Brittle as Diamonds | Steven Universe

❀ The Good ❀

"Rose Quartz."

        The gravelly tone made her turn. There she was, standing in front of her, that perfect Jasper. Even with Gems fleeing in every direction, summoning weapons, advancing, the Quartz seemed to stand above everything else.

        Rose narrowed her eyes. "Jasper. What do you want?"

        She grinned. Her smile was wide and threatening. "Isn't that obvious? I want to crush you." Her eyes hardened. "You and all your defective Gems."

        She wouldn't be beaten by this Gem. She was a Diamond.

        She shot her the iciest glare she could manage. "And why do you want that, Jasper? Why do you sentence our planet to destruction?"

        "Pink Diamond's planet," the Quartz seethed. Something in her stony expression trembled. "Pink Diamond's planet deserves better than you, you FILTH!"

        Rose took a subconscious step back. The Quartz quickly filled the distance. "You defective, pathetic, overcooked FILTH! She was your DIAMOND!"

        "Well, maybe I didn't want to be imprisoned anymore," she bit back. "Wouldn't you rather be free? Free to make your own decisions? To live your own life?"

        "The only reason I have a life is because of Pink Diamond," Jasper hissed. She lunged forward, and Rose raised her shield, tensing against the impact. When she lowered it again, Jasper was standing, her visor cracked. Her eyes were wet.

        "She was everything I had to live for," she growled, and her voice quaked. "I loved her. Everyone loved Pink Diamond. And you had to TAKE HER AWAY!"

        "Rose!"

        She spun just in time to see Snowflake disappear in a puff of smoke. Her mottled gemstone clinked to the ground. Bismuth was still holding her own against the Homeworld Citrine.

        "Rose, help!" Bismuth begged her, and Rose raised her sword, launching herself forward.

        "ROSE!!"

        Poof!

        She stopped in her tracks. Pearl's gemstone rolled to a stop at her feet, and when she looked back up at Jasper, she blinked back furious tears.

        "I only met with Pink Diamond once," Jasper gritted, and Rose is ready to attack her, to cut her down. She clenched her teeth and brandished her sword—

        "But I know she loved me!"

        The words arrested her motion. She stared, dumbfounded, at the looming Quartz. Tears were flowing freely down her patterned face. "She loved me," she whispered. "And I loved her too. She was my everything. And you shattered her."

        Jasper swiped an arm across her face and glared with hatred at Rose. "Have you ever felt loved?"

❀❀❀

Pink swings her legs to the music. Before her, Gems belonging to all the Courts are dancing in tandem, swaying, swinging, gliding across the floor. How she longs to jump down and dance along with them . . . but these festivities are for her beloved Gems, not for herself.

        And, she smiles to herself, look how blissful they are.

        She turns and looks up at Yellow. She is startled to see her gazing back at her with bright eyes.