Original Idea by: Scraps
Collaboration work with: Cleverun
Characters Created by: Rebecca Sugar
Chapter 2: Big Trouble in Little City
[*]
Somewhere in Vietnam, Grasslands, one day later
[*]
The grasslands where quite peaceful. Warm wind blew through the tall grass, causing the plants to flow like a large green river. The trees in the distance stretched and bent their branches in the breeze. Not a single building could be seen for miles, except for the small makeshift cabin in the middle of the grasslands. It was rather shabby and composed of salvaged wood and junk. As the door opened, a small girl emerged from the shack with a large bag hung over her shoulder. She had mix of grey and black hair and silver eyes. On the back of her left palm was a crack Gemstone. The girl also had grey skin with a scar on the right side of her face that looked like the cracks on her Gem. This girl was no ordinary girl, but a Gem by the name of Howlite. As the Gem looked around at the grasslands surrounding her, she took a deep breath and let out a sigh. She then crouched down and leapt up into the air, hopping in large leaps until she approached a small village.
[*]
As she landed within the village, starling a few of the locals, she began to walk around the small community; looking at the sights of the townspeople and listening to them speak to each other. She continued to walk until she noticed a small man sitting before a table under a canopy. As soon as he noticed her, he smiled and gestured for her to approach him.
"Good morning Mr. Sol." Howlite saluted with a smile as she placed the bag on the ground next to him. " I have something for you."
"Ah, Howlite. Are these the animal's you where referring to?" Mr. Sol said with a grin as he grabbed the bag and looked inside. " I can't wait to use these. Are you sure they have medical uses?"
Howlite nodded. "You bet. The Gems can be ground up and mixed with its blood to be used as a healing agent. We used them all the time during…"
Howlite sentence trailed off as Mr. Sol opened the bag; he smiled as he pulled out the corpse of a small lizard like creature that seemed to be light in color and had crystals on its back. Mr. Sol then placed the creature on his table and then he took out a knife. As Howlite watched him carefully, pull the gems out of the creatures back. A thought coursed through her head.
Her mind flashed back to a large dark chamber in space. Her screams echoed through the room as a tall figure appeared before her. He then turned to a nearby table and placed his hand on it. As he pulled away, a row of tools appeared on the table, consisting of what appeared to be scalpels, knives and a large saw. The figure picked the saw up from the table and turned back to Howlite, who realized what was going on. As the figure was hovering above her, she could see his face, and recognize him as Master Diamond. As he glared down to her, he began to speak to her. However, as he talked, all Howlite could hear was a static scream. As he began to saw into her body, she was quickly snapped back into reality. Howlite looked around at the crowd of shocked and horrified people surrounding her. As she looked before her, there was Mr. Sol, only he was laying on the ground in a pool of blood with a knife in his neck. Howlite walked back in shock before looking to the crowd.
"Why did you hurt me?" Howlite said to the crowd with tears in her eyes as she leapt away from the crowd and then from the village.
[*]
It was dark as Howlite returned to her shack in the grasslands. She barged into her home and locked the door behind her. Slumping to the floor as she curled up and began to cry.
Suddenly, she stopped and stood up. Howlite walked into another room and then opened a door to a staircase. As she walked down to the staircase, she reached a small dark room. As she lit a lamp inside, she looked around at the room before her. Inside the walls coated with drawings of Howlite killing Monster Diamond. Crude pictures of the Gemian decapitated, chopped up burned, sodomized, and dissected by the Cracked Gem covered the walls.
Howlite then walked over to the end of the room and approached a small shrine. The shrine depicted a small-desecrated mural of Diamond, who had large x marks over his eyes as well as markings and insults carved around him. At the base of the shrine was a brown bowl with a small voodoo doll inside, a doll of Diamond that was cut open. As Howlite approached the shrine, she removed her pants and knelt before the shrine.
"Mortem ad terram monstrum, et bene servientibus eam." Howlite muttered as she looked up to the mural, glaring into the crossed out eyes of the mural, which glared down at her. She imagined the sight of Diamond falling by her hands, the sound of his screams as she tore him apart limb from limb, she felt one of her hand begin to travel south down her body. Her mind occupied with the thought of killing the monster.
"Testor per Gema atque TO, reducam vobis!" Howlite gasped then shuttered with a grin as she continued to glare at the mural. She imagined the blue warm blood of the Old King splash across her face as could feel her hand becoming wet as she rubbed faster.
"Habeo patiatur quasi Faciamque vobis…" As she imagined the sound made from then ripping of Diamond's head from his body, and the sight of his eyes glazing over, his last sight being the Gem that he tormented all those years ago. Howlite stopped as she felt a pulse of ecstasy flow through her, her hand becoming soaked from her climax. "…et magnificabo nomen meum in sicut dirumpant vos te clamatis!"
As she finished and stood back up, she heard a knock at her door. Quickly redressing herself and running up to the shack door, she summoned her ax as she carefully opened the door.
"What the hell do you want?" Howlite shouted, before realizing who it was. There standing before her was the blue Gem known as Lapis Lazuli, a Gem known to be a daughter of Topaz and was last seen dragging the Gem known as Jasper to the bottom of the ocean. However, as of now, she was standing before the cracked Gem, her cloths were torn and she had a few cuts on her body.
"Lapis?" Howlite exclaimed as she lowered her weapon. "You're alive…?"
"Yes, but listen to me, I don't have much time."
Howlite scoffed as she looked to the ground, clenching her ax in her hand tightly.
"I thought you were dead." Howlite said as she summoned her ax. "I heard that you sacrificed yourself to stop another Gem. But the question I want to know is how did you escape?"
Lapis hesitated as Howlite looked back up to the blue Gem. By looking into Lapis's eyes did the Gem know the answer.
"HE released you, didn't he?"
"Yes, and I escaped, but you need to listen to me." Lapis said as she looked behind her back. "You are right, it is Master Diamond, he is building an army from the kindergartens, and he has the Delmarva Peninsula Temple as his base. Howlite we need to find Master Topaz and stop Diamond. He's going to destroy the planet."
Howlite just froze, her eyes widened as she glared at the blue Gem before her. Howlite then turned around and looked at the floor. As Lapis approached the Gem, Howlite punched the wall.
"You lied to me!" Howlite snapped as she removed her fist from the wall and examined it. "You are just like him, you build up the trust of people and have them care and adore you, and then you rip out their hearts and destroy them. You proved that when you fled on Insidiae, when you left us behind to be…"prisoners.""
"Howlite, I…I'm sorry." Lapis said as she gently approached the Gem, trying not to upset the unstable Gem before her. "I know that Master Diamond hurt you-"
Suddenly, Lapis fell back as Howlite tackled her in the face. As she knelt over Lapis, Howlite aimed her ax at the Gem's neck.
"NO, NO YOU DON'T LAPIS! YOU WERE NOT ON INSIDIAE! YOU FLED LIKE A COWARD!" Howlite screamed at Lapis, tears pouring down her face as a grin spread across her face. "All the things he did to me…to those Gems. I…I watched my friends melt before my eyes, transformed into…beasts. Where were you during all of that Lapis? WHERE WERE YOU?"
As she aimed he ax closer, she heard a boom as she looked up. In the sky, she saw several figures flying towards them. Howlite moved off Lapis as she stood back up. The two then watched as the beings landed before the Gems. Howlite instantly recognized them as Agates.
"You brought those things with you, I see?" Howlite growled as she brandished her ax.
"I was trying to warn you about that." Lapis replied as she brandished her wings.
One of the Agates hovered forward, stopping to notice Howlite and quickly scan her.
""[GEM IDENTIFIED….IDENTIFICATION: HOWLITE…..CLASSIFICATION: PERTURBATIO…..GEM TYPE: ASCITUS….WEAPON TYPE: AX….THREAT LEVEL: MINOR…CONCLUSION…PRIORITY WILL BE SET ON LAPIS LAZULI...THIS UNIT WILL APPREHEND THE AFOREMENTIONED GEM]"
Howlite did not hesitate to attack the Agate, only for the machine to dodge the attack and restrain the Gem. Howlite then struggled to break free as she reached out to Lapis, who was surrounded by Agates. Lapis then looked to the pleading Howlite with an expression of regret.
Howlite mind quickly flashed to another moment, she saw Lapis surrounded by Agates and Gem Elite. She looked to Howlite with the same expression as she did now.
"Howlite" Lapis said to the cracked Gem.
"Forgive me."
With that, Lapis shot up into the air like a rocket. The Agates that surrounded her followed in pursuit.
Howlite watched as the Gem and the Agates behind her vanished into the sky, leaving Howlite and the Agate restraining her behind. Howlite then looked to the ground and began to sob lightly.
"[THIS UNIT WILL NOW TAKE YOU TO MASTER DIAMOND…FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN: FORCED GEM STATUS AND/OR GEM TERMINATION.]"
Howlite did not respond as the Agate took her away. She watched as her little shack in the middle of the grassland disappear from her vison, noticing the small crowd of people approaching it. As she moved farther away, she could see a small orange light in the distance, and a column of smoke as well. Howlite clenched her fists before screaming loudly in fits of laughter. She screamed so loud, that the birds in the trees below her shot out and flew away from her, just as Lapis did.
[*]
Steven's House, Interior, present day
[*]
Diamond looked around the home, by his orders all of the clutter had been removed from the house. Save for a table, several chairs, and the picture of Rose Quartz that hung upon the door. As Diamond stared at the painting, he suddenly noticed a figure standing next to him. It was Rose Quartz, the Gemian of Emotion and Diamond's sister.
"Remember when Topaz made that for me?" Rose asked Diamond. "You told them that it would be such a waste of time. But you allowed it anyway."
"Why are you here?" Diamond asked Rose. "You should be bothering the Furem, given that she has you powers."
"A portion of them." Rose corrected Diamond. "It was difficult, but in the end, it was the only way to prevent you from acquiring them."
Diamond turned to Rose, a expression of anger flashed across his face.
"How could you do that?" Diamond hissed to Rose. "Turn my servant to your side and even having her end your life. That is not possible, especially since she is a Gemian."
"Your methods of creating servants have their costs Brother." Rose explained. "Through your methods, you had caused the Gemian powers in your children to stagnate. When Pearl was created, she was as powerful as a basic Gem, and Zirconia is probably weaker than that."
Diamond cringed as he stepped out the door and onto the balcony. Rose followed after, resting on the balcony bar overlooking the beachside. The two Gemians watched the waves as they splashed in the ocean. Diamond then reached into his pocket and pulled out a dead rose. As Rose saw Diamond examine the flower, she looked to her brother with a sad gaze.
"It doesn't have to be this way." Rose said to Diamond. "You can still fix this. I know you can."
"You brought this on yourself." Diamond said with a sigh. "You rebelled against me, our people, and our purpose. We were supposed to protect the Universe from all threats, including threats from within. You saw what they did to you and your people after the War. They despised you, hunted you down like animals. Whatever they fear, they hate and whatever they hate, they destroy. These Humans are no different from the countless species we have encountered in this Universe. The only difference is that their planet is bountiful with the resources that can rebuild our empire to its former glory."
Rose nodded lightly. "But do they deserve such cruelty? Will enslaving and destroying them actually bring peace?"
Diamond turned to Rose and glared into her eyes.
"Their enslavement is a kindness." Diamond replied. "They have enslaved each other for centuries. Hollowed out their planet for their selfish desires, and killed each other off over meaningless ideal. Without our intervention, they would drive their own race, and those among them, to extinction."
"Where we so different?" Rose asked Diamond, who paused at the question. "The use of kindergartens, the civil war, the whole concept of our empire, looking back at our lives and then looking at the humans, can't you see the parallels in our culture and ideals. If you build a empire out of that, then you are no different than they are."
Diamond paused for a minute, processing the information as he looked to the flower in his hand. As he looked back to Rose, his expression softened for a moment, before he noticed the scar around the base of her arm, which cause him to harden up and turn away from her.
"The difference between me and them Rose is that unlike the Humans, I will not succumb to feral madness that consumes them. I do not carry the desires for material wants, nor do I want to end their lives over the concept of a higher being…"
"Like Gemia?" Rose interjected.
"…what I do, I do for the preservation of the Universe. I ensure that order is established. To do such, there has to be sacrifice and change, and I am willing to sacrifice a planet of billions to preserve a Universe of Sextillions. It is the cycle of existence, to sacrifice for the greater good. Something you could not understand."
Rose tilted her head sadly, as she stepped away from Diamond. "If this is what you believe to be true…"
"It is true!" Diamond shouted as he turned to her once more. "You are a fool to think you can save this planet."
"You are wrong Diamond." Rose said as she began to disappear. "I want to save you."
As she vanished, Diamond felt a pang in his chest as he walked back into the house. Ensured that he was alone, Diamond fell to his knees and began to gasp. Diamond grabbed his face as he began to weep. As he recomposed himself, he watched as Zirconia appeared from the warp pad. She then approached Diamond and knelt to him.
"Where is Lapis?" Diamond asked the Gem before him.
"She escaped." Zirconia responded. "But Onyx and a group of Agates are persuing her."
"Good." Diamond said as he approached Zirconia. "What of Jasper?"
Zirconia held her hand up to Diamond, revealing a small Jasper Gem resting on her palm.
"Good." Diamond responded as he plucked the Gem from Zirconia. "It seems you have redeemed yourself after all. Now leave me."
Zirconia nodded as she walked to the warp pad and absconded. As soon as she was gone, Diamond held up the Gem in his hand and spoke to it.
"Jaspidis, ad mecum!"
He then tossed the Gem to the floor. As soon as the Gem fell to the floor before Diamond, there was a large flash of light. When the light faded, these was a Gem kneeling on the ground before Diamond. She had orange skin and white flowing hair. She wore a red-orange suit with a yellow Diamond in the center. This Gem was known as Jasper, once known for leading a invasion on Beach City and getting dragged to the bottom of the ocean by Lapis. Now she kneels before the Old King. As she looked around at her surroundings, she then noticed the boots before her. As she looked up to Diamond, her face turned pale as she then sat up to kneel to him appropriately.
"Master Diamond." Jasper said to the Gemian. "I am Jasper, member of the Diamond Authority: Yellow Diamond's branch."
"I know about the authority." Diamond replied to Jasper. "I created them, as well as the Lesser Diamonds. Why do you think I am called "Master" Diamond?"
"Forgive me Master." Jasper said submissively. "It has been ages since we last heard from you. Yellow Diamond assumed you were…gone."
"I figured much, which is what she and the others were created for." Diamond explained as he turned to look out a window. "In the event of my absence from the homeworld, they would control things until I returned. Did they send you to complete the original priority?"
"No Master, I was sent her on request of Peridot." Jasper replied. "She wanted me to deal with Rose Quartz. She was still alive, but in the form of a young boy."
"You were somewhat correct." Diamond explained. "My sister died, but she gave her powers to her offspring, a hybrid named Steven. I had my servant kill him." Diamond turned to Jasper with a look of contempt. "You know her as, that "Defective Pearl"."
Jasper gasped lightly. "Forgive me Master, I-I didn't know…"
"It does not matter." Diamond replied. "Rose's powers were transferred to a Human, a Furem, and she fled the city, along with Rose's pet Amethyst and my former apprentice Garnetum."
Jasper looked up to Diamond in fear. "Wait…that fusion was you're…"
Diamond then turned and approached Jasper. "Yes, I see you followed Topaz ideals of fusion, or are least until you tried to fuse with one of their Secundos. You saw the consequences of such a rash decision."
Jasper looked down once more. "Master, let me hunt the Furem down, allow me to regain my honor. If not them, then at least Lapis."
"No, Onychinos is hunting Lapis and I am going after the Furem. However, I have another task for you." Diamond knelt to Jasper and pulled her gaze to his. "Find Peridot and bring her to me. That is your mission."
Jasper nodded. "As you desire Master, it will be no challenge."
Diamond and Jasper stood up and walked up the warp pad. As Jasper stood on the warp pad, Diamond approached her.
"Peridot is crucial to my plans." Diamond hissed to Jasper. "Should anything happen to her, you will be held responsible in full, and the punishment will be nothing you could ever imagine."
Jasper gulped before nodding. As Diamond watched, Jasper vanish. He then looked back to the picture of Rose and sighed. Diamond then snapped his fingers and Zirconia appeared from the Warp pad.
"Exhume the body of the human I killed the other day. Then call forward the prisoners."
Zirconia nodded as she darted out the front door. Diamond then looked at the picture once more before following Zirconia.
"If you cannot understand the truth, then I will have to show you the truth. These human treat their free will as a spoiled children treat toys, and the only option I have is to take it away from them."
[*]
Beach City Containment Camp, Center Hub, present day
[*]
The Agates gathered all of the residents of beach city into the center of the town, among the group was Lars and Sadie. Lars groaned as he scratched the bandages on his chest, only for Sadie to slap his hand away.
"But it itches." Lars whined to Sadie.
"I don't care." Sadie replied through gritted teeth. "Stop making a scene before you kill us both."
Lars groaned as he tried to stop itching his wounds. As Sadie looked around from the crowd at the Agates that surrounded them, she saw Peedee and Fryman looking around and calling for Ronaldo. Sadie felt a knot in her stomach at the sight, knowing that their search was in vain.
Just then, Sadie and the rest of Beach City's attention was drawn to Master Diamond, who was standing on a stage in front of what was once City Hall with Zirconia and Pearl by his side. As he looked to the shouting people before him, he responded to their outbursts with a single word.
"CESSABIS!" Diamond roared, causing the whole crowd to fall silent with fear. "All of you."
There was a dead stillness in the air. Sadie and Lars could hear their own heartbeats. After a few seconds, Diamond spoke once more.
"Ages ago, your kind looked to us as Gods, as providers of guidance and leadership. We provided you knowledge and power to create your own leaders and to ensure growth. We gave you free will as a species and spared your planet from destruction, but what do you do with our gift? You have destroyed your world, killed thousands of your species for meaningless ideals, and you even attacked our kind out of greed and lust for power. That is unacceptable, for we have failed you with your upbringing and it fall upon me to ensure your "correction" and your "redemption. If you wish to survive as a species, you will do as you did in the past and you shall serve the very Gods you worshipped, without question or objection."
The crowd looked to each other in concern before they noticed two agates hovered next to Zirconia, they appeared to be holding an object between them that was covered in a sheet.
"Do not think that your servitude will not be unrewarded. For serving under my authority, you will be granted liberation from corruption and free will, and a purpose towards a true authority. However, if you refuse to cooperate, if you rebel against my law or try to escape this compound. Then of course…"
Diamond snapped his fingers, and the Zirconia removed the sheet from the object the Agates were holding, revealing the dead body of Ronaldo. His body was bruised and swollen, and his head was dangling sideways, allowing his glazed eyes to gaze upon the crowd. Several people in the crowd screamed and cursed at the sight, the loudest of them being Fryman and Peedee. Sadie cupped her hands over her mouth as tears formed in her eyes, while Lars turned away to vomit.
"…the consequences will be grim." Diamond finished as he waved his hand. The Agates holding Ronaldo's body then flew towards the water tower. The residents of Beach City watched in horror as they watched them hang his body on the base of the tower. The crowd's attention was then drawn to the yelling of NO from within as Fryman charged onto the stage that Diamond stood upon. Zirconia and Pearl approached him with weapons drawn, but Diamond raised his hand and they backed away.
"Human, I will warn you only once." Diamond informed Fryman before he was cut off by the human before him.
"You killed my son!" Fryman screamed at the Gemian, tears of rage flowing from his eyes. "How could you kill my boy? You're no God, you're a monster!"
"I killed you son because he refused to submit to my orders and he attacked me." Diamond explained to Fryman. "His death was brought on by his ignorance as a human and as a lesser being."
"LIAR!" Fryman shouted at Diamond. "If you wanted peace, you could've spared him! How does the death of my son "liberate me"?"
"To be honest, I did syphoned his memories and thoughts as I consumed his Vitae…" Diamond replied as he approached Fryman. "…and from what I learned about him, you should thank me for what I did."
The next thing anyone knew, Fryman reached behind his back and pulled out a revolver. The crowd off residents gasped at the sight.
"Oh no…" Sadie gasped as she clung to Lars's arm.
"Where the hell do the Frymans get their guns?" Lars asked Sadie as he continued to gaze at the standoff before them and the rest of Beach City.
"I will grant you a second warning and implore you to stand down human." Diamond stated to Fryman, who cocked the gun right at Diamond. "As I said, if you continue to rebel, you will not like the consequences."
"Shut up!" Fryman screamed. "You killed Ronaldo…You…YOU MURDERED MY BOY! I'LL KILL YOU!"
"So be it!" Diamond said as he glared intensely at Fryman.
In that instant, the man grabbed his head and bend forward slightly. When he looked up, his eyes where black shot and he was crying black tears.
"Wha…t…are…y..ou…" Fryman said to Diamond, his voice sounded strained and weak.
"Assuming direct control." Diamond replied coldly as he raised his hand before Fryman. "It is the preferred solution to deal with those who rebel against me. As of now, I control your every action, and as of now, your very life."
As he clenched his hand, Fryman then put the barrel of his gun to his head. As he did, there was an audible gasping and pleading in the audience. Suddenly Peedee climbed up onto the stage and ran up to Diamond, falling onto his knees before the Gemian.
"Please, don't kill my dad." Peedee begged Diamond. "We won't fight back, we will obey you. Just please, spare him."
Diamond looked to Peedee then back to Fryman. Placing his hand to his chin, he nodded as Fryman lowered his gun from his head.
"Human, your child has convinced me to spare you. It seems that he has a better understanding of sacrifice than you do." Diamond said to the man before him. In that instant, an Agate grabbed Peedee and held him up next to Diamond.
"Which is why you will shoot him instead." Diamond finished as he gestured to Peedee, who looked to Diamond with a look of fear before looking back to Fryman.
The crowd shouted in horror and shock. Pleas of mercy and offers of tribute were shot into the air. More people attempted to jump on the stage before Agates restrained them. As people began to scatter, Sadie began to charge towards the stage before Lars stopped her.
"Lars! We have to save Peedee!" Sadie shouted to Lars as she tried to break his grip. "They can't do this."
"Sadie, we have to leave him." Lars replied as he tightened his grip. "You said it yourself; they'll kill us if we do anything."
As Sadie continued to flail and try to break free. Lars gestured over to Sour Cream and Buck Dewey, and the three of them dragged Sadie away.
"No...NO...PEEDEE!" Sadie screamed as she watched the possessed Fryman approached the restrained Peedee. The three were able to enter an abandoned building before any of the Agates noticed them. As the Agates rounded everyone back into the hub, the watched in horror as Fryman stepped toward his son like a robot, with a gun in hand.
"Dad?" Peedee said to his father with tears in his eyes. Just then, he heard a crack and felt a sharp pain in his stomach and lower back. As the boy looked down, he saw a small hole in his shirt, which began to become wet with red blood. Peedee gasped and cried as he felt an Agate's claw hold his head up, which allowed him to see his father aim his gun to his son's head. Peedee could feel the warm barrel of the pistol tremble on his head, and could see the black tears flow from his eyes. Fryman looked into the crying eyes of his son, knowing that the life of his son was in the hands of the one that ended the life of his other son.
"Kill him." Diamond commanded as he moved next to Fryman. "Kill your son."
"P…lea…se…" Fryman pleaded weakly, looking to his master while trying to fight the indoctrination. "Don…t…mak…e…me….kill….m…e…"
"I warned you that there would be a price for rebellion." Diamond hissed into Fryman's ear. "As a Gemian and as a ruler, I have to keep to my word."
Fryman looked back to Peedee. He could feel his finger begin to squeeze the trigger of the gun.
"Paratum!" Diamond stated raising his hand up in the air.
"Dad" Peedee pleaded to his father, feeling the barrel of the gun dig deeper into his forehead.
"Cataracta!I" Diamond continued.
"I…m….sor…sorr…y…Pee…d…ee…I…lo…-"
"USTRINA!" Diamond commanded, bringing his arm down
*BANG*
Fryman watched as the gun fired in his hands, a lone bullet shot through Peedee's skull and out through the back of his head. A large chunk of bloody skull and brain matter shot out along with the bullet. As Fryman lowered his gun, he looked at the face of his son. His blank expression glaring back at him as small traces of smoke rose from the bullet hole, the smell of gunpowder and an odd stench that resembled old cottage cheese was present. The Agates then released Peedee body, allowing it to fall to its knees and then to its side. Screams of horror and grief passed through the crowd as they processed the sight they witnessed. Diamond stepped around Fryman and grabbed Peedee's corpse by the neck and legs, lifting it up above his head for the residents of Beach City to see.
"Now you truly see what will come upon you should you decide to challenge me? Understand that should you wish to save those who you love, you must surrender to me, to order. Who will receive the redemption from corruption? Who will accept liberation from chaos? Who will accept peace?"
Within seconds, the crowd of residents began to bow, one after another. As Diamond watched the Agates move the crowd away to their respected camps with satisfaction, an Agate swooped down and grabbed Peedee's body, taking it to the water tower to hang next to his brother. Diamond then walked up to Fryman, who handed him his pistol.
"Who am I?" Diamond asked Fryman.
"You are the Master." Fryman replied without tone.
"What is your purpose?"
"To serve you without question or objection."
"Are you aware of my wrath and my generosity?"
"…yes…"
"Are you aware of the consequences of free will?"
Fryman's eyes welled up as he looked to Diamond.
"Yes..." Fryman replied with gritted teeth.
"Good" Diamond said to Fryman. "Releasing control."
Fryman fell to his knees and began to vomit black bile. As Diamond walked away from the broken father, he looked back to Fryman with a stern expression.
"Do not forget Human, that all of this could have been avoided if you heeded my warning. You child's death is and always will be your fault."
As an Agate began to escort Fryman to his camp, he looked up to the direction of the water tower and wept loudly as he saw the figures hanging from the tower, hanging side-by-side, brother by brother.
[*]
Steven's House, Interior, present day
[*]
The moment Diamond stepped into the house, he noticed Jasper arguing with another Gem. Upon her sight, Diamond's eyes widened in surprise. This Gem was shorter than Jasper and has a triangle shaped hairdo. She wore a metallic armor and has ten hovering fingers. Around her feet where several of her robonoids, blue orb robots that scurried around the house like spiders. One of them moved up to Diamond, who picked it up to examine it.
"You still think you can boss me around like that?" Peridot shouted to Jasper, who crossed her arms and smiled. "First you tell me to hunt down Rose Quartz, then you tell me to hide and leave earth, and now you are telling me that Diamond is alive?"
"Yes, I talked with "MASTER" Diamond." Jasper responded, ensuring that Peridot knows her place. "He asked me to specifically find you. Don't know why he wants a little green nerd like you anyway. I was part of his elite back in the day. One of his loyal solders."
"True…" Diamond interjected as he approached the two Gems. "But unlike you, Peridot is far more valuable to me than any army."
The moment Peridot looked to Diamond, her expression changed to surprise as she backed away for a moment, after a second of processing, she lunged forward and hugged the Gemian. Jasper approached to pull the Green Gem off him but Diamond extended his hand to back away. He then awkwardly placed his hands around her.
"Diamond!" Peridot exclaimed loudly as she tightened her grip. "Jasper wasn't lying, you are alive!"
"I know Peridot, and I am sorry for putting you through that." Diamond said as he embraced the hug before pulling her away and then scanning her body. "But what about you? I see You have improved your body. It looks fantastic!"
Peridot looked away sheepishly, fidgeting with her fingers as a green blush grew across her face. Diamond looked to Jasper, who was dumbfounded at what was happening.
"Leave us." Diamond commanded Jasper. "And should you speak of this to anyone, I will use you for an Agate."
Jasper hesitantly nodded before dashing over to the warp pad. As she was about to teleport, she though out loud an obvious question that pounded in her head.
"What the fuck just happened?"
As Jasper teleported away, Peridot and Diamond were alone. Well, aside from the various robonoids in the house. Diamond then picked up a Robonoid off the ground and began to study it.
"Forgive me Diamond, but a lot has changed since you…disappeared." Peridot explained as she fidgeted. "After the war, I continued to follow your orders and begin creating an army. However, It became harder to do such after your Authority took control of the Gems and modified their history."
Diamond looked to the Robonoid in his hands and then back to Peridot.
"I see..." Diamond replied as he placed the Robonoid in hands on the ground. "What did you do?"
"Well, after the encounter with the hybrid, "Steven" and of course the involvement of the homeworld. The whole authority fell to chaos. It made it easier to conquer and create Agates after we began to conquer their main colonies."
"I know." Diamond interjected. "I actually led an attack on a Gem colony before I attacked this city. It was the colony Venatio, led by Turquoise."
Peridot nodded as she watched a Robonoid attempt to crawl up the wall. "With the homeworld and the main colonies, we now have an army of 7.12 trillion Agates." She then looked to her hand, which transformed into a screen. "There are a few remits, but it's nothing the Agates can't handle. I will be sending the army to the outer rim. They should hinder Tiberium's fleet significantly until we reactivate the kindergarten, which will provide a solid 2.7 trillion."
"Optime!." Diamond said as he walked to the center of the room. "As the main Agate army fights off the Metalian fleet. Then I will reactivate the kindergartens on Earth. With an Army of Agates and the powers of Gemia and Obsidian, Tiberium will be no match for me. Then, we can rebuild the Universe in our image, as it should have been."
Diamond then felt a thud as he looked down to see one of the Robonoids pushing on his boot. Diamond lifted the orb off the ground and examined it.
"I have to say Peridot; I am surprised by your ability to still use Metalian technology." Diamond said to Peridot, who blushed as she looked away. "What is interesting about these machines is that they have a large resemble your previous form, from when you were the Intelligence for the Metalians."
"Yes…I…Have a problem with originality." Peridot said hesitantly. As she looked back to Diamond, she looked away from him. Diamond then placed his hand on her cheek. As she gazed into his silver eyes. She looked down in hesitation.
"Diamond, how can you forgive me like this?" Peridot said to Diamond as she gently grabbed his hand, tears forming in her eyes. "I know the punishment your servant's receive for failure or disobedience, and I was responsible for destroying your authority from within, not to mention my involvement with Tiberium. How can you forgive me for all that?"
Diamond gave a small smile as he pulled Peridot closer. The green Gem could feel the energy emit from the Gemian before her.
"There are a few reasons for that Peridot." Diamond explained to Peridot. "For one thing, the Homeword authority became stagnate and warped from their directive, and had to be purged and second…"
The two Gems where pulled into a close grip, Peridot eyes fluttered shut as Diamond pulled her lips closer to his, close enough to hear him whisper to her.
"…you are not my servant, but something of greater significance. How could I not forgive one who will always forgive me?"
As their lips were only inches away from contact, the warp pad activated, causing Diamond and Peridot to leap apart from each other. As Jasper and Pearl emerged from the warp pad, they saw Diamond meditating with his back to the warp pad while Peridot was tending to one of her Robonoids.
"Master, we have a Gem." Pearl stated as she knelt before the Gemian. "The Agates caught her during a search for Lapis."
"Is it the Furem?" Diamond asked.
"No." Jasper replied. "But she says she knows you. She calls herself, Howlite."
Diamond turned to Pearl and Jasper and then back to his forward direction. As he stood up, Pearl and Jasper watched him shift his robe a few times before turning to the warp pad.
"Let me see her." Diamond commanded to his servants. As the three stood on the warp pad, he then looked to Peridot, who looked quickly to Diamond before looking back to her Robonoids.
"Is everything alright Master?" Pearl asked Diamond.
"Yes." Diamond replied coldly before slapping Pearl in the face. "And do not speak unless spoken to, it that clear?"
"Yes, forgive me master." Pearl replied softly.
With that, the Gems teleported away, but when the warp pad finished, Peridot looked to the warp pad and noticed a small note on the warp pad. As she picked up the note, her eyes widened in surprise. On the note, there was what could be interpreted as a small poem. This poem was written hastily on a primitive form of parchment, but it was clear that the poem was made by Peridot several centuries ago.
Est DI: Poterit vas tuum gemma tuae somniant machinamenti?
Diamond umquam interiorem hominem Quo pulchrior es sis. Ego dilexi vos pariter cum primis diebus erogaverat volumus. Non laboro Propter alium quam te.
Autem Diamond, ego sum a Metalian. Creationem factus sum inimicus. Te amo quod tibi dicereautem unum scire possum quod pro vobis non potest esse. Sufficeret ut diceret fortiter Non sum quod ego te amo orbabor filio quoniam pavea. Venient autem dies, dicam te amo. Donec commodo Jerosolymis mecum manent.
-PE
Moreover, when she turned the paper on the opposing side, there was another poem. As she read the opposing poem, she gave a tearful smile as she held the note to her chest, knowing exactly what the message was.
Est PE: Eructavit cor meum eloquium tuum expectantes amoris.
Peridot, meum me interrogas vim somnii conprehendunt. volo ad vobis respondebo. Non scire autem si vos sciet. Omnes enim quaecumque habes sit pax mihi somnia.
Peridot estis nox illuminatio amica mea praesente in vobis quia unicus est mihi somnium dantis. Quod si Si diligitis mecum tandem aliquandoet ascendite novissimo transeat in rem somnium. Donec eloquium tuum exspectantes ego autem dilectionis nullam quantivis temporis accipit.
-DI
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