Chapter 4

Hours passed with White and Steven waiting quietly in the ship. Gems slowly began making their way in. Connie and Bismuth were first. Later came the Pearls, Garnet and Amethyst. Then Lapis, Peridot, Biggs, Crazy Lace, Snowflake and many other gems he didn't know the names of entered the ship.

"Alright, is everyone on the ship?" White asked, through clenched teeth.

"Other than the gems staying behind to protect the earth, yes," Peridot answered.

"Then let's go," White ordered. Steven nodded, already running in place. The ship dashed into the ocean before jumping to take off out of the atmosphere. It was just as ridiculous as ever. Thankfully, driving at this point took as much effort as watching TV. Steven allowed his gaze to wander around the ship. Yellow Pearl and Blue Pearl stood with their respective mentors. Pink Pearl leaned against the wall, flinging her boomerang and catching it each time it came back. Every gem was either training in some way or anxiously watching others train. White Diamond was among the latter. Her sharp nails clicked repeatedly against the armrest as she gazed at the other gems in the ship. Her gaze rested on the group of Pearls.

"Pearl?" she murmured.

All four of them glanced at her with wide eyes."Yes?"

"No, the pink one," White clarified, pointing at Pink Pearl. The other three bolted away, leaving Pink Pearl a quivering mess before her former tormentor.

"Y-yes my diamond?" Her voice shook along with her body.

"You don't have to call me that anymore," White's voice was soft yet vaguely upset. "I don't own you."

"O-of course...White Diamond." White reached out to Pink Pearl, prompting a small cry from her. "What do you want?" She asked, her voice cracking.

"I…" White recoiled, her eyes widening in horror. "I'm sorry you had to be around me. Just go."

"Thank you!" Pink Pearl was gone in a flash. White's head hung in defeat for a few moments. Suddenly, she looked up at Steven.

"Steven, can I drive?" White blurted out.

"Huh?"

"I mean...you need to go train with your new sword. I can pilot the ship in the meantime," White explained.

"Uh...okay," Steven stepped out of the field. White leaned forward, placing her fingers in the control field. Steven made his way toward the Pearls. Pink Pearl sat shaking in the corner, her arms wrapped around her legs. Blue Pearl and Yellow Pearl sat beside her. Their hands were rested on the terrified gem's shoulders. Her breathing was faster than a speeding car on the interstate.

"It's okay Pinkie," Blue Pearl insisted. "Nothing happened to you."

"I know!" she screeched, "But she almost touched me! She was this close! THIS CLOSE!" Tears poured from her eye.

"Come on Pinkie, you're being a little unreasonable," Yellow Pearl insisted.

Pink Pearl let out a gasp. "UNREASONABLE?!" She looked up at Steven. "Steven, come on. Back me up here! I have every reason to fear that...that...lunatic!" The other three Pearls turned to face him as well.

"Uh...yeah I'm with Yellow on this. I understand why you fear her but really she has changed," Steven insisted.

"Seriously, YOU of all gems believe that?!" Pink Pearl demanded. "She pulled out your gem for goodness sake! I wasn't there for that but from what I understand, that almost ended your existence! How can you forgive her?!"

Steven opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. He couldn't bring himself to talk about White like this, not when she was right there. Not to mention, White already felt bad enough.

"We've all forgiven her," Pearl chimed in. "She did heal the corrupted gems after all."

Blue Pearl nodded in agreement. "And she and the other Diamonds did liberate us Pearls."

"That doesn't change what she did in the past," Yellow Pearl argued. "It doesn't change what any of them did really but in defense of Blue and Yellow Diamond, they were only following White Diamond���s orders."

"She did create all the problems she later solved," Pearl agreed, with a nod.

"Exactly," Yellow Pearl nodded. "What good has she really done?"

"That's enough!" White Diamond exclaimed. The noise died as all eyes focused on White. She froze. "I-I mean, we're here!" She removed her fingers, forcing a toothy smile. As the door opened, gems began to flock out, chatting amongst each other once again. Steven trailed after White. The surroundings were like the rest of the planet: industrial. However, something about it felt off.

"Where are we?" Steven asked.

"The first city ever constructed," White explained. "It's made of materials that are basically worthless today. No one ever comes here anymore, so it's unlikely Morganite will see us coming."

"We can't all go," Steven insisted.

"Yes, the bigger our rescue group is the more likely we are to get caught," Pearl agreed with a nod.

"There's an entrance to the first Kindergarten nearby. The rest of us can wait there," White replied.

"Okay, who wants to come to save Blue and Yellow?" Steven asked. Connie immediately stepped forward. Everyone else suddenly became very interested in staring at the ground. Sighing, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl stepped forward.

"We'll go," Amethyst replied.

"Alright, everyone else is with me," White replied.

Steven trailed after the three gems. Pink Pearl glanced back and forth between White Diamond and the Crystal Gems. White and the others were already making their way underground into the Kindergarten.

"Wait!" Pink Pearl called out. Steven glanced back at her. "I'm coming too!" She dashed toward them, almost tripping over her own feet.

"What?!" Pearl exclaimed. "But Pinkie, you've barely learned how to summon your weapon."

"Yeah, what if we run into Morganite?" Amethyst added. "You could get poofed o-or even shattered."

"I'll be fine," Pink Pearl insisted. "Besides, that's the whole reason I came: to fight. This could be like a practice trial." Pearl and Garnet exchanged a glance.

"Okay, you can come," Garnet replied.

Pink Pearl let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks." Then the five were off. They didn't know where exactly but they knew their goal. They spent who knows how long just walking. During the walk, Pink Pearl went from the back of the group to the lead. The scenery never changed. Everything was the exact same.

"Ugh, where are we even trying to go?" Amethyst groaned.

"It would make the most sense to check the throne room first," Garnet suggested. They all nodded. After a while more of walking, the throne room finally faded into view.

"Well, that took forever," Amethyst muttered.

"How can we get inside without being seen?" Steven asked. "There are no windows and the back door is too risky."

"One of us could go inside," Amethyst suggested.

"But Morganite would recognize you as my friends," Steven insisted. "Wouldn't that be suspicious?"

"I could go," Pink Pearl raised her hand.

"Actually, I have a better idea." Garnet's body lit up, separating into two shapes. Once the light faded, two new shapes stood there.

"Ruby! Sapphire!" Steven gasped.

"I can easily enter the building without being suspected," Sapphire informed, in her usual whisper voice. "The rest of you stay out here."

"Are you sure Morganite won't recognize you?" Pearl asked.

"The Diamonds didn't," Sapphire replied. "I'm sure I'll be fine." Pushing the door open, Sapphire slunk through a small opening before disappearing.

Amethyst let out a gasp. "Hide!" Another flash of light came out of nowhere. Steven ducked beside Pearl. Glancing up, he saw a blob of purple obscuring everything else from view.

"Pink Diamond's lackeys!" A voice snapped.

Amethyst returned to her normal form.

"We're busted!" she gasped.

Three gems stood in front of them, baring their weapons. Steven immediately summoned a bubble. The other crystal gems whipped out their respective weapons. Pink Pearl struggled a bit before grabbing her's. The group flung themselves at the enemy. A Jasper leaped toward Steven, swinging her spear like a lunatic. Blocking the first few slashes with his bubble, Steven was backed toward a wall. Quickly summoning his shield, Steven blocked the subsequent attacks. Using his other hand, Steven grabbed his sword. It slashed through the Jasper with ease. The gem's physical form glitched for a moment before disappearing entirely, her gem falling to the floor. Steven looked at the rest of the group. Pink Pearl stood at a distance, flinging her boomerang at any who dared approach. Amethyst poofed multiple gems at once by strangling them. Pearl slunk across the battlefield, clashing head on one gem at a time. Connie followed her lead. Ruby just kind of punched everyone and screamed. It wasn't very effective. Steven leaped behind her, standing back to back and blocking every attack with his shield.

"We're surrounded!" Connie gasped. Steven looked around. A myriad of gems closed in around them at every side.

"We have no choice but to flee!" Pearl called.

"What about Sapphire?!" Ruby cried.

"There's no time, we have to leave now!" Amethyst snapped. Her form was encased in light before disappearing and being replaced with a purple helicopter. Everyone jumped in, asking no questions. Amethyst zipped them all off the ground with her in a matter of seconds. The soldiers below were nothing but ants now.

"Great, this was supposed to be a stealth mission. Now all of Homeworld is going to know we're here!" Pearl groaned.

"Whatever P," Amethyst replied. "I got us out of there didn't I?"

"Where do we even go now?!" Ruby demanded, pacing around the Amethyst helicopter. "We can't go back without Sapphire...or Yellow and Blue Diamond."

"We can check that one room where Yellow kept your gems," Steven added.

"I remember where that is," Connie announced, "I'll tell you where to go!" She peered out from the Amethyst helicopter. "Amethyst, go left." She obliged, nearly throwing Pink Pearl out in the process. Steven grabbed her before she could. "Keep going…and now...land!"

Amethyst once again flung everyone into the wall, prompting screeches from the five. In a flash of light, the whirring stopped and Amethyst was back to normal. Everyone else groaned in pain.

"Real smooth," Pearl grunted.

"Heh, thanks," she replied, placing her hands on the back of her head.

"Come on!" Connie called, already getting up. Steven immediately trailed after her. The gems followed. The area was completely unguarded, not a gem in sight around the giant doors. However, there was still one problem.

"How are we even supposed to get inside?!" Ruby demanded. "None of us can reach that door!"

"I got it!" Amethyst's form was replaced with a purple bird. Flying to the door, she twisted the knob open with her talons. The door was pulled open ever so slightly, as to give them a quick peek inside. The group slunk behind the door. They all peered into the room, only to be greeted by pure darkness. Lights flashed from Pearl and Ruby's gemstones.

"No one's in there," Ruby informed.

"But do you see Blue and Yellow gems?" Steven whispered. The two of them flashed their lights further around the room.

"Yeah," Pearl replied.

"They're not shattered are they?!"

"No, no. Their gems are in perfect condition," Pearl replied, "They're in a bubble with some…" She paused to gasp. "Are those gem shards?!"

"What?!" Steven stumbled toward the front of the crowd. The light from Pearl's gem revealed a bubble full of gems. Blue and Yellow's gems were perfectly fine. Surrounding them, however, were shards like dust: so small they could hardly be seen.

"Whose gems are those?!" Pink Pearl gasped.

"I don't know," Amethyst replied. "Too small to tell."

Steven shivered as he asked, "Those shards weren't there last time we were here, were they?"

"I don't think so," Connie replied. "I feel like I would remember seeing something like that."

Ruby let out a grunt. "Ugh! Let's just get the Diamonds' gems and get out of here!" She dashed into the dark room without another word.

"Ruby no!" Pearl cried. "We don't know what's!"

"WHO GOES THERE?!"

Ruby screeched to a halt as the room was drowned in light. Gems stood at every corner, drawing their weapons. On the throne, sat the nightmare herself.

"Morganite?!" Ruby exclaimed. Pearl leaped into the room, dragging her spear out of her gem. The other gems followed suit.

"More of you?!" Morganite froze as she locked eyes with Steven. "You!" Her face narrowed with a smirk. "So you came crawling back, huh? How many more gems have you brought for me to shatter?"

"You'll be lucky to lay a finger on us you brute!" Pearl exclaimed.

Morganite chuckled, a dark grin forming on her lips. "Oh, I don't have to." Out of the corner of his eye, Steven could see a glow emitting from the back of Morganite's head. His eyes went wide. Steven lunged in front of Pearl. Before the weapon could pierce them, a pink bubble blocked the impact. Morganite's mouth fell open for a brief moment.

"So you've learned to fight properly," she mused, her lips returning to an arrogant smirk. "Well no matter. SOLDIERS, ATTACK!"

Gems leaped into the center of the room, their weapons clashing and swinging everywhere. Steven remained at Pearl's side, drawing his weapon. The bubble was dropped and chaos broke toward them. Steven blocked the first attack with his shield, knocking the gem away with a heave. He turned, pointing his sword at the attacker. His jaw dropped.

"Jasper?!" The buff gem didn't reply, charging at him headfirst. Pearl shoved Steven aside. Both of them stared at Jasper with wide eyes.

"Jasper what are you doing?!" Pearl exclaimed. "I thought you were on our side."

"Well things have changed," Jasper growled. Pearl launched herself at her spear-first. Grabbing the spear, Jasper easily tossed her aside. Steven swung his sword next. He was met with the same response as Pearl, being shoved to the floor like garbage. Repeatedly, Steven was smooshed into the ground by the much bigger orange gem. Steven mustered up the faintest amount of strength, summoning his bubble to block the next attack. Jasper collided into the bubble, which popped on impact. However, Jasper staggered back as well. Pearl leaped beside Steven.

"Wanna take this one together?" Pearl asked, holding out her hand. Steven nodded, taking it. A burst of light exploded in the clearing. Once it cleared, a pale pink skinned figure stood in the fray. Jasper's gaze burned into them.

"Of course!" she exclaimed. "Another fusion! Well you won't take me down so easily this time!" Rainbow Quartz 2.0 ignored Jasper's monologue, staring daggers at her as they combined their weapons. "Look around. You're surrounded! There's no chance of you winning this battle."

"Oh we didn't come to win," Rainbow murmured. They lunged at Jasper, kicking her right in the face. Jasper was slammed into the ground while Rainbow soared toward the ceiling. Pulling out their parasol, Rainbow hovered above the fray. "We didn't even come to fight really, it just kinda turned out that way." Rainbow shrugged, reaching toward the bubble with their free hand.

"What are you doing?!" Jasper gasped.

"Fixing your leader's mistakes," Rainbow replied, grabbing the bubble and pulling it closer. "You should try it sometime. I hear it leads to having a mind of your own." Jasper's jaw dropped. "Well, nice chatting but we gotta-"

Right then all the fighting in the room came to a complete halt and every gem gazed at the entrance. Confused, Rainbow imitated them. Two Amethyst guards stood at the door, holding something behind them.

"Morganite, we found this Sapphire lurking around the palace." The Amethysts dragged the blue gem to the front.

Rainbow's eyes widened. "Sapphire," they muttered.

"Hm...I see," Morganite rose from the multitude of gems, slowly approaching Sapphire with a wicked grin. "A Sapphire on Homeworld acting suspiciously, risking her social standing just as I find Pink Diamond's lackeys hanging around and oh...I don't see that Ruby and Sapphire fusion anywhere. Just a lone Ruby. You're with the defected diamond, aren't you?" Sapphire shook as ice formed at the tips of her dress.

"W-why would I associate with Pink Diamond? Or any of the diamonds for that matter? My loyalty is only to you, my Morganite." Sapphire dipped her head.

"Flattery won't work now," Morganite growled. "I've already been convinced of the contrary little Sapphire."

"Don't you dare hurt her!" Ruby shrieked.

"Hurt her?" Morganite scoffed. "Why would I do a silly thing like that? Maybe to a defect like you or your comrades but Sapphires are too valuable to shatter, especially this one. It doesn't matter if you escape now. I know you'll come crawling back for your precious little friend. You defects are so predictable, risking your equally pathetic lives for each other. Run away if you must but you'll be back, and next time I'll have all of Homeworld to crush you! So if I were you, I'd leave your precious Sapphire. A gem of her status and rarity is too good for you anyways."

"That's not true!" Sapphire cried.

"Silence!" Morganite snapped. "You don't want to end up like those shards do you?" Rainbow's eyes widened. Morganite turned her back to Sapphire. "Throw her in the dungeon. As for the traitors, let them leave. They'll be back soon and make preparations for a battle." The Amethyst dragged the kicking and flailing Sapphire away. The rest of the gems dispersed, leaving just Steven's group behind. All except one, of course. Rainbow split into two different forms, both flopping to the ground. Steven caught the bubble. It popped, allowing Blue and Yellow's gems to fall into his arms. Everyone was silent for a good moment.

"What do we do now?" Connie sighed.

"We go back to the Kindergarten," Steven replied, "Just like we planned...it's all we can do for now." No one spoke as they made their way back.