The engines of the Destiny Destroyer rumble deep, and loud enough to shake the ground beneath their feet. Sand is blown around by the wind as the giant ship hovers in the air above the ocean, and small crabs, disturbed from their hiding spots, clamor across the ground in search of safety. The gems, Off Colors, Greg, Lars and Steven all stand in place and watch, prepared for the worst. Emerald has never been happy with Era 3, and never been a fan of Steven, especially after she learned of his connection to Lars and the Off Colors and all the humiliation she's suffered at their hands. Lars clenches his hands into fists and stands at the ready, in front of Steven. The Off Colors all move behind the Crystal Gems, with Steven and Greg. Outside of their ship, they're not really much for fighting, and they all recognize there's no way to get to the Sun Incinerator before either it or them are destroyed by the Destiny Destroyer's missiles.
A large projection screen appears in the air just in front of the ship's windscreen. "Off Colors! I have had it with our little game! I'm sick of it! I'm sick of you! When our trackers reported you returning to Earth I finally decided, "I'm going to destroy you once and for all!" Emerald rages, her gem in her eye glinting in the yellow-green light of her ship's cockpit.
A small voice speaks up from behind her, one of her ship's pilots, "Isn't this Pink Diamonds planet though? Won't we be in big trouble for attacking them here?"
Emerald flushes as she screeches, "I don't care! I want those miserable, worthless Off Colors reduced to shards!"
Lars chuckles and smirks, placing one hand on his hip, "Ya know Emerald, it's one thing to say that, and an entirely other thing to actually attack us, not only on Steven's planet, but right in front of his house."
Emerald's face flushes a deep deep green, pure rage overriding any sense of reason she may have had left. She is so sick of Lars' cocky attitude, the Off Colors continuing to use her precious Sun Incinerator, and all of this Era 3 nonsense. She used to be someone worth something! She was one of Yellow Diamonds top Emeralds, with fleets and armies under her command! Now she's reduced to just Emerald, with merely a single ship and its remaining crew to her name. The gems on board only really stayed because they didn't know what else to do with themselves in this new era, and it's simply easier to continue following Emeralds orders.
"Pink Diamond clearly isn't here right now! I don't see her! Topaz soldiers, rip those Off Colors, and their allies, apart!!!" she screeches, pressing a button, the projection disappearing.
Several yellow and green tinted bubbles exit the ship and land on the beach, revealing several dozen Topaz soldiers, each wielding destabilizers. They all appear uncomfortable and hesitate to attack. The Crystal Gems summon their weapons, prepared to fight to protect their friends and family from Emeralds soldiers. Another loud shriek from Emerald kicks the Topaz into gear, several fusing into larger, stronger Topaz, while others simply run toward the group with their destabilizers primed and ready.
Lars takes a few steps back, he doesn't have any weapons and without his ship he feels practically useless in a fight. A growling sound catches his and the Crystal Gems attention. Turning he sees Steven, stance wide, head and body lowered, snarling low and deep in his chest. His teeth and claws reflect the light of the sun, glinting dangerously. His spikes and eyes glow, as he stares down the attacking gems. Seeing this the Topaz soldiers slow in their approach, wary of the corrupted gem growling at them. The glow from Stevens' spikes grows brighter as pink hexagonal panels appear around him, some floating around him, while two larger panels, approximately the length of his forelegs from shoulder to wrist, appear anchored to him, much like his shield would be. The smaller panels simply float around him, as if waiting to be used for something.
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He was scared when the giant ship appeared. He was scared when Emerald appeared in the air screaming at his friends. He shook and shuddered, overcome with fear. It ceased, however, when Emerald ordered her soldiers to the beach. When the Topaz soldiers appeared with weapons drawn, and Emerald ordered them to attack his friends, he wasn't scared. He's not scared anymore. Now, he's angry! How dare they attack his friends, his family, his home! No one is allowed to harm those he cares for! Ever! He will protect them! He'll protect them all!
When he made the decision to protect his home and family, that's when he could feel it. Power. Power flowing through his body, strengthening his muscles, and sharpening his focus. The panels appeared around him. He didn't need to think about it to know exactly what they were, what they were for, and how he'd use them. He's going to get rid of this threat.
Launching himself forward with a loud snarl, he pounces on top of the closest Topaz; a fusion of two, at least double the size of a regular Topaz. With his teeth and claws he tears into her physical form, ripping her light apart as if she is made of mere paper. She attempts to hit him with one of her destabilizers, but his form is organic, covered in fur and skin, made of muscle and bone. It merely feels like static. She is quickly poofed, her two gems falling to the sand next to her destabilizers. Wasting no time he uses the panels against his shoulders to knock aside another two topaz. He leaps into the air, curling his body forward and uses the momentum to throw his floating panels into the air around the beach. They scatter, floating in place at varying levels and distances all over the area. Using them like springboards he leaps from topaz to topaz, shredding them with his claws, ripping them apart with his teeth, or crushing their forms between his shoulder panels, and floating panels. One after another they poof, gems dropping to the sand.
A topaz manages to stab him in the back with her destabilizer as he finishes poofing one of her comrades, and another rushes him with her mace raised to beat him viciously. She had been smart enough to drop her destabilizer and summon her weapon once she realized he couldn't be poofed by them. He turns his head, snatching the topaz by the arm, making her drop the destabilizer, and flips her over and around him, throwing her into the charging topaz, making her drop her mace and poofing her on impact. The first topaz lays on the ground stunned, as he descends upon her and rips her form apart with his teeth and claws.
He turns and stalks toward the remaining soldiers. Eyes glowing, head lowered, and a growl rumbling deep in his chest. They hesitate, dropping their destabilizers and weapons, before attempting to retreat. Steven uses his floating panels as springboards once again to launch himself back and forth, through the air, cutting through the topaz as they retreat, before finally landing in front of the last soldier, a fusion, with sheer terror on her face.
She drops to her knees, tears streaming down her face as she begs, "Please don't shatter me! Please, I-I was only following orders! I-we, surrender!" she unfuses, the two smaller topaz on their knees, staring at him in fear.
The glow in his eyes fades as he looks at them with sympathy. They aren't bad gems, they're just following orders from a bad gem, not knowing what else to do with themselves in this new era. They're just lost. Just like him. He steps aside, and around the two topaz, to walk back to his friends and family, passing all the poofed gems scattered throughout the sandy beach.
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The gems, Off Colors, Greg and Lars stare in utter shock. Steven single handedly poofed nearly an entire squadron of elite topaz soldiers, in mere minutes! All while corrupted and not even knowing who he is! As he leaves the last two kneeling in the sand, and returns to them the Crystal Gems can't help but be filled with pride. He didn't shatter a single gem, which can be easy to do accidentally in the heat of a fierce battle. He simply poofed them one after another. They had no idea he was capable of that level of skill, speed and precision, but they knew he'd learned it all from their training together over the years. The knowledge fills them with, not only pride, but sadness. Steven should never have needed to learn to fight like that. Yet here they are, thankful that he did. He saved them.
Lars kneels before Steven as he returns to their position, and hugs him tightly again, "Thanks man, we owe you one. Again!" he chuckles.
Steven huffs out what may have been his own version of a chuckle. He leans on Lars and wraps his front paws around him in a mockery of a hug. The two topple over onto the sand, Lars giggling a little at the goofy fluffball on top of him. The moment is ruined, however, as Emerald is heard shrieking again.
"NO!" she screams, "All blaster cannons, aim and fire at the beast and Off Colors! NOW!"
YOU ARE READING
Lost
FantasyAfter Little Homeschool's first graduation, Steven isn't feeling the greatest. He feels awful for causing a scene and ruining everyone's fun time. His emotions are out of control, and with them are his powers. He needs help, but will he get it in ti...
