Corruption

Interrogation

"The Diamonds? How?" Inquired Connie, worry filling her gut.

"The last time anyone was here was 2 years ago, when we healed all the corrupted gems." Added Pearl, lifting her hand to her chest, looking at the corrupted, scolded, Steven, who kept his eyes focused on Garnet, coming back over to the group.

"It wasn't all of them, not consciously anyway." Garnet informed, stepping out of the water, "All four of the Diamonds represent a piece of one's self. Yellow Diamond as the Ego, Blue Diamond as the emotions, Pink Diamond as the heart and White Diamond as the mind. All together, they can create the ultimate being, a whole person, or gem."

"Yeah, but we never fused, so how could we have done anything to the water?" Steven proposed, grasping his still hot hands.

"White Diamond has control over one's mind, she can do so consciously and sub-consciously. It's possible that she could have subconsciously, partially controlled the rest of the Diamonds to release some of their energy into the water, so the next corrupt gem to go into the water is burned." Garnet continued, looking at Steven.

"But..." Amethyst began, placing a hand on her head, still processing what she had just heard, "That doesn't make any sense! Why? There wasn't anything to gain! Did she just agree to help so she could do this?!" She let out an angered grumble, before Pearl placed a hand on her head, calming her down.

"White's obsessed with perfection...we all know that..." Stated Connie, "So could she have done this so that Corrupted Gems couldn't be healed? Like so they can suffer for not...being...perfect? I don't know..."

"You're not far off, she did this to get back at Steven." Garnet concluded, everyone stared on in disbelief.

"To get back...so she knew I was going to corrupt? But How? I'm only like this because I fused with--" Steven realised, "Jasper...so that's what she ment..."

Pearl went over to him, gently placing a hand on his shoulder, "Steven, what do you mean? What did she say to you?" She asked sternly.

Steven looked at her, his black eyes and white iris' meeting her blue ones. He recalled his time with Jasper and looked away, not wanting to relive it so soon.

"Steven?...Please, we need to know to help you.." Pearl tried, with a softer tone.

Steven kept quiet for a moment, before looking back at Pearl, hesitantly speaking quietly, "She...She told be she was eventually gonna bring me to White...I don't know why, or if she spoke to White about this but I..." He stopped, and looked away again.

"Do you think we should interrogate Jasper?" Amethyst confidently asked, looking towards Garnet, punching her palm.

"She's bubbled in the temple now, if we unbubble her, I doubt she'll go back..." Pearl stood up, contemplating her options.

"We need to know how she know what White Diamond wants. Let's go." Garnet took charge, agusting her visor, and walking towards the warp pad, "Also, Steven need to put his hands in some cold water." 

The group all stood on the cold Crystal of the Warp Pad and the cyan light shot them away to the Temple. Their feet touched familiar solid ground again, Garnet got a large bowl and filled it with cool water, before adding Ice to the water, dropping the temperature for Steven's hands to cool. She placed it onto the kitchen counter as Steven sat onto a stool and placed all his hands in the water, instantly relieving them of the previous burns. Steven gave his thanks as Connie sat next to him.

"Are you sure we should release her, Garnet?" Pearl worried, stepping towards the temple door, before Amethyst could get closer.

"We aren't going to get any answers if we have no one to question." She bluntly replied, walking past Pearl.

Steven and Connie both stood up and followed the gems, as Garnet revealed her gems to the door, making it open.    The fusion strode in closely followed by an excited raging Amethyst, a hesitant Steven, Connie and finally Pearl, who had a very bad feeling about the future convosation to come.

They entered a nearly empty temple, no gems had have to been bubbled since the Diamonds came to earth. The lonely purple bubble floated, with the familiar orange gem floating peacefully in the centre of it. Garnet lifted out her hands, as the bubble floated towards her grasp. Once the bubble was in her gem infused hands, she pushed it in on itself, releasing the already glowing gem, Garnet stepped back. Pearl summoned her spear, not trusting Garnet's insightful choice.

The glowing gem rose up, taller than Garnet. The figure of Jasper surrounded it, before colour covered her form. Once fully formed, she opened her eyes and surveyed the area, "Oh, so you decided you felt sorry for me and brought me back?" She scoffed.

"We need to ask you some questions." Garnet spoke, disregarding her mockery.

Jasper studied each of the gems faces, she focused on Steven, who was scowling at her, recalling his time with her. She smirked at his appearance and rage before turning back to Garnet, "So, why should I tell you?"

"If you don't, you'll spend eternity in a bubble." Garnet summoned her gauntlets and clenched her fists.

Jasper looked at the fusion, remembering when they first encountered and fought, "Alright then, what is it?"

Garnet took charge with the first question, "Have you came into contact with White Diamond recently?" She questioned.

"Not recently, but yes." Veaguly replied the orange Gem, folding her arms.

"Could you be more specific?" Angrily interrogated Amethyst, summoning her whip, her anger towards the gem before them rising..

"About a month or two ago, she ordered me to report to her about the actions of that over there" Jasper smugly responded gesturing to Steven. Who let out a low growl in return, Connie put a calming hand on his chest.

"Don't call him that!" Ordered Pearl, gripping her spear tightly.

Garnet, though angered, held out her gauntlet, silencing her angered friends, "Do you have any information why?"

"She was angry at him, obviously. She didn't explain the details but she most definitely wanted him like this." She explained.

"But why? We helped you, without us, you'd still be fully corrupted." Instantly responded Amethyst.

"White offered me full healing, she said she could make me back to normal. It's true that I don't like being like this, so I wasn't lying about that." She informed, Steven flinched when he heard White could help her. Could she help him to?...

"She can help corrupted gems on her own?" He spoke up, catching the attention of all the gems.

"She said so, but" Jasper smirked, "i doubt she would help you"

Steven glared at the sick smirk on the gem's face, "Steven calm down..She's just trying to provoke a reaction" Connie muttered softly in the angered boy's ear.

"When were you planning on take me to her?" He snarled loudly.

Jasper chuckled, "I wasn't going to take you to her, she was coming to the Beta Kindergarten" She uttered before an enraged Steven slammed his head into hers, poofing her. 

The gems all stood back, as Steven rubbed his head and breathed heavily, "I'm sorry, I dunno what came over me.." He apologized.

"It's alright Steven," Pearl softly spoke, reaching to Jasper's gem and bubbling it, "I couldn't stand her either"

Garnet's gauntlets disappeared, and she came over too, "At least we got something useful out of her"

"Yeah, we know that White's coming...that's Not good.." Amethyst concluded, with worry.