Vivification

Where We Witness An Execution

Two young gems sat in a field of flowers, giggling and making small trinkets out of the blossoms. They were no Kindergarten creations; no, they both shared a common birthplace. A lab.

The one with a small ring made out of daisies and a blush on his cheeks, was destined for war. Destined to slice gems apart and weld them back together with another gem's shards. Destined to commit horrifying atrocities in the name of his Diamond and Homeworld.

The one with the crown of roses was destined for the more personal kind of horror. The one that rips away any shred of dignity, the one that makes you feel disgusting in your own skin. She was destined to sit in laps, and keep her Diamond's bed warm. To flaunt her beautiful form, just as the "treasure" before her had.

But at the moment, they knew nothing of this. Only that the sunshine was bright; and this would go on forever.

Or at least, until their creators came.

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Azotic Topaz tried to ignore the cheers of the Court around her at the news of the victory on the Earth's moon, and even more from Yellow's, watching carnage unfold behind screens. Azotic's gaze was rooted to the floor; as always. Eyes tracing the same flawless, diamond-shaped tiles under her feet, as she had done a thousand times over. Azotic wasn't important to the rest of the Court. She was made to stand still, and look gorgeous for Blue Diamond.

"That's right...." That all too familiar voice cooed in her brain, making her shiver from the inside out. "Your Diamond is your only priority. Don't forget it, parasite."

It reminded Azotic all too well that she was a parasite. Living off another gem's shards, metal coated, and horrendously smashed together with some sort of resin. And that gem was still very much alive. But no matter how many times she tried to tell her creator. . . .he simply never believed it.

"Pay attention!"

"Azotic?" Blue Diamond's voice, combined with the harshness of the one inside her head, snapped her back to reality, and she realized; cheeks flush with shame, that she had been spoken to.

"E-Excuse me, your Highness. I did not hear you. I apologize for my transgression. How may I please you?" It was standard to speak this way. These words flowed past her lips in a routine fashion.

Blue Diamond looked down at her with those brilliant indigo eyes, quirking an eyebrow. "I asked you to accompany me to the Arena. Our Imperial Queen is there, and I do believe she'd be pleased with The Creator's progress. Normally I would expect Yellow Diamond to do this, but she seems involved in. . . .other affairs."

"Of course, my Diamond."

Blue Diamond stood, height altered, as to not crush her subjects underfoot. Azotic followed closely behind. She heard the familiar sound of her Diamond's veil falling over her dress, whipping as they walked swiftly.

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Azotic always hated the Arena.

Despised everything about it.

It was a place for gems to spar, fight, and more often than not, it was a place for a public execution.

Those specific events were always overseen by the Imperial Queen, White Diamond.

And today was no different.

As Azotic stood behind her own Diamond, she felt a chill go through her, watching the shaking gem on the platform. They were shackled to the steel floor, eyes full of defiance; trained on White Diamond.

"Fusion between different gems." Came the Diamond's elegant, yet cold voice, a smirk across her silver lips. "Is, and has always been, wrong. Has it not?"

This was met by a chorus of cheers and claps from the crowd of nobles seated around.

White Diamond's smirk grew. "This Azurite, decided it was above our laws. Placed there only to protect from the dangers of that kind of fusion."

A cacophony of hisses and scoffs came from the crowd, their attention rapt.

"Fusions between different gems are unstable, unruly, and uncontrollable. It could have hurt our people. And for this, it must be destroyed."

The crowd cheered and whooped, eager for blood; eager for shards. Azotic hugged her arms, beginning to shake. A gem swiftly moved to the front of the swirling masses, a small dot of pink in her vision.

"Any last words?" White Diamond purred as she turned to the Azurite, pulling her glimmering sword out of her gem.

The Azurite was silent for a moment, before their voice rang out, loud and clear.

"May your Pearl shatter your gem." They spat, chains rattling. Azotic gasped, and she felt Blue Diamond tense. The insult was a fierce one. It was hardly used, even by the most vulgar of the crowd.

So, it was expected when White Diamond's smirk dropped. And when her blade slashed through the Azurite's gem, they didn't scream.

Shards littered the platform, some landing at the feet of the crowd. Some dove for them; the pink dot from before quicker than the rest.

Azotic was rooted firmly in place, shaking, eyes wide. No matter how many times she watched, no matter how many forms she saw retreat, she could never get over the waves of nausea; the urge to cry for a Gem she'd never met.

Blue Diamond shook beside her as well, but not quite so obviously. As a matriarch of Homeworld, she was to regain her composure quickly, and couldn't block out the deafening cheers from the crowd.

White Diamond turned to the crowd, eyes still blazing, adrenaline fueling her smile. "Take this as a lesson. All of you. Defy me. Defy your order. Defy your Homeworld; and you will find yourself exactly like this."

A small twitch of her foot crushed whatever was left of the Azurite's gem.

And a sob burst from the crowd.