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"Peridot, wait!" Steven shouted as he and Nora returned to the surface, chasing after the green Gem with concern. "She's fast for such a tiny Gem."
Steven continued looking around frantically, while Nora decided to try and calm herself, closing her eyes and steadying her breathing; what she was about to attempt had a chance of being risky to her health, but decided it was worth it for Peridot's sake.
"Where do you think she went, sis?" Steven asked Nora, only to hear a groan from her as she nearly collapses. "Nora." Steven turns around and grabs her in time.
"I know where she is," Nora stated.
"But how… you used your future vision, didn't you?" Steven asked with some concern.
"I know, I could've ended up passing out again, and you can scold me about it later, but it was the quickest way to find Peridot."
"Well, where is she?"
"First, we need to get to a warp pad."
"All right," Steven said with a nod, trusting his sister's judgment. Nora carefully stood herself up and grabbed her brother's hand; suddenly feel a new burst of energy as she sped across the kindergarten, tightly holding on to Steven's hand until they finally reached the warp pad that brought them to the place.
"Woah," Steven said a bit dazed, trying to process what just happened. "Since when could you do that?"
"I don't know? It just happened." Nora answered, not sure either as she stepped on to the crystalline surface with Steven. "But that isn't important now, let's find Peridot."
The pad glowed brightly as its energy teleported the siblings to the green Gem's location.
[VWROPSHIIIING!]
The twins quickly step off the warp pad upon arriving at their new location, ignoring the queasiness in their stomachs; finding themselves in the middle of a ruined city in the desert; one that appeared to be well over a couple of thousand years old, with architectural designs that Steven recognized.
"Woah," Steven said aloud.
"What is?" Nora asked.
"A lot of these designs look similar, yet different to the Lunar Sea Spire."
"The same place Jasper took you to unlock your weapon, right?"
"That's the one."
"Gem history never ceases to amaze, but we can't think about this right now… all right, according to my vision, we should find Peridot by a plaza-like structure."
"Lead the way then, sis."
After an hour of walking, the two Half-Gem eventually made it to the plaza that Nora foresaw; just like in her vision, she found Peridot in the exact spot she predicted. "Peridot!"
The green Gem sees the twins and begins to run away.
"Wait!" Steven shouted to the green Gem as he and Nora ran after her. "We just want to talk!"
"There is nothing to talk about!" Peridot shouted back to the twins as she continued running.
"Yes, there is; help us understand." Nora pleaded.
"There is nothing for you to understand, I'm just a bad Gem," Peridot answered.
Upon hearing those words, Nora stopped and thrust her hands forward; creating a wall of ice in front of the small Gem, forcing her to stay. "No, you're not; please, just tell us the whole story."
"We just want to help," Steven added in.
"If I told you, you'd just end up hating me," Peridot answered.
"Peridot, we could never hat you; we just want to understand what's bothering you."
"Please, talk to us," Nora added in as she and her brother stepped closer to the small Gem.
Peridot remained silent for a moment before she looked the two kids in the eye. "Are you sure you want to know?"
Nora and Steven both answered with confirming nods.
"Very well…" Peridot started, taking a deep breath. "By now, I take it that you've noticed the architecture of this place is Gem-like."
"We have," Nora confirmed.
"Then, you must know that we aren't the only Gems on Earth."
"We've speculated about about that too."
"Thousands of years ago, Earth was to be made into a… 'home' for our kind. Amazing works of architecture like this city were crafted to establish the Gem-kinds rule over the Earth; it was ripe with resources that opened new possibilities for advancements in society, culture, and technology. However, these advancements were… harming the Earth…" Peridot paused for a moment to look at the ground, then resumed. "Not all Gem's agreed with what was happening; so, fighting broke out between two factions of Gems for the planet's future. One of those factions became the Crystal Gems. For the longest time, I believed the side I chose was the right one; but after the fighting ended, and I met your mother… I realized the side I was on was the wrong one…"
The twins remained silent, trying to process everything they just heard from their guardian; until Steven finally spoke up. "What happened?"
Peridot sighed deeply before continuing her story. "As the Crystal Gems numbers grew, my sides depleted; to make up for the lack of soldiers, my… superiors ordered for me and other brilliant Gems like me to commence with what they labeled as Project: Cluster. Create new Gem warriors, by using the shards of shattered ones."
The kids gasped at what they heard, not knowing how to respond.
"But my superiors wanted to see if the project would work and decided to use 'volunteers' as they called them. Jasper was right; there were soldiers trained at the kindergarten and… they were chosen to be the 'volunteers.' All of them were shattered and used as test subjects, and I didn't even question my orders…" Peridot's voice began to crack as she choked on her words. "Th… this isn't what I wanted! But I did nothing nonetheless!"
Nora's eyes widened with realization upon recognizing the way Peridot said, "This isn't what I wanted!" It was the same way Peridot from her coma-inducing vision said it. However, her brother nor the green Gem noticed.
"I let them die, and I didn't do anything, that's why I'm a bad Gem!" Peridot added lastly as tears ran down her cheek.
"Peridot…" Nora started, placing a hand on the green Gem's shoulder. "You are not a bad Gem; at least you're not that bad Gem anymore."
"We're shocked about all of this, but we don't hate you," Steven added in. "Whoever that Peridot was, you're not her now."
"Lapis and Jasper don't hate you either if you just tell them what you told us." Nora concludingly added.
"You don't fully understand; you weren't there like them."
"Well, we won't know unless we try," Steven said, extending his hand out. "Come home with us."
Peridot didn't say anything for a moment as she eyed Stevens hand; asking herself if to accept it or not.
"Ugh…" Nora groaned as she rubbed her forehead.
"Nora…" Steven started, quickly glancing at his sister.
"Look out!" Nora shouted as she grabbed both Steven and Peridot, and dashed out of their current area; just as a massive pillar collapsed, falling almost crushing the three of them.
[KRRRUSHHOOOOOM!]
The impact kicked up a significant amount of sand into the air.
"… *cough… *cough… That was close…" Steven stated, with shock; coughing out the dusty sand.
"Dammit!" An unfamiliar voice shouted as the group turned to its source. Standing at least several yards from the group was a tall and built woman like Jasper, with differences being her rainbow dreadlocks, metal-like skin, and inward-pyramidal gemstone located on her chest. She was dressed as a blacksmith with a large sleeve concealing her left arm and her right arm exposed, with a sizeable drill-like weapon attached to it.
"A bismuth," Peridot said to herself quietly, recognizing their attacker.
"Hey, why did you attack us?" Steven shouts defensively, preparing for a fight.
"I'm not after you two; I'm here for her!" The Gem responded. "Homeworld scum need to get what they deserve." Bismuth pumped her right arm upwards as the drill cocks itself like a gun.
Peridot's eyes widen upon recognizing the weapon. "A Breaking Point."
"A Breaking Point?" The twins asked their guardian.
"If she has a Breaking Point, then that means…" Peridot starts, her thoughts clicking together with realization. "The Breaking Point is an untested prototype of a Gem Weapon that never got a chance to be used in the war; there would be no digital records of it at the time; that is how you're shattering Gem Monster with no way of being tracked."
"Hmm… of course a Gem like you would figure it out." Bismuth states in a tone that doesn't confirm, or deny her involvement with what the green Gem accuses her of.
"Why are you shattering them? What do you gain out of it?" Nora asked, wanting to know the meaning behind killing Gems the way the Gem is.
"I gain nothing out of it." Bismuth started in a low tone. "In fact, every Gem Monster I shatter kills me on the inside; but I find it to be a necessary evil." The large Gem looked over and Peridot, point her index finger at her. "They are in constant pain because of Gems like her! Shattering them is the only way to free them from that pain."
"But what about bubbling them, we bubble them, so they don't hurt themselves," Steven stated, in defiance of Bismuth's beliefs.
"Don't act like you know what's best; the two of you could never understand! The Crystal Gems fought for your people, and look where it got them. I'm willing to do what others are not. Now, I'm only going to say this once: Step aside, or I'll take you both out with her." Bismuth said lastly with menace in her tone, preparing for a conflict.
"Grr… You're not going anywhere near Peridot!" Steven shouted as he summoned his gauntlets and charged the large Gem head on. As Steven was about to throw a mean right hook at his opponent, she shapeshifts her left hand into a mallet and uppercuts the Half-Gem; sending him flying over and landing behind Nora and Peridot.
"Steven!" The two of them shouted in shock.
Nora quickly turned around and formed a tall and thick wall of ice between the Crystal Gems and their opponent, knowing they can't take her head on; before rushing over to check on her brother. "Steven, are you okay?"
"Do I look okay?" Steven replied, feeling sore.
"Well, can you stand, at least?" Peridot asks, offering him a hand up.
"Yeah," Steven answered taking the green Gems hand; he wobbled a bit as he tried to regain his balance, but Nora held him steady.
[KRACKOOOM!]
"Ah!" The three Crystal Gems yelped as they saw the Breaking Point punch a hole right through the ice wall with ease.
"We need to get out of here!" Peridot ordered. "Everyone to the warp pad!"
[KRACKOOOM!]
As soon as the group began to flee, Bismuth destroyed the barrier and pursues the group as she cocks her weapon.
"Keep going; we're almost to the warp pad!" Peridot shouted as she and the twins put as much distance between them and Bismuth as they can.
[KRACKOOOM!]
The loud sound from Bismuth's weapon echoes as she uses it on a pillar, creating a domino effect of knocking over other ruins; until a massive post crashes right in front of the Crystal Gems, blocking their escape route. Without a second thought, the group takes off in a random direction as the enemy Gem draws closer. Nora wanted to use her future vision to find an efficient escape route, but she couldn't do that and run at the same time.
They kept running until they ended up cornering themselves near what looked like an ancient watermill. "Great, where do we go now?" Steven asked as he and the others looked around for an exit.
"End of the line!" Bismuth shouts as she finally caught to them, cocking her weapon once more. "Quit running like cowards and face what comes next."
"It looks like we don't have much of choice." Nora says as she and Steven stepped forward to protect Peridot, with Steven summoning his gauntlets without a word. The Half-Gem charges at Bismuth like last time, but now managed to avoid her hammer hand; delivering a sharp punch to the large Gem's stomach. Bismuth steps back in surprise as Steven prepares to striker her again, only backhanded away.
Nora sends forward multiple pikes of ice from the ground charging at the Gem, managing to catch her off guard and injure her. Nora sends forward another set of ice pikes at Bismuth, who punches them with the Breaking Point; stopping them in place. Bismuth charges at Nora and hits her in the gut with enough force that it slams her onto a wall, hurting her badly.
"Nora!" Steven shouted with anger as he charges at Bismuth with emotion filled fury. However, the large Gem manages to grab Steven's left arm and breaks it with a single twist. "AHHHHHH!" Bismuth lifts Steven up off the ground and prepares to strike him with the Breaking Point.
"Wait!" Peridot shouts at the enemy Gem, garnering her attention. "I'm the one you won't remember." Bismuth looked over at the injured Nora and decided to toss Steven aside; leaving them be as she drew closer to Peridot.
"Pe… Peridot… what… what are you doing?" Nora weakly asks as she tries to stand.
"I'm not letting you get killed because of my mistake."
"No, Peridot, don't do this!" Steven shouts with tears in his eyes. "Please."
Bismuth picks the green Gem off the ground and cocks the Breaking Point, aiming it's drill a few inches away from the gemstone on Peridot's head. Believing this to be her final moments, she looks at the twins and utters the words, "I love you."
Bismuth prepares to shatter Peridot when she is hit by an orange comet that pushes her aside and onto the ground; making her drop the Crystal Gem. Peridot, Steven, and Nora look up to see Jasper standing before Bismuth.
"Jasper!" Steven and Nora happily shouted at the same time.
"Get away from them." The orange Quartz says in an actively menacing tone as she stares down her adversary.
Steven, Nora, and Peridot look up once more to see Lapis fly in behind Jasper.
"Lapis." The twins said simultaneously.
"Hold her off as long as you can; I'll tend to them." Lapis orders as she runs over to get Nora, Steven and Peridot together to check on their conditions.
"I don't care what you're doing, or who you think you are. But I promise you, you're in for a world of hurt right now." Jasper told her opponent as she cracked her knuckles, eager to fight someone that looked like they could pose a challenge to her.
Bismuth stands up and shapeshifts her hand into a hammer. Jasper charges the grey Gem with vast amounts of speed to deliver a punch to Bismuth's face. Bismuth blocks the punch and prepares strike back, only for Jasper to dodge it and successfully provide an uppercut at the same time as Bismuth manages to hit Jasper across the face.
While the two massive warriors continue to trade blows with each other, Lapis tends to the injured Crystal Gems as best as she can; heading over to Steven first. She tries helping Steven up, but only causes the pain of his broken arm to grow. "I'm sorry Steven."
"It's okay, Lapis. I'll live." Steven assures his guardian. "Please check on Nora."
Lapis nods and runs over to the female Half-Gem. Nora had some broken ribs, and needed to be moved carefully; something the blue Gem will need help with. However, another person Lapis is concerned about is Greg; the poor man is probably going to have a heart attack seeing his kids like this.
Jasper's and Bismuth's brawl continues with both Gems showing to be equals when it comes to raw strength. Jasper delivers a straight right hook at the metallic Gem, who retaliates with an uppercut. The enemy Gem prepares to strike the orange Gem's gemstone with her Breaking Point, only for Jasper to grab and hold it in place. Bismuth shapeshifted her left hand into a hammer and was about to strike Jasper overhead, but Jasper quickly grabs the cloth of her arm and kicks her away; tearing it. Jasper glares at the fabric than at Bismuth and realizes what was kept underneath it; a tattoo of a star, an all too familiar symbol. "You're a Crystal Gem?"
Bismuth says nothing and scowls at the orange Quartz, before slamming the Breaking Point on the sand beneath them; creating a cloud of dust that forces Jasper to cover her eyes. Once the dust settles, she discovers the enemy Gem to be gone without a trace. Not knowing where she went, Jasper turned her attention to Peridot; walking over to the little Gem.
Peridot looks up at Jasper with regret in her eyes. "Jasper, I'm so sorry for what happened at the kindergarten; I shouldn't have…"
[Smack!]
Jasper slaps Peridot across the face, much to the twins and Lazuli's surprise, only to hug her seconds later. "What were you thinking, giving up like that?" Jasper asked Peridot.
"What?"
"Why would you do something that stupid?"
"Because I deserved it… you have every right to hate me…"
"Peridot, I don't hate you. None of us hate you." Jasper told the green Gem, looking her in the eye. "What we saw was terrible, and it hurt to learn you were involved in it, but the Gem who did that isn't you anymore. You've grown to be far better than her." The orange Quartz finished with some tears in her eyes.
"I'm… sorry, I worried you." Peridot apologizes.
"It's okay, Peridot." After reconciling with each other, Jasper turns to Lapis. "How are the kids doing?"
"We'll be all right," Nora assures the large Gem. "But I think we'll need to be carried back."
Jasper nods, and carefully scoops the twins and Peridot up in her arms. "Let's head home."
The Crystal Gems smile in agreement as Lapis and Jasper head to the nearest warp pad with the injured Gem carefully carried by the orange Quartz. Even though they had smiled on their faces, Nora and Steven could tell the Crystal Gems were concerned about Bismuth and what they now know.