So...We just hit 3 milestones at once. 50k in reads, 2K in votes and 800 followers...
The Crystal Gems are looking through the Kindergarten for leftover Corrupted Gems, previously captured and imprisoned here by Jasper. Y/n, Steven and Peridot walk up to a cage in the cliff face.
"Here's another one!"Steven says.
The other Gems are in front of another cage, ready to poof a Corrupted Gem inside.
"Got it Steven! Ready... Go!" Garnet says.
The Gems charge into the cage and begin to fight the Corrupted Gem.
"Grab its legs!"
"That's not a leg!"
"Ow!"
The Gems successfully poof the Corrupted Gem and exit the cage, with Garnet holding the gemstone in a bubble.
"It's a little disturbing that Jasper was just keeping these Corrupted Gems in cages." Pearl says.
"Isn't that what we're doing?" Amethyst asks.
"That's different." Pearl says.
"They're cared for in the stasis of the bubble. As long as they're bubbled, they can't hurt anyone, and they won't suffer." Garnet explains then she sends the bubbled gem away. "It's what Rose wanted."
Y/n, Steven and Peridot stay outside of the cage they found and watch the Corrupted Gem inside.
"Huh. I guess this is the last of them." Steven says
Inside, a bipedal, avian-esque Gem monster snarls with her tongues stuck out, as she erratically runs around and falls over on her head.
Peridot laughs. "I can't believe these dumb things used to be Gems!"
"Peridot please have some respect. You could have turned into one of these corrupted gems had circumstances been different." Y/n says and Peridot shudders at the thought.
Garnet walks over. "Pearl, Amethyst, get ready." She beckons the other Gems over. "This one is flighty."
"Are Corrupted Gems not like this on Homeworld?" Steven asks Peridot.
"We don't have anything like this on Homeworld. And Y/n why didn't you just poof it like you did the others." Peridot asks Y/n.
"They seem to have this in order." Y/n says referring to the gems.
"Here we go!" Garnet pulls the metal bar of the cage, and the Tongue Monster immediately charges out, slamming into Garnet.
"Garnet!" Steven shouts a little worried.
As the Tongue Monster runs away, Amethyst tries to reel her back with her whip, but gets dragged off along. Pearl begins shooting energy blasts at the Tongue Monster with her spear to no success. The Tongue Monster runs back, sending Amethyst colliding into Pearl. The Tongue Monster then scales up the cliff to higher ground, snarls and successfully retreats. Peridot begins laughing at the Gems' failure.
"Or so I thought..." Y/n says.
"That was terrible!" Peridot laughs.
"This is harder than it looks, you know!" Pearl says frustrated.
"How could you all be outsmarted by that thing?" Peridot asks.
"Well, first, it ran over Garnet, and then Amethyst tried to use her-" Pearl begins.
"Uh, we don't need the play by play. Mistakes happen, even when you can see the future." Garnet interrupts.
Y/n suddenly begins to laugh and the gems look at him.
"Yo what's so funny?" Amethyst asks.
"I've had an entertaining idea" Y/n starts and he turns to Peridot now. "Peridot why don't you capture the gem." Y/n suggests.
Peridot looks at him. "Well, I guess it can't be helped. I suppose I the great Peridot could help you here."
Garnet smiles understanding Y/n's plan. "Feel free."
"This'll be a great chance to show off my metal powers!" Peridot says as she begins to walk off on her own.
"Then our work here is done." Garnet says.
"Uh, I-I'm... umm..." Steven stammers.
"Are you seriously going to help her?" Amethyst asks.
Steven sighs. "It's just... She's all alone out there, with no idea what she's doing." Steven says.
"Oh, Peridot will be fine." Pearl says brushing it off.
"I meant the monster!" Steven clarifies.
Both Y/n and Garnet chuckles to themselves.
"Okay. Take as long as you need." Garnet says as she walks away.
"Uh, Garnet, are you sure?" Pearl asks as she and Amethyst chase after Garnet.
"I'll give you some company." Y/n smiles and walks with Steven as they catch up to Peridot, who is currently devising a plan.
"Wait!" Steven cries out to Peridot.
"Did the others ask you to bring me back?" Peridot asks.
"No, I came to help!" Steven says.
"I merely came to watch, I'm not going to interfere unless you are in danger of shattering." Y/n says to both Peridot and Steven.
"It usually takes all of us to capture a Corrupted Gem." Steven says.
"That's because you try to out-brute it. We're going to outsmart it!" Peridot declares.
"So... I can help?" Steven asks her.
"I could use your experience dealing with these things. It just doesn't seem fair." Peridot syas.
"Why's that?" Steven asks.
"With you and me teaming up, that thing won't stand a chance." Steven and Peridot begin to laugh triumphantly.
"Yeah!" Steven says determined.
Y/n suddenly summons his water wings and flies up as the Tongue Monster suddenly runs through Peridot and Steven, knocking them onto the air. The pair falls back onto the ground and quickly gets up.
"You have to be more alert then that." Y/n says.
"After it!" Peridot cries.
Peridot and Steven give chase, crawl behind a rock and peek over it.
Y/n continues to levitate above and watches the two below.
"What's it doing?" Peridot asks confused.
Peridot and Steven spot the Tongue Monster in the distance, staring at one of the Injectors hanging off the side of the cliff.
"Maybe it likes shiny things?" Steven suggests.
"This is perfect! I've just concocted a flawless Peri-plan!" Peridot says.
"So what's the P.P.?" Steven asks.
"If I use my metal powers, the whole thing will fall onto the monster!" Peridot exclaims.
"Give it a try!" Steven encourages her.
Peridot begins to tamper with one of the Injector's legs using her powers. "Carefully..."
Peridot manages to remove one of the legs, dropping it to the ground. The Injector remains hanging on the cliff wall, while the Tongue Monster looks at the metal leg in confusion.
"It's... not falling." Steven notes.
"Maybe another leg needs to go." Peridot says.
Peridot removes another leg, but nothing changes..
"Fall! You... stupid...!" Peridot growls in frustration.
Two more legs are removed. Again, nothing happens, and the Tongue Monster decides to venture somewhere else.
"Oh come on!" Peridot grunts, She then walks underneath the Injector and starts kicking the wall. "Fall already!"
As Peridot kicks the wall, the area the Injector is embedded in begins to crack.
"Peridot, watch out!" Steven warns her.
"Oh, right. Thank you." Peridot says.
Peridot steps away from underneath the Injector, kicks the wall again, and a bunch of boulders fall on top of her.
"Uh, Peridot!" Steven says and Y/n sighs landing down beside Steven now.
Steven runs over to Peridot but is greeted by the Tongue Monster, running back in front of him.
Peridot pops hers face out of the boulders. "There it is! Get it!"
Steven summons his shield, but the Tongue Monster immediately starts attacking him with her talons.
"Keep distracting it! I'll finish it off!" Peridot says.
Peridot climbs out of the boulders, and immediately, the Injector falls on top of her. A beaten-up Steven walks over to check on Peridot, while the Tongue Monster flees away again.
"You okay?" Steven asks Peridot.
" I think we need to... revise our strategy. Bleh..." Peridot groans.
Y/n points two fingers at the injector then points his fingers upwards lifting it off of Peridot. He moves the Injector to the side and let's it drop. "Sorry you two but I said I will only help if you are in serious danger." Y/n says as he helps Peridot dust the dirt off of her.
"Wow thanks." Peridot says at least grateful he lifted the injector of her.
Y/n, Steven and Peridot are standing on top of the cliff, underneath the bright sun.
"Are you ready for the second Peri-plan?" Peridot asks Steven.
"The first one... wasn't so great." Steven rubs the back of his head.
"Yes, noted, Steven. But this plan is even more flawless! I cannibalized the Injector to make a rudimentary cannon! Observe." Peridot announces.
Peridot activates the cannon, which shoots a large object up into the sky and into the yonder.
"Whoa! Impressive!" Steven says and Y/n raises his brow with intrigue.
"You got that right. This way, we can take it out from a distance!" Peridot says.
Steven spots the Tongue Monster running in. "Oh, there it is!"
"I got it!" Peridot says .
The Tongue Monster notices Steven and Peridot and snarls with her tongues in the air in response. Peridot aims the cannon towards the Tongue Monster.
"Heh, you clod." Peridot says
Peridot activates the cannon, but it does not shoot at all.
"Huh?" She starts banging her fist on the cannon. "Work, you stupid- Argh!"
The cannon fires, the resulting recoil sending it backwards into Peridot, crashing her into the wall behind her and creating a mini-avalanche of boulders. The Tongue Monster then approaches Steven.
"Uhh... hey. You win this round." Steven chuckles nervously.
The Tongue Monster attacks Steven again, as he screams in fright.
Y/n is busy helping free Peridot again.
Peridot and Steven, both visibly roughened-up, stand near the edge of a cliff, next a giant boulder.
"Okay. I've analysed the problems with the previous two Peri-plans. Relying on the Injectors introduced too many complicating variables. Now we only have to rely on simple physics! We'll wait until it gets right up under us, not suspecting a thing, because it's so dumb! And then we'll drop this rock on its stupid head! It's even more flawless! And at this height, nothing can fall on us!" Peridot declares.
"What if it doesn't stop where you want it to?" Y/n muses.
"I'm doing the best I can Y/n!" Peridot replies stressed.
The Tongue Monster suddenly appears behind Steven and Peridot and snarls loudly, scaring them off the cliff. The Tongue Monster then taps on the giant boulder, causing it to fall as well. Peridot screams as she face-plants onto the ground, while Steven gently floats down. Y/n looks at the corrupted gem beside him.
"Much more clever than you look." Y/n chuckles and the Gem responds by shooting her tongues in the air. Y/n hovers and floats down using his water wings.
"I-" Peridot starts but she is interrupted as the giant boulder falls onto Peridot, flattening her onto it, and rolls off carrying her away. Steven gives chase until he and Peridot come across an eroded formation of sandstone resembling a loop-de-loop. The giant boulder goes around the loop-de-loop and collides into Steven, as he quickly protects himself with the bubble. Steven's bubble goes around the loop and collides into the boulder, freeing Peridot, and it goes half-way up the loop.
"I think-" The giant boulder falls on Peridot on the ground, and Steven pops his bubble in shock.
"You don't poof easily, huh?" Steven says.
"Us Peridots are tougher than we look!" Peridot says sounding tired.
"Why don't you two take a break." Y/n suggests helping Peridot up for a third time.
Steven is sat with Y/n cooking marshmallows on a stick over a bonfire, while Peridot is celebrating her latest devised plan in the distance.
"Yes! This is going to work. This is going to be perfect! This is going to be..."
A crude construction of the Injector is shown, which quickly falls apart without proper support.
"...A waste of my time." She groans
Peridot walks over to Y/n and Steven, who is enjoying his marshmallows. Y/n also has one on stick copying Steven.
"Why can't I master this?" Peridot says as she sits down in between Y/n's open legs in frustration.
"Aw, Peridot, it's okay. Even if none of your Peri-plans worked, at least they were really funny. The others will probably think so, too, when we go back and get 'em. Y/n should probably handle this one now." Steven says.
"No! Let it be known that I, Peridot, refuse to move forward, back or surrender until I am victorious." She says determined. Y/n has a small smile and rests his hand on her head as she pouts.
Steven rolls his eyes. "Right."
"I don't get it. I'm smarter than your average Peridot. How did I fail today against some barely functional, stupid, cloddy, dumb-dumb?!" Peridot says frustrated as she leans back on Y/n now.
"Hey, hey, corruptions aren't dumb. They just think a little different, that's all." Steven says.
"Okay, just to make sure my Earth vocabulary is correct on this... let's say I'm a monster. I spend all my time slamming my face into hard objects and throwing my tongues in the air for fun. How am I not... dumb?" Peridot asks.
"Well, she must be doing something right. She hasn't fallen for any of your Peri-plans." Steven replies.
Y/n begins to laugh to himself and covers his mouth at Steven's retort and Peridot frowns in sheer embarrassment and she quickly stands up now. "It's luck! Nothing that thing does makes any sense!"
Peridot kicks away a nearby stone and begins to ponder in frustration. Steven then throws a piece of marshmallow at Peridot.
"Hey." Peridot groans.
Steven taunts the anticipation of another marshmallow and throws another one at Peridot. He eventually starts throwing dozens of them at Peridot.
Peridot begins growling angrily. "Why are you bombarding me with your confectionery puff rocks?!"
"To show you what it's like to be a monster! Pretend I'm a freaked-out human screaming at you in fear! Pretend I'm an Earth animal chasing you away from your first safe hiding spot! Pretend I'm an angry green Gem trying to poof you! This is life for you now! End-less suffering!"
Peridot keeps growling in anger as Steven throws marshmallows at her, She eventually breaks and snatches the marshmallows bag away from Steven. She chews on the bag and waves it around in a fit of anger like a wild dog, proving Steven's point. She then suddenly stops and looks at Y/n with the bag in her mouth and blushes deeply with embarrassment.
"There! You see?" Steven asks.
"Yeah." Peridot says.
"What you're doing makes total sense!" Steven says.
"Peridot. Do you remember what it was like to have everything important taken away? Being under attack? Feeling trapped? You were frustrated. So is this gem. Why don't you try thinking about all of this from her point of view?" Y/n explains.
"Hmm..."
Its the next day and the Tongue Monster is seen shooting her tongues into the air as Y/n, Steven and Peridot spy on her from behind a rock.
"You two can do it." Y/n encourages them.
Peridot walks over to the Tongue Monster, and the two stare at each other intently.
"Ugh. I can't take this dirty tongue-flapper seriously." Peridot says.
"Think... like... a monster." Steven calls out.
Peridot, after some consideration, begins to "think like a monster" and shoot her tongue in the air. The Tongue Monster approves of Peridot, as she bounces on the spot and shoots her tongues in the air. Peridot hops over and the two shoot their tongues together as playtime.
"Aww." Steven smiles.
"Well I didn't think she would take it literally but if it works." Y/n chuckles.
While the Tongue Monster is snarling and shooting her tongues, Peridot sneaks up to the distracted monster and kicks her, triggering her into a frenzy and begins attacking Peridot. Steven gasps in shock and runs over, as Peridot clings to the monster's face.
"It's okay! We don't want to fight! Just let Peridot bubble you! We can all get along-" Steven is inadvertently knocked away in his bubble shield by the Tongue Monster. Peridot grabs onto the monster's leg, and she begins running off, dragging a screaming Peridot along. Steven gives chase as the two run around the loop-de-loop sandstone formation and eventually to the edge of a cliff.
"No, no, no, no, no!" Steven cries and Y/n runs beside him watching intensely.
Peridot continues to wrestle with the Tongue Monster, as she tries to keep her balance on the cliff edge.
"Give me... that... gem!" Peridot strains.
The Tongue Monster eventually slips and falls off the cliff, taking Peridot with her.
"Peridot!" Steven calls out.
Steven watches as Peridot and the Tongue Monster plummet into the canyon below, landing on the ground with a cloud of dust. Steven gasps in horror and floats down to the ground, finding a hole in shape of both Peridot and the monster. Peridot then climbs out of the hole, holding the gemstone of the Tongue Monster that poofed from the fall.
Peridot pants heavily. "I did it." She says victoriously.
Steven sighs in relief and Y/n helps Peridot out of the hole. Garnet then walks into the scene.
"Oh, hey. You're back!" Steven says.
"Actually they never really left." Y/n says.
Y/n points at a rock behind Garnet, and Pearl and Amethyst pops out.
"We knew it'd be funny." Amethyst says.
Garnet takes off her visor, revealing her third eye. "Future vision."
"Y-You were all watching this whole time?" Peridot blushes and looks down at the gem in her hand. "I told you I could do it. But I have to admit, it was more difficult than expected. This Corrupted Gem was truly an adversary worthy of my skill." Peridot says and she inadvertently bubbles the gem in her hand.
"Whoa! Peridot!" Steven says.
"Nice bubble, Peri!" Amethyst comments.
"W-What do I do with it?" Peridot asks uncertain.
"Send it off." Garnet says.
"Just tap the top." Y/n clarifies.
Peridot does so, and the bubble travels elsewhere.
"Happy trails!" Steven says.
"So, where did it go?" Peridot asks.
"Home." Y/n replies smiling. "Well done on your first solo mission." Y/n congratulates Peridot and she grins.
Lapis is reading a book titled "Pretty Hairstylist", as the bubbled gem appears on the ceiling. She notices the bubble, glances at it briefly, and continues reading her book.
And that's the chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it and once again thank you all so much for your continued support! Don't forget to leave a vote and a comment and I shall see you all in the next chapter which I can't wait for!! :3
Small story recommendation for you guys if you like Yellow Pearl then i like this story :)
https://www.wattpad.com/story/110226282-what%27s-freedom-yellow-pearl-x-human-reader