Shattered III- Home World (A Steven Universe Fanfic)

New Gems

THE TWO suns slowly set on the capital of Region White, the bustling city not dropping a beat as its streets were lively as ever, only changing into a medley of color as the city lights came on. The tour of the science facility Sapphire and Lapis were in slowly came to a close, the two women lagging behind as the visitors took their leave and taking a last look around the building.

"This's a bad idea." Sapphire said to Lapis telepathically. "If we let one of our thoughts slip out, we'll get spotted and surrounded."

"We have to find out what else White Diamond is up to." Lapis replied. "Jasper's armies are gone and the last thing we want is to get caught off-guard by another one of the Diamond's secret weapons."

Sapphire paused for a bit. "So how do we do this?"

"Neither of us can create clones like Pearl, so we have to get away from the tour group ourselves." Lapis said and then glanced around. "How good are you at shape-shifting?"

"You read my mind." Sapphire smiled.

Making sure the hovering screen was nowhere nearby, the two gems squeezed their way to the center of the tour group so they were surrounded, all the while shrinking their height until they were half as tall. Once they were completely shrouded amongst the others, they transformed into small pools of water and maneuvered their way between the other gems' feet, leaving the room they were in.

Lapis and Sapphire made their way into a nearby corridor, the latter shape-shifting back into her normal state, and Lapis moved her way up the walls, placing several small black balls along the ceiling. Sapphire looked on curiously as Lapis turned back to her original form and she looked to the devices above as lights flickered from them.

"What're those?"

"I don't know how they work exactly, but they're scramblers made by Helio that put security cameras through loops so we aren't spotted." Lapis said.

"Well, it's a good thing they didn't upgrade them these past three years." Sapphire said.

"Come on, let's try and search this place quickly; they'll figure out something's wrong eventually."

With that, the two raced around the halls, glancing from room to room with X-Ray vision and seeing nothing of note except for gems being fitted with robotic limbs. It began to puzzle Lapis the more she thought about it: why would the Diamonds fit gems with cybernetic enhancements when they have high-level regeneration and affinity for magic? Her thoughts were cut short when they came across a room emitting a powerful energy signature and were unable to see through its walls.

Sapphire moved up to the door and placed her hand on it, sensing a sealing spell on it and slowly unlocking it. Breaking the seal, she looked to Lapis and received a nod from her, hesitantly pressing a button adjacent to the door and waiting for it to slide open. The two looked into the room and saw a large round assembly room with several platforms that descended to a floor where multiple large glass pods were lined up before a massive screen.

The two looked at the white-robed Agates that roamed the room and transformed to look like them, moving to the lower floors to get a better look at what was going on while keeping a safe distance.

"So, this's the last week till we stop production of organic gems, huh?" One Agate said to another. "I wonder if we'll get assigned to the AI gem assembly line or somewhere else."

"Ah, I don't give a fuck honestly." The gem next to him stretched out. "Anywhere without the damn annoying shrieks of pain is fine with me."

Sapphire raised her brow upon overhearing them and a large door to her right swung open and from it came several tall Topazes that dragged red-skinned goblins with flaming hair by chains and led them toward the pods. The goblins lashed out in anger, desperately trying to break free and the Topazes shocked them with electric rods, forcing them one by one into the pods lined up at the center of the room.