"How much is a personal painting?" Sour Cream blurted and I laughed.
"For you, it's free," I said as I walked around behind the counter, and Sour Cream smiled.
"I want a painting of you. At dawn, wearing your absolute best, and you're painting the sunset, smiling as you look out at the waves. Is that cool?" Sour Cream asked and I smiled.
"How big of a canvas?" I asked as my cheeks went bright pink.
"Umm…1ft by 2ft," Sour Cream said and I pulled out a blank example of the size.
"This look good?" I asked and Sour Cream placed his hands on mine. I blinked and Sour Cream pulled away.
"Yeah," Sour Cream said, blushing and I nodded.
"Alright, I'll have it done by tomorrow at dusk. Do you want next day delivery or do you want it ASAP?" I asked and Sour Cream shook his head.
"I'll pick it up at the beach, just as you finish it," Sour Cream said and I nodded.
"Alright, I'll get right on it," I said knowing tomorrow was Friday. It was only two days until I could visit Sour Cream.
"See you," Sour Cream said and I sighed as he left, smiling.
I found myself on the beach that evening, painting the sunset backgrounds, and adding my outline.
When I really took a look at the painting, I had noticed that I had already painted in the lighting effects, and all that I had to do was get a good look at myself in my best, at my best.
"Sour Cream, subtle, but good," I said as I picked up my dry painting and began walking home.
When Friday morning came, I got dressed in my best dress, which just so happened to be a fire orange, and I washed my messed up hair, brushed it, and put on my heels.
I packed up the painting and my brushes, and I headed back out to the beach. I began painting immediately, and I noticed that I knew myself better than Sour Cream knew.
I painted every detail carefully, trying to make it perfect. Adding shading, lighting, texture, and making sure to perfect the hues, the depth and the emotion.
By dusk, I saw Sour Cream dressed in a tux, coming up just as I finished the painting.
"Hi, Sour Cream, what do you think?" I asked and Sour Cream smiled.
"It's amazing, just like you tonight," Sour Cream said and I felt my cheeks grow hot.
"Thank you," I said and Sour Cream took my hand. I felt his fingers fold perfectly over my hand. I folded my fingers over his, and I found myself lost in that single moment.
"Like I said before, how much?" Sour Cream asked and I laughed.
"I told you, for you it's free," I said and Sour Cream smiled as he pulled me into his arms. I was laughing, and Sour Cream was just staring into my eyes.
I knew all well that I had become more human than gem, and I really didn't care. Sour Cream stepped on a small step, and a romantic song began. We began dancing, and the gems, who were having a picnic nearby, took notice.
"They're perfect for each other," Eve said as Sour Cream and I began waltzing. I started laughing, and so did Sour Cream.
We soon found ourselves dancing together on the water, and it shimmered with the stars. The music changed from romantic to heavenly in an instant.
"Sour Cream, I've completely fallen for you," I said and Sour Cream smiled.
"Same," Sour Cream said as he held me in his arms. I found him moving my hair out of my face, and gazing into my eyes, just as I was doing.
We kissed right then and there. The gems watched, and I knew that another painting had appeared in my bedroom of that exact moment.
The next morning at the photoshoot, everyone was chattering happily as I walked in.
"Hey guys, we ready?" I asked and I noticed that Sour Cream was right there, with his mom, and his brother.
"You know how big a deal this is for us! Sour Cream you finally found a girlfriend!" Vidalia said happily and I blushed.
"Sour Cream, what are you doing here?" I asked and Steven finally saw me, and he ran up to me, hugging my legs.
"This is for you! I'm happy you finally found that one!" Steven said and I went scarlet all over.
"Obsidian, I didn't say a word," Sour Cream said and I laughed.
"I know, they were watching last night..And dear heaven, guys this is our issue, not yours. Yours is getting this scrapbook finished," I said as Sour Cream finally broke away from the crowd. I got him and his family outside, and then I got everyone in position.
"Say Crystal Gems!" I said and everyone wound up laughing as I snapped a photo.
"This is so much fun!" Rose said as I got them outside in front of the temple.
The rest of that day after noon was used to finish up the already started scrapbook, and when I gave them the finished book, everyone loved it.
Chapter 6: Love Is Alive
But that wasn't all that happened all that day. That afternoon, just as I was heading home, I noticed that Sour Cream was hanging out with his friends, who were chattering excitedly. I noticed that he was blushing, and that Nikki seemed a little out of it. "There's Obsidian, go get her Sour Cream," Buck said and Sour Cream walked up to me, his head lowered.
"I swear I never said anything," Sour Cream said and I laughed.
"I know, and you know what, screw them, it's nice to finally be able to find someone who gets it, ya know.. I mean, everything your mom or dad expect you to be and they don't think what you're doing is good enough," I started and Sour Cream lit up.
"I feel the same way! I mean, Yellowtail is always on my case about fishing, or being a DJ," Sour Cream and we started talking about anything and everything, bursting into laughter or comforting each other.
It was late afternoon when I finally got to my shop with him at my side. When we walked in, Sour Cream started to look around, and I invited him back.
"So you live here too, cool," Sour Cream said looking at my most recent painting on my bed.
"Yeah, I do. Oh..I made that one last night," I said as Sour Cream's eyes traced the lines and textures of the painting I had made of him specifically.
"It's amazing," Sour Cream said and I blushed.
"Well, I tried to put myself into your shoes, you know," I said and Sour Cream chuckled.
"I can see that," Sour Cream said as he looked up at me. I was staring at his fingers, which were glowing brightly.
"You have to be kidding me," I said as I hugged Sour Cream. Sour Cream embraced it, and I gave him an affectionate kiss.
I sent him off on his way only minutes later, telling him that I had to get back to work on the project I was working on.
"Ah, same bro. See you tomorrow, and stop by anytime you want!" Sour Cream said as he jogged off towards his house.
I smiled as I watched him jump up happily, whooping as his friends ran after him. I was so happy to see his elated look.
That night, I slept well, even if very little. My bills came, and I paid them immediately that morning, did my taxes almost instantly, and by 12:30, I found myself standing in front of Sour Cream's front door.
I knocked gently, and I saw Vidalia open the door, almost surprised.
"He's been expecting you. Did you do your taxes already?" Vidalia asked as she gestured me inside.
"Yeah, it's simple really," I said and Val sighed.
"Sour Cream, c'mon out!" Vidalia called and Sour Cream ran right out. I laughed when he nearly fell into my arms.
"Sour Cream, c'mon," I said as he stood upright as I stepped back.
"Awkward," Sour Cream muttered and I giggled.
"Dude, you don't need to beat yourself up! I'm just as imperfect as you are, maybe even more so," I said and Sour Cream laughed.
He led me through the house, I met his step-dad, and his brother seemed to know me quite well enough, trying to woo me, which was weird, and we wound up in his room, and I wound up creating a recording with him.
"Whoa," Sour Cream said when I unfurled my wings.
"Umm, that wasn't supposed to.." I said as I quickly furled them back up.
"No, it's cool. Hey, I'm hosting a party at the abandoned warehouse tonight, wanna help me DJ?" Sour Cream said handing me a flyer.
"Umm, duh! I love to get down to the beat," I said excitedly and Sour Cream took me up in his arms, hugging me.
"YES!" Sour Cream said happily and I saw Vidalia peek inside to see us kissing each other.
"Be safe you two," Vidalia said darkly as we parted.
"Mom, really? Where Yellowtail to scold me, again?" Sour Cream asked and I laughed.
"Chill, she is your mother.. Can't say that I ever had one," I said and Sour Cream hugged me again.
"It's cool, c'mon let's get this thing set up," Sour Cream said as he whisked me out to the top of the abandoned warehouse.
"Wow, what a view," I said as the sunset blossomed.
"This dance is already set up, I wanted you to see this," Sour Cream admitted and I smiled.
"This is nice," I said learning up against Sour Cream. He relaxed, and his heartbeat made my own heart fly.
That evening, we danced together, DJing, and being ourselves. Everyone noticed that there was a more elegant, and yet rebellious tone to this party than any other, and when everybody left, they all got glow sticks.
"That was amazing, Sour Cream, Obsidian, you guys should do this more often, and make people pay for it," Nikki said as she and her sister left.
That evening, me and Sour Cream cleaned up, packed up his gear, and we decided to have a small party of our own.
I began singing, and when I did, well, Sour Cream did his thing. We found ourselves doing our thing up until Yellowtail came up to check on us.
"MAH!" Yellowtail cried when we kissed. Sour Cream and I separated, and Yellowtail came up to me.
"Oh..Hi Yellowtail," I said nervously and Yellowtail took my hand, kissed it gently, and he looked to his stepson.
"Mah, meh, mah mah mah," Yellowtail said excitedly, and I looked to Sour Cream.
"Dad, not yet, getting there, but not quite yet," Sour Cream said and I was instantly confused.
"What?" I asked and Sour Cream blushed. I held my breath as Sour Cream took me home, and he tried to explain what had happened.
"Everybody's' getting excited about us, saying that any day, well, I'll pop the question," Sour Cream said and I sighed.
"Well, we won't know until that time comes.
From that night on, I found myself with Sour Cream at every chance I got, and we did fight from time to time, but we'd get over it, and get back together.. It was one day months later that really changed my life forever, and his.
We were out on the ocean, dancing, and being who we were as people. The Crystal Gems, who were out of town for the moment, weren't watching us from afar for once.
Everyone was dancing happily, and Yellowtail pulled me aside, and he handed me a small note.
"You've made him so happy, keep him safe and fed for me will you?" The note read and I smiled. I nodded and Yellowtail hugged me, then he hugged his son.
"So, Obsidian Tail...Sounds incredible," Sour Cream said as he took my hand. I blushed as I kissed him.
"I agree, and just think, we have twenty million dollars in savings, and I'm still getting and filling requests from around the world. We're happy together, and we have everything we'll ever need," I said and Sour Cream smiled.
"Yeah, we will," Sour Cream said and Vidalia and Yellowtail began crying tears of joy.
"Our son has grown up," Vidalia said and Sour Cream let go of my hand to hug his family.
I stayed back, and when Sour Cream let go, he turned to me, tearful, but happy.
"Do you need to move in?" Vidalia asked and I shook my head.
"I'm good. In fact, I think Sour Cream will be moving out," I said and Sour Cream smiled as I took his arm.
"Yeah..Actually, I'm going to move in with Obsidian in the back of her shop. We'll be working together," Sour Cream said and Vidalia sighed.
"You two have this all planned out, don't you?" Vidalia said and I laughed.
"Not really, it's just easier for us, and we're happy together. I've been working with her for awhile now," Sour Cream said and Vidalia sighed.
"Meh, mah manah!" Yellowtail said happily and I stepped back. Tears flooded my eyes. Something was irritating my eyes, and my gem began to pulse.
"Onion! Stop with the tear gas!" Vidalia said and my gem pulsed as I began to cough.
Onion froze in his spot, and he wasn't holding anything. No one was.
"Obsidian?" Sour Cream asked as he caught me in his arms. I felt like I couldn't breathe.
"Can we go outside?" I asked and Sour Cream nodded. When we were outside, smoke surrounded us, and I forced Sour Cream inside, along with his family. I stopped coughing, and sent my glow to max so I could see.
"WHITE OBSIDIAN! GIVE ME YOUR POWER!" I heard someone roar, and I saw Marty standing amidst the smoke.
"NEVER YOU COWARD!" I screamed as I drew forth my sword. Tears flooded my eyes as Marty revealed his nature.
Marty was gem, and he drew forth his knives. I stepped back and put a shield around the house. Fire licked at my feet, and I saw that he was a Ruby, and his gem was on his forehead.
"I will..Kill you...KILL YOU!" Marty screamed as he took a knife to my neck.
"Go ahead. You'll be killing a part of yourself. I SAVED YOUR LIFE!" I screamed as I threw him off of me.
"OBSIDIAN!" Sour Cream screamed as he watched me being beaten up. I fought twice as hard when I heard his scream. I knew that this was the one time, the one time, I had to end it all.
"WHITE OBSIDIAN DIE!" Marty screamed as I punched him in the face, and I used my sword to poof him.
I caught his gem, and it glowed immediately, and he returned in his true form. I watched as he tried to get to his son, but the barrier kept him from doing so. I pulled Marty from the barrier, and he forced me up against it, slitting my throat.
"I WILL NOT DIE! I WON'T GIVE UP SO EASILY EVEN IF IT MEANS I SHOULD DIE FOR THOSE I LOVE!" I screamed and Sour Cream pressed against the barrier as Marty and I disappeared into the smoke.
I fought like all lives in the world rested on this battle, and I soon found Marty on the ground unconscious. The smoke cleared, the barrier fell, and I saw the police surrounding the area.
Sour Cream ran up to me, catching me in his arms. Marty had made several deep incisions, but I had tried to play it nonlethal, so Marty only had bruises.
"Obsidian, hold on..Please, don't..Don't go," Sour Cream said quietly as he moved my hair out of my face.
Yellowtail and Vidalia were talking to the police about what happened while Sour Cream and I were being loaded up into an ambulance.
"She needs you now more than ever," Dr. Martinez said as Sour Cream got into the ambulance.
"I watched her get beaten up..I was powerless," Sour Cream said and I felt his tears land onto my hand.
"Don't beat yourself up...It's not your fault..Sour Cream, it's more mine than yours," I said and Sour Cream squeezed my hand.
"Music and magic..Is that what we should theme our wedding?" Sour Cream asked and I nodded.
"Yes, it would be beautiful.. My favorite flowers are lilies, lilacs, and orchids," I said quietly and Sour Cream smiled.
"Alright, how about we invite all of Beach City?" Sour Cream asked and I nodded.
"That would be nice. I'll let you pick out the dress. What about music?" I asked and Sour Cream smiled.
"I'll make a special list, just for us," Sour Cream said gripping my hand tightly.
I found myself losing my grip on reality, and soon, I found myself in complete blackness. Sour Cream was singing to keep me on this side of the abyss, and as the seconds seemed to pass, I found myself awake in the hospital bed.
"How was that seconds?" I asked and Sour Cream woke up beside me.
"It was hours. In the middle of the procedure your gem started glowing, all of your wounds healed, your scars disappeared, and the doctors had to immediately to remove the stitches," Sour Cream said as I looked at my gem. It was as lustrous as the day it turned white, shining even in the dimmest of light.
"I'm still a gem. I should have been able to regenerate inside my gem. Both times, I should have..But I still am made of flesh and bone. My skeleton was shards, which I managed to completely restore, so the only way to get me to go inside my gem and regenerate is to burn me," I whispered and Sour Cream took my hand.
"A Phoenix will rise from the ashes, and no longer will blood reign," Sour Cream said as his fingertips glew with the power of a gem.
Chapter 7: Reborn From Ashes
"It's me.." I said aloud as Dr. Martinez entered the room, her eyes wide at the sight of my unfurled wings.
"Obsidian, we have to let you go," Dr. Martinez said and I nodded. I got up out of the bed no problem, and I walked out with Sour Cream, sterilizing the room as I did so.
As Sour Cream and I walked out into the street, I opened a portal back to Beach City, and we both went through together.
When everyone saw us appear on the beach, they began to gather around. I let Sour Cream's hand go, and he watched me walk out onto the water. Everyone was in awe as my wings caught fire. As the fire burned, and the top of the water suddenly became glass, and my entire body caught fire.
"Obsidian," Sour Cream whispered as I became ash completely. In my gem, I was already perfecting my form, and when I did, I took to adding one more detail. I kept the engagement ring on my finger.
My gem began to glow vibrantly, and I took my form. The glass shattered, becoming water once more.
"Oh my.." Pearl whispered as my hair turned white, my skin a perfect peach. My dress was silver, my shoes, heels, and my sword was in hand, completely white.
"Obsidian," Sour Cream said as my cape, which was a sheer fabric, flew in the wind, along with my hair. My eyes were like small flames, and the right was blue, the left was red.
"In order to reach perfection, we must be ready to admit our imperfections," I said calmly as I walked up to Sour Cream. He just kept staring as the flames faded into my regular eyes.
"You are incredible," Sour Cream said and I smiled.
"And so are you," I said as I kissed Sour Cream. He blushed, but then he embraced it, and everyone watched as my new wings, which now were as whiter than white, almost always glowing, unfurl, and display the experiences I had to endure, and that I loved. I showed them all everything I had done, and how I felt about the powers I was given, and the gifts I was bestowed.
"She is not a person of greed, but of hope, and humility.. Sour Cream, you have to understand that she is not one to die easily. She is going to need you to understand everything. She needs you to love her, and she will love you. You are a gem, your father was, and so is she. You know little about the powers you possess, and she will set you free," I heard a voice echo and when Sour Cream and I parted, I noticed that my wings were showing Eve talking to Sour Cream. I stepped back and Sour Cream smiled.
"I wanted to know about the person you were, and when I heard that you were a gem, I noticed that you were perfect, and that I was already in love with you," Sour Cream said and I sighed.
"You loved me, even when I knew so little about you? When we had never met?" I asked as Sour Cream hugged me.
"Of course," Sour Cream said and I hugged him back. I felt his pulsing energies, which I hadn't felt before. I noticed that his fingertips were glowing as he pulled away.
"This isn't the end of our wild ride, you know. In fact...We're going to get that energy of a gem to come out," I said and everyone watched as I pulled Sour Cream out onto the water.
He seemed a bit surprised, and Garnet, Eve, and Rose came out onto the water, seeing what exactly was happening.
"Fusion, that's what she's playing at. She knows it's in his abilities, she just needs to wake the power," Garnet said as she removed her visor.
"C'mon, let's dance," I said and Sour Cream smiled. We both began to dance together, and I saw his glow grow brighter.
I began laughing and he did too, we both started to lighten up, and when his glow grew to it's maximum, which was the point where it was everywhere on him. I hugged him and he hugged me.
We fused, and when we did, we became Crystal. Crystal, being totally shocked that she was even there, stared at herself.
Sour Cream and I, who were in her mindscape, stared right at each other. Sour Cream was laughing, almost in panic, but I soon quieted him.
"You're OK..You're a gem, you're gonna be fine, and no, this isn't a, ahem," I coughed and Sour Cream nodded.
"Right..Ok..This is crazy. But cool," Sour Cream said and in an instant, we were both sitting on the water, holding each other's hands.
Sour Cream and I started laughing, and I picked him up, laughing happily.
"Oh I knew it! I knew you had it in you! I just had to drag it out of you! I'm so happy!" I squealed and Sour Cream laughed happily as we I threw him up into the air.
When he landed in my arms again, we kissed. Garnet, Eve, and Rose watched in awe, and so did the rest of Beach City.
When we finally came back onto the shore, we were crowded by not only friends by families that were chattering excitedly about my ring and the bedazzling show we had just put on to officially announce our engagement.
"That's one way to say you two are getting married," Ronaldo said and I smiled.
"Well, one way, and the best way," I said and Sour Cream smiled warmly.
"Yeah," Sour Cream said in his usual nonchalant way. I laughed as Sour Cream tapped my nose affectionately.
All of a sudden, my wings turned black, I felt myself falling, and Sour Cream caught me. I felt pain sear through me, and I felt a knife in my gem. Sour Cream's eyes were watering, and I saw that I hadn't gotten rid of Onyx. She was holding a knife, and she was right there, standing on the water, staring right at my gem. I saw her wicked smile, but Sour Cream forced my head up so he could see my eyes.
"Don't-Don't do this.. Obsidian..Just keep your eyes on me," Sour Cream said as the gems took Onyx down.
"I-I'm trying," I said, my breath caught in my chest. I saw Amethyst crying, and Steven trying to heal me.
"I-It's not working..S-She needs to come with us. Sour Cream, can you carry her?" Rose asked, tears filling her eyes.
"Ye-Yes," Sour Cream said picking me up out of the water. I felt the cracks in my gem deepen.
"S-Sour C-Cream..I'm not going to make it," I said as we went through the warp. Sour Cream's eyes met mine, and he saw cuts appearing on my skin.
He touched my hand, and he took hold of it.
"I made a promise the day we met that I would try to keep you by my side, no matter what it took."
Chapter 8: My Love, I'm Sorry
Sour Cream's words hit home, but when I opened my mouth to speak, I wound up coughing up blood. Sour Cream pulled out a tissue, and he helped to clean up the blood. Fear sparked in his eyes as I pulled closer to his chest. His warmth helped me to stay, but my gem was festering, and my crack was growing agitated.
When we arrived at the gardens, Sour Cream carried me towards the pain lake, where the elixir of healing stayed under guard.
Rose quickly tried to pour some over my crack, but not even it would work. I tried drinking it, but I couldn't keep it down long enough, and I knew it wouldn't work anyways.
"Sour Cream, I'm sorry," I said, but it came out backwards, and he sighed as he gently moved my hair out of my face.
I began crying, and so did he. I watched his tears land on my hand, which I had kept on my chest.
Steven lowered his head, and the others just turned away, crying. I wanted to say how much I loved Sour Cream, and how much he meant to me, but with me coughing up blood, I had to keep my mouth shut.
So, I unfurled my wings, and I showed him. He saw us together, and I showed him my thoughts, my feelings, and my dreams for him. He saw that I loved him, and his tears began to land on my gem.
I felt my gem burn with pain, and the crack grew larger. I placed my other hand on Sour Cream's cheek, wiping his away his tears, although I was crying myself. Sour Cream saw it was a sign of affection.
"I'm sorry," Sour Cream said and I sighed as my gem finally began to break. I touched my head to his, and he closed his eyes as I did so.
"Keep them safe," I whispered as his gem surface. I knew all along that he was a White Obsidian like myself, even if his father was a Ruby. Sour Cream opened his eyes to see me as a white light.
"Obsidian?" Sour Cream asked finally, and I did the only instinctive thing I could do in that exact moment.
I kissed him. Sour Cream seemed surprised, but he went with it, only seeing my eyes.
He knew that only seconds later, I would vanish, so he kept me in his arms, letting the light warm him.
"I'm sorry," Sour Cream said as I vanished. He picked up my shards, and he quietly lowered his head, crying.
Everyone was crying, and either they turned away, or lowered their heads in deep sorrow. All that could be heard was the sound of complete silence, and one, singular harsh drip of a tear hitting the glass sounding floor.
Sour Cream closed his eyes, and he began to see thousands of people, holding up a single flag..
That flag being decorated with black around the edges, and then a single gem in the center. He recognized that gem as my own, and the background had my image on it. These people were singing, "Sound of Silence," and he could hear it loud and clear.
When the music stopped, one single, female voice could be heard. He was astonished as the image became more vivid, with more details the longer he kept his eyes shut.
"Sour Cream, I am not truly dead. Arise, and in the East you will find another temple, one where a single gem lived for thousands of years. She made a way to make gems whole again without using another to do so. You will know it when you see it, for it will have the same flag you see here, and you will hear nothing but heavenly music coming from within. You will know it by the image engraved into the stone, for it rests on the mountaintop. You will be the only one to open it other than myself. I still love you, even if I am only shards now. I love you Sour Cream," my voice echoed and he opened his eyes in sheer shock.
"She's not dead," Sour Cream said as he ran up to the warp pad.
Pearl quickly followed him, and she tried to tell him that only a gem could activate the warp pad. She soon found herself and Sour Cream in a warp, heading towards the Lost Temple.