Bonus Chapter: Agate

It was different. It was always different. Each night, Sunagade would take at least a few minutes out of their time to watch the sun set. And in each time Agate always noticed the little details that made each sunset special in their own way. This one in particular, incorporated purples of varying colors into its spectacle. Which differed from yesterday night, which had only used the standard yellow and oranges. And the night before that, which seemed to put a greater emphasis on red than normally. There was probably more that set this night apart from the others. But in this rare occasion, she wasn't actually focusing on the sunset. Instead the wind had grabbed her attention. It was warm, yet moist, and seemed to stroke her cheek while making their hair flow like a flag in it's breeze. Agate was so taken in by the breeze that she almost missed Lapis's voice that called out to everyone but her.

"Jade? Sunstone? What are you doing here?"

Agate let that question sit in the open air before she responded.

"Do you really think that not acknowledging my presence somehow offends me?"

Lapis's welcoming smirk fell along with her eyebrows as they formed her glare. "I was talking to-"

"They are asleep, first of all. Second, you should be happy that I didn't let you look like an idiot talking to yourself." Agate replied, slopping turning their body to reveal the two closed eyes that proved her point.

"Why are you here?" Lapis finally asked, folding her arms.

Rolling her eye Agate turned back around before replying. "We were talking to Peridot when Jade and Sunstone fell asleep. I'd wake them, but I have a nice view and I don't want to be rude."

"That's hard to believe." Lapis mocked before turning to head back inside.

"I'm not going to apologize."

Lapis stopped and turned back around. "What?"

"I didn't place you into that mirror and I was shattered long before you were left behind. So if you want me to apologize for what happened to you, it's not happening."

Lapis's fists clenched up slightly as she growled. "You could have at least tried to let me out before then."

"And you could have at least tried to not end up in the middle of a war." Agate replied calmly, with a slight hint of smugness in her tone.

Nearing the end of her temper, Lapis snorted and said. "I thought I said that you could come back if you didn't talk."

Agate sharply looked up, her eye twitching before she turned back to Lapis. "You know what Lapis? I don't deserve all the hatred you've continued to throw at me."

Out of all the things Lapis expected Agate to say, this one had never even crossed her mind. Still, she was quick to stand her ground and throw out a defense.

"What? You-"

"Let you be trapped in a mirror for thousands of years! I know! And, as you can tell, this Earth thing called "Karma" has already "Bitten me on the butt" for it." Agate interrupted, pointing to the the clustered gemstone on their shoulder.

"But if it satisfies whatever grudge you managed to maintain for all these years then I'll admit right here and now. I am a terrible gem. I've done terrible things, said terrible things, and have all around been the most intolerable gem the Crystal Gems have ever had to deal with."

Now Lapis was at a loss for words. This, definitely wasn't what she expected out of this.

"But you know what Lapis? Despite all of that, you are the last gem I deserve hate from. And you wanna know why?"

Agate leaned forward, which didn't actually mean much with the two being at a distance from each other.

"We're actually not so different."

Lapis's eyes widened. A newfound hatred boiling within her that she started to show with her raising her hand. The sound of rushing water only further hinting at what she planned to do.

"Put your hand down...and listen." Agate ordered.

Deciding to humor Agate, Lapis obliged and folded her arms. With the threat of being interrupted vanquished, Agate turned back to face the sunset as she started to explain.

"Let's look at both of our situations. You got trapped in a mirror for several thousand years. I was shattered for around the same amount of time. When I finally wake up I find out that I'm trapped in an unwanted and barley compatible fusion. Which matches up with a very interesting story Steven told us about Malachite."

Agate smirked when she heard a small gasp that Lapis had tried to suppress.

"So yeah. We're both Homeworld gems who were betrayed by Homeworld and now spend the rest of our days here."

"But you still-"

"But you know what the difference between us is Lazuli? You are free and I'm not."

This time Lapis looked genuinely confused. "What?"

To begin her explanation, Agate once again pointed to their gemstone. "Look at me. I am trapped in a forced fusion...probably until the day I stop existing. While you? You're out of the mirror, and Jasper is bubbled. You are your own gem now. I am one third of a gem."

Agate paused in expectant of some kind of comment from Lapis. When none came she continued, though in her more signature ranting style.

"I can't walk on my own anymore. My weapon is next to useless unless combined with Jade and Sunstone's. And any of my decisions have to go to a vote that will almost always be vetoed. "Sorry Agate, two out of three". And guess what? There no Alexandrite in existence that can separate us without destroying us in the process."

For the last time, Agate turned to Lapis. "So go ahead, squander your freedom by focusing on hating me. I'll just be here forever bound to happy-go-lucky and smart-butt mcgee trying to make the best of things."

With that, Agate turned back and stared off at the remaining moments of the sunset. Leaving a stunned Lapis to continue stare at the form that was once three separate beings. Lapis opened her mouth to speak, then closed it. Hugging herself, her eyes looked down as several emotions cycled through her mind.

Hatred

Anger

Offence

Resentment

Justification

Pity

...

Empathy

...

Lapis walked over Sunagade and sat down, looking forward as the sun had finally set. The moon, along with a galaxies worth of stars illuminated the night sky. There now was many hours ahead until the sun would return.

"You...wanna talk about...stuff?"

Agate briefly glanced at Lapis before smiling and letting out a small chuckle.

"Sure."