A/N: Meanwhile, back on the beach, lonely and left behind… Did anyone forget about Peridot? Because I did, and was stumped on what to do after the end of the previous chapter until I remembered her. Good thing I had one last card to play, right? Hidden away since the very first chapter. Or else I might have actually had to end on the fusion's destruction. Just kidding! I wouldn't do that to you guys. Or this story. It's my first after all. It needs to be PERFECT… just kidding, I know there's a lot of room for improvement, I'm not afraid to admit that. But anyways, onto the story~~
Peridot stood alone on the beach, her mouth still open from the events that had just transpired. She wouldn't have believed her eyes if the evidence of the battle didn't still remain on the beach. Those diamonds really left scars on the land. Not only did the fusion fight head to head with the diamonds, but White Diamond showed up here of all gems. Her ship still remained on the ocean, its white surface gleaming mockingly, daring Peridot to challenge its owner.
She shook herself out of her stupor. She had to help the fusion. Who knows what they would do without her?
Peridot ran towards the closest warp pad, but when she got there, she realised she had no idea where they had gone. She racked her brains.
'Argh, I'm the worst gem in the universe! How could I lose my friends like that? They're probably about to be shattered right now, anxiously waiting for me and spending all their time thinking about me' — actually forgot about her, as did the author — 'and I just lost them! They can't take down White Diamond without me!' Peridot kicked the edge of the warp pad in her frustration, but then started hopping around holding her foot and howling in agony. Her eyes were tearing. 'Well, I can't do nothing, might as well warp to as many places as possible in hopes of appearing near their location.'
*One hour later*
'This is hopeless, I'll never find them!' Peridot sighed and leant against the edge of the warp pad. The door of Steven's house opened with a creak. She whipped her head around to see who it was. 'Lion? Oh, Lion! Thank the d- thank goodness you're here! You know where the fusion and White Diamond are, don't you? I demand that you take me to them! Right now!'
Lion simply yawned and flopped down. He closed his eyes. Peridot groaned in exasperation. She walked towards the giant lump of pink fur. With a sharp inhale, she pushed Lion with all her strength. It didn't do very much. Lion let out a huff but otherwise stayed still.
'Come on Lion, you're my only chance! They're all undoubtedly counting on me, I can't let them down! After all...what use am I if I can't even be there in their time of need?' she sighed and gave up, instead settling down against Lion's magnanimously soft fur. 'Lion, everyone has a vital role in the Crystal Gems. I mean, I don't mean to brag, but uh, I was a pretty big deal back on Homeworld. I was smarter than the average peridot, and I helped run kindergartens. I was important. But here on earth…everything is so different. No one follows any rules. Sometimes it feels like I'm the only gem on earth. No one understands what it was like for me on Homeworld and how different it is here. I just…miss Lapis. I wish she was here. She feels just as out of place as I do. But, unlike me, she's actually powerful, and useful. Ah well, I guess it's for the best. I always mess things up, so maybe it's good that I'm missing out on all the action.' Peridot folded her knees to her chest and stared gloomily out the window.
Lion grunted, and without warning, grabbed the back of Peridot with his teeth and swung her on top of him. He dashed out of the house and onto the sand, accelerating before roaring into the air before him so that a portal appeared. He leaped through before Peridot could jump off or shriek in fea- alarm. When they landed among somewhat rocky terrain with light vegetation, Peridot was thrown to the ground. She got up, dusting herself and glaring at Lion. However, her anger disappeared when she beheld what was before her eyes. She quickly tugged Lion's fur and got back on, her expression tightened with fear. Thankfully, Lion did not object to the rough handling of his precious fur.
The fusion was standing there without moving, as if caught in some trance. Her eyes were locked with White Diamond's, who had an arm outstretched towards her. Blindingly white light emanated from her hand, and seemed to be growing brighter by the second. Peridot knew she didn't have much time. She had to do something before it was too late. Lion seemed to sense her thoughts, and started running. He roared and opened another portal, leaping through it and into mid air, just before White Diamond's arm. He roared again, but this time with a destructive force that rivalled even a diamond's strength. Peridot absently marvelled at this show of power.
It was enough to knock over her arm, and the startled expression on White Diamond's face was priceless. It seemed that Peridot had made it just in time, for a burst of white light erupted from White Diamond's arm, and exploded harmlessly on the ground, no where near the fusion. Lion was slowing down, but managed to make one more portal before crashing to the ground and sliding to a stop at the foot of a giant rock. He lay there, eyes closed. Peridot carefully got off.
'You did well, Lion, but rest now. We've got it from here.' She turned her head to look up at the fusion, who had snapped out of her paralysis. A well of pride and satisfaction rose within her when she saw the whole, mostly unharmed fusion standing before her (even though it was all because of Lion). 'No need to thank me, I just saved your gems. You're welcome, by the way.'
The diamond part of the fusion found this to be a little conceited, but the Crystal Gems had learned to just go with it. One thing was clear, however, their relief was immeasurable, 'Thank you Peridot, and Lion. Without you, I would have been in trouble. I seriously thought that I was going to be corrupted, or worse, shattered!'
A glittering diamond of hope and relief shone in both of their eyes. Whatever White Diamond threw at them, they knew they would triumph.
After all, she was on their world now.
They stiffly nodded to each other, then gazed out to where White Diamond was. She was getting back to her previous composure, but no one could deny the blazing fury roaring in her pale, almost indiscernible eyes. Her aura seemed to crackle with agitated spikes, and the air was uncomfortably hot. Blue and Yellow Diamond knew that whatever was going to take place here on earth, there would be no going back.
'Come on White Diamond,' the fusion beckoned, 'it's time to end this, once and for all.'
White Diamond roared, her eyes flashing and she sped towards them at an insanely fast pace, the fusion barely having time to dodge. Despite her huge physique, White Diamond was extremely fast, and the fusion had trouble keeping up. It was literally a life and death experience as White Diamond outright aimed for each of her gems, trying to shatter them in one go. The fusion didn't doubt that White Diamond would be able to shatter her diamonds as well.
Meanwhile, Peridot simply stood to the side, watching the ongoing battle in silent wonder. She couldn't even keep up with the swift movements, and had to stand several hundreds of meters back in order to not get stepped on by accident. She stood by Lion, who was huffing terribly, determined to redirect any stray rocks that may have hit them. It was the least she could do after all Lion had done for her. They swapped blows with incredible power behind each other, even simply grazing sent shockwaves through the air and the recipient a few meters back.
Peridot tried to look for an opening, she really did, but she figured that trying to help would have the opposite effect and would instead distract the fusion. Her previous thoughts crept back on her. After coming all this way, Peridot was still useless. She wasn't oblivious to the fact that Lion had been the one to save the fusion, and that she had really done nothing. She groaned and slumped on Lion, staring at the ground. Ground that was similar to the first time she took on a monster by herself. Sure, she had managed to defeat it, but…it was due to luck, not actual skill.
Not like the Crystal Gems.
Once, that name would have struck fear and righteous fury into her gem, but now she saw it as a star, so far up on a pedestal that she could barely see it. She acknowledged and appreciated the other gems' equal views of her and everyone else, but like a drop of poison, the thought kept coming back to her, unbidden. What use was she if all she did was puff up her chest in a false show of bravado, but didn't help her fellow gems? She was as good as defective. Even Lion was more useful, and powerful, than her, and he wasn't even a gem! He even went through all that trouble of making her feel better by taking her to the battle scene and fighting White Diamond, and though it kind of backfired, she felt a glow of warmth spreading through her.
A rush of affection flowed through her as she nuzzled the side of Lion's fur, a silent show of gratitude. Lion's sides heaved with exertion, his flanks wet with sweat. Don't worry, Lion. I'll keep you safe, she thought to herself.
Suddenly, a massive BOOM exploded in the air, and she snapped her head up to see a giant shadow falling on her.
It was the fusion.
Her panicked gaze sought the two, and tried to dodge them, but she was too big and falling too fast. It would be a few seconds until she landed on top of them. Peridot's eyes widened with fear and alarm, not for her, but for the pink mass of fluff behind her. She needed to get them both out of there.
Think, think, Peridot searched her surroundings and her mind for a way out of this disaster.
Useless.
She couldn't see any way out short of pushing the incoming fusion out of the way, but that was impossible.
It was hopeless.
She was hopeless.
Useless.
But she couldn't get Lion caught in her self pity.
Lion lifted his head, saw the fusion falling from the sky. He put one heavy paw below him, the leg shaking with strain in supporting his weight. He lifted perhaps a few centimetres, but fell back down, the exertion clearly too much for him. He nudged Peridot's legs with his nose, as if to tell her to run, leave him behind and run. But she couldn't do that. Not after all he had done for her.
So she looked again, searched and searched for something, anything.
Over there!
The skeleton of a rusted car lay eroding in the sand not too far off. With a twist of superhuman telekinesis, Peridot pulled with all her might and mind. It jerked towards her, then slowly picked up speed, accelerating across the sandy expanse, sometimes getting caught on small rocks jutting out of the sand, but sailing through the air towards her regardless. Peridot quickly flicked her eyes up to the fusion above her. It was much closer than she expected.
No time, no time!
The car only picked up more speed with her frantic thoughts. When it was close enough, Peridot jumped as high as she could, just missing the rusted structure as it barrelled beneath Lion, burying into the sand. Raising her hands in clear exertion, Peridot heaved the frame up, with Lion lying on it.
She wouldn't be able to carry herself. It was a struggle just to keep Lion afloat. But, there was no time to think. Once again, Peridot built up pressure within her and hurled it across the land. Once it was out of range, she let go and it skidded to a stop after a few bounces. Lion didn't open his eyes through it all, his breathing still coming out in uneven bursts.
Peridot looked up. The fusion was nearly on top of her. It would be a few seconds now. She tried to smile at the fusion, but she suspected it came off as more of a grimace. There were tears in her eyes, she really would miss the Crystal Gems. Especially Steven, the first to accept her in the world, the first one willing to give her a chance.
And…Lapis.
Peridot absently wondered how she would take her…shattering. It would be a lie if Peridot didn't want her to cry or feel some kind of pain.
And it would be a lie if Peridot said she didn't want to see her, one last time.
Ah well, this was the end.
Fusion.
She wished she could fuse. That time back on the barn, knowing that the world could end, and all life on it. Despite everything, Garnet had still made the time to try it with her. Peridot remembered the discomfiture and the bafflement of fusion, the righteous scepticism of such an act. Then the longing to try it, to know what was so great, what Garnet had spoken about with quiet love and wonder. The tin cans under her feet, the soft wind brushing comfortably against her skin, a soothing hum the only music to her dance. It was awkward, and unsuccessful, but she wanted to know.
Now she will never know.
She shut her eyes, not wanting to see her death. She could feel the fusion, right on top of her.
A glistening tear rolled off her cheek, but before it could land on the ground, a giant BOOM denoted where she was standing. Gigantic clouds of dust and sand blew up towards the sky at the impact, and made a thick, opaque haze.
It blotted out the sun. White Diamond could see nothing, but she was satisfied. The fusion was likely not fatally injured, but at least it took care of that pesky gem that had dared stop her attack.
There was no way such an inferior gem could survive that.
A/N: Oh no! Poor Peridot. That part was kind of hard to write, but I don't think it was too bad, was it? I admit it is very dramatic and a little exaggerated, but I wanted to really delve into her emotions. Almost an entire chapter dedicated to Peridot and her emotions. Also, I really think that Lion is incredibly powerful. He can teleport, and he's dead. He doesn't even have a gem. So, by extension, Steven is probably also incredibly powerful. I mean, he has the potential to create an army of the undead! Plus, let's not forget his affinity with life, like that watermelon Steven episode. His power may be unpredictable, but you can't deny it's powerful. Anyway, thanks for reading!