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Chapter 18
As Above, So Below
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Sometimes….

I feel like I can never escape…..

These invisible restraints holding me back…..

Everytime I take a step forward…..

…..I end up back in the same place……

Soft pink eyelids open and black irises gleaming behind the thick bush. A gloved hand reaches out to push back the leaves and Spinel steps out onto the brightly colored ground. 'The Garden?' She pats herself and gulps anxiously at her old form. 'This isn't real. It's n-not-' 

"Spinel! There you are!"

She's picked up into a pair of arms and hugged close into them. The pink puffy outfit….Spinel slowly looks up at the diamond shaped eyes. "Pink?" 

Pink Diamond giggles, "Oh you silly little Spinel. I love it when you play pretend. Especially being so clueless." She nuzzles against Spinel's cheek. "So adorable."

Spinel blinks, not comprehending the situation, but once she felt her hand against her cheek. The gem melted into her touch. "That's me! So silly!" 

A shift in the atmosphere made the cheerful garden seem dim. The giant whistle of wind waving across the area before a light flashes by the warp pad being activated from a ways. 

Pink hums with a small smile then slowly grips Spinel's face in a painful manner. "And it was very silly to lose a very SIMPLE game and stay." 

The gem pink hearted gem stared at the Diamond in disbelief and slight fear. 

Something wasn't right.

"STAY HERE." Pink placed Spinel to her feet. "It's dangerous." Her pink eyes glare toward the warp pad and begins to walk away. 

Spinel panicked and reached out.

"Pink! I can stay with you. Wouldn't that be much safer!? Mmph!" Something tugs her back and vines now wrap tightly around her leg before another vine with thorns grasps her pigtail and arm. Spinel winches and hisses at the pain in her arm as the thorns dig into skin. "P-Pink…." Her tangled pigtail unraveled from the tugging. 

The ground began to swallow her feet. 

Until it completely consumed her form. 

Muffled screams echo throughout the darkness and finally Spinel can hear more sounds slightly clearer yet also

distorted. She opens her eyes and immediately her magenta eyes reflect many lights from the dark skies. 'Shooting Stars?' She thought. 

Above her, a sky filled with lights shooting out into the cosmos. Although…..thousands began to explode and hundreds of them fell like comets that headed for the ground. 

Spinel gasps and immediately moves out of the way as one crashed in the spot she knelt from. 

"What is going o--......" If she had a heart. It would've stopped and her blood would've run cold. 

The comet that fell…..

….it was a ship of some sorts. 

Broken, burnt, and--....

Spinel covers her mouth and nearly gags at the horrifying scene. 'All those shooting stars were ships.' Her gaze watching up above. 'And they're carrying humans and gems…...they're escape pods.' 

"Hurry! We have to find an escape pod!"

The pink gem spots a group of gems protecting humans. In the mix, she could easily recognize-- "Spinels…..?" Some clinged in fear to their humans, most looked lost and exhausted. The Spinels were in ranges of colors and different shaped gems, sporting the way they look. 

"OVER HERE!" 

Suddenly, an army of gems came rushing toward the group and they're uniforms had a recognizable symbol. A white diamond. Some of those gems even looked…..controlled. 

Not wanting to see any more of this nightmare, Spinel runs in a random direction, but the more she runs away…..the more she can hear the screams of humans and gems. The crashes, explosions, everything. 

"NO! I'M NOT LEAVING WITHOUT HER!!!" 

Spinel freezes at the sound of your voice and turns around only to hit an invisible wall of glass. She jumps back when you slam the glass from the other side. 

"Spinel!" 

"(Y/n)?! What's happening?!" The gem had no idea what was going on, she didn't know if this was all real or…."A dream…." Spinel gulps and tries to calm down. 'It's one of those nightmares. There's nothing to worry about.' 

"Please….." Your hands were against the invisible wall after many failed attempts at breaking it. Tears flood uncontrollably in a heartbroken gaze at Spinel. 

Her gloved hands slide in the same place as your own. Spinel didn't like that you were so sad in the dream and she gave a soft smile, "It's okay. Everything will be okay." 

Suddenly, there's a loud shattering sound.

Spinel froze up yet again and held a terrified expression as her eyes slowly gazed down at her gem. Her hands shook as the glittering crystal shards lay in her palms. 'M-my G-gem….' 

"SPINEL! WAKE UP!" Yours and Steven's voice shouted through the now dark void. 

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The resting Spinel's eyes snap open and she sits up, only to collide with another head. Fortunately, this didn't faze Spinel at all, especially the nightmare she just had. Although, it was unfortunate for the little spinel. 

Nelly groans and rubs her forehead, "That hurt." 

"Well you shouldn't have been there in the first place." Spinel mumbled with a very faint and weak retort. She frowns a little at the small tears of Nelly. "Sorry. I'm just grumpy." Subconsciously, her hand glides over her gem to make sure it's still intact. 

Nelly noticed this and she smiles faintly, "It's no big deal. You gave all of us a very big scare." She hugs Spinel's side and sniffles. 

Spinel finally realized she was inside Steven's bedroom and the cut had been completely healed. 'Steven must've healed me then, but…..where is he? Where's (Y/n)?' The night sky greeted her magenta eyes from outside the balcony doors. "Where is everyone?" 

"Steven and his dad took Connie home." Nelly turns to look outside, "I don't know where (Y/n) went. She was extremely upset and needed to cool off."

"Does she know I'm okay?" Spinel asked. 

Nelly shakes her head, "No. Not yet. I would give her some time before saying anything. She gets overwhelmed with 'certain' situations." 

"Hm…." Spinel takes out her phone and stares at the black screen. Her reflection staring back at her before the background picture illuminates her face. The apps pop up as the message bubble is clicked and pulls a recent conversation of you and Spinel. 'I should let her know I'm okay, but…..what do I put?' Her thumbs hover over the keyboard before moving toward the call icon. 'Or maybe call?' 

The gem had no idea what to tell you. During the mini crisis, Nelly began brushing Spinel's hair and they both just waited. 

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A video feed zooms in on the weak and strong points of Steven's fighting abilities, along with Connie and Spinel. The screen disappears as one of the mutants march in with a machine in its hands. It faintly resembled a karaoke machine. 

"Finally." 

Their hands take the machine and place it on the table near the controls. A few buttons are pressed and a compartment opens up. They place three diamonds inside as the small machine glows white, blue, and yellow before going back to being colorful party lights. 

"If this prototype works on the first try, then the REAL fun will begin." They pick up the mic and tap it. "All four diamonds would've been more efficient, but I'll make do. I'll have that fourth Diamond gem in my hands when the real machine is done." 

The machine is boxed and shipped out. 

An evil chuckle comes from their mouth, "I'm sure Little Miss Miller will appreciate a karaoke machine for her rave tomorrow night. Where a lot of gems will be attending. Hopefully, Lars, Connie and Mr. Universe can try their 'GIFTS' when things get too much for the Crystal Gems to handle by themselves." They frown, "And I hope nothing goes wrong like Blood Stone."

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The pink pearl peaks around and very quietly follows the mutant with the package. Of course her sneaky escape didn't go unnoticed by the cloaked being. The pearl sighs in relief once she's able to make it to Earth after the mutant warps in the middle of the woods. Luckily, it's near Little Homeworld. 

"Oh thank goodness! It's one of Steven's friends." She runs as fast as she could toward the short Peridot.

Peridot grumbles to herself in frustration and taps at her tablet. "Come on! There has to be ANY connection to the missing gems. No one has seen anything. They heard NOTHING! Just POOF! GONE! AHHHH!" The green gem jumps and falls back at the sudden appearance of the pink pearl. "Oh….hey, you need to get back inside. It's dangerous being out alone." 

Pink Pearl gulps, "I know. There's something I need to tell Steven, you have to take me to him!" She pleads and takes a cautious look around. 

Peridot grins and jumps up and down. "Finally!!! Don't you worry, tell me and I'll make sure to tell Steven personally!" 

"No! We need him now! Please!" 

Peridot noticed the uneasy expression of the pearl. She had seen it with Lapis and she sighs. "Alright, alright. We'll use the Warp to get to his home, but please tell me along the way." 

As the two gems hurried to the nearest Warp Pad, Pink Pearl spoke and she was glad they were the only ones outside. The Little Homeworld residents all were inside for curfew, although there had been a dark figure following them at all dark corners of the night. 

"Seriously?!" Peridot covers her mouth at the news and she had a hard time processing what had been going on while on Homeworld. "We need to get to Steven ri-"

Suddenly, the two gems were grabbed and the warp pad activated. 

Peridot's eyes widened in shock as they were going through the tunnel of light. "YOU?!" Before she could say anymore, the futuristic gun is shot and she poofs. Her gem is immediately bubbled and her tablet now falls to the floor in the throne room. 

Pink Pearl covers her mouth and looks at the figure as they hold up the bubbled Peridot with an angry expression. 

"LOOK WHAT YOU DID!" They run a hand stressfully through their hair and pace around. "This is going to ruin my plans. Those stupid gems will be looking for their missing friend!" With a sharp snap of their fingers, a group of mutants walk in. "Lock her up for now!" 

The way the mutants escorted the Pearl instead of hauling her away, which surprised her by their slight gentle side.

"I had it all planned and she---" They hold back in shattering the gem in the bubble. "Calm down…..breath….."

The triangular gem stares back and reflects in their eyes while their gaze lingers on their cloaked reflection. "Hmm." They smirk and pick up the fallen tablet with a small crack in the screen, "I guess it doesn't have to be too difficult. Impersonation will do just SWELL~"