Pearl

Jasper Returns

"JASPER!," Pearl screamed, her eyes widening to saucers. She jumped behind Rose and hid. Jasper laughed mercilessly.

"This is what you have to offer, Rose?," Jasper roared. "A defective Pearl and... you?" She laughed harder. "You're both pathetic. Completely useless. So give up while you can." Rose's fists tightened.

"You know I won't." Jasper roared with laughter.

"I hoped not." She took spiky chain-mace from her back and stepped forward. Rose put her arm in front of her and summoned a large, pink shield with a rose pattern in the middle.

"Come no further, Jasper!" Jasper's eyes narrowed.

"So I see you've learned that little trick too." With a bright, sparkly flash, an orange crash helmet with a a hammer like thing protruding from the front appeared. A visor fell down from the helmet and passed the gem on her nose.

"Shall we duel then, Rose?" Rose's face darkened. Her shield glimmered.

"So be it." They charged at each other with animal ferocity, roaring out battle cries. In the exact center of where they were standing apart from each other, they collided with a colossal BOOM! Jasper smashed the mace into Rose's shield, which stayed in one piece. Jasper smashed into it again and again, each time harder than the last. Finally, as Jasper swung in for the hardest one yet, Rose moved her shield into it, and there was another huge BOOM!

The mace shattered into pieces and Jasper flew back. The Bismuths were looking at the two dueling Quartzs, stunned. Jasper looked at them.

"GET OUT!" The Bismuths didn't need telling twice. They scampered away as fast as they could. Jasper rolled into a small orange ball and flew like a runaway train into the shield. Rose was forced back, stumbling. Jasper took the opportunity and headbutted the shield with the force of an atomic blast. Rose's shield shattered, and Jasper smiled. Putting her hands together, Jasper smacked her fists into Rose's jaw and sent her hurtling up hundreds of feet into the air. Jasper gave a might leap and flew into the clouds after Rose.

Pearl stood there, stunned and afraid. She felt helpless. She couldn't do anything.

I'm just a Pearl, she said, brushing a tear out of her eye. I'm useless. And now Rose is going to be shattered and I- she narrowed her eyes and balled her fists. NO! I can do something! I just got to... Pearl closed her eyes and focused, hearing Jasper crash with Rose through the half-built spire. Pearl's gem began to glow. She spun around and did a pirouette, then pulled the bluish-white spear from the ashen gem on her forehead. She sprinted forward, the spear in front of her, as Jasper mercilessly punched Rose with as much ferocity as a lion ripping apart a gazelle.

Pearl sprinted faster and faster, then, with a roar, she plunged the spear deep into Jasper's back. Jasper screamed and elbowed Pearl in the stomach, sending her shooting backwards. Then, with more screams, Jasper pulled the spear from her and looked at it. Then she turned to Pearl.

"You think you could beat me?!," she roared. "You. Are. NOTHING!" She wound up to throw the spear. But right as she was about to release it, she was carried into the air by the pink arms of Rose. Rose's face was contorted with anger as she flung Jasper straight into the spire. Seconds passed. Then, with an earth-quaking shake, the spire crumbled to the ground, taking crushing Jasper with it. Rose huffed. Then she looked at Pearl. The servant Gem looked scared.

"I'm sorry, my Pearl," said Rose, still breathing hard. "I needed to do that." They hugged. Pearl looked at her spear. In the end, it had at least done something-

BOOM! Rose and Pearl whipped their heads around. Jasper was still alive. She had jumped through the two dozed feet of rubble with nothing but scratches on her form.

"This... isn't... over," she said, clutching her side. "I... will... shatter you. And you won't be able to do anything about it." And with that, Jasper jumped into the air and disappeared with a sonic boom.