Having been a fusion for hardly 15 minutes, Peridot had enjoyed the experience, unbeknownst to her that she was becoming addicted due to the feeling of height that she lacked beforehand. Once Peridot returned to her original height, she ran over to Steven, "Steven, uh..." Peridot scratched her head as she loomed over him, wondering why the hybrid gem wouldn't get up. Peridot shook him a few times before speaking up again, "Steven, C'mon! Get up before the others arrive!" Peridot shook him a few times before backing away from him and bending over, "I really am gonna die here, I miscalculated my survival..." She whispered to herself, concluding that it was a trap the whole time.
Steven moved a little. It was due to Stevens human body that they had unfused, combined with the confusion of their accidental fusion. Steven slowly opened his eyes, scrubbing them with his hands as he leaned upwards, "What... What happened?" Steven asked. Peridot looked back up, "Ah!" She shouted, preparing to be shattered. Peridot gasped in embarrassment when she realized who it was. "Ah, I'm sorry!" Steven apologized, waving his hands in a sorry manner. Peridot rose her hands and prepared to smack Steven, but her hand wouldn't let loose as she watched Steven slightly flinch. Peridot huffed before she blushed and brought her hand back down, "Sorry... instincts."
Steven waved at her, suddenly stopping when he noticed Peridots shorter stature match his own. Stevens' eyes widened as he took a hard look at her, his eyes turning into literal stars as he looked up and down like a seesaw with jet engines. "What are you-" Peridot said before looking at her missing limb enhancers due to them falling into the ocean. "My limb enhancers! Where are my- Ah! They fell into the water back at the Galaxy-Warp! We've gotta go ba-!" That was all Peridot could say before Steven interrupted her, disregarding everything she had just said. "You're so... Cuuuuteee!" Steven teased as he placed his hand on Peridots cheek, caressing it as if she were a puppy. "C-Cute!? I'm a dedicated warrior! I'm not... cute," Peridot said, unknowingly fidgeting with her toes and fingers as Steven continued to pet her face. Dismissive and feeling somewhat safe with Steven, Peridot let her guard down as she blushed, never having received so much attention in her life before meeting Steven. She had always known what she was in life, a simple Peridot like any other. Peridots are naturally highly intelligent and only grow more intelligent over the years. It's due to this that they lose a large amount of muscle and height, but this is balanced out with the help of advanced technology, making up their height, speed, and horribly weak arms. Peridot smiled as she put her hand on Stevens, pulling him into another embrace as she put her other hand behind his neck.
(Peridot knows what a hug is btw, she just didn't know what Steven was planning in the last chapter.)
Steven playfully chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Peridot, returning the hug. Unfortunately, Steven was still very tired and his eyes were beginning to sag more and more by the second. Steven then yawns as he releases Peridot from the hug, "Okay, I need you to listen up Peridot." Peridot widened her eyes before nodding, "I'm listening."
Steven took a quick breath before continuing, "Garnet, Amythest, and Pearl will probably be here any second now... When they do, I need you to stay with me, just in case they flip y'know?"
Peridot nodded once more as she scooted a little closer to him, "okay."
Peridot looked at her feet as Steven laughed again, "Haha, that tickles."
It was only seconds after when the warp pad activated and beamed its blue ray upwards. Peridot shivered as she glanced at the warp pad, "Oh no, maybe this wasn't a good-" Peridot was soon cut off by Steven, "It'll be okay, you're safe as long as you're with me." Steven then took Peridots hand, lessening her shivers but not entirely.
Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst looked at each other as they argued, "-but with all these ships and threats from homeworld, I'm not sure if we can win." Pearl debated. Garnet rose her hand as she looked directly at Pearl, "We can't just give up Pearl." Pearl rose her hand to her forehead and rubbed it as she looked down, "That's not what I-"
Pearl stopped as Amethyst pointed at the now shorter Peridot who was standing next to Steven, "Peridot!" Garnet shouted. "Look out Steven!" Pearl followed.
Steven rose his hands up to explain but couldn't speak a word as the other Gems warned him of Peridot. "Peridot! Don't you lay a hand on Steven!" Garnet shouted as she approached her, Pearl and Amethyst following from behind.
"Wait! She's on our side!" Steven shouted as he rose a bubble with spikes from his gem, something the other gems haven't seen until now. Garnet stopped in her tracks, tearing the wood apart as she slid across the floor. Steven then looked at the others in the eyes as he lowered his hands, retracting the spikes but not popping the bubble. Peridot leaned to the right, taking a quick peek over Stevens' shoulder. Peridot gasped as she saw their weapons deployed, "They really are going to kill me!" She pouted as she tightened her grip on Steven, making him flinch from the pinching. "What are you talking about Steven? Peridot is dangerous!" Garnet shouted as she rose a fist to the air.
"No, she's not! She's scared and just wants to go home!" Steven explained, waving his hands spiratically.
Pearl frowned as she pointed her spear at the two, "She- Ugh, Steven, she's only using you so she can report back to Homeworld. We can't risk any more information being leak-"
"You're all wrong!" Steven huffed before continuing, "She knows something that we don't, and it's gotten her scared... something called the cluster."
Garnet sighed as she turned back towards Steven, "Steven! You're falling victim to her manipulation, her lies, don't be-"
"Shut up!" Steven shouted desperately. Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst gasped. Steven lowered his bubble, realizing that he was cornered due to both him and Peridot backing away from the other gems.
"I-I'm sorry," Steven apologized, pausing as to prepare for what he was about to say next. "I... I fused with Peridot," he stated as he brought his hand to the back of his head.
Garnet felt herself choke as she couldn't figure out if she should be happy or mad about it, causing her to do both, smiling on one side and frowning on the other.
"You did whaaaat!?" Pearl said, dropping her spear to the ground as she brought both of her hands to her head.
"Wow, didn't expect that," Amethyst said, dropping the bottom of her whip to the floor.
Steven winced as he witnessed Garnets face continue to derange more and more.
"Are... you mad?" Steven asked in a quiet tone. Garnet put her palm to her head, probably using her future vision to see what would happen next, "No Steven... We just didn't expect you to be able to fuse with gems is all. Also, just because you were able to fuse with Peridot, doesn't mean that she's on our side... Besides, you could be lying."
Steven stomped his foot with great force, "Well I trust her, and we should give her a shot. What would mom have done!?"
Pearl fidgeted as she took a step forward, "She... She would've given her a chance... maybe we should give her a chance Garnet."
Garnet groaned as she gave Pearl and Steven a Shakey thumbs up. "What do you think Amethyst?" Pearl asked. Amethyst moaned before whipping the ground, "Sure whatever." Amethyst then walked to the couch and sat down, laying her head on her hands.
Steven looked back at Peridot, forming a smile as he picked her off the ground and spun her in the air, "Whoohoo! You're a Crystal Gem!" Steven cheered. Peridot chuckled a few times, never had she been so happy. It was surprising to everyone that she had been trying to destroy them only a few hours ago. As Steven continued to twirl Peridot in the air, their gems glowed, quickly forming a bright yellow light. When Triphane opened her eyes, she gasped, "We're back | I'm back! | I-We... Us?" Triphane put her face before swiping down, forming a faint light to appear as a set of glasses formed on her head, making her sight much better.