"Where is the Emerald?" Malachite bellowed. "I want to warm up before I defeat Rose Quartz!"

Emerald stares at her in utter horror, his sister's prison, of which he had hunted for the duration of two months, was now hunting for him. He trudged forwards, but a pale, delicate hand grasps his arm, "Where are you going?" Emerald stared blankly at Pearl, wasn't it obvious where he was going? Pearl stared deeply into his eyes, "Emerald, you can't fight her alone. Let me, Garnet, and Amethyst form Alexandrite."

Emerald shook his head, this wasn't Pearl's fight, or anyone else's for that matter. Maybe at one point it was, but now it was his. He gingerly grabbed Pearl's hand and placed it on his cheek, "I'm sure that it would help, but please allow me to do this… she needs me."

Pearl closed her eyes and when she opened them Emerald could see the moisture building on her eyes. Pearl had been angry at him not because he had left to hunt down Lapis, and not just because he didn't think to consider their efforts to find Malachite. Truth be told, her worry for him, worry that he might not come back if he had found Malachite, and the idea that she wouldn't have been able to do anything about it was what angered her. But Lapis was Emerald's sister, and Pearl knew that even if she wanted to, there would be no stopping him from trying, "Alright… but Emerald, please… please come back."

He flashed Pearl a loving smile and leaned in close, giving Pearl the first kiss since their days in the rebellion. "I always do." with that Emerald took off towards the waves, jumping half a kilometer into the ocean and landing softly on a stolen piece of cliff wall.

Malachite bellowed with laughter as they sent another volley of icy arrows, "Sageson, do you hide out of fear?"

Their laughter was cut short when each icy arrow shattered midair, their question was answered shortly after, "I do not, you horrid excuse for a fusion!" He moved his torso in a circle and from behind him came three rather large spears of stone, each aimed for Malachite's form. She jeered at the pitiful attempt, such simple tactics coming from someone of such infamy was quite a novelty. The projectiles were stopped by thick tendrils of water that, after devouring their prey, shot out towards the caster.

Emerald shifted his slab to and fro to avoid the devastating tendrils but was struck by an outshoot of ice that had emanated from one of them. He was naturally flung into the water, Malachite's territory. He tried to pull his slab back to him but soon found it was in vain as the water turned against the intruder and dragged him under. He tried to swim up, tried to pull his slab to him once more, but nothing worked. He was stuck under the waves, he thanked whatever entity existed that he didn't require air.

Something darts past Emerald's vision, then the water behind him shifted. His body took over for him and swung his arm behind him to block the strike that was surely coming, but it didn't, it came from the left of him actually. A teal fist struck his entire body, but Malachite made the water form a barrier of sorts in order to keep him from flying back so she could continuously wail on him. Strike after strike Emerald took, so fast was his enemy that he didn't even have time to move. He mentally sighed in relief when the attacks stopped and Malachite clenched her hands around him, he'd rather be squeezed than continuously take those punches.

Emerald opened his eyes and stared Malachite in each of hers, finally his vision rested upon her insane smile, "The Emerald Clan is famous for its extreme resistance to even the most crushing of pressures, but I do wonder… how much does it take until an Emerald can't take the pressure." Malachite follows up her query by slowly crushing Emerald between her hands, he tries to escape by activating Sagestate and he almost succeeds; Malachite counters him by concentrating megatons of water on them. She would break him, Emerald Sageson would fall by her hands.

Emerald roared in pain, the air escaping from him in the form of bubbles. Is this how he would die, it was befitting after all of his failures, after all of his broken promises, that he die by both failing Lapis and Pearl.

"Emmy?" Emerald shook his head, that sounded like...

"Emmy, I had a nightmare." Lapis clenched the toy that Emerald had gotten her for her last birthday, he knew it was odd to celebrate such things as Gems had no real need of them but he liked making his sister feel special.

"Oh Lapis, come on let's get you back in bed." Emerald took his little sister's hand and tucked her back into bed. He ruffled her hair and began to tell her a story, an old folktale he had heard growing up. After he had finished he began to leave but Lapis grabbed his hand. Emerald frowned, she wasn't normally like this, "Are you ok Lapis?"

She still looked scared so Emerald sat back down, after a few moments she responded to his question with a question, "You won't leave me, right?"

Now what could have given her that idea, Emerald thought to himself. He flashed her a warm, brotherly smile, "No Lappy, your big brother will always be here to protect you, I promise."

"Die Sageson, die and know you have lost!" Malachite said, erupting into laughter. Her laughter was cut short whenever a burning sensation cut across her hands, she squeezed harder but found her strength was once again used in vain. A dark, malicious maelstrom of energy began flooding out of the cracks in her hands, a primal and indignant roar of righteous fury emanated from the storm. Emerald rocketed out of his enemy's clutches and connected a mighty blow against Malachite's face.

When their eyes opened, Malachite found she was above the water and still rising. The person responsible for their flight soon surfaced, rising to the surface and taking a stand upon it as if it were the very land he controlled, which should have been impossible given the type of gem he was. Malachite frowned, thanks to those who comprised her, she knew Emerald was strong and knew plenty about the aspect and intricacies of Sagehood, but he was achieving a state that had only once before been reached, coincidentally it was by the same gem whom he and one of Malachite's creators called father.

Emerald looked up towards his enemy with an almost uncaring attitude, "Malachite, I'll give you this one chance to defuse and return Lapis to us." Malachite's frown deepened, her crash helmet appeared on her head and her watery wings sprouted. Emerald sighed as she she dived towards him next, he did give her a fair warning yet she chose to continue like this.

Malachite was a missile, her target: the sole water walking Gem below her. She almost hit him too, almost struck him down as if he were some Ruby unlucky enough to be challenged by an Amethyst. But before she had landed her attack he had appeared by her, a swift kick to the neck sent her skidding across the water surface.

When she recovered Emerald was already upon her, he stomped a foot on her face and looked in her bottom set of eyes, his expression a mask of dispassionate irritation, "You see, I gave you a chance and you refused it." Malachite snuck a geyser of water behind him, but Emerald held up a hand backwards and she watched in despair as a sheet of stone extended out of the Sage's hand. After the water had dispersed into tiny droplets he slammed a foot on Malachite's nose, "I would let you win, but you see, you currently are imprisoning my family… and my son is not the only one who wishes to see his sister." Malachite stared at the Emerald with utmost confusion, but a sudden burst of realization hit her.

Amoura stared through his son's eyes at the fusion before him, he pitied it, he pitied the warrior within it who fought for a noble reason but allowed their grief to control them. He sighed, Oceanus would probably have yelled at him for taking so long. Amoura, using his son as a host, created entire columns of stone from seemingly nowhere and used them to bind Malachite. Afterwards he walked two steps further and crouched, placing both of his hands upon her brow.

Emerald awoke once again to the dark, watery pit that he had once found Lapis to be in. He saw her and Jasper both wrapped in cocoons of water. He didn't know what to do, he hadn't expected this to be the path he would be forced to take.

Emerald walked closer to the cocoons, studying them for something, anything, that would hint at what he had to do. As he encircled them for the tenth time he spied a bit of chains that connected the fusion partners to each other. That seemed promising, but now what should he do, that was still a mystery.

When the answer came to mind he smacked himself in the forehead. He summoned a sword and quickly went to sawing the chains, but he stopped when he felt his energy begin to fade, no it felt more like it was ebbing out of him, like it was being eaten from him.

"You won't leave me, right?"

Emerald shook his head clear of any doubt and steeled his nerves, taking his sword to the watery chains for a second time. His energy drained faster and faster with each inch he cut through the thick, almost solid, water chains. His vision narrowed, but still he kept on. His breath ran short, his arms began to slacken, but still he did not cease. Lapis would be freed, even if it would kill him, he would keep at least one promise, he would make sure that he did not fail this one time.

Finally, with one last jerking motion, the chains snapped, exploding into a brilliant light as Malachite's connection to her creators broke. Emerald smiled, even as his vision darkened, he smiled and knew that, for once, he had not failed.

Emerald

I awoke upon the beach, half of my face under the waves and buried under sand. Every part of me ached, I honestly hate it when my father takes control of my body like that. It helps and is rare, but when it does happen it often does more harm to me than to my enemies. I tried to stand but could only manage to lift myself to a knee. I stared around the area, I was to the east from the temple. However, that was not the most important thing that caught my attention. To the right of me lay a motionless, blue-tinted figure

I clenched my teeth and stood, taking a moment to grunt in pain, and marched on unsteady legs towards my sister. I could hear the people appearing behind me, but they did not matter, my sister was finally safe; or so I thought. A burly, orange figure exploded from beneath the sand. Our eyes met at the same time, our mouths moved in unison, our voices matching each others' speed, "You."

Even as I hobbled towards my enemy I doubted myself, Jasper lives, I still didn't truly protect my little sister. I failed again, I once again broke a promise. I do not deserve to live, so why continue, why try even after I fail time after time to protect those I love. 'Perhaps I should let Jasper shatter me.' The tears fall as I realize how this is the choice I should take, but my body disagrees and summons my swords, deciding to continue the battle even if I don't want to.

Jasper and I are almost to each other, I jump and Jasper takes off her helmet and swings it towards me.

Just as we are about to strike each other the wind shifts, I am dragged to the ground rather forcefully and from the second grunt of pain I can tell Jasper was forced to the ground as well. "Stop it, both of you." I have enough energy to lift my head, and I almost break down in tears from what I see. Lapis is standing, her right arm extended, her face a mask of both anger and pain.

My tears stop when I realize what she is doing, "Lapis, let me go!"

"No."

"But Lapis, this Jasper trapped you in fusion, she forced you into a prison." I say.

A deep, gravelly laugh comes from Jasper, "Oh, you don't know how wrong you are."

"What," I turn to Lapis, "What does she mean?"

Lapis averted my gaze, as I tried to get her to look at me I felt someone crouch near me, Pearl. "Emerald… Lapis was the one who trapped Jasper in the fusion."

"Lapis, is that true?" She still doesn't meet my gaze. I shake my head, "You know what, that doesn't matter. I'm sure she forced Lapis to do it!"

"Emerald!" Lapis now faced me, her own eyes now brimmed with tears, "Don't make excuses for my choices."

I stared at her, she shouldn't be crying, she should be happy. I struggle against my restraints, though she made them I knew she didn't have the energy to keep them going. She only was able to keep me down for four seconds before I was able to break free. When she saw me stand she only cried harder, she buried her face in her hands so I wouldn't see.

I closed the distance between us quickly despite my current physical condition and took her into my embrace, "Lapis, it's fine. Don't cry, big brother is here…" As I watched Lapis cry I began to notice something, I began to understand, the way she was acting was the same way I did. She was beating herself up for things she wasn't able to control, was this truly how I appeared?

"Hey!" a gruff voice yells from behind. I let go of Lapis and face Jasper, "If you two are done with your stupid family moment, we still have a fight to finish."

"Ok." I felt Lapis tense behind me and I saw everyone behind Jasper tense with the same feeling as my sister. I did not care, I marched closer to Jasper and took off my coat, baring my shoulder, "Go ahead. Take your shot, I won't fight and I promise you nobody else will fight for me either."

Jasper stared at me in confusion, "W-what?"

I sighed, "Are you going to shatter me or what?" I pat my Gem to emphasize the question, "Because I'm honestly tired of fighting, I'm tired of beating myself up for things I can't control. You'd be doing me a favor at this point." Jasper put her crash helmet on and prepared to strike me in the shoulder, but try as she might, she couldn't bring herself to do it.

Her helmet dissipated and she fell to her knees. "I can't do it… not if you won't fight back."

I laughed, it felt good, "Well then I guess we've found ourselves in a stalemate, haven't we."

She looked at me, genuine curiosity in her gaze, "Why won't you?" her curiosity turned to fury, "Why won't you fight, why won't you let me avenge my Diamond!"

I shrugged, "I'm just fed up with the needless fighting." I sighed, "Jasper, look. I understand you must hate the Crystal Gems for shattering Pink Diamond, that you must feel it is your fault for her demise. But think about it this way, Pink Diamond, despite her best efforts to hide it, was actually a very kind and caring soul. Do you honestly think she'd wish for you to constantly be the way you are, to do the things you do, in her name?"

That gave Jasper a pause, I continued, "Jasper… please come back to the Temple with me. I want to show you something."

Emerald

Jasper, who stood with the aid of Amber, stared at the hundreds of bubbled corrupted Gems with uncertainty. She knew they were corrupted because we had told her so, we had even shown her one, much to Steven's chagrin. We had also taken Peridot from working on the drill so she could give other information to show Jasper the ways that Homeworld dealt with loss.

Jasper began to shake with anger as the truth behind Homeworld and it's horrid ways hit her fully. She shook off Amber's support and turned towards Peridot, who was still looking in confusion at the corrupted Gems. She slammed a fist against the area above Peridot's head, "Did you know about this? About Corruption?"

"N-n-no," Peridot stammered, "this is the first time I'm hearing about it as well. I swear!"

I gripped Jasper's shoulder, "Jasper, calm down, please, it does no good taking your anger out on someone as innocent as you." Jasper calmed down enough to face me, and I noticed that she was the same height as me. I know it was a bit of an odd observation, but I remembered her being a bit taller. But nevermind that, I looked her in the eyes and tried something desperate, "Jasper… I hope you know this is what Homeworld has become, this is what we, the Crystal Gems had been fighting against during the Rebellion. Not only Earth's freedom, not only it's life, we fought because Homeworld had become corrupted just like these Gems."

She nodded her head, good, she was being receptive. She was beginning to understand. I continued, "So… if you are willing to give us a chance, I am willing to give you a good cause to fight for, to truly preserve the memory of Pink Diamond." She stares at me, I flash her a smile and place a supportive hand on her shoulder, "Join the Crystal Gems, if not us, then join me, an Emerald. Together we can preserve the memory of your Diamond and possibly even bridge the gap that had formed between our Clans."

I could tell when she smiled that that comment hit her pretty good, "Yeah Sageson, I think I rather like that idea."

I take a wobbly step back, and extend my hand. She looks indecisive for half a second, but she takes it gratefully.