The morning sun, one that is not of the Milky Way, shines through the temple.
It seems our heroes' journey is finally over,
After all this time, you realize that the sun in this galaxy is not too different from your own.
You're filled...WITH DETERMINATION.
"Welp, it's been a real slice," Gaspeite said as the small group of Gems looked up at the Diamond Palace, which seemed much larger than it ever was before. That's what intimidation does, it makes what might be small seem big and unstoppable. The Gems had woken up late. Fire Opal decided that a peaceful sleep would be a good satisfying wish to a dying Gem. Maybe that's just a poor excuse for procrastinating. The team was silent for most of that morning, just like the entire planet. As they strapped on weapons that they stole methodically from the Black Market over time, each Gem looked at each other dismally. Moonstone turned to Rhodonite, Black Pearl turned to Aura Quartz, Gaspeite turned to Black Pearl, who then turned to Moonstone, then Fire Opal, then the team all looked to Rhodonite. There was a heavy silence until they stood in front of the giant, grandeur palace of some sort of white material. Gaspeite had been the first one to speak that morning.
"That's a rather pessimistic attitude," Moonstone said, not looking away from the palace.
"Hey. If I spent my whole life with high expectations, I wouldn't have survived the way I have. It's better to have low expectations and be pleasantly surprised than to have high expectations and be disappointed, or better yet, dead." Gaspeite replied.
"We're not going to die today." Rhodonite couldn't help but lie. She knew there was no telling what could happen that day. The Diamonds were deities, and she knew it, but she couldn't lose hope. She couldn't lose determination. Not now, not ever. Rhodonite had worked too hard to get this far, and she was going to finish it. If not for herself, but for Moonstone, Black Pearl, Aura Quartz, and Gaspeite, and all they had been through.
Black Pearl chuckled, almost breathlessly. "Not with me around we're not. It's just a couple of Quartzes, Amazonite, some CyberCats, Maw Sit Sit and the most powerful Gems of all. Pfft. No biggie. I've fought worse." Black Pearl could suddenly feel a weight on her body and a warmth on her skin. It was Aura, hugging her, her face buried into her shoulder. "Oy, bugger off, will ya?" Black Pearl said, her voice breaking more and more, her lips quivering and eyes welling with tears. She couldn't hold it in anymore. None of them could. She was the only one dressed for battle in her full armor, clutching her spear in her right hand. Her weapons belt was slung loosely around her waist.
"I'm sorry. C-can you at least, promise me that you'll be with me if we go?" Aura Quartz asked quietly. Two Gem destabilizers were strapped to her waist.
Black Pearl sniffled but tried to keep her cool. "Sure, why not." Although she wanted to clutch onto the Quartz with all her might and never let go.
"Enough with the crying. We need to discuss the plan. It's simple. Divide and conquer. Rhodonite and Moonstone go find the Diamonds, Jet and Gaspeite will go for Maw Sit Sit, and Aura Quartz and I will take on the big guns." Fire Opal said, slamming her fist into her palm.
"T-The big guns? I thought the Diamonds were the big guns." Aura Quartz said.
"These are next in command. Carnelian and Amazonite. They're for military grade people, like us." Fire Opal replied.
"Oh, gold." Aura Quartz sighed. She had never seen her new friends act so strange, but then again, she was pretty much blindly following them into the jaws of death. Maybe that was her way of convincing herself that suicide was okay, if she did it for a cause and not for herself. Fear had changed everyone into a more intimate version of the mostly cold Gems she knew. Black Pearl cried, Gaspeite actually spoke profoundly, and Rhodonite tried harder than usual to be a good leader.
"There are no guards. They're getting cocky." Fire Opal squinted at the palace. "Or they're just being stupid. Hard to tell which is which these days."
"So we just storm in and kill everyone in our way?" Gaspeite asked.
"Sounds easy enough. Like a warm-up to me." Black Pearl shrugged.
"Try not to kill anyone, though," Moonstone added.
"Any last words before we storm in?" Fire Opal asked.
"I'll go first," Gaspeite said. "Fire Opal, you were a total pain in my butt from start to finish and I'll be glad to be rid of ya. Black Pearl, you weren't much different. You're a pain, but you're an attractive pain, I'll give you that. You seem to get what it's like being a criminal, and I can respect that. Moonstone, you were too nosy and nice for your own good. You think saving everyone is going to cover up who you are, what you did. Well, it isn't." Moonstone blushed when Gaspeite said this. "Aura Quartz, I don't know you too well, but I always thought you were a bit of a crybaby for a Quartz. And Rhodonite, you were about the worst leader I have ever seen. You wanted to be like Rose Quartz, but in all truthfulness, there's no way one can beat her in a leadership contest. However, I may see ya'll as royal pains, but you made my final moments surprisingly enjoyable. You're good Gems, although the Diamonds saw us otherwise."
Gaspeite pretty much stole the words out of everyone's mouths, but Rhodonite turned to Moonstone for a moment of intimacy. Black Pearl, who was standing beside Moonstone noticed this, shrugged, and was pulled into her own moment with Aura Quartz.
"Are you ready for this?" Rhodonite asked quietly. She towered over Moonstone, which was ironic seeing how she once towered over her as Blue Diamond. Moonstone had crept closer so there was very little space between them.
Moonstone looked down at the ground and placed her hand on Rhodonite's shoulder. "I don't know."
Rhodonite smiled ever so slightly. "Hm. I don't know if I am either."
"Then why are we going today?" Moonstone moved even closer, pressing her body against Rho's.
"Very funny. If we don't fight today, when? We've made it too far. Can't you hear it? Can't you feel everyone's hearts beating as one? Everyone in the whole galaxy? Don't you want to fight, for all you've been through?" Rhodonite whispered. "You may not believe me, but when a problem or a cause appears and it stares you in the eyes, you must seize it, that's how change happens."
Moonstone smiled. "I guess so."
"Soon, all that guessing gonna turn into knowing." Rhodonite winked. Moonstone hugged Rhodonite tightly, tears flowing out of her eyes. Rhodonite looked down on her partner and kissed her on the forehead. "I love you." They pulled apart and looked into each other's eyes. "Let's finish this."
"Yeah. And we'll do it together." Moonstone smiled.
Meanwhile, Aura Quartz was talking to Black Pearl, except not with the same composure as Rhodonite and Moonstone. Aura's eyes had become living waterfalls, and Black Pearl had sucked in all tears that had formed in her eyes and kept them there. She was cold and reserved, just as she usually was during these types of things. She had grown fond of the pathetic Quartz in front of her, but seriously, she just wanted to slap her back into the way a Quartz was supposed to be.
"Jet?" Aura Quartz sniffled quietly.
"Call me Black Pearl." Black Pearl said. Aura Quartz looked up at her, eyes wide.
"Wow...I...I don't know what's gonna happen today, but if we make it out I want you to know that...if you ever need help, with anything, if you need someone to listen, or if you just need somebody safe...I'm here. You're broken, I know you are. If fate carries us out of this alive in her arms, I want to carry you safely through the rest of this horrible thing called life." Aura Quartz said with a confidence that came with knowing that this may be her last chance.
Black Pearl's cheeks flushed a color darker than her ashen skin. "Yeah. You too. Good luck." Aura Quartz seemed to know what she meant by that. When she fused with Black Pearl to make Mystic Quartz, she broke a wall she never would've imagined breaking. Ever since then, she wanted to break through it further. She wanted to show her that not everyone was like the inhabitants of these "kill or be killed" worlds, even if it meant breaking through each emotional wall one fight at a time. Then again, maybe this was Aura's last chance to do that. Maybe she failed.
"Hey, if we're finished with the emotional crap, we've got a castle to storm." Fire Opal said. The group turned to Fire Opal and nodded, then looked to Rhodonite, the leader who despite how horrible she may be, they still supported her to the end, for she was the one who started it all.
"Let's do this," Rhodonite said, and with that, the small, persistent, determined group of rebels began to sprint towards the unguarded palace entrance. It was surprising how fast their demeanor changed in those few seconds. It went from intimate, emotional, mournful to confident, proud, defiant, and strangely...happy. Maybe it was adrenaline, or pride, or just sheer insanity, no one can be sure. They just ran as though it were a race. The Gems were racing towards certain death, and each of them was bound to win. It was an all-in bet, betting their fates for everything they had, their pasts, presents, futures, and everything strung in between. Their footsteps and breathing echoed through the barren city and in the lobby of the palace once they entered. The lobby would be their parting place since each party had to take different hallways. They stopped there and looked at each other one last time. They then gave one final salute and went their separate ways. Rhodonite and Moonstone went up the middle, Black Pearl and Gaspeite went left, and Fire Opal and Aura Quartz took the right, and off they went into the mouth of uncertain futures, stars broadcasted proudly on their chests.
It was a three-way ascent to the main Diamond throne rooms. Two flank attacks and one charge up the middle. The first party to reach their target was Black Pearl and Gaspeite. The hallway they went down Gaspeite knew well. It was the one with all the control rooms, each manned by a group of Peridots and Fluorites, all burdened with the job of keeping the planet and all its contents up and running. Black Pearl and Gaspeite slowed to a walk in the white hallway with green wires snaking on the walls.
"Why are we stopping?" Gaspeite asked although she was secretly thankful. A couple flights of stairs and she was already tired.
"We could run straight into a trap, I know she's in here...waiting for us. I saw a security camera in the lobby. They know we're here. It's just they'd rather build us up only to kill us." Black Pearl grunted. She reached into her weapon belt, drew a pistol and shot it down the hallway with a loud bang. However, the bullet was blocked by a large green cleaver that was thrown from behind a door. The bullet hit the blade with a loud clang and fell on the floor. The knife jabbed into one of the wires, causing it to break and spark.
"What the-" Gaspeite whispered before the figure of Maw Sit Sit stepped regally out from one of the doors lining the hallway. She looked the same as she always did in her dark green robes and tight bun. She had a mischievous grin drawn on her face, one that is not exactly normal for such an overly dependent person.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You just gave away your position. Gasp! What will our protagonists do now, I wonder? Or should I say, antagonists." Maw Sit Sit jeered as she pulled her knife from the wall. Black Pearl and Gaspeite growled softly and clenched their fists. "Oh! If it isn't Jet, most formally known as Black Pearl, the murderer who can't seem to be caught, and Gaspeite the Animator. Oh! I wasn't expecting such an ANIMATED response from you two!" Maw Sit Sit cackled.
"Let us pass, and no one gets hurt," Gaspeite said, her hands slowly reaching down to the two pistols strapped to her belt.
Maw Sit Sit chuckled. "Oh come on! The readers will get bored if we don't fight! Besides, your little friend will kill me as sure as fish eggs are fish eggs. It's in her character."
"Readers?" Gaspeite asked, tilting her head.
"Well, your premonition is right." Black Pearl said, shooting multiple bullets at Maw Sit Sit's Gem, all of them being blocked by multiple green cleavers that she summoned and twirled and juggled in her hands. Eventually, all that came from Black Pearl's gun was a dismal clicking noise that meant it was out of ammo.
"Ahuhuhuhu," Maw Sit Sit chuckled. "You idiots! I would tell you how to defeat me, but only cliche antagonists would be that stupid! It'd be much more interesting to watch you figure it out!" She threw three cleavers in Black Pearl and Gaspeite's direction, all of which were dodged.
Black Pearl ran to Maw Sit Sit, summoned spear in hand. She aimed to stab Maw in the chest, but it was blocked by another cleaver. The two engaged in something of a swordfight, although technically there weren't any swords involved. Surprisingly, Maw Sit Sit detected Black Pearl's every move. It was as though she could see into the future. "Why...you!" Black Pearl growled in frustration. Usually fights didn't last this long with her.
"Ahuhuhu! I've watched you fight before! I know all your moves, honey! You've been under the eye of the law for years, I've watched your battles and bar fights for all those years!" Maw Sit Sit cackled. "It's like fighting yourself!"
Gaspeite couldn't help but watch apprehensively. She wasn't sure what to do. Of course, she couldn't. She wasn't meant for fighting. She was just a defective Peridot doing something not even a defective one of her kind is supposed to be doing.
But then again, Black Pearl was not meant for fighting either, and look how far she's come.
With that tiny sliver of determination, she glanced over to the green wires on the wall, now sparking and crackling from wayward blades slicing them. Maw Sit Sit pinned Black Pearl to the wall, knife at her throat, but Black Pearl had her spear pressed against Maw's, making it so if one of them moved a tiny inch, the other would strike and they'd die at the same time. Gaspeite clenched her fists, then opened them and set her hands on the wires. She closed her eyes and felt a power surging through her newly healed Gem once more. It was an indescribable tingling feeling that Gaspeite wasn't quite sure how she lived without for all that time. Save Jet, and protect me and my friends, that's all I ask. Gaspeite was surprised she was able to think such selfless thoughts and project them into the new life she had created, but she hoped it would stick. Once Gaspeite opened her eyes, the wires broke from the wall and writhed for a few seconds on the floor beside Gaspeite's feet. The front end of the wires that faced Maw Sit Sit and Black Pearl perked up and started to slither towards the two Gems like snakes, still crackling with electricity. Gaspeite kept making more creatures out of the wires on the wall, and they were all programmed with the same selfish, yet selfless purpose.
Maw Sit Sit could feel the wires snaking up her legs and constricting her slowly. Her eyes moved down to them. She chuckled softly. "The animator has healed, I see."
Black Pearl grinned slyly and let the wire serpents creep up Maw Sit Sit's body until they circled around her neck and poofed her with the amount of pressure they inflicted and electric heat they emitted. Her Gem fell to the floor with a slight clink. Black Pearl looked over Gaspeite and laughed. "You did it!"
"Thanks for distracting her," Gaspeite smiled.
"No problem, even though I was planning on you being the bait, idiot." Black Pearl said.
"Hey, who saved your butt today?" Gaspeite asked.
"Fine, you. Thanks, dumbarse." Black Pearl said.
"We have to go and help the others, let's roll," Gaspeite said. At that moment, the wire snakes seemed to die out, leaving them as limp hardware on the floor. Black Pearl and Gaspeite continued down the hallway, this time, at a much more relaxed pace...
The hallway in which Aura Quartz and Fire Opal trekked were fairly different from the one Black Pearl and Gaspeite was in. The sunlight seemed to make the corridor sparkle gold. It had a style similar to a grand temple, with large pillars that were held up by statues of agonized Gems, like the statues were doomed to lift the pillars and support the building for all eternity. In between each pillar were beautiful stain glass windows that had geometric designs of each Diamond doing heroic deeds, like conquering planets and helping Gems by giving them "necessary" augmentations. This made it look like the Diamonds were helping people, and not hurting them. Aura Quartz looked up and around in fear, and Fire Opal was stoic. She couldn't help but think of Howlite as they wandered through. Suddenly, the ground vibrated under their feet with the same rhythm as footsteps. They looked up to see two figures, one, a hulking eleven-foot woman with green skin and poofy hair, the other, a regular-looking Quartz with fiery skin who had actually donned armor, to Fire Opal's surprise.
Fire Opal and Aura Quartz stopped in their tracks. "Oh, gold, who are they?" Aura Quartz asked apprehensively, turning to Fire Opal.
"The big guns." Fire Opal said, a wry grin on her face. "I didn't think you'd want to fight me again, Carnie." Fire Opal spoke up as she taunted her former master.
Carnelian chuckled as her and Amazonite stepped out into a sunbeam from the window. "Please. I could beat you any day. Just not that day."
"Now you're just being stupidly narcissistic." Fire Opal jeered. She could see Carnelian growl and mutter under her breath. Fire Opal whispered to Aura Quartz. "Fuse with me."
"What?" Aura Quartz said louder than she meant to, her face blushing the color of robin eggs.
"The only way to take them on is together. Follow my lead." Fire Opal smiled.
"Mm." Aura Quartz nodded as the two Gems backed up from each other. Fire Opal started to shake her hips and wave her arms in her typical rumba style while Aura Quartz fouette'd and brise'd in her ballet style. Aura grand jete'd across the floor and Fire Opal met her in the middle, eventually morphing their styles into that of a tango. Fire Opal twirled Aura Quartz before locking her into an abrazo embrace. After spinning in the embrace, Fire Opal dipped Aura Quartz, their Gems glowing, before merging into an extremely muscular Gem the size of Amazonite with turquoise and teal two-toned skin, dread-locked teal hair, wearing something of an orange tank top and turquoise short skirt. A look of sheer, wry, pride was drawn on the fusion's face and determination flickered in her four eyes. She slammed her fist into her palm, causing them to emit blue flames.
"Bailamos?" The fusion asked snarkily.
"Fusion? Come on, are you that weak?" Carnelian growled.
"The name's Chrysocolla, actually." The fusion replied.
Amazonite snickered. "That's pretty good." Carnelian shot a glare at her. "Right, right, we should be fighting." Amazonite and Carnelian cracked their knuckles and started to sprint to Chrysocolla. Fire Opal gave Aura Quartz some sort of sick confidence when they fused, and together they knew they would be strong enough to fight the two opponents charging towards them. Amazonite glided first towards Chrysocolla, right fist reeled back for a power sucker punch. Chrysocolla twirled, hair whipping around her, and caught Amazonite's fist before it could land on her chest. With that firm grab, she quickly and tightly tucked Amazonite's arm against her chest, locking her into the same abrazo embrace Fire Opal used during the fusion dance. Amazonite struggled under her grip, but to no avail. However, Carnelian jabbed Chrysocolla in the leg with a gem destabilizer, temporarily stunning her long enough for Amazonite to get free and whack her in the face with her shillelagh, knocking the wind out of her.
We have to get up. Come on, Aura. We don't want to be the first ones to get wiped out, now, do we? Fire Opal said in the fusion. And with that, Chrysocolla got up again, summoned Aura's boomerang and threw it, hitting Amazonite on the head twice. Once in the front, twice in the back. In a fit of rage, Amazonite roared and charged Chrysocolla once moved, shillelagh ready to strike. Chrysocolla had "inherited" Fire Opal's reflexes, allowing her to snatch Amazonite's shillelagh, hold it tight, and throw it across the room and out the window, Amazonite in tow. The giant Gem knocked down half of the pillars on the right side, causing the roof of the building to slide left. Chrysocolla's eyes wandered to the broken statues that once held the pillars. At least, they're free now.
All that was left now was Carnelian, angrier than ever. She knew that if Chrysocolla could defeat Amazonite, then she could defeat her too. She refused to accept it. She refused to let someone like Fire Opal, a lesser Gem, defeat someone with such military experience. The student wasn't supposed to beat the teacher! It was always meant to be the other way around! Carnelian growled and sprinted towards the fusion, summoning her morning star and growing it to be the biggest it had ever been. Chrysocolla knew what was coming.
Aura Quartz. Now's our chance. Let's show them they can't control us anymore.
What?
Think of what they did to you, and have it manifest in flaming rage.
Mm. I'll do it.
Chrysocolla closed her eyes with a tranquility that could only come with knowledge of true strength and a certainty of what was to come. She slammed her fist in her palm, and flames rose and formed a ring around her. It was a gorgeous swirl of blue and orange flames that manifested into a great creature of aurora borealis. A grand wolf with outstretched angel wings. This was the spirit of Aura Quartz, brought to life by Fire Opal's spirit. Carnelian didn't care what was happening, no, not at all. All that mattered was winning. She swung her morning star and aimed straight past the wolf spirit and into the Gem of Fire Opal on the fusion. However, the wolf had grown to be so strong now, with the thoughts and faith that a life of freedom and peace and prosperity hand and hand could and would happen, that the morning star did nothing. It was as though the spirit had turned to flesh. Carnelian hacked and hacked at the beast, but nothing happened. Her grunts turned to sobs and whimpers as she clutched to victory even though it exerted her to do so.
"Carnelian." The combined voice of Fire Opal and Aura Quartz thundered through the wolf as it looked down at the worn Gem soldier.
"What do you want?" Carnelian shouted.
"Give it up, and I'll say that you won," Chrysocolla said.
"Right. You have no sense of honor!"
"If you defeated me, but went insane in the process, would it still be a victory?" Chrysocolla asked. Carnelian's glare faltered. Her shoulders tensed and released at her words. "Give up and live in peace, then you will be forever victorious." Carnelian was speechless, she merely looked defeated. She refused to make eye contact with Chrysocolla, she just kept her head down. The wolf spirit dissolved into purple smoke, and Chrysocolla walked out of the hallway, leaving Carnelian silent.
It took the longest for Rhodonite and Moonstone to reach their destination. The highest floor of the palace was where only the most royal of Gems could go, the Diamonds. Three separate throne rooms, shrines for each Diamond. Yellow and Blue on the left, and White and the old Pink on the right. The grandiose door in the middle was the grand throne room, the meeting for all the Diamonds. Rhodonite and Moonstone turned to each other before they entered their doors. There were no words spoken, just a simple nod. With that nod, Rhodonite disappeared into the Yellow Diamond shrine and Moonstone entered White Diamond's domain...
Yellow Diamond's throne room suited her well. A contemporary area with holographic computer screens lining the walls. There were no technicians manning them, though. The floor was of gold, and the walls were white like the hallways. In the back of the throne room on a pedestal was a floating seat that looked to be of regular stone. Behind the throne were glass windows, the panes in the shapes of diamonds. Rhodonite also noticed an exit, a door to the right of the throne. On the grand seat was Yellow Diamond, wearing her same old outfit. She looked relaxed, sitting with her legs crossed. She twirled her saber tauntingly. "'Bout time you showed up, earthling."
"Ugh, what is with villains and taunting their opponents? I bet if Jet were here, she'd shoot you the minute she walked in." Rhodonite said.
Yellow Diamond chuckled. "Or not. She surprisingly got sucked into Maw Sit Sit's monolog."
"Wait..." Rhodonite almost begged Yellow to tell her where her friends were, but she shook her head to get back on task. "I won't let you do this any longer!"
"Do what? I'm doing nothing. You're the one who's attacking me, devil." Yellow Diamond winked.
"You attacked me when you threatened to destroy Earth. You attacked me when you abused Blue Diamond and I. Don't make yourself look like a hero." Rhodonite growled.
Yellow Diamond stood up out of her throne and stared down at Rhodonite from the pedestal leading up to it. "Don't make yourself look like a hero either. You disturbed the peace of Homeworld. If it weren't for you, everything would be perfect."
"Yeah, I disturbed the peace you sustained through fear. That's not peace if you ask me."
"Look at us, monologuing no matter what." Yellow Diamond pointed her sword in Rhodonite's direction. "Draw your weapon and fight." Yellow Diamond's words were short and sharp, just as Rho remembered them. Rhodonite pulled her tomahawk from her Gem and gave it a good warm-up twirl. Yellow Diamond leaped from the throne pedestal and onto the main floor of the room with a loud clack of her heels. And so it began. It was a defensive battle on Rho's side against the constantly oncoming blows of Yellow Diamond's sword. She never stopped attempting to cut through Rhodonite, so Rhodonite always had to block with her weapon. It was like this for several minutes, just Yellow Diamond hacking at Rhodonite as she blocked and backed closer and closer to the entrance and away from the exit. Yellow Diamond didn't want her going through that door. Right before Rhodonite was cornered at the entrance, Yellow Diamond raised her sword for a downward blow, leaving her abdomen open. Rhodonite saw it as an opportunity, lightly cut Yellow Diamond in her open spot and ran while she reacted.
Yellow Diamond hissed in agony before turning to chase Rhodonite with a growl. Now Rho was waiting at the top of the pedestal, panting from running. "Coward! How dare you run!" Yellow Diamond roared.
"Oh, come on. You gotta admit that was smart." Rhodonite said teasingly. Yellow Diamond sprinted towards Rhodonite, her feet thundering on the golden floors before she leaped a surprising height and distance, doing a flip mid air while summoning a second sword, and landing in front of Rhodonite. Yellow Diamond continued trying to attack Rhodonite, this time slashing with two swords. Rhodonite kept blocking and parrying long enough to go through the back exit into the main throne room. It was dark besides the sun beating through the window behind the elevated thrones, shrouding the two fighters in shadows...
C'mon Moonstone, yours can't take that long, can it? Someone, please hurry up... Rhodonite thought.
Meanwhile...
Moonstone wandered into the room she knew well. She wondered what her sisters did with her old room, but quickly shook off the memories. White Diamond's room was made of white marble and jade with accents of gold, making the walls and floors look like fractured bone. The pillars were corinthian with sculptures on the bottom that looked like Gems were holding up each pillar. Lining the walls were mounted swords and stuffed beasts from many planets. It was silent in the room, and although White Diamond was waiting across the long stretch of it, there was still a feeling of no presence. Just a chill, like someone breathing down your neck, and Moonstone felt it. All that could be heard was Moonstone's nervous breaths and her footsteps on the floor. White Diamond was waiting for her in another throne of bones and shards, wearing long white robes, her hair beautifully messy.
"This is a small shock." White Diamond's voice cut through the quiet. Moonstone tensed and focused her attention on White. "I'm glad I got you, though. Sister killer." White Diamond rose from her throne and walked slowly to Moonstone, who reached for her Gem. "No need. I won't harm you." White Diamond said. Moonstone knew she couldn't be trusted but there was something about her voice that calmed her.
"Then what will you do?" Moonstone whispered, taking a step back.
"You remind me of someone. I just want to see your Gem up close. I swear I saw hints of blue in it. That could just be the iridescence of your Gem." White Diamond said calmly.
"Yes, iridescence from the light in here," Moonstone added awkwardly.
"Hmm, yes. What was I thinking." White Diamond's tone turned cold. "So tell me, was it worth it? Was the rush of death enough to calm your lust? Or do you find yourself wanting more?"
"What?"
"You know what you did! You killed my sister, you held her blood in your hands with no sort of reverence! Now, you and everyone you love will burn in despair only to descend into eternal flames!" White Diamond shouted, pointing a long finger at Moonstone. "DIE. SHATTER. See what good murder does you!" White Diamond summoned two war fans and twirled them in her fingers. Moonstone gulped nervously and summoned her bo staff. Her hands started to sweat, making her grip slippery, but she held on because this was going to be a bumpy ride. White Diamond immediately tried to slash Moonstone with her war fans methodically, every movement calculated and graceful. Unlike Rhodonite, Moonstone didn't want to fight a defensive battle, so she thrust along with parried during the fight. It was a good match, two graceful fighters of similar styles having a showdown, it was almost like a dance in itself. Moonstone noticed a door to the left of the throne pedestal and aimed to back her opponent out of it so someone might see her and try to help.
During the fight, White Diamond decided to start a conversation. "You know," She panted. "You remind me of her."
"Who?" Moonstone asked as she attempted to jab White Diamond in the gut.
"My sister. You fight like her. You even sound like her." White Diamond replied. Moonstone was silent. She wasn't sure what to say. There really was nothing to say. "I have to ask, how did you kill her that easily? How come there were no shards, and only blood? It's almost not even possible." White Diamond continued. Moonstone was still quiet. "Interesting." White Diamond muttered. Moonstone was lost in thought for a short period, thinking about those few sentences that White had uttered, which gave her time to quickly scrape Moonstone on the arm. She grunted and faltered, holding her arm. However during this time of weakness White just couldn't make the final blow that could end it all. She finally had a chance to kill the one Gem she resented all this time, so, why couldn't she kill her? Something was keeping her from killing Moonstone, she just didn't know what.
It was White Diamond's turn to be aloof as she figured out what was happening. Moonstone retaliated by whacking her in the legs with her bo staff, temporarily knocking the large Gem over and giving her a chance to escape out the left exit. White Diamond looked back at her as she escaped, her hair whipping with her head. "Moonstone!" She snarled as she followed her into the main throne room, where she saw her sister battling an overwhelmed Rhodonite. She called out to her, "Sister!"
Yellow Diamond perked up at White Diamond's voice. She seemed to understand much more just from that one call. It was time, just as they had planned. They had spent so much time forming their planet their way, their planet was a mound of clay that could easily be reformed, but this single act would be the firing kiln that would seal Homeworld's form forever. Yellow and White stunned their opponents with cuts to their legs and began to dance. White Diamond moved her hips and waved her war fans rhythmically in a flamenco style, whereas Yellow Diamond waacked and strutted towards her partner until they collided and clutched each other tightly. Rhodonite and Moonstone stood and watched in petrified awe, not sure what to do. Their Gems glowed and their forms merged into something bigger than anyone had expected. The form of the fusion grew and grew until her body broke through the side of the room and the roof and towered over every building on the planet. The white glow of formation disappeared to reveal that the fusion was mostly a chocolate color with a silver iridescence. From the smooth skin that covered her statuesque figure, her long, kimono-like robes to her spiky, geometric, triangular hair to her four, piercing eyes. From her back she sprouted great, black, reptilian wings and summon from her Gems two, long, double-bladed battle axes, the mix between a fan and a sword. She cackled manically, revealing her sharp fangs.
"Brown Diamond, the World Breaker," Moonstone whispered as she looked up at the great being. Right in the nick of time, the rest of the party burst through what was left of the throne room doors. Fire Opal and Aura Quartz were the only two who looked worn out.
"What took you so long?" Rhodonite asked.
"Got lost." Gaspeite shrugged.
Rhodonite face-palmed, but their reunion was interrupted by the thundering voice of Brown Diamond. "IDIOTS! See what your resilience has brought! Not only will you die, but everyone else will too! This world will shatter with your Gems and every other one too!" Brown Diamond shouted as she slammed her right battle axe into the ground, causing the crust to split and crack into a lava spewing crevice and the ground to rumble. "I know understand what the ancient philosophers meant...we're not meant to conquer worlds, but destroy them! You were right all along, Cluster...Now I'll follow your lead." She created another crack right through the center of the palace, but Rhodonite's crew quickly evaded it.
Something was brewing inside of Rhodonite in that moment. It was a flaming determination she couldn't ignore. It wasn't just determination, it was anger and protectiveness and fear rolled into one. Herself and her friends were in danger, sure, but now the whole world? She knew she couldn't save herself, even if she went insane fighting this battle, but she knew in her heart that she had to save her friends and save her worlds, both Earth, and Homeworld. Rhodonite's hands shook, in fact, her whole body trembled and glowed white as she closed her eyes and let the corruption take over. It was her turn to flaunt her strength, her world breaking strength as her bottled up corruption turned her into a multiple armed sauropod creature, one that was even stronger than before. Her crest stood on end as she let out a mighty roar. She looked down at Moonstone. I'll save you. She looked to her friends, scared and alone and broken, but still together. They were broken...together. Through it all. That had to count for something in this. I'll save them. She then looked out to the vast planet and the great blue sky that was threatened with destruction. Rhodonite imagined the frightened Gems under the palace, and a fire flickered brighter in her eyes and her heart. She closed her eyes, and everything went black for a few moments…
Rhodonite was in her Gem, and it was darker than last time. Just black with two glowing crystalline embers suspended in mid-air. Rhodonite was on her knees, looking at it all. "What am I doing? I'm supposed to be fighting!"
The embers glowed white, and standing in front of her were two Gems. One tall and blue, the other short and pink. They walked over to Rhodonite, their forms like smoke rather than light. They both knelt down beside Rhodonite and wrapped their arms around her. Rhodonite realized that these were the spirits of Sodalite and Rhodochrosite, the presences she felt after all this time. Here they were, in the moment she needed them most. She felt a comforting warmth as the landscape glowed pink…
"Look at the view out there, look at the Gems you've met, all of this is for them, for that. Isn't that worth fighting for?" Rose Quartz's words echoed.
Rhodonite flashed back and as she looked out and contemplated everything that had just happened and embraced the protection of her spirits, she whispered with final breath: I'll save EVERYONE! And with those thoughts, Rhodonite charged towards Brown Diamond like a bull towards its matador. The two started a brawl of centuries, tackling, clawing, punching, scraping, but it was covered by a cloud of dust, ash, and debris from the volcanic activity and the buildings they were rupturing.
Moonstone looked on to the two warriors, then turned to her team. "We have to fuse and get over there! We can't just sit around!"
"Are you sure?" Aura Quartz asked.
"I've never been surer," Moonstone said with seriousness.
In a matter of seconds, Aura Quartz and Black Pearl fused into Mystic Quartz, Moonstone and Fire Opal formed Spessartite Garnet and fused with quick tango movements. While their fusion was forming, they pulled in Gaspeite and together they made a Gem that was the same size as Brown Diamond. Her color palette was a clash of deep blues, reds, golds, and purples. She sported a long, armored dress, powerful, multicolored angel wings, long, dreadlocked hair and in her six arms she wielded every weapon of the Gems she was made of. Her two eyes were focused and fiery, and she sprinted with thundering steps to the battle scene. This fusion was Dragon's Breath Opal, but Gaspeite came up with Dracona for short. Dracona snuck behind Brown Diamond and stabbed her in the back, just missing her Gems. Brown Diamond roared in agony and swatted Dracona back with one arm, giving Rhodonite a chance to shove Brown Diamond as hard as she could until the great fusion fell backward with a rumbling thud onto the ground, causing the planet to fracture even more. Rhodonite pinned Brown Diamond down before she could recover, and she struggled in the beast's grip. Brown Diamond hissed. "Ngah! You can't kill me! I'm the only one keeping this worthless planet from anarchy! Besides, it's impossible to shatter a-" BAM!
Dracona jabbed Black Pearl's spear and Aura Quartz' boomerang into Brown Diamond's two Gems. Brown Diamond paused as they cracked more and more. POOF! A white cloud blanketed the landscape.
It's over.
Wow…
That was a lot.
This has been a several week labor of love, and at one point, half of the last part was deleted so I had to rewrite...oooooh man. I have so much to say! First of all, I sadly have to admit this is the second to last chapter. I just can't pump anymore out without risking canon. This next chapter is the end. Second of all, this whole time everyone thought the Diamonds were indestructible. I figured a Gem's mortality depended on its hardness in real life, and a Diamond is the hardest material. However, it isn't the toughest material, therefore, it can be shattered by a good amount of force. Third of all, this chapter is currently competing for the longest chapter I have ever written. The previous record holder is Story for Sodalite.
I had composed this chapter of several parts. Each individual fight had its own document and I eventually combined them. Black Pearl and Gaspeite was about strength and growth, Aura and Fire Opal's was about spirituality and humility, Rhodonite's was all about settling the score, and Moonstone's was basically the Sans fight haha and together it showed teamwork and overall growth of the characters.
Oh gosh...I hope you guys enjoyed this! If not, be sure to give me critiques! There's always room for improvement on my end!