Jasper had started training Connie right away. She pulled them into a place called the Beta kindergarten, where the homeworld Gems gave new life, bringing more to contribute to their society. Jasper pointed out all of the different holes, telling them how you can determine the health of a Gem through the size of the hole they popped out of.
"Wait here." Jasper commanded, going back to the warp pad, and, in a flash of light, was gone.
"Steven, this place is creepy." Connie shivered, starting to pull herself closer to Steven. He made her feel safe.
"I know. But this is where Gems are born!" He slid over closer to a small hole, near the bottom of the stone wall. "This is someone's mom!" His grin was nervous, tentative, more for Connie's training rather than his own trepidation. Jasper was.... a bit rough. He wasn't sure Connie could handle it, though he would never tell her that.
The warp pad lit up, and both of the children spinning around at the sound and light emitting from it.
Jasper sauntered out with a rack of weapons. "Here Connie. You can't generate your own weapon so...Pick."
Connie's eyes lit up. Her nervous behavior seemed to dissipate, her giddiness taking over. She walked up and down the rack, eyeing the different glinting weapons. She picked up an axe.
"Good. Let's test it out."
The axe wasn't for her. She couldn't swing it right, and it made her frustrated. Besides, she almost cut her arm off.
Jasper said the next weapon she picked, the bow and arrow, was a "sissy weapon" and it couldn't do any real damage up close.
Then she pulled out a sword, sickled in the middle, its crescent shape catching the light. The engravings had swirls on it, pulling back into a hook.
"I like that one. You could do real damage. Now. Let's train." Jasper pulled her back into a stance showing her how she can cover her body and parry easily, and how she can save her life.
Over the next few days, Connie became more proficient in her fighting. Jasper was becoming less focused on Connie protecting herself, and more focused on how she can protect Steven.
The fighting was faster. Connie's cuts and thrusts were becoming precise, and it was clear that she was an excellent student. By the end of her basic training, Jasper had her pledge herself to Steven.
And he refused.
"This is Connie's life. She can do what she wants." Steven was scared that she was going to do something reckless for him.
"Pink Dia....Steven. You are the last of the diamond legacy. If anything happened to you...." Jasper's eyes spoke volumes about her care for him. "Don't pledge Connie. He's right. I just got carried away."
She walked over to the wall, composing herself.
"Cmon Steven. I think training is over for today." They stepped away, walking over to the wall opposite the warp pad. "Hey. Let's play a game. Let's look at the holes here and guess what they would have looked like."
"Okay."
They got halfway through when a rustle was heard.
"Who's there?" Connie pulled her sword out as she demanded an answer.
A whip lashed out at her.
Steven's bubble was just in time.
A small woman, like a Gem, with purple skin and white hair dashed out from behind a rock, her whip swinging dangerously before she realized they were just kids.
"Oh. Hey there." She dropped her whip and a grin spread over her face. "I'm Amethyst. Have you come to be my friend?"
I tried a cliffhanger. I hope you enjoyed and hope you have a great rest of your day!