Steven Universe fic

part 15 Chapter Six: What's Real and What's Not

Spinel's arms were intertwined in her Steven's as he kissed her forehead lightly, snuggling close to her and making her giggle as his cheek rubbed softly against her gem.

"You're special to me." The duplicate whispered softly, holding her tighter. It was perfect, like every moment she enjoyed about Steven was wrapped up in a little bow and planted at her feet and she adored every second of it.

"You're special to me too." She replied, resting her chin on his head, though, she sighed, somewhat bored of their cuddles and wanting to engage herself in something different.
Steven's head popped up and he wore a smile on his face as he looked at her.

"Wanna play?" He said with a chuckle, pulling himself out of her grasp and booping her on the nose.

"You're it!" He grinned, running away from her and into the clouds.
A smile spread across the gem's face at the thought before the exhilarating rush of the game pulled her from the floor to chase after him. She searched throughout the room, waving away clouds to find him, but still unable to.

"Steven?" She called, the slow creeping fear lingering behind the curtain of her joy. She peered around a pillar, trying to find him.

"Over here!" He called from some other direction, sending her swirling around to follow his voice. "Are you even looking?"

Spinel turned around, the voice coming from another direction, she moved that way now, peeking behind the pillars as she moved closer to his voice.

"Steven, where'd you go?" She asked, checking over a bush, he wasn't there, maybe by the pond?
She stepped away from the flowering hibiscus and toward the pond of lilipads that was dotted with small flowers.

"Did you go in the water?" She mumbled, looking down into the murky waters. Her breath stilled and she stared at her reflection.

"Pink?" She cried, now distraught from being unable to find her friend. The diamond could have gone anywhere, surely she didn't leave without telling her.
Spinel stumbled away from the pond, glancing back at the warp pad to assure herself that Pink hadn't gone yet.

"I won!" The diamond giggled, prompting Spinel to whip around to face her. She smiled, clapping her hands with glee as she approached Spinel.

"I was hiding in the pyramid! You didn't even check there!" She laughed, patting her on the head. Spinel's tears dried and she grinned at her.

"Wowie- that was a good game though, wanna play another?" Spinel asked, hoping instead of hide and seek it would be something like a handstand contest. She was pretty good at those.

"No, I wanted to call Blue and Yellow for a moment." She replied, Spinel bounced eagerly at the thought, she hadn't seen the other Diamonds in so long, it would be fun to say hi, maybe she could leave the garden and go to one of Pink's balls?
Oh that's a lovely thought. She could entertain all four of them then!

"Okay!" She giggled, wrapping her hand around Pink's as they made their way toward the Diamond line.

"I think they might let me have a colony this time." Pink eagerly whispered, clasping her hands together as she awaited the Diamonds answer. Spinel bounced beside her, barely able to contain her joy. If she got her colony, they could go together, she could see a whole new planet! A whole new place to play. It would be so much fun.

"We've decided," Yellow began sternly, "to let you have your colony, Pink."

"Oh gee! I'm so excited, Pink its gonna be sk fun!" Spinel interrupted, bouncing excitedly around her Diamond as she attempted to ignore the bubbly gem.

"Pink, Pink! You get your Colo-"

"Spinel." Pink said, feigning the softness in her voice. Spinel stilled herself, staring up at her with wide and attentive eyes. "Before we go."

The diamond paused, trying to think of a way to keep the hyperactive gem from foiling her plans. She was a Diamond, Diamonds ruled, they had colonies, they didn't play, or have fun. Spinel had no place on earth, and she would only make it harder to prove she was worthy of a colony.

"Let's play a game." She finally said, gently booping Spinel's nose before standing. The gem grinned in excitement, one last game in the garden, then she could go to earth, she could meet other gems, and she could help Pink with her colony.

"That's not what happened."

The voice was familiar, it was soft and stern and oh so familiar that it burned itself into Spinel's mind, she turned her head to face the owner. Steven stood a few feet from her, she hesitated, attempting to take a step toward him but the vines and grass had embedded itself in her form, digging into her skin and refusing to let go. It hurt.

"What?" She turned back to face her Diamond, but she was gone. All that stood before her was the decaying flowers and the broken pillars that floated in rows beside her and Steven.
She blinked, unable to hide the shock of her face as she stared forward at him.

"That's not what happened."

He said stepping closer, the rage in his eyes burning through her. She leaned away, as he neared, his hand reaching toward her.
Before she could comprehend, his fingers dug themselves into her chest, ripping out the heart shaped gem.

She stared at it, then at him, why wasn't she poofing? He ripped it out, he ripped out her gem and she was still here, still staring at him, still standing cemented to the ground by the vines that grew up her legs. She gulped, a small gasp escaping from her as her eyes flickered down to her chest. To the hole where her gem had been.
It was black at the starless sky. It unsettled her, and yet she couldn't move.
The hole bubbled, black tar seeping from it before it exploded with vines.

Though, they still didn't dissapate her form, instead, they wrapped around her, anchoring her to the floor, holding her hostage as Steven stood with her heart in his hands. He smiled, almost as if he couldn't see the terror painted on her silent face.

"I don't.."

"Don't understand?" Steven said as he moved closer, sticking his finger into the hole and pulling out a glob of bubbling sticky black bile. Spinel's mouth clamped shut in fear and confusion, the buzzing and screaming growing louder and louder until she couldn't focus on Steven or the vines, or her gem, or anything. It was black. All she could see was black.

Until it wasn't.

A gem approached from behind her, passing her and stopping at Steven, she was entirely white, save for the soft pink glow of her rejuvenator.
Steven pat the gem's head softly before looking back at Spinel, who was still entangled by her vines as they constricted around her limbs, growing through her form, stabbing into her legs, her chest, her head.

"You're right." He said softly, she could barely hear his words, but the beat of the syllables made the vines dig deeper.
Steven grew in size, losing his hue until he stood before her, towering over her, he was entire white. He was White Diamond.

"You don't understand."

Spinel's eyes flickered down to the gem at White Diamonds feet, she turned, snarling as she glared at her. A wicked forced smile on her face. It was her.
She stepped closer, dragging the rejuvenator behind her, slowly raising the weapon before its pink light turned a haunting black.

"No!" Spinel shrieked, shaking in her entanglement, she heaved a painful gasp as the vines tore at her, disallowing a great deal of movement, but she persisted. She had to. She shrieked and cried and begged and squirmed against the vines, and only her writhing made her mindless counterpart hesitant.

It wasn't enough.