Chapter 30: Training and Comfort

After the fight with Jasper, Steven went to tell the others who had just returned. He told them how he and Connie fused and beat her. They were so proud of him that his training was starting to pay off. They also noticed Amethyst had reformed and after asking if she was okay, she just said " I'm fine."

The next day.

Amethyst was by herself in the house. She was by the kitchen sink with a tray of eggs and putting them in the garbage disposal. That's when she notices the warp pad activating and Steven and Pearl enters. Steven had what appeared to be glasses but the eye lenses looked like hypnotic swirls.

Pearl: That will be all for training today Steven.

Steven: Thanks for the prize Pearl. It's so cool.

Pearl: You're doing great Steven. Work hard and you will be the strongest out of all of us.

Pearl ruffles his hair and then heads back to her room. Steven notices Amethyst in the kitchen. He takes off his glasses and goes to Amethyst as continues putting the eggs in the garbade disposal. Amethyst doesn't look at him as Steven talks to her. She speaks to him in a glumly attitude.

Steven: Hey Amethyst.

Amethyst: Hey Steven.

Steven: Um how you been?

Amethyst: Fine.

She puts another egg in the disposal.

Steven: What are you doing?

Amethyst: Making egg salad.

She turns on the garbage disposal for a few seconds then turns it off.

Steven: Um that's a unique way of making egg salad.

Amethyst: Yup. Unique.

Amethyst still doens't look at him and Steven finally decides to get to the point.

Steven: ( sighs) Okay what's wrong?

Amethyst: Nothing's wrong.

Steven: Yes it is. You're acting weird today.

Amethyst finally looks at him.

Amethyst: What I can't make a snack?

Steven: It's not that. You're not acting as your cool care free self nor were you looking at me.

Amethyst: I'm just not in the mood, that's it.

Before Steven could say something else, it finally occured to him what was bothering her.

Steven: Is this because of yesterday?

Amethyst then looks away upset.

Amethyst: Steven, be honest with me. Do I still got it?

Steven: What do you mean?

Amethyst: Yesterday when Jasper came I tried to protect you and Connie. But I couldn't even land a single hit on her. She said I was supposed to be like her. Big, strong, invincible. But I came out weak and small. She made a fool out of me and so you were forced to fight her yourself and you won. Don't get me wrong, I'm not upset you won. I'm proud you beat her. I'm upset with myself. I've been fighting for years and I lost. How and why?

Steven: Amethyst, you're not weak. You're the most valuable member of this team. I've seen you fight and you're a great fighter. Plus remember Jasper is not the type of enemy that can be beaten single handedly. Many of the Gara Elites we fight had to be beaten with all of us together. Forget what she said about you, because she doesn't know anything about you. You're strong, funny, cool to hang around with and overall a great person.

Amethyst finally gives him a small smile, feeling better a bit.

Amethyst: Thanks Steven.

Steven: Hey, you know I got your back. If you really want to get stronger than why don't you train with me and Pearl?

Amethyst: Yeah...I don't know. I don't really train with P.

Steven: Pearl's a great mentor. She helped me get strong and look where I am now. I'm sure she can do the same for you. Plus she just came up with this idea call Pearl points and if you earn enough, you get a prize.

Amethyst:( sighs) Alright, I'll give it shot.

Steven: Great! I just did my training today so tomorrow we'll go.

Amethyst: Alright then, tomorrow it is.

The next day.

Steven was getting ready for his training with Pearl and got his sword with him.

Pearl: Are you ready for our daily training Steven?

Steven: I'm just waiting for someone else to show up.

Pearl: Oh. Is Connie coming today?

Then the front door opens and Amethyst enters.

Amethyst: Am I late?

Steven: You're right on time.

Pearl: Amethyst, you want to join us for training?

Amethyst: Well...yes I mean...if it's okay with you.

Pearl: Of course it is, come.

Amethyst and Steven gets on the warp pad with Pearl and the warp to the sky arena. First Pearl had them race to the Holo Pearl and back while giving it two high fives. Amethyst ran as fast as she could, but Steven was a little faster. So she pushed harder and they were neck and neck, but Steven made it first.

Pearl: Very good Steven, you earned the first Pearl point.

Steven felt victorious, but then he looked at Amethyst who was catching her breath. He went up to her.

Steven: You doing okay?

Amethyst: ( frowning) I guess.

Steven: Hey you did great. This is just the first part, you'll get it.

Next excersice was agility. They had to dodge the lasers from the Holo Pearls. Steven dodged a few of the lasers and then summoned his shield at the right moment that the laser projectile bounced off the shield hitting the Holo Pear. Amethyst was dodging laser projectiles also. She was struggling for a moment, until she thought of something. She summoned her whip used it and the tip of it managed to hit the laser projectile back at the Holo Pearl.

Pearl: Very good Steven and nicely done Amethyst. You both earned a Pearl point.

Amethyst started to feel a little better. Steven goes to Amethyst.

Steven: Nice job.

Amethyst: ( smiles) Thanks.

The final excercise was a fight against three Holo Pearls. Steven and Amethyst first took on one. Steven took on one of them with his sword and shield and Amethyst took the other with her whip. Steven had an even match with the Holo Pearl until it left an opening and he stabbed it making it disappear. With Amethyst she kept whipping at the Holo Pearl, but it kept moving back. Eventually she managed to wrap her whip around it and make it disappear. But after that the third Holo Pearl shot a laser behind her. Amethyst fell and looked back. For a moment she visioned the Holo Pearl as Jasper.

Imaginary Jasper: Look at you, pathetic and weak. You could have been me. But instead you're just a defect. A mistake.

Jasper's voice echoed in Amethyst's mind and she froze in fear. Before the Holo Pearl could stab her, it was hit by a spiked shield thrown by Steven, making it disappear. Steven ran up to Amethyst.

Steven: Are you okay?

Steven reached a hand for her. Amethyst shook her head waking up from that trance. She grabbed his hand as he helped her back up.

Amethyst: ( looking away frowning) I'm fine.

Steven wasn't so sure though, but before he could say anything else, Pearl went to congratulate him.

Pearl: Congratulations Steven! You've earned the final Pearl point. Amethyst you've done great also. Keep it up and you'll do better.

Amethyst still wasn't looking at them and spoke glumly.

Amethyst: Thanks Pearl.

After that Amethyst leaves without Pearl and Steven to the warp pad.

Pearl: Was it something I said?

Steven: No. I'll go talk to her.

Back at the house.

Steven warped back into the house.

Steven: Amethyst?

But Amethyst wasn't in the house. He looked outside and did see her sitting on the stairs. The sun was setting. He walked over to her and sat next to her. She wasn't looking happy.

Steven: Hey.

Amethyst: ( glum) Hey.

Steven: Are you okay?

Amethyst: Not really.

Steven: Not really? You did great out there.

Amethyst: I thought I was, until I froze right there.

Steven: It's okay.

Amethyst: No it's not. If this was a real fight I could have died!Urgh! I can't even fight a stupid Holo Pearl!

Steven: Don't be so hard on yourself. I mean remember when Pearl got poofed by her own hologram and it took her two weeks to return. Jeez I mean you have no idea how creepy they are.

Amethyst: But when I froze I didn't see it as a hologram. I saw it as Jasper.

Steven: Oh.

Steven wasn't sure what else to say.

Amethyst: I'm trying so hard to be like Jasper, but I can't. I guess I really did come out wrong.

Steven: ( sharply) No.

Amethyst looks at Steven.

Steven: You didn't come out wrong. I love you the way you are. I wouldn't want to be friends with a brute like Jasper. Like I said your a great fighter. It's not the muscles, the size or how you look what makes you strong, it's your spirit and will that makes you strong. You always showed any enemy who's boss and always kicked their butts. You're perfect the way you are. ( frowns) If anyone, I came out wrong.

Amethyst: What are you saying?

Steven: ( frowns) I'm not Rose Quartz.

Now Amethyst was getting worried about him.

Amethyst: Steven. Are you still being bothered by this?

Steven nods as his eyes began to water.

Steven: I know we talked about this before, but I still feel like you guys deserved better. Before I was too weak to go on missions and after Jasper first invaded here I couldn't do much. You guys got captured because of me, I made Garnet unfuse and forced Lapis into fusing with Jasper as Malachite and having them trapped in the bottom of the ocean for a few months. And finally Gien showed up and created Nevets. But he wasn't an evil clone, he was just confused and misguided. He died saving us, he should be here living with us. I've been training harder because I didn't want any of you to get hurt or lose someone I cared about. But I know I can never be my mom and you guys would be better off I was her.

Amethyst got up in front of him, placing her hands on his shoulders.

Amethyst: Steven, don't think like that. We would have been captured anyway and we would have been prisoners by Homeworld if you didn't show up and you didn't force Lapis into anything. She chose to fuse with Jasper. She knew what she was getting herself into, but she did it because loves you. Also we'll never forget Nevets bravery. Plus we don't want Rose, we want you. Yeah I miss your mom more than anything, but I would never trade you for her. You're my number one fan and you always accepted me for who I am, not what I'm supposed to be. You will always be Garnet's cutie pie and I know she would rather shatter herself than exchange you for Rose. Bismuth would break anyone if they tried to take you away. Peridot and Lapis would create a mega water death ray or something to keep you safe. Greg would be sad and so would Connie, they would never want to lose you.

Steven was feeling a bit better, but there was still one more thing bothering him.

Steven: What about Pearl?

Amethyst: Pearl loves you. She's always trying to keep you safe and she loves training with you.

Steven: But she loved my mom more than anything. She compares me to her and calls me by her name. How can you all say you don't want mom back when clearly Pearl would want her instead of me. Especially when...

Amethyst: What?

Steven: ( looks away) Nothing.

Amethyst: Oh no. You're not avoiding me. You got me to talk, now its you're turn. What else did Pearl do?

Steven: ( sighs) Okay, remember that time we found my mom's scabbard and we were trying to find her sword. Her sword was inside lion and she got upset because mom didn't tell her about lion and thought she knew everything about her, she got mad at us and ran off?

Amethyst balled up her fists remembering Pearl acted that way, especially towards Steven which was completely uncalled for, but remained calm.

Amethyst: Yeah. When you two came back you said you talked it out and it was okay.

Steven: Well, I didn't give the full details. So we were in the Strawberry battlefield and she ran away from me. I chased after her with Lion and she kept running. Then we came across these floating platforms and jumped across. I went on my own because I didn't want to scare her with Lion. I kept going, but on the last platform I tried to jump to I missed and fell. I grabbed onto the vines attached to it and she knew I fell, she saw. She didn't help me up and left me hanging. I had to climb up on my own.

Amethyst now looked upset.

Amethyst: She did that?

Steven: Yeah.

Amethyst: She left you like that and you didn't tell us?! Why?

Steven: Because I knew you and Garnet would be mad at her and probably bubble her away for doing that.

Amethyst: Oh she's going to get more than being bubbled.

Amethyst started marching up the stairs.

Steven: Amethyst where are you going?

Amethyst: I'm going to give her a piece of my mind, that's what.

Steven grabs her arm.

Steven: No don't. That was several months ago.

Amethyst: How do you know she won't do it again? I'm sick of her acting this way. I'm going to talk to her.

Steven: Please, just don't upset or hurt her.

Amethyst was starting to calm down.

Amethyst: ( sighs) Okay, I'll go easy on her. You just head inside and relax okay shrimp.

Steven: Okay.

Amethyst goes back inside and heads back onto the warp pad. Pearl was still at the sky arena cleaning things up, then she heard someone coming.

Amethyst: Hey Pearl.

Pearl: Oh Amethyst. Are you feeling okay? I didn't upset you did I? You really were doing well.

Amethyst: I'm fine really. But I came here to talk to you.

Pearl: Oh okay.

They took seats on the benches.

Pearl: What is this about?

Amethyst: Tell me honestly. What do see in Steven?

Pearl: Steven? Why, Steven is an amazing kid. He's resourceful, strong, kind and brave. He makes us all proud. I mean he can be a little abnoxious at times, well before I mean, but is still kind and caring. He gets stronger everyday and I'm so proud of him for it.

Amethyst: So you do love him.

Pearl: He's my baby, of course I love him. Who said I didn't?

Amethyst: I talked with him a little while ago. Steven feels like you don't really love him or you prefer Rose over him.

Pearl: Of course I miss Rose, but I don't hate Steven for it. I know it wasn't his fault that he was born. Rose chose to have him. I've always loved Steven. If anything happened to him, I don't know what I do.

Amethyst: Really. Then tell me, why did you let him hang?

Pearl looks at Amethyst.

Pearl: What?

Amethyst: Steven told me that day when you got upset with Rose's sword and Lion he chased after you up the floating platforms and he missed one. You saw him fall and you didn't help him get up and left him hanging. Is this true?

Pearl looks away.

Amethyst: Pearl answer me. Is this true.

Pearl looks down.

Pearl: Yes.

Amethyst: ( raising her voice) I can't believe you Pearl. How can you leave him like that? Did you force him to keep quiet?

Pearl: No I swear. I was willing to take full responsibillity for what I did, but he chose not to say it to protect me.

Amethyst: I don't see why he didn't. He could have died and you were well aware of it! If you really loved him, then you would have helped him there! Why did you leave him?

Pearl was shaking and was starting to tear up.

Amethyst: Why did you leave him!?

Pearl: I don't know! I don't know...

Amethyst now calming down looked at Pearl who was about to cry.

Pearl: I-I don't know what happened that moment. I was angry, confused, sad. So many emotions collided into my mind, I couldn't think straight. I didn't mean it. I didn't mean to leave him like that. I didn't mean to yell at him or run away from him. For a while I thought my problem was living a life without Rose. But it's not. It's me. I can't let it go.

Pearl began sobbing and Amethyst started to feel bad. She felt she might have pushed her over the edge.

Amethyst: ( rubbing Pearl's back) Pearl I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push you like that. I was just...

Pearl: ( sniffs) No Amethyst, you're right. I really do love Steven, he's more than a Crystal Gem. He's like my son, a son that I may never have. I didn't talk so much about Rose around him because I prefered her over him, I just wanted him to know what his mother was like and wished she was here to watch him grow.

Amethyst: Is that so?

Pearl: Yes. I thought maybe us training together would help us bond, but it doesn't. Nothing will work. The damage is already done. We'll never fix our relationship. We'll never get to fuse. I've always wanted to fuse with him, but it will never happen. Because I ruined it.

Pearl coninued sobbing, but Amethyst wanted to help her.

Amethyst: Look Pearl. If you want to make things right with Steven then why don't you spend some time with him. And I don't mean training, I mean some fun, quality time.

Pearl turns looking at Amethyst.

Pearl: You're right. I can do that. We can have fun together. But what can we do?

Amethyst: Well... oh hey, isn't he going to Empire City next week for a vacation?

Pearl: Well, yes I can go with him. Except...

Amethyst: Except what?

Pearl: Greg will be there.

Amethyst: Pearl, you can't avoid him forever. Sooner or later you guys have to talk about it.

Pearl: ( sighs) I guess you're right Amethyst.

Pearl whips the tears off her eyes and gets up.

Pearl: ( determined face) Then it's settled. I'm going to spend time with Steven. Some fun, quality time and show him that I do love him.

Amethyst: Now you're talking P.

Pearl then hugs Amethyst, much to her surprise.

Pearl: Thank you Amethyst. You really are a true friend.

Amethyst smiles and hugs her back tightly.

Amethyst: Anytime P. Anytime.

And so they let go and head back to the warp pad to talk to Steven once more. Pearl was going to make things. She's not so crazy about going with Greg, but she will do it for Steven. From now on she wants to move on and look forward than back. She loved Steven, but now she has to show it.

To be continued...

Author's Note: That's it for this chapter. Just want to build up for one Pearl's arcs and take a break from the Gara Droid action. But we'll get back to them soon. Stay tuned for next time because we will be going to Empire City. Special thanks to Lady Shadow92 for the ideas in this chapter. I hope you enjoyed. Please read and review. Thank you.