AN: Sorry this chapter took so long, I didn't have much time to work on it
-_-"
Dont forget to review & tell me what you think, constructive criticism is welcome & appreciated!
Aqua & Topaz were sitting in front of the small television set next to Steven & Amethyst while one of Steven's favorite cartoons - a strange show called "Crying Breakfast Friends" - played on the screen.
Aqua watched in confusion as Pear dropped his ice cream on the ground, causing him and his friend Spoon to start crying (obviously), they paused briefly as their friend Bacon walked onto the scene before crying along with them.
"I don't get this cartoon man, why don't they just eat the ice cream off the floor? They don't have to cry about it!"
Topaz nodded in agreement and Aqua watched in confusion as the show suddenly cut to static.
"Aw, not again! It was doing this yesterday too!"
"Hang on, I got it." Amethyst got up and walked over to the television before kicking it a few times. "How 'bout now- AH!" Amethyst cried out and Topaz jumped back in shock as the television suddenly started bouncing & shaking violently.
"It's never done that before!"
Aqua gasped in surprise as the image of a green gem suddenly appeared on the screen.
This is Peridot transmitting on all frequencies from abandoned crystal-system colony planet earth.
To Yellow Diamond:
My mission has been compromised! My escort and informant are gone, and I am now stranded. Please send help!
Amethyst ran to call the rest of the Crystal Gems while Steven ran to answer the phone as it started ringing, Aqua watched as the message from Peridot began to replay itself and looked over at Topaz, who was shaking in anger while giving the television an icy glare.
"This is not good! If Yellow Diamond gets that message, it could spell disaster for all of us!"
"I know Topaz, but we have to stay calm and figure out what to do. Just be patient."
Amethyst came rushing into the room with Pearl & Garnet close behind her, while Steven walked over to the television with the phone pressed against his ear.
"Ok, thanks!" Steven finally hung up the phone and turned to give them all a confused look.
"Connie says it's on her tv too."
"But where could Peridot be broadcasting a signal that strong?!"
Everyone turned to Garnet, hoping she had an answer.
"There's only one place."
Steven finally took a breath as he popped his head out of Lion's mane, poor Lion had collapsed from carrying the weight of Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl on his back.
"Lion! Are you OK?"
Aqua & Topaz poked their heads out as well before quickly climbing out of Lion's mane.
"It's as I feared." Garnet said while looking up at the tall structure in front of them, which was glowing with power & emitting a beam of light from the top of it.
"Looks like Peridot somehow repaired the communication hub! Well, at least some of it."
Now that she had a better look at it, Aqua could clearly recognize the gem-built structure, even in its dilapidated state.
"Sooo we just gotta wreck it up again, right? You guys should form Sugilite!"
Aqua & Topaz turned to the other gems in shock. They had certainly seen gems fuse before, but they were always two of the same kind, and even though they knew about Garnet being a fusion of a Ruby & a Sapphire, they had never seen the actual fusion of two different gems before.
"Yeah? Well, it's up to Garnet I guess. What do you say? Shall we mash it up?"
"No." Everyone turned to Garnet in confusion.
"But... don't we need to be huge like last time?"
"Last time was a disaster! Last time we fused, Sugilite went berserk! It's because of her that we can't even warp here anymore!"
So this "Sugilite" was a fusion of Garnet & Amethyst, and apparently they'd used her to destroy the communication hub before. Aqua shuddered at the thought of a gem - who was not a diamond - being powerful enough to cause so much destruction & was slightly relieved that she wouldn't have to see it for herself.
"I can be brash, you can be reckless, and we can both get carried away. So, for the time being, Sugilite is benched." Amethyst hung her head in sadness as Garnet considered their next move.
"What we need now, is to be careful." Pearl's head shot up as Garnet turned to her with a smile. "It's you and me Pearl, let's fuse."
Aqua & Topaz stared in shock as Pearl started tearing up.
"Don't cry Pearl." Pearl tried to reign it in as Steven started shaking in excitement.
"C'mon, let's do this!"
"I'm right behind you!"
"Woohoo! Fusion fusion fusion fusion!"
Everyone followed behind Garnet & Pearl as they walked over to an open area, Steven sat between Aqua & Topaz while Amethyst stood beside them, they watched in confusion as Pearl started doing stretches.
"Ready."
Pearl continued to stretch as Garnet's gems began to glow.
"Hang on, it's been such a long time!" Pearl finally finished stretching before her gem also began to glow and they heard music begin to play from an unknown source.
Everyone watched in awe as Pearl began to dance. She spun around in a circle before throwing a seductive look over her shoulder at Garnet, who began moving her body to the beat.
Aqua & Topaz marveled at them as their bodies moved in a graceful, beautiful & seductive dance, moving closer & closer to one-another before Garnet finally tossed Pearl high in the air, said-gem spun several times before landing in Garnet's arms as their bodies were consumed by a ball of light. They all watched in amazement as it formed into a giant orange pillar & the outline of a gem began to form in the center of it, growing larger & larger by the second.
"Good evening everybody!"
The new gem parted the pillar of light - as if appearing from behind a curtain - before standing proudly in front of everyone. Aqua & Topaz felt their jaws hit the ground as they stared at the giant gem fusion.
"This is the lovely Sardonyx, coming to you alive, from the soon-to-be former communication hub! How are y'all doin' tonight?"
Aqua studied the new gem, Sardonyx. She had never seen a gem like her before, she had four arms, and Aqua could tell that she also had two pairs of eyes behind her sunglasses, and on top of all that, she was enormous!
"Giant woman!"
"Oh my stars!" She smiled before scooping Steven up in her hands & bringing him close to her face. "If it isn't Steven Universe! We finally meet! So, what do ya think? Was I worth the wait?"
Aqua gaped as she literally twisted her upper body around in a circle.
"What am I saying? Of course I was!" She laughed as Steven looked at her in awe.
"Wow, you're so articulated!"
"Well, aren't you the sweetest little charmer? I could literally squish you right now, it would not be hard!" She joked while playfully squishing Steven with her second set of hands.
Aqua didn't doubt for a second that she actually could if she really wanted to.
"Sorry, I'm just, so excited to be here! You see, I haven't exactly been myself lately." Topaz snickered as Sardonyx laughed loudly at her own joke.
"Fusion joke!"
Amethyst groaned & Aqua rolled her eyes as the fusion finally set Steven gently on the ground.
"And jokes aren't the only thing I've got!"
She pulled a spear out of the gem on her forehead before playfully using one of her hands to "distract" her by tapping her on the shoulder while tossing the spear into the air, she pretended to be surprised before catching it between her fists, which formed into gauntlets before fusing with the spear, turning it into a giant hammer.
'Ok, that was cool!' Aqua thought to herself as Sardonyx struck a pose.
"Are you gonna smash stuff with your war-hammer?!" Steven asked excitedly.
"Hmm...smash is the word to describe what...someone else might do."
Amethyst glared at her as she leapt into the air.
"Now, the proper words do describe yours-truly are...specific!"
She started listing words off while knocking each beam out of the structure with her hammer.
"Intelligent! Accurate! Faultless!" She paused to strike a pose in the air. "Elegant."
Everyone watched as she continued "wrecking" the hub.
"Controlled! Surgical! Graceful! Aaaand... POWERFUL!" She twisted in the air a few times before pausing on top of the hub.
"But yes, occasionally, I am known to smash." She said before lightly tapping the final beam with her hammer, the force of which drove it halfway into the ground below. The light emitting from the structure went out as she leapt off the top of the hub before landing in front of everyone & spinning her hammer, which turned into a bunch of dragonflies, much to everyone's amazement.
"Now, just remember everybody, if you ever have need of the lovely Sardonyx, let Pearl & Garnet know, I'll be there in a flash. Literally!"
Sardonyx vanished in a puff of smoke, revealing Garnet & Pearl wrapped in each other's arms, Pearl giggled & Garnet cheered before playfully lifting Pearl up & spinning her around. Steven ran over to hug them as Garnet finally set Pearl on her feet.
"You guys were amazing!"
"We were? Well that's good!"
"We were awesome!"
Aqua glanced over at Amethyst, only to see her squatting on the ground with a depressed look on her face.
'Poor Amethyst, I wish I could make her feel better.' Aqua sighed as the other gems continued to celebrate.
"Why don't we do that more often?"
"Why Pear? Why did you lie to me?!"
"I didn't mean to!"
"Aw, Pear! I'd forgive her, wouldn't you?" Aqua shrugged as she continued watching tv with Steven & Garnet, she looked over when she heard the door to the temple open & watched as Amethyst came into the room.
"Oh, hey! Amethyst! You're missing Crying Breakfast Friends!" Steven called to Amethyst as she joined Topaz in the kitchen before opening the fridge.
"That's ok, I'm fine!"
"But it's a really good one so far!"
"Not really."
Topaz snickered & Aqua couldn't help but laugh at Garnet.
"Don't worry, I'm recording it for later!"
Aqua jumped as the tv let out a screech before shaking & cutting to static.
"It's the signal again!"
"Peridot!" Garnet turned as Pearl came walking through the door.
"Pearl! The signal is back!"
"Again?!"
"We need to get back out there!"
"Right, Steven, where's Lion? Amethyst, get your head out of the fridge!"
"Let's go guys!"
"I hope you're ready."
"You know I am."
Everyone stood by as Garnet & Pearl fused again.
"What's this? An encore performance? Just couldn't get enough of me, could you?" Sardonyx teased before attacking the structure & knocking the beams out again.
Maybe you're better off with her
Everyone turned to listen as Amethyst suddenly began to sing.
I think she's better for you
They all followed after her as she started walking away.
I forgot how great it felt to be us,
Guess I got carried away
I had to use you to make me feel strong, but I don't care about that now!
I see a tower built out of my mistakes, and it all comes crashing down!
Everyone jumped as one of the beams crashed into the ground once again.
Is there something I can do?
Is there something I can do?
Is there something I can do?
Can I make it up to you?
"Hmmm..."
"Remind me again why were out here in the middle of the night Steven?" Aqua asked as her, Topaz, Amethyst & Steven came through the "Lion portal" that led to the communication hub.
"Peridot's been back here twice, so the odds are good she'll come back again right? BAM! That's when we'll get her!"
"Yeah! BAM!" Amethyst agreed with a smile.
Aqua had to admit, it was a pretty good plan.
"Garnet'll be so impressed!"
"And then she'll think I'm cool again!"
The foursome found a hiding spot behind a couple of rocks and waited patiently for something to happen, Steven was spying on the hub with a telescope that he had brought along.
"Nothing...more nothing...AH! There she is!...No, wait, that's just a weird cactus." Topaz snickered as Steven sighed in annoyance.
After two more long, boring hours, they were all sitting there dejectedly.
"I don't think she's coming...uh...what're you doing?"
Aqua glanced over to see Steven holding his index fingers slightly apart.
"If you make your eyes blurry, it looks like there's a little magic sausage between your fingers!"
Amethyst raised an eyebrow before trying it herself. "This is stupid, it doesn't even work!"
"Try this!" Steven said while moving Amethyst's hair away from her eyes. "Hey! Don't mess with my- ooooh!" Steven giggled as Amethyst finally got the trick to work.
"Well, even if we didn't catch Peridot, at least I taught you a great way to pass the time!"
Everyone's heads shot up when Steven suddenly gasped in surprise.
"What?!"
"I think I saw something!" He quickly ran over to grab his telescope and pointed it in the direction of whatever it was that he'd seen.
"It's Peridot's escape pod! She fixed it somehow?!"
"But I thought we had it?!"
Topaz looked at Aqua as they gathered around the telescope.
"Did she steal it from the temple?" Aqua mused out loud before Steven motioned for them to be quiet.
"Woah! She's lifting the pillar guys, and...she's fixing the hub!...what's she doing up there?"
Aqua squinted to try and see the top of the hub, she could just barely make out the tiny dot that was the escape pod.
"Enhance!" Steven exclaimed dramatically while twisting the knob that adjusted the zoom of the telescope lens.
"H-hey, for some reason, Peridot kinda looks like...PEARL?!"
"WHAT?!"
"Lemme see!"
Aqua shared a grim look with Topaz as Amethyst quickly grabbed the telescope from Steven.
"Oh no!"
"Why would Pearl rebuild the hub?!"
"Maybe she's trying to study how it works?" Topaz offered weakly as she & Aqua sat in front of the tv with Steven & Amethyst while trying to figure this whole mess out.
"No, I don't think that's it." Amethyst sighed as they once again came up empty.
"Maybe she's...trying to get us more channels?" Steven's answer was even weaker then Topaz's as he switched on the tv, only to find nothing but static.
"Oh, this is no good!" Everyone jumped as Pearl suddenly appeared & paused in front of the television.
"What's wrong?" Steven asked apprehensively, already knowing what the answer would be.
"It's Peridot! She must've fixed the communication hub again!
The foursome gave each other wary looks as Pearl called for Garnet.
"It's the hub again!"
"She's evading my future-vision, no matter how many times I try, I can't see us finding Peridot!" She clucked her tongue in annoyance before turning towards the door.
"C'mon team!"
Aqua glared at Pearl's retreating form as she followed after Garnet. She had a hunch about what was going on, but decided to keep it to herself for the time being.
"I can't believe Peridot is giving us so much trouble, but it hardly matters, right Garnet? We can disable this tower as many times as we need to, together! Ok? Ok. I'm ready!"
"I know what she's doing."
"You do?"
Aqua & Topaz shook their heads in exasperation as Garnet dipped Pearl to start the fusion.
"STOP!" Everyone looked at Amethyst when she cried out, Pearl gave her a worried look as Amethyst glared at her. "I-Is something the matter Amethyst?"
"You- you shouldn't!"
"Pearl, we saw you!"
She froze at the accusing glares she was receiving from her fellow gems.
"What?!"
"You need to tell Garnet it was you!" Aqua stated with finality while giving Garnet an apologetic look.
"I don't understand?"
Pearl, realizing she'd been caught red-handed, stuttered while giving the fusion a desperate look.
"I-I'm sorry...it's just...so much fun being Sardonyx with you." Garnet dropped Pearl unceremoniously on the ground before giving her a look of betrayal.
"That's why I couldn't see us finding Peridot!"
"Wait! Let me explain!"
Everyone stood by awkwardly as the drama played out in front of them.
"You've been fixing the hub!"
"It really was Peridot! Th-The first time!"
"You tricked me!"
"No! No no no no! No, w-we just needed a reason to fuse! I just wanted to share a few more victories with you!"
"Those weren't victories!"
"Wait Garnet!" Everyone turned as Amethyst spoke up. "You know, we're so much weaker than you! Fusing with you is our one chance to feel...stronger!"
"DON'T DEFEND HER!" Everyone winced as Garnet raised her voice. "Peridot is out there somewhere and Pearl has been distracting us with- NOTHING!"
Aqua glanced at Topaz to find her looking rather terrified of Garnet, which she couldn't blame her for in the slightest.
"Garnet-"
"THAT'S ENOUGH! Amethyst! Fuse with me!"
"But-"
"Let's just get this over with."
Aqua felt her hands tremble as Amethyst hung her head in defeat before following after Garnet.
There was no dance, no display of connectivity between gems, only a quick grasp of the hands as Amethyst reluctantly fused with Garnet. Aqua felt as if her whole body had turned to ice as the monstrous fusion, Sugilite, completely decimated the communication hub with a single punch.
Never before had she seen such destructive power, and it was an experience she didn't care to relive ever again.