1001 Nights in Their Garden

The Fifth Day- No Leaving the Garden

My name is Spinel, and I think… maybe I should make a change. Just days ago, I was so certain that destroying everything that reminded me of her was worthwhile. Why did he have to come and ruin everything! Can't he see that I'm no good?

I look in my reflection every morning in one of the fountains. At times its like I see the Spinel that waited loyally for Pink, but that quickly fades into that beast that just wanted to cause pain. Then, she too fades into who I am now. I walk through the statues of those that mean so much to steven. Imagine my shock when I crossed a stone bridge and found that a bronze statue of myself had manifested and was performing a balancing act on the handrail.

Only four other statues relate to me, Pink Diamond introducing herself while pearl stands at her side, Steven cradling me which now stood in the exact place where I destroyed that fountain, and her. They form a closed area over that bridge I mentioned. Casually, I sat on a bench in front of the last statue. I close my eyes for a moment and remember that familiar voice that meant so much to me.

"Spinel, you'll never believe what I heard!"

"Did you learn a new game?"

She giggled, "Yes! How would you like to try it?"

"Yippee!"

I smile at the thought of it, and how great it was to trust someone so completely. Just as quickly my smile turns to a frown as other memories flood back, before it ends tears start falling.

"Little Spinel, meetings in the palace are so dull, you'll only be bored. Just stay here, and I promise I'll be back as soon as I can." She smiles at me and I can't help but laugh.

Then there were two other voices, the voice of that statue, and Pearl. "Pearl don't be such a spoil-sport, we wanna play." She pouted.

"My Diamond, this is wrong, so very wrong. What if-if the other Diamond's find out?" Stupid clod! Always ruining our fun. After that the voice was gone forever… and now.

I wipe the tears from my eyes and knocked the head off Pearl's statue for good measure. Then I went back to the pool and stare at my reflection. "No, you're not me, not anymore." It wasn't hard to take the next step. I had done it before. Steven still wouldn't be up for hours, and I needed a new style.

Did I do it for him? As if! I did it for me. Of course, if he thought it made me look more attractive, what the hay, right?

My gem glowed, poofed, and I reformed. I breathed a sigh of relief when I looked at the reflection, finding that I could, at last, only see myself. Of course, now I had to surprise the boy who was still asleep. That little trick he tried yesterday, deserved another on my part. That Lion had disappeared, but that didn't even seem to distract the dork who was laying on his back and snoring loudly.

This time I wasn't going to even risk the chance that he might get the upper hand. I twisted myself around a nearby tree, and slingshot him into the air. At first his arms waved and flailed in hilarious confusion. Which left me laughing loudly while rolling on the floor. "Hahah oh-ho-ho, oh Universe you should've seen the look on your face."

"What was your plan if I didn't float like Mom?" He said that, still in shock over my wake-up call, while he floated to the ground.

Gradually, my laughter died, and I said, "Pink could float?" Steven's laugh wasn't fooling anyone.

After yawning and wiping that gross gunk from his eyes, my little makeover finally dawned on him.

"Hey, my eyes are up here Universe!" I said with a wink, "So whadaya think?" I turned around to model for him, even running my hands through my hair.

If he says something bad about my new look, I wonder how far I can bounce him into the air?

"I like it."

I crossed my arms finding his response a little underwhelming. "That's all you've got to say about it! No, 'Spinel, I just love how you incorporated the darker color into your feet.'" I said, mocking the clod. Then I started to pace around in frustration, "Or, 'oh Spinel the way that the design of your right side up heart silhouettes your upside-down gem.'"

He started to stretch, "I'm sorry Spinel, I only just woke up."

I shrugged, "Hmph, you're an awful hostage." I said, sticking out my tongue.

"Isn't that kind of your fault? I guess it's getting kinda difficult to tell?"

The nerve of this kid, "Have you forgotten my injector?" I pointed up at the barely visible moon the injector was planted on.

"How could I?"

"Good," I grabbed the front of his shirt and dragged him close, "There's no escaping the garden."

Suddenly there was a shout, "Let Steven go!"

It was that girl Connie and she was riding on the back of Pink's pet Lion. I barely dodged the sword she charged me with, dropping steven in the process. "What're you doing here," a glow came from my gem and I pulled out my rejuvenator. "This a private party, and no one invited ya!"

She leapt off the Lion to get between me and Steven. "Steven let's fuse; we can take her, together."

He shouted out, "Will both of you just calm down, and we can."

Connie lunged at me and locked blades with my scythe. In a sing-song I said, "You clod, you just had to come here and ruin my fun. Well-well-well-well-well, I'm not about let you run away with him, he's-". There was a sudden pain that interrupted me as the spear went straight through my side. I turned my head around, "Hah just swell." My rejuvenator sliced right through Pearl's form. Connie's sword sliced my torso in two.

Then I poofed.

-That Evening, Steven's Perspective-

Spinel reformed that evening on the beach. I wasn't about to leave her bubbled forever. Bismuth and Peridot had already destroyed the injector, and I wasn't about to trap her. She sat there next to me, and we watched the waves roll in and out against the blue of the sky.

"I neveh imagined that the Lion would lead 'em to us," she stood and kicked the sand. "So what now Universe?"

"Not leaving the garden is out."

"What was your first clue?" She returned.

"So… what if I keep telling you stories?"

She sat on the ground next to me. "Why would you? Steven this maybe news to you but," she then shouted, adding, "I lost!"

"I'm not sure you did, I mean, think about it. I'm still here, and you aren't alone. Bismuth has your rejuvenator, and your injector has been destroyed, but that's it. We're sitting here, at my home, on a beautiful evening. Doesn't sound like defeat to me."

I put my arm around her, and squeezed her tight, "Besides, we don't have to stop telling stories."

Rather than try to get out of it, she leaned into me, and smiled. "Hehe, it was fun, wasn't it? What's you're deal anyway Universe? I held ya hostage, I took away your freedom, and gave ya every reason to hate me. Why do ya keep doing this, huh, can't ya see I'm no good… no good at all?"

"Spinel, you were hurt, but you were abandoned. I don't pretend to understand why Mom did all the things she did," I paused, wondering if I could afford to be so honest with her, "but I'm glad that I can sit here with you, today. I'm glad I can show you that I'm not going to abandon you."

"Universe, you are insane!" She looked at me and smiled.

"I had a good mentor."

"Can we ever go back to the garden?"

"Of course, any time you like."

"Good, because you better keep telling me those stories." She dragged me by the hand, "Well, what are ya waiting for? Comm'on!"

As made our way to the warp pad I couldn't help but think I was forgetting something important about what happened today. Oh well I suppose it can wait, when compared to the very real danger that I had endured the past few days, what couldn't? At very least she won't be attempting to destroy my planet anytime soon.

Next Time- The Fifth Night, Promises I

Author's note: Thanks so much for Reading! New tentative schedule on my profile.