A/N: Felt a bit generous and decided to upload the next chapter! So I do hope y'all enjoy it!
"Peridot…?" Ronaldo's jaw dropped at Peridot's words. The green gem did not face them, and instead, she pulled up her holo-screen with a blank expression. Jasper cracked her fingers menacingly.
"I knew we couldn't trust her!" Pearl screeched angrily. She drew out her spear and held it tightly, her anger only rising. Amethyst's eyes were wide with betrayal. She drew out her whip, letting it crack with rage.
"We gave you our trust! How could you?" Amethyst hissed. Peridot did not change her expression.
"Peridot…Was…was all of that a lie?" Ronaldo gripped his chest with hurt. His hurt slowly bubbled into fury. "All that stuff you told me, was that all a lie? Was that all a ploy to get me to trust you? To protect you? Were you just…using me?" Ronaldo's heart dropped. Peridot's typing stopped, but she still did not face him. Jasper scoffed with annoyance.
"Enough talk, human! I've had enough of this ridiculous planet!" Jasper growled angrily. She stepped away from Lapis's damaged gem and towards the Crystal Gems. "It's time I take Rose back to Yellow Diamond." Jasper smirked, summoning her helmet. She pulled out a gem destabilizer, and it sizzled with light energy. Steven shrank under Jasper's towering frame. Her eyes seemed more wild and crazed than the last time they had faced each other. The other gems had their weapons ready, but even they felt the looming presence of Jasper over them. The mention of the Diamond leader only furthered their worry. "Come on, Rose. We can do this the easy way or the hard way." Jasper hissed.
"His name is Steven, you clod!"
Everyone's attention snapped to the sandy shore where Peridot stood. Peridot's fingers were curled protectively around Lapis's cracked gem and her holo-panel disappeared. Peridot's eyes burned with determination.
"What do you think you're doing, Peridot? Put that pathetic excuse for a gem down! Actually, do me a favor and just shatter it already!" Jasper growled. Peridot did not move.
"Jasper, you are on Earth, and the Earth will not kneel to you or Yellow Diamond!" Peridot stated with focus. "I am a Crystal Gem, and I will protect this planet and all its inhabitants!"
"What? You little traitor! Yellow Diamond will shatter you for this! Just you wait and-!" Jasper began sprinting towards Peridot.
"Steven! Catch!" Peridot yelped, suddenly aware of the charging warrior. Peridot tossed the cracked gem to Steven, and he gently caught it in his hands, clutching it tightly.
"Peridot!" Steven yelped with concern as Jasper charged head-on to Peridot. Of course, Peridot had already anticipated Jasper's attack. Peridot quickly ducked, sliding between Jasper's legs and making a break for it when suddenly a clawed hand dug into her foot. Peridot winced as she felt her leg crack under pressure and fell face down into the sand as Jasper pulled her to the ground.
"You traitor!" Jasper hissed over and over again. "Traitor!" Peridot felt her face pale as she quickly fumbled with her plasma gun. Her fingers shifted to form the makeshift weapon and quickly blasted Jasper's face. Of course, Peridot had not considered the consequence of her action. Jasper was blown backwards by the force of the plasma gun, but her hand remained clawed onto Peridot's foot, causing Peridot's leg to become forcefully yanked off her body with a loud crack.
"Ahh!" Peridot let out a pained scream at the sudden loss of her appendage and struggled to get back on her knees in a futile attempt to crawl away.
"Peridot!" Ronaldo quickly was on his feet, ready to aid the wounded gem.
"Stay back!" Peridot hissed forcefully. Ronaldo stopped in his tracks and so did the Crystal Gems behind him. "I don't need your help!" Peridot commanded. Steven felt his heart drop when Jasper rose onto her feet, marching back over to the small technician. Jasper's fist curled against Peridot's uniform and the gem warrior pulled her up forcefully. Peridot winced as she felt Jasper's tight grip on her.
"Pathetic! Whose side are you even on? You're a traitor to Homeworld, and yet you decline the help of these Crystal Gems." Jasper spat with disgust. "You Peridots really are disposable! Useless! You lost Peridot!" Jasper insulted. Ronaldo was burning with rage. How dare she speak to Peridot in that way!
"M-maybe we are useless, and p-perhaps we are disposable, but I find that to be t-the best trick up my sleeve." Peridot smirked with a pained expression, and Jasper's eyes widened in realization. "End of the line for both you and me, Jasper." Jasper tried to stop the technician, but Peridot's fingers had already made their way to her arms, pressing an array of codes. Jasper's pupils shrank.
"Self destruct sequence activated."
"Wait! Peridot!" Ronaldo's eyes widened in shock when the robotic voice chimed. The other Crystal Gems seemed frozen in place. "Peri-!"
A loud explosion echoed through the sandy shore. Grains of sand flew in all directions and Ronaldo was knocked backwards at the sudden force of the explosion. He fell onto his back with a painful thud, and the other Crystal Gems toppled besides him. Ronaldo coughed as the dust began to clear, and he quickly stumbled to his feet, rushing towards the center of the explosion.
"No, no, no! Peridot!" Ronaldo rushed into the dust cloud, ignoring the outbursts from the Crystal Gems. "Peridot!" Ronaldo cried into the emptiness with no success. He searched all around, but there was no sign of her form. That's when he saw it: a bright green glint from the sand beside the shore. Ronaldo fell to his knees in shock. "P-Peri?" His hands shook as he gently cupped the green triangular gem on the sand. Tears formed in the corner of his eyes. She was…gone?
A gentle hand touched his shoulder, and Ronaldo turned with tears streaming down his face. The gems stood still in shock but with soft expressions. Steven's hand was on the Fryman's shoulder.
"Ronaldo, Peridot will be fine." Steven said with an understanding smile. Ronaldo's eyes widened.
"B-but sh-she exploded!" Ronaldo said in an outburst. His hands still gripped tightly onto the green gem.
"Yeah, but her gem is fine! Look!" Steven said, gesturing to the green gem. Ronaldo looked at the gem's smooth surface in fascination and worry. "As long as her gem is fine, she'll come back. You just need to be patient, and take care of her gem until she comes back." Steven explained.
"Wait! What about that other gem?" Ronaldo chimed, realizing that Peridot was not the only one who disappeared. Steven brought up his free hand to reveal a pink bubble with a familiar orange gem.
"Jasper will remain bubbled until we can decide what to do with her." Garnet explained. "She withstood lots of damage from the explosion and from the forced fusion. She probably will not be coming back anytime soon."
Ronaldo looked down at the green gem with concern and sadness. Garnet placed her hand on Ronaldo's shoulder.
"Ronaldo, Peridot will return. In the meantime, please watch over her gem. We trust you to protect her until she returns." Garnet said gently. Ronaldo's expression changed to one of determination. He quickly wiped his tears away and looked at Garnet with a new purpose.
"I promise. I will protect her."
A/N: Get it? She had one last trick up her sleeve? I'm so funny. I even thought it'd be funny to poof Peri! *laughs* Traumatizing Ronaldo. So fun.