Welcome back to another chapter, I don't really have much to say this time except to remind everyone to send in questions for the Q and A chapter because I've decided not to post it until after I reach a certain number of questions. There is no limit set as to how many questions one person can send in so go nuts. And quick reminder you can ask me and the characters in this story questions for that chapter.
Also, someone made a Stronger Than You parody for Danny specifically for this fic so the lyrics will make an appearance in the appropriate chapter. If you want to listen to it yourself just look up "Danny Phantom Stronger than You parody" on youtube it is by Shae Pine.
Episode: An Indirect Kiss
"Why on Earth do you think that was a good idea?" I groaned as I looked at Amethyst who now had an enlarged eye due to the crack on her gem. As a few minutes earlier she had taken Steven up to the cliff and, believing they would be fine I stayed in the temple with Pearl and Garnet. However, it was now evident to me that I should have gone with them as Amethyst had fallen off the cliff and cracked her gem as a result.
"It's not a big deal!," Amethyst protested, "plus, now I have this cool googly eye."
"So what's the problem?" Steven questioned, "Amethyst falls on stuff all the time."
"It would be fine if it was just her body, but her gem is damaged," Pearl explained worriedly.
"So what do you do to fix it?" Steven asked simply.
"Before, we had Rose," Pearl spoke as she looked sadly at the ground.
"Steven, you mother had healing tears that flowed from her gem, she felt real love for those around her. She felt real sorry when they got hurt, you have Rose Quartz's gem now. I know those powers are in you too," Garnet explained to Steven.
"Amethyst!" Steven yelled out as he pointed at said gem, "show me your gem!"
"Yeah alright," Amethyst agreed as she pulled her shirt down a bit to expose her gem to Steven as he hovered over it.
"The power, to heal," I heard Steven whisper as he did a dramatic twirl before stopping in front of Amethyst, concentrating only to be disheartened when no tears formed, "it's not working. I guess I'm just too tough to cry."
"Steven, not to be mean but yesterday you started crying over snakes," I pointed out to the boy.
"They don't have any arms!" Steven protested.
"We have no choice," Garnet suddenly spoke as she gained our attention, "we have to take Amethyst to Rose's healing spring."
"Guys I'm fine, I'm not going to get any wors-" Amethyst began to say only to break off as her from started stammering, "hcaeb eht no gniod ouy era tahw syug yeh?"
"Uh what?" I questioned as Amethyst simply smiled. Seemingly oblivious to her own peril.
"Come on Amethyst," Garnet spoke as she picked up the gem and started walking to the warp pad as the rest of us trailed behind her.
"enif m'I! nwod em tuP," Amethyst grumbled, yet none of us had any idea what she was saying as we all piled onto the warp pad.
"So what is Rose's healing spring?" I questioned Pearl once we were all within the warp stream.
"Yeah! I was would like to know too," Steven piped up.
"Oh I'm so glad you asked! The healing spring was one of Rose's sanctuaries. This particular one also served as her garden," Pearl explained, continuing as we exited the warp stream, "and in the center of the garden Rose's fountain! Overflowing with your mother's healing lacrimal essence."
"I don't see it," Garnet spoke once Pearl had finished her explanation.
"What?" Pearl spoke as we all turned to survey the garden.
The entire area covered in thorns and weeds. A giant ball of them covering what I assumed to be the center of the fountain. As what I assumed was once a beautiful garden was now covered in invasive weeds that were all that could be seen in the entire place save for us and the warp pad.
"Emoh gniog m'I, hgU" Amethyst groaned out.
"Now, now, let's keep it together," Pearl spoke nervously as she latched herself onto Garnet's arm, "our memories of Rose can't be tainted by some overgrown brambles. Look at them, they're a mess without her guidance, directionless, pathetic, clinging things, It's going to be okay Garnet!"
"Sure," Garnet agreed with simple shrug.
"You really think so?" Pearl questioned hopefully.
"Uh Pearl, are you okay?" I couldn't help but ask the nervous gem.
"Fine!" Pearl forced out, "absolutely fine, why do you ask?"
"No reason," I spoke, not wanting to make the gem any more nervous than she already was.
"Healing tears," Steven spoke to himself as he started moving his face around in an effort to make the tears appear.
"Hey," I spoke as I grabbed onto his shoulders, "don't force yourself, the tears will come eventually. And besides we are at Rose's garden now so we have the fountain to heal Amethyst."
"I know, I just want to help," Steven protested.
"You are helping," I told him simply as I removed my hands to give him a smile, "who else will help keep our spirits up?"
"!yeH .t'nac ydob ruoy fi nwo s'ti no yrc attog ti ekaM," AMethyst spoke up as she made motions with her hands to exaggerate her point.
"Pain can make one cry," Steven interpreted as his eyes narrowed in thought as Amethyst nodded, "where is pain?"
"Steven I don't really think that's necessary!" I protested as Steven moved towards the brambles, and more specifically their thorns.
"But wouldn't it be better to heal Amethyst up as soon as possible rather than risk the situation worsening?" Steven argued.
"That's," I began, intending to make an argument against his claim, "actually a fair point, fine. But nothing more than a prick on the finger."
"You got it," Steven spoke as he covered his eyes and moved his finger closer to the thorn. Only for those thorns to react to his approach to them as they started to reach out. Intending to grab him.
"Steven!" I yelled out in alarm intending to pull him to safety, yet there was no need as Amethyst reacted as she managed to safely get Steven away from the thorns as even with her cracked gem she was still quite nimble.
"Amethyst!" I heard Pearl cry out as soon as Steven had been pulled to safety, "no more roughhousing you'll eviscerate your crack!"
"Pearl it's okay," I spoke before Amethyst could, intending to explain the situation, "Amethyst wasn't rough housing, she was saving Steven from the brambles."
"Truh teg nevetS tel tsuj ll'I, uoy rof drazah a fo hcum oot s'taht fi tuB," Amethyst added as she attempted to walk toward Pearl, yet she ended up turning around suddenly and ended up slamming herself into a rock wall.
"Ah right in the gem," Steven spoke sympathetically as I saw the crack on her gem increase by a fraction, Amethyst's form shifting as her head switched places with her foot as she groaned.
"Oh! Keep calm! What we need to do is get you into the fountain immediately," Pearl spoke worriedly.
"Hang on, Amethyst just stay still," I spoke, gaining everyone's attention as I crouched down next to her, holding my hand over her gem as I formed snow in my hand. Placing it over Amethyst's gem before solidifying it into a clear ice sheet that encased it.
"Woah! What does the magic ice do?" Steven questioned as the rest of the gems looked at me curiously.
"It's ghost ice which makes it stronger than normal ice, it'll protect Amethyst's gem to prevent it from cracking even further until we can get her into the fountain," I explained.
"Good thinking Danny," Garnet spoke as she proceeded to hit a rock into the dome of brambles, clearing a path for us to travel through, "I needed that. This way!"
"We could have probably gotten in without hurtling a giant rock into Rose's most precious sanctuary, but if you're okay with it, I'm fine too!" Pearl yelled out as she started walking after Garnet.
"Pearl," I called out before she could make too much headway, said gem pausing as I placed a hand on her shoulder, "I know this spot means a lot to you because it was Rose's, but like you said we need to heal Amethyst as soon as possible. We're pressed for time, Garnet's just trying to make sure we don't run out of time."
"I know, Danny," Pearl spoke as she released a sigh, "it's just this place-"
"Was her's" I interrupted, "I understand that, just remember that no one is trying to hurt this place or ruin your memory of it by showcasing how different it is from your memory of it."
"How did you?" Pearl questioned, seemingly surprised that I seemed to know why she was so jumpy.
"Don't worry about it, let's just get Amethyst healed and then we can all help you restore this place to it's former glory," I compromised, continuing when Pearl gave a short nod, "good, now let's catch up with the others.
"This isn't right," I heard Garnet say as Pearl and I came up next to her and my eyes scanned over the area in order to take the place in, "the fountain isn't running."
"What!" Pearl shrieked out, "what's wrong with it?"
"I'm not sure, Garnet spoke.
"Is that mom?" Steven questioned as I noticed the statue in the middle of the fountain, "oh, I'm getting emotional! I think it's happening, I'm really feeling it!"
At his proclamation we all rushed over to him, Amethyst sliding underneath him to give Steven access to her gem as I quickly dissolved the ice sheet on top of it. All of us watching as we waited for Steven's tears to fall.
"Ah come on I had it!" Steven yelled out as nothing happened, and I chose to remain silent as I restored the ice sheet to protect Amethyst's gem.
"Steven it's fine," Pearl told him simply, intending to make Steven feel better yet her tone betrayed her, "just stay here with Danny and watch Amethyst. We'll find out what's wrong with the fountain."
"No, no, wait! I can still do it!" Steven cried out as he attempted to force tears to flow from his eyes, yet nothing happened as Garnet and Pearl sighed and started to leave despite Steven's protests, "it might still happen! Guys!"
"Steven," I spoke as I gained his attention, "they're gone, I don't think they're even within hearing range anymore."
"Yeah, you're probably right-" Steven spoke, yet he was interrupted as Amethyst's head collided with his back.
"Pleh elttil ghU," Amethyst spoke as Steven and looked as her body had become stretchier and more deformed from what Amethyst usually looked like even with the ice casing.
"Ugh I can't understand you!" Steven yelled out in anger, an emotion the boy didn't normally show, "I can't understand anything! Why is everyone acting so strange? Why can't I-why can't I cry!" His final statement echoing around the cavern as his words reverberated back at him.
His previous anger melting away as he stared up at the statue of his mother before continuing his tirade of emotions. "It's just," Steven spoke as he let out a defeated sigh and climbed his mother's statue, "I mean, I don't know how to feel about you, but everybody else does. I wish I could've met you, then this place could make me sad, and I could cry healing tears. Like you."
Both Amethyst and I stared up at Steven in silence, that is until Amethyst just started screaming. My hands immediately covering my ears as Steven used his to cover her mouth.
"?ay lliw pu reehc," Amethyst spoke once Steven removed his hands from her mouth, though neither I nor STeven had time to figure out what she was saying as the vines suddenly came to life. Coming after the three of us as STeven picked up Amethyst's head and we made a break for it.
"I'll get her gem!" I spoke as I flew towards Amethyst's torso while Steven cradled her head as I picked up the body part, gaining an idea as I did so, "into the fountain!"
Steven reacting as soon as he heard me as he ran for the fountain, jumping over the edge as he made it inside.
"Amethyst, I'm sorry," I heard Steven say as I flew over to him with the rest of Amethyst's body, "I can't do anything right. Now I'm going to lose you and it's all my fault."
"You, care about me," Amethyst spoke once Steven had finished as I noticed the tears welling up in Steven's eyes as I placed Amethyst's torso within his arms and removed the sheet of ice once more.
"Please let me be a magic healer," Steven whispered as his tears fell from his eyes and onto her gem. Hope blooming as we waited for a reaction, yet none came.
"Oh come one!" Steven yelled out in frustration before a rumbling was heard from the fountain, slightly worrying me as we were all sitting inside of it. Yet the worry was unneeded as water began to cascade down from the fountain, submerging all three of us within it.
"Uh!" I gasped out as I emerged from under the water, Steven coming up next to me a second later.
"Look at this guy, saving my life and junk," Amethyst spoke as she floated over to us, proceeding to splash Steven and I with the water.
"Oh thank goodness," Pearl interrupted as she and Garnet reappeared.
"Did you see what I did!" Steven exclaimed excitedly, "it was magic! My tears brought the fountain back to life and saved Amethyst.
"I'm pretty sure Garnet and I unclogging the clogged chamber brought the fountain back to life," Pearl corrected.
"We saved Amethyst," Garnet spoke, a smile on her face.
"You don't think my crying was a little related to that?" Steven questioned, and by his tone I could tell he was disheartened by the prospect of having nothing to do with healing Amethyst.
"Oh Steven, I'm sure your powers will come in someday, but for now they simply aren't there," Pearl spoke.
"But," I broke in, "no matter what powers do develop I'm sure they'll be fantastic. Besides, you did help save Amethyst from the living vines."
"Ya dude, you were amazing!" Amethyst complimented.
"I guess you're right," Steven spoke.
"I know I'm right," Amethyst spoke as a grin developed on Steven's face.
And that wraps up the latest chapter. The next one shouldn't take too long to make since I've been wanting to write the Lapis chapter for forever. But I make no promises as it's obvious I rarely keep them, sorry about that. Now onto reviews.
Dodles: True that.
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Phantomkitty7: Both of your questions have been answered in the anniversary chapter, thank you for the confidence booster.
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