Forced Fusion, Gone Right?

30: Operation TtoT: What's On Your Mind?

"Man, you were good out there!" Amethyst said, leaving the building with Labradorite, the air not as tense as before. Now, the air was friendly, Labradorite felt more safe. "Thank you, Amethyst, I really appreciated this." Labradorite looked down at Amethyst, smiling softly.

Amethyst looked over to Labradorite's smiling face and shrugged turning away. "It's no problem." Amethyst said, looking back to the road ahead of her.

"We might not make it to the barn till tomorrow, am i right?" Amethyst looked over to Labradorite to see her not there. "Wha-" Amethyst was cut off as she was picked up by Labradorite.

Labradorite summoned her wings and took off, flying towards the barn. Hopefully Peridot will be done with whatever she has to do. Dispite Amethyst gaining Labradorite's trust, she still misses the green gem.

Once the two reached the barn, a Labradorite landed by the bench and carefully placed Amethyst on the ground feet first. "Yo thanks dude." Amethyst said before walking off as Pearl approached Labradorite.

"Did my part." Amethyst bumped Pearl with her elbow. Pearl scoffed at Amethyst and stopped infront of Labradorite who was looking around for Peridot.

"Peridot is still attending to her...errands, if you would let me, I would like to accompany you while you wait." Pearl spoke, making Labradorite look up at her.

Taller gems set off many alarms in Labradorite's head. Nevertheless, Labradorite sat down in the bench and patted the seat next to her, staring at the barn.

Pearl took the invitation and sat down next to Labradorite, making sure to keep her space, while also moving as close as Labradorite would let her until she started to scoot away.

Pearl cleared her throat, breaking the tense silence. "S-so, uhm, you and Amethyst were out for a while." Pearl started, Labradorite nodded. "Amethyst insist we walk, but when we got it our destination, it was quite fun." Labradorite smiled faintly at the recent memory.

"Oh really? Where did she take you?" Pearl asked, half intrigued and surprised that Amethyst of all gems helped Labradorite loosen up.

"Amethyst called it an 'underground wrestling ring'."  Labradorite recalled, Pearl snapped her head over to where Amethyst was with a gritted "really?" Coming from her mouth as she glared at Amethyst.

Labradorite nodded and began to talk about her experience. Pearl smiled and asked questions, happy that Labradorite was engaging in a conversation that wasn't with Peridot.

Pearl wouldn't say anything to Labradorite, but to much time with Peridot could drive one mad. Atleast to Pearl.

Suddenly the conversation died down into a silence. Labradorite looked back to her hands and then her gem. "Yeah... It was fun..." Labradorite's words died down as she fiddled with her hands.

"So, what's on your mind?" Pearl suddenly asked, making Labradorite look at her in confusion. "What do you mean?" Labradorite asked, tilting her head.

It was now Pearl's turn to fiddle with her hands. "I-I mean since your...different... And a-" Pearl tried to spare Labradorite's feelings only for Pearl to be cut off by Labradorite herself.

"Forced fusion?" Labradorite spoke, looking up at Pearl. "Yes..." Pearl said, looking down at the ground. "Your thought patterns must be quite different due to your... circumstances." Pearl spoke, fiddling with her hands.

"You know you don't have to-" Pearl said, but was quickly interrupted. "I will, I just... want to get my thoughts in order..." Labradorite said, looking back at her gem. "I'm just...scared." Labradorite admitted, looking at her hands.

Pearl looked over to Labradorite. "I... you scare me..." Labradorite muttered, lifting her knees up to her chest.

"Everytime I look at you or the fusion, I feel a pain in my gem and I just remember what you did." Labradorite's hand hovered over her gem.

"I remember how you did it..." Tears started to fill Labradorite's eyes. "I remember the pain..." Labradorite tightened her grip on her knees.

"I remember it all..." she said, gazing at the ground through her tears, that finally seemed to drop. "Do you remember what I said when I... did it..." Pearl finally seemed to ask.

" 'Rose, forgive me for what I am about to do'." Labradorite recalled, looking up from the ground, but not to Pearl.

"Do you know why I said that?" Pearl asked, Labradorite shook her head slowly. "Do you know who the leader of the rebellion was?" Labradorite nodded her head.

"A Rose Quartz, was that who you were referring too?" Labradorite looked up at Pearl. She nodded. "Did she shatter?" Pearl shook her head, almost solemnly.

"Where is she?" Pearl looked down, tears of her own forming. "I'm-I'm sorry, I didn't know it was so personal..." Labradorite straightened, placing her feet down.

"No, no, It's fine, I should be moving on anyways..." Pearl says, inhaling slightly before wiping away her tears.

"She... gave up her form for Steven." Pearl looked over to the boy, who was conversing with Garnet. "Oh..." Labradorite spoke as silence began to hang over the two.

Labradorite placed her hand on Pearl's before looking up into her teary eyes. "...Healing takes time." Labradorite says. "But, I've had enough time! 13 years! I should be over it!" Pearl says. "13 years is nothing more then a few minutes to a gem." Labradorite says, Pearl hangs her head.

Labradorite hesitated for a moment before pulling the crying Pearl into a hug. Pearl sat there in shock for a moment before wrapping her arms around the forced fusion.

The two sat embracing each other for a while before Labradorite speaks up. "Pearl?" Labradorite speaks, Pearl hums. "I think...I'm ready to trust now..." Pearl smiles and pulls away from the hug.

Pearl suddenly snaps her fingers, startling Labradorite. "Before I forget, Garnet wanted to talk with you." Labradorite swallowed hard. Amethyst and Pearl sure she could trust them, but Garnet? The one that did the most? STARS NO!!

Nonetheless Labradorite got up and followed Pearl to the side of the barn where Steven was leaving. Labradorite staggered and was pulled along closer and closer to the Fusion by Pearl.

Labradorite's breathing got shallower and shallower as Pearl left the two fusions alone. Garnet looked down at Labradorite, who, in return, looked up at her.

"I-I'm sorry, I need to excuse myself!" Labradorite immediately ran into the barn and shut the doors.

Labradorite clutched the sides of her form, tears of pain forming in the corners of her eyes. "Guys... not now..." Labradorite whined her tears starting to fall as her gem began to glow brightly. "I...don't...CARE!?"

Suddenly
Labradorite split.

[A/n:uh oh, am I right?]