"Connie, all your training has lead up to this, are you ready?" Peridot whispered.
The other Crystal Temps sat around her with solemn faces.
"... I was born to do this." Connie said softly, looking at the only mission she had left to do. She then clicked the 'a' button on her 64 controller and watched Link walk into his final battle of the game.
"BEAT THAT PIG INTO THE DIRT, KID!" Jasper yelled, and they all cheered for her.
Connie suddenly paused, making Jasper and Peri give sighs in disappointment. The girl looked over to see Lion was chewing up one of Connie's dresses. She gasped in surprise and ran down. "Lion!"
"No! Lion, stop this! This is my favorite dress!" Connie grunted, trying to rescue the dress from his strong jaws. The girl soon fell back with a cry.
Lion didn't look the least bit ashamed, he merely stared at the dress.
Connie sighed and brushed off the dress. Despite yellow being her favorite color, her favorite dress was a long striped one, with a white stripe, then a yellow which mixed with the blue stripe, and then pink. She liked that order for some reason.
Connie trotted up the stairs and hung up the dress in her closet before slumping down to continue her game. "Now back to-"
Lion had already grabbed her dress again, and stared at Connie just before leaping away with it.
"Lion!" Connie yelled, taking one giant leap and landing perfectly. She then wrestled the dress away again with getting annoyed as he was trying to escape. "Since you can't leave it alone, I'll just have to put this dress somewhere you'll never get it! In your mane."
Lion huffed but bowed to her anyway, knowing he'd have to do it at sometime.
"Thank you, boo." Connie whispered, kissing him gently on the nose before leaping in.
The dimension in Lion's mane hadn't changed a bit since Connie had last seen it. Same tree, same flag, same Mr. Universe shirt, and the same yellow bubble that floated in the branches of the tree. Connie had always wondered why her mother had kept this gem here, she had seen a majority of yellow bubbles in the Burning Room, why was this gem so special?
Connie ran to the tree and folding the dress up neatly, placing it on a branch's nook. She smiled at how this was something that truly belonged to her, that could stay in forever, it made her remember that this was her place, and her mother had wanted it to be. The girl backed up to view it all when she tripped and fell into the bubbled gem causing it to pop. Connie gave a cry, then plunged out of the mane.
Connie popped out of the mane just to hear, "And that's how I managed to fit 88 burritos in my mouth."
Peri looked disgusted at Jasper. That was unsettling.
"I made a mistake! But don't worry, I'll fix it!" Connie yelled suddenly, making them all jump up. She then dove back in.
Connie soon popped over the edge of the grass to pick up the popped gem. Suddenly, it started to reform and Connie held her breath in terror.
The smooth, square-looking gem rose up, and a seemingly adult human-sized form was made. The yellow gem had her hair, if you could call it that, upward in two spikes, slightly tilted. She wore clothes that give Connie the impression of a war general, a yellow suit with golden buttons and the only speck that wasn't yellow was her white shirt collar, which was to show the yellow diamond stitched in.
Connie saw this gem was on its chest, much like hers. However, it seems to be holding a tie shape around it. The gem landed, blocking her face from something.
The yellow gem slowly took her hands away when she realized no one was there to attack her and the two stared at each other, both unsure what to say or do as the wind blew. Connie suddenly fell back out of Lion to tell the others.
"There was a gem!" Connie announced, the Temps had all gathered around. "
"What? That's impossible!" Peridot huffed.
"She looks like a lawyer, almost." She then popped into Lion again to take another look.
The gem was searching around, wondering where she was just as Connie stuck her head up beside her. The gem noticed and gasped. "You there! Stop-!"
Connie didn't let her finish, going back out. "She's yellow, just like I am, and her gem is on her chest, it looks like a tie."
Jasper and Peridot gave each other a look.
"Bring her out." Jasper demanded.
Connie was shocked, but then nodded. "If you say so."
She popped back in and looked around for the gem. Suddenly, that gem walked out in front of her and Connie looked up in surprise and whimpered slightly.
"Stop right there!" The gem growled, pointing at her accusingly. "Just where are you going? I need you to tell me where I am and how to get out, now!"
Connie glanced down and then back up at the gem with a smile.
They soon emerged, Lion was very confused at this new arrival.
The Temps stared, Peridot looked utterly shocked while Jasper was smirking, just after her own stare. Lapis looked at them, then looked back to the new gem.
"Who are you?" Lapis asked softly.
The gem didn't give her a answer, only giving a huff in Peridot and Jasper. "Stop embarrassing yourselves already, it's rude to stare!"
Jasper gave a yell in joy and squished the gem into a hug. The quartz gave a chuckle.
"I can't believe I could miss you so much, you fancypants!"
Connie frowned in confusion.
"My, you have missed me! Jasper, a bit attached, hm?" The gem chuckled, but under her breath so Jasper couldn't hear the joy in her voice. Connie thought she saw she was trying to hold back a smile.
The gem then looked back to see Peridot staring at her and leapt down to walk up.
"I-I thought I'd never see you again!" Peridot whispered with surprise. "I-I thought you may have been cracked, or shattered!"
"Peridot, what have I told you about jumping to conclusions?" The gem huffed snootily.
"I shouldn't jump to any until I have proper evidence." Peridot grumbled, crossing her arms. "You know I'm usually correct, this is a special circumstance."
"You haven't changed a bit I see, still your usual self absorbed self." Zircon moaned.
Connie held back her growl in anger. Peri wasn't self absorbed, not all the time anyway.
"Neither have you." Peridot growled. "You still are a know-it-all, Zircon…. It feels nice having someone who's as smart as I am again."
"I enjoy our banter as well. Now then, you're distracting me from what's really important." Zircon said with a smirk, straightening up. "Where is my Diamond?"
The gems went quiet and Zircon cocked her head in confusion. "Well? Someone answer me!"
"Um Zircon..." Connie whispered, making her gasp in suprise, having completely ignored the human hybrid until now.
"Why are you still here?! Don't you have to go hunt for food or sew clothes like the rest of your hideous species?" The Zircon sniffed pointly.
Lapis made a face of anger that Zircon had called the girl hideous but Connie gave her a look that stopped her from giving some choice words.
Peri also had been angered, but held it back because she assumed that just like her mother, their bickering would get Connie angry.
Connie then pulled her shirt down to show her gem. "I'm not a normal human."
The Zircon looked at the Diamond shining back at her and gave a terrified gasp, immediately placing her hands into a diamond symbol. "Disregard my statement of saying humans were hideous, my most lustrous, radiant, glimmering, beautiful, shining-!"
"Please, don't do that…" Connie sighed, but Zircon kept blabbering on about how it was merely a joke about humans, and how she looked absolutely breath-taking in this form and how Zircon herself adored humans. "I'm not Yellow Diamond, I'm Connie, her daughter. She.. turned into me…"
Zircon paused her frightened ramble when she heard Connie say her Diamond turned into her and adjusted her molecule, squinting in confusion. Then a circular screen projected from it, showing a picture of Yellow Diamond with it zoomed in on her gem, and beside it came another circle of yellow that had a picture of Connie that it must've somehow just taken. It was zoomed in on her gem as well. The two Diamond suddenly blinked in yellow outlines and then glowed brightly. The gem gave a sound in confusion, staring at Connie. "According to this scan, you are indeed my Diamond, but with a human body halting her forming." She then made the Diamond symbol once more. "I am here to serve you my most beautiful, glowing, radiant, lovely, shining, divine… Connie."
Peridot rolled her eyes. She forgot how Zircon had always tried to outdo her when it came to… well everything, but especially when she was around her Diamond and now Connie.
"Oh, um… you don't need to say all that, Connie will do."
"Of course, Connie." Zircon smiled pridefully.
"If I may ask, since you have her radiance inside of you, do you know me at all?"
Connie gave a sigh. She knew that would come up. "I'm afraid not. I… want to be treated by you as you would treat any human, you can say anything you'd like, please understand I'm not your Diamond."
Zircon's eyes narrowed, staring into her eyes and Connie felt rather uncomfortable. The gem then smirked. "That's alright, I suppose."
"You're like a second Peridot." Lapis moaned. "She had to check all the facts too when meeting Connie."
Every gem turned to her and Zircon nodded to her very briefly, then turned to Jasper, not hiding her look of disgust. "A Lapis Lazuli I notice. I didn't realize we were taking in hostages now."
"We aren't, Z. She's part of the team." Jasper mumbled. Lapis smiled slightly behind Zircon.
"Why did you build a wooden structure around the warp pad? Metal would be more useful as long as Peridot doesn't have a temper tantrum." Zircon suddenly said, changing the subject.
"Our Diamond wanted it." Peridot explained with a growl.
Zircon quieted, looking back at Connie. Her cold look of confusion slowly faded into a grin. "... Of course she did! She's ever so brilliant, with all her choices!"
Connie smiled shyly back.
"Now, where is Idocrase and Citrine? Have they been practicing their battle method while I was gone?"
"There's…something you need to see." Connie asked softly.
"T-They didn't train hard enough! I should've pushed them harder!" Zircon growled in anger, looking around at the battlefield devoid of gem life. "T-Those dull, ungrateful-!"
"Zircon, we know I just trying to hide your feelings, you can let them out if you want..." Peridot whispered.
"I… I don't understand what went wrong, that's all." Zircon said softly through gritted teeth. She didn't shed a single tear, and Connie wondered if she always had tried to keep her emotions from her teammates. "I-I planned our strategy perfect!"
They all stood at the strawberry battlefield, silent.
"Homeworld outnumbered us." Jasper whispered. "They still do."
"You haven't beaten Homeworld yet?" Zircon asked, confused. "Why would Yellow Diamond just abandon you if you haven't?"
"I don't quite understand it either, Zircon, but I know that we need all the help we can get in defending Earth." Connie said, walking up with a tiny smile.
"Well of course I'll help." Zircon said, rolling her eyes. "I only joined because of my Diamond but despite it I became attached to my teammates." She gave a dark chuckle. "And with you all to help, I'm going to make Homeworld pay for taking our team away, and it starts by reviewing all my plans!"
"Plans? What plans?" Connie asked as Zircon strode past her and to the warp pad, smiling.
"You'll see!" Zircon called in a sing-song voice.
"What is this place? And why didn't anyone tell me about it?" Connie asked softly in awe.
"This is our strategy room. All battle formations, attacks and anything at all to do with the war was planned here, by your mother approving all of it herself. She spent a lot of time here before..." Jasper trailed off, not wanting to talk about the day she couldn't save anyone from corruption. She grimaced. "Listen, we didn't tell you because, eh, you know us, Connie, we don't really like to plan things out like you or Zircon."
"Oh."
The Temps had came to a spacious yellow room just on the edge of a hot springs in the middle of nowhere, but the room was empty besides a large screen that looked like one Connie had seen when she had first truly spoken to Pearl.
"Those plans were made by myself, Connie!" Zircon said boastfully, clearly wanting to impress her new ally. "Peridot, turn it on."
Peridot walked over to the screen and pressed a few buttons.
Suddenly, a large yellow throne came up from their hidden places in the ground like machinery as the screen came to life full of writings in gem language.
Connie stared in wonder, but Zircon acted as if it was nothing.
The girl knew Zircon was expecting her to take the throne, because she looked at her with a coy smile and then nodded to the massive seat, as if Connie was a little child in need of help.
Connie gingerly walked up and stared up at the giant throne. "I… um… don't think I can get up there."
"Just shapeshift!" Zircon laughed as if was the simplest thing.
Lapis, Jasper and Peri all looked embarrassed for Connie and the new gem got the hint.
"You can't even shapeshift?!" Zircon cried with a laugh, making Connie grit her teeth and blush harder. "How embarrassing on your part!"
Connie was fine that Zircon treated her like she would any other gem, she had requested it after all, but still felt ashamed at her lack of skill in shapeshifting.
"She doesn't need to!" Lapis huffed, glaring daggers at Zircon. "I can fly her up there myself!"
"I'd rather stay here with you all on the ground…" Connie murmured softly.
Peridot, Jasper and Lapis found this to be just like Connie, but Zircon looked at her with very slight anger. This child had her diamond now? The thing didn't shapeshift, she wasn't commanding at all, and she looked pitiful compared to Yellow Diamond in every single way, so why did the Temps respect her? It made no sense to Zircon. But it made things easier…
"Fine. If that is what you wish." Zircon clucked stubbornly, two screens coming out of her monocle. "I was working on these individual files for you two before I was, er, terminated, you'll find them useful." She told Peridot and Jasper.
"Aw yeah! I can't wait to see what you came up with, Z!" Jasper smirked, taking the screen in excitement.
Connie noticed that they both excitedly scrolled through notes and frowned. "What's so exciting?"
"Zircon watched us practice and always thought of new ways to change and enhance our performance on the battlefield." Peridot explained. "For example," She practically shoved a screen in Connie's face. The girl realized it was in gem language. "this describes how I can use metal particles from the sand and earth to my advantage, which I thought of myself about… 2,000 years later. But it would've been nice to know beforehand because I admit, Zircon thinks of things before us."
Connie scanned the writing again. "I sorta see that…" She had been trying to read and write in gem language since reuniting with Centipeedle, but it was very complex. The girl felt someone gently touch her shoulder and turned to see Lapis.
Peridot walked over to Jasper and Zircon, who seemed to be catching up, knowing from Lapis' look, she wanted to only speak to Connie.
"Connie, don't you thinks it's odd that we've never heard of Zircon until now? Peridot, Jasper, your mom, they all never mentioned her. " Lapis said softly, glancing over at the trio to make sure she wasn't heard. "I… I don't trust her, she's rude and keeps staring at us like we're..."
"not supposed to be here." Connie finished in a whisper, rubbing her arm. "I know this is hard but, look how happy Jasper and Peri are because of her." She motioned to them and Lapis saw Jasper chuckling and Peridot looking away from Zircon, not wanting her to see the happy smile she wore, that was made just for the gem being there.
"Yeah…" Lapis sighed. "I'm too judgemental I guess… They're just… never quite that happy to see me, I'm a bit…"
"Jealous?" Connie asked softly.
Lapis rolled her eyes and gave a grumble, stubbornly not admitting the truth. "I'm a bit surprised they're just so welcoming after all these years."
"You two!"
They turned to Zircon with looks of suprise and confusion.
"We're going to the Sky Arena to test your fighting skills, if you two even have any."
Lapis clenched her teeth and Connie gave a sharp inhale in anger.
"Again!" Zircon called shrilly from the bleachers. Connie gave a moan in tiredness as she performed a simple jump and slide attack for what felt like the thousandth time.
Zircon started, then jotted down more notes. "Again!"
Connie gave a sigh. "Zircon, I know you want to learn every single move I have-"
"And how much recovery time you must take." Zircon said with a smug smile.
"Er, yeah, but I'm exhausted, we've been here for five hours, doing the same things over and over again! You didn't do this for Lapis!"
"That's true, you really need to let her take a break." Lapis insisted firmly next to Zircon.
"Hm, you two really call yourself Crystal Temps? Crystal Temps don't complain about anything, they get tired over nothing, they take no breaks until told to by their leader!" Zircon then smirked, looking down at Connie's gem. "And for once, I'm that leader."
Connie frowned and sighed, turning once more to face her water clone.
Later that night, Connie was finally getting some well deserved sleep after hours of training. She had collapsed in her training clothes. Suddenly, something poked her. She mumbled slightly, trying to brush it off but it was persistent. When she finally opened her eyes she saw Zircon smiling down at her. Connie was caught unaware as to why this felt like a genuine smile
"We need to talk."
Connie soon was sitting up on the couch with her sword on her lap, Zircon had wanted to see it.
The gem gave a small laugh. "This sword, it brings back memories! Getting this made was the first thing I had ever done against our Homeworld."
Connie was surprised. "You made this?"
"Oh please, don't tell me you're this dense!" Zircon laughed again, making Connie shrink up slightly.
"If you didn't make it, who did?"
"I never really figured out who made the original design, but I do know Pink Diamond was infuriated by it missing once I hacked into her files and stole it!" The yellow gem chuckled. "I assume she had some gem design it, but I have no idea why she'd want a material weapon, nor what gem would be able to make it, a Topaz or a Bismuth perhaps… I had a blacksmith construct it yellow, just for my wonderful and perfect Diamond!"
"You hacked into it?!" Connie gasped in surprise. "W-What did my mother have you do?"
"Oh, many things. I had the sharpest mind beside hers, of course. Peridot taught me how to hack after I commanded her to, so I could make it as a suprise for her most radiance." Zircon smiled in memory. "I was the one who thought of everything for battle, I planned out everything for war, My Diamond always knew I was her smartest and most loyal companion, until…" The gem trailed off and glanced at Connie's chest, where her gem laid.
"Until what?" Connie asked softly.
Zircon smirked. "Connie, I have something to show you."
They were standing in front of the screen and Zircon pulled up a file that seemed separate from all the other files. She clicked it open and smiled.
Connie saw pages and pages of notes, scribbled out not neat like the others she had seen. Things were underlined fiercely and words were on scattered around like someone insane had wrote it, insane or vengeful…
Zircon noticed her wide eyes and chuckled. "These are my numerous theroies I created to win the war! As you can see, it is a full proof plan!"
Connie stared in confusion as Zircon started flipping through notes. She saw flashes of drawings by Zircon of her sword, gems fighting, fires, weapons, soilders, Jasper and Peridot, and finally at the last page she saw her mother sitting on a throne with cold eyes, gem shards around her feet. Connie gave a gasp in fear.
"It took multiple drafts, but I found one that worked." Zircon hissed with a smile.
"Y-You want me to… shatter Pink Diamond?!" Connie asked dryly. "B-But-!"
"Hush!" Zircon whispered in a calming tone, grabbing Connie by the shoulders. "Don't be so upset, Connie… This will end the war!"
Connie was shaking. "But… shattering… That would make us as bad as Homeworld!"
Zircon rolled her eyes with a smile. "You foolish origanic thing, don't you understand what this would do?"
Connie backed away and then gave a growl, taking out her sword. "I do! Temps may feel the urge to shatter, but we never give in to those urges! Shattering isn't what a Crystal Temp would do." Connie then sighed and glared up at Zircon. "Despite everything Pink Diamond's done to me, she's my family. I don't know if she and my mother got along but I know what my decision is. I don't hurt my family."
Zircon's eye twitched. "... You… are guilty of so many crimes… and yet you still won't destroy her? You told me the same thing years ago before you poofed me, you were angry. So I'll say it one last time… I'm giving you a chance to save the Earth, My Diamond."
Connie felt her body grow cold. "What? I-I asked you not to call me that! And I'm never going to shatter! Not ever! Promise me you won't tell the others about this plan, I-I don't know how'd they react!"
"I won't take orders from you." Zircon whispered sharply, a screen coming from her monocle. "Not after what you did to me. I was observing you for a reason earlier… just in case."
Connie was confused but Zircon suddenly swiped the screen in front of her and the girl was suddenly surrounded by laser cannons, all pointed at her.
She gave a cry and leaped away just in time as the lasers fired. She ran but fell back in panic when a sharp spear nearly impaled her heart that was shooting at her. She slid under and gasped for air.
Zircon smiled smugly. "You know, I rather enjoy this! Watching you scramble. To think, I was once in a lawyer for Homeworld! You made my pure unbiased judgement turn rotten..."
Connie grabbed her sword and hurriedly defended herself against nearly eighteen hologram Quartz soldiers. Connie didn't know any but they all glared at her. She gave yells in parry as she fought them off.
"It must hurt to fight them, My Diamond!" Zircon called with a sad sigh. "After all, these were your own soldiers that you sent to be shattered! It hurts for me to see them too! Or do you even feel anything at all?!"
Connie gave a cry in pain as one's sword cut her cheek. She finally poofed the last one, struggling for air, wishing this would stop! "Please! I'm sorry! I know there's still some good in you!"
"Good in me?! I am good! You're the monster here!" Zircon spat as a giant drill came down at Connie from the ceiling. "And you've chosen a weak and defenseless form!"
The girl pushed up with all her strength, she was getting tired of constant attacks and the painful training from before had only worked to her defeat! That was why Zircon had done it, to both tire her and plan a way to exhaust her until she wouldn't be able to defend herself!
"You told me you needed a strong army! I made you one! But a strong army needs a strong leader, My Diamond!"
"I-I'm not her!" Connie yelled, feeling herself start to sweat.
Zircon ignored the girl. "I used to think that violence wasn't the way to get things, but then you took me in and showed me the truth! After all, you're the worst of us all for your crimes! You deserve no trial for what you've done to us all! You let them go out there on the battlefield and let them all SHATTER!"
"ENOUGH!" Connie yelled, shoving the drill up with all her strength. She grabbed her sword and with a scream, lunged forward to get Zircon off guard but when she opened her eyes… her sword was stabbed through the gem's chest.
Connie gasped in horror, seeing it had nearly gotten the gem. If this has happened to a human, they'd be dead… What would she tell the Temps? That she had nearly shattered thier friend? She hadn't meant it! With this sword, she had actually stabbed someone, hurt them. She looked up to see Zircon who had wide eyes, her mouth slightly open.
"I… I don't… I didn't-!" Connie protested, tears coming to her eyes.
"I hide my emotions through… my rude outward behavior… but… I… always… assumed… before you poofed me you'd at least tell the Temps why…" Zircon whispered weakly. "And… you didn't tell them at all! None of them! They were my friends! At least I thought until I saw what I knew deep down the whole time," The gem sniffed, clenching her teeth. "nobody even cared I was gone."
"Yes, they did…" Connie sighed. "You didn't see how overjoyed you made Jasper and Peri? I haven't seen them that happy since…. never… I'll tell them. They'll care."
"Well, I'm glad they'll have a better leader then Yellow Diamond to tell them." Zircon smirked. She didn't shed a tear, Connie wondered if it was because of all the horrors and sorrows she'd already seen…
The gem poofed and fell to the floor. Connie slowly bent down and bubbled her.
After deleting all the files of the shattering project Zircon had made, Connie warped home, with Zircon bubbles between her hands.
"Ah, Connie! There you…" Peridot trailed off, seeing Connie's battleworn clothes and her bleeding cheek. She then saw the bubble and gasped in horror. Lapis and Jasper ran with her to surround Connie, all with questions but the girl only whispered, "We need to talk."
Jasper, Peridot and even Lapis mourned the loss of Zircon.
Jasper shed a single tear. She'd lost her again…
Peridot placed a hand on Jasper's which held the bubble. "W-We must let her go…"
Jasper nodded, and finally released the bubble, letting it float up to the corrupted gems.
Connie was staring the stars from the balcony, feeling numb, all she saw was a never ending loop of her scream and Zircon's face with the sword plunged through her…. It was just instincts! She didn't want to do it! Tears came down from her eyes. Oh stars, there must've been a way to change her mind, if she had only talked a bit more or said something different! She wondered if the memory would torment her forever…
She was dragged out of her thoughts when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see the Temps. She couldn't smile, but was glad they were there at least.
The family of Temps stared at the stars together, one more misfortune had come and gone. They all thought about Zircon. She another name to add to the list of gems they had hidden away…
It's finally done! So this chapter went through so many rough drafts and rewrites, and I started planning it long before I actually wrote this version! There were many versions, with three different gems playing the Bismith role. At first I wanted to do Topaz then went against it because I now have a better plan for that character. So then I thought, what about Yellow Pearl? I debated that but near the beginning I realized Jasper and Peri would call Yellow Pearl Pearl because they were used to that in the war, and Connie would have no idea what to call her seeing as she already has one Pearl mom! Though I loved the idea of the two pearls fighting over who was Connie's real Pearl and who would protect her the best and Connie insisting that she liked them both equally as their own selves! It came down to Zircon, who is a hard character to like! She hides her feelings by being snippy but she really loves the Crystal Temps just as much as Connie does. I hope you liked it! I worked hard to make it something people would enjoy!