fusions made use of any hole in her defences to lay a few hits every now and then.

Eventually, Jasper saw that the tide was turning against her and she knew she needed to end the fight here and now!

"ENOUGH!"

Roared Jasper as she slammed the sword down to the ground to create a shockwave that blew Fusions away, while also causing Seraphinite to fall of Lion!

While everyone was trying to gather their wits, Jasper grabbed Seraphinite by the neck and threw him towards the wreckage again and she followed in pursuit!

Garnet, Opal and Lion saw what was happening and gave chase.

Seeing that she was being pursued and was determined to have no more interferences, Jasper swung her blade to create a wave of sand to blind Opal, Lion and Garnet, who was about put her glasses that fell from her during the shockwave back on!

Seeing that Rose's lackeys had been stalled, she resumed the chase.

The sand greatly agitated Opal, agitating her enough to cause her to defuse!

Now defused, Amethyst and Pearl struggled to regain their vision.

"Argh, I can't see anything!" growled Amethyst, "When I catch up to her, I'm gonna spin her like a yo-yo!

"I did say she'd do anything to win, even cheat, didn't I?!" Pearl replied, angry at how she was unable to see anything.

"Not now!" Garnet ordered, trying to see what was going on, despite what happened.

Lion growled his own displeasure…

While that was going on, Seraphinite flew across where Jasper had flung him from and saw where he was heading!

Turning around in mid-air, he cried, "Not this time!"

He turned his cape into wings and came to a stop before he crashed at where he was earlier.

Upon seeing that Jasper was almost upon him, he flew diagonally to the right to escape just in time!

While flying, he turned around and fired several dark green crescent shaped beams at Jasper, all of which she deflected, and soon chased after him.

Landing and turning the wing back into his cape, Seraphinite quickly rose his right arm to gather more clouds and pointed his sword at Jasper to fire a thunderbolt, only for Jasper to dodge it and kept running!

Seraphinite fired more thunderbolts at where Jasper dodged to, but she kept on dodging and would be within striking distance!

Left with no choice, the hallowed Fusion rose his shield to block the savage blow, standing firm!

But defending himself would not be easy…

Jasper struck the shield again and again and again with increasing ferocity, Seraphinite felt the force of every blow, and began to show signs that even his resolve was weakening!

"THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN BEAT ME, ROSE QUARTZ!" yelled Jasper, raving like a mad gem, "YOUR RESISTENCE IS POINTLESS! YOUR DEFIANCE IS MEANINGLESS! YOUR STRENGTH IS WORTHLESS! GIVE UP, GIVE UP, GIVE UP!"

"Nay, ne'er!" said Seraphinite, grunting with each blow, "I wilt ne'er bend the knee to the likes of thee! I shalt best thee, backstabbing viper!"

This only served to enrage Jasper more and more as she increased the speed of her strikes, adding more weight to each blow!

Seraphinite stood fast, but what would break first, his resolve, or his shield?!

Greg looked on with helplessness and despair…

Connie, however, was of a different mind…

"That's it, I've had enough!" she cried as she started to climb down from where she was hiding!

"Connie, get back here!" Greg cried, horrified at what she was doing, "You're gonna get killed!"

"I've got to do something!" Connie answered back defiantly as she made her way down, despite Greg's pleas.

Before she reached the bottom, Connie saw the hilt and handguard of a weapon and pulled it up, revealing it to be a sabre!

Connie gave it a few swipes, feeling that it was light enough for a person her size and strength to wield.

"Perfect!" Connie thought to herself smiling, "This is just what I need to take down that overgrown gorilla!"

Her face turned to a determined frown as she turned to the direction of where she wanted to go and ran towards her destination.

By the time Garnet, Pearl, Amethyst and Lion's vision returned, the four were met with a horrifying sight!

Connie, for some reason, was wielding a weapon and was rushing towards where Seraphinite and Jasper were battling!

"Wait, Connie! / Connie, you stop running this instant! / Connie, think about what you're doing!" cried the panicked voices of Amethyst, Pearl and Garnet respectively, which Connie completely ignored.

Three Crystal Gems and Lion raced after Connie, determined to stop her!

When she was within reach and letting out a mighty war cry, one that was unheard by both combatants, Connie jumped into the air and slashed Jasper diagonally in the back!

Jasper howled in pain at this unexpected assault, moving a few steps backwards.

Seraphinite leaned to the side to see who had attacked her and saw the all too familiar face of Steven's friend jumping backwards to stay way out of range of his opponent's weapon!

"Lady Connie!" he whispered, utterly surprised to see her!

Was she here this whole time?!

Questions for later, for there was one last thing to be done…

The enraged Jasper turned around to find the one who had the gall to dare attack her when victory was within her grasp!

Looking down, she saw a little organic creature hold a weapon from Homeworld, determined to defy her!

"YOU! YOU INSOLENT PATHETIC LITTLE-" she began to say when…

SHWING!

Jasper stopped in midsentence to look down in horror to see a deep green and silver laced blade sticking out from her chest…

"What is't thou sayeth to me earlier this night?" said Seraphinite behind her, "'Ne'er turn thy back on the enemy'? Mayhap thou shouldst hath heeded thy own counsel…"

With one swift movement, he pulled his sword from Jasper walked back some distance away from her.

By the time the other three Crystal Gems and Lion had reached Connie, they stood there in silence.

Greg climbed over the rubble and joined where Connie and the others were.

Everyone can sense what has happened; Jasper had been defeated.

This battle was over…

"Y-Y-YOU!" growled Jasper, enraged at what happened.

"Thou weren't afraid to use underhanded trickery to secure victory." Seraphinite replied, "Tis only fitting that I wouldst return to thee the proper courtesy."

Jasper resumed the grip of the zweihander in her hand.

"This… This isn't over!" snarled Jasper, the titanic Gem turning to face the holy Fusion, her voice ragged, "I can still fight!"

Even when she assumed a battle stance, her whole body was visibly shaking…

"I will finish what I started! I will destroy all you filthy traitors! I WILL SHATTER THAT WORTHLESS LAPIS LAZULI! I WILL DESTROY EVERY ORGANIC VERMIN IN THIS WHOLE AREA! I WILL HAVE MY REAVENGE FOR EVERY GEM YOU SHATTERED! I WILL HAVE VENGEANCE FOR MY DIAMOND!"

Jasper glared at Seraphinite with unhinged hatred as she bellowed:

"I WILL SHATTER YOU, ROOOOSSSSEEEE QQQQUUUUAAAARRRRTTTTZZZZ!"

Seraphinite was not at all fazed by Jasper's rage driven words.

His eyes had no ounce of pity for her…

"Since thou art too much of a dullard to comprehend," the holy warrior said in an unsympathetic tone, "I shalt tell thee plainly; Lady Rose Quartz hast perished. She hast sacrificed her essence to give life to her sole heir, her pride and joy, her living legacy, her son Sir Steven! Sir Steven Quartz Universe!"

Her insistence on using that lie…

Her refusal to fight her in her true form…

The sheer humiliation of being bested by a vile Fusion of her enemy's creation…

The utter ignominy of being denied her chance for revenge for the Gems she shattered…

The absolute disgrace of failing to claim vengeance for her beloved Diamond; Pink Diamond…

It was these thoughts that had finally pushed the hulking orange gem over the edge…

Jasper, roaring with sadness and hatred, charged towards Seraphinite, who remained still.

Jasper raised her weapon over her head to slice 'Rose Quartz' in two!

However, before she can send her blade crashing down …

POOF!

Jasper disappeared in a puff of smoke, only her gem that laid on the ground remained.

The zweihander spun in the air before falling down and landing tip first just behind her gem, acting like a tombstone…

Everyone went over to where Seraphinite stood to look at what was before them…

It was the end of a monster…

A hatred driven monster desiring meaningless and misguided revenge…

Seraphinite turned his head to the left to look at the Crystal Gem leader, who looked at him in return and asked, "Lady Garnet, if thou wouldst…"

Garnet nodded, understanding what she needed to do.

This whole battle started with her rematch with Jasper on the ship.

It was only fitting that she finished it, here on Earth.

She went over and picked her rival's gemstone.

"Jasper…" Garnet began as she bubbled Jasper.

Seconds later she added, "End of the line for you…"

The bubble soon disappeared, sent to the Burning Room, where she will remain, for all eternity…

Seraphinite soon went to pick up the zweihander, and examined the detestable weapon.

He soon looked at Lion, who understood and went over to him.

Without a second thought, he placed the blade inside Lion's gem.

He, or rather Steven, would ask Garnet to place it in Rose's secret armoury later on.

Amethyst soon broke the silence.

"So, it's finally over?" she asked.

Seraphinite turned to look at the small Crystal Gem and replied, "Aye, tis finished Lady Amethyst."

"That's good to hear." Pearl replied, after which she turned to Connie and said with a tone of a disappointed parent, "Because we need to talk about what you just did! What were you thinking, charging in and armed like that?! You recklessly placed yourself in untold danger! Jasper would have killed you!"

Before Connie could protest, Seraphinite intervened, "Lady Pearl, I beg of thee, stay thy hand!"

Pearl looked at Seraphinite with a shocked look and replied, "But she- "

"If not for Lady Connie's intervention, my shield wouldst hath been torn asunder and myself wouldst be split in twain." Seraphinite countered, "For that, I own her my eternal gratitude."

Connie blushed at being called a 'Lady'.

Pearl tried to come up with a counter argument, but she couldn't find the words to say, thus she reluctantly said nothing.

Seraphinite walked over to Connie, knelt on one knee and asked, "Tell me Lady Connie, were thou afraid?"

Trying to hide a second blush by putting on a brave face, Connie replied, "Well, yeah, I was! I couldn't just hide and do nothing! I had to do something!"

Seraphinite nodded with a smile and said, "Thus thou hath learned true courage."

Connie looked at the hallowed knight with a confused expression.

How could being scared be considered as true courage?

"Courage is not the absence of fear," Seraphinite began, "rather tis the triumph o'er it. The brave warrior is not he or she who dost not feel afraid, but he or she who conquers that fear."

Connie pondered for a moment and then she looked at Seraphinite and nodded with a looked of confidence.

The holy warrior nodded in return and said, "Thou hath a grand future ahead of thee, o fair war maiden."

Connie blushed again at being called a 'fair war maiden', causing Amethyst to snicker.

Seraphinite turned to Garnet and asked, "Lady Garnet, tell me, what wouldst hath happened if Sir Steven hadst not been able to intervene?

Garnet moved her glasses to activate her Future Vision and answered, "In another possible future, Jasper and Lapis would have fused to become an unstable Fusion called Malachite. This was part of Lapis' plan however, as she planned to drag Malachite to the bottom of ocean to protect Steven. But in the process, it caused him great pain, pain enough to cause him to try and avoid Connie as he did not wish to frighten her about what happened."

Everyone except Seraphinite and Garnet gasped at this revelation.

Connie was sad to hear this.

She looked at the holy warrior with sorrowful eyes.

Was the experience that happened in that other future really so bad that Steven tried to denounce their friendship?

She would rather not know, for thank goodness that did not happen here.

"Aye…" said Seraphinite solemnly, nodding his head, "T'would seem is't as I suspected…"

He went over to where the cursed sword once stood and turned to face and address the three heroic gems, the two humans and Lion.

"To all who hath gathered here this night, I wish to thank ye all from the bottom of my heart…"

All six of them smiled to hear those words.

Seraphinite then said with a regretful tone, "Also, Lady Lapis wishes to apologise to ye all for the trouble and grief she hast caused… Some more personal than others…"

Connie and Greg immediately realised that he was talking about them.

Greg walked over the hallowed knight, placed his left hand on Seraphinite's right pauldron and said "Hey, tell Lapis not to beat herself about what's happened, it's all right now."

"Father- I, I, I mean, Sir Greg! How can thou sayeth that?!" Seraphinite stuttered, "Lest thou fail to recall, 'twas Lady Lapis - 'twas my actions against ye all that nearly brought this world to ruin! 'Twas I who broke your leg! 'Twas I who nearly drowned Lady Connie! 'Twas I who divulged the location of where the Crystal Gems would be found! 'Twas my own cowardice that nearly brought destruction to this place!"

He turned back to look into the night sky and said, his voice filled with utter shame and tears rolling down his cheeks, "'Twas I… due to my cowardice, that nearly destroyed this beautiful world…"

Everyone could tell that this was Lapis Lazuli, that was speaking through Seraphinite right now…

What ever happened in there, Steven must have managed to get Lapis to see the Earth as he, the Crystal Gems and Rose saw it.

And now she was consumed with regret and remorse…

Garnet then went over to the angelic knight, placed her right hand on his left pauldron and said, "No Seraphinite, or rather, Lapis Lazuli, it was our fault. We allowed fear to get in the way of what we should have done."

Everyone understood that Garnet was speaking to Lapis.

Seraphinite turned to face Garnet who continued, "What we should have done was investigate who you were and then decide if you were a threat or not."

"And thou were right…" Seraphinite murmured sadly, his head hanging in shame, "Thou 'twas right to keep me in that cursed artefact. If I hath stayed where I rightfully belonged, I wouldst ne'er cause the havoc that I hadst caused…"

"You were trapped for so long; you were desperate to be free and return home!" Connie countered as she ran up to Seraphinite and held his left hand, "Any person can act irrationally if they are desperate to do something they've longed for! Humans are capable of the same thing, to sometimes think irrationally. Both Humans and Gems are flawed. Both our species have made mistakes throughout history. Both our species are not so different."

"Even so," Seraphinite replied, "that still dost not excuse me for my- "

"Oh, for cryin' out loud Lapis, will ya just give it a rest already?!" cried an annoyed Amethyst, causing everyone to look at her.

"Yeah, sure you did some crazy stuff when Steven busted you out, but in case you haven't figured it out yet, we dun goofed too!"

"Amethyst is right." Pearl agreed, "We made a grave mistake and it had repercussions, which resulted to what happened when you were free and what has happened here. If we thought more logically rather than let fear of what could potentially happen get the better of us, you would not have held such animosity and suffer in anguish."

Everyone looked in silence.

"So, I feel that we need apologise for what we did." Pearl added.

"But I hath already forgiven all three of thee!" Seraphinite replied, flustered at what he had just heard.

"We know that you have forgiven us, but we feel that we still need to apologise ourselves for what has happened."

Pearl made a slight bow and said, "On behalf of all the Crystal Gems, I wish to apologise for what has happened and that you will forgive us for what we have done."

Seraphinite walked towards Pearl, placed his left hand on Pearl's right shoulder and said with a smile, "I wilt not accept thy apology as I hath already forgiven thee. Thou and thy compatriots could hath left me to Jasper's mercy and not lift a finger to aid me. But thou and thy comrades chose to not let fear and what hadst happened in the past overcome thee to rescue me at my most desperate hour. Thus, I wilt not ask thee for my forgiveness, for my forgiveness is forever thine."

"B-bu-but what happened before- "stammered Pearl before the holy warrior interrupted her saying, "Tis already settled. I wilt not brook any arguments."

Pearl tried to speak her feelings on the matter, but she soon gave up.

Connie then asked, "By the way, where is Steven's gem? We all I saw where Lapis' is, but we haven't seen his!"

Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Greg and Lion realised that Connie was right!

Where was Steven's gem?

Seraphinite smiled and replied, "Where the enemy wilt ne'er suspect to find it…"

He then removed his left gauntlet and opened his hand for all to see.

They all saw Steven's gem, coloured deep green and laced with shimmering silver at the palm of his hand!

"So that's where it is!" exclaimed Greg with a smile.

"Just like where Ruby is." Garnet replied, looking at the gem in her left hand.

"Aye," Seraphinite answered, "Jasper 'twas completely certain that she knew where Sir Steven's gem wouldst be found. Thus she wouldst ne'er suspect that it 'twas in my left hand, the hand that I use for my shield. She wouldst believe it to be inside my chest plate and wouldst be none the wiser."

"Ha, that totally sucks for Jasper, since she wasn't gonna beat you!" said Amethyst with a laugh.

"Aye Lady Amethyst, nor wilt she be facing me anew anytime soon." Seraphinite replied with a smile.

"Hey, no need to add 'Lady' every time you say my name, Amethyst is good enough!" replied Amethyst with a grin.

"Nay, Lady Amethyst." the angelic knight replied with a smirk, "My knightly honour wilt not allow me to doth overwise."

Seraphinite looked all three gems, the two human and Lion who smiled at him.

The hallowed warrior soon began to chuckle.

He then giggled.

He was then roaring with joyous laughter as he held his sides with his arm!

"Err, what's he laughin' about?" said a confused Amethyst to Garnet, unsure of what he was doing.

Connie agreed with her, saying, "Yeah Garnet, what's so funny?"

Garnet merely smiled and said, "Wait for it…"

Seraphinite continued to laugh and laugh as he began to spin on the spot until he was consumed by the same light as before: the same when he first formed!

The laughter soon became two different laughter's as the light took shape of two different beings.

The light faded away to reveal both Lapis Lazuli spinning around with Steven still in her arms!

After a few more spins, Lapis fell to the ground on her rear while Steven fell off her arms and into the ground, both still laughing with happiness and joy.

Having soon recovered from their laughing fit, they both rose to look at each other.

Seconds later, Lapis said to Steven with the biggest smile on her face, "Steven, that was amazing!"

"I know, right?!" said Steven with a big grin, his eyes turning into stars.

Luckily for him, the bruise in Steven's right eye was gone.

"I could feel and see everything!" Lapis continued, "Your thoughts, your memories, your likes and dislikes, your feelings, everything!"

"Me too!" replied Steven, who was mentally skipping with joy.

Finally, after all this time, she was free…

She was truly and finally free…

"Is this how you feel when you Fuse all the time?" asked Lapis, who was still giddy with happiness and relief.

"Yeah, just ask Connie over there." Steven answered turning his to look at her direction.

When he looked at Lapis again, he realized something,

"Oh my gosh, Connie!" Steven gasped, remembering who was there, leapt to his feet and ran towards her, with Lapis following behind.

When Steven reached Connie he asked, "Connie, what are you doing here?!"

His voice clearly showed that he was worried for her safety.

It seemed maturity was a personality trait that only showed when Steven and Lapis fuse…

"I got your message!" Connie replied, worry evident on her face, "When I called you, Pearl was the one that answered!"

"Yeah, and what this I hear about you being kidnaped?!" asked an equally worried Greg.

Poor Steven gulped….

He just remembered that his father was here too…

"And another thing!" Pearl began when-

"That's enough."

All turned to look at Garnet, who knelt before her young charge and said in a parental tone, "Steven, what you did was very foolish and reckless. Not only did you place yourself in great danger, you disobeyed a direct order and ignored us when you ran off to where Jasper was."

Steven was about to explain when Garnet smiled and said, "That being said, you did what your mother would've done. She could not bear the thought of leaving her friends behind, even when they told her to save herself. She would rather charge right back into the battle to rescue them and would've fought with all of her might to keep them safe."

Steven smiled at that.

"Rose would be so proud of you if she could see you tonight." Garnet added.

"Yeah Steven, you're definitely a Crystal Gem, through and through!" Amethyst seconded.

"Oh, she would be thrilled to see you right now!" Pearl chirped happily, "That also being said, don't you go off doing such a reckless endeavour like that again! If you do, we'll… err…. take away your video game privileges for four weeks!"

"Geeze, do you have to be such a killjoy, Bird Mom?" Amethyst groan, annoyed that Pearl ruined the mood.

"BIRD MOM?!" screeched Pearl, aghast at being referred to as such.

Everyone, except Pearl and Lion, laughed together at the exchange.

Steven turned around to speak with Lapis when he gasped and cried, "Lapis, your dress!"

Garnet, Pearl, Amethyst, Greg, Connie and Lion turned to look and had the same reaction as Steven did!

Lapis gave everyone a confused look.

What was all the fuss about?

"Hey, there's stars on your dress!" said Greg vocalizing everyone's thoughts.

"Where?!" cried Lapis, looking down at the front of the dress.

"Check the sides!" replied Connie.

Lapis did as Connie suggested and looked at the sides of her dress, especially the middle of it.

When she did, she saw two large diagonal stars wrapping around the dress as if she was covered in wings.

Angel wings…

She looked at the others with peaceful smile and said, "Whelp, I guess this means I'm in for the long haul now, huh?"

"Yep," Garnet replied with a nod while smiling, "your one of us now"

"One of us, one of us, one of us, one of us, one of us!" Steven and Amethyst chanted together.

"Then there's no time to lose." The newest Crystal Gem said with a determined look.

Lapis activated her wing and took to the air.

She looked behind her and said, "Jasper maybe out of commission, but Peridot is still out there. If we allow her to run free, who knows what she will do.

She turned to look at her new friends and added, "We have to find her and stop her from fulfilling what Homeworld had sent her to do now, before it's too late!"

Amethyst and Pearl couldn't help but smile; not even a day, and Lapis was acting like a Crystal Gem already.

"We can't do that right now, Lapis." Garnet replied, "It's been a long night and," she turned and looked at Steven and added with a smile, "I think it's time someone went to bed."

Lapis mentally slapped herself; of course, Humans don't have the same level of endurance and stamina as Gems do.

After all, Steven was still human, despite his heritage.

Lapis flowed back down as Greg asked, "So, now what do we do? How do we explain to Priyanka and Doug about how Connie was up all night?"

Indeed, how would they explain that to them?

After a few moments of thinking, Connie grinned and suggested, "I think a slumber party is in order!"

"Connie, that's a great idea!" cried an enthusiastic Steven while Connie smiled and used a finger to rub under her nose.

"'Slumber party'?" asked a confused Lapis, who was new to such concepts.

"Oh, you'll love it! Trust me on this one!" said Amethyst as she transformed into a doppelgänger of Lapis and laid her left arm around Lapis' shoulder with a grin, the blue Gem being slightly spooked to see a purple version of herself.

"Well, I don't know…" murmured a worrying Pearl, her maternal instincts kicking in again.

Both Connie and Steven zipped to the needle nosed Gem, hands clasped together and pleaded together, "Please?"

Oh, confound it, that kind of puppy dog look should be considered as a lethal weapon!

It should be criminal to look this adorable!

"Oh, all right." said Pearl, caving in the both children's adorableness, "I suppose a slumber party can't hurt. And to be perfectly frank, we all need some rest and relaxation after all this trouble Jasper put us through tonight!"

Both children cheered, now they would have fun with their new friend and Connie would now have an excuse she could use for later tomorrow afternoon!

Garnet, Steven and Lapis took the lead with Pearl and Connie following behind them.

"I guess that means I'm playing chaperone for Steven and Connie then." said Greg with a smile.

"Yeah," Amethyst replied with a grin, "I'll tag along, just to make sure that Pearl doesn't turn this into a borefest!"

"I heard that!" cried an indignant Pearl.

The both of them laughed as they ran to catch up.

It had been a long and perilous night, but in the end, all was well.

If it had not been for Steven's defiant bravery, he'd wouldn't have been able to save a close and dear friend to him and Lapis would never had found the resolute courage to stand up to her tormenter and forgive her new found friends for what happened in the past.

Now, both Steven and Lapis Lazuli could now look to a new and brighter future that was ahead of them.

A new future born of bravery and courage.

It was then that Garnet had just suddenly realised something...

Garnet: "You know Steven, you're going to have rewrite your song…"

Steven: "Hey, your right! Thanks for reminding me, Garnet!"

Lapis: "What song?"

THE END

A/N

This is the first time that I have written an Original Character into a story and hopefully you didn't find him OP and that I have written him as best as I can.

Since Steven and Lapis never fused in the show, I decided to toss my hat in to the ring and try to create a hypothetical Fusion between the both of them.

Connie's mention of a Black Paladin is a combination of the Black Mage and Paladin jobs from the Final Fantasy series, the series that Last Illusion is a parody of.

Since Rainbow Quartz 2.0 was the only male Fusion in the show appearing in only two episodes, one in the original show and Steven Universe Future, I also wanted to create my own male Fusion too.

Seraphinite's hair style is based on the Crew Cut from Soul Calibur 6.

The best way to explain what Amazonites are in the caste system in Homeworld, they are the blacksmiths that create all of Homeworlds weapons.

The voice actor for Seraphinite is Rick D. Wasserman in this story and voice he uses is Thor from Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

Since this the first time that I am thinking what music suits the major moments of the story best, here's what I think which ones goes well.

Resolute Lapis/The Fusion: Icarus by Ivan Torrent, I felt this song works as it shows the rising courage that Lapis shows when she finally stands to Jasper, her courage to forgive Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl for what they did and her declaration of being a Crystal Gem.

Plus, the latter part of the song has a heavenly feel to it, which adds effect to the new Fusion that was born.

I am Seraphinite!: Limit Breaker from Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission, I felt that this song had a bold and heroic feeling to it, like a noble hero appearing on the scene or a true king of a kingdom returning to reclaim his throne from a vile usurper or a tyrannic despot.

Seraphinite's Theme: Fatalize from Soul Calibur Legends as I felt it also had a heroic feel and it also sounded like what you would hear when you see a righteous knight fighting against a villain.

Jasper's Onslaught: Primal Groudon/Primal Kyogre from Pokémon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby since it had a foreboding feeling of fear and dread as Jasper begins to strike back at her supposed killer of her liege Pink Diamond and the savagery of her fury to kill him.

United We Stand, Defiant in the Face of Evil: The remix of the first Rival School's theme from Street Fighter V: Champion Edition as it feels like a perfect battle theme to fight against an enemy that has always curb stomps the good guys and feels like a bad future has been averted and a new and better future has been created.

Battles End/To the New Future we Forged: An Unwavering Heat from Pokémon X and Y as it like a perfect song to reflect the feeling the battle has been won and now that the past has been laid to rest, they can now move forward to a better and happier future, rather than the tragic downer ending in the original episode.

I am assuming that it was dawn when the ship crashed landed on Earth at the end of Jail Break, due to the colour of the sky, but I choose to make still night time during the story since it would allow Connie to rush to where Steven was, with Greg following close behind.

Having Connie's parents away in the other city was to explain why, in this story, Connie was alone in that night.

The reason why most of Seraphinite's words are Shakespearean is how I feel that most people during that time talked liked.

The reason for Seraphinite's personality is because I find that Steven can be a bit theatrical at time and Lapis can be defensive when someone tries to hurt the people and gems that she considers her friends.

Steven Universe belongs to Rebecca Sugar and Cartoon Network while Seraphinite belongs to me.

Please support the official release.

Finished writing on 08/10/2021

Story written by H411OWED KN1GHT 64