"We will be gone for several hours-" Peridot was interrupted by Connie.
"But-" Connie tried, running up, but Peridot shushed her.
"Connie, you know better than to interrupt." Peridot muttered.
Jasper than noticed Lapis laying on the couch. "Hey Lapis!"
Lapis looked up from her book of hair styles and sat up on the couch. "Yeah?"
"Protect the temple and Connie with your gem on the line, got it?"
Lapis looked confused. "Er, of course, I always do… Man, you really are stressed about-"
"The fact you might flood the house if you get startled again? Sure am." Jasper smirked, though Lapis' knew for certain that wasn't it.
"Okay, that only happened once, and it was your fault! You shapeshifted into a shark and came out of the sink!" Lapis growled.
"Ah, that was a great prank..." Jasper sighed in the cherished memory.
"Nothing's going to startle me like that ag-"
"Steven's here early!" Steven yelled, slamming open the door and riding in on Lion.
Lapis gave a yell in fear, water coming out of the kitchen sink drain and soaking Steven and Lion.
"Hey, what'd I do?" Steven sputtered.
Lion immediately shoved Steven off his back and started licking himself frantically. Why water?!
"Peridot, I was trying to tell you, Steven and I have training today." Connie muttered softly to the surprised tiny gem.
"Oh clod! I completely forgot! Curse this memory of mine!" Peridot groaned, slapping her hand on her forehead.
"You're looking for that big buff strong gem, right?" Steven asked.
"I'm actually right here, guys." Jasper chuckled.
They all looked over in confusion.
"Wha…? I'm a big buff strong gem!" Jasper yelled.
They all forced out laughs as quickly as possible as to not get punished.
Jasper than rolled her eyes. "But yeah, we are looking for Garnet."
"That is why, I'm sorry to say, you children will not be training in my company this morning, but instead in Lapis'." Peridot then said, reverting their attention back to her. "Next week, we will train without that fusion hanging over our heads!"
"Yep! See ya guys later!" Jasper called as they warped away.
Lapis then flew to the kids, putting a arm around each. "So, I know your training is important, but how about we take the day off? You two must be be really stressed from fighting Garnet, how about we just relax and have fun?"
Despite her hopes, Lapis was soon sitting on a broken off hand of the temple, watching them practice.
Connie fought well with her sword, and Steven blocked well. The girl then leapt over him, trying to catch him by surprise, but he swung around, and his shield collided with her body on accident.
Connie's sword flung out of her hand and she fell into the sand. She glanced over at her weapon, then decided she didn't need it. She then ran with lightning speed back to Steven, and started punching, blocked by his shield.
"You're amazing at hand to hand!" Steven cried in surprise. "How are you so good at it?!"
"Jasper started teaching me hand to hand combat when I was six! She made sure I'd alway be able to defend myself!" Connie laughed. "One day, both my sword and powers could be compromised, it's good to be prepared!"
She then leapt into the air. Steven shielded his head and Connie landed on the metal surface, pushing him into the ground.
The two panted heavily.
"Lapis! How did I do? Any comments on my form?" Connie asked. She then noticed Lapis had dozed off. "Lapis!"
"What?!" Lapis gasped, bolting up from her nap.
"You weren't watching?" Connie asked, clearly disappointed.
Lapis looked between the two and gave a nervous laugh. "Sorry! Er, I'll pay more attention this time, and I won't fall asleep, promise!"
Connie nodded and then grabbed her sword once more, running at Steven and hitting his shield repeatedly to make sure he didn't falter.
Lapis watched with concentration for as long as she could before started to close her eyes again.
"Did you see that?"
Lapis' eyes popped open and she sat up, clapping her hands with a smile. "Yes! You both did so good!"
"Mm, you think?" Connie asked, looking at her stance and adjusting it slightly.
Steven gave a sigh. "I dunno, I need my guard up higher, and I can't look back at Connie when I'm guarding or else I get distracted and I mess up!"
Lapis and Connie exchanged a look before going to Steven's side.
"Steven, why are you being so hard on yourself right now?" Lapis asked gently, bending down to look at him.
Steven sighed. "It was my first mission, and I couldn't protect Connie. My feet just… froze."
"Oh! You mean literally! My feet were also frozen to the ground so," Steven held up a hand to stop Connie.
"No, when we were fighting that corrupted gem..." Steven whispered.
"Oh."
Lapis looked between the two, then sighed. "Steven, you have to get out of your head, don't beat yourself up about this. When a fight comes, you can never truly be prepared for it, you just have to fight! Understand?"
"Yes madam. Thanks!" Steven smiled.
Suddenly, Connie's stomach growled and she laughed. "Okay, I'm hungry."
"Me too!" Steven cried.
Lapis giggled and then put her hands on her hips. "Let's go get some food then!"
They were all soon munching on pizza with Lion by their side. The three sat on a park bench, Steven eating quickly while Lapis and Connie ate gently with smiles on their faces. At one point, Steven accidentally dropped a slice, and looked sad. Lapis soon flew over and dropped hers on the ground as well, and shrugged. Steven grinned.
A few minutes later and they were soaring through the sky, Connie on Lapis' back and Steven holding onto her arms, laughing. The gem than threw him up and he landed on her back. "Hold on!"
Steven wrapped his arms around Connie's waist as Connie grabbed Lapis' shoulders. They then all plunged down and soon were in the water. Steven held his breath but Connie tapped his shoulder. "Don't worry, we can breathe thanks to Lapis!"
Steven glanced around and saw they were on the smooth sandy floor of the ocean, and a dome of air surrounded them, with the ocean around that. Steven gasped in wonder, and reached out to touch a fish. The thing darted off at his touch. "This is so cool!"
Lapis rolled her eyes with a tiny smile. "Yeah, it's alright."
Connie had bent down and picked up a sand dollar. It was so pretty! She wiped off the sand and muck, and was about to place it in her pocket when Lapis suddenly grabbed her wrist so tight she thought it might break.
Lapis narrowed her eyes, holding onto both the kids wrists, her eyes then widened. "Guys, I'm going to need you to get to the beach, now."
"Lapis, what are you-?" Steven tried.
"I said, now!" Lapis yelled, and shoved them into the water.
They both weren't expecting it, and soon their lungs burned, but water hands grabbed their waists and took them to shore with lightning speed where Lion had been laying down to wait for them.
Connie looked back and then gasped in surprise. "Steven, look!"
Steven did and gasped as well.
One of the corrupted gems they had seen only days before was trying to get out of the water, held back by water chains.
Lapis flew out and had a shadowy look on her face. She made a bubble of water around the monster and froze it over.
Lion bent down and Connie leapt in to grab her sword and Steven's shield. She soon dove out and handed Steven his only means of defense.
Lapis meanwhile had shattered the ice and icicles were all around the beast, her hands up and apart. She then crossed her arms with a growl and the thing was poofed. She let the water bring it back up to her then flew to the ground.
Suddenly, she whipped around, standing protectively in front of the kids, and saw the other corrupted gem monster, with Garnet sitting ontop, looking coldly down at them.
"Oh no." Connie whispered softly.
"Yellow Diamond," Garnet said calmly. "I know that there is only one outcome to this, and that is giving yourself up to me. Doing this will grant all of your servants a chance to live, it's the only option you have that won't get them hurt."
Lapis stepped in front of the kids, yelling up at Garnet. "You're lying! I know for a fact you want to get revenge on Jasper for getting in your way, you'd never pass up an opportunity to beat her! But you'll have to go through me-!"
"You're right." Garnet hissed. "I will have to poof you in order to get to Yellow Diamond and her little human friend, it's very obvious. But, sadly for you, it won't take me long."
The fusion then let the corrupted gem go and landed on the ground in front of Lapis as the monster ran to get Connie and Steven.
"We have a second chance! Let's not waste it!" Connie cried.
Steven flattened his shield so Connie could leap into it and pounce on top of the corrupted gem. She gave a yell as the thing tried to buck her off, and held onto its mane for dear life.
Meanwhile, Garnet having difficulty with the water clone Lapis had made. She avoided its punches and growled in anger. She then thought of something and unfused. Sapphire froze the clone and then grabbed Ruby's hand, running to the ocean.
Lapis lunged for them, but Ruby was quick to punch her away with her gauntlet.
Sapphire then froze the ocean with a smile. "Ruby, why do you keep wanting us to unfuse? You know I love being with you always."
Ruby gave a chuckle. "And you know I love looking at you."
Sapphire smirked looking at the ice, and then she frowned. "Ruby, punch up with your left arm, please."
Lapis gasped as Ruby nearly hit her.
Sapphire gave a sigh and turned to the gem. "Dear, I've frozen off your main weapon, no matter how hard you try, I'll just refreeze it, you have barely enough to fly, why keep fighting us? You're going to lose."
Lapis gave a growl, avoiding Ruby's punches. She then slammed on the gem's head before leaping off and in front of Sapphire. She formed icicles and threw them at the aristocratic gem, only for them to come hurtling back at her. Lapis ducked.
"Why did Yellow Diamond even start to trust you?" Sapphire laughed. "You're too unstable with your emotions, you were made to bring her to Homeworld! Why didn't she just-"
"It doesn't matter what her first impressions were, what she planned to do to me! She… She grew to love me!" Lapis yelled, avoiding Ruby by flying up.
"Love? Is that what you think she'd keep you around for? A Diamond can't love, you're only blinded by your own love for her, just like Jasper and that defective Peridot are!" Sapphire laughed.
Lapis landed on the ground, her eyes shadowy. "You think that? Why don't you tell me what you think she kept me around for?"
"To use you as a weapon, of course. Isn't that what you were made for? To be a weapon? You were not made to be a gem with real feelings like Ruby or I. You were made to shatter!"
Lapis gave a yell in anger, lunging at Sapphire.
Sapphire gave a sigh and then grabbed Lapis' wrist just as she was about to hit her. Ice creeped up the gem's arm and Lapis wrenched in pain.
"Lapis?" Connie cried.
Ruby looked at her with a cruel smile. "For someone made to destroy you, she sure is easy to catch!" She then gave a chuckle. "And now that she's useless, I can finally shatter you!"
"Don't… you… dare…" Lapis growled, she then ripped out of the ice and lunged for Ruby. "TOUCH HER!"
Ruby smirked as Sapphire zoomed to her and they fused. Lapis gasped in surprise but Garnet had already grabbed her by her wrist, holding her up. "She knew that would get you… it was useless fighting you, you would've won… until Ruby factored in her... Her and your painful past, of course." Garnet then stabbed her destabilizer into Lapis and the gem screamed in pain.
"Lapis!" Connie yelled in fear, and Steven had to block the monster's claws from hitting her. Connie then grabbed Steven's hand and they ran to get Lapis back.
"I wish I could shatter you, but Pink Diamond wants to keep you all to herself now." Garnet hissed at the gem in her hand. "I don't understand why she'd change her mind so quickly from wanting you all dead."
Steven and Connie gave war cries in fury, and they unknowingly fused into Stevonnie.
Garnet's glasses poofed off of her three eyes as she stared, dropping Lapis' gem. "You… You… Who are you? I couldn't have predicted you'd fuse!"
"Whoa…" Stevonnie gasped, seeing Connie's pale yellow top on and shorts. "I-I did fuse. M-My name is Stevonnie! I too am made of love!"
Garnet then shook her head in anger. This fusion, though made of love and care just like she was, not forced together, just like her, they still wouldn't distract her from getting Yellow Diamond, they couldn't! "Well then, Stevonnie, you'll never exist again!"
"You're seeing the wrong future!" Stevonnie yelled as they dodged Garnet's punch and their hands glowed as they fought with their sword. They then scooped Lapis' gem off the ground and leapt back. Garnet tried to grab her back but Stevonnie blocked her hand with their shield.
Lion meanwhile roared at the corrupted gem and sent it flying away from his new owner.
The gem landed hard on the sand and tried to run but Garnet grabbed it's tail, throwing it back on the ground. "I don't think so!"
Stevonnie then smiled and petted Lion as a sign of thanks. They then placed Lapis' gem down.
"Wait here, I'll protect you." Stevonnie whispered to Lapis' gem. They then turned to face Garnet.
The fusion was already ontop of the corrupted gem, waiting for them.
Stevonnie got on Lion with a look of determination and sighed. "I don't want to do this, you're a fusion, just like me."
"I'm nothing like you." Garnet spat. "You're half human! I'd never commit that crime, how could a gem, much less a Diamond care for such a stupid creature?"
"I'm sure you'd love him if this all was different! You'd love me!" Stevonnie yelled. "You'd be so happy that I existed if you were with us! W-Why didn't you join Yellow Diamond?"
"This. All of this!" Garnet growled. "You know exactly why I'm fighting you!"
Stevonnie then charged on Lion with a yell. They was soon leapt into the air, throwing their shield. Garnet had already moved her head, having predicted it, but Stevonnie did something she wasn't expecting. They put their shield under their feet and landed with all the pressure they could muster on the corrupted gem, and it poofed. They fell.
After the hard fall, Stevonnie was soon up, dusting sand from themself, meanwhile Lapis was reforming behind her.
"Connie, Steven! Please be okay! I-" Lapis then saw Stevonnie staring down at Garnet with their hair blowing in the wind. Lapis now wore a blue tank top with different shades of blue crossing it and a short blue skirt just above her knees with blue silk fins coming out from the sides. Her bow was still there though. A fabric yellow diamond was on the collar of her shirt, just like the other Crystal Temps beside Pearl and Connie. She had made this form to fight, but she then saw the fight was already over.
"How?! The one thing that gave me an advantage, is always used against me with you Temps!" Garnet growled, glaring up at Stevonnie. "You may be made of love, but you will never be as advanced as I am! … And Yellow Diamond?" She smirked.
Stevonnie tightened their sword hand.
"I look forward to fighting your fusion soon." Garnet then leapt over them all and was soon gone after leaping a few rooftops of the town.
Stevonnie stared after her. "That was… unsettling."
"You did it… all by yourselves?" Lapis whispered behind them.
"Lapis!" In Stevonnie's surprise, they unfused to reveal Connie and Steven who looked surprised as well.
"You're back!" Connie cried.
"And you changed clothes!" Steven gasped with stars in his eyes.
"I did!" Lapis smiled shakily, and bent down to hug them. "Oh, I'm so, so proud of you two!"
"It was just like you said! I wasn't thinking about how I messed up before, I was thinking on how I could improve!" Steven laughed.
"All that training, it went together so perfectly!" Connie gushed. "We might not have poofed her, but we will soon, I know it!"
"And we fused!" Steven finished with a grin so big it barely fit his cheeks.
Connie and Steven laughed happily with Lion by their side, walking back to the temple to tell Peridot and Jasper. They didn't notice Lapis had stayed behind.
"I-I'm so glad! You protected yourselves!" Lapis' call wasn't heard though. Her smile vanished and she somberly said, "I… couldn't protect her."