Used to be abused - Steven Universe

Chapter 7 - Secluded Personnel

The Sapphire turned away and laid her gaze into the darkness. I walked up to her and stood by her side, unsure what she meant of what she was going to confess about.
Footsteps emitted from behind as Zircon emerged beside the Sapphire. I could clearly notice though how her face seemed to portray an uncertain feel towards the short, gowned gem.
I spoke up breaking the silent and airy atmosphere as my voice echoed in the room.
"... Why did you bring us here?", I asked as I looked up to the dark now seeing what the Sapphire was looking at. A hollow, cracked orb tainted in the brambles of blackness and moss, familiar looking, but unattainable to recall.
"A power core?...", Zircon chimed in as curiosity hid in her voice.
I looked at Zircon and back to the orb, silence accompanying once again.
I decided to inspect the rest of this  room which I found interest in as the faded streaks of light lit some parts of it that I didn't notice at first. The walls were hard stone, wrapped in random swirls of overgrown vines. Surrounding the room were a bunch of old ornamental statues which were also following the theme of old and rustic, they loomed over us making the illusion of security or a feel of presence. The ground was no different than in the court, but had a paved feel and was scratched with debris of small rocks and pebbles scattered around. Aside the broken remains of gems around, the room's atmosphere felt oddly, uneasy. The offline gem tech around us also exceeded the horrifying feel of the place as I knew that there was something wrong with the room.
My vision pondered away deeper, intrigued of the objects hidden in the darkness of the room, but I stopped to the sound of Zircon's gasp.
"..she's Gone!", Zircon exclaimed as she looked around looking to find her.

I was too lost in my thoughts that I couldn't take concern of the situation, thinking of the gem's physical appearance.
'Short hair, short skirt and a deep cut gem.', I reiterated in my mind over and over until I finally realised what she actually was.
"Wait.... Zircon, that "Sapphire"... she's a...", I explained to Zircon but got interrupted as the floor beneath us shook and rumbled.
The shaking of the floor was so intense that we struggled to even keep our stances. Eventually, we were unable to keep balance and fell to the ground.

After a few rumbles, the floor suddenly made an opening as it cleared its path into a darker abyss of blackness below it. The floor was opening in half as it continued to push us nearer to the walls. Soon, there was no available space for us to be on and the floor fully merged itself into a wall and we fell.
Our shouts and shrieks echoed loudly as they fade deeper and muffled into quietness.

The wind blew against me for a bit before I was splattered face first onto the floor. I picked myself up and inspected my new surrounding. Half lit with torches and small crystals, decorated with nothing but a smooth blank room. There was a loud airy sound within here, something that sounded much similar to a generator.

I noticed a straight crack at the wall in front of me, leaking a streak of yellowish green light in a smooth lining from up to down. With no hesitation, I took a few steps over to it and peeped in through the crack. A room was present behind it, as the same huge orb like thing hovered in the middle. I took a moment to observe around and finally spotted two figures standing in the far left corner. It was a Blue Agate, and the same Sapphire gem who was previously with us. She was talking to her.
"The reports are all subdued to pass, as you wanted. Please, I need to harvest more gems for the core to live on... give me time!", the Sapphire started looking and sounding agitated as she frowned to the taller Agate looming over her.
The Agate furrowed her brows, following a stern rebuke,
"I can't allow more of this nonsense to be tolerated. I will give when I wish to, now go and finish the last assignments I have recently distributed to you. Its the least you can do for interrupting my time....",
The Sapphire grew a worried look,
"Please! I need, to-", the Agate pierced her grimace at the Sapphire in full consent.
The Blue gem raised her hand and slapped the sapphire causing her to hit the ground hard. There was a slight pause after the frail and shaky gasp of the Sapphire to the Agate's provoke.

Infuriating, the Agate spoke again,
"I will not hesitate to reduce you to shards. My intentions are only to fit the needs of my Diamond and give her the best of what se wants. Including information from commoners like you... that is just what you are, isn't it, Howlite?", the sapphire looked up shakily and in her fear, she retorted,
"Please, No! You can't! This is not what you said you promised!".
The Agate could care no longer as she slowly walked away ignoring the pleads from the small gem abruptly introduced as 'Howlite'.

A flash of light beamed at the corner of my vision, as I looked at it, it came from another crack on the wall at the left. I made my way to it as the commotion died down following the Howlite's cries. I let my eye pierce through the crack to peep in only to be surprised to find the similar Howlite gem and another tall figure standing opposite of her. "Enough of your wining! I don't care if you disagree or not, we are not going to deter the renovation. If you have a problem with the new orders, go and dispute with the decider!", a profound voice echoed in a resonance.
"Please! I beg you not to do this! I need area for my core, I cannot live without it!! Please!", the Sapphire pleaded, although putting me in an immense confusion.

My head was suddenly pounding in pressure, for some reason, it was the same sensation that I felt when Tourmaline went into my memories, but I ignored them, wanting to know more of the scene I was looking at.

With a final plead from the Howlite gem, Amazonite scowled at her and in her superiority, she dragged an equipped weapon that was with her and stabbed Howlite causing an emission of cloud to appear, following the gem laying flat on the floor.
I gasped to what had just happened, but at the time I was still confused on how this Howlite gem was able to go place to place like this.

I jumped as a finger tapped my shoulder and in an incongruous action, I turned and stumbled down to look at the gem who abruptly was behind me.
It was Tourmaline! With no hesitation, I got up and hugged her,
"Tourmaline! What the? What happened? Where were you?!", I asked being frantic as ever. She returned a hug to me and explained.