A/N: A little bit of a shorter chapter here, but this chapter had to end the way it does ... because I'm evil.

Thank you for the reviews! This is actually one of my favorite enemies from the show, mostly because of her musical motif (and Lion's towards the end of the episode). I'm also tying up one major plot thing for this part of the story, but that doesn't mean it's over ... Oh no, the next part will begin after the next chapter.

There might be a little bit of a hiatus after the next chapter, but I'll also be working on my shorter story that will have the working title of "Clouds". Again, it will make this look like a romantic comedy, so there's that.

Feel free to leave a review! I'll try to get the next chapter up soon so that you don't have to wait forever.

-FourFaces

She could feel the salty air. She knew she was close.

He had been so obedient. He didn't even know how well she had manipulated him. She was sure of this.

She and that Rose Quartz Gem had been traitors together, but she never truly cared for the earth other than the wonderful resources that she could control.

She had been locked away in that pillow for 5000 years, guarded by that beast for the last few years of her imprisonment. Yes, the weapon had been used on her, but she used it to her advantage. When the new bearer of the Rose Quartz Gem had come to her, she played on his emotions, using her charm to get him to believe her. That she was only a victim. That she was fragile … as glass.

She could have been a diamond. She could have ruled this planet.

She would now be able to rebuild her castle. She could rebuild her army.

She would finally win.

"Mom!" Sour Cream yelled as he ran into the house. He had somehow outran the gems and arrived first, worried for his brother in the hands of some gem monster. "Are you here?"

Vidalia came out of the kitchen and saw her worried son. She smiled and hugged him.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're home and that you missed that battle! Is your dad on his way?"

"Yeah. But where's Onion?" Sour Cream asked.

"Oh, he left about ten minutes ago. He seemed really upset," She started. "I think he was going to go to the Temple and try to check on … wait, have you heard about - ?"

"Oh no … Mom, when Onion left, did he - ?"

Garnet burst in the door and looked around.

"We're too late. He's already near the beach by now. I was worried this would happen," she growled. "I'm assuming he had a gem with him?"

"Yeah. It was the one he got during the battle," Vidalia confirmed.

Garnet broke into a run, tearing past Pearl and Amethyst who had just arrived at the house behind her.

Why didn't I know this would happen?

It's OK.

No, it's not! We were too focused on what could happen with Steven and we missed this! We should have made sure that every gem was truly accounted for! Now she could be loose again and she could destroy the entire city!

We'll get to her before she can. We can do this.

Last time, we had Steven.

Garnet nearly stopped mid-run at that. She could feel both of her halves trying to calm her down now. It was almost like times when she would watch Steven as a young child. He would get so upset and work himself into a tizzy, but Garnet would soothe him. Now, Ruby and Sapphire were trying to do this for her so she could focus and stop Onion before it was too late.

The sound of setar music began to fill her ears. She knew she was getting close to Onion.

She was 1000 feet away when she saw him standing there at the edge of the beach, loud setar music ringing in her ears.

500 feet away when he lifted the gem into the air.

100 feet away and it was too late.

The gem sailed through the air before landing on the sand. Garnet remembered when she had first encountered her with Steven. She remembered how this gem was first and foremost a builder.

She also remembered how this gem was on the battlefield. She had used her powers of earth manipulation for some horrible shatterings. If they weren't careful, they could feel her corrupted wrath. Even with the corruption, she had always been powerful.

She looked over at Onion for a split second and saw the look of confusion and anguish come over his face.

She turned back and looked out as the sand as the ground shook.

Walls went up and soon, several mounds of sand arose, forming humanoid shapes. These sand clones stared ahead with blank faces. The sand whirled around, forming towers and staircases, protecting the gem at its center.

Garnet was soon joined by Amethyst and Pearl who gasped up at the tower. The three gaped up at the monstrosity, not paying attention to the sand clones that now held spears made of sand.

They only saw the gem as she formed a body around herself. Her form was tall and slender, the gem placed where her eyes would have been She stretched out her arms and the gems could all feel her excitement as she examined her physical form. She stared down at them with her gem and they could feel her formless face grin.

There was a reason they did not like the idea of letting her out of her bubble.

The clones took one step forward.

"Garnet? What do we do?" Amethyst asked.

She glanced around. There was a chance that they might have enough of a distraction to take on the Desert Glass herself. If both of the best possible outcomes occurred, then they would easily win. If they didn't …

"Pearl! Amethyst! Go after the Desert Glass! I'll meet you if I'm able to!" Garnet said, charging towards the Desert Glass's newly created soldiers.

Amethyst and Pearl summoned their weapons and headed into the maze like storm, searching for a way to reach the Desert Glass. They leaped over a newly forming wall only to find another spring up in front of it.

"We're trapped, P!" Amethyst cried out.

Pearl looked around for any way out. She watched as a sandy beam formed above them.

"Your whip!" She cried to Amethyst.

The quartz grabbed her companion and cracked her whip around the beam, pulling them up.

Garnet had taken down so many of these soldiers. She knew that they would outnumber her soon. She could feel the sand beating her in the face as the wind whipped up. She wouldn't be able to do this forever.

"YAAAH!"

She looked over to see Unakite, wielding Rose's sword and slashing through the sand clones. She smiled. She was happy to see the fusion working just as well on the battle ground as when she was at peace.

They might win this.

Unakite summoned a bomb from her gem and tossed it into the air before striking it at a cluster of sand clones with her sword, making them explode. She then ran to join Garnet.

"There are so many of them? Will we be able to hold them off?" Unakite asked.

"We need to. There's a chance that we might win this and now that you're here, the chances got better," Garnet grinned. "But we still need the other possible future to line up ..."

Pink grass whipped around as Lion dragged Steven towards an opening to the outside world. Steven was dizzy from seeing the blades whip past him, but he had to push on.

"We're almost there. I need to get you where this will work, so you won't be able to leave quite yet," Lion said as he stopped in the middle of the savanna. "I must leave now, but I will see you on the other side. Be ready."

He disappeared, leaving Steven alone. He waited for what felt like an eternity. He looked about himself to make sure everything was OK. He had taken the Mr. Universe shirt that hung from the tree. It was a little big on him still, but it was better than his bloodstained shirt. He wondered if Lion would be able to get them where they needed to go. He wondered who it was that they were fighting outside. Was it Jasper? Had she returned? Was he going to return to a bloodbath?

He felt a warm glow and looked down at his gem as it glowed brightly. He could feel his whole body turn to light, as if he was on a warp pad.

Then came the memories.

10,000 years ago -

Having existed for 1000 years and proving herself in battle against a strange enemy force (one that Steven didn't recognize), the young quartz gem watched as the test subject for the experimental weapon charged at Pink Diamond. The experiment had indeed forced the subject to retreat into her gem, but when she regenerated, her entire form was changed. She was feral and monstrous. The quartz gem did not have time to react. She charged forward and felt the claws rip through her as she protected Pink Diamond with her body. She awakened to an honored position as the second in command.

7000 years ago -

She had risen in the ranks to Diamond after the previous Pink Diamond was shattered in a battle that she had been on too far away of a colony to warp to. Now she was in charge of colonizing new worlds and setting up kindergartens. At first, this world seemed to meet all of the requirements. Basic life that could provide energy for growing gems, large enough to support their infrastructure, and it has to be far enough away from the enemy colonies.

She had traveled with her Pearl to an area outside of the planned site for a southern kindergarten when she saw a creature that she hadn't seen yet in her travels. It was large, golden, and had thick hair on its head that flowed down its back. It stared at them before charging.

She didn't act fast enough and soon was on her back, the creature tearing at her as her Pearl wailed, having been frozen in fear. Another voice, much deeper, joined them and the creature was off of her. Before she retreated into her gem, she saw the new creature's dark, sad face look at her. It was so much like a gem, but it was made of flesh instead of light.

When she awakened, she began to learn more about this planet and begin to regret her work.

3000 years ago -

She had renounced her title over 2000 years prior. She had seen all but three of her friends (or was it two now that the war was over) either shatter or fall to the weapon that she had overseen the creation of and it had almost broken her spirit. She had found the last remaining amethyst in the main kindergarten, having emerged so much later than all the others. The amethyst was still somewhat feral, not knowing how to be a proper gem, so she would need guidance. She had been left home during most missions. This one was no exception.

Pearl had been away, and she was happy that she was. She needed to take on the Larimar by herself. She had known her before the war. She was an enjoyable gem to be around and she was always so confident. Now, she swung her hook-like tentacles at her former commander. If she could just get closer, maybe she could hold her and heal her.

A stabbing pain stopped her and she knew she was going to retreat soon. She stared at the large eyes of the Larimar and wondered if she was still in there at all.

The last thing she saw before regenerating was Garnet protecting her as Pearl chased after the gem.

20 years ago -

It had been so long since any regeneration, and now she was going to be doing a different kind. It was frightening, to not know if she would ever come back as herself. Much like Garnet had told her, fusion was an experience and in a way, that was what this was. A fusion made of the love between herself and Greg. She kept her eyes trained on Greg as she felt the change beginning. She hoped that they would like him. She had consulted with Garnet several times on what her son might look like (Garnet was certain she would have a son), and she had even formed Cuprite with her to be able to see a glimpse of her son's life. After that, she had formed him many times in her room in the temple to be able to interact with him in some way. She was so excited for him and hoped that the best outcomes would happen for him.

She could feel her gem glow. It was time.

She retreated for one final time, surrounded by her three closest friends and the love of her life.

A bright glow after his mother's final retreat enveloped him and soon he watched the final moments before he had passed out. He could see the fear on Connie's face and the pain in everyone's eyes. He watched the world go dark and could feel the ghost of Connie's lips on his.

Another blinding glow surrounded him. He saw ahead and knew what he must do.

Greg, Yellowtail, and Sour Cream had arrived to see the whirling sandstorm on the beach, Onion curled up in a ball crying at the edge. Yellowtail wordlessly helped him up and held him close, shielding him from witnessing the aftermath of his decision. Sour Cream stared, wishing he had been here instead of Onion during the original battle. Then he could have spared Onion from all of this.

Greg watched in horror, occasionally getting glimpses of the battle. He hoped that maybe something would turn the tide in the Gems' favor.

Unakite slashed her way to Garnet, felling sand clone after sand clone. She could feel both parts of her worry for each other as she pushed on. Finally, after reaching Garnet, she turned to survey the beach.

Walls had been built up and torn down in a frantic bid to create a castle on the beach. More clones reformed and began to surround the two fusions.

"What do we do, Garnet?" She asked.

It wasn't right. They were supposed to win this one!

That means it won't happen!

You don't know that for sure! There are so many futures!

I don't know what we should do-

A familiar scream cut through her thoughts and Unakite froze.

"Pearl!" she cried out.

Before Garnet could stop her, the fusion was bounding up the walls towards the Desert Glass.

Pearl and Amethyst had been trapped between four walls of sand. Pearl held onto Amethyst tightly, shielding her with her body as Desert Glass began to pour in sand on top of them. She silently stared at the two gems, not seeming to notice the fusion that had leaped into the air, sword held high, aiming for her.

Pearl looked up to see Unakite preparing to bring her sword down on Desert Glass. They could be saved!

Desert Glass held out one arm and a jet of sand smashed the fusion against a wall that sprang up. Unakite scrambled onto the wall, grabbing blindly for a handhold, finally finding it and holding on for dear life. Garnet bounded up next and was equally dispatched. They could feel the pain and confusion emanating from the gem as she looked at her prisoners, pressing the sand onto them. Were they her allies? She had been trapped for thousands of years on that pillow after the corruption … and Rose never agreed with her tactics ...

The pain turned to anger and she continued her trapping of the gems.

Garnet struggled to look over at Unakite who was now gasping for breath as the sand pressed hard, constricting her chest. She shuddered, thinking of the fact that Unakite was almost as vulnerable as Connie because of her human side. If she couldn't get freed soon, she could suffocate and split apart. Connie would be dead and Peridot's gem could be lost forever. Desert Glass needed to be taken down soon, but not even Garnet was able to move out of her grasp.

"ROAR!"

Desert Glass jerked her head up to see someone she had not seen for a decade. He had been absent during each of the training sessions with her (he never trusted her) and she wavered in her control of the sand, freeing Unakite to gasp for a big breath of air. This was the opening that was needed as the pink blur pushed her to the edge of her tower.

"Lion!" Unakite cried out, still holding onto the wall.

He kept his focus on the Desert Glass who continued to shoot jets of sand, trying to keep a barrier between herself and the enraged big cat. He snarled and leaped at her, missing by a fraction of a second as she dodged him.

He turned to Garnet and nodded. As soon as he leaped at the gem again, Garnet's trap was lifted, the distraction provided, and Garnet leaped to Unakite, helping her to the ground before returning to dig Amethyst and Pearl out of their trap. After being rescued, the group of gems watched as Lion fought the gem, swiping at her and roaring. Finally, he charged her, knocking her off of the tower and to the ground. He watched from the top and closed his eyes. It was time.

The gems were too in shock, watching as Lion's mane glowed. Unakite gasped as they watched a bright light escape Lion's mane before forming a mannequin figure with a familiar pink gem on it's abdomen. Pearl gasped, watching the light take shapes that she had not seen in 10,000 years … 7000 years … 3000 … 20 …

The three Crystal Gems feared that this would be the final form that the light would take as it glowed bright once more, too bright to see the final form, before a pink shield erupted from the light, smacking into the Desert Glass and poofing her, destroying her sand castle for good.