The Crystal Temps warped to the Gem Communication Hub.
"Wow! It's beautiful!" Connie cried.
Lapis smiled. "It is. It's-" Peridot suddenly interrupted her.
"It actually was once a communication hub for Gem-kind. But lately," Peridot walked to a pillar. "It's begun transmitting bursts of electromagnetic interference."
"... That's not good?" Connie assumed.
"To make this understandable, it's hurting television." Jasper smirked.
"Oh, Steven would hate that!" Connie gasped.
Lapis nodded. "Well, we have work to do!" She sighed. The water rose from her gem, making a fist when Peridot coughed. "Lazuli, we could be here all day taking out these pillars individually."
The water dropped and Lapis frowned. "I… guess you're right…" She glanced at Peridot who smiled smugly. "Ugh, why do you have to do that every time?!"
"We need a quick and simple plan,-" Peridot's calculations were interrupted by Jasper butting in. "Peridot, there is short time… We don't have enough to make a plan before the humans notice… We need Malachite. Lapis, fuse with
me."
"No... no, no, no!" Lapis creid. "You know… she'll… and I… I can't keep her under for long!" The woman whispered.
"Wait! Are... you guys going to become a Gem Fusion?" Connie gasped.
Lapis shook her head firmly. "No. We aren't!" She glanced at Jasper. "W-We won't!"
Connie squealed in excitement while Lapis started to back away from Jasper. "I won't do it!"
"Lapis-" Jasper started.
"NO! Never!" Lapis sobbed. Connie stopped and Peridot spoke up, "Jasper, reconsider this! Lapis doesn't want to, you know what happens… Fuse with me instead!" Peridot pleaded.
"No. Lapis, it's been too long!" Jasper growled. For once, Connie felt really scared of Jasper.
"I… This isn't for Earth, this is for you!" Lapis snarled. "You're obsessed with her!"
"What? No! It's not like that!" Jasper creid. "This… Ugh! If this tower doesn't come down soon, they'll find out, they'll find us!"
Lapis's eyes widened in shock. "There must be another way-"
"But there isn't!" Jasper yelled. "They'll find… Connie if we don't do this…"
Connie felt like a rock hit her. "W-Who will find me, Lapis?"
Lapis glanced at Jasper's open hand then at Connie. "Y-You're never going to find out…" The woman gently placed her hand into Jasper's.
"Thank you." Jasper sighed. Peridot looked mortified as they started to dance. She grabbed Connie. Lapis twirled in Jasper's arms then she was dipped. Both gems glowed and the women looked back at Peridot and Connie, then, they
whispered together, "Run."
The two disappeared as a new fusion was made… Connie looked up at Malachite.
"Oh," The fusion chuckled. "I forgot how GREAT it feels to be me!"
Peridot shook her head in disbelief while Connie stared. "That's Malachite?!"
"You got it, sweetheart!" The fusion smirked. "Connie, dear, do you want to see something cool?"
"Well.. Yes…" Connie whispered. She hoped Lapis was okay being… this.
The fusion made Jasper's helmet and Lapis's wings.
Connie gasped.
"You like that, little girl?"
"You're going to smash stuff?" Connie asked.
"That's the plan, kiddo. Where do I start?"
Connie pointed to a pillar and watched Malachite slam her helmet into it, destroying it.
"Connie, I think we should go." Peridot whispered.
"But-!" Connie protested. A rock suddenly hit her in the head. She cried out in pain.
"Connie!" Peridot turned to Malachite. "Ugh, you're just too much!"
The fusion turned to her. "Maybe you're just too WEAK!"
Peridot grabbed Connie's wrist. "Connie, we're going, NOW!"
"I'm okay! Malachite is Lapis and Jasper, she won't hurt me, she loves me!" Connie creid. The sad glance from Peridot made her refrase, "Lapis and Jasper… love me. Peridot, we can't leave them!"
"They would want you to be safe!"
They warped away just as a rock smashed the warp pad.
Connie entered the bookshop with a big amount of gauze around her head. "Hi, guys…" She sighed, seeing Lars and Sadie stare at her.
"Connie, what happened to you?" Lars gasped.
"Oh… I have a battle scar, as Peridot likes to call it." Connie smiled.
"From what?" Sadie asked.
"From a rock." Connie lifted up the thing to reveal a tiny cut.
They both burst into laughter.
"It must not have been a big rock!" Lars laughed.
"Peri wrapped it, not me." Connie said.
"If I weren't so modest, I'd show you how strong a girl can be!" Sadie looked over to see Lars struggling to open a can. She grabbed it and opened it easily, "Like that."
"Thanks." Lars smiled.
"Uh-huh."
"That's it!" Connie cried. "We all need a workout! Let's do it! Let's workout together!" She turned to Sadie. "You can hug Lars even harder," She turned to Lars. "and you don't have to starve to death if Sadie
divorces you!"
Sadie gave a groan, "We're not married!"
"And I know just the guy to help us out." Connie smiled.
"Wow, this looks great!" Connie creid. Her father awoke from a nap. "Oh! Hey, Connie. You like it? It's the best I can do on such short notice."
Sadie saw some of it break off. "No kidding."
"Well I might join you kids show you how it's done! I've been slacking off on my workout routine for few weeks... months... years...decades." Doug coughed, making the kids stare.
"Sure! The more the better! Oh! We'll need sweatbands!" She ran to the house.
Peridot walked up to the gym.
"Hey Peri. Come to check out some buff studs?" Doug asked.
Peridot looked at him up and down. "Negative." She walked up to the house. "Connie, may I ask why there is piles of cardboard and metal on the beach?"
"Oh! We've made a gym! I want to be as strong as Malachite… Maybe then I can get Lapis and Jasper back…" Connie whispered.
Peridot smiled sadly. "Connie… Power shouldn't be your only goal in life."
"I… never said it was…" Connie blushed. "I want to be strong… in the real way. Want to join?"
"No thanks." Peridot said.
Connie watched her close the door.
Peridot sighed and leaned against the door. "Connie… I wish you could to look up to her
Aside from in a literal sense…" Peridot picked up Connie's laundry from the floor and shuttered in memory of Malachite, when she was first made… when Lapis and Jasper discovered what they had done… and Lapis had tried her best to keep the
monster underneath the water, to protect Peridot and Yellow Diamond… but she had failed. "At least you know that a power that big… Comes with a bigger expense. Oh, you see that she's out of control And overzealous… I'm reminding you for your own good, And not because I'm-"
Peridot blushed in anger and pulled down the blinds. She didn't see Connie crouched, listening. "I can show you how to be strong… In the real I know that we can be strong In the real way.
And I want to inspire you I want to be your rock
And when I talk, It lights a fire in you."
"Come on, let's do this!" Connie turned on a radio, singing to her friends, "I can show you how to be strong… In the real I know that we can be strong, In the real way."
Peridot and Connie unknowingly sang together, "And I want to inspire you I want to be your rock
And when I talk, It lights a fire in you. I want to inspire you, I want to be your rock, And when I talk… It lights a fire in you…" Connie finished and stood on Sadie's back.
"Um, Connie? Maybe you can work out too?" Lars asked after they fell over, and all were sweating.
"What? I have been." Connie said.
"You've been… singing the whole time." Sadie groaned.
"But you're doing a great job pumping us up!" Doug smiled.
"Thanks!" Connie blushed. "But I need to get strong, too. I'm switching to four-wheel drive!" She put on four tires and started to run.
"Connie, come on! We're ready to get started! We can't work out without your mad coaching skills!" Lars yelled early the next morning.
Connie groaned in pain. "I'm coming!" She rolled out of bed and walked down. "So sore from getting ripped…"
She saw Peridot looking worried at the Warp Pad. "I don't understand... Lapis and Jasper still aren't back yet. I tried to warp back and check on them, but the Warp Pad's down!"
The two suddenly heard a rumbling.
"Oh my gosh, the water!" They heard Sadie cry.
"Are you seeing this?!" Lars gasped.
The house started to crumble and the two gems ran out. They saw the water part in massive waves and Malachite walk between them.
"Where is she?!" The fusion snarled.
"Oh no!" Connie gasped. "It's her!"
Peridot ran down. "You're okay!" She smiled.
"You!" Malachite roared. "You left me behind, you brat!"
"I-We thought you could handle it on your own!" Peridot yelled. "Now separate, and give me back my friends!"
"Never!" Malachite yelled, kicking Peridot.
"Lapis, Jasper, she's taking control of you!" Peridot snarled.
"YOUR PRECIOUS FRIENDS ARE GONE! THEY'RE ALREADY MINE, AND NO WEAK WATER CHAINS WILL STOP ME NOW!" Malachite laughed.
"Stop! Stop attacking her!" Connie screamed, running to Peridot.
"Shut up, you little brat!" The fusion said. Peridot shoved Connie away. "Run!" Peridot hissed.
"No! I-" Malachite smacked the girl into her father and they went toppling back.
Peridot made a metal dumbbell from the gym fly to her then her metal pole. She wrapped the pole around the dumbbell and made a war hammer.
"What, YOU WANT TO FIGHT ME?!" Malachite bellowed.
"You'll thank me later, now stop being clods and wake up!" Peridot yelled, jumping up. She hit Malachite.
Doug attempted to pull Connie away but Connie gave a cry, "No! Peridot!"
"YOU THINK YOU CAN SAVE THEM?! YOU," The monster laughed. Peridot fell but Malachite hit her to the sky. "ARE," She flew up and slammed her down to the ground, "PATHETIC!" The giant being attempted to smash Peridot
but her hammer protected her. The impact still sent Doug and Connie flying…
"Connie!" Peridot screeched. She looked up at the giant helmet she could barely keep at bay… "I'm so sorry…" She sniffed. "Connie… Jasper… Lapis… I'm worthless! I can't save you… I'm not strong enough to do anything
on my own!"
Connie saw the megaphone she had sang in and picked it up, "You can do this, Peri!"
"I can't!" Peridot choked.
"Yes, you can!" Connie screamed through tears. "Come on! You always knew what to do! You gotta show her what you showed me! That you're strong, Peri! Strong in the REAL WAY!"
Peridot shoved her hammer up, pushing the fusion away. She glanced at the temple.
"YOU WANT MORE?!" Malachite laughed.
"Give it all you got, CLOD!" Peridot yelled. "You're no match for me!"
She ran to the lighthouse, Connie cheering her on. Malachite attempted to grab her. "Come back here!"
Peridot was stopped when water from the ocean grabbed her in waist, holding her above the fusion.
"NO!" Connie cried.
"See?! You can't bring your friends back!" Malachite laughed at Peridot. "Now drop your weapon and surrender!"
Peridot gasped in surprise at something. "Okay… I'll drop my weapon…" She then smirked, "But the Great and honorable Peridot never surrenders!" She dropped her hammer and all the metal from the gym smashed into it, making it
massive. It slammed Malachite on the head.
With a poof, she was gone, in her place, Lapis and Jasper were lying there, fast asleep with all the energy they had exerted. Peridot squealed then landed on Jasper's stomach after the water released her. Jasper awoke with an jolt as the
air knocked out of her. "Ow! Ugh, Peridot!" She growled. The small gem gave a squee and hugged her. Lapis made a small noise then awoke. "W-We're free?!" She gasped. Connie tackled her in a hug. "You sure are!"
Lapis had tears in her eyes and hugged Peridot. "Thank you… You know… you only had to save Connie… not us…"
"Please, of course I did! Malachite is was such a clod, or should I say two clods?!" The gem burst out laughing. Jasper and Lapis glanced at each other.
Lapis smirked. "Just let her have this… She deserves it…"
Oh, I loved making this one!