Hey guys! I haven't posted in awhile, hopefully no one noticed and stuff. Anyway I have another chapter for you guys, really liking how this is going and seeing that this is actually being read by other humans! Weird comment, anyways hope you guys enjoy!
"You're next." That's all Steven heard in a rather raspy and cold voice from the Quartz. The Aquamarine began tearing up, fury and sadness found their way on their face. They pointed their wand at the Quartz.
"You..." Their words were shaky, but still full of hate. "You'll be shattered! B-both of you will!" They shouted.
"If any humans don't want to end up like the gems in front of us, I suggest you run away!" The Quartz shouted.
With that the humans collectively began running away, screaming in terror as they did. The Quartz dodged the fast moving beam of light just barely, and only because their reflexes were superior to Aquamarine's pointing prowess with the tool.
In spite of such as they continued to dodge each of the beams, Aquamarine's precision began to rapidly excel as they continued to get closer and closer with their aim. Shooting out beams with rapid pace and accuracy.
Eventually deciding that this would inevitably end with them being captured in their enemies grasp, the Quartz quickly launched themselves towards Aquamarine. One of their spiked arms pointed directly towards their gem.
They were immediately stopped in mid-air however. As they simply floated there, white light surrounding them, the sorrowful Aquamarine still managed to let out a victorious and spiteful smirk. Quickly they then flicked their wrist and the Quartz was flown into the air before promptly being slammed back into the dirt.
They had no time to rest as they were then thrown into a tree with such force that they managed to snap it in half. Once more they were thrown into another hardened tree, breaking it away before being smashed on it's remains until the tree was mere pieces.
"Q-Quartz." Steven said weakly, still recovering from being thrown into a tree himself. He'd been watching the horrific scene unfold from bad to worse and he'd hoped to help. To possibly stop this in anyway, however even he could tell that he still hadn't recovered enough to do much of anything. Still however, he was attempting to get to his feet.
Meanwhile Aquamarine had smashed five trees with the body of the Quartz which now had multiple dents and deep scratches in it's armor-like skin. They weren't done yet however, after smashing more than their fair share of trees into nothing but rubble they simply began smashing them onto the ground over and over and over and over.
They continued to pummel them into the ground. Far after a large crater had formed in the dir, far after that crater turned into a hole, and far after that hole began to deepen. They continued until eventually with one final and heavy smash the Quartz finally poofed. Leaving a large amount of smoke in their absence.
Steven stared with wide eyes and disbelief at the sight. Aquamarine however simply stared with bitterness. Tears fell from their eyes however they quickly wiped them away as they turned to Steven and pointed their wand at them.
"The Steven." The said with quieted wrath. A bead of sweat slid down Steven's cheek as he lifted himself up, groaning in pain as he leaned against the tree behind him.
"I-I'm sorry... I didn't expect for her to do that!" Steven said weakly. The Aquamarine's stern and vengeful gaze remained absolute however.
"You and this rebellious Quartz shall both be taken to Home-World! For what you've done you'll wish that you'd have been shattered when your punishment finally befalls you!" They then lifted their arm, preparing to use their signature beam which sent Steven into a panic.
Without a single thought occurring in his mind, his shield appeared in his hand. With faster reflexes than any other human his age he threw the gem weapon, grunting in pain as it soared through the air.
"What!?" Aquamarine shouted before they then dodged the shield with little effort. As it soared into the distance they turned their attention back to Steven who was now sweating profusely at his failed last attempt of resistance. Aquamarine's fury began to build.
"You... You!" They once more readied to use the paralyzing beam.
"I'm sorry!" Steven shouted once more. Aquamarine still held their pose. However rather than taking action they floated there idle, yet shaking slightly in emotional distress. Steven continued.
"I'm sorry that all of this happened, and that your friend was... Shattered. I'm sorry that you have to be here, and I'm sorry that we're fighting at all!" He shouted, grunting slightly from the pain. Aquamarine lowered their arm slightly, their tears beginning to cloud their vision entirely.
"I know that we can never take it back and that this is all terrible but please... If you have to take someone to Home-World, then leave the humans out of this. Leave Quartz alone! Take me instead! Just please... Leave them be." Steven said, tears beginning to form in his eyes.
Aquamarine stared at him. Neither of them made a sound as a breeze blew past and rustled the leaves around them. Aquamarine's held their pose, their shaking becoming worse and worse. Eventually they simply let out a loud and pained cry before flying away and accelerating in the distance.
Steven stared in their direction, a truly saddened look strewn across his face. He then closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry.." He whispered once more as his vision began to darken and the colors of the world surrounding him faded away.
A few hours later..
Steven awoke with a start, taking in a large breath and gasping in his remaining distress. He darted his head around, making sure that there were no signs of any foreign gems however he found that instead he'd been back at the temple with Pearl being directly in front of him.
"Steven!" They shouted before pulling him into an incredibly suffocating hug. "Oh my stars! We were so worried about you. After you didn't return home for a few hours we assumed the worse and looked all over for you and Quartz! I'm so glad you're safe! What happened!? We found the Quartz poofed not too far from you in a crater. Did you see the gem?"
They spoke at a break neck pace and Steven could only understand so much of what they'd been saying, somewhat due to his still waking state. He took a few moments of silence before his eyes then widened in worry.
"Quartz! What happened to her?! Is she ok?!" He panicked.
"Don't worry Steven. She's over here, safe and sound." Garnet said, pointing at the Quartz gem that lie on the kitchen counter. Steven looked at them for a brief moment before turning his gaze to Garnet who had their arms folded.
"Now, can you tell us what you saw out there?" They asked. Steven's gaze fell towards the floor as he recounted the memories. His eyes also began tearing up.
"Quartz... Shattered a gem." He said. The rest of the gems collectively gasped in disbelief.
"She what?!" Pearl asked as she backed away from Steven. He continued recollecting.
"It... It all started when we found the gem. She said something about a list and how I could help her find everyone on it." He paused for a moment, confused at the gems words before continuing. "After that another gem that looked like a fusion came in and... They had so many humans inside of them. Lars, Sadie, even Jamie! When I said to let my friends go the other gem threw me and... That's when Quartz-"
His story was then interrupted by a bright light that began emanating from the Quartz gemstone. The rest of the gems backed away from it, Pearl even stood in front of Steven defensively as the gemstone began to hover into the air.
Pink light shined in all directions from it, some forming into the shape of a humanoid around the gem itself. Long beautiful hair sprouted from the head of this humanoid but as the clothes were beginning to form a loud screech came from it.
It seemed to be writhing in agony as it descended to the ground, still making a bloodcurdling scream that forced the rest of the gems, along with Steven, to cover their ears.
The humanoid continued to screech and screech, holding itself tightly. The screams eventually shifted into monstrous roars as it's body changed from a humanoid shape into a wolf's. The roaring continued until abruptly it stopped and just as it did the light disappeared. Leaving an out of breath Quartz , in their favored shape of a black wolf with multiple pink spikes protruding from it's body.
The gems stared at the Quartz, fear coursed through all of them as they watched it, gasping for breath. Eventually however, they became tired of just gazing.
"You shattered a gem!?" Pearl shouted. The Quartz turned towards them and growled in aggression.
"It was the only option! Far better than what you foolish and weak gems would do! Not that it matters seeing as how even though I did, I was still too weak to fight the other one!" The Quartz retorted.
"We told you not to shatter gems, you deliberately went against our rules!" Garnet stated.
"What would you have rathered!? That I try and simply poof the massive gems that had multiple humans in their body?!" The Quartz asked.
"Yes! That is exactly what we would've wanted. To shatter a gem is to take them away forever! They no longer have a chance to see the beauty in the world, to change and grow. To be better than what they once were." Garnet replied.
"There is no way that those gems would've ever changed their view in our confrontation. If I hadn't shattered those gems I would've had to deal with three opponents as well as keeping Steven and the humans, whom you crystal gems seem to care so much for, safe! Seeing as how my battle with just one of them went... I doubt that we would've won." The Quartz said.
Their words managed silence everyone within the room. Mainly due to the fact that those words were true, all of them knew it. The alternatives to shattering that Home-World gem could've been far more horrific than the reality. The Quartz continued.
"Regardless... It doesn't matter now does it? None of this matters, because I just realized that gems... They can't get stronger. Not unless they fuse. I've had years, centuries, to hone my shape-shifting capabilities and I was stopped the instant I confronted a real threat... It doesn't matter if I utilize my capabilities to their fullest, I was put in the ground and made with a certain amount of energy. I'll only be able to expend that amount, and just like the rest of us gems, I can't grow in power. Stopping the Diamonds is a futile goal." The Quartz said somberly.
"You can't believe that... This is what Rose was fighting for! As gems we must work together, as one! It's how we fought the rebellion in the first place. If we work together we can protect Earth, stop the Diamo-"
"How?!" The Quartz shouted, cutting Garnet off. "Look at us! We wouldn't even be able to fight a single Diamond much less all three! I don't even know why you Crystal Gems wasted your time on this planet! As beautiful as it may be it's accompanied by weak organics who constantly need to be protected. All of them, every single one needs to be protected from the moment they're are born and need to... Mature." The Quartz gazed down for a moment. Their mind going through millions of thoughts as the rest of the gems stared in confusion and unease.
"Organics." They said before turning to Steven, who was even more tense then the rest of the gems. "Gems can't grow... But Organics can." The Quartz quietly said. Garnet then summoned their gauntlets, the rest of the gems followed suit with Steven still staring in confusion and panic.
"Quartz... I'm warning you, this is a path you do not want to go down." Garnet threatened. The Quartz ignored them however.
"It all makes sense now. The rebellion, the zoo, preserving these meaningless lives... Evolution, the first organic gem hybrid!" The Quartz shouted in glee at the gems . Pearl quickly held her spear up in defense.
"I see now. You're far more powerful than us aren't you Steven? Because gems are put in the ground with a certain amount of energy in mind. We can't grow, we can't get stronger, if a Quartz like me tries to take down a Diamond I could never do it on my own but you... You're organic and you're part gem. In theory you could use the energy from your gemstone as a battery and grow to astronomical levels of strength! But you don't..." The Quartz then cocked it's head in curiosity, still gazing at Steven like he was a prize.
"Perhaps you are... A failure?" The Quartz asked.
"Enough of this!" Pearl shouted, pointing their spear at the Quartz. "Whatever it is that you're talking about leave Steven out of it!" They continued.
"Come now Pearl. I speak of evolution, this must've been what your leader was trying to do." The Quartz retorted.
"Rose made Steven out of love for the Earth and humanity!" Pearl shouted.
"What a foolish reason then, seeing as how that child is a perfect weapon in defeating Home-world. They simply went about it's creation in the wrong way. Join me, we can work together, merge with the organics and through controlling this growth process of theirs we can finally go back to Home-World and shatter the Diamonds!" The Quartz said with joy. The rest of the gems looked in disgust at them.
"We'd never do that. And if you are going to attempt to harm any organic life on this planet then you need to leave immediately." Garnet said with hostility.
"Well fine then... If you refuse to help me, to not only save your species, but also to aid in their evolution, then I shall take my leave." The Quartz said. After which the ran through the front door, breaking the screen before shifting into a bird and flying into the distance.
The rest of the gems had their weapons fade away as they stared off into the distance where they Quartz had been flying.
"Garnet... Is everything going to be ok?" Steven asked.
"I'm not sure Steven. I'm really not." They replied.
Hey guys! Just got back and I was wondering if you would want to see me focus on Lapis and Peridot too in this story. The main plot is by no means over but I thought it'd be interesting to do a towney episode correctly by focusing on characters that actually contribute to the story for once. Trust me both of them will, anyway if you think it'd be cool leave it in the comments. Have a great day!