Steven Universe: The Gem Cesarl: Book Two

Terraformer

What happened between Lapis and I that made us this way? How the heck did we turn from being a nemesis for each other to hardcore, depressed lovers? It doesn't make any sense, does it? Well, whatever happened in the lake was somehow pleasurable.

But now, it's time to get out. I head back to the shore to retrieve my clothes with Lapis right behind me. Once I step onto the grass, Lapis hands me my pants and I slip those on before I take my shirt from her to put that on. I sit down in the grass as I slip my shoes on.

"You know, you shouldn't really have that much clothing with you." I shrug. "Eh, it's fine. I'm used to it." Lapis steps out of the water as she looks around. "Hmm...so wait. What were you trying to say to me before we made out?" I look down at the ground for a moment.

"Oh yeah!" I look back up at Lapis, holding a finger up. "I was trying to warn you about the hunt!" Lapis raises an eyebrow. "The what?"
"Rose's hunt. For some reason, Ruby and Sapphire placed the blame for what I did to Steven onto you as a way to give me cover."

"You didn't tell them to do that?"
"No. I just told them to cover for me while I think of something. You know, a plan to get rid of Rose without hurting Steven again." Lapis frowns.

"Amethyst, I'm afraid that's not possible. If Rose's mind took over Steven's body, then you HAVE to hurt him." I facepalm. "Ugh! That's the problem! I don't want to have to hurt him!" Lapis sits down beside me. "So you didn't mean to do that to him back during the hurricane?"

"Obviously! I'm not this bloodthirsty, heartless psychopath you think I am! I may be fused with a monster, but I'm still me! I'm still Amethyst!" I fold my arms as Lapis looks down at the lake. "Things weren't supposed to be this way. I wish I was made the right way. I just wonder every day and night why I came out like this."

I look down at my reflection. "I wonder how things could've been if I was made like Jasper was. Perfect and flawless and unstoppable! What happened that caused me to be different? What caused all of this to happen?" Lapis looks up and she faces me.

"So, how were you made anyway?"
"I was made in the Prime Kindergarten and I'm five hundred years younger than the others according to Peridot." Lapis puts a fist to her chin, looking away. "Hmm...the Prime Kindergarten."

She detaches her fist and she looks back at me. "Wait! I used to-!" She cuts herself off as I look up to face her. "Uh, used to what?" Lapis grits her teeth, breathing through them. "Amethyst, I used to work at the Prime Kindergarten."

I raise my eyebrow. "What? Like how exactly? There isn't any water over there. Or did there used to be? How did you work there?"
"I worked with Homeworld in Blue Diamond's court as a terraformer."
"A terra...what?"

"A terraformer. I shape the Earth and control the atmosphere around us. I can even control certain parts of the weather. Just not lightning." She glares at me as I gulp. "Eheheheh. Sorry." Lapis immediately drops the glare.

"Whenever it rained over there, Homeworld would collect the water to be used as a resource for Lapis Lazulis to manipulate. We never terraformed the Beta Kindergarten and Jasper, out of every other Gem that was made there, came out right."

"Why didn't they terraform it?"
"During the Gem War, Homeworld was in a rush to produce Quartz soldiers, Jaspers, to fight for them and to defend the Diamonds along with their court. There was no time. Every Gem there came out as either useless or impaired."

"So what happened with Jasper?"
"It was a miracle to Homeworld at the time. She was the very first proper Gem produced. No flaws, battle ready-made, strong and impenetrable. The very last Beta Kindergartener. After that, after we got everything down, we moved to another canyon and we created a second Kindergarten."

She gets up as I stare up at her. "Were you made when it was made or...?" Lapis glances at the warp pad about a yard away from where we are. "We can talk more about it on our way over there."
"Wait." I get up with a grunt. "We're actually going over there?"

Lapis nods. "Yes. We need to go into hiding anyway and we need to think of a plan to stop...whatever her name was."
"Rose?"
"Rose." She motions me forward as she starts to walk towards our next destination. "Let's go."