Chapter Text
Hessonite was pacing anxiously in a circular motion in front of the homeworld warp, waiting patiently for an important visit directly from the aforementioned planet.
Suddenly, the homeworld warp activated revealing her visitors. The first was a Lapis Lazuli. The gem in question wore the standard outfit of her kind, a backless blue halter crop top (Where her tear-shaped gem was located on her back) with an upward-facing navy triangle, which tied into a blue sash ribbon on the back of her shoulders and a flowing cobalt blue skirt, which is calf-length with a downward-facing navy triangle around the waist and was barefoot.
The second was a white calcite that seemed to tower over lapis. The gem had a big upper body, short stumpy legs, arms the size of tree trunks with a metal bracelet on her wrists, a small square head with white spiked hair, and a visor that obscured her eyes from view. Her outfit was a sleeveless gray V-neck uniform with a sash and a white diamond in the middle.
“Ah, Miss Lapis Lazuli, welcome to earth. I hope your trip here wasn’t too troubling?” Hessonite said, hoping for a reaction from her.
Lapis didn’t say anything at first, she and Calcite began walking down the steps, passing by Hessonite, and began to stare out at the ocean that surrounded them.
“So this is the earth?” Lapis finally spoke. “Tch, No wonder you need me here.”
“I beg your pardon?” Hessonite asked, perplexed by the lapis lazuli’s response.
“I mean it's impressive that you’ve managed to even build this galaxy warp here on this small piece of land, but I've seen far grander on other colonies.”
“Well, we’ve had to downscale our operations since this rebellion started.”
Lapis then needed clarification on what the Hessonite said. “Rebellion?”
“Yes, A group of renegade and defective gems have been trying to shut down our operations here on this planet as of late.” Hessonite said to Lapis. “I’m surprised you haven’t heard about it until now?”
“Oh, I have,” Lapis said. “I just thought that stupid rebellion would have been crushed by now.”
Hessonite then began to clear her throat. “Well despite that problematic setback, we’ll still be able to produce some fine gems, especially now with your help locating some good kindergarten sites.”
“Yes, well, now that you’ve brought up this new information,” Lapis spoke. “It would seem we may have to make some new arrangements.”
Hessonite became perplexed by what Lapis had just said. “I’m sorry. New arrangements?” she asked as Lapis turned to her calcite guard.
“Calcite, make a list for me,” Lapis said as her white calcite got out a holographic screen and began writing on it. “First, I'm going to need more guards, maybe some of those fancy amethysts. Second, I need a datapad of all the best homeworld literature. And third, I need some of that nice gem polish, specifically that rare kind that only the aquamarines use-”
As Lapis continued listing off stuff, Hessonite looked at her while trying to process everything she was saying.
“-And finally, an electric-powered rotary tool. Mainly to go with the gem polish. You got that all down Calcite?” Lapis asked her guard as she just nodded in response. “Good,” Lapis then took the data pad and turned it over to Hessonite.
“Well I think that should be enough, I’ll personally get to work as soon as everything on this list has been fulfilled.”
Hessonite then took the data pad and began to look it over. As she read through it, Hessonite noticed how absurd the list was. “Miss lazuli…this list.”
“What about it?” Lapis asked.
“It’s just that,” Hessonite began. “Most of these requests are, how you say ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous?” Lapis scowled. “In what way?”
“Well for starters, you requested your own palanquin,” Hessonite said bluntly while pointing to the data pad in her hands. “I don’t think you understand this but one: a palanquin is exclusively for diamonds and two: Even if we were somehow permitted to give you one, we don’t have enough resources or time to build one.”
“...Okay so maybe I was being a little overly ambitious with that one, you can’t blame a gem for dreaming.” She responded. “At least you can get me everything else.”
Hessonite just stared at her with narrowed eyes. “Miss lapis lazuli, I am going to say this once. The only thing that I will fulfill from this list is your extra guards. Nothing, else. ” She said with a stern/cold voice.
“B-But what about my gem polish?” Lapis began “My pieces of literature? The rotary tool? All the other essential Things!”
“Essential?!” Hessonite shouted. “You requested for your own Rutile to carry you around on its back.”
“Yeah, so?” Lapis said, which only made Hessonite even angrier with her.
“Rules aren't servant gems, you idiot!” She said, “They’re construction gems that place tiles!”
“So what? I still outrank them.” Lapis retorted rudely to the commanding gem.
“That doesn't mean you can just have any gem be your slave!”
“Besides, you could just have your guard carry you around if you wanted, I mean she’s big enough to” Hessonite then stopped herself as she suddenly realized something. “Why do you have a white calcite as your guard?” She said in a stern and frightening tone.
This caused Lapis to look at her wide-eyed. “W-What do you mean?” She asked, frightened.
“I would understand if your guard was a quartz or a few rubies,” Hessonite explained. “But a white calcite?!” She then pointed to the white calcite. “Let alone one from white diamond’s court.”
Lapis meanwhile was starting to become annoyed by Hessonite's questions.
“Why’s it such a problem that I have a calcite?!”
“It’s a problem because I wasn't informed that your guard was from white diamond’s court! But also how you were even allowed to be given one!”
“I'm a Lapis lazuli,” Lapis began. “I’m one of the most important field gems out there!”
“Oh, and did you do anything special to have that guard of yours, because the way that I see it, you don’t deserve to have that gem as your guard.”
Lapis just looked at Hessonite with rage. “You know what, forget this, I'm leaving.” She said as she began to head toward the galaxy warp.
“Wait, You can’t leave!”
“I can, and I will,” Lapis said. “Come on Calcite we’re leaving.”
Before lapis could make it onto the steps, a large white arm blocked her path. Lapis saw that her Calcite guard was stopping her from the warp pad.
“Calcite, what are you doing? Get out of my way!” Lapis said to her guard but she didn’t move an inch. She just got more in the way of Lazuli’s path.
“Just please move, if we go home I’ll let you use some of my fancy gem polish.” She pleaded with her guard but Calcite remained unmoved as she crossed her arms.
“(Sigh) What do you want from me!” Lapis shouted, only for Calcite to raise one of her massive arms and point at one of the warp pads.
Lapis just looked confused at her guard, until she realized what her guard wanted from her. “You still want me to do this job?” Calcite just nodded at her.
“Calcite, Homeworld can find another lapis lazuli to do this job.”
Although her shades obscured her eyes, Lapis could tell that Calcite gave her a narrowed-eye look. “Okay, so maybe I’ve been refusing the past few missions… for similar reasons. But justified reasons.” She said as a cold stare fell upon her by her guard.
“Oh, don’t give me that look,” Lapis said. “I know it’s your job, but we’ve been through this multiple times.
“There is nothing, and I mean nothing! That you can do to convince me to stay on this colony unless I get what I want-” Before Lapis could say more, the warp pad that Calcite was previously pointing at activated revealing what appeared to be a snowflake obsidian had emerged from the warp stream.
Calcite and Hessonite were both confused by the obsidian’s appearance, wondering what the trench digger gem was doing here.
Lapis on the other hand was having a different reaction.
The snowflake obsidian gave her a very panicked feeling, it was like she had seen a demon, precisely one that caused her to be reminded of something very traumatic to her.
“You! Trench digger!” Hessonite said, finally breaking the silence between the four gems. “Who gave you the authorization to use the warp pa-”
However, she was interrupted by Lapis screaming at the top of her non-existent lungs.
“What the hell Lapis-”
“GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!”
“Um…What thing?”
“That!” Lapis said while pointing at the snowflake obsidian.
“…The obsidian?”
“How is it here?!” Lapis began to ramble to herself. “I thought I escaped! The cave! The cracks! The goddamn stones!”
Lapis suddenly felt her body shivering as a cold wind had just passed. Her hands shook. Her feet felt like they were frozen in place. Her vision became as blurry as a fish's eyes.
“Miss Lazuli! Calm down this instant!” Hessonite said, which only worsened as Lapis grabbed a nearby piece of stone and hit the obsidian right in the forehead.
“Ow, what the hell!” The obsidian yelled. But before she could do more, Lapis tackled her right to the ground, causing her to fall on her backside.
“Who’s small now?”
“W-What?” The Obsidian fearfully said while Lazuli summoned some water and formed it into a trident.
“Who’s mighty now?!” Lapis snickered as she was about to slam her water trident onto the gem’s face.
However, that never came as her Calcite guard had just snatched her up.
“Hey, let me go! Let go… of… me…” Lapis began to calm down slightly by Calcite’s warm embrace knocking her out in the process.
Hessonite stared at the whole scene, shocked at what had just happened. “What the hell was that?!” She said out loud, looking for answers.
Soon the calcite leaned into Hessonite's ear, (while she was cradling lapis in her right arm.) and began to whisper something which made Hessonite widen her eyes.
“Oh my!” Hessonite exclaimed softly. “Is this true?” She asked Calcite who only responded with a nod.
“By the diamonds! She was one of the ones part of that?! No wonder she’s been so unruly.”
Just then Lapis had begun to reawaken from her rage-induced power nap.
“Ugh… W-What happened?” Lapis asked as if she couldn’t remember anything she had just done.
“Don’t you remember?” Hessonite began. “You attacked this obsidian right here.”
“What Obsidia-” Lapis then stopped and stared at the obsidian a similar feeling had crept over her.
But before she could do anything, Calcite quickly grabbed her and obscured her sight from the obsidian, which was a sigh of relief for everyone.
“Yes, thankfully, your calcite has explained to me the reason behind your sudden outburst.”
“She what? Lapis exclaimed. “Calcite what the heck!”
“Uh, uh, uh miss Lazuli,” Hessonite said. “If it wasn’t for her, or because your cut is currently at a rarity. I would have had you sent to be melted down as fuel.”
This made Lapis shut her trap as Hessonite turned to Calcite.
“Make sure she doesn't step out of line again.” Calcite just nodded in confirmation.
“Good. Now with that out of the way…” Hessonite then turned her attention back to the obsidian.
“Trench digger! Who permitted you to use the warp pad?”
The Snowflake began to look around her as if she was looking for something. It didn't take long for the other gems to figure out what she was looking for as they saw what appeared to be a green gem’s form engraved in the obsidian’s body like a bean bag.
“Um… ms. Calcite, could you.” Calcite just nodded as she grabbed the gem's hair without warning and ripped her out of the obsidian's back. The gem was still huffing and puffing from being crushed in the obsidian’s back.
“Do any of you know how cramped in there it was?!”
“How bad?” Hessonite asked.
“Very cramped my Hessonite.” The gem said trying to dust herself off as she suddenly realized who she was talking to. “M-My Hessonite!” The green gem then did a salute to the very high-ranking commander gem. “Forgive our intrusion commander, but we were in a rush.” The peridot then elbowed the obsidian which caused her to do the same salute. “I'm Peridot, Facet-9B2W, Cut-6ZX,” she said. “And this is Obsidian facet-0Y1V, Cut 5GF.
Hessonite looked at the two gems as she felt her mind become calmer from this peaceful moment. “It is alright 6ZX, Your intrusion is a breath of relief, Mainly with what I've been dealing with before you two came,” Hessonite said while looking at Calcite and Lapis. (Mainly Lapis)
“Now, let me see,” Hessonite pulled out a data pad and began to type in the peridot’s ID number. “It says here that you were stationed at the delta kindergarten in facet 12.”
“Yes, ma’am, that's why we're here.”
“I assume it’s because you’ve made a breakthrough?”
“Well… no. It’s been overrun.”
“Overrun, by what?” Hessonite asked.
“The Crystal gems my Hessonite.” The Peridot said, causing Hessonite to become shocked by her answer.
“The crystal gems! But how, we had that kindergarten under heavy guards, the finest citrines and topazes.”
“With how large an army came at us, we were all quickly overwhelmed.”
“Great, just great! Hessonite fumed. “ An entire kindergarten in the enemy’s hands, not to mention one of our greatest losses so far.”
“Um… hey, I don’t mean to interrupt,” Lapis said, still locked in Calcite’s hold. “Well actually, I do, but who are the crystal gems?”
“They're what the rebellion here have been calling themselves.”
“Really?” Lapis questioned. “What a stupid name for a rebellion.”
“Stupid, but fearsome. I would have been poofed with the others if it weren't for Obsidian here.” The peridot said.
“Well, now we seem to need your help, even more, ms. Lazuli, so I hope you’ve gotten all that excess rage out of you unless you still don’t want to do it then if so, I'm pretty sure Blue Diamond would love to hear you decided to deny another assignment.”
Lapis was about to retaliate, but one look from Calcite was enough to change her mind.
“Ugh, Fine.”
“Good, but before all that.” Hessonite Then turned her attention back to the peridot and the obsidian. “Out of curiosity, might I ask how on this planet you got stuck in the obsidian’s back in the first place-” Hessonite then looked over to Lapis for a few seconds before turning back to the peridot.
“You know what, never mind.”
“Peridot I want you to take Lapis and her Calcite to site 12, while the obsidian will accompany me back to HQ,” Hessonite said as the peridot nodded.
As the gems began to leave for their assigned tasks, they failed to notice an orange spodumene rise from the ocean below. The gem’s outfit was completely different from what most of her cut wore, but the key component was that she had no diamond but a star on her bikini-like suit.
Over the next few weeks, Lapis had become somewhat popular among hessonite’s circle and was instrumental in getting gem production back in operation. From getting the Delta Kindergarten located near the great north operational thanks to using her powers, to allow the construction of the underwater sea shrine to go off without a hitch.
Whenever she wasn’t needed, she liked many gems and would just wait around in her quarter that she and her calcite were given until they were given their next assignment. Sometimes lapis would see multiple soldier gems come back from their patrols, and most of the time she would see them with obvious cracks on their gems beyond repair, from what she had heard, these injuries were caused by the rebel gems, so it was clear to her that these crystal gems didn’t care about what happened to other gems at all.
Lapis was thankful that she would never encounter these rebels.
Or so she thought.
“Why do I have to be the one to do it?!” Lapis was currently in a heated conversation with a yellow agate, it wasn’t the first time something like this had happened.
“Ms. Lazuli, please understand,” The agate said. “You are one of the only capable gems to do this.”
“But construction scouting is a Scheelite’s job,” Lapis said angrily
“Yes, I know, but we've been understaffed lately, most of them have been working on this new weather geode project that has been taking up most of our time and we need to get a watchtower built up over there.”
Lapis groaned at the agate, “Why is it that I’ve gotta be assigned something the day before I'm finally off of this Stupid rock.”
“It’s the easiest thing you will do so far.” The agate retorted.
Lazuli was about to say something back, but her calcite spoke up.
“...Why…Us?” She said in a deep voice.
“Well, because the area we need it to be is located near a beach, specifically in facet 20.”
“Facet 20?” Lapis asked. “But isn’t that in pyrobe's territory?”
“Yes, but it’s vital that we at least get this site set up soon. Besides, I heard Hessonite might give you an award if you do a good job.” Lapis just looked at her unimpressed.
“…Okay look, all you need to do is go there and just mark a good site for building, a simple in and out job.”
As much as Lapis wanted to reject this order and continue waiting for a job more suited for her, one look from Calcite was the deciding factor. “(Sigh) Fine. We’ll do it.” She said begrudgingly.
“Excellent,” The agate said. “Now, I have ordered a unique device to be built just for you that will be able to help you do your job. Just head to the lab area and talk to the Heliodor in charge.
Lapis and her Calcite began to leave to pick up their supplies for the scouting mission as they did so at one point they passed by an onyx quartz, who was walking in the opposite direction. As she tried, Lapis could feel overwhelmed by the black, and white gem slammed right into Calcite’s backside, causing herself to fall to the ground on her but. This also promptly caused her to regain her senses.
Before lapis could do anything, Calcite picked her up and began to speak.
“Lapis.” She began. “Stay. Here.”
“What, why!?”
Calcite then pointed at a sign written in gem glyphs that said ‘Warning, high voltage ahead in the lab area.’
“Oh common, it can't be that dangerous.” Suddenly a bright light flashed as a large amount of electricity shot out and poofed the two ruby guards guarding the main door.
“...Okay, I see your point.” Lapis then received a small smile from Calcite as she went into the lab area, leaving her behind.
A few minutes passed, and Lapis was just bored out of her mind with only her thoughts to keep her company. But lapis hated these thoughts because they were always so bad for her. It made her want to return to her quarters and stay there forever after everything. All her thoughts were of a bad time, a wrong time she’d do anything to get rid of these thoughts. I guess that was the one positive about working on Earth, it made her forget about her intrusive thoughts. But no matter what she seemed never to forget, she wished she would just forget, just stop having these panic attacks at black and white gems, she wishes she was-
“Hey!” Lapis suddenly snapped out of her train of thought and turned around to see a pink gem walking towards her with pink hair in a flamelike style. “You're that Blue gem helping with all the water construction, right?” Lapis just stared at the pink gem confusedly for a moment before speaking. “Umm, yeah?”
“Oh, this is perfect! It’s so nice to meet you.”
“It’s… nice to meet you as well?” Lapis said, still confused about why this gem was even talking to her.
“Man, this is so exciting for me.” The pink gem said.
“Why? Lapis asked curiously.
“Because you're the gem that managed to clear construction for that sea shrine.”
“Yeah so? It was just some body of water.”
“A body of water that not even a group of 12 Jeremejevites could move, and you just moved it like it was nothing.”
Lapis just scoffed at what the pink gem had said. “That's because they were made to manage water. I was able to control it with my hydrokinesis.”
“Control? Oh, so that’s how you guys keep homeworld sanitized!”
Lapis blinked for a moment at what the pink gem had just said “Sanitized?” she asked. “What do you think I am?”
“A…very tall Lazurite?”
Lapis just looked at the pink gem for a moment and then began to do a little snort before starting to laugh hysterically.
“So… you're not a Lazurite?” The pink gem said to lapis.
“No kid, I'm not.” She said, finally recovering from her laughter. “Im Lapis, Lapis Lazuli.”
The pink gem’s eyes widened as a wave of shock and embarrassment fell upon herself.
“A L-Lapis lazuli! God, how could I be so stupid!” The gem said, looking embarrassed and ashamed.
“Forgive me, but I haven’t introduced myself,” the gem said as she quickly bowed before speaking again. “I'm Tugtupite, one of many pyrokinetic terraformers for Pink Diamond’s Court.”
“A fire terraformer, ey? It was only natural for the diamonds after wind, thunder, and water terraforming gems.” Lapis said.
“Aw, thanks we’ve only been in service for the past twelve years.” Said the pink gem now known as Tugtupite. “And again, please forgive me for mistaking you for some lower-class gem.”
“Hey, it’s okay kid,” Lapis said, reassuring Tugtupite. “My kind’s so rare nowadays we barely get sent out to do major colony work. So I’m not surprised that you confused me for lazurite.”
“Oh yeah,” Tugtupite said. “There’s only what, one hundred, two hundred of you guys?”
Lapis’ happy demeanor then changed to a slightly depressed one. “Um..try only fifty-six of us.”
“F-FIFTY-SIX! Diamonds, no wonder we barely see you guys!” The pink gem exclaimed but then she suddenly had another question pop into her mind.
“Um, I don’t mean to intrude,” Tugtupite began. ”But why is your kind’s number so low though?”
Lapis suddenly tensed up at Tugtupite’s question. “Um-well, It’s… Kind of a long story, you probably wouldn’t like it,” she said, trying to make her forget it.
“OOOOOH, but I love long stories,” The pink gem said excitedly.
“(Dammit!)” Lapis thought to herself as she had been hoping she wouldn’t have to tell that story about herself to another gem. “Um… well, unfortunately, I don’t.”
“Why not?” Tugtupite asked curiously. “It sounds interesting.”
“Well trust me, kid,” Lapis said sternly “It’s not.”
“Common, please,” Tugtupite said with big adorable eyes.
“No! It’s dumb.”
“How can the reason for there being only fifty-six lapis lazuli in existence be dumb?”
“I-It just is, okay!” Lapis shouted, annoyed by Tugtupite's persistence.
Tugtupite was about to say more until they were interrupted by another voice. “There you are 2VT!” the spokesperson mentioned earlier said revealing itself to be another tugtupite followed by two other ones right behind her.
“5ZB! What are you doing back so ear-” But before 2VT could finish, she was sucker punched by the other tugtupite, which caused her to fall to the ground. “OW!” she responded, “What the hell was that for!?” “SHUT IT, you little tattletale!” The tugtupite known as 5ZB shouted in a furious rage. “I know you told our commander about what happened on our last mission together.”
2VT. suddenly got tense for a moment “H-How!?” She said worriedly.
“That doesn’t matter, what does though is that you broke my trust in you.” The pink gem said coldly. “And you know what happens to those who break my trust.”
“Y-You wouldn’t.”
“Oh, I would, 8DG, 7EF,” She gestured toward the other two tugtupites she had come with. “Hold her down.” Before 2VT could do anything 8, and 7 suddenly grabbed her by the arms, causing her to stand on her knees.
“Hey, what are you doing to her!?” Lapis shouted, getting the other tugtupite’s attention.
“This doesn't concern you blue court, so stay out of this or I'll break you as well.”
Lapis was about to say something, but the thought of even being remotely harmed sent chills down her back, especially since calcite was gone. So she just turned away and curled up on the floor.
“Hm, that’s what I thought.” 5ZB then turned her attention back to 2VT “Now, let's begin, shall we.” 5ZB then cracked her knuckles before punching 2VT right in the jaw, causing the gem to fall back to the ground.
“That was for Tattling.” She said before kicking 2VT right in the stomach area, which in turn caused her to flinch.
“That one was for betraying my trust.” The pink gem then slapped her before picking her up by her neck and lifting her in the air throwing a fury of punches and insults to her face all the while lapis watched in horror as she kept trying to keep herself calm.
“And this is for making me Fucking Mad!” 2VT braced herself for another punch, but just as she was about to strike her, something hit 5ZB right in the face causing her to let go of 2VT and fall to the floor with her.
“WHO THE HELL DID THAT?!” 5ZB screamed only to see Lapis still curled up with little water bubbles coming out of her back which soon accidentally flung right at her, hitting her right in the face.
Now more enraged than before, 5ZB tuned to her two lackeys. “Seven, eight. Bring that foolish blue court to me!”
The two tugtupites then complied with their leader’s commands and brought lapis to her, startling the hydrokinetic gem.
“Hey, let go of me!” Lapis pleaded as the tugtupites dragged her before they presented her in front of their leader.
“So you think I'm just some dummy you can throw your stupid water balls at?”
“I-It was an accident, I swear!” Lapis begged to try to escape the situation she somehow found herself in.
“Ha, likely story.” 5ZB “You blue court gems are all the same. You are always so pompous and snobby, thinking you own the universe. I’ve always hated your court the most just for that.”
What the tugtupite had just said, made Lapis confused. “W-Why do you hate the other courts?” she said weakly, which only made 5ZB more irritated.
“Why? WHY?!” 5ZB shouted. “Because this was our chance to prove to the other stinking diamonds that our diamond could manage her colony, but when one defective quartz made one little rebellion here, suddenly we get all the other courts infesting this place, and now we have no way of proving ourselves to the diamonds at all, and I do not want to go back to working on that baron fire colony again.”
“I'm gonna enjoy tearing you apart you Sodalite.”
“S-She’s… a, lapis lazuli…” 2VT said weakly.
“Shut up!” 5ZB said as she kicked the grounded tugtupite right in the chest before turning back to lapis. “I don’t give a dam what she is, all I care about is beating this stupid blue court up, just for the fun!”
“And there is nothing that anyone can do about it, not any blue court, nor yellow, or-”
“What about white?” Lapis said strangely with a smile.
“Especially not some stupid white-!” Before 5ZB could say more she was suddenly grabbed by the throat and lifted from the ground only to come face to face with calcite.
“Calcite! About time you got back.” Lapis then turned her attention to the tugtupites currently holding her down. “Now if I were you two I would let myself go and run as far away from here as possible. Unless you want to try and save your boss from a gem who could kill you in one armlock.”
The two tugtupites then turned to each other and quickly made up their minds as they let lapis go and began running away from them as fast as they could as they did, lapis began to walk over to her guard with 5ZB still clutched in her hand.
“And then there was one.” Lapis soon pointed her finger down as calcite then dropped 5ZB to the ground as the former kneeled to her level before speaking to her. “Now, you listen to me.” Lapis began. “You will leave both me, and 2VT over there alone, or else I will have my guard here shatter you into tiny little pieces, and ground up said pieces into dust, where you will be forgotten forever.”
“Are. We. Clear?”
5ZB just looked at lapis with a cold stare before nodding and heading away from the 3 remaining gems.
“That’s what I thought. Calcite!” Soon the massive gem looked at her wary with her usual blank expression. “Do you have the device?” Calcite nodded as she revealed a strange-looking spike-like device to Lapis.
“Good now let's get this over with.” Lapis and calcite then began to make their way toward where the warp pad was located before the former stopped for a quick moment.
“Hey, you!” Lapis called out to 2VT who looked at her for a moment. “If those gems ever come to bully you again,” She began. “Just call my facet number 3E8C-4XF, and I’ll send calcite immediately.
Tugtupite smiled and responded with a simple “Thank you.” to lapis.
“No prob Tuggy.”
“…It’s, Tugtupite.”
“…Yeah.” Lapis then proceeded to go to the warp pad room with calcite and head onto their mission.
When the light for the warp pad ended Lapis and Calcite found themselves in what appeared to be an advanced prison camp of some sort.
“Wow, look at this place,” Lapis spoke as she looked on at the prison camp with curiosity. “I was expecting a warm welcome though.” Soon she and Calcite began to make their way off the warp pad, as they did so, they got a better look at the camp itself.
The “cells” If you can even call them were like open courtyards, with electrical wires like fences keeping the prisoners from their freedom.
Speaking of the prisoners, they were the strangest bunch of gems she had ever seen. Some were normal, while others were either overcooked, undercooked, or conjoined, in some way, either way, most of them had at least something in common. They wore a star at least somewhere on their clothing.
As the two were nearing the exit of the camp. They spotted some amethyst guards and a sardonyx agate put a serpentine and what appeared to be a garnet into one of the many open cells.
“Get in there you traitor!” One of the amethysts yelled, shoving the serpentine into the cell with the garnet and onto the ground.
“Ow, aren’t ya gonna read ussss our rightssss?” The serpentine replied with a hint of sarcasm.
“Hoho,” The sardonyx laughed. “Like any of you deserve any rights.” she then suddenly noticed Lapis and Calcite’s presence. “And who are you two?” She asked the two gems.
“Um, were the gems sent here for marking that watch tower site,” Lapis said.
The sardonyx just looked at them with one eyebrow raised. “Strange, you two don’t look like you specialize in that field at all.”
“We don’t,” Lapis began ” Apparently because of this weird weather geode thingy, any capable gems are all out there working on that, so we were sent in their place.”
“Hmm, I see. Well, you two might as well get started on that, I wouldn’t want to keep you here longer.”
“Will do.” As they were about to leave curiosity took lapis over as her eyes became glued to the rebel garnet. “Hey I was wondering,” she began. “Why would a garnet, one of homeworld’s greatest generals betray us for a stupid patch of dirt?”
The sardonyx just stared at Lapis for a moment before smiling at her. “Let me show you.” She said as she then turned her attention to the garnet. “Hey prisoner, why don’t you show this fine lazuli your special gemstone.”
The Garnet, however, didn’t even acknowledge her presence which only made Sardonyx angry. “Do It or else I’ll shatter that ruby here and now.” The ladder said as she pointed to a ruby with her claymore in a nearby cell.
“Hold up!” Ruby said. “What the heck did I do?!”
“You Looked at me funny.” “Well, what’s it going to be? Your pride, or this gems life?”
With a gem's life now on the line, the garnet caved in “Alright,” She finally spoke. “If it means you won’t kill an innocent gem's life.”
“Tch, Innocent life.” The sardonyx scoffed at the garnet's words as she began to show her gem, or gems in this case as she showed her two gemstones on both of the palms of her hands. It was then lapis put two and two together. “Y-Your a fusion?!”
“More specifically, the first widely known cross-gem fusion.” The Sardonyx said. “Cross gem?” Lapis asked as the sardonyx gestured to the fusion gems and upon closer expectation, she noticed the two gems were completely different.
“A ruby and a sapphire?” Lapis was now confused. “Why would one of the most important gems fuse with a low-class bodyguard?!”
The garnet was about to answer but was interrupted by the sardonyx. “It was a complete accident, just like how the sapphire that makes up this freak of nature made that terrible mistake of having that failed prediction.”
Suddenly the serpentine spoke up “Call her a freak again, and I swear I’ll, ugh!” She then stopped as she writhed in pain and fell to her knees while holding her wrist.
“That's enough out of you.” The sardonyx said while holding a particular device. “I swear you crystal gems are so rude.” she then turned her attention back to Lapis and her calcite.
“Now that your question is answered, may I ask you one?”
“Um, sure, what is it?”
“What do you, think of the rebels?”
Lapis was confused about the question. “Um, what exactly do you mean by that?
“I just want to know your general opinions on them. Like say, do you support them, do you think they’ll win this pathetic war, etc.”
For a moment Lapis felt like all eyes were staring at her, from the sardonyx and her guards to the gems in the cells. Lapis could only take a deep breath before she spoke.
“I think the rebels are a bunch of greedy gems.” She began. “From what I have seen, they only care about the earth and nothing else. They’ve injured so many gems all for a bunch of useless organic life that serve no real purpose to our empire.”
“So no. I don’t support them, and they won’t win this war because they only care about themselves and this stupid rock.”
Once lapis was done there were murmurs and different reactions from multiple different gems some gems in cells looked hurt by the words, while the ones who were actual rebels were either visually fuming in rage or disappointed in her.
Lapis was shaken out of this when she heard clapping from Sardonyx. “Hohoho.” The gem cheerfully laughed. “Spoken like a true gem my dear.”
“Oh, um, thanks, I guess,” Lapis said.
“Yes,” She said before recomposing herself “Well I believe enough time has been wasted, I believe we well-respecting gems should get back onto our respectful assignments and not get distracted with a bunch of foolish rebels.”
“Y-Yes, I believe my curiosity has been satisfied for now.”
“Good, now go before It gets too dark, I wouldn’t want you to get lost.”
Lapis just nodded as she began to walk away, as she did so only one thought crossed her mind about the garnet. “Blue diamond Is going to love to see her,” Lapis whispered to her Calcite as the two began to finally make their way out of the prison camp.
A few hours later, lapis and calcite made their way to an open sandy field where calcite began to fiddle with the device she was given.
“Ugh, are you done yet calcite?” Lapis asked impatiently. “I just want to get out of here and relax in my quarters.”
Soon, lapis got her answer as Calcite placed the device into the ground and began to analyze its environment.
“Huh, well that didn’t take too long, looks like we're do-”
Suddenly the device buzzed loudly as the two took a look at it, for it to read “unsuitable ground for the site, move to another location.”The device said as it then marked the small area in red.
“What?” Lapis said. “How can the ground be unsuitable, the ground is ground, right calcite?” she asked her guard who only gave her a shrug to her shoulders.
“You know what, it’s okay we just got to move it, easy as that.”
Lapis soon did that to the device, but when she did it only buzzed again and marked the new spot in red.
Lapis just stared at it for a moment before taking a deep breath. “Okay, this is fine.”
“We just gotta keep placing it in spots of dirt until we get the right one. Shouldn’t be too hard…right?”
5 hours later.
To say lapis was frustrated right now, would be a complete understatement.
“Go to facet 20, they said,” She began “A simple in and out job, they said!”
“HOW IS THIS FOR IN AND OUT!” Lapis screamed into the open field of red marked off the dirt. “I mean seriously this is a bunch of pebbles work, we shouldn’t have to go through this kind of torture.”
As much as she wanted to, Calcite couldn’t disagree, they two had been feeling tired as well and she only nodded in response to lapis.
“Exactly, and it’s all thanks to this stupid device! “Lapis said as she soon threw the device into the field of red only for it to land in one of the few remaining dirt spots that hadn't been marked yet.
Like before, the device went off and began to analyze the small dirt area. However, instead of a buzzing noise, Lapis and calcite heard a completely different noise that sounded similar to some kind of bell. Startled by the new sound, Lapis, and Calcite made their way to the device in a hurry and saw that the machine had just marked the area green instead of the usual red.
Lapis then grabbed the device and read what it said. “Suitable ground for construction detected.”
Lapis and calcite looked at each other for a moment as pure joy and relief crept over their faces (well, primarily lapis). “Calcite, we did it. Our torment is finally over.”
Calcite said nothing as she just gave a light smile to her wary.
“Now come one, let's get out of here,” Lapis said as the two then started to make their way back to the prison camp.
A few minutes later.
Lapis had been in nothing but a joyous mood for the entire trip back and she was super excited to finally return to her quarters. “Oh Calcite, can you believe it, we're finally done,” She said to her calcite, “Soon we'll be going back home too.”
“Oh once we get back to homeworld, what do you think we should do first?”
“No wait, I got it, the first thing we’ll do is go back to my quarters, you can prepare a gem polish bath for me, then you can-“
As Lapis kept rambling on, Calcite couldn’t help but smile at her in amusement, but the moment she looked away, she stopped in her tracks, which in turn caused Lapis to bump into her and fall to the ground.
“Calcite! What the heck was that…for?”
What Lapis saw in front of her, shook her to her very gemstone. What was once an imposing prison camp that looked like nothing could topple it, now stood in its place were multiple piles of rubble and destroyed watch towers.
“What happened to this place?” As she looked on at the destroyed facility in front of her, was all she said.
“Don’t. know.” Was all calcite said as she began to make her way into the ruined facility, much to Lapis’ confusion. “Calcite,” She began “Where are you going?”
“Warp. pad.” The massive gem responded to her warily as she continued making her way in with Lazuli right on her tail. “Hey, wait up you big bloke.”
The two began moving through the destroyed facility, which had become like a maze because of all the crushed rubble. They noticed that there was not a single gem in sight.
“Man, you’d think we would’ve seen another gem by now right?”
Calcite said nothing as she was busy smashing through any massive piles of rubble to clear a path for both her and lapis.
“I mean seriously,” Lapis continued. “There has to be someone still here, It’s not like there wouldn’t be any survive- GUH!” Before she knew it lapis began to feel a stinging pain in her right foot as she held it in pain.
“Calcite I stepped on something! Mind giving me a hand?”
Soon the white gem came over to lapis and immediately began to remove the sharp object as carefully as she could so she wouldn’t hurt Lapis’ physical form too much. It took a while but Calcite finally managed to get the sharp object out of Lapis’s foot leaving a decently-sized scar behind.
“Ow, (exhales) thanks, boy that was a pain to get out,” Lapis said to her guard as she began to slightly waddle to her as her foot was still in pain. “So, what was the thing that I stepped on Calcite… Calcite?
Lapis noticed that her guard had gone quieter than usual and was staring at whatever she had pulled out of the blue gem’s foot in the palm of her hand.
“Hey Calcite, you okay?” Lapis asked. “You're kinda blacking out on me.” However, the guardian gem didn’t even move a muscle or even acknowledge her wiry’s question which was starting to make lapis frustrated.
“Alright, that’s it!” Lapis said as she angrily grabbed the object from Calcite’s hand shocking the gem back to reality.
Calcite tried to reclaim the sharp object only to be met with a watery hand protruding from Lapis’ back.
“Oh no, you don’t, big wall,” Lapis said to her guard. “I don’t need you In fricken trauma land, 'cause that's my job!”
“Now let’s see what’s got you so worked… up.” Lapis just stared as she dropped the sharp object as soon as she saw exactly what it was.
“No, no no no, that can’t be! Not here!” What lapis had touched shook her to her very core binging back painful feelings of long ago. A thing she thought she would never see again, a blue gem shard.
Lapis began to fall to her knees as tears began to swell up in her eyes, she almost lost it before her guard managed to grab her in a tight hug, calming her nerves slightly.
T-Thanks calcite, It’s just one shard.
However, before she could properly calm down a light wind suddenly blew over the two gems revealing an even worse horror in front of them.
“Oh… oh gem!” Lapis said in a shivering voice.
Beneath the unearthed sand, laid what appeared to be even more gem shards.
“H-How is that possible?” The blue water gem shouted as she began to finally lose it. “How did so many gems get shattered here? What the hell happened?!”
“A riot happened.” A voice said starting Lapis and Calcite, the latter noticing an arm sticking out of a pile of rubble. Just as she saw it, Calcite quickly rushed to the unknown gem’s aid removing as much rubble as possible. It wasn’t until calcite got rid of a good amount of fallen debris off was when she paused in horror as they and lapis saw who exactly it was they were saving.
Who they saw before them, was a gem Lapis very much recognized the orangeish-red gem. “Sardonyx?!” She exclaimed, “W-What happened to you? In fact, what happened to this whole place?!
“An attack, they came from all corners, both in and around the camp.” The agate began while coughing up a non-existent lung. “We tried to fight back, but they overwhelmed our defenses.”
“They?” Lapis asked. “Who’s they, what attacked you?!”
“The… Rebels.” The agate said as her words only left lapis almost speechless
“B-But how?!” She said in confusion. “This place was built like a fortress when we left!”
“I’m not entirely sure. One moment, I was checking on the contained gems when all of a sudden I heard a massive explosion followed by the electrical gates shutting off, and releasing all the prisoners. I tried to fight them off but they all were overwhelming me as more rebels seemingly came out of nowhere. The next thing I know I see the warp getting destroyed right before I got crushed by falling debris, leaving me stuck here ever since.”
“Wait,” Lapis began. “You mean to tell me that the warp pad is destroyed?!”
Sardonyx could only nod her head to confirm Lapis’ question.
“But, I-I think, I need a moment alone.” Lapis then proceeded to walk away from the two other gems, Calcite meanwhile was about to continue freeing Sardonyx from the rubble but was stopped by the aforementioned gem.
“There’s no use for that my friend, even if you could remove all this junk it wouldn’t help me in the long run.” the sardonyx said as she showed her cracked gemstone that she had hidden away giving calcite a gasp.
“I know, it’s bad. but listen to me my dear gem.” The sardonyx leaned in closer to calcite with as much strength left in you. “I want you and Lazuli to get as far away from here and never look back. Protect her at all costs Calcite, her kind is rare, and I can tell she has so much potential. So please as my final command, keep that Lazuli safe from any harm.”
All calcite could do was nod at Sardonyx’s order.
“Good. But before you go, I need you to do something. I believe you know what it is.”
“…Yes,” Calcite said as she reached into her gem and pulled out a massive spiked kanabo, lifting it over her head.
“Thank you.” Was all Sardonyx said as Calcite swung her club onto the former’s gem fully shattering both it and her form instantly.
As she placed her weapon back into her gem Calcite picked up the shards of Sardonyx’s gem she placed them in the dirt and covered them up before going to find Lapis.
Soon Calcite found Lapis alone by the main entrance of the former prison camp. The ladder noticed the former's presence.
“Oh there you are calcite, was wondering when you would get here,” Lapis said to her guard. “Wait, where’s Sardonyx, I thought you’d get her out by now?”
Calcite remained ominously silent before speaking. “Stayed. Behind.” She lied. "Waiting for. Scout team."
“Oh, well that was considerate of her, I guess,” Lapis said in a depressed tone which Calcite noticed.
“I-I'm sorry for being all moody like this, it’s just what Sardonyx said about the warp pad, how else are we gonna get back to base?” Lapis said, Surprisingly she got her answer in the form of calcite holding up the device that they had been using for the ground sighting.
“Um, how is that gonna help us?”
Calcite then began to fiddle with the device a little bit before it showed a screen displaying a map which displayed in gem writing said ‘nearest warp pad locator.’
“…Calcite, since when did you know this thing had that feature.”
“When. First got it.”
“And we didn’t use it before because?”
“Didn’t know, warp pad was broken, before.”
“Oh yeah… just, lead the way, please.”
Calcite just nodded as she and lapis began to make their way out of the ruined prison camp.
However, the two gems were unaware that they were being watched by someone. Up above a small cliff high above them was a smallish blue gem (at least a few inches taller than a ruby) watched from above before snickering to herself.
“Ooh, I wonder what their screams will sound like.” The little gem said mischievously as she rushed off to get some of her allies leaving frozen footprints behind in her excitement.