Chapter 14: A New World To Explore
"Now let's begin." Amber flicked his hand forward sending out a barrage of Kunai towards Opal. She quickly sidestepped away from the barrage summoning a whip and cracking it at Amber, He ducked underneath spinning with an extended leg picking up dust that clouded him. Opal summoned her spear and dashed at the cloud of smoke, slashing away at it. The cloud disappeared, but Amber was no where to be found. Suddenly something grabbed her feet, two arms poked from the ground grasping her legs. She drew her arms back to strike at the ground but was caught off guard by something pulling her back and wrapping itself by her neck strangling her. She was bent backwards, her head almost touching the ground. She saw Steven, Mica, and Granite upside down. Steven watched in horror as Opal was being choked, her feet were held down she was bent over backwards suffocating. Steven ran towards her but was picked up off the ground. "Where do you think you are going? Mica asked jokingly, "Let me go!" Steven yelled thrashing about."Calm down I'll let you help her, AFTER you get out." Steven showed a confused expression. Mica summoned chains and wrapped Steven in them. He laid on floor helpless while Mica used him as a seat. Luckily for Steven it was not Granite who was sitting on him. All Steven could do now was to watch this horrific scene.
Opals face turned a darker shade, she needed to free herself quickly. She slashed at the ground using the spear in hand. The hands gripping her feet grew tighter with each strike at the ground. If she could hit him enough he would release her. Opal Summoned another spear and used it to stab the ground. The hands gripping her feet quickly released as she flipped over, and pried open the legs that choked her. She picked up Amber and threw him against a wall, and gasped for air. Amber stuck to wall for a while before falling to the ground and landing on all fours. he winced in pain as the spear was lodged in his stomach. He grasped the spear and ripped it out with one quick motion. Blood was smeared at the end of the spear. "You got me with that one, but be aware that is the only one you'll get." he stated slowly getting up. Opal fused the whip and spear in hand to create a bow. She pulled back the string forming an arrow made of white energy. Upon release she shot her own barrage of exploding arrows towards Amber.
He jumped high and replied with his own barrage once again. Both Opal and Amber dodging and firing barrages of attacks trying to hit one another. As the dancing of projectiles continued, Opal noticed something strange. The kunai were not disappearing. In her mind she had a bad feeling about this. Amber smirked before stopping his barrage, but Opal did not led up. She followed him shooting arrow after arrow. Amber rushed behind a boulder, out of sight for a moment and leaped high into the air.
She aimed at Amber. Before she could fire a sharp pain had presented itself on her side. A kunai had struck her in the ribs. Opal looked down at the boulder where he had leaped from and saw Amber leaning against the rock with an arm stretched out to her and imitating a gun a with his hand. He moved his lips saying the word "Bang" while recoiling his hand like a gun. Her eyes widened, quickly she plucked the kunai from her rib and threw it away. In midair the kunai exploded like a grenade. Opal clutched her side; blood soaked her clothes. Amber continued to lean against the boulder spinning a kunai on his finger. Another Amber landed next to him and stood very still. Opal had a angry yet confused looked on her face."Confused? Allow me to explain."
He began to walk towards her. "You see what you have just witnessed is an illusion. How do I do this you might ask? I manipulate the light reflecting off my kunai." *he summons a kunai to shine light on opals eyes* "Right now you only see two, but now….*she blinks as his gem glowed* you see much more..." Before her very eyes she looked upon an army of Ambers staring her down. "Of course none of these can touch physical objects, but they sure do come in handy." All the Ambers rushed at her trying to punch her but instead phased through. Naturally Opal tried to block them but was only confusing her senses as they phased through. A kunai has punctured her hand, She did not see where it came from, her vision was crowded by Amber's Illusions running at her.
From Stevens point of view he saw Ambers illusions were forming not far from Opal and running towards her then disappearing. This repeated masking the real Amber as he walked around her, hitting her occasionally with either punches, kicks, or even stabbing her with a kunai…. he was toying with her. Steven felt useless, he had to help…
Amber circled Opal striking her, weakening her, breaking her. Opal's body was covered in blood. Kunai covered her body some we lodged in her legs others on her arms and stomach. Finally, the onslaught of illusions faded away and all the was left was the real Amber. He overshadowed the weakened Opal. He pushed aside his hair, summoning a kunai and pointed it at her."You are defeated, and now I will finish you off. Ending your suffering."
Steven felt rage build up. he thrashed around. Mica struggled to sit comfortable on Steven. The sounds of chains breaking filled the air. Mica fell backwards and Steven charged towards Amber and Steven. Mica satup looking at the running child. "I like that kid, he's got spunk. Maybe Amber won't kill him." He said calmly standing up and climbing Granite to sit on his shoulder.
The yellow gems hand came crashing down and punctured a shield. Steven stood between Opal and Amber his wrist bled and shouted in pain. As his shield was like butter to the kunai. Opal quickly mustered any energy she had and punched with all her force, sending Amber sliding a few feet. She fell to the ground and defused Pearl and Amethyst laid behind a shaky Steven weapons drawn. Amber stumbled back from the surprise attack. "You still have the will to fight? You three surprise me, ontop of that you were also my first fight. Tell me your names before you die, so that I may remember you." Amber said spinning the kunai on his middle finger. " My name is Steven... Steven Quartz Universe. Behind me are Pearl and Amethyst and we are The Crystal Gems!" Steven yelled. his arm shaking dripping with blood. Amber caught his kunai at the sound of Gems. He squinted before asking "Tell me something... Do you know of a place called 'Beach City'?"
"How do you…" Steven tried to speak, but was interrupted by Amber. "And in this 'City' does Lars, Sadie, Dad, and Gems live their.?". Steven was wondering how he knew about Beach City. Then, it became clear. Those 3 figures in his dream, were these 3 Gems, the one before him, the ones fighting him... "Unless provoked…" Steven whispered under his breathe. He turned to Pearl and Amethyst. "Put your weapons away…" Pearl and Amethyst were wide eyed at his request. "Trust me..." The two gems, did not know what else they could do. they put their weapons away. and put their faith in Steven. He turned and approached the tall yellow gem, holding his wrist. "I see you, but this time you aren't shadows and now you can see me…". Amber paused. "So, your name is Steven…*he looks at Pearl and Amethyst, and then back to Steven* "Are you friend or foe?." Amber knelt down and stared deep into Steven's eyes. "Friend…" He replied looked back into his one eye.
Mica lowered his head and whispered to Granite "You think they're gonna kiss?" Granite looked at Mica with a confused face. He shoved Mica off his shoulder as Mica laughed at Granites reaction.
Amber showed a small smile. "So, tell me how did your wrist heal so quickly?" Steven glanced at his wrist not a single cut was shown or any dried blood or blood trails. "I don't know..."
"Well, I think we got off on the wrong foot here. *Amber Stood tall* You know if you didn't draw your weapons maybe things could have turned out differently. *he glanced at Pearl and Amethyst both of them looked like they were near death* Think we can have do-over?
Garnet sat on the couch waiting patiently for the 3 gems to come home. She sat there like a stone. 3 minutes passed before any noise filled the air. The warp pad activated, Garnet turned her head expecting Pearl Amethyst and Steven, but got something more. The beam faded and Mica yelled loudly "Can we do that again?!" "Sure." Steven replied quickly transporting away; Garnet looked dumbfounded she walked over to the warp and waited.. The warp pad activated once again. "AGAIN!" Mica yelled they transported away repeating the process 6 more times before Mica stepped off the warp saying "I'm sick of it now." Amber and Granite looked at him in annoyance.
"Nice place you got here " Granite commented "Agreed" Amber followed behind both of them looking around. Garnet stared at Steven demanding an answer. "They are friends…*Amber and Granite stepped off the warp pad to reveal Pearl and Amethyst hiding behind Steven. "What happened." Garnet stated in a stern voice looking past Steven examining the damages on Pearl and Amethyst. "Well, Pearl came to get us and-", "After that" Garnet interrupted Steven. He looked confused "Future Vision.", "Oh, well before we left a machine exploded and we fell through the ground and found some sort of lab. and then we found them. Things didn't start off so well, they fought and were equally matched, until Amber stepped in." Garnet looked at the 3 new guests and stared at Amber. He was looking into a book his hair drooped down but through the strands of hair his eye was visible, He took his attention away from the book as he felt someone staring at him. Amber was correct Garnet was, and he stared back. "But everything is okay we fixed the problem and now we are friends.". "Mhm, and are they staying with us?"Garnet asked. "Yeah they said they don't have anywhere to go and don't know anything about anything, and on top of that they don't really know who they are." He said feeling sorry for them. "hmm well if they are going to stay here, they are going to need clothes." "Clothes?" the 3 brothers said in unision.
Yeah sorry guys, Usually I would watch the new Steven Universe episodes and get energy to write more. But I read that they are going on a Hiatus, and THAT just killed my mood. Sorry if this chapter didn't live up to any expectations you all might of have had. i will try to get the next chapter published faster.
