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"It's just a Spinel," the lead gem said scornfully, like she thought Spinel was stupid. "Dissipate it and move on. We can't have anyone trying to warn them." She and the six Quartz soldiers at her back had snuck into Blue Diamond's palace, using credentials to get past the guards but moving further in than any random soldiers had a right to, close enough that the walls had started getting nervous. It was a good thing they'd told Spinel before anything happened.
Spinel tilted her head all cute-like, twining her fingers and conveniently blocking the way. "Warn 'em?" she asked innocently. "Warn 'em of what? Is it a game? Can I play?" She bounced a cartwheel closer, and the soldiers behind the Agate bristled. "I'm so bored here, please? Pretty please? Can I play?"
The Agate glanced past her at Blue Diamond's chambers like she thought Spinel couldn't tell where she was looking, then turned her gaze back to Spinel with a calculating, sickly-sweet smile. "You want to help, do you?"
Nodnodnod, like she was enraptured by every word. "Uh-huh!"
The Agate leaned in close, smiling like they were in cahoots or something. "That's wonderful! It's a simple game, so you can certainly play it. Are you ready?" Nodnodnod. "It'll be your turn first. You just go to that wall and face the corner, and when we give the signal you can stop. Do you think you can do that?"
The world slowed. Spinel's skin prickled, sudden rage filling up rapidly, pooling hot in her limbs and saying hurt them hurt them hurt them like a bass beat. Pounding in her gem, her upside-down gem that would've been right-side up if only she hadn't been left. They thought she'd fall for that again? Just be a good little toy and sit in the corner till they let her out? Till they shattered her? Till they hurt Blue?
She'd been going to let the walls call security, but now it was personal. Now she was gonna make this hurt.
"I can do that!" Spinel made a big show of turning around and facing the wall. "Are ya gonna give the signal soon?"
She heard a zzzap like a weapon being summoned, heard someone step closer, heard one of the soldiers snort and mutter to another...
Spinel looped around the swinging blade and sprang into the air, grabbing the Agate by the shoulders. The Quartz who'd attacked her jolted back in surprise. "Boop! Was that the signal?"
"Get your filthy hands off me!" The Agate tried to pull her off, but she wound her arms around till they were tangled together, pressed their foreheads together and giggled.
"Back off!"
"Hey, that's your superior you're handling!"
"Superior? But I belong to the Diamonds!" Spinel said, like she was confused. "What're you doin' so close to Blue's chambers, anyway?"
"Let go of her now, Spinel," another soldier growled. "You're being an inconvenience."
The words sent another rush of hatred through her. Inconvenience. They thought they could just make her go away, like she cared what they thought about her- "Awww, but I'm not doin' anything she wasn't gonna do to me," Spinel said. "Makin' me face the wall, pullin' out a weapon?" She drew back, letting the Agate free. "They say turnabout is fair play, and you aren't playin' really fair, are ya?"
"Would you get rid of her already?" the Agate snapped, ignoring her. Every mote in Spinel's body screamed to make her pay. "At this rate we'll never reach her!"
"Reach who?" Spinel asked, like she didn't already know. "Reach Blue? That's who you're after, isn't it? 'Cause her chambers are right behind me an' all." She pulled out a little cylinder, twirled it around in her fingers, felt the familiar weight. This is revenge, it had meant once. This is how they're gonna get what's coming to them. "Gonna hit her with this? Gonna turn her back the way she used to be? Goin' after the easy target first?"
The Agate backed up, her soldiers pulling out weapons of their own. "Give that back," she spat. "Jasper!"
Spinel pressed the little button on the side and felt the Rejuvenator burst out like it'd been waiting for her. Old tech, rarely used, not even permanent... but they would've tried. They would've gone right past and sliced Blue up like it was nothing, like they had the right, and Spinel would've been left all alone and not even the Diamonds would've wanted anything to do with her 'cause she'd messed up so bad-
She spun the scythe in her fingers, wicked pink blade buzzing against the air. "You said you wanted to play a game, didn't you?" she taunted. "Come and get it!"
The Jasper lunged first, so Spinel flattened along the ground, winding up behind before she could turn and whooosh, there went her head! It burst into light motes before it hit the ground, but Spinel was already twisting over to the Amethysts, wrapping them up together and spinning them like tops. They stumbled and got to their feet, snarling, and all lined up like that, how could Spinel not cut right through them? They'd made it so easy for her!
Three more gems on the ground. Then there was just the Agate and two Citrines left, stumbling back wide-eyed and scared like they thought it'd save them, when even Pink's old friends had put up more of a fight. Spinel slunk low to the ground, grinning to savor their sudden fear. Who'd've thought a little ole Spinel could beat up a whole crowd of soldiers? Who would've thought sneaking up on a Diamond was hard? These gems were so stupid it was funny. They were idiots. They were punchlines.
"It's not so bad bein' rejuvenated," Spinel confided, stalking closer. The Agate cracked her whip warningly, Citrines clenching their fists behind her, but Spinel already knew they couldn't touch her. She moved too fast for them to hit. "You just get poofed and you're gone, all shiny and new after. But you can get your memories back if ya really try. If someone cares enough to try an' remind you." Another happy spin of the blade over her head. "Ya got someone who cares enough ta do that?"
"Please," one of the Citrines burst out, but Spinel didn't hear what she had to say 'cause she was already collapsing into sparks, gem hitting the ground. The other two clattered down after her.
Spinel poked them all with her foot, then shrugged and pulled the blade in. A soft sound came from the chamber behind her, and she spun around to Blue Diamond's concerned eyes, soft and worried and focused all on her. She hadn't noticed anything. "Spinel! Are you all right? Why are all these gems dissipated?"
Spinel let Blue gather her up and swung from her finger, making her laugh. The sound sent happy little tingles through her gem. Useful, and they liked her, they loved her- "Dunno! But hey, I found this next to 'em," she offered, holding out the Rejuvenator. Blue's eyes widened.
"A Rejuvenator! I haven't seen one of those in ages." She took the little handle carefully, studying it. "I'll have to ask Yellow how they might have gotten it." She bubbled the seven gems, sending them away, then turned to go back into her chamber, smaller gem in hand. Spinel leaned over the edge of her palm and winked at the wall gems, who grinned and winked back.
She liked hanging around with the walls. They knew what to tell the Diamonds and what to let Spinel keep to herself.