Fresh From Homeworld

The Concentration to Fuse

     Merlinite and Chrysoberyl waved goodbye to the Crystal Gems from the window of their ship. From millennia of watching gems operate spacecraft, Chrysoberyl had no trouble picking up on the controls once Peridot gave her the gist of things. And though she was sad to be leaving the earth and her new friends behind, she was thrilled for what awaited her and Merlinite next on Homeworld.
"Chrysoberyl, we should turn on the gravity engine. Does this ship have one?" Merlinite asked, her hands moving toward the controls. Chrysoberyl pushed Merlinite's hands away. "Hey, I know what I'm doing just as well as you do!" she snapped.
"No, you don't. Leave me to it. One touch and you might ruin the set controls."
"That's not true! Get away from-" Merlinite's voice halted. "What are we doing?" she mumbled.
"I know," Chrysoberyl said softly. "If we can't even leave this solar system without an argument, how in the universe are we going to work together in a situation as risky as Homeworld?" Chrysoberyl sighed. "Neither of us are perfect, but you have to promise me this: We're going to have to work together, no matter what, okay?"
"Of course," Merlinite muttered hastily. "Why don't we practice before we get there?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Do you have the ship calibrated to separate gems? Chrysoberyl and merlinite?"
"Of course I do. Otherwise, our forms of light wouldn't be able to keep up with the ship once we turn on the gravity engine."
     "What would happen if we fused?"
     Chrysoberyl went still, her eyes gone wide. "What?"
     "What better way to understand each other? We need to work together. That's what you said. And besides... this may be the last opportunity we have."
     "I... I don't know if I can," Chrysoberyl mumbled, never taking her eyes off of the controls.
     "What?" Merlinite laughed. "Of course you can!"
     "I'm serious!" Chrysoberyl spun around, her hands twitching. "How can you not see how worried I am?! Do you think I have the concentration to fuse?!"
An awkward silence filled the ship as the two looked at each other, Merlinite shocked, Chrysoberyl agonized. "You honestly couldn't tell? Ever since we left earth... Merlinite, don't you see? The chances that we could succeed in any of this are next to nothing. I was hiding my worry about all of this because it's too important to me to not do it. I don't really know how long I can shapeshift, I don't know if we'll get to Howlite, I don't know how to find that chrysoberyl Garnet showed me, I don't know anything! And you- you're not worried about anything! How can you be so fearless, while my fears are eating away at me from the inside?!"
"Chrysoberyl... I am afraid. But holding onto fear has never gotten me anywhere. I know I have arrogance and hastiness and even inconsiderateness at times... but I've never wished anyone to see my fearfulness, even through all of those flaws. And that's because the gems around me needed to be brave as well. I was made to not show fear. I was made to be a courageous general! And that's who I was. It's still who I strive to be. I'll be your brave general, if you'll be my loyal soldier." Merlinite smiled.
"You know I'm not good with promising my loyalty," Chrysoberyl replied, though the corners of her mouth were twitching into a smile. "Oh, alright. Are you ready?"
"I am. Maybe it'll be easier this time."
"Absolutely. After all, my gem is healed, and we know each other a lot better. Plus, there was a lot of stress the first time. I hardly knew you, but it was a desperate situation." Chrysoberyl thought for a moment. "I think it would be best to dance to a song."
     "A... song? Like what pearls do? Sing?"
     "Sort of. Peridot taught me a song that she learned from Steven. I... well, it might not sound good. I've never really sung before."
     "Knock yourself out," replied Merlinite.
     Chrysoberyl took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She began to move in lively, but graceful motions. "Life and death and love and birth and peace and war on the planet earth." Her lilted voice lifted high and smooth, her melodic voice matching pitches perfectly along with the song, as if she had been singing for millennia.
     Merlinite began to dance choppily, but it was dancing nonetheless. "Is there anything that's worth more?" Chrysoberyl continued as she began to bring her song to a close. The two ended with an awful high five, but, nevertheless, in a burst of light, Kambaba Jasper formed.
     "Is there anything that's worth more than peace and love on the planet earth?"