Author's note: You know, I feel like you guys are going to be surprised by what's going to come, but you know, I've been foreshadowing this since the beginning of this odd fic.
A Prisoner's Gamble
Five Earth days ago:
Lapis sat alone in her cell, crying into her knees. A loud clank sounded and she looked up, finding Peridot staring down at her emotionlessly. Lapis tried her best to glare through her tears at the green gem.
It had been two Earth weeks since Lapis had been discovered trying to send a message to Earth. After Jasper and Peridot found out, they watched it and made her a prisoner once more.
"I'm not talking." Lapis told Peridot sternly, the only thing Lapis had said in the time since her capture.
Lapis wasn't kidding. Ever since, Peridot had tried everything she could to get Lapis to talk. Trying to bribe her with promises of life, freedom, and respect, horrific torture the likes of which had been the end of many a gem, taking her hydrokinesis; it had been two weeks of hell, but Lapis wouldn't break.
"Trust me," Lapis looked up to see Jasper standing next to Peridot with a sick grin. "you will." Jasper walked into the room and sat in a chair across from Lapis. "Peridot, will you please give us some privacy?"
"Jasper, are you certain you ca-"
"Peridot!" Jasper snapped.
Peridot shrunk back, leaving the cell before Jasper could become further enraged.
A long silence dragged on between the two, Lapis giving Jasper a hate-filled glare while Jasper simply looked at her casually.
"Alright, what're you going to try that the peridot already hasn't?!" Lapis eventually snapped.
Jasper made no response.
"Are you going to make me some promise that I'll be able to go home? Or are you maybe going to crack me and tell me that the only way I'll live is if I tell you?"
Jasper still gave no response.
"Or you might eve-"
"Clearly you're not going to stop this pointless game." Jasper eventually said.
"Oh, so the behemoth speaks?" Lapis asked harshly.
"You best be respectful, lest we find out who this "Steven" is."
Lapis shut her mouth, her hatred for the gem across from her only growing.
Jasper smiled. "Good. You know, I'm actually quite surprised. You're tougher than I first thought. When we first found you making your little warning, I thought you would be spilling all the information you had in exchange for your worthless life." Jasper's eyes narrowed. "But you didn't. You stayed determined to protect this Steven, even after everything. He sure is important to you."
"What's the point of this?" Lapis asked.
"I'm getting the information we want." Jasper answered.
Lapis gave a hollow chuckle. "How exactly are you doing that?" Lapis asked.
Jasper simply shrugged. "Oh well, I guess you don't want your friend's life."
Lapis flinched, Jasper gaining her full attention.
"Good." Jasper purred.
"What are you talking about?" Lapis asked her captor.
"I'm talking about your friend being spared." Jasper looked as Lapis' angry expression softened. "This Steven, she's important to you, yes?"
"He." Lapis corrected. Her eyes quickly moved from Jasper's, the blue gem hesitating before nodding sadly. "And yes."
"You care about his safety?"
Lapis nodded again.
"Well then," Jasper leaned forward. "I'm here to propose a bargain."
Lapis' expression hardened. "I'll never make a deal with the likes of you, not when he's on the line!"
"Really?" Jasper's cat-like eyes narrowed. "Not even if I promise you his life?"
Lapis' face softened, an almost questioning look upon her face.
"So you are interested?" Jasper asked with a malicious grin.
Lapis looked at Jasper hopefully, quickly hardening again before she shook her head furiously. "No, you'll hurt him! You'll make him into some sick experiment!" Lapis cried. "I won't let any-"
Jasper put her hand in the air. "If you do what we ask, I'll let you and your precious Steven go."
Lapis was silenced. She couldn't detect any deceit in the gem across from her. Lapis turned her head away. "And what would you have me do?"
Jasper's grin widened. "Nothing much. All we want is your cooperation. You just need to give us the information we need and you and your Steven will be on you're merry way. You can take residents in one of Blue Diamond's colonies if you want and no one will be ever be the wiser."
Lapis hesitated. "You'll capture him either way, won't you?"
Jasper nodded.
"And if I tell you?" Lapis asked.
"You can do what you will with him."
Lapis sat in silence for a moment, contemplating what she should do.
"Come on," Jasper urged her. "Just say yes and he's all yours."
Lapis gave a sad sigh, bowing her head in defeat. "Alright, what do you need to know?"
Peridot looked up from her screen as Jasper walked out of the cell, the door sliding shut behind the warrior. "Did it work?"
"Yep." Jasper answered. "I couldn't get her to shut up."
Peridot gave a satisfied smile, but it quickly dropped into a frown "I still don't understand what compelled you to make that deal with Lazuli." Peridot said. "We could've easily found them on our own and then we would have both halves to give to Yellow Diamond." Peridot explained, crossing her arms.
Jasper groaned and rolled her eyes. "You wanted the information quickly, I got it." Jasper barked. "If you don't like my methods, then don't complain to me about your problems." Jasper said.
Peridot growled, but was otherwise unaffected. "Well what if Yellow Diamond finds out, huh?" Peridot asked. "I bet you didn't think about that when you made your deal, did you?"
Jasper grinned confidently. "She isn't going to find out."
"I'm sure she'll notice two missing traitors."
"One of which she doesn't even know exists." Jasper told her.
"What about Lazuli?" Peridot pressed on.
"That lousy group caught her before. We'll just say they shattered her during the mission, or you could tell her that the clusters caught her."
"And when they magically pop up out of nowhere?" Peridot asked on.
"Like Blue Diamond will notice two gems out of their entire group."
Peridot turned away from Jasper. "I'm not going to be cracked for this if Yellow Diamond finds out."
"Duly noted." Jasper said, her smile dropping. "However," Jasper picked Peridot by her neck, making the green Gem flail around in panic. "if she does find out, I'll know that you were the one that blabbed about it...and if you do tell her, then I won't be the only one they have to sweep off the floors." Jasper said, poking her finger at Peridot's gem. "Got it!?"
Peridot stared at Jasper, eyes wide with terror.
"Good." Jasper said, dropping the green gem. "Now, set a course for Earth."
Present time:
A pink barrier cut off Lapis and Jasper, making the two gems take a step back in shock.
"What the-" Jasper said.
"No!" A voice called out as one of the piles of rubble shifted.
Lapis flinched at the voice. "Steven?"
The rubble fell, revealing an injured Steven to be under the pile. The hybrid had small scratches and bruises about him, but he looked to be okay.
Lapis gasped at the sight of Steven, her anger towards the Crystal Gems fading, relief washing over her at the knowledge that he was safe.
"Lapis!" Steven cried to his friend, struggling to keep his bubble shield up.
Jasper grinned and began to approach Steven. "Well, well, well, what have we here?"
Lapis' relief faded as quickly as it came, fear overshadowing everything else and making her block out the rest world around her. As Jasper go closer to Steven, Lapis began pounding on the barrier, trying to fight the knowledge that it would all be in vain. "Steven, get out of there!" Lapis called.
Steven looked and saw Jasper approaching. "Uh-oh." He tried to jump up, only to find his leg still trapped under the rubble. He looked at it in horror, trying in vain to pull his trapped limb from the pile. Steven saw a shadow cover him and looked up in time to see Jasper looming over him with a menacing grin.
The entire team ran up to the bubble as Jasper made it to Steven, the group raising their weapons towards the warrior.
"Don't you dare touch him!" Lapis cried out, not willing to admit defeat, not when Steven's life was on the line.
Jasper grinned, grabbing Steven by the arm and pulling him from the rubble.
Sapphire's weapon grew sharper and frost began to form around her. "Jasper, you better choose your next move wisely!" Sapphire threatened the warrior, her usually calm demeanor gone.
Embers began to come off of Ruby as her gauntlet grew much larger, almost appearing to be larger than the gem herself. "Yea, or your ship won't be the only thing broken today!" She said, pounding the massive gauntlet against the ground, a quake felt from her power.
Jasper held Steven in the air and put her fist to his stomach, letting them all know she meant business. "No, you'd better choose yours wisely because if you don't lower your weapons now, I'll shatter his sorry little gem faster than you can blink!"
The Crystal Gems growled at Jasper, not wanting to accept defeat, as Lapis fell to her knees, pounding against the barrier hopelessly.
"Do it!" Jasper commanded.
The Gems, one by one, reluctantly lowered their weapons.
"Good." Jasper smiled at the spectacle. "You see this?" Jasper asked. "This is what sacrifice has given you; this is what your sacrifice has given you." Jasper told him. "Your allies' defeat. Your friends' doom. You've brought all of this because you thought you could save someone else," Jasper said, pointing at the ocean gem. "her." Jasper pulled Steven's face towards her. "Did you think that just because you kept her from fusing with me means that you've made some sort of difference?! Did you think that you mean anything?! You're just a mistake, a weak abomination who somehow stole the heart of this sorry little gem before you! Now, her and all of your allies will meet the same fate you will and you'll be hopeless to do anything!" Jasper cackled. "All you've done was drag them down with you."
Steven looked away from the group, knowing what Jasper was saying to be true. He was worthless, a burden, someone who could only drag others down with him...so why not do if again.
"The way your gems work, you can actually force the process."
Steven opened his eyes, excepting his fate. All I need is a reason. Steven looked at the group with a sad look. And now I have one.
Lapis' worried expression became one of confusion as Steven gave a glare to Jasper. As Steven looked back to her, he gave Lapis a sweet smile...the same smile he had given her when she left Earth.
"Goodbye." Steven mouthed to his family, confusing them. Lapis could see something off in his eyes, they seemed almost defeated, but still seeming to hold onto some kind of desperate hope. His expression went solemn and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. As he did, his gem began to glow, the young boy sealed his fate.
"Wait..." Connie began, soon realizing what he was about to do. "Steven don't!" Connie cried, rushing toward the barrier.
It was too late. Steven's gem shined brightly as his body began to give a dim glow. Before long, his body became a large form of white light, Jasper letting go of it and backing away in fear. As Jasper backed away, six arms of light shot out from the body, grabbing Jasper's limbs, neck, and waist. Jasper gave a horrified yell before she was pulled her into it, the warrior's screams heard as it engulfed her form.
"STEVEN!" The entire group called to the hybrid as the light took Jasper within it and slowly began to grow, taking up any free space from within the bubble.
Lapis summoned her water wings and began to pound the bubble as hard as she could, the Gems raising their weapons and doing the same. As they pressed on, Jasper's screams died down.
A sound came from the mass, too quiet to understand, but powerful enough that it made the entire group freeze.
Lapis stared at the barrier. "S-...Steven?" Lapis called quietly.
Jasper's face slammed against the bubble, making the group jump back. The warrior, once filled with so much pride, was reduced to fear and pained contortion in a matter of minutes. "Help me!" Jasper begged. "Please." She knew they couldn't save her, her tone told them that she knew; there was nothing that could stop what was about to happen...and she could only blame herself for her coming torture.
A whip of light shot forth and wrapped around Jasper's neck. "You wanted to hurt them." A cruel, distorted voice spoke from mass, the voice's owner gently caressing Jasper's face with the end of its tentacle.
"I-I w-wasn't trying to do that!" Jasper lied, trying to hold onto some kind of hope of escaping her punishment. "I-I pr-promise. I-I-I-I was just following orders! I had to!"
"Orders?!" The whip tightened, Jasper wincing in pain. "You wanted to kill them! You wanted to make them your prisoners!" The voice continued to accuse the warrior. A distorted laugh boomed from the light. "Well guess what?!" The voice sang, a cheerful madness about it. "You're my prisoner now!" Two more tentacles grabbed Jasper's throat. "And I'm never letting you go." The light cackled as it dragged Jasper, screaming, back inside of it, only her gem visible as she was engulfed once more.
Soon, long strands of seaweed shot out of the deep and wrapped around the bubble, more and more following suit as they began to pull the temporary prison into the waters.
"No!" Lapis shouted, grabbing hold of it with her water wings. It was a miracle, but somehow she managed to stop it's trek into the waters. "Please stop!" Lapis begged. "I-I don't care what happens Steven! I don't care if I get broken! I don't want to lose you! I won't lose you!" Lapis held on even tighter to the barrier. "Please let me in. I-I just want you to be safe."
The bubble began to grow as its prisoners did, cracks beginning to form in the barrier. As Lapis continued to plead for her friend to release himself, one of the long plants tasked with dragging the fusion into the depths came up to Lapis. She felt its presence, backing away slowly. It stood tall, Lapis looking at it fearfully. Lapis could only watch, frozen in fear, as the plant struck her hard with a loud crack, sending her flying back, pain shooting through her body as she was batted into the temple. Yet, the pain she felt as she hit the temple was nothing in comparison to the pain she felt in knowing she had just failed the first living thing that had even cared about her.
The last thing Lapis saw before she fell unconscious was the pink bubble and its two prisoners getting dragged into the waters she could once control.
Author's note: And so it begins...the rise of the stone of martyrs.