Snow ventures out on her own.
There was no time for tears, but the guilt was almost unbearable as Snow left on her own. She stormed down the hallways, grateful for the silence the further down she went. Her stride was hastened as she looked to the floor as she walked, her hands in fists as they swung with a sturdiness.
She was supposed to be strong. She was supposed to know what she had to do. But she didn't. They could hate her. That's fine. Snow Quartzes were known to be controversial. This was no different. Old words from Milky floated by in her memories...from the years between the Rebellion and the Lillim Wars.
Milky Quartz Log
We've always been the topic of conversation Snowflake. We're known to be stubborn as any other Quartz, even more so. We're built for strength and we're built for intelligence. We're not built for deeper relationships, like those we see of other gems. Even the forbidden cross-gem fusions.
But for the time I've known humans, they're known for their tenacity and they understand the importance of building relationships with one another. Simple as they may be, they're a lot more incredulous than one would give them credit for. I knew what Rose Quartz was trying to do. It was never the preservation of self, but the preservation of livelihoods and lifestyles. The Diamonds would never allow for that. But we must remain silent. We do not want to end up the same way their line did.
We also hold more secrets. Secrets that could make or break us. Secrets never whispered and secrets never heard.
So its important to keep looking on the horizon. Feign obedience where required. Because you do need a sense of preservation, but also the desire to protect others. The Diamonds have given us another chance and it'd be stupid to disregard it. But we can still play our main speciality. Information for Information. Know what to give and what to gain. That's important to you now. To all Snow Quartzes. We no longer fight like we used to but we can still fight with our words where we can. Sometimes...the right set of words given could be all that saves us.
Snow tried so hard to keep looking forward as Milky so wisely said. Information learned is information kept. She's stood by that for most of her life and it's helped her immensely. What disturbed her was how much she didn't know about any of this. From her infection, to her shattering, to her resurrection. All of that remained as splintered as she once was. What she told Jasper was still true as well. Her being part of something else did not change who Snowflake was.
What she desired most of all, was Milky explaining it all to her. She wasn't here and she was trying to find her to understand...yet it lead to the doom of people she had started to care about. Snow preferred not to be with crowds, but the people Rose stood for and tried to protect...were disappearing. All of her hard work just...gone.
She wasn't meant to be that powerful to begin with. Weakened with newer rules and boundaries. The Prophecy made it sound like she was supposed to be someone special. But all it ended up doing was hurting people. Far from what her desires were.
She wanted to learn. She wanted to be educated about the more complicated aspects of the human psyche and mentality. She wanted to know the core, inner harmonies of love and hope. Had she shut her mouth about Milky...
Secrets that could make or break us...
As she came to an intersection, she heard whispers coming from her left. A corridor with a strange amount of gust. Going down it she'd come across another door, but it was left open for what ever reason. She made a few clicks and realized there was another gem left in there. The limb enhancers and the amount of red. It was Pyrope. Feelings of rage filled her, but Snow had to remain vigilant as she hid behind a desk as another person came in nearby. She had long black hair which contrasted Pyropes, who's was more of darker shade of purple than black, wearing a red, strapless dress with a gold belt. Her beige skin indicated her human frame, but Snow sensed something of a more sinister from within her.
"My Queen!" Pyrope called out excitedly.
"How has our subject been progressing? Where is Black Pearl?" Said the woman.
Snow's gem started to flare up in pain for an unexplained reason as she was forced to do a silent hiss through her teeth.
"Longer than expected." Pyrope answered as she typed into a nearby console.
"I sent Black Pearl to Milky's Quarters after we found a trace amount of energy pouring from there. She hasn't come back."
They must have found out about the entrance to the Delta Kindergarten that way. No wonder she found them. The woman stomped her foot on the ground, which shook it violently. It made Snow wonder if she was one of the Homo Magia like Diga or Petra, going from the drop down circlet with matching earrings that pertained red, glowing jewels. Although her slapping Pyrope became far more jarring.
"I'm s-sorry my Queen. Most subjects submit to infection anywhere from five minutes to an hour?" Pyrope said as she rubbed her cheek
The humanoid had a blank face of disappointment. A Queen? Images flurried in Snow's mind again, telling her a vague indication of who this was.
"It's been five hours Pyrope." She pointed out.
"It would have been done sooner if you were able to keep an eye on that damn Diamond."
Steven's Gem. It couldn't be anything else.
"I see the human escaped too. Do I have to do everything myself?"
Greg. They knew.
Pyrope looked nervous as she shuffled through multiple screens of red. Out popped at least five. The imagery looked familiar, seeing several figures; one on each of the screens.
"It's okay. We've gotten the three main Crystal Gems stuck in Storage Room Twelve along with the master. The beast is still stuck in Experimenta Room Two. So we still have leverage of the subjects mental state if we want to take advantage of that." She pointed out.
Subjects Mental State? Why would they need to use the Gems to...if what they were doing to Greg was the same, they were using them to torture Black Diamond. Which meant that they had been trying to infect Black Diamond? No. That made as much sense as opening a door that already opened. Apophllylite stated there was a tonne of Lillim interference coming from Storage Room Twelve; practically off the charts.
"We've tried TM Ratings One through Four. None of them worked. Resorting to TM Ratings either seven right or nine could still work."
If Snow could get to Storage Room Twelve, then she could possibly save the Gems. She had to save them.
"I'll get to Ten if none of them work. Push the rating to Seven for now, increase of need be. I need to get back to finding that Medusa Quartz Black Pearl was warning me about. I expect submission within the hour, or else!" The humanoid urged as she left the room and closed the door.
Snow gulped. So she was indeed a threat. She severely underestimated Black Pearl previously and after fighting her, Snow wouldn't make the same mistake about Pyrope either. Now that she semi-recalls her overall. But this Queen? A much larger problem. Snow was going to risk being shattered for it. For them. She contemplated on taking Pyrope by surprise and getting her to spill on all that she knows.
Memories of their fight on the Lillim world sent shivers down her back. Snow could not let such a thing happen again. She charged up and kicked Pyrope in the face with a clean drop kick, then proceeded unleash her repressed rage onto her her, much to the gems surprise. All this build up and all this flurry of a fire residing within her core; millennia of left over vengeance scored in one simple strike.
"Ahaha...I...ENOUGH!" Pyrope called out as she pulsed out a wave of darkness from her gem on her shoulder, which only pushed Snow off of her, who flipped and landed on her own feet. Snow gritted her teeth as she glared at the Pyrope, and pulled out her double sided axe, which left Pyrope stunned as Snow could see her vicious expression in the gems eyes.
"You...you're...impossible."
Snow nonchalantly flipped the axe in her hand and snarled.
"Impossible. Yes." Snow said, her tone low and calm, but filled with incredible passion.
She remembered this same scenario. Except it was the opposite this time. Part of Snow felt good at seeing Pyrope crawling on the floor, left trying to make up on what was happening right now.
"I didn't expect to remember any of this. But right now, I know you betrayed our kind. You lead to the infection of hundreds of innocent Snow Quartzes. Including me."
Pyrope shot up and patted herself down, as her eyes turned jet black, giving off a smirk.
"You Snow Quartzes were going no where anyway." Pyrope retorted.
"Blue Diamond sent you all to die. We thought you'd make better use as Lillim Warriors. Take our vengeance back to the Diamonds themselves. That sort of thing."
The thoughts crossed Snow's mind. But it didn't mean subjecting themselves to this kind of atrocity.
"We had no part in the Rebellion. Milky negotiated this for the best. I know how spotty our history is, but we were at least granted a choice. Being a Lillim Gem on the other hand...there's no choice." Snow called out.
Pyrope then started laughing. Hard.
"Heh...I found out about the whole scheme from my Queen. She found out Rose Quartz was Pink Diamond before anyone else did. Another machination by the most cunning of all Diamonds. A chance to be free. I might have been born in Era 2...but my Queen has granted me privileges affording someone of my station. Like being there at the trial with Milky Quartz and suggesting the idea to Blue Diamond to begin with, seeing how I was but a mere technician in Blue Courts at the time and pointing out that the Lillim World needed to be dealt with in order her colony to completed. You'd be surprised on how much power one can feel when lording knowledge. I envied your positions greatly and I was hungry to know what the Snow Quartzes knew. My Queen granted me that wish in fantastic ways."
Snow looked at herself as she started to shake. Violently. She was so infused with the power of...the power of her own hate. She'd never felt like this...unless she did. All those years ago.
"They all cried when their beloved Snowflake was infected. Fighting her down to their last bits of light. Milky was...the one who shattered her. Yet, you stand in front of me. How is this the same person who walked through my doors? She wasn't angry. She was inquisitive, just like any Snow Quartz."
Are you who you think you are?
Are you hurting more than you are helping?
Are you being blinded by failure?
Your door didn't open when you were brought back.
DON'T LISTEN TO HER SNOW
A voice different from the rest?
ARE YOU SNOW QUARTZ?
ARE YOU MEDUSA QUARTZ?
NEITHER?
BOTH?
OR
IF YOU
IF YOU ARE
IF YOU ARE WHO I THINK YOU ARE
BUT
YOU CANNOT BE
SHE IS NOT HERE WITH US
NOT IN THIS REALM
IMPOSSIBLE
WHY
The room shook violently as shrieks echoed from afar, loud enough to force both Snow and Pyrope to their knees. Snow got out of it the trance first as she jumped up and charged towards Pyrope and swung her blade
She is Snow Quartz, Lilith
She's who she decides to be.
Pink Diamond decided to be Rose Quartz
Rose Quartz decided to give herself to be a part of Steven Universe
You don't know this lore well enough.
You told Pyrope the truth
But not the reason, nor the why
We don't have to know the why
Another softer voice entered Snow's mind. Who was this? She then noticed Pyrope going through the same phases as Black Pearl before her, slowly and agonizingly changing into a monstrous centipede creature.
"So there is a little monster in you too." Pyrope grunted.
"Glad to hear it."
Snow was disappointed that she didn't freeze Pyrope when she had the chance. She became so overwhelmed with a insatiable need to pulverize that it drove her swing and roar. She weaved and dodged the numerous tentacles that came her way. The room was barely big enough for them to fight, as Lillim Pyrope was much larger than the Lillim Pearl. However, the little monster in her head talked to her at the same. Not an active, but a passive conversation. The unheard whispers of the mind that often gave birth to doubt and internal disagreements.
She fought for the lost. But the rage was not against losing those she knew. It was something else entirely. Pyrope said this wasn't the same Snow Quartz she saw that day. Then who was it?
What was the lie and what was the truth?
The truth wasn't the reason. The truth was power. What power did knowing the truth have? Did knowing the truth about it all really give any power? Or was it understanding it, was what the true extent of its premise flowered into?
Snow favored the offensive style a little too much, but could defend where need be. Despite her large size, she was quite speedy. Part of her regretted not having Labradorite with her to fuse into Howlite again, however change came to form with her light mass, eyes a little too white and sparkly and projected wings that she had no clue were appearing on her back, glowing brightly. Snow...Medusa...Diga...one of those had to trigger the unknown formation, so foreign that it caused havok with her own mental pathways she didn't know where being affected by it. An unseen, a newly experienced power not unlike any other.
So...like a fusion.
Garnet, Stevonnie, Malachite, Tiger Iron. A proper reflection of power not based on truths...but ideals, love and trust. Being Howlite allowed her to see things from their perspective. Relationships that are formed with others...and the feelings that came with them. Her desires to learn love are based on truths, but to experience them for herself.
Discovery is part of that journey. Whether it means facing your fears or acknowledging that you're wrong once in a while, is within that growing path. It doesn't matter how long we live for, we're all in that together. Growing. Always.
Discovery didn't always equal truth. Just as a blade can cut a branch, it does not mean it can cut metal. You can try, but won't work.
But finding out that on your own does equate to truth, but if you can change the blade so it can cut metal, would that become truth and discovery too?
A lot of it was confusing.
But the word, discovery, sounded much better than simple power with knowledge. It meant be able to connect to others far easier with what you found out on your own and helping them.
Though...
the truth was she was Part Snow Quartz, Part Medusa Quartz and Part Diga.
The discovery was that she was all that.
The idea of who she is, is who she chooses to be.
Would not that make it...her own truth?
The truth is...is that she chooses to serve Homeworld.
She chooses to help others.
But can she discover the truth of choosing...who to love? Who to befriend? Who to give information to?
You can have your own take on love. You won't really know what it is until you experience it for yourself.
So why the doubt?
"This little Snow Quartz is without her darling Labradorite. Worried it might attack you for attacking a fellow Gem?" Pyrope taunted.
"I wouldn't blame her. What I'm looking at right now is considered horrific. What would White Diamond think?"
Yet the programming for that was disabled.
Lies hurt her, yet they shouldn't.
How could Snow look forward if she fell into the habit of looking back all the time?
Human nature.
A voice...the soft feminine voice that guided her.
Human nature is to use past experiences to move forward.
Snow's memories were still hazy up until this point. She struggled to get up as Pyrope kept slamming tentacles in her way. Snow needed to reach her shoulder to freeze her, but couldn't get that high on her own, or when she could when she utilized fallen debris, Pyrope kept covering it, like Black Pearl did.
Your talent is your voice though. Use it. Shout.
Shout?
An unrelenting force should knock her over.
Why did that sound familiar?
She jumped into the air and inhaled deeply. Next thing she knew, she screamed out something fierce that sent shockwaves knocking Lillim Pyrope over. Snow then cut through the tentacles then prepare her sights on her gem. She clung on to the grimy body as her eyes and her gem started to glow. It sent ripples towards Pyrope gem, as she went totally white. Snow then jumped again as her body became stone, then shattered it with her axe. She picked up the gem shortly after, bubbled it then sent it on its way.
That part was mentally exhausting to Snow, her body returning to normal, her eyes fading back to their newer green shine and her wings disappearing in a flash. She dusted herself down then went towards the console Pyrope previously had been using as luck would have it, it was left untouched during the fight.
She brought up the profiles of what appeared to be the Crystal Gems and put them next to each other. The text detailed notes held their data, as well as the infection rate. Amethyst's was the most progressed at seventy two percent, Pearls at fifty seven and Garnets at thirty, for both of her gems. The process for infection could either be fast or slow depending on the Gems willpower to resist it. One hundred percent was the point of no return, so they were fighting the infection with such an intensity. She'd have to start with Amethyst.
They too were in Storage Room Twelve. Lion was still stuck in Experimenta Room 2.
I have someone taking care of the beast. You focus on the gems.
That voice again. Who was that?
"Should I trust you?" Snow murmured. She'd heard enough voices for one day.
No answer.
Was the powerful shout part of Medusa's powerset? Snow Quartzes did have their own voice, but nothing like that. Snow had a need to look into what in the world a Medusa Quartz could do when she had the time. A door opened to her left, which would lead her to Storage Room Twelve.
Defeating Pyrope did not grant her the satisfaction Snow craved. Instead she was more conflicted. Her anger drove her to attack instead of talking like Snow was used to doing. She could have gotten more out of her. Her broken memories gave way to an uncontrollable urge, after all this time, talking about peaceful resolutions when she had done the complete opposite.
It was about, knowing that she had been shattered but not knowing; erased memories did not mean erased feelings.
Snow...
Yet another voice to intrude her rummaged thoughts.
It's Connie...I'm with you in this...psychic realm. I can see the Crystal Gems stuck with the Lillim, but I need your help as well.
Maybe the loneliness gave birth to self-intrusive thoughts and lead to untruths instead.