Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It had been only three days ever since they set foot on Earth.

Spinel and Steven are currently staying at Amethyst's room this time of day, just Spinel sitting peacefully on a very grimy looking couch as she watches Steven wander curiously around the messy room.

Spinel wants to keep it this way.

Because so much has happened ever since they left the garden before they're safe and sound in the walls from a purple stranger.

It was messy.

Their plan on how to transport to Earth was tricky to think about, but they manage to hitch a ride in a ship – by getting caught by Jasper who poofed Spinel and punched Steven unconscious before trapping them in a cell.

But they eventually escaped the ship by making Jasper break the pilot controls, crashing the ship and activating an emergency guide to the escape pods. Spinel also poofed Jasper back – it was a panic moment but now it's also quite ironic – and Jasper's gem stayed in the crashing ship, left there without acknowledgment if she was shattered or still crystal clear after the crash.

Meanwhile, Peridot escaped in her own pod and landed who-knows-where on Earth. As for Spinel and Steven, they landed on an island. It seemed faithful that the place would've been their new home – if it weren't for the wild invisible monster gem of some kind.

Spinel and Steven barely managed to escape from the beast till they activated a convenient warp pad they found and warped to an unknown place to then meet an unknown gem.

Actually, not so unknown, Spinel thinks the stranger is an amethyst which was correct but she is still a stranger nonetheless.

But after a little harmless tension, awkwardness, curiosity, and an intriguing introduction of some of the humans in a small town called Beach City, Steven convinced Spinel to stay in this city of wonders.

And so, here we are today.

Spinel and Steven moved to stay in Amethyst's room since it's only best for them to stay where they're most familiarly accepted – and it just has to end up being with a mysterious gem Spinel's still very skeptical toward.

But at least she's giving Amethyst a chance to prove she's maybe a little bit trustworthy.

“Hey there, Pinky,” The purple gem called with a grin as she leaned onto the back of the scrummy couch Spinel is sitting on.

The heart gem's face just briefly scrunches at the nickname. “I have a name, you know, Gem.”

“Says the pink gem who just calls me Gem,” Amethyst teases but with a genuine smile before hopping over and plopping down to sit next to Spinel, making pinky scoot over farther than necessary. “Seriously though, why do you still call me that? You say ‘gem’ like you’re not a gem yourself, or that you don’t like being a gem or something? Or, I dunno – It just feels weird.”

Spinel’s eyes creased before averting away from the purple gem's gaze. Amethyst briefly saddens at the distant antic.

“Eh, it’s cool though” Amethyst easily shrugs it off, slouching on the couch with raised arms behind her head, emphasizing her chill vibe. “I just hope you won’t be this moody all the time.”

“I-I’ll try,” Spinel shamefully said like she wasn’t so insolent earlier. But then an elbow reassuringly poked her shoulder.

“Nah, it’s alright. I was suspicious at first too, ya know. I just easily agreed to let strangers live in my room – but there’s no rush. You warm up at the fact you’re technically trapped in a stranger’s base at your own pace.” Spinel only chuckled a bit at her odd but assuring joke, it was enough to make Amethyst smile anyway that she took it light-heartedly.

And just like that, the apprehensive feeling is replaced with a nice casual energy.

Only the comfortable silence and the streams of… quite dirty waters flowing in Amethyst’s room.

The purple gem follows Spinel’s gaze at the person she seems very protective of, according to Amethyst's observation.

A little boy named Steven…

Staring in awe at the trash— unique objects piled and a bit scattered all around the room like they're garbage – which, by the way, they're not, it has a clear system.

Amethyst was surprised to see another gem quite attached to a human even though it wasn’t the first time she had seen it. But it was endearing to realize nonetheless.

Maybe there are still some gems out there adoring the beauty of Earth.

Amethyst’s messy room on the other hand is definitely not so beautiful, even after she did try to clean it up a little as she said she would.

She wonders if her guests will find an apartment or anything else nicer than this awful, awful mess. But a part of her thinks that’s barely going to be the case even if the room is unbearable enough. I mean, the kid is curiously gawking at the clucky junk and litter around him like some… well, alien, heh.

Steven even picks up one of the wastes laying alone on the ground with no hesitation before placing it along with the rest of the piles of rubbish, Spinel still smiling fondly at him as he does so.

Yup. Definitely grateful no matter what.

Besides, they did say they don’t entirely know where they are on Earth yet, and what are the chances they’ll explore? Zero percent chances… but who knows?

Amethyst doesn’t have future vision.

Maybe she could make her possibility happen with the right pulling of strings.

“Hey, Spinel?”

“Yeah?” Spinel turns to see Amethyst who's now looking a little nervous, a contrast to her casual stature just earlier.

“I know you and Steven are doin’ pretty okay and all but I know my room isn’t much, so I was thinking… Maybe I could show y’all around Beach City? See what catches your eye? Maybe get along with the humans and all that? And maybe even find a better place to stay than this junk?”

“O-Oh, no, that's okay. Very kind offer, but we're—” An arm around her shoulder interrupts Spinel.

"It's a great offer! Don't worry, I promise I'll try my best to make this okay for you and Steven. Trust me, and if you can't… well, how about we try to get to know and trust each other better during the tour?"

"Uhm…" A pause. A hesitant pause.

Amethyst is starting to worry she was being too pushy but Spinel finally sends a small smile. Although it was small, appreciation still sparked inside the quartz at the expression.

"I'll think about it", was all she said with a slight smile.

Spinel said it, but to be honest, she didn't mean it… at least she thinks she didn't. That was her intention, as rude as it is, but she couldn't stop thinking about Amethyst’s offer.

I mean, her room is… doable and enough for her and Steven – It's enough.

They don't need more. Besides, the whole mess in their journey was because their home was at loss and that they needed more. They needed something better. Finding home again now would seem unnecessary.

Nonetheless, their necessary search didn't even go well. When they had gone out to find it, all they received was fear, pressure, and maybe even emotional scars from all the traumatic events they interfered the whole way.

All of that tension…

…before they eventually found some hope.

Spinel looked at Steven's calm sleeping face with a blank, thoughtful look, observing his peaceful breathing as he dozed on the… Has that metal spring always stuck out from the couch?

The bewildered gem's thoughts are even more interrupted when she hears Amethyst loudly snore as she willingly sleeps for today.

Is this seriously the gem that will be guiding them if she accepts the tour? She should just decline it already...

…but Spinel will think about it.

She only finally considered the very next day. She was up all night making sure Steven slept well and that there was no disturbance or danger. She took the time to think about Amethyst's offer to distract herself from the nightly silence and come up with an answer.

And, win-win, she eventually did.

"Welcome to Beach City!"

"Yay! Beach City!" Steven just cheered along with Amethyst while Spinel smiles at the happy boy that he is.

"So," Spinel chimes and crosses her arms with an amused look. "Tell us what's so special about your small town?"

Amethyst turns toward the questioning pink gem with a slight smirk. "If you don't know, the purpose of a tour is also to show you the destinations. And our first stop is my favorite place to snack and crash – and also the closest to the Temple – The Big Donut!"

The purple gem shortly waved her hand in presentation at quite a small looking shop that has a big ornamented donut on the roof, along with a sign saying…

"Wow, The Big Donut!" Steven was instantly amazed with stars in his eyes. "Cool name."

"And a very cool place with very cool people working inside," Amethyst comments as she walks over and places a palm on the glass door. "Right this way, my fellow tourists."

Amethyst opened the door and a ringtone from the shop activated, signaling someone had entered.

This perked the attention of a teenage girl with sandy blond hair, looking up from her magazine before her face lit up when she saw the familiar face. "Oh! Amethyst! Good to see you!"

Another teen, a boy with orange hair, has stopped binging on his phone and excitedly perked up at the familiar name. "Yo! Amethyst! How's it going, Ames?"

"Hey, Lars! Hi, Sadie!"

"Want anything for today's Big Donut?" In case of an order, the boy now known as Lars prepared an empty rectangular white box with their donut logo printed on it.

"Hmm, I guess I could get three."

"Wow, only three? What a miracle, considering how much you usually eat," the blonde girl light jokes. Lars swapped the donut box for a small cardboard purse instead.

"Yeah, but they're not all for me, I have two special guests with me today," Amethyst says as she presents Spinel and Steven behind her. "They aren't from around here so I'm showing them the ropes."

"Oh, hello, there! Welcome to the Big Donut. I'm Sadie," the stubby blonde girl politely greeted.

"Hi! I'm Steven," the boy excitedly introduces himself. He's again ever so glad to say his name to another person, more so someone like his human half.

"And..." Lars eyed the pink gem beside the small boy, smirking. "This pretty lady must be...?"

"Spinel," the pink gem simply answered with averted eyes. Meanwhile, Steven tightly held Spinel's hand.

"Aww, you feeling shy? How cute." Lars leans onto the counter toward Spinel. "Or are you just playing hard to g–AHK!"

But Lars is shot backward when Sadie punches his shoulder, making his body jerk at the hit.

"Lars, stop hitting on Amethyst's guest," Sadie scolds with an obvious disapproving look on her face.

"Argh, hey! You're the one who's hitting!"

"It's rude to come up to new people like that. You're so disgusting."

"At least I do see new people and don't end up with only one friend you had met only from work."

"Pfft, friend? What friend? It's hard to see you being one because of how obnoxious you are to–"

"Ahem."

A very deliberate loud noise of Amethyst's raspy throat being cleared finally interrupted the teenagers' ridiculous banter.

Amethyst descends the fist she coughed on over her mouth before her annoyance is replaced with a knowing grin. "Thanks for the entertainment, guys, helped give me time to think what donuts to get, but I'ma order now if you don't mind."

"O-Oh, right, sorry about that, Amethyst," Sadie apologizes, now looking embarrassed. "W-What donuts do you wanna get?"

"Just strawberry, Bavarian, and good ol' chocolate donut," Amethyst lists her order out loud as she points at the donuts behind the glass case.

Lars also looked quite awkward and decided to make up for his trouble by packing up the donuts in his already prepared small white box.

"Thanks! It was neat seeing you guys again! Still gotta work on your service though, ha," Amethyst jokes in her goodbyes, about to make her exit until Sadie called out for her.

"Wait, Amethyst, you aren't gonna pay today?"

'...Ohhhh shOOT! Sadie, I'm SO sorry! I-I— wait, hold on." The panicking gem quickly reached into the pockets from inside her white jacket.

Both Spinel and Steven watched in confusion when Amethyst took out a little small looking pouch. She opened it, looking quite desperate searching in her wallet. Her frantic action eventually slowed down as her expression looked defeated.

"No… not enough… No, no, Sadie, I'm sorry! I swear, I have been working hard lately, I'm just cut off short today, I guess. Please don't see it as me not trying, I really am! You know what, you can have your donuts back–"

"Woah, woah, woah, Ames! Hey, it's fine," Lars reassures her, stopping her hand of putting her already packed donuts back on the counter. "You know it's always on the house when you need it to be, we don't mind."

"For once, I agree with Lars." The lanky boy sent a brief glare after Sadie's remark. "Besides, we understand how hard it is with you protecting Beach City from attacks and stuff."

"But I shouldn't be giving y'all slack all the time. I'll get you money next time, I promise, for real."

"We know you will, Amethyst, but you don't have to owe us that much," Sadie knowingly assures with a smile.

"And, also, didn't you basically got the people in Beach City from getting harmed by that – green hand ship was it, Ames? You basically saved us! Now that's cool enough for us to let you pass not paying us just a little money," Lars says with a playful finger gun at the purple gem.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever… but just for correction, I do have times when I mess up and stuff like that, so–"

"Amethyst, relax, just stop and go ahead already. It's fine, really," Sadie reassures again. "If you really wanna owe us back, just give us even a small nickel next time you drop by, then it's all good."

"Bruh, Sadie, how is that even fair?"

"Oh come on, Amethyst, you heard her. When Sadie says it's all good, it's all good. You deserve it anyway, man. We cool," Lars presses the fact that the purple gem is free to go without charge. "I mean, come on, if I'm given free donuts, I would take it."

Lars received another small punch from Sadie but he just laughs at it this time, as well as Amethyst.

"Okay, okay, fine, sheesh," Amethyst agreed in a protest tone but still brought back her donuts in her hands. She then sighed. "…Thanks, guys, I appreciate it a lot, really."

"We know, Amethyst–"

"But when I get back next time, I will pay ya! Aight, buds?"

"We get it, Ames," Lars says as he playfully rolls his eyes.

"See you later, Amethyst!"

"Bye, Sadie, see ya, Lars! Thanks again!"

The ringtone set off when Spinel and Steven left the shop.

"Sorry about that small ruckus earlier, guys," The purple gem apologizes to her guests as they leave the building. "Sooo, S&S, what do y'all think about the Big Donut?"

"Weird," Spinel worded out.

"U-Uh, I think it was pretty alright, heh," Steven comments with a nervous chuckle. "But, yeah, it was a little weird."

Amethyst easily laughs. "Oh, yeah. Sadie and Lars go for each other's throats sometimes. In more ways than one."

Spinel's expression slightly got more bewildered that the gem doesn't seem to want to include the part she was troubled just earlier at the counter.

"It can be annoying but it's all worth it with their awesome donuts. Speaking of…" Reaching her hand into the bag, Amethyst took out one of the donuts that had pink icing and rainbow sprinkles on it.

"Strawberry for you." Spinel obligingly took it despite her confused expression.

"Sweet Bavarian for you." Steven gingerly took the white powdered donut gratefully, but his eyes say that he's so excited to eat the pastry.

"And good ol' chocolate," Amethyst says with a content grin as she takes out the chocolate icing donut. "For good ol' muah... HARMPH-"

Amethyst instantly devours her chocolate donut. Steven started eating the donut with careful bites but seems very eager and curious about the different looking human food.

Spinel, meanwhile, is not taking even a small bite of it yet. But after inspecting it for a while like she was checking if it's unsanitary or something, she took a little nibble.

Biting a small amount but still getting the pink icing and some sprinkles on her tongue, her eyes lit up like fireworks.

"WOW! This donut is awesome," Steven happily comments as he takes up more bites of his Bavarian.

"Yeah, it's really good," Spinel approved with a soft smile.

"Heh, told ya it's all worth it," Amethyst proudly says.

"Ohoh, definitely," Steven agrees, finally finished chowing down the donut with only just a few crumbs and powder on his mouth and fingers. "I would definitely visit there again – even with that weird Lars guy in the same room with me."

"Glad to see you're liking the tour, Steven," Spinel comments with a lovely smile as she gently wipes the donut mess off the hybrid's face.

"But it's not over yet, guys. Come on, we still have some more places to go to," the purple gem encourages as she starts walking along the wooden floorboards.

"Will we get to eat more Beach City food?"

"U-Uhhh." Amethyst only sent a nervous smile at Steven's beaming excitement. "I would, buuut I'm afraid my pockets are quite low at the moment to buy some for us."

Spinel hummed in acknowledgment at that. Meanwhile, Steven lightly whined, "Awww."

Unfortunately for the curious boy, it felt like there was a line of multiple buildings all selling food like it's mockingly tempting him as they walked. But there was also one thing Spinel's sure is repetitive along the path; it's that Amethyst is quite recognizable in this small town.

A young woman putting up a sign that says "open" waved at the purple gem behind the glass window from a small "restaurant" labeled "Fish Stew Pizza". The boy in a shop called "Beach Citywalk Fries" says hi behind the counter. And a very cheerful guy that works in an "arcade" smiled very widely at Amethyst.

Fortunately, this building that's titled "Funland Arcade" is where Amethyst's able to finally do service of their tour

"Since you can play the games with only one coin, I'm able to provide for this part of our tour," Amethyst explains as she gives Spinel and Steven three nickels each on their palms.

"Are you sure there's no food in Funland Arcade?"

"Sorry, Steven, but no." The boy could only pout at that. "But, hey, this arcade is full of games! Everybody loves games. Do you like games?"

Steven's sadness instantly changed into delight. "Oh! Yes! Me and Spinel play games almost all the time!"

"Oh, wow, really? You like games, Spins?" The heart gem perked up a bit at the nickname but she quickly responded.

"Yeah, I do. Games are… actually kinda my thing," Spinel said as she nervously fidgets with her hands.

"Heh, we'll see about that," Amethyst says in a challenging tone. "I'm quite a natural with Earth arcade games."

"Oh." Spinel couldn't help but send a slight smirk. "Well… Why don't we go inside and prove our gaming skills then, if you're up for it."

Amethyst could only let out a playful laugh at that.

Steven excitedly gasps before whispering, "Competition game!"

It was a friendly competition as Spinel intended it to be.

But for some reason, Spinel couldn't help but be a little bit competitive toward the enthusiastic gem. She has no idea why, but something about this game, or maybe something about Amethyst in general, just makes her want to wipe that smug look off her face whenever her natural experience benefits her getting ahead in the challenge.

At least she managed to find some sense of fun as she tried to seriously gain first place. It was a bit tough for her to learn the new kind of game mechanics at first – most of the machines apparently rely more on your hands than your entire physique – but Amethyst's casual instructions were easy to catch up on.

Their amount of long tickets thickens – that is gladly held by the happy boy – and is neck and neck to each other, according to Steven's counting on Spinel and Amethyst's tickets.

"Alright just one more game, and we're all out of coins," Amethyst explains as she leads her two guests along the line of arcade games. "We've also mostly been playing games you need skills with your hands though, and I feel like stretching a tiny bit, so how about we—"

"Oh ma GOSH! Sour Cream, it's happening!"

A very eager shriek interrupted the purple gem's talking.

Amethyst quickly glanced at the source of the sound with quite an annoyed look but it instantly disappeared once she saw who it was.

"Oh, hey! It's Jenny, Sour Cream, and Buck!"

Steven's head tilted in confusion while he followed where Amethyst is referring to. "...Who?"

That loud sound came from an excited looking dark skinned human.

Almost jumping high in ecstasy as she and a dude wearing cool shades watch a guy in quite a yellow-ish pale skin color playing a claw machine game.

"I can't believe it! You're about to win this prize for sure!"

"Hey, don't jinx it, dude," the guy said in his low and sort of nasally voice as he tried concentrating on the arcade game.

Sadly, as if on cue, the bear plush is freed from the claw and falls back into the pile of plushies.

"Nooooo," the yellow dude groans unenthusiastically in defeat.

"Awww, man," Jenny expressed devastatingly.

"Wack," the guy simply said with no emotion behind his shades.

"No worries, guys," a familiar voice chimes in. A pale purple glow briefly appeared and a hand suddenly slithered its way into the claw machine and took the bear prize out of its compartment. "Here ya go!"

Jenny gasped. "Amethyst!"

"Oh, wow, thanks," the pale yellow guy gratefully said as the purple gem's shapeshifted arm handed him the prize he was aiming for.

"Wassup, Amy?" Emotions still weren't expressed behind the teenager's shades, but he greeted Amethyst with a slight smile.

"I'm good. Just in the middle of showing these two the ropes of Funland and also in a friendly competition with Pinky over here."

Jenny beamed once she realized the recognition. "Oh hey, I know you two! You were with Amethyst when I gave y'all a quick drive to The Temple. Nice to see you again, Steven!"

The called boy perked up at being greeted and he cheerfully waved at Jenny who giggled at his reaction. "Still adorable as ever, I see. And good to see you too… uhh… Huh, wow, this is embarrassing, I just realized I didn't get your name, lil' Pinky."

"It's Spinel," the pink gem introduced, also gesturing her gemstone a bit to present her name more.

"Spinel, cool gem name," Jenny complimented, liking the way the name rolled on her tongue when saying it. "Oh, and speaking of names…"

The dark haired teenager goes over to her teenage friends. She first gestures to the person with shiny black shades.

"This guy here is Buck."

"Sup."

"And this is Sour Cream."

"Hey, dudes."

"Woahhh," Steven awed at the three humans with stars in his eyes. "You all look so cool!"

"Eyy, thanks, lil' Stevie," Jenny winks at the compliment while Sour Cream hugs his plushie.

"You're pretty rad too, Steven," Buck remarked back. The hybrid's smile only grew more.

"Heyy, glad to see y'all are getting along," Amethyst chirped. "Anyway, wanna come and watch us play Skee Ball? It's our last match and, I promise you, it's very tense."

The three gladly agreed and they all went to the arcade game that has a long elevated platform that ends with rows of hoops on the wall that has holes labeled in numbers.

"You joining us, Steven?"

"Yeah, yeah, be there in a bit, Amethyst," the hybrid awkwardly scurries as he pockets his own tickets in the blue jeans Spinel picked out for him for the tour.

But he kept Spinel and Amethyst's folded tickets in his left hand so he'll keep count with them.

"Okay, ready!"

"Alrighty. So, this is Skee Ball, and basically, you glide your ball onto this smooth floor part that shoots upward at the end then you have to land it in one of those holes. There's also numbers on it, so if your ball goes through one of them, those are the points you get as your score till you run out of balls."

"Alright, seems easy," Spinel comments, mostly to reassure herself.

Amethyst chuckles and playfully says "That's what you said in the last two games."

"At least I got far," Spinel's counters way too quickly and imaturrely for her liking.

"Yeah, far in the back, eating my dust once I win–"

"Can y'all just stop your cute witty banter and play already? Steven has already started," Jenny pointed out in slight impatience but is quite amused at the interaction she witnessed.

And yes, Steven in the meanwhile has already begun trying to play the game. He eventually managed to get some points but it's not that impressive, yet he's proud of the tickets he earned afterward.

Amethyst has a bit more difficulty playing Skee Ball than with their previous arcade games, since you have to use good aim, force, and momentum for throwing the ball through the holes. But she managed to get some promising points.

Spinel is having a little bit of trouble however. This requires more skill than simply hitting as much as blue beavers popping up as you can, or just make sure you hit the small flat pendant to skid into your opponent's goal more than yours.

Here, is to simply throw the ball into the holes, which Spinel is able to do sometimes, but she could only barely keep up with Amethyst who's slightly ahead of her.

So far Amethyst got 10pts, 20pts, 10pts, 30pts, 20pts.

And Spinel has mostly been getting 10's and only a single 30pts.

She's gonna lose.

The pink gem's breathing suddenly started picking up pace, can't help but grip her very last ball with trembling hands.

Before accidentally dropping it.

Spinel ran after it as her ball rolled onto the purple colored carpet patterned with multiple different colored shapes in various sizes.

Till it stopped bumped at Jenny's cyan shoe flats.

"Woah, Spinel, you doin' okay?" Jenny picks up the ball as she watches the pink gem catching up to get it while looking quite distressed.

"Oh, u-uhh," Spinel panted unsurely before regaining her composure. "I-I… yeah, I'm doing good."

"Hey, dude, if this competition with Amethyst is stressing you out, don't sweat it," Sour Cream assures, looking a little worried for the gem as well.

"Yep," Jenny agrees with a playful nod. "Amethyst could get competitive sometimes, but it's nothing to be scared of. Just have fun out there!"

"Actually… I think I'm the one getting competitive," Spinel shamefully mumbles. "B-But, uh, yeah! Yeah, don't worry, I really am having fun. I just really wanna win, is all."

"It's cool," Buck simply said. "I wanna win so bad too sometimes."

"Buuut you also don't always get 'em,"Jenny adds with a chuckle. "But, hey, at least you get two things from losing. One is you think about why exactly you lost and what caused your fallout."

I mean… yeah, I already know that, to be honest, Spinel thought with a slight frown, I learned that from my first failure.

"And second, you try it again!."

"...What?"

"Basically, figure out how to improve then ya prove it," Sour Cream summarized in his usual vibrating low tone.

"...Huh??? Why would… I don't..."

Jenny chuckles at Spinel's reaction and reaches out to grab her hand. The pink gem's cheeks blushes at the sudden contact of another human's warm hand directly brushing against hers at such a gentle gesture, almost like Steven's.

"Just… here," Jenny says as she angles Spinel's palm open for her to place the ball she dropped into her hand. "Go back there and figure out what's making you so stressed out and stuff that you kept missing the good points."

Spinel could only blink as she stared at the female human.

But she eventually moved and turned around for Spinel to finally see Steven next to Amethyst who's watching him count her tickets. It seems she finished playing.

No bother, she will end her game as well.

She will catch up. She has to this time.

Spinel gripped her ball tightly, about to aim and unknowingly throw it.

Wait, didn't her strong grip make her drop the ball in the first place? Could it also be ruining her throw? She's also noticed she has just been focusing on where she wants the ball to land, and not exactly how to get a round object landing on good points. Amethyst did say to glide the ball on the runway to the ramp.

That's quite a mistake she didn't realize, but not to worry.

She has a chance with more time in the world this time.

Spinel eased the tension in her grip and she eyes the smooth platform and imagines a trail to one of the holes. Knowing where to aim and the perfect force to follow it, she steadily reels her arm back.

She shoots.

She scores 40pts!

"Yes! Spinel, you did it!"

She did it, and she almost couldn't believe it.

After Spinel eventually finished playing with an impressive 100pts of her final ball, she anxiously waited for Steven to finish counting her tickets.

"Ninety six, ninety seven, ninety eight… ninety nine!" Steven brightly smiled at his friend's victory. "Spinel, you won! Close at only four tickets ahead from Amethyst!"

She finally won. She couldn't believe it.

She still wouldn't even dare fantasize the wonderful feeling of winning with someone who's close to the same level as her.

But the dopamine rush was easy to push away once Spinel sees that Amethyst doesn't seem too upset.

In fact, her smile only grew wider as she led everyone to another counter filled with what seems to be toys and other prizes. "I might have lost but I did not lose my tickets! I forgot to mention you can use them to get prizes!"

Steven gasped as he followed Amethyst walking up to a counter with everyone else. "Wooaah, I get to earn something by just having tickets?!"

"Yeah, it's an arcade thing, same as buying stuff with money but with tickets. Whatever you wanna get, you gotta reach the price," Amethyst explains while they all wait in line after a yellow kid, who looks similarly like Sour Cream, earns a small E-Bike.

"Cool," Steven whispered with starry eyes. Meanwhile, Sour Cream mutters a "careful, bro" to the small yellowish boy.

As some of them retrieve prizes, Spinel awkwardly fidgets with her tickets in hand. But, she eventually decided to summon the tickets away to her gem.

Amethyst notices this. "You don't know what to get, Spins?"

"Uhm… yeah, I don't, too many options," Spinel answered with an easy smile.

"Eh, that's fine. If you can't pick, I'll do it for you."

"O-Oh, you don't have to do that, I probably… won't… like what you'll give me," Spinel said, eventually deadpanning at the end of her sentence.

Amethyst went silent.

"Hey, Ames, it's your turn," Jenny called out after getting a blue plastic surprise egg as her prize.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Amethyst casually says, walking up the counter and leaving Spinel uncertain on what was the gem thinking or feeling after what she just said to her.

"Spinel, look!" The heart gem blinked out of her thoughts and saw Steven happily holding a plastic case with a small toy person inside. "I got my prize! Sour Cream says it's called a Ranger Guy from a collection called G.U.Y.S."

"Oh, wow! Looks cool, Steven," Spinel responds, quickly able to be back smiling again.

"Woah, you have enough tickets for two prizes, Amethyst?!" Spinel and Steven perked up at the dark female's amused remark. "Now that's impressive."

"Why, thank you, Jenny," Amethyst comments, matching the human's smirk as she walks up toward the hybrid and pink gem. "Here, Spinel…"

The referred gem looked at the purple gem in confusion when she reached out with a toy in her hands.

"I picked out a prize for you," Amethyst referred and Spinel's confusion quickly changed to surprise.

"What?! Why would you do that for me?" Amethyst just chuckles as she shoves the prize into Spinel's hands.

"I mean, isn't that what friends are for?" Spinel didn't know what to say after that answer as Amethyst walks away with her human friends.

"Woah, Spinel, that's a really cool prize," Steven admired before looking at Spinel's toy in familiarity like he's trying to remember something. "I think this plushie looks like those, uhh… what was it?"

"Lions," Spinel simply answered.

"Oh, yeah, yeah! A lion! It's a lion plushie. It's like a nice geometrical representation from the pictures I have seen so far. Though, this one looks a little bit cartoony," Steven chuckles innocently as he observes the plushy. "I bet it looks cooler to meet a real one in person though."

"Yeah," Spinel commented, staring intently at her toy.

"Hey, S&S! Jenny wants to give us a little joy ride, so come on over, it's how we're gonna end our little tour."

The hybrid eyes sparked up after hearing the familiar term that is ride. "Coming!"

After Spinel summons the plush lion away on her gem, Steven excitedly walks over to their Earth group with his friend's hand clasped in his.

They followed their group out of the Funland Arcade to a certain area where a lot more of those earth designed ships are mostly located and parked.

But amongst all the other ships, Steven recognized one of them very fondly.

It was the vessel that Jenny drove with them that one time when Amethyst asked for her to drop off at her base she calls "The Temple".

His first time riding it was quite delightful, so it's no surprise he felt excited as Steven got in the backseat and sat on Spinel's lap – cause there's a lot of people for not much space – he kept smiling as Jenny started up the engine.

It was nice to be on it again, just with more other cool human friends now!

Speaking of, Buck randomly commented to the hybrid, "Oh, hey, Steven, I was just wondering, where did you get that rad shirt?"

The boy looks longingly at the cloth he wears then back at Buck with an innocent smile. "I don't know where any of my clothes come from."

"Oh, living free, I see. Neat, man, I like it," Buck simply complimented with a small smile.

"His mom gave it to him," Spinel added and Steven blinked in stupor.

"Oh yeah, that makes sense."

"'Makes sense'?" Amethyst suddenly questioned, looking back behind her from being in the passenger seat. "Steven, you have a mom?"

"Yes," Spinel firmly answers. "Doesn't everyone?"

"Well, gems don't have parents," Amethyst nervously responded, sinking back to her seat a little.

"I'll correct myself then. Humans always have parents, Steven wouldn't exist without having them after all."

"Pffft, tell that to my dad," Buck commented dryly.

"Uh oh, here we go," Jenny joked.

Steven looks at the shaded human curiously after hearing the familiar term. "Your dad? What about your dad?"

"Nothing, that's the thing! He's always so busy with being mayor, and when he does remember to spend time with me, he always criticizes everything I do just because "I'm the mayor's son"."

"You're the mayor's son?! Wait, what was his name again? Mayor Stew-something?"

Buck laughed at Steven's comment. "Hah, yeah, Mayor Stewy is his name alright, but don't tell him that."

"Oh, wow, Buck, that's so cool! – What you said about your dad though, not so much."

"At least your dad doesn't bother you all the time. My dad as a fisherman can get busy sometimes too, but he always looks forward to coming back eventually. Not that I'm against that, it helped keep my bro, Onion, and my mom happy. But he also always pushes me about fish."

The hybrid, who had kept listening, stopped and confusedly asked, "Fish?"

"Yeah. Always saying something like…" Sour Cream continued his complaint but he started talking in a language Steven couldn't understand before letting out an annoyed huff as a final of his sentence. "I just don't get what's so wrong about wanting to be a DJ, it's a living that I enjoy in my life more than being a fisherman."

"Ohoh, okay, guys, ya'll can stop turning this joy ride into a vent ride now. Just to let ya know, Steven, the little kid over here, is on board with us."

"Oh! Uh, it's okay, I don't mind. It's actually nice to see someone expressing their conflicts freely," Steven commented as he held Spinel's arms that's wrapped around him. "…I don't like seeing people suppress their feelings."

Everyone in the car could agree with Steven's last statement.

"Aww, that's so sweet of you, Steven. I honestly could say the same too – Which is why we sometimes check on Amethyst."

The said purple gem's eyes widen in disbelief after suddenly being called out. "Wut?"

"And, speaking of, how are ya doing, Ames? Any troubles with your gem missions and stuff?"

"O-Oh, uh, pffft, nooo. I'm all good, but thanks for asking, Jenny… I appreciate it, really."

"Anytime!"

"H-How about you though? Doing alright at Fish Stew Pizza? Any new troubles with your sister?"

"Nah, it's alright. To be honest, it's actually been quite peaceful if you don't count my dad yelling orders at the restaurant. And me and my sister? Still some mishaps here and there, but overall, we've been hitting it off pretty nicely lately."

"Glad to hear that."

"It's honestly quite a satisfying progression."

Jenny and Amethyst softly smiled at their caring exchange. Meanwhile, an observing heart gem silently acknowledged their conversation in mind.

Her view of the purple gem has been changing faster than she expected, and it's only after one tour so far.

She didn't think of the gem to be entirely like Jasper or Peridot of course, but that still doesn't mean she won't trust her, which is why she hadn't intended to get too close with fire or else she'll get burned again. But… from what she has seen so far, – the gem being so selfless, kind, and caring to her friends, meaning her grateful words – Amethyst has deeper character than she had thought.

She's starting to consider getting to know her more or just help her in general sometimes.

But Spinel didn't have to think much of that for now, her pondering was interrupted by a sudden bang of music.

There were already songs coming from the car somehow, playing live until another song was shuffled next. But then this music introduction had caught Jenny's attention to expressing her signature excitement again.

"Ah!!! Oh my gosh! I love this song!"

"Oh!" Steven beamed before leaning a bit closer to the front seats of the car. "Uh, I love songs too!"

"Well, then I hope your music tastes like one of my favorites," Jenny chuckles as she turns up the radio a bit more.

"Yeah," Sour Cream cheers towards Steven "Let's rave, dude!"

"Get ready, Steven," Buck claims. "Cause most of us will be singing our hearts out for this one."

"Even me," Amethyst added.

"Shush, the lyrics are coming!" Jenny's grip on the wheel was practically jittery or clenched.

·

(High Hopes - Panic! At The Disco)

Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Shooting for the stars when I couldn't make a killing
Didn't have a dime but I always had a vision
Always had high, high hopes

Everyone familiar with the song was taking turns singing verses or just straight harmonizing together, having fun even if they would sound off tune, just singing out loud with no shame.

Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Didn't know how but I always had a feeling
I was gonna be that one in a million
Always had high, high hopes

Although Spinel and Steven are the ones who never heard of this song, the young hybrid was happily bopping along and trying his best to catch up on the lyrics.

Mama said
Fulfill the prophecy
Be something greater
Go make a legacy
Manifest destiny
Back in the days
We wanted everything, wanted everything
Mama said
Burn your biographies
Rewrite your history
Light up your wildest dreams
Museum victories, everyday
We wanted everything, wanted everything

The words sink into Steven as he next listens to the next verse of the song that had made everyone slow down and sing more softly than straight up eagered yelling earlier.

Mama said don't give up, it's a little complicated
All tied up, no more love, and I'd hate to see you waiting

And with that, they're back to the lively chorus that Steven easily catches up singing.

Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Shooting for the stars when I couldn't make a killing
Didn't have a dime but I always had a vision
Always had high, high hopes
Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Didn't know how but I always had a feeling
I was gonna be that one in a million
Always had high, high hopes

Spinel, meanwhile, has only been slightly bobbing her head along the song as she watches everyone singing lively.

Stay up on that rise
Stay up on that rise and never come down, oh
Stay up on that rise
Stay up on that rise and never come down

But, eventually, the closed-in gem started listening to the lyrics closely as well.

Mama said don't give up, it's a little complicated
All tied up, no more love, and I'd hate to see you waiting

Steven and Spinel became quiet for a while as the others sang a bridge verse.

They say it's all been done but they haven't seen the best of me-eh-eh-eh
So I got one more run and it's gonna be a sight to see-eh-eh-eh

They took that moment to eventually warm up to the song, eventually ready to sing along.

Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Shooting for the stars when I couldn't make a killing
Didn't have a dime but I always had a vision
Always had high, high hopes

With the chorus next in line, Steven is able to sing along because of the catchy lyrics, and Spinel decides to have more fun this time.

Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Didn't know how but I always had a feeling
I was gonna be that one in a million
Always had high, high hopes

Now, literally everyone in the car sang their heart out.

Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Shooting for the stars when I couldn't make a killing
Didn't have a dime but I always had a vision
Always had high, high hopes

Amethyst peaks over her seat as she watches her two guests, because WOW she had no idea they could sing like that!

Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Didn't know how but I always had a feeling
I was gonna be that one in a million
Always had high, high hopes

The song ends and the radio eventually switches to a different song.

But everyone was too distracted letting out their burst of joy and laughter until it wasn't long for Jenny to finally end their joy ride here.

The pizza themed car drove over to the other side of the hill across the small city, back at Amethyst base; The Temple.

"See ya later, Amethyst!"

"It was nice meeting your new friends."

"Can't wait for our next surprise hang out."

They all waved at each other goodbye as the car drove away till they could no longer hear the excited honking and beeping from the vehicle.

Steven was the first to excitedly say something after the departure, raising up his arms and he happily ran around. "WOOO! That was so much fun! I really enjoyed our tour, Amethyst, and most of your friends are very nice! And keeewl. Those guys especially, they should even be titled The Cool Kids or something because yeah!"

The purple gem fondly chuckles at the kid's contagious joy. "I'm glad you had fun Steven. Oh, and, Spinel! Man, can you really sing! You as well, Ste-man!"

"Heh, thanks, Amethyst," Steven sheepishly said.

"Eh, I only just happen to be able to sing but that's it. And, yeah, Steven really likes music so I'm not surprised he's great as well," Spinel counter-compliments as she affectionately ruffles Steven's hair, earning the hybrid's signature laughters.

"Well, I'm glad that all went well. Hopefully, the next day will be as great as today," Amethyst comments as she starts walking to the cave entrance of The Temple.

"Yeah! I can't wait! Let's go, Spinel."

"Actually, Stevie, I have to go out for a bit."

Steven stopped and blinked in confusion. "Huh? Why? W-Where are you going?"

"I just wanna check out the Big Donut for a bit," Spinel reassuringly explains as she comfortingly takes a hold of Steven's palms. "Don't worry, I won't be long, I promise. You hang out with Amethyst for a bit, I'll be right back with a neat surprise ready. Okay, Steven?"

"Okay," the confused but faithful boy agreed before shyly lifting his pointer finger up. "Stars by heart?"

Spinel chuckles and assuringly reciprocates their own handshake together. "Stars by heart. Alrighty, I'll be back in a bit, really."

Steven gave a nod before following suit with Amethyst.

Both the purple gem and hybrid were quite curious on what Spinel was planning, especially more so since it had taken the pink gem a few long minutes till they finally heard a metallic knock on the door of The Temple.

Amethyst went over to the door to summon it open, and Spinel was immediately greeted by a very relieved kid. "You're back!"

"As I promised," the pink gem responded, catching the boy that eagerly jumped into her arms.

Amethyst closed the door to her room and asked, "Where have you been?"

"She said she was at the Big Donut," Steven answered for her before looking back at Spinel with a serious expression. "Lars hasn't done anything weird to you, has he?"

Spinel dearly laughs at the child's antics. "No, he hasn't. And, yeah, I took a long time at the Big Donut. Sorry about that, I'm pretty sure it's also past your bedtime, Steven. Hopefully this could make up for it."

The pink gem then reached for her gemstone and summoned out a little hat that is colored light purple with a donut logo on it.

The gem offered the purple cap onto Steven's curly hair and the hybrid interacted with pure curiosity.

"Wooaah, what's this?"

"Just a little gift, you can keep it for a while, maybe guard it for me. But right now, it's time for you to go to bed Steven."

The boy happily obliged and ran off to the spot where he sleeps, leaving Spinel alone with Amethyst.

"Uhm, hey, Spinel… that cap… did you…?"

"Yeah, that's my uniform."

"So that means… But why?"

"Well, it took me a while to figure it out. But you give an important thing to the people in that shop which is also the same important thing that you're lacking, am I correct? So I eventually realized the cycle and decided to join the Big Donut and get some more 'money' for ya."

"So basically, you just casually and easily got hired for a job?"

"Well, not exactly easy, I had to watch a long minute video as part of being applied and stuff."

"And you did all that… for me?"

"Yes, exactly. You catch up fast. But anyway, Steven's waiting for me or he's probably already fast asleep, so I should go now. See you later, Amethyst."

With the job done, Spinel began walking away to resume her usual night routine with her boy–

"Wait, Spinel!"

The pink gem perked up and turned around to face the purple gem who called out for her.

Amethyst's got flustered a bit after suddenly calling out loud like that, but she eventually found composure and sent Spinel a soft smile.

"…Thank you… for that."

The pink gem returned the smile. "What are friends for?"

Amethyst gratefully nodded and was about to go on about now BUT WAIT A SEC– "…'Friends'?"

"Well, still more like hesitant acquaintances, but… yeah, we're friends."

After that positive comment, Spinel continued her walk further into Amethyst's still quite messy room.

But Amethyst doesn't care about her room right now. Right now, her mouth slightly agape as she watched the pink gem leave.

But eventually, a smile formed onto the quartz's lips, along with a small faint chuckle.

Chapter Text

"S-Seriously, you guys really don't have to do all of this, you know?"

Amethyst has been protesting Spinel's insistence of helping clean up the rest of the debris of Peridot's ship, same as Steven who wants to assist as well.

"Yeah, we know," Steven simply responded with a bright smile as he gingerly plops the broken ship parts he was carrying onto a stacked pile.

"Ok... sooo, why are ya still helping me then," Amethyst deadpanned as she tried pulling out a big deformed chunk of metal that's deeply burrowed in the sand.

But she was having trouble lifting it, so Spinel walked up in front of the purple gem.

"Just think of it as a genuine thank you for what you had done for us," Spinel assured, kneeling down to help pull out the buried metal together, both of them eventually getting it out of the sand.

"Done for you?" Amethyst snatched the heavy metal piece off Spinel's hands to independently carry it in her stubby purple arms instead. "I barely did anything but let you stay in my messy room and give you one simple tour."

"Hm," Spinel playfully hummed before leaning onto a sturdy metal pile with a teasing smirk. "Well if that's what you think, then maybe you still have more room to prove yourse– AH!"

Turns out, the pile wasn't so sturdy afterall to hold Spinel's weight. It tumbled down, along with Spinel falling into the scattered debris.

The comical antic made Spinel look embarrassed, and also caused Amethyst to let out an endeared chuckle before reciprocating the playful demeanor.

"Oh, will do, Spins. But since you caused this mess, you now have to prove yourself, too," the purple gem teases as she picks up some rubble in her arms. "You make it up for me while I'm out getting rid of this pile. Be right back."

With that, Amethyst started walking away confidently as Steven helped Spinel get free from the wreckage she scattered. "You okay, Nelly?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Spinel assured as she scratched her head. "Sorry 'bout that, didn't mean to ruin the hard work."

"That's okay, we can still fix it up again while Amethyst is away... About that, by the way, Spinel..."

The heart gem stopped clearing the debris and made eye contact with the boy. "Yes, Steven?"

"I... really like what you're doing for Amethyst right now, and once it's Monday, you'll also work at the Big Donut for her as well," Steven appreciates with a soft smile.

"Yeah, I know. Thanks, Steven... but... don't get your hopes up too high," Spinel added as she reassuringly ruffled the hybrid's hair. "We still don't know much of Amethyst, and I'm still not technically all besties with her and stuff."

The boy's eyes cast downwards at that, his smile slightly faltering, and Spinel frowns sadly at it.

Her hand trails down to comfortingly cup his cheek. "I'm sorry, Steven. It's just that I still feel like I can't trust her yet... like she's hiding something."

Steven hums in thoughts as he looks down at his fidgeting hands. "...That's okay, Spinel, I can't entirely blame you after what we had been through. But since you can't do it, then I will trust that Amethyst is a good person and a great friend. High hopes or not, I'm sure that she's at least trying her best for things to be okay."

"Seeking out good points as always, huh, Stevie" The heart gem endearingly chuckles before dusting herself off as she finally stands up. "Welp, either way, we should clean this up."

The hybrid nodded determinedly before proceeding to pick up the rubble.

It was all going smoothly as Steven took clunk after clunk that he's able to pick up and carry with his small size, happily humming the song he recently listened to at Jenny's car.

Suddenly, he heard some sort of splatter, followed by a sizzling sound.

The unnatural noise caught the boy's attention. He spotted, at the corner of his eye, something green spilled on the ground.

The puddle looks vibrant like it was freshly recent, and as interesting as it looks, Steven's sure he definitely shouldn't touch that after witnessing the substance also melting a bit of the sand.

Still though, Steven's head tilted in confusion at the unknown of it, before seeing a trail of that same sizzling liquid.

Although he's not willing to touch it, he decides to follow it curiously while also picking up some more of the ship's leftovers on the way.

The green trail keeps going until he sees it leads right inside the cave of The Temple. Steven carefully follows and nervously peeks over the entrance.

He gasps at what he discovered.

"W-What? Is that... some kind of large, uhh... insect, was it?"

The creature observing The Temple seems to fit the animal context. It has lots of small stick legs on its dark round body, but it also has some kind of white fur around it? At least that's what he sees in his angle behind the creature.

When it suddenly turned around, Steven hid himself over the cave walls.

But he could see that the large insect has a big clampy jaw that looks sharp and painful to be bitten by, but probably not enough to draw blood... probably. Hopefully, for the sake of Steven's human body.

But what's also about its mouth is that inside seems to be... its green eye?

Steven couldn't help but stare in awe, both fascinated yet afraid as he watches the creature walk onto the Warp Pad—

–But then it suddenly started banging the Warp Pad with its face, and Steven panicked on whether to worry of the harm of the creature's head or the Warp Pad

Steven flinched, dropping the debris before frantically running over to it. "AH! Hey! Stop! Don't do that!"

The insect jumped and immediately backed away from the boy's sudden presence.

Its form started briefly glitching and glowing but it eventually calmed down once it made eye contact with Steven.

The boy was now lost at words after exposing himself to a creature that could possibly be dangerous, nervous sweat sliding down the side of his head.

Suddenly, it crawled after him.

And Steven yelped and tripped over when the green insect abruptly—

Just ran past him without care... huh.

It went outside before sniffing something and stopping at a chunk of Peridot's ship.

"Hey, you! What are you doing?"

Then the creature finally ran off, completely out of Steven's view before he could even catch up to the green bug.

"Where..." He took a moment to catch his breath. "A-Are... you even... going?"

Well, that was weird.

Seeing that the odd creature is finally gone, Steven could only think that all he could do now was just continue his work.

As much as he wants to follow it, he doesn't wanna get too far from Spinel and get lost without even a trail to follow, so he picks up the metal wreckage he had dropped before proceeding forward.

But he stops at a chunk of metal slab burrowed in the sand that the large insect sniffed on earlier.

He wonders what it could've been looking for... Why not investigate for it himself.

Steven flips over the metal slab, and under it, he immediately sees something reflectively shining and also shining in... orange.

The hybrid's eyes widen, letting out a faint shaky gasp. "I-It's... i-is that–"

Suddenly, the crystal clear object started glowing and it floated upward from the ground.

"Oh no– AH!" Steven backed away in a panic but tripped, he forgot about the heavy lift he was carrying, causing him to unbalance.

He sprawled onto the sand, along with the metal scattering on top of him, pinning him down. 

"No, no, no, no, no–" The hybrid scrambled to quickly get out of the slightly heavy debris.

Steven sighed in relief when he finally got free, quickly dusting himself as he's about to get up–

Only to see Jasper's large silhouette intimidatingly looking back at him.

Steven squeaked in fear and Jasper only scoffed at that. "I remember you."

If the hybrid's paranoia wasn't high enough, it certainly escalated when the orange gem took confident certainty of recognition, before harshly picking up the small boy by the collar of his red shirt.

His legs flared around in helpless panic as Jasper just tauntingly held him up in the air.

"You're the useless runt that escaped the cells and got your friend in a twist to crash the ship. Speaking of, where is that little–"

SMACK

The sound of metal loudly vibrated when the object had suddenly dented at Jasper's head. 

It wasn't an impressive action of strength, but it sure has an annoying effect to briefly phase Jasper.

Then the same metal object hit the brute once more, this time it was smacked right into her inner elbow.

Her grip of the hybrid loosened and Steven was carefully pulled away like a grappling hook, past behind Jasper and into familiar safe arms.

Steven's shaky breath barely managed to blurt out, "S-Spinel..."

"STEVEN! My stars, Steven, a-are you ok– AGH!"

A piece of metal was thrown right at the gem's pink face when Jasper quickly recovered and ironically gave Spinel a taste of her own medicine.

"SPINEL!"

Steven's adrenaline was kicking high, panicking over Spinel's conditions after Jasper's hurl.

It was a pain but Spinel could only feel glad that the broken slab passed above Steven's head.

"Spinel, please be okay," the boy whimpered as his shaky hands gingerly held Spinel's face.

"N-No, Steven, you need to go–"

"Both of you are not going ANYWHERE!" Steven hears Jasper shout, followed by a sudden whoosh of another metal launched.

It sounded sharp.

And it aimed fast at him.

Before piercing right into Steven's flesh.

Screams of agony are heard throughout the entire beach.

Spinel was more alert than ever before, dot eyed at her boy who's clutching over the gut wrenching dark red color spilled all over the sand and himself.

"STEVEN–" Spinel was abruptly shoved away by a harsh kick.

She was flung not far from Steven, but the distance still ached Spinel's urge to rush over and help her impaled kid.

Fortunately, Jasper's focus is not toward the weak human anymore.

"Ohh, I definitely remember YOU!"

The soldier lunged her large fist around Spinel's skinny neck, so small and accessible to harshly pin down to the sand and make the dust shake.

Jasper trapped her prey even more by weighting around her waist to make sure she couldn't get away any further, or stretch in her case. "You're the oh-so-exotic stray that packed a good strike back there, but I guess you're not so tough now, are ya?"

Spinel could only let out squeezed grunts as she desperately clawed Jasper's fist.

She could feel her throat closing up as Jasper tightened her grip furthermore. Thankfully, she doesn't need to breathe like a human, but that doesn't make the pain less bearable.

"Now that I think about it, you were probably just lucky. Catching me off guard, tricking me into crashing the ship, and then poofing me with a weapon that could destabilize almost any gem, even brutes like me. You may look like a special gem cut at first – I'll admit, even I had thought so – but that's just it, you just look different, but you're not so great at all. You're just you."

The heart gem was holding back tears. She wasn't sure if it's because the tight clench was starting to sting bad, or that the petty insults were quite stabby.

But when Jasper prepares her fist up high, Spinel figures it won't be as bad as what'll happen next.

She hears the large gem laugh sickeningly, more foul than before, "Just nothing but a DISGRACE!"

Spinel squeezed her eyes shut, preparing for the worst...

But Jasper's blow never came.

Instead, something laced around Jasper's arm and it held her back before actually being pulled away with abrupt force.

Spinel coughed violently as she gingerly held her bruised neck when finally freed from the heavyweight.

She weakly looked up to see Jasper on the ground and what was roped around her arm.

It was a dark whip, tightly pulled before loosening and wheeled back to its owner.

It was caught by a purple hand from a glaring amethyst.

But Jasper just scoffs as she recovers herself, "Who are you supposed to be?"

Amethyst blinked in stupor, her serious demeanor faltering. "Wait, we're doing introductions right here, right now? Ha, well, if you insist – I'm the one and only Crystal Gem to still protect planet Earth, where I'm also made from."

"The Crystal Gems?" Jasper's eyes widened... before stifling a laugh. "Are you serious? This is all that's left of the rebellion? I'm honestly more surprised it's still alive rather than a single runt living a dead legacy."

"Well, this single runt will tear you down in seconds!" Amethyst even cracked her whip on the sand to further add intimidation.

Jasper's head tilted down as she let out a low chuckle. "Alright, then..."

A sudden glow surrounds her scalp, a stiff orange helmet is summoned on her head before glaring down at the amethyst.

"Bring it."

Without hesitation, Amethyst whacked her whip into motion.

The whip was flung into a dance, like waves of the ocean, as the small but sharp spear at the tip of her whip reached Jasper.

The large gem caught the whip mid fly with a bored expression, but it didn't entirely stop the motion from abruptly slicing her cheek bone.

Jasper flinched back a bit by just the sharp skin of the spear to only leave a thin scratch.

Before she could take action to the fight, Amethyst had already cracked the whip again, it looped around Jasper's wrist whilst she was still grasping it.

Amethyst steadied her ground and pulled as hard as she could muster. It was enough to unbalance Jasper's weight down to the sand before being effortlessly flung into the rocky wall of the hillside.

A crack was created from the impact as Jasper limped onto the ground. She rubbed her cheek, feeling the thin slice being scratchy unlike the rest of her perfect form.

The downed soldier looked up, watching the whip being whacked backwards till it was caught back to the other quartz soldier, still strongly stanced and ready to take action.

Jasper smirked and cackled under her breath, "More capable than I thought. This is gonna be fun."

The large gem immediately got back up, sprinting rapidly toward the small gem.

Amethyst took action before Jasper could close their distance further, extending her whip out again before cracking it into being motioned horizontally.

Jasper slowed her running to grab the whip once again, the small purple spikes around the whip pricking her calloused palms.

She didn't mind, though. Honestly, she missed how rough and scratchy her hands could get after a worthy battle.

Jasper held the whip tightly and used all of her mighty strength pulling it. Amethyst was pulled out of balance and closer toward her opponent.

But Amethyst let herself get skid across the sand, no point in playing tug of war to someone carrying more force.

Instead, she focused on steadying herself to not trip and show vulnerability.

When the gap is closed and Amethyst is now in Jasper's range to be able to finally land a punch, the purple gem leapt high up and Jasper's fist lunged into the sand instead.

Amethyst looped her whip around Jasper in mid air, this time trapping her arms tightly before landing back on the ground.

Pulling her whip again, the brute fell back onto the sand once more.

Before Jasper could get back up, she feels the whip being roped around her neck, feeling the thorns picking her as Amethyst intimidatingly tugged it.

Jasper grunted as her jaw was pulled back before hearing something sharp being wielded.

All she could see next was the spear of the whip being lunged right at her—

A puff of smoke surrounded Amethyst and an orange gem fell into her hand.

Amethyst clenched her fingers around it until a lilac colored bubble was then formed with Jasper's gem inside.

"Whoo, glad that's over," the soldier sighed in relief as she tapped the top of the bubble, sending it away.

"AAGH, S-Spinel!"

Amethyst flinched when a sudden scream loudly echoed in pure agony.

"I'm so sorry, Steven, but it's the way to help your leg."

Amethyst turns around behind her, spotting a piece of metal laying in the sand all bloody, and seeing Spinel wrapping a cloth around Steven's ankle.

"So, so, very sorry, Steven," Spinel whimpered as the wounded boy sniffled in his tears.

"S&S! Are you guys okay?" Amethyst ran up to them looking very concerned as Spinel only remained bandaging Steven.

"...What does it look like?"

Amethyst nervously choked in her words. "R-Right, so sorry, that was a dumb question. I-I... u-uh... don't worry, I poofed and bubbled the strong gem you had mentioned, so now there's no longer a problem!"

"...But there is a problem."

Amethyst gulped and squeaked behind Spinel's back that's still facing her, "RiGHt, yes, aherm, so sorry. U-Uhm... I didn't mean it like that, I-I just... I just mean that the big gem won't bother us anymore so... yay?"

"...No... No, NO 'YAY'!" Spinel had finally turned around and Amethyst can now clearly see the anger and pain in her expression. "Did you see what just happened?! Jasper got Steven hurt, badly! And almost got me poofed!"

"Y-Yes, but at least you're not, r-right? I defeated the, uh, Jasper guy! So we're good–"

"We're NOT good! Why are you insisting that this is fine just because we... just survived?! Oh, yes, we might be good and safe now and it couldn't get worse than this thanks to you, but we... still... got... hurt."

Amethyst's pupils slowly dilated, matching Spinel's pained expression.

But she has a feeling her suffering digs deeper within. Same goes for Steven who's watching them concerningly as he clutches on the now red blanket wrapping his leg.

Amethyst sighed. "Y-You're right, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to look like I was ignoring the problem. But I am glad things will be okay, now that big cheeto is out of the picture."

Steven slightly snickered at the nickname, making the tension ease up a bit and Spinel attentive to Amethyst's next words.

"How about I help you disinfect Steven's wound to make it up for you."

Spinel blinked in confusion. "Disinfect?"

"Yeah, we have to make sure the open cut doesn't get worse from that, we need to take care of the exposure."

"But I already covered it up, is that not enough with this kind of injury?"

"Nope, but you have the right mindset of bandaging it. But who knows where that piece of metal has been, that's why we need to clean it up before covering it."

Spinel looked at the bloody metal piece staining the sand, sharp enough to cut skin yet quite dent... and rusty.

"Oh, wait," Amethyst blurted under her breath as she thought to herself, "But that would mean we need some medical supplies... and I don't have much money to buy some."

"Why not ask to borrow some? I'm sure your human friends won't mind."

"...No, they'll... definitely do."

Spinel oddly looked at Amethyst's gloomy statement. "How are you sure about–"

"Actually, maybe it doesn't matter. There's still other ways to clean up injuries anyway, so I could still help you somehow. Please, Spinel?"

The heart gem averted her eyes in hesitant ponder, glancing at Steven, then at the bloody stains on the white cloth. 

"Plus, it is said I still have room to prove myself trustworthy, sooo..."

Amethyst sheepishly smiles with an awkward shrug as Spinel pauses... before finally sighing.

"...Fine."

And Steven smiles.

...But now Steven's smile falters at the Temple as he hears Amethyst and Spinel's "debating" conversation.

"I'm telling you, water will help wash out the blood and stuff."

"Yeah, I'm sure of it. But since you commented about the metal piece, I question what exactly is in this stream?"

"U-Uhm... it's gonna be fine, it'll still get the blood off. Right, Steven?"

The boy perked up from finally being included. "I–"

"No, it doesn't look sanitary."

"Ouch, I know my room is a mess, but you didn't have to rub it in," Amethyst lightly joked but Spinel's expression hardened.

"I will rub it in if your messy water is gonna get in touch with Steven's open wound!"

"Woah, okay, okay, yes, sorry. I'm just trying to ease the tension."

"Jokes?! After everything we've been through?!—"

Steven ignored the rest of their argument, looking so tired of this nonsense.

He eyes the stream of water below him... it doesn't look so bad.

Yes, there is some unknown stuff in it, some he even recognized are from one of Amethyst's stuff scattered all around her room. But it's probably not gonna affect his wound that much, right? He needs to clean his blood off. If the water makes his skin sting or worse, then that's on him.

Plus, he just really wants this argument to stop already.

"–My stars, you are such a pain in the head. I mean, what makes you think this way of disinfection is a good idea?"

"Because it is? It's cheap and helpful! It's just that my water... i-is... it's the only, u-uh–"

"It's alright."

Spinel and Amethyst both blinked in surprise at the new voice that suddenly joined in.

"What?" Spinel looked down– "Steven!"

"What?" The hybrid continues carefully washing his wound, his blood flowing down to the stream. "The water is fine, just look!"

Steven showed his now cleaned ankle, now being able to see his cut more clearly, fresh and pink.

"I-It's... uh, okay, Steven, if you're so sure," Spinel hesitantly supported.

Amethyst just shrugged nervously. "I mean, no choice anyway now that he did it."

"I guess."

"Yeah! And now that it's done, I'm gonna go rest up now," Steven explained innocently as he weakly stood up. "Right, Spinel?" 

 "Uh, yeah. Sure, Steven."

They went to the spot where all Steven's packed stuff was neatly placed.

Walking up to the slightly broken bed frame that Spinel had tried cleaning but ended up covering the stained mattress only instead with spare blankets she had left, topped off with their only cleanish pillow.

Amethyst lagged behind as she watched Spinel help Steven comfortably sit on the bed.

Spinel carefully takes hold of Steven's leg and wraps a new white cloth around his ankle. Once bandaged, the heart gem leaned down to gingerly peck Steven's wrapped cut, earning a smile from the hybrid.

He always likes it whenever Spinel kisses his injuries better. Though it doesn't heal his wound, it certainly heals his heart everytime.

"Okay, time for sleep, Stevie," Spinel says as she tucks Steven into bed. "Your leg okay? Feel comfortable?"

"Mhm," Steven hums sweetly.

"Feel sleepy?"

"Mm-mh," Steven hums with a light shake of his head.

Spinel naturally chuckles. "Okay, then what do you need to get you sleeping?"

"Hmm..." Steven eyes Amethyst sitting on a lone stool, only seeing a bit of the purple gem behind the tall stack of trash. "Maybe... sing a song? Pretty please?"

Amethyst turns around, glancing over at Spinel and Steven as she hears Spinel softly chuckles again.

"Oh, well, what do you want me to sing? It's hard to choose with multiple options in mind."

"Hmm... how about..." Steven and Amethyst made eye contact, and the purple gem quickly retracted her observation. "...could you sing 'Habits'? Please?"

"Habits. Hmm... I think I remember. Okay then. Sleep tight, alright, Steven?"

The hybrid eagerly nodded and Spinel closed her eyes, breathing in from her nose and then out of her mouth.

After a sigh, Spinel started singing in a soft melody, "Habits I'm trying to kick, can't get over it. Lovers, I hate to admit, are the ghost of it. I don't know why I try anymore."

Steven smiles at Spinel's lovely voice as his eyes slowly flutter to a close.

"Wasting the days to forget that I'm losing it. Stuck in my ways and I hate that I'm used to it. I don't know why... I try anymore."

Steven's body eased. Meanwhile, Amethyst looked back at the close duo, and couldn't help but listen very fondly to their own song.

"You go and I-I stay," Spinel shakily sang under her breath as she gently moved a curl off of Steven's sleeping face. "It's always right person and wrong way. I hate to be right, please, tell me I'm wrong. Please, tell me I'm... wrong."

Steven slowly leaned into Spinel's palm, making the heart gem smile at how Steven is still somewhat affectionate to her even while asleep.

"'Cause it's on again, off again. Love you like oxygen," Spinel softly sang as she longingly stared at the sleeping hybrid. "I don't know what to say, or do. On again, off again. Love you like oxygen. You don't know what I'd do... for you."

And the song came to a close.

Spinel gingerly moved away from the bed and gently tucked Steven more into the bed...

"...I'm stubborn and brittle..."

Spinel perked up when she suddenly heard another singing voice matching the tone of Habits.

"...Act like I know a lot... but know very little..."

Spinel turned around toward where the familiar raspy voice could be, seeing Amethyst sitting behind the a stack of trash and the grimy couch

Amethyst continued to naturally add a new verse to the song, singing softly with all her heart. "I'm growing up, but I'm not growing old… and I hate to do anything that I've been told."

"...And you go and I stay." Amethyst blinked as her looming head moved up, turning around to see Spinel continue the song as she sat down on the couch, her back facing Amethyst's. "It's always right person–"

"–And wrong way," they both sang together. "I hate to be right, please, tell mе I'm wrong. Please, tell mе I'm wrong."

Soft harmonies are only heard, along with running water in the background as Amethyst and Spinel's tired voices gently sing.

"'Cause it's on again, off again.
Love you like oxygen.
I don't know what to say... or do.
On again, off again.
Love you like oxygen.
You don't know what I'd do... for you."

...And now the song came to a close.

They both fell into a tolerable silence.

"...That was… not bad. I forgot to say yesterday that… you have a nice singing voice," Spinel eventually spoke under her breath since it's quiet enough for Spinel to even hear Amethyst wispily chuckle in response.

"You're not so bad yourself."

"It's nothing much. I only sing if Steven wants me to."

"And I can see why, I can't blame him for being able to sleep listening to a voice like that." Amethyst fortunately couldn't see it, but Spinel could feel herself blushing a bit.

"W-Well, the new verse you added to the song though was very impressive. I'm a little rusty at lyric improv."

"Eh, I guess that's just what happens when you're friends with some music guys. Jenny and Buck are quite great with the guitars, and Sour Cream is good at his thing as a DJ."

"Oh, yeah, so I've heard. You seem to get along really well with a lot of people."

"...Not all of them..."

Spinel paused.

That sentence was so vague, she isn't sure if Amethyst meant someone else she wasn't on good terms with, or... me. "I-I'm... sorry for overreacting by the way, I didn't mean to be so agitated."

"Nah, it's fine, I don't blame ya. That buff-cheeto seems hard to forget. I mean, I would freak out too if a friend of mine got hurt by that weirdo."

"I-I just..." Spinel shakily breathes as she buries her face in her palms. "I really thought Jasper was long gone. How was she still even alive after a ship crash, AND while she was still poofed into her gem?! I'm still surprised you managed to defeat her!"

Spinel was too into her rant to notice – and also already unable to see anyway behind the stacked trash – that Amethyst made an awkward stupor expression, not sure how to respond yet to Spinel's somewhat compliment to her combat and strength.

She decides to try to help out her confusion instead, and explain, "...Well, us quartz soldiers are quite tough, but we are very vulnerable when poofed. That's why we reform a bit faster than some other gems. Maybe the Jasper guy reformed before the crash and then she got hit."

"...That... kinda explains it... But I'm still shocked at how effortlessly it looked of you poofing a perfect looking quartz like that. Meanwhile, you're quite... oh, u-uhh, I mean–"

"Nah, it's fine," Amethyst chortles, starting to be able to feel her confidence again. "I can see why, though, you know? It's like those classic bets where they thought the big guy is gonna win, but turns out, they lost to someone like me! Hah, and without even breaking a sweat!"

Spinel chuckled with her, gratefully eased that the small gem wasn't bothered by her slip-up.

"But, to be honest, it's mostly my weapon that did the trick. Sharp things are one of the most effective for poofing gems, very quick and easy."

"Yeah... I learned that the hard way."

Annnd Amethyst's is back to being toned down. Overthinking about Spinel's sentence as her head droops. "...I'm sorry for not being there in time to protect Steven, by the way."

"It's fine. It could've gotten worse, like you said. If you hadn't dealt with Jasper, then she  could've damaged me as well if you didn't step in–"

"Oh yeah! Your neck!" Amethyst suddenly got up to finally look over behind the wall of trash, now beside Spinel with a nervously worried expression. "U-Uh... h-how is it, by the way?"

"...It's alright, it doesn't hurt now or anything," Spinel responded as she softly rubbed her neck. Until she stopped, realizing an odd new feel of texture of her form. "Uhh... But... why does it kinda feel weird?"

"May I check?"

Spinel looks to see Amethyst calmly walking in front of her now, since the couch is short enough to have them close to eye-level.

Amethyst patiently looks at her with an accepting expression, hinting Spinel's free to decline or let her act.

"U-Uhm... sure."

After a small respectful nod, Amethyst reached up to carefully slide one hand onto the side of Spinel's neck, gingerly feeling its surface.

Amethyst eyes slightly wide open as she felt the deeply printed crevices of what Jasper's strong grip could be. "Oh wow, I can tell why you were confused now, ain't no way that's how your neck has always been."

"Do you know what happened to it?"

"Just something not much to worry about. It's quite banged up but it'll work itself out overtime. Something like this happens when our forms get into accidents before reforming to freshen up again... but sometimes our prints stay even after you reform, dunno why though. But I don't think that's quite a bad thing either 'cause it sometimes happens to me, and my scratches weren't much of a bother, just gives me an excuse to storytell how I got one."

When Amethyst dropped her hand away, Spinel went back to feeling her neck. "So I just have a normal scratch?"

"I guess? The print did feel a bit rough like how it happens to me but it's mostly just very, uhh... a little squashed? Like it's made of playdough or something."

"I think that... kinda makes sense? I'm not sure you remember, cause you only saw me do it once, but I can be quite... elastic?"

"Oh, I remembered that alright," Amethyst laughs, revisioning how shocked Jenny had looked. "And yeah, I guess it makes sense, now that you mentioned it. I did not realize it's probably a little different for different kinds of gems. Pretty interesting."

Spinel's expression is slightly saddened in realization of Amethyst's last sentences. "...You really are the only gem here, huh?"

"...No... U-Uh, not anymore, heh," Amethyst tried joking before numbly admitting, "...But... yeah."

They both didn't know what to say next, the purple gem just standing in front of the heart gem as she awkwardly shifts.

Meanwhile, Spinel contemplated before finally saying, "Well... at least you're quite the brave soldier despite it."

"...I-I try to be..."

They took a long pause and the air is filled with calm silence again, with just streams of the room's water and Steven light snores.

Eventually, Amethyst turned around as she stretched out her arms with an exasperated sigh.

"AHhk, welp, thanks for the nice chat, Spins. But I'ma go take my routine patrol if I wanna remain a good quartz soldier, gotta make sure you and Steven don't get bothered by some more other threats."

"Oh, right," Spinel perked up, suddenly remembering, "There's still Peridot on the loose." 

"...Riiiiiiiiiight," Amethyst obliviously responded before winking to Spinel with a confident finger gun. "Whoever that is, I'll keep an eye out. See ya laterrrrr!"

Amethyst waved widely as she ran off in the direction to the door of The Temple. But before the purple gem could leave the room, she lastly yelled to Spinel.

"I hope Steven gets betterrr!"

"He doesn't seem to have gotten better," Spinel worriedly claims to Amethyst as she gently rubs Steven's head.

He, in fact, has gotten worse in the morning. He uncontrollably coughs or sneezes sometimes, his nose is constantly running wet, and his temperature is abnormally hot.

"Hoo, boy," Amethyst nervously comments at the hybrid's condition. "I think he has catched a cold."

"A cold?"

"A–choo! A c-cold?"

"Yeah! Or maybe even a fever which is much worse," Amethyst answered and Spinel's expression got even more worried.

"H-How bad is it? Can he be cured from it?!"

"Okay, calm down. Aannd, yes. Don't worry, it's actually common for humans to catch colds and fevers. I guess we must've disinfected his wound wrong and it made him slowly get sick overnight," the purple gem guiltily explains as she leans down at Steven's bed level. "I'm sorry, Steven."

"I-It's okay," the boy forgives with a very weak and raspy throat.

"No, no, no–" Spinel abruptly grabbed Amethyst by the shoulders with extreme panic in her eyes. "This is not okay, at all! We need him to be cured now before this cold-fever thing gets worse!"

"Woah, hey! It is okay, Spinel, he'll be fine." Amethyst patted Spinel's clawing hands on her shoulders in reassurance. "We can't cure him fast, but he will get better. Humans take time to recover. Have you ever seen Steven sick before?"

Spinel hands remained but her grip has eased, as well as her tense demeanor. "N-No, this is the first time this ever happened. I-It's even the first time Steven has gotten an injury this big! It's usually just small bruises or scratches whenever he sometimes gets into some accidents."

"Man, I don't know where exactly you moved away from, but it sounds like he was quite super contained. But that's not what Earth is like, it's pretty unpredictable here, and people have to manage."

Spinel grimaced at the purple gem's entire speech. "We wouldn't have to manage this difficulty if we disinfected Steven's wound the right way, like you said so."

Amethyst flinched at the sudden comment.

The purple gem tried to say something, but it came out croaked and weak, "I... I-I'm sorry, I–"

"Yeah! You should be sorry! But I can barely tell if you really are, because you had gotten Steven hurt, and got him sick, AND failed to 'prove yourself'."

"H-Hey!" Amethyst had tried keeping her cool, but her expression couldn't help but furrow at Spinel's attitude. "Don't point it all to me! All this isn't entirely my fault, and I just said Earth is pretty unpredictable! Did you expect for Jasper to come out of nowhere?"

"Of course not! But even so, I still did my best to keep the situation together!"

"AND SO HAVE I!"

Now, it was Spinel’s turn to flinch.
  
“I’ve been trying all day to be on good terms with you... and also Steven – but especially you!” Amethyst started rambling, a bit less of a loud yell this time but is still unknowingly blurting out words.

Spinel's mouth sealed at Amethyst’s loud outburst. It made her realize that the small gem mostly had been so gentle and apologetic. You notice things once it's gone afterall.

“I had never felt this dedicated to please ever since I had the ENTIRETY OF BEACH CITY left on my hands!” Amethyst yelled, exaggerated arms raised outward to further emphasis.

The whole room echoed at the boom of her voice, and Spinel and Steven are left with stunt expressions.

Finally, Amethyst calmed down enough to realize how impulsive she reacted.

“U-Uhm... I-I mean, uhh... Did I say something baloney? I think I said something baloney, so you should probably not overthink whatever I just said,” Amethyst awkwardly excused.

Steven coughed. “...What’s baloney?”

Suddenly, the entire room shook. The boy's question will have to be answered later.

The brief shakiness wasn’t so strong for Spinel to tightly hold Steven so he won’t get harmed – but the heart gem still did it anyway on pure protective instinct – but it was enough to send waves of panic and anxiety inside the quartz soldier as she eyed the vibrating rocky ceiling as some crumbs of rocks falling from her room.

It was coming from the outside.

Amethyst’s stance stiffens before instantly sprinting away as she takes out her whip, leaving the scared Steven and the skeptical Spinel.

But the heart gem is dedicated to know what’s happening and the real deal about the quartz.

“Steven, please stay put here, where it’s safe,” Spinel gently commanded as she held Steven by the shoulders, but the serious tone still ticked the boy into anxiety.

 “W-What? You’re not leaving again, are you?! Why do you have to go?”

“I’m sorry, Steven, but I need to see what Amethyst–”

“NO! Please, don’t go!” Steven cried out, jumping in to tightly cling onto his dear friend from leaving.”I’m not ready yet– please stay!”

“Steven." Spinel hugged the distressed hybrid, letting him remain in her arms. "Please, remember, I will always come back. So, don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine and you will too. I understand it’s scary, Steven. I’m sorry that you’re not ready yet, but we’re running out of time–”

The room shook again, more violently this time, and the hybrid hugged tighter

"Steven."

...Arms numbly fell, and Steven moved with a defeated expression.

“O-Okay... I understand.”

Spinel sends an appreciative smile and gives a quick peck on Steven's forehead, making him weakly smile back.

“That’s my brave boy,” Spinel whispers as she eventually lets go of the embrace, slowly walking away as she holds Steven’s hands. “I always come back, alright? Remember that.”

And with that, Spinel sprited away, even stretching and jumping for more speed.

While Steven’s arms were left still reaching outward for pink gloved hands.

Amethyst was finally at the door, summoning it to open as she makes a run for it with her stubby legs–

But, suddenly, a strong force pushed Amethyst through the door, landing ungracefully onto the warp pad outside, along with a heavy weight on top of her.

"AGKH! What the f–"

“Where are you going, Amethyst?” The familiar yell shot the soldier more alerted.

“W-Wha? Spinel?! The quartz immediately pushed the pink gem off of her, quickly getting up. “What are you doing out here?! Get back inside!”

“No,” Spinel strongly refuses, ignoring the purple finger pointing at the wide open door for anyone to come in or out. “You need to tell me, first, what is going o–”

The entire cave of The Temple trembled again, more strong and violent now that they’re both very near to the source of the chaos.

Some large chunks of rocks were spotted crashing to the sand outside, and the purple gem's expression stiffened at that

“No, I’ll do it later,” Amethyst excused as she hurriedly ran out of the cave. “And go back inside!”

Spinel only shook her head with narrowed eyes as she watched Amethyst run outside and look around to see what was causing all that rumbling.

Fortunately, it wasn’t hard to spot a giant centipede looking insect crawling around the rocky side of the hill where the large statue of a woman with eight arms is carved, also where The Temple is built inside.

“Hey! You’re ruining a piece of legacy! Get off there, now! Or I’ll make you,” Amethyst warned the mindless being, not taking out her weapon yet but ready to take necessary action.

The large insectoid creature just roared an unflattering screech before clamping its jaw onto one of the arms of the statue, breaking a hand off in between its mouth before dropping it with aim.

Amethyst heard a gasp and she spotted Spinel was now outside, paralyzed at the horrifying discovery of the corrupted creature.

While the large shadow thickens around the frozen gem.

“SPINEL!”

Amethyst summoned her whip and looped it around Spinel’s waist, before pulling her just in time till the stone hand finally crashed onto the ground.

Spinel yelped until she landed safely onto Amethyst's arms, before feeling another surrounding shake from the heavy centipede.

The large creature crawled down from the hill with its multiple small legs on the sides of its long black body, descending in front of them in a very wild manner.

The Centipeedle screeched at them once more until a whip was roped around its beak mouth, shutting it up and also covering its vision since its eye is oddly located in its throat.

“Alright," Amethyst said like she was casually scolding this unpredictable monstrosity. “That’s enough from yo-AHH!”

Spinel tilted her head up, her surprised gaze following the quartz that was abruptly flung in the air by the swing of the creature’s long snout. The whip loosened and the Centipeetle was able to open its jaw again.

After Amethyst landed, she cracked her whip back in her hands challengingly. “Okay, smarter than you look, huh– WOAH!”

The creature only responded by puking some sort of sizzling green liquid at Amethyst, who barely managed to dodge it.

“It’s the green stuff!” Spinel blinked, her eyes widening when she heard a familiar voice that shouldn't be out here. “So that’s where it came from–”

“Steven!” The boy hiding in the cave flinched at the echoing yell from the beach. “I thought I told you to stay inside!”

“U-Uh, technically, I’m still inside The Temple,” The boy meekly countered. Spinel just sighed.

“Just... stay there! Safe and sound, okay?!"

“Both of you should stay safe."

"Wha– AHK!"

Steven jumped when Spinel was suddenly pulled away from Amethyst as a spray of neon green followed behind.

Spinel was carried to The Temple and was shoved back in the cave with an “oof" beside Steven, leaving Amethyst with the monster.

Spinel gruffed as she dusted herself, standing up next to Steven who was intently watching Amethyst whipping at the green creature.

“That insect looks exactly like the one I saw yesterday,” Steven inspected as he tried not to trip with his injured leg lifted up.

“What?" Spinel’s expression perplexed as she gingerly held the hybrid to help him balance. “Steven, have you seen that thing before?”

“Yeah, I think so, but it was much smaller than that one,” Steven answered as he pointed at the large insect.

Which was now screeching louder as its body squirmed frantically now that it's tightly tied up in Amethyst's two whips. The purple gem pulled hard, mustering up force to back away and compress the creature.

It terrifyingly screeched again, and suddenly, the centipede's body glowed brightly,

Its form glitching violently until it settled with a smaller version of itself.

The whips fell limp and Amethyst tipped backward from the sudden disappearance of tug-of-war.

Spinel and Steven’s eyes widened as they stared at the now small creature.

"U-Uh, kinda like that."

It kept glitching before finally faltering back in its dominant form, spitting onto the pile of Amethyst’s whips that used to be trapping the panicked creature.

Its radiated puke had started melting her whips, and Amethyst immediately let go with her hands up. “OKAY! NOPE! Now I really ain't touchin' thaAAAT!”

Amethyst is back on the run of avoiding the sizzling sprays.

Meanwhile, Spinel dilated eyes are staring concerningly, while Steven meekly adds, “And it was also glitching... like that.”

Spinel’s expression furrowed as her eyes followed the sprinting gem. “...Amethyst! What on earth is going on?! WHAT IS ALL THIS?!”

“Didn’t I say I’ll tell ya LATER!?!?!”

“Could you at least tell us what is that thing that you’re dealing with?”

“I'M KINDA BUSY!"

Steven chimed in optimistically, “How about we think up something to help you out, Amethyst!”

“NO! I don’t need anyone’s help! WOAH!” Amethyst's heels skid across the sand when the acid was shot out, blocking her path.

She frantically turned around but the creature drew acid in a circle, surrounding the small gem inside.

“I dunno, it looks like you’re having trouble there, Ames," she hears Spinel comment as the giant centipede looms above the trapped gem.

Amethyst deadpanned as she unlimitedly summoned her whip again, before looping it around the insect’s pucker, and Amethyst was flung in the sky once more.

But, this time, she remained a strong hold. Advantaging with the momentum and looping around the centipeedle's mouth to shut, until finally landing safely on its white mane.

“That doesn’t sound right. Aren't I still labeled untrustworthy or something to you,” Amethyst yelled back as she reigned the creature like a wild horse.

“Hey! That doesn’t mean I’m unwilling to help you!”

"Well, too bad! ‘Cause I don’t want help! I can handle these things myself like I always do!"

"U-Uhm, are you sure, Amethyst?" Steven worriedly watches the gem trying to tame the beast. “It's okay to ask for help, everyone has those times in need–’

“I HAD ASKED, OKAY?!" Amethyst's wail along with the centipede's muffled screeches both screamed pain. "Don’t y'all get it?! I deal with these things all the time and I'm still standing just fine. Right now, I'm the only one who can do this, there’s no point asking help anyway when everyone can’t handle your proble– AHH!"

"AMETHYST!"

The Centipeedle had finally managed to shake the gem off, Amethyst being forced up into the sky once more. The creature forced its mouth to open and was freed from the loosened whips

Its mouth wide open toward the gem above.

"Oh no…"

The purple gem started descending.

 “Oh NO, NO NO, OHNO, OHNOOO–”

Amethyst fell straight into the centipede's mouth and the jaw closed shut.

Steven gasped in horror. He frantically shook Spinel in a panic, “Spinel! You gotta help her!”

“W-Wha?! B-But, I–”

Suddenly, the large insect squirmed violently and its mouth was pushed open. "I’m okaayy!”

But unbeknownst to the quartz who's struggling to not bend her knees, Spinel realized that she literally fell into checkmate.

"AMETHYST, GET OUT OF THERE, IT'S GONNA BURST OUT ACID AGAIN!"

The purple gem's eyes widened and shakingly looked over to see its green eye, it was starting to glow and sizzle up.

She's toast.

Suddenly, a force of weight dived into Amethyst, pushing her out of the monster's mouth.

They both roughly stumble into the safe sand. Amethyst groaned as she focused her eyes, seeing the figure of pink who had somehow jumped into her.

Amethyst turned with wide eyes at the pink gem who's recovering from the fall. Pairs of shocked eyes glanced at each other for a brief moment.

"Spinel, y-you..."

But it's not like everything is slowing down for them. So, glancing at the Centipeedle that now realized it was spatting at nothing, Amethyst's expression furrowed seriously.

“Distract it for me,” Amethyst quickly instructed.

"What?" Spinel then grunted when Amethyst slightly pushed her away.

"Go, run as fast as you can for me, alright?"

"B-But where should I lead it?"

"You'll know once I signal you, just– GO!" Amethyst pushed Spinel harder, but this time she helped her dodge an incoming claw from the end of the monster's tail.

It clamped between them before swinging to the left at Amethyst, hitting her aside to skid uncomfortably on the sand.

Heavy crawling from the Centipeedle is heard, running to the tired purple gem.

Amethyst lifted herself up, just in time to see the towering monster– get hit by a green metal pebble.

"TAG!" The insect screeched and turned to Spinel. "You're it, ugly! Catch me if you can!"

The plan was working.

Just as Amethyst expected, Spinel managed to effortlessly outrun the beast, but that doesn't mean she could keep it up forever. The monster is smart enough to pick up the chase eventually, so the purple gem immediately took action.

She ran up to Steven who was safely sitting in the cave with a cheering smile and worried eyes following Spinel. He faltered when he saw Amethyst running up to him with a whip.

"Hold this, don't let it go, pull it as hard and high as you can when you hear my signal."

"Wait, what?! Me? Gonna do what again?"

"We're gonna trick the monster."

"AMETHYST! ANY TIME NOW!"

Steven tightly holds, avoiding the piercing spikes from his fleshy human hands, as the purple gem runs straight across with the other end of the whip.

"Bring it over, Spinel!"

Sand flew off behind the feet of the swift gem, managing to be far enough from the chasing creature to go over the trip line and bait herself on the other side.

The Centipeedle scrambled toward her, closer, and closer, and–

"NOW!"

Amethyst and Steven pulled the whip upward, the centipede's many legs hitting into it multiple times, bumping them to crash into each other.

Spinel drifted to the side just in time from the incoming crash of the titanic creature, and Amethyst immediately jumped over to start strapping it once more.

The creature may have tripped extremely, but that doesn't mean its body gave up just yet. Amethyst was having a hard time compressing the frantically shaking insect.

But there's still one more option.

"SPINEL! YOUR WEAPON!"

The pink gem's pupils dilated. Her hand clenched anxiously at her gem... before glowing.

A familiar electrifying sound is heard, and the scared creature pauses by it. But soon, its form is now surrounded by electricity. It lets out one final screech, louder than before and more painful than ever.

Before finally dissipating.

Steven coughed when a giant puff of smoke wisped around the beach. He sees a green dot before him float above before falling with a soft clink in the crumbling sand.

Heavy exasperated sighs and groans are heard from familiar voices.

"Amethyst?" The hybrid worriedly grunts as he hops out of the Temple. "Urgh. Spinel?!"

"Steven?!" The wide smog eventually cleared and Spinel immediately hurried once she spotted Steven struggling to come over. "Ah! Steven, be careful! Are you okay?"

"Are you guys okay? You really took down that monster! That was really awesome by the way!!! Spinel, it was so cool, you were all like 'come and get me!' and you were so fast, and smart, and cool, and– wait I already said that..."

Spinel paused. Then she looked relieved. Then she couldn't help but giggle so much. Steven smiles wide and soon joins their laugh session together.

It feels good to be together again.

"I miss you, Nelly."

"Miss you too, Stevie. I'm glad that was over."

Spinel glanced up from the hug, spotting Amethyst bubble the green eyeball that used to be in the creature's acidic mouth.

The two close friends slowly broke their hug, now focusing on Amethyst who sheepishly cleared her throat.

"Erm... Uhm, I'm guessing you guys probably have some questions?"

"Yes."

Amethyst sighed as the two companions walked up to her with listening ears.

"W-Well, uhh... to start, this thing is a gem." Amethyst presented the green sphere gemstone contained in her purple bubble. "And that creature used to be a Gem. Whatever happened... had caused all the other gems that used to be on Earth turn into these monster versions of themselves. They're called corrupted gems."

"'Corrupted Gems'. Sounds like they're sick or something, like me, only... wild," Steven's eyes saddened. "And you've been taking care of them alone your whole life?"

"I do now," Amethyst sighed. "Yeah."

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"Well, I already know how to handle them, and I haven't found the right time to possibly tell you all yet... not to mention what happened yesterday." Amethyst sent the bubble away, before fidgeting with her fingers, looking like she was preparing her words. "I-I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, though. Because of that, I almost put you two in danger... or did.”

“Aw, Amethyst, it’s okay, I forgive you,” Steven easily chimed. "I already know you were trying your best."

A silent pause occurred, like they seemed to be waiting for something.

Steven slightly nudged Spinel by her hip. "Uhm, Spinel?"

The heart gem sighed and collected her words but Amethyst raised her palms.

"You don't have to forgive me if you don't feel like it, Spinel. I understand if I hurt you because of my ignorance and insensitivity. And I understand if you don't trust me yet. I just hope that you understand that... I'm struggling too."

Spinel just stared at her with arms crossed for a while... and then she sighed. "I really can't stay mad at you forever, huh."

Amethyst slightly smiled gratefully, and Steven giggled happily.

"BUT is there anything else you're hiding you want to confess?"

"Aw, Spinel, come on," Steven whined while Amethyst chuckles.

"Not anything I can think of off the top of my head. But, from now on, I will tell you what you wanna know before it blows up in our face."

"Good... Then I, from now on, will help you with whatever this is you're dealing with."

"Wait, what?" Amethyst stared wide eyed.

"It's only fair. Steven was right, you know. Can handle it or not, there's no shame in asking for help sometimes. Especially with a struggle like this... alone." 

"...U-Uh, you don't have to–"

"Amethyst," Spinel sternly said and the purple gem went quiet. "If you keep this up, you probably won't even ask for the simplest things, like, psh, I dunno... borrowing medical supplies?"

"...Okay, you got me," Amethyst smiled defeatedly.

"Good," Spinel boasted. Steven laughs endearingly– before falling into a coughing fit.

"Urgh, I think all that screaming finally got to me."

"Speaking of, we should finally go get more professional help for Steven's sickness," Spinel teases as she gingerly picks up Steven in her arms.

Amethyst decided to restrain a comeback and playfully shook her head instead as she followed them.

Already grateful enough that they're back on at least decent terms.

...She lets one comment slide, though.

"Sooo, does this mean we're best friends now?"

"Don't push it."