Shimmering Blood

Chapter 6- cleansing and Pinks wishes.

AN: Steven Universe doesn't belong to me. It's respectful work of Rebecca Sugar and Cartoon Network

Moonstone fought the rebel groups for nearly a week. The Gems he handpicked were among the elites that Yellow Diamond had personally allocated for his use. These were battle-hardened warriors, Gems with centuries of experience, forged under the weight of countless campaigns. And yet, for all their skill, the rebellion proved far more resilient than expected.

A whole week filled only with fighting. No rest, no reprieve-just endless combat, day after day, the sharp sound of weapon strikes echoing off canyon walls. The area surrounding the canyon, where his Kindergarten had begun construction, was finally allowed some breathing room, the constant skirmishes forcing the rebels to pull back. At least for now.

"Alright, Gems... we are finished for today," Moonstone panted, his voice raw from barking commands. His soldiers were finishing off the last of the rebel group, shattering and bubbling their remains with clinical efficiency.

There was no cheer of victory. The soldiers merely grunted in acknowledgment, their expressions as hard and stoic as ever, before climbing aboard the ship they used to patrol the colony. The silent, dutiful nature of his troops only deepened the tension within Moonstone's chest.

He paused for a moment at the hatch, closing it behind them with a hollow thud before making his way through the holding bay. Inside, his Gems were sprawled across the area, some sitting on the cold floor while others took to the sparse chairs provided. A sense of exhaustion weighed heavily in the air, even though none dared to complain.

Moonstone passed them without a word, his expression cold but his thoughts far from composed. Once he reached the cockpit, he activated the map on the holo-console, watching the vast digital projection of the terrain come to life. Where once the map was littered with red dots indicating rebel presence, now there was only empty space around the canyon.

But it didn't feel like victory.

"It's still not enough," Moonstone muttered under his breath, eyes hardening as he stared at the empty map. Yellow Pearl's words from earlier in the week gnawed at him, her voice clear in his mind as if she stood beside him, whispering in his ear.

"She's disappointed."

That sentence alone had fueled him through the endless days of battle. Disappointment. It wasn't even his Diamond's disappointment he feared-it was Yellow Pearl's report that Pink Diamond had found him lacking.

The need to change Pink Diamond's opinion of him burned inside, driving him to push beyond his limits. He had to prove he was capable. It didn't matter if he was made less than a year ago; he would show them all that he was fit to serve as a General. To command her armies. To be worthy.

But that constant voice of doubt echoed louder now than ever. He slammed his hand down on the control panel, metal creaking under his strength, spiderwebs of cracks spreading across the surface. Sparks flew from the damaged console, reflecting the anger boiling beneath his cool exterior.

"I still don't know where you are!" Moonstone roared, his frustration spilling out. It wasn't directed at anyone but himself. He still couldn't find the leader of this rebel group, and that failure gnawed at him like a parasite. How could he call this a victory when the head of the rebellion was still out there?

He hissed through gritted teeth, eyes narrowing as he tried to calm himself. His breathing was ragged, and his mind raced with strategies, scenarios, anything to figure out where that rebel leader could be hiding.

But before he could spiral further into his thoughts, his holo-pad brightened, interrupting the silence of the cockpit. His gaze flickered to it, expecting a status update or perhaps a report from his soldiers. But instead, the name that flashed across the screen made his blood run cold.