Templeschool

46. Drawing The Line

AN: And the last chapter update for today! So, I posted 4 chapters today: chapters 43-46! This chapter also has a song in it, Crossing the Line from Tangled The Series. All singing is "italicized" and in quotations.

"My future vision warned me that you two would be arguing about something. Amethyst." Amethyst raised a brow at her leader, though she was still glaring. Garnet walked up to them, forming a triangle between herself, Amethyst, and Twoie. "I don't know what you two are arguing about, but it needs to stop. Twoie is not capable of dealing with such stress right now. He needs a calming environment to prevent his condition from worsening." Amethyst sagged in shame at the implication, all of her anger draining out of her in an instant. She never meant to make it worse. She just wished Twoie wouldn't shoulder everything. But he had frustrated her, and she lost control. Amethyst guiltily lowered her head, mentally berating herself for failing to protect Twoie again.

Twoie, however, glared at Garnet. He was trying to get Amethyst to recognize that she was important. That trying to be strong wasn't the same as pushing yourself to the brink of exhaustion. That she was hurting herself by giving up who she was and focusing on being someone she wasn't. But like usual, Garnet came in without knowing the full situation and made assumptions on everyone's behalf. And he was sick of it! "You know what, Garnet? You're the one who's stressing me out!" Everyone turned to him in surprise. "I'm the only one who noticed that Amethyst was acting weird. I'm the only one who noticed that she's been pushing herself too hard, and when I finally get the chance to talk to her, to try to help her, you come in and ruin it all!" His cheeks lit up pink. Garnet and Amethyst gasped as the horns on his head sparkled and grew another couple of centimeters. They became more pointed and angled. Twoie let out a strangled gasp and doubled over.

"Twoie!" Amethyst and Garnet tried to check on him, but the young man pushed their hands away. As he straightened up, they could see two light purple spikes had grown out near the edges of his mouth. Small rivulets of blood dripped down his chin, dotting the floorboards and the coffee table. Twoie winced as he stood back up with his hands lightly touching his aching cheeks.

Amethyst and Garnet turned to each other, realizing that it was Twoie's negative emotions that were contributing to his state. Garnet held her hands out, gesturing for him to settle down. "Twoie, wait! You need to calm down an-!"

"No!" They flinched at Twoie's shout. The pain was still there, but Twoie lowered his hands back to his sides. "I'm sick and tired of letting you guys tell me how I should feel! When I told you guys the truth about Pink Diamond, Sapphire insulted me, and none of you stood up for me!" Garnet's and Amethyst's eyes widened as they realized it was true. "Sapphire apologized to Ruby for yelling at her, and the rest of us for accidentally using her ice." Twoie's new horns grew another couple of centimeters. "But she never apologized for yelling at me, and you all acted like it never happened, so I didn't say anything!" The time traveler angrily brushed his hands through his hair.

The two gems felt their guilt increase the more Twoie yelled at them. Because he was right. No one had stuck up for him then, and they brushed it off once Garnet was together again. Garnet and Amethyst shared a look, vowing to address any other issues when Greg, Pearl, and Steven returned from their trip. For now, they needed to focus on Twoie's emotional state. Neither understood what was happening with the horns and claws, just that Twoie's emotions were worsening the effects. Garnet held her hand out to Twoie, intent on comforting him, but Twoie growled at her. "Every time you guys do something that hurts me, I stay quiet, but I'm done! My feelings matter! I can't stand this stupid house arrest you've put me on! I can't do anything without one of you guys guarding me like I can't be trusted to take care of myself! And I can't go anywhere or do anything without you guys berating me for it!" He let out a pained groan and quickly covered his right eye with one hand.