#angsty mess

Angela pulled a wounded man from the rubble.

He was crying with relief, his forehead soaked with blood and his body covered in burns. But it seemed as if he didn't notice his wounds and instead expressed his gratitude to the woman in Italian. She didn't speak the language, but the gratitude was heart-wrenching either way; the tears in his eyes, the way he clasped her hand and kissed it. Angela should have been happy for his reaction. But she wasn't.

Talon had stormed Rialto and wounded many people. It wasn't good enough what they were doing. There were people still dying. It seemed that no matter what they did, they could not save them. 

Angela caught a glimpse of movement at the corner of her eye and she quickly looked over, spotting the familiar sight of Lena approaching. It relieved her to see the other woman and not a Talon trooper; Angela had taken on her share of them for one night.

"Angela!" Lena said, smiling her relief. "Good, glad you're all right, love."

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, Lena. Talon forces pushed hard toward the museum and this house was hit in the crossfire." Angela furrowed her brow thoughtfully. "It doesn't make sense. What could they have been after?"

"I don't know," Lena frowned now. She was troubled. 

Angela gestured to the wounded man at her side and helped him balance himself on her arm. "But I've found a survivor. He requires medical attention. Could you take him back to the drop-ship and have the crew assess his damages? There's more I need to do here."

"You got it." Lena took the man's hand and gently ushered him from the rubble. Angela could hear her trying to reassure the man as her eyes scanned the damage of the house. It wasn't until she caught movement down the street that she looked to her left, spotting a very familiar form running from gunfire. A swirl of violet energy was thrown from long-nailed fingers. Red hair.

Wrathful, yet frightened features that she still recalled even after all these years. Angela's eyes widened and the breath was stolen from her, but for a second as memories came back to her, unbidden and unwanted; good and bad, they returned to her all at once.

"Moira!" she shouted.

She saw the woman look in her direction, pause at the edge of a bridge.

Angela's heart hammered in her chest when she saw the older woman again. She was wearing body armor, tubes along her shoulders which no doubt aided in the use of her orbs as her older suit once had. 

Angela watched as Moira immediately recollect everything as well, a glimmer of realization and shock touching her gaze. She watched her squint once, glance over her shoulder to her pursuers before Fading away. 

Angela wasn't having it.

"Moira!" she bellowed, anger in her voice. Her wings spread and she gave chase, light trailing behind her like a veil of fire. "COME BACK HERE!"

She knew it was a horrible idea to pursue her. Angela knew Moira would no doubt make it difficult, but her mind demanded answers to her betrayal and she would get them no matter what.

O

Angela followed Moira into the ruined museum, finding it empty. That was fortunate. At least there would be no innocent civilians caught up in their - what she quite easily expected - skirmish. Moira was a formidable woman on her own, but Angela wasn't a pushover either.

Angela clutched the Caduceus Blaster in her hand, took a shaking breath and stepped out from behind the ruined wall she had been hiding behind. No one was there and she furrowed her brow, taking another breath to even out her racing heart.

One…two…three…

Inhale. Exhale.

She heard footsteps on the balcony above her and scowled, whirling, but no one was there. Rubble from the attack occasionally fell from the holes in the ceiling, the noise echoing loudly in the vast hall. 

"Moira, I know you're hiding in here," Angela called, blaster held close. She forced strength in her voice. "You can come out now and make this easier on yourself." 

Moira had taken cover on the upper balcony, behind a statue of Hel, the Goddess of Death. She had her eyes closed as she endured the voice that had once been so utterly warm for her now filled with a myriad of cold emotions, all of which were directed to her.

Angela was a formidable fighter all on her own, but Moira was determined to stay in control. 

“Come out, Moira,” Angela warned, making her way into the gift shop; her eyes scanned the area cautiously. “I know you’re here.”

She felt it then, a shift in the air that rustled the hairs on the back of her neck. She glanced back, quickly turning with her Staff and catching the side of Moira’s cheek as the older woman had crept up behind her.

Moira doubled over with a shout, clutching her cheek. Angela watched, backing away as Moira held her face with one hand, fresh crimson pooling in her mouth. She looked up at Angela, eyes two different shades of dark. 

Now being this close up to her, Angela could see that she had been wounded; her forehead was cut and fresh blood was dripping down her face. Her lip was now split from Angela’s contact with her staff, her red hair a tangled mess on her head. Parts of her violet armor had been cracked from what was possibly a blast from a grenade.

Someone had gotten lucky enough to get that close to her.

“I suppose I was asking for that.” Moira said, her smile biting. She wiped the corner of her lip with one long-nailed finger before spitting blood to the side.

Angela noticed the purple, swirling orb of energy now appear in Moira’s decrepit right hand. She knew what it was and what it could easily do to her when it came in contact. That hand once touched her so reverently was now capable of killing her in seconds.

She also remembered when Moira had done that to herself. She remembered finding her face-down on the floor of her lab, choking on her own spit as she nearly succumbed to her own experimentation...

“Well?” Angela stood firmly now, but her voice trembled with hurt that she forced down her throat with a thick swallow. 

“Well?” Moira repeated, a bit perplexed by the question.

“I think I’ve earned an explanation for your change of colors.”

A snide chuckle from Moira. “You feel you’ve deserved an explanation? Of course. Your arrogance knows no limits, doesn’t it, Angela?”

Moira’s mismatched eyes locked with hers and for a split second, something changed in them. She looked down at the swirling orb in her hand before clenching her fist, extinguishing it.

Angela blinked in disbelief, eyes widening. “What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded, voice catching once more.

“I’m not going to hurt you.”

“A bit late for that.” Angela’s arm remained high, blaster still leveled at Moira’s chest. She couldn’t stop the bitter anguish in her tone with her words. “Der Kampf ist noch nicht vorbei! Bring that back up!”

Moira’s eyes hardened for a second before she raised her eyebrows. “Considering you were the one who drew first blood, I feel I’ve been generous. I’d like to talk sensibly.”

“Sensibly, right.” Angela’s pained, angry laugh echoed in the gift shop. “Let’s talk then.” She paced back and forth in front of Moira, determined to stay strong in her presence. “But what do we discuss now, Moira? Should we discuss you leaving Overwatch? Should we discuss the unethical work you’ve done to Gabriel - “

Now it was Moira’s turn to speak. She let out a guffaw of mocking laughter. “What I did??” she sneered, “I simply took what you started and made it better!” When Angela opened her mouth to speak, Moira just continued to hammer the truth home. “Gabriel’s condition BEGAN with you! Your technology in MY HANDS.”

She was being spiteful, vicious with her words; her eyes were wide, enraged and her teeth bared like an angry, wounded animal. Angela had never seen her so open before and it was mildly startling, but she fought to retain her control and her composure.

Still, she swallowed thickly and her voice trembled. “No, you’re wrong.”

“Am I?” Moira stepped closer, glaring down at her. “You can flaunt it all you’d like, Angela. You can lie to your friends and play the role of benevolent, guiltless doctor, but not to me!”

A single long, dangerous finger jabbed her in her chest and Moira’s eyes were still filled with anger, but a flicker of hurt lit them for a second. 

“One who turned her back on someone who needed her there,” she whispered, venomously. “Why weren’t you there, Angela?” 

Angela’s gaze hardened, but her eyes became glassy, despite her best efforts. 

“I-I made a choice, Moira,” she whispered back, “Verdammt. I had to make that choice. The things you had written, the things you had done...”

She cut herself off, swallowing thickly and forcing down a small sob. She didn’t want to see Moira’s expression on her face, so she shut her eyes. 

Did she expect Moira to be softer now? No, of course not. Instead, she heard a cold, bitter scoff from the older woman’s lips. She was wounded, that much was certain.

“No, you were only willing to stand by my side when it was convenient for you,” Moira’s voice was softer now, disappointment in her tones, “And the moment they turned against me, you followed suit. I wanted to help humanity and Overwatch sought to stop me.”

Angela looked up at her sharply, anger renewed. “What? You can’t have it both ways, Moira, you know that! You chose to side with terrorists! How is that helping people?!”

Moira’s lip curled with disgust, but it didn’t linger. She was attempting to gain control over the situation, but it ultimately failed. She was wounded, exhausted and wanted to leave. But…she still remained, despite how dangerous it could be.

She was proven right when Angela pointed her blaster into her chest, right between the space of her breasts. A single shot would kill her at close range and Angela’s finger was on the trigger. Moira knew that emotionally, Angela could easily end it right now.

“Is it simple for you, Angela?” Moira asked, with a heavy sigh. “We both know you can’t hurt someone if they aren’t armed.”

Angela’s features twisted and an ugly, anguished shriek burst from her lips. “Why are you doing this to me?” she snarled, “WHY?”

Moira stared at her, lips parted. For a second, her eyes softened again and for the first time in years, she looked like her old self.

“I love you, Angela.”

Angela stared at her, eyes widening in shock; it was like someone had shot her directly in the chest.

For a moment, it almost seemed to work; those words that Moira had failed to tell her for such a long time. Such sacred, wonderful words that Angela had waited patiently until she was ready to say them. How she had wanted them so badly. How she had yearned to hear those words from Moira’s lips.

But they were just words to her now. She could not trust them.

And all the hurt from Moira departing, Moira joining their enemies overrode any feelings she could have felt for those words.

“Love? You don’t deserve to use that word.” Angela whispered, voice shaking. Her eyes filled and tears had started to fall down her cheeks. 

She backed away and Moira took one step toward her. She was being bitter, spiteful and cruel, but perhaps it had been warranted. Maybe Moira had always known it would end that way.

Now, the older woman no longer looked proud, despite her wounds. She looked anguished. 

"Perhaps I don’t. Perhaps I had lost the right to it...” Moira said, her voice smaller. “Maybe you no longer want to believe me.”

Angela forced strength in her voice. “I cannot CONCEIVE OF IT!” she shouted, torment and rage in her cry.

“Angela…”

“Just leave!” Angela shouted again, brandishing her blaster now.

Moira didn’t move. She opened her mouth to speak, but Angela shut her eyes tightly.

“LEAVE!”

It took a few moments before there was a crackle, a smell of smoke and Fade activating before Angela opened her eyes again.

Moira was gone.

And she was alone again.

Angela took a moment to register what had happened before she slowly crumbled to her knees, dropped the blaster and fisted her hands against her eyes as she let out a tormented series of sobs. 

On the other side of the city, Moira had Faded into an alley, slowly walking away from the Talon troops and everything else. Perhaps the mission had been a success, perhaps not. She leaned against the wall and let out a long, shuddering sigh before finally, the tears fell.

Pressing her forehead against the wall, she quietly wept; punching the wall once, weakly without conviction she slid to the ground, pulled herself up into a ball and continued to cry. 

~O~

It was raining.

Water dripped across Yellow's shoulders and face.

The aroma of charred trees, metal and foul-smelling water choked her already numb senses. 

She was kneeling in the mud, clutching her long, scorched broadsword in her hand. Around her laid the shattered shards of what had once been gems. Her gaze was distant, detached and empty. Her hands were jerking and twitching every so often, like a dead creature in the final throes of life.

A sting of agony clouded her thoughts, mental and physical. Fighting the gems who sought to bring her down had taken its toll on her. Many rebels had tried to bring her down, but she'd dispatched them. 

So many...

Somewhere in the distance, Blue was calling her name. 

[Five hours earlier]

Yellow made her way through the rain, watching for signs of gem rebels with her broadsword clutched tightly in hand. She furrowed her brow, listened around her for anything particularly strange.

It was dangerous being out here, even for her. She knew that as much as any intelligent being would. But if she would reach Pink Diamond, then they could return to Homeworld. The battle had been reaching its breaking point.

Such a waste.

Yellow wanted to simply destroy the rebels earlier before they had become a real problem; the other diamonds had assumed them to be just a minor nuisance and nothing worth the effort. 

But had they taken care of the problem of the rebellion sooner, the situation wouldn't have escalated as it had. But Blue and Pink both insisted on finding a common ground with them to avoid more destruction.

"Foolish..." Yellow thought, aloud. She gave a snort. 

She had found the notion absurd. The idea of defying them should have been met with an end. It was to teach other gems not to be foolish. She didn't comprehend how the other two could feel such a way.

Yellow stopped, spotted something gleaming in the mud. She frowned, made her way toward it and noticed that it was a pink shard. Curious, she bent down and retrieved it, turning it in her hands for study. 

It looked like a part of a palanquin. 

Her features turned ashen and her eyes widened. She looked up and noticed several more pink shards that littered the ground. Starting forward, Yellow followed them as they formed a hideous pink trail across the rain-soaked earth.

She hadn't realized how her voice started to shake as she followed the trail.

Frantic, she made her way up a hillside and when she made it to the top, she froze. Her eyes widened and her sword slid from her fingers, embedding itself into the ground. 

Somewhere in the distance, a bird flew away at the sound of her piercing, fierce scream.

O

Blue had begun to pace around the room. She was waiting for Yellow to return, worried about what had become of her. The diamond was strong and could hold her own in battle, but she feared for her safety. 

Crowds of gems were talking worriedly around her. Some of them whispered dangers of the war, of losing the battle to the Rebellion. Blue shut her eyes, uncertain of the future as well. Things weren't looking too well for them. 

She began to wonder if this would mean an end to their rule. The Rebellion had the means to heal whatever Homeworld armies could destroy. Essentially, having Rose Quartz meant no end in sight. 

Yellow Diamond was slowly making her way through the crowds of gems; many of them parted, shock and horror on their faces. Someone in the crowd screamed.

Blue looked up, seeing the angular features of Yellow making her way toward her. She smiled, relieved. When she began to approach, her smile slowly drained from her face; it was like watching a symphony unfold as her features crumbled and twisted with anguish. 

Yellow was carrying something in her hands.

Her features were blank, twisted into something no gem had ever seen on her face. 

She was holding broken gem shards in her hands. 

Pink Diamond's broken shards. 

All around the room, gems were stunned to silence; they could only watch with wide-eyed horror, unable to comprehend what they were seeing. Blue slowly shook her head, moaning with anguish.

"No..." she cried. "Oh Stars, please...no!" 

Seeing the sight of those broken shards clutched in shaking hands was agonizing; the worst pain she had ever endured in her life. Yellow's eyes were wide, as if frozen in shock. She seemed to be staring through her.

Blue screamed.

The agonized wail was enough to buckle steel and it echoed through the entire chamber; her aura surged freely from her form and swathed everyone there in a sea of blue. The crumbling weight of her sorrow was shared by all of them and a chorus of sobs and wails echoed through the night sky.

O

She had always loved her walks in the past.

But this time, all that Yellow could hear was the ringing in her head, the red haze of agony in her vision; the steps she made took great effort and the choking sounds of her wrath escaped her lips. All around her, the sounds of approaching rebels could be heard. But Yellow barely acknowledged them.

She did not grieve with sorrow.

She would not grieve with tears.

She would grieve by the blade.

"It's Yellow Diamond!"

"Stars, we need to get back!"

The rebels looked up, in time to see Yellow charging with her broadsword flashing through the air. The fierce scream of battle and rage echoed out of her like a frightening beast rising from the depths. 

[Present]

Yellow's hands were shaking.

Blue was shocked to see her sitting there alone in the rain. She rushed up to her, immediately kneeling down in front of the other matriarch to assess the damages. She didn't want to turn her head to  look at the broken shards from the rebel gems around her. 

Yellow looked like she'd been fighting for a long time. 

"Yellow! Yellow... Oh, Stars... What have you done to yourself?" she moaned.

Blue cupped her cheeks, bringing her face up to look at her. Yellow's gaze was detached, staring through Blue; it was almost as if she was no longer even on their plane of reality. She swayed a little.

Blue watched her with anguish, tears streaming down her face. She brushed her thumbs across Yellow's cheeks, leaned forward and brought her lips close to her cheeks in an effort to soothe her. 

"Yellow..." She couldn't stop her sob. "Yellow, please, look at me. Come back to me, please. I can't lose you, too."

I can't lose you too...

Suddenly, Yellow dropped her sword, reached up with two shaking hand and took Blue into her arms, as if that had somehow broken her from her shock. A guttural sound burst from her and Blue couldn't stop the tears that came next. 

They spent time holding one another; Blue was downright sobbing in Yellow's shoulder, fingers digging into her back in a mad effort to hold onto her and never let go. They gently swayed back and forth, in some attempt to comfort each other.

O

[Several Years Later]

The rain always brought those memories back first.

Yellow remembered how some believed that the rain washed away everything. Metaphorical, of course. No rain could clean away the filth of this world and the corruption it brought to their race. 

Yellow didn't feel content standing there on Earth's colony, watching as Blue knelt before the palanquin. It served as only a reminder of her hatred; how she'd wanted nothing more than to destroy all of it. 

She would never again let herself be swayed by the pain. Never would she allow herself to fall prey to her own wrath. Change had come to Homeworld; their empire would expand and replace every image of the past. She would make sure of it. 

Yellow wanted to start by obliterating everything having to do with the rebellion. A good start had been with the captured rebels who had attempted to flee. Yellow had spent time making certain they were crushed beneath her heel. 

Every bit of it granted her some measure of peace. If just for a little while. 

She had to watch Blue become consumed with grief; each and every day that had passed was nothing but Blue weeping and Yellow listening to every regret she had. She'd been so taken by the death of the other diamond that she refused to move on from it. 

She looked up, shut her eyes as the rain washed over her cheeks. 

"She shattered her...Yellow..."

Yellow's eyes opened and she noticed Blue standing now. Fresh tears fell from her eyes and she put her arms around her, moments as Blue fell into them. Sometimes she thought about how the years had changed them both; Blue saw how cold Yellow had become, easily capable of lashing out at anything in her path. And yet, in their moments of silence together, both could freely express their emotions.

Sometimes, Blue would help with the use of her aura if she knew that Yellow just couldn’t have it in her to cry anymore. Yellow never saw a reason to shed a single tear for it; no rebel was worthy of that. She would have hoped that Blue would understand in time. 

What would be the use in that...

"I know..." Yellow finally replied, quietly. "She will be avenged. I swear it." She felt Blue clutching to her.

Yellow looked up at the broken palanquin, shut her eyes again. She could still hear the sounds of war around her, the chaos of battle. The palanquin that once belonged to Pink served as nothing more than a reminder of that war, and what it brought. 

"Come. Let's return to Homeworld. We're wasting time here..." Yellow finally said, her voice strangely even. 

Blue didn't argue. She looked too tired. 

When they stepped into Yellow's ship, Blue leaned against the other diamond for comfort. 

It didn't take long to reach Homeworld and Yellow gazed down at the tall spires, the statues and the magnificent structures; the lights and glow of the world below reminded her of how their kingdom had flourished in the wake of the Rebellion. 

Yellow looked down at Blue, who still leaned against her. She sighed, placed an arm around the other diamond and Blue murmured with content, reaching up to rest her hand against Yellow's abdomen. 

Yellow glanced down at her, then back to the view of Homeworld below. 

Perhaps Blue would come to understand in time. Homeworld had changed and evolved from the great tragedy. 

~O~

The sounds echoed through the temple. 

Blue Diamond and her pearl made their way through the dark corridors, guided by several agates and amethyst’s. Blue could hear the faint sound of screeching, a collection of cries of effort from gems and claws tearing into stone.

Please, let it not be so...

No matter what she thought, she knew that deep in her heart it was. After the warning had been given, Yellow didn’t have time to make it to the warp. She had been so bent on finding Rose...

The screeches were louder and when Blue arrived at an enormous door, she spotted two agates struggling to hold it shut. They noticed Blue and quickly saluted.

“My Diamond!” one of them cried, panting with exhaustion. “We have her contained, but she won’t be for much longer! What will you have us do?”

“Open the doors.” Blue ordered, her voice shaking out of her. She wouldn’t have the gems see her weep. 

“B-But - “

“Do it. She will hear me. She MUST.” Blue said, firmly. 

She had to convince herself of this. She knew entirely too well what the song did to gems, but she had to stand strong; for her sake and for Yellow’s. 

Yellow...please...

The banging sound against the door had stopped. The two agates and gems behind them watched it warily, waiting for something, but nothing else happened. The silence was almost maddening. 

“Quickly!” Blue ordered, to the two agates.

They worked to open the door and Blue carefully made her way inside. Her pearl followed behind her and they were greeted by pitch darkness. Only the faint glow of Earth’s moon peered through a crack in the vast ceiling above.

Something skittered passed Blue’s pearl and she gave a cry of fright. It moved quickly, rushing across the floor before tackling its full weight into her. 

Blue whirled, gasping loudly. Her eyes widened in horror, then in anguish.

The small, insect-like form was yellow, bearing the distinct markings of a pearl that once belonged to Yellow Diamond. Its head was gone, in place of an enormous set of teeth. 

Blue bent down, snatched the wriggling thing from her pearl and squeezed, enough to dispel its form with a screech. She willed the gem away once she formed a blue bubble around it. 

It would go to White, hopefully to correct what had been damaged. 

Her pearl laid there, incapable of movement. She looked haunted, tears rolling down her cheeks. To think, that seeing that creature who had once been the loud, proud pearl she had known...

A soft hiss filled the air and the gems inside the room turned to the shadows, noticing an enormous, clawed hand retreat into the darkness. Blue tilted her head, sorrow touching her face.

“Yellow...?” she said, carefully.

A single, glowing yellow eye opened; a diamond iris lost in a sea of gold. Claws stepped into the moonlight, advancing slowly toward the gems. 

Blue’s horrified features drained into anguish as she watched the massive, corrupted form of Yellow Diamond step out.

She was crouched on all fours; her hands ended in dangerous, golden talons and her body was covered in hardened scales. Her elongated neck was covered in fur and the distinct, diamond-shaped gem glittered in the light.

Her face was a long, beak-like mouth filled with razor teeth and only a single, wide eye was centered on her head. The angular hair that she was known for looked wild on her head. 

Two long, bulbous tubes jutted from her back. Whatever their purpose was, Blue didn’t want to know. 

It hurt her to see Yellow like this; broken and twisted from the being she had used to be.

Blue’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh, Yellow...” she moaned.

The corrupted diamond’s eye narrowed and she took a few steps forward. A few gems made their way over to Blue to protect her, but she raised one hand to stop them.

“Wait!” she ordered.

Yellow’s claws clicked menacingly on the floor. Her jaws opened with a soft hiss and she leaned her head down to Blue, as the diamond slowly backed up against the wall. 

Yellow lowered her head close, teeth dripping with saliva. Blue looked away, grimacing against the horrible smell. She glanced up only for a moment to see that single eye staring at her.

Just...watching.

Blue tilted her head and slowly reached for her, but those teeth snapped in her face. 

Immediately, the gems behind her moved.

“Get her!” an agate shouted.

Blue looked back at them desperately. “No! Wait!” she cried.

Yellow backed away slightly, letting out a fierce roar. The tubes along her back suddenly crackled with electricity. Blue recognized the sight for what it was; her eyes widened and she quickly grabbed her pearl, ducking behind a pillar mere seconds as Yellow roared, discharging the energy around her. 

Charging gems were struck by the lightning, their physical forms dispelled and their gems littered the floor. 

Yellow tossed her head with a roar of rage and Blue took that chance to escape through the door. The corrupted diamond caught sight of this and howled after her, claws tearing through the floor. 

O

Blue quickly set her pearl down behind a statue and looked at her sternly.

“Pearl, I want you to wait here.” she ordered. “Do not move for anyone, do you understand?”

“M-My Diamond, I - “ her pearl started to protest. 

“No. Do as your told. I will lead Yellow away from the temple and the other gems.” Blue said. “You take them to safety, understand?”

Her pearl nodded her head, still fearful for her diamond’s safety. But Blue Diamond was formidable on her own.

Yellow stalked down the corridors, snarling. Her jaws pooled massive puddles of yellow saliva. 

Blue’s eyes widened and the corrupted diamond noticed the pearl. She hissed out and Blue raised two arms, waving them at Yellow to get her attention.

“No! Here! Look at me, Yellow!” she shouted.

The corrupted diamond turned her head toward Blue, who kept her hands raised. 

“Go...” Blue whispered to her pearl, “Quickly!”

The pearl immediately rushed away and Blue held the gaze of the corrupted diamond for a few moments longer before she turned and ran down the corridors.

Yellow pursued her, snarling.

Blue rushed into another chamber, and looked over her shoulder to see that Yellow wasn’t following her. 

She held her breath, backed away and almost knocked over a small statue of Yellow in her uncorrupted form. She glanced down at it and tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Yellow...” Blue moaned.

A hiss and she looked up sharply, spotting the corrupted diamond making her way into the chamber. Her claws clicked on the floor and Blue slowly backed away every time she advanced. 

The single eye stared at her, soft hisses escaped those deadly jaws. Blue raised two shaking hands.

“Yellow, please...” she begged. “It’s me!”

The corrupted diamond continued to advance. 

Then, she stopped and her single eye looked down at something at her feet. Blue warily followed that gaze and noticed that the corrupted diamond had stomped on the statue of herself, uncorrupted.

Claws reached down slowly, taking the statue in hand. The quiet, grunting seemed more gentle now. Less frightening.

Blue watched her silently, uncertain if she should move. Say something. DO ANYTHING.

The creature studied the statue in her claws for a few moments. She tilted her head. Her jaw moved, teeth clicking. The sounds she made felt as if they were so loud in the silence.

Blue held her breath. She waited for anything at this point.

Yellow chuffed slightly before she moaned.

The moan grew louder and louder, but sounded less bestial and more like her real voice, overlapped with a deeper, frightening undertone. 

Blue's eyes widened and she took a step forward. "Yellow?” she cried, over the loud noise.

The corrupted gem dropped the statue, looked right at Blue and screamed out a single, loud, piercing word.

“RUN!” 

Blue froze, shocked to hear her speak for that moment; any corruption capable of speech was believed to be impossible. She took a step toward her, but Yellow recoiled with a bestial screech.

“No...don’t...” she groaned, “I don’t... I don’t want to hurt you...”

She reached up with two claws, digging them into her head in an effort to control herself. 

Blue took another step, her body radiating with energy. She raised one hand and set it against the corrupted diamond’s chest, over her gem. Yellow gave a bellowing, animal wail and Blue shut her eyes, focusing with all her strength.

O

White Diamond made her way into the chamber, searching for the corrupted diamond and Blue. All that passed was silence and it was a concerning matter. 

“Blue...” she called, quietly.

When she saw the trail of claw marks that led to the open chamber, she carefully made her way inside and found Yellow resting her head in Blue’s lap, somehow calmed by the emotional abilities by the other diamond.

A gentle hand stroked through her tattered mane of hair and that single eye was closed. 

“Blue.” White said, evenly.

“Please, White...” Blue begged, closing her eyes. “Just let me have a few moments longer with her.”

“That will make it difficult for you.” White replied.

“Please.” Blue’s eyes filled. 

“Very well.”

She left the room, leaving the two alone. 

Blue looked down at the corrupted diamond’s head in her lap. She leaned down, placed a gentle kiss over her nose. 

“Be at peace, Yellow...” she whispered. 

Her other hand produced a weapon; a long, deadly glaive. She raised it over Yellow’s head, bit her lip and swallowed a sob.

Outside the chamber, White listened to the sound of a blade contacting something, the noise of a dispelled form and a gem clattering to the floor.