Strange Alliances
Chapter 1
Yellow Diamond's usually stoic face slowly began to twitch. The news given to her by the lowly Ruby that bowed before her, cowering, made a vein on her temple throb. "Are you completely sure about this?" her voice was even, but underneath Ruby could feel the edge. She had to tread carefully.
"Yes, my Diamond," she replied, keeping her eye on the floor. "Rose Quartz is alive, but; she calls herself….. Steven now."
"Steven?" Yellow Diamond looked away from the sniveling Gem, and turned her attention to her Pearl. "A strange thing to be called, don't you agree?"
the Pearl only nodded.
Turning her attention back to the Ruby, Yellow Diamond leaned forward. "You've done well, Ruby," she said. "Rise, you will be rewarded for this new information."
Ruby looked up in surprise, before quickly standing at attention.
In an instant it was over, Yellow Diamond fired twin beams of golden energy from her eyes that pierced through the small Gem, causing her physical form to deteriorate, and her Gem to split in half.
"Clean up that mess Pearl," Yellow Diamond ordered, as she returned to lounging on her throne. The Pearl quickly retrieved the shattered Gem and bubbled it, before quickly snapping to attention. "Tell Taaffeite I have a mission for her."
Pearl saluted. "At once, my Diamond!" she said, before scurrying off.
Yellow Diamond watched her go. "Rose Quartz," she muttered.
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"Do you think she'll ever come out?" Amethyst asked as she held Jasper's gem close to her body. she'd retrieved it from the Burning Room and had been carrying it around with her ever since. "Look, the corruption's gone from her gem."
Pearl leaned in close to see that, for once, Amethyst was right. The gem was completely devoid of any marks of corruption, the green splotches that had completely covered it were gone. "Amethyst, I think you should return Jasper's gem back to the Burning Room. We don't know what will happen if she ever does come out."
The smaller Crystal Gem looked at Pearl with a mix of shock and horror. "She'll be good, I promise!" she exclaimed, following behind Pearl. "I'll make sure she walks the line, and that she'll be a team player. Please Pearl, please!"
Pearl sighed in exasperation as Amethyst fell to the floor and began to cry. "Please stop, you're embarrassing yourself," this only made her cry harder. "Why do you even care what happens to Jasper anyway?"
Amethyst began to sniffle. "She's my sister, Pearl. she's family," Amethyst said, rising to her knees. She held the gem out, her eyes grew big and watery. "I need her."
Pearl scoffed and resisted the urge to slap the other Gem. "You're being a big baby about this, what if she poofs you and then goes after Steven? Did you even think about how it would affect him?"
"Amethyst has a point, Pearl," both Gem looked to see that Garnet had slipped into the room unnoticed. "While I agree with you that it may be dangerous, I also agree that we need all the help we can get."
Pearl began to stutter in shock as Amethyst quickly ran over and hugged Garnet's leg. "Thank you thank you thank you thank you!" she exclaimed, before running off.
"Garnet have you lost your mind?!" Pearl asked, running a hand through her hair. "This is Jasper we're talking about! Jasper, who tried to take us back to Homeworld, tortured Lapis, and tried to kill Steven several times!"
she closed the distance and grabbed Garnet's shirt. "You can't be seriously thinking about making Jasper a Crystal Gem!"
The larger gem carefully took Pearl's hands in her own, and slowly removed them from her body. "I understand your reservations, Pearl. But; we don't really have a choice anymore."
"What do you mean?"
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Through the depths of space the ship came towards Earth, faster and faster it passed by multiple galaxies and stars within heartbeats of each other.
On the bridge, Taaffeite watched as the vastness of space passed her by. She was tall with light Mauve skin, her Gray hair was swept to left while the right side of her head was bald. She wore light battle armor with raised shoulder pads and a front neck guard to protect against sword strokes.
Beside her stood a smaller gem completely dressed in black armor, a helmet with a horn protruding from the forehead hid its face. "Onyx, how long til we reach….. Earth was it?"
Onyx quickly checked one of the data screens, tapping several buttons in the blink of an eye. "At our current speed we shall arrive in 5 days, my lady," she replied.
Taaffeite smiled, before pressing a button on a nearby screen. "Agate, prepare a shuttle," she ordered. "I want you to scout the planet Earth for me, find Rose Quartz's base. Take a platoon of Chrysoprase with you to gauge her army's strength."
"It will be done, my lady," Agate replied.
Taaffeite watched as the shuttle shot out away from the ship and quickly vanished from sight. "Reduce speed, I want to give Agate enough time to fulfill her task," she ordered.
Onyx nodded and reduced speed.
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Peridot groaned in annoyance, it was Lapis turn to pick something to watch on TV and so now she'd found herself forced to listen to a documentary on an Earth pig called the warthog. "How much longer?" she asked, sitting up from where she'd been stretched out on the floor, playing with her tablet.
Lapis shrugged her shoulders without looking away from the screen. "Shouldn't be more than another 2 hours or so," she replied. The green gem snorted and went back to playing her game. After a few minutes, a loud rumbling began to fill the air. Peridot welcomed it as she couldn't hear how warthogs loved mud, but; when the whole barn began to shake she grew concerned.
"What in the name of gems is going on?" She shouted, as the rumbling grew to a roar and all but drowned her out.
Grabbing Lapis hand, the two gems ran outside just in time to see something shoot over the barn and crash into the ground nearby. "What was that?" Lapis asked.
"I think it was a ship," quickly scrambling up onto the roof Peridot could see where the ship landed. Through her binoculars, she could see several gems coming out, mostly Chrysoprase soldiers armed with spears. "We need to get to the Temple!"
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The Chrysoprase were lined up into formation when Agate stepped out into the sun. she was Grey with bands of white across her chest, she removed her helmet to reveal a bald head. Beside her stepped a Sapphire dressed in battle armor, her skin was light purple, her long hair was braided into two pigtails, a white star was branded around her eye. "This is Rose Quartz base?" Agate asked, looking down at the smaller gem. "Are you sure you read the readings right?"
"I always do, this place was one of two," Star Sapphire replied coolly. "I have seen that they will come here to oppose us."
Agate scowled. "For your sake, they had better come," she said, before putting her helmet back on. Up on the ramp, a massive cloaked figure stepped out. "Not yet, we won't need you for now."
Another gem, this one draped in a cape of black and silver over matching battle armor, stepped down the ramp. She was lean, with short silver hair and black skin. "Do you expect me to wait?"
Agate shook her head. "No Spinel, I want you to scout the nearby city for any sign of Rose Quartz," she said. "Do you have the energy signature?"
"Yes, I will track her down," she said, before vanishing in a flash.
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"Invasion! Invasion!" Peridot's shouts filled cut through the silence of the temple. Quickly, the other Crystal Gems joined them in the living room.
"What's going on?" Pearl asked. The towel she'd been drying dishes with was clutched tightly in hand.
Peridot looked around at her surroundings as if expecting an attack. "Homeworld sent a platoon of Chrysoprase! They landed at the barn."
Garnet looked down at her. "If that's all they sent then this won't be a problem, Chrysoprase aren't known for being the best soldiers. they're really only used to fill rank and overwhelm enemies with sheer numbers," she said, before heading towards the warp pad. "Peridot, and Lapis you stay here and protect Steven, or, I should say guard the warp pad so he can't follow us. Amethyst, Pearl let's go."
Amethyst quickly stuff Jasper's gem into her shirt and jogged after the taller fusion. "Let's do it!"
Pearl looked at the two remaining Gems. "Don't tell Steven where we went," she said, handing the towel to Lapis. "Turn off the oven in another hour and remove the casserole, we'll be back soon."
Lapis looked down. "Be careful," she said, ashamed she wasn't more help.
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When they arrived the Gems found the Chrysoprase already waiting for them. The full platoon numbered over 30. Amethyst felt a chill go down her spine at the ranks of blank, emotionless faces. "Why do they all look so lifeless?" she asked, glancing over at Garnet, who had already summoned her gauntlets.
"They were created to fight, and to die," she replied, her voice hard. "Their lives are meaningless to them."
Pearl shook her head. Her spear wavered slightly. "A waste of life, but what else do you expect from Homeworld?"
The tall fusion stepped forward. "State your business, if you can talk!" she called. As if to answer; the line opened, allowing two Gems to step through. Garnet froze at the sight of Star Sapphire.
"We have come for Rose Quartz!" the taller Gem replied, before drawing her sword. It was a katana, a dark blue blade that seemed to vibrate on its own. "Surrender her and you will be spared! Fight, and you will be shattered! There is no alternative!"
Garnet cracked her knuckles.
Agate smiled cruelly. "Attack!"
Amethyst quickly rolled into a ball and tore through the ranks of Chrysoprase, causing them to shatter, while Garnet blocked an eye beam from Star Sapphire with one of her gauntlets. Agate dodged a blow from Pearl before slashing at her. Luckily she was able to parry it and leaped backward away.
"How can you, a Pearl, hope to stand against me?" Agate asked, slashing at Pearl, and slowly driving her backward. "I'm the greatest sword fighter Homeworld has produced."
Pearl twisted her spear and pulled it apart, transforming it into two rapiers. "We'll see about that," she replied, before charging towards Agate.
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Garnet rolled to dodge another attack. "How can you serve her?" Garnet asked, more Sapphire speaking than Ruby.
"I know my place, I have seen it all!" she replied, firing another blast. "The future holds no secrets for my ultimate eye!"
Garnet deflected the attack before moving in close and sending Star Sapphire flying back with a punch. "The future isn't set in stone, it can change in an instant!" she roared, pressing her attack. "Once one of your visions fails you'll be no more use to them! they'll shatter you without a second thought!"
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Across the battlefield, Amethyst continued her path of destruction. Her whirling form effortlessly sliced through the armor of the Chrysoprase and snapped their weapons without slowing down. Suddenly, her forward advance was brought to a screeching halt as she slammed into something hard.
She transformed back and rubbed her sore head. "Ow! What the-" she fell silent when a great shadow fell over her. Looking up she saw a massive cloaked figure standing before her. Quickly summoning both of her whips Amethyst prepared to defend herself. "Pearl gets to fight Agate, and Garnet's facing that Sapphire, and here I was thinking there wasn't anyone else except these grunts. So bring it on, I'm not afraid of you!"
"We'll see about that," the figure charged, and Amethyst was sent flying back from a kick to the stomach. Lashing out with her whips she wrapped the larger Gem up and pulled with all her strength. The tight bond of the whips caused the cloak to be shredded. "Is that all you can do? Pathetic!"
Amethyst felt her mouth drop open. "Jasper?" The Gem before looked almost identical to Jasper, except where she was orange with red stripes this one was black with red spots.
"Jasper? No, my name is Bloodstone," flexing her arms, the larger Gem was able to make the whips holding her explode from the sudden pressure. Cracking her knuckles Bloodstone charged forward and began to pummel Amethyst.
Within her shirt, Jasper's gem began to glow.
Bloodstone grabbed Amethyst by the throat and lifted the smaller Gem up. She tried to free herself but the grip that held her was like iron.
"How could you ever hope to challenge me? I was bred for battle, my name is spoken in hushed whispers across the galaxy. You could never stand against my power!" Bloodstone raged, shaking her with each word. Neither noticed when the gem fell out from Amethyst's shirt. "Your nothing against me! None of you pathetic rebels can hope to-"
she was cut off by a tapping on her shoulder.
Turning to look, Bloodstone was met by an orange and red fist slamming into her face. Amethyst felt the pressure cutting off her air was gone. She began to cough and sputter as she landed.
She looked up to see Bloodstone lying several feet away, groaning in pain.
"Are you just going to lie there, or are you going to give me a fight?" Jasper asked, as Bloodstone shakily climbed to her feet.
Amethyst couldn't believe it. "Jasper?" she muttered, as she stood up shakily, her head still spinning slightly. "You saved me?"
Jasper looked down at her and scowled. "No!" she said suddenly, before pointing to the other Gem. "I just couldn't take listening to her anymore."
the smaller Gem smiled, Jasper didn't sound convincing.
Bloodstone cracked her neck. "I was beginning to worry these broken freaks were all there were. But; at least one of you traitors will give me a fight,"
she charged forward.
Jasper cracked her knuckles.
Amethyst's eye grew big in surprise and happiness.
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Agate parried several rapid slashes from Pearl. Sidestepping the Crystal Gem she sent Pearl down on the ground with a kick to the small of her back. She raised her sword. "Goodbye, fool," just as she was about to bring the sword down, Amethyst quickly wrapped one of her whips around Agate's wrist and pulled.
The sudden movement caught her off guard, and Agate was pulled off balance and her sword went skidding across the ground.
Looking around she saw that almost all the Chrysoprase were destroyed. Star Sapphire was being overwhelmed by Garnet's close combat and would fall shortly. Bloodstone had already been beaten by a Jasper.
Pulling her hand free, Agate quickly retrieved her sword and ran for the ship. "Retreat!" she called, heading for the ship.
Star Sapphire fired one last large blast at Garnet before following after Agate. "Another time, fusion,"
Jasper, seeing the others retreating, seized Bloodstone by the hair and began to whirl several times. Spinning faster and faster until she released Bloodstone, sending her flying back to land right at the ship's ramp.
Pearl groaned as Garnet helped her up. "Did we win?" she asked, looking over to see the ship flying away. "Is that- Jasper!"
"It is,"
both watched as Amethyst was hopping around excitedly, throwing punches at the air as Jasper crossed her arms and sighed heavily in annoyance.
"Will you quit that already, you're giving me a headache," she said, grabbing Amethyst by her hair and lifting her up.
"But you were soooo cool sis! You beat her like it was nothing!" she exclaimed.
Jasper rolled her eyes. "It WAS nothing," she said, before noticing Garnet and Pearl approaching. She dropped Amethyst and summoned her helmet.
Garnet held out her hand. "Thank you," she said. "We couldn't have won without you."
she looked down at the hand in surprise, not expecting it. She scoffed, before shaking it.
"Whatever," she said.
"Let's go home," Garnet said, turning back towards the barn. "You're welcome to come, Jasper."
After several seconds, she followed after them.
Amethyst transformed into a Koala and hitched a ride on Jasper's back.
END Chapter 1