Steven Universe OC Garble 2

She felt the gem at her hip begin to tremble. A faint, soft purr so subtle, so slight, that she hadn't at all noticed it until it grew into the terrible ripping at her waist. Or perhaps it wasn't the gem – perhaps it was her own fingers digging into her side, tearing at her own body in attempt to get the ornament away from her being. It was hot, hot, so hot, or perhaps that was her own palms, her own embodiment, her own tension, her own anxiety, fears, and horrible dread that she projected onto the murmuring commodity.

Instinctively, she ripped it from her side. There was no time to hide. There was no time to hide it.

The commotion, of course, was cause for alarm in her companions; they were both at her side, weapons at the ready, bodies postured for battle.

The gem glowed and hummed and brilliantly flashed, the green shimmering and shaping and reshaping until it settled on the form of what seemed to be a very human woman. Her green body was undressed and detailed, her gem over her left breast, and the other covered by her long seafoam hair.  

“A...Gem?” Moldavite's tone was flat, unbelieving.

“You kept her.”

Carnelian winced at the cold voice, grinding her teeth.

“Onyx, I... I just....”

“Hello, Nick,” the Gem smiled sweetly, closing the gap between herself and the orange gem, stretching her arms above her head and exaggerating a yawn as if she were just waking up.

“Of course she kept me. I mean,” She wrapped her arms around Carnelian's waist, “she was very good at preventing me from rejuvenating. For a while. The moment I would start to take on a form, she would... put an abrupt stop to that.” The green gem smiled. “What's this, Carley?” She poked at Carnelian's chest. “Learning from me? Trying to be a bit more 'human'?”  

Onyx narrowed his eyes. “Weakness,” he hissed, barely above a whisper.

Carnelian was frozen, her body not listening to her internal screaming. She couldn't form words... but perhaps that didn't even matter. There was no excuse to give to Onyx. She had disobeyed a direct order from him.  

She looked to her other companion, hoping for any sign of compassion or sympathy, any understanding, a smile, a nod, anything, anything...

Moldavite's lip trembled, as if trying to find the right words – any words – but the disgust and pain in his single eye. “You... kept her trapped? You... prevented her from taking a physical form?”

“Come, Moldavite. We will finish alone.” Onyx soundlessly bounded ahead into the darkness.

Moldavite frowned. Carnelian had never seen him frown.

Her words still wouldn't form. Not that it mattered; Moldavite was already following Onyx into the nightfall. The moonlight glimmered from his gem over his eye, as he whipped his head in disgust to continue on with their task.

Onyx. Moldavite.

Carnelian dropped to her knees, tears stinging her eyes. Her fingers dug into the dirt and she choked on the emotions that swelled into her throat, choking her, making her whole body tremble.  

“Oh, Carly,” Malachite's voice was elegant and graceful, cold and malevolent. She ran her fingers gently through Carnelian's hair. “You aren't alone. I'm with you again.”