Steven Universe fic

part 11 Chapter Three: Bate Taken

The Sun Incinerator locked onto a location just above a ravine, slowly descending until its landing gear was fully extended and the gems and Steven could leave.

He stepped out onto the deserted planet, the dust of the dried earth drifted in the air, swirling in small tornadoes as they whipped around the surface.
He was followed by Connie and then Amethyst, and finally Pearl and Garnet.
The leapt down from the cliff and slid down it's side until they reached the bottom of the trench.
Steven turned to Connie, nodding as he took his first steps toward the ginormous palace that loomed miles away from them.

It was quiet, abnormally so, and the canyon cliffs jutted out like maze around them, cutting off paths, and leading into narrow crevices that only the smallest gemstones could enter.

Aquamarine's armies stood hunkered in the crevices out of sight from the small group as they made their way toward the palace, unaware of the ambush that would take place.

Steven spotted a floating blue thing far off in the distance and immediately felt his heart sink, his skin pricked with anticipation. The gem bobbed in the air, surrounded by blue bubbles that held several of White's Quartz soldiers.
He almost couldn't move, but knew he had to approach the gem. This was it.
This is where he had to stop her.

If she made it to the Diamonds she wouldn't have hesitated to bring her armies down in him and his feeble group.
But she hadn't, he knew this.

She was waiting just for him to arrive. She knew courtesy, that was indeed, or she simply revelled in watching him struggle.

He stopped a good ten feet from where the gem and her entourage stood. She poked the blue bubbles, letting them float away.

"I'm glad you finally showed up." She scoffed, taking nonchalant steps toward him. "I was beginning to think you'd given up after being stranded on the moon of Taurin 22."

Steven glared at her, drawing his sheild as his friends drew their weapons.
Aquamarine cocked her head, her sly smile widening at their actions. What an exciting endeavor.

"Oh, by the way," she pretended to pout, barely able to conceal her overzealous joy. "I found something of yours."

The gem pulled out a pink bubble filled with water and a heart shaped gem that lay dormant inside.

Steven stopped breathing. His whole body froze as every single muscle contracted in tension at the sight. He stared, unblinking at the gem.

No.
No.
No.
NO.

She couldn't have, she didn't. He didn't want to believe it.
And yet she stood there bouncing Spinel in the air like a child, watching his visceral reaction.

The gems lowered their weapon in their momentary shock. Amethyst gritted her teeth, vindictive rage boiling in her at the sight.

"You know, we found her on a rock, just floating out in space- come to think of it..." Aquamarine turned her head, her grip tightening on the bubble, nearly causing it to pop. "It was the same place this exact gem came from."

Steven finally pulled in a ragged breath, though it didn't do well to alleviate the fear and adrenaline coursing through his body. He was speechless, unable to form the words. Regret and fear and loathing boiled his blood and he couldn't make it stop. All while Aquamarine relished in her moment.

The blue gem took another step closer, holding the bubble out in front of her, daring him to take it.

"I was going to leverage her for your surrender but-" she pulled the bubble back, away from Steven's reach. "I really want to know what made you do it."

"I was trying to protect her." He mumbled, not entirely sure that the words actually came from himself.

"Protect her?" Aquamarine sputtered, barely holding back her cackle. "From what, you? You're the one that betrayed her, you're the one that left her with me! You were the one that left her in the garden!"

"The last time I recall a Spinel being left in a garden by a diamond..it didn't go very well. I wonder how it'll go this time."