CHAPTER 28: THE PLAN

Many days passed as the gems kept working on the drill machine, between laughs and little fights the project began to take form. The day of Garnet's vision was becoming nearer and nearer and she hoped that everyone would be strong enough to face it. All of the gems began to get used to Jasper, after all, she looked like a bigger version of Amethys, which in fact, she was, maybe only a little more violent. Even Pearl started not to be bother by Jasper, when the large gem would help with the machine, raising heavy parts, Pearl would almost immediately fuse with Amethyst and raise something bigger, showing a teasing smile.

"We'll see who's the strongest when you separate!" Jasper always yelled back, although showing a large grin, she wasn't still used to all this, donuts, Steven, what could be called… friends? But she was starting to enjoy it.

The only one who didn't bear the presence of the gem was Lapis, she couldn't still watch the large gem without becoming enraged and disgusted. She knew Steven was a wonderful boy and always had hope for everyone, yet, she just couldn't go over what Jasper did. She kept helping nonetheless, she knew that if they hadn't build the machine, everything Steven cared would have been destroyed, and she couldn't allow that. Jasper however, didn't like the situation.

"Lapis…" Jasper called her as the blue gem appeared from behind the barn, only to turn back as she saw Jasper.

"Hey!" The bigger gem called chasing the smaller one behind the barn and blocking her grasping her wrist.

"Let me go! Let me go now!" Lapis yelled angrily.

"Will you just shut up for a moment?!" Jasper yelled back, effectively making Lapis shut up.

"Go away…" Lapis hissed as Jasper released her.

"Listen-" Jasper tried to speak but was cut off by a finger poking her chest.

"I don't want to listen to you! You can't force me!" Lapis told her.

"I know! I just want to talk to you!" Jasper explained, Lapis wasn't having any of it.

"Please Jasper, shut up and don't cross my path again…" Lapis said crossing her arms and shaking her head.

"Or what? You're going to bury me under the ocean again?" Jasper really wasn't used to conversation.

"You don't know how much I'd like to do that…" Lapis hissed, turning around.

"Well… okay, you win, I won't bother you anymore…" Jasper said raising her hands in defeat, Lapis only crossed her arms.

"For what it's worth, I'm… sorry for what I did to you, you were nothing but a filthy traitor to my eyes but, having met Steven, having seen what he can do for other people, well, I don't blame you for having chosen his side, I did it too…" Jasper said leaving Lapis behind the barn.

"Alright gems, this is it!" Garnet said, all of the gems reunited around her, all of them looking at the almost completed machine.

"We can do it!" Steven shouted happily.

"Now, we all remember the plan right?" Garnet asked as everyone nodded.

Hours passed as the machine remained hidden under many white sheets, Peridot making the last changes. The gems kept their eyes fixed on their surroundings, trying to spot their enemy. Garnet sensed that they was near. A shout confirmed her fears.

"Crystal Gems!" A looming figure shouted approaching them.

"Be ready gems! She's here!" Garnet shouted summoning her gauntlets.

"I must say I'm really disappointed in you amalgamate… I thought you would have been a great ally but-" The figure was interrupted.

"Slave, I would have been a slave, and my name isn't amalgamate, my name is Jet!" Jet shouted summoning her halberd.

"And who gave you that name? The hybrid? Typical of him to encourage abominations, he himself is one after all…" The dark figure laughed maliciously.

"Shut up! You know nothing about Steven and a wicked, sick being like you could never understand him, quit hiding Yellow Diamond! You've lost!" Garnet yelled.

"She's right! You're going down!" Amethyst shouted at her.

"Hmmm, you're right, there's no need to hide, but you're wrong, I haven't lost…" Yellow Diamond said revealing her broken face, hidden under her hood.

"Her gem is cracked! Don't hold back! She doesn't stand a chance against all of us!" Lapis shouted hovering in the air, pointing at the incoming enemy.

"You know, you're the only one I won't crush with my hands, I'll just put you in a mirror near to my dear sister…" Yellow Diamond snickered evilly.

"Shut up!" Lapis screamed flying towards her.

Yellow Diamond didn't waste time, she summoned her great sword and swung it towards Lapis, missing her and receiving a punch right to her nose by the water gem. Followed by a punch to her stomach, kind gift of Garnet.

"You little insolents!" Yellow Diamond screamed dodging Jet's attack.

The Homeworld's leader was strong, but not so fast, she couldn't hit the gems one single time while the gems managed to land many blows on her. But… being a diamond really was an advantage, one hell of advantage. The first to commit an error was Jet, she swung her halberd towards Yellow Diamond when everyone else took a step back to recover, no one was there to cover Jet, the heartless leader slashed through her chest, Jet disappearing into a cloud of smoke. The second to fall was Amethyst, her rage took over and she lost her concentration, she tried to slash Yellow Diamond with her whip when the leader was already turned towards her, she grasped the whip, pulled it towards her and hit Amethyst.

"Lapis!" Garnet shouted starting to move towards the sheets covered machine.

"Oh no, you won't use it!" Yellow Diamond said chasing them.

Garnet and Lapis rushed behind the machine, to Yellow Diamond this seemed like a desperate act of the traitors to complete their objective, having understood that their end was near. She was pretty surprised when she raised the sheets and was met by a punch to her face. There was nothing under those sheets, just some poles used to support them. Oh, and of course Jasper, who gladly took the opportunity to hit her ex leader right in the face.

"Surprise!" Jasper yelled rushing towards her leader.

"You too… that little pest… first his mother takes the loyalty of my soldiers, now him?! I'll make sure he'll never see the light again!" Yellow Diamond yelled charging against her opponent.

Meanwhile, in the beta Kindergarten:

"Are you sure this is the place Peridot?" Steven asked looking at his surroundings.

"Yes Steven, the map contained in the database of my limb enhancers reveals the exact position of the Cluster, it's situated in this exact site two thousands and five hundreds units down… I hope the others are keeping them busy, it has been a rather brilliant plan I must admit, those poles and your fabric for body heating must have been pretty convincing…" Peridot stated examining the real drill machine in front of them.

"We can't lose time, if there is even a small chance that they-" Pearl was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Survive? Like you did leaving me behind?" A voice said coming from behind them.

"How can she be already here?!" Peridot shrieked charging her blaster.

"You must go! Now! Both of you in the machine! I'll keep her busy! There's not much time left!" Pearl said summoning her spear.

"But Pearl-" Steven was cut off short by Peridot raising him from the ground.

"What are you doing?! We must help Pearl!" He said as she carried him inside the pod connected to the drill.

"Steven the Cluster could awake at any moment and if we stay here we may be destroyed and that means that all the Earth will die with us, we can't permit that right?" Peridot asked starting the machinery. She noticed however Steven's look, despite her cynical nature, Steven made her show her most human part.

"She'll be okay Steven, we'll be back shortly and we'll help her, I promise." Peridot said as the drill began to activate.

"No!" Black Pearl screamed jumping towards the machine, unfortunately for her, Pearl jumped and pushed her aside before she could hit the machine and when she got up, it was already gone, into the dark abysses of the Earth.