Chapter Text
A Diamond and his Soldier
Connie considered routine to be nothing less than sacred. After all, routine in her eyes were orders from the diamonds themselves. The Diamonds were her purpose - giving meaning to a life that would be otherwise pointless and chaotic.
Her father would always tell her that she took after mother, that way. She couldn’t see how that was a bad thing. She admired Holly Blue. And she was determined to live up to the reputation of the gem selected by Blue Diamond herself selected to run the zoo.
Her routine was to work her hardest, and to whip the other Amethysts in the zoo into shape so that they did the same.
As she snapped awake to the chime of her dormitory speakers, she knew that today would be no different. She took a moment to center herself, like mother had taught her. Her gem glowed with a warming buzz, and she sprung into action.
With military efficiency, she swept the covers off the bed and jumped to her feet. She was at each corner in a flash, tucking in the covers so that they were perfectly symmetrical.
Take on every moment like the Diamonds are watching. Holly Blue had said to her once.
Treat every mission like a chance to make them proud.
Connie as she made her way to her washroom while mother’s words echoed through her mind. Her shower was quick - efficient. In 5 minutes she’d scrubbed herself clean and sorted through a prioritized mental task list. She shut off the water with a snap, wringing out her hair and walking over to the clothing station. Much like the zooman processing facility, it dried and clothed her in a few moments - dressing her in a sharp blue uniform not unlike mothers’. The only difference was a small pink diamond over her left breast.
Finally, she swept her dark hair into a bun and smiled at her reflection. She wasn’t a clone of her mother - with her dark hair and brown eyes, she looked a bit more like the humans they kept in the zoo than she liked to admit. But even so - with her hair pinned down & her crisp, blue uniform setting her apart, she could imagine herself as a naturally-formed Agate general.
She knew in her heart that she could never become her mother. She’d never be a perfect copy; a gem with a perfect cut. But thanks to the endless benevolence of their patron Blue Diamond, she would be permitted to serve alongside Holly Blue.
She steeled her expression into something a little more sober. Look intimidating. Your demeanor should demand respect. She squared her shoulders, straightening up. At last, the visage seemed to satisfy her.
Time to make them proud.
Exiting her quarters, Connie marched down the corridor of the station towards the amethysts’ barracks. Her pristine white boots clicked with every step she took as she ran through her mental script one last time.
“Lazy stones are probably still lazing about” she grumbled, speaking under her breath. “Why wouldn’t they be? It’s not like they know how to do anything else”.
As she was about to turn the corner, she heard a stray laugh. A whisper next, followed by a flurry of giggles.
She heard a few whispers of “prank” and “Holly Blue” before she decided she’d had enough.
Quietly, she stepped up behind the loudest offender, watching as the amethysts behind her went still and wide-eyed.
“Care to share your thoughts with the class?”
The offending gem squeaked in terror and slowly turned around.
“Well, well, well” snarled Connie, her voice dripping with stern venom. “I may not be a Sapphire, but even I didn’t need future vision to know that you lot weren’t doing anything productive. At attention!”
Connie’s motley crew leaped from their holding spaces before standing at attention.
“That’s more like it” she said. “Now, get to work! All of you! It’s the least you could do for the diamond you have the privilege of serving!”
Connie then stood aside, and out of the way of her troops, who dutifully made their way into single-file lines and marched out to the station.
Once she was alone, Connie let out an exasperated sigh. “One of these days, I’ll get you pebbles into working order….”
Before she could finish her thought, everything shattered. Before her mind could catch up with her, a deafening explosion ripped across the hall. The blast blew her forward and she bounced off the wall with a painful thud.
Blinking the tears out of her eyes, she noticed with horror that she was bleeding. With shaky hands, she brushed the stream away from her nose and tried to get the world to stop spinning around her.
This had all…happened so fast. One moment, she was standing still, and the next, she was on the floor, dazed, confused, and with her ears ringing. Struggling to bring herself up, Connie suddenly noticed several strange green lights in the smoke and dust in front of her. It was only after a bit that Connie realized they were targeting lasers. Groaning in pain, Connie was finally able to get onto one knee, before numerous, strange figures emerged from the darkness. They weren’t gems, but they…weren’t human either.
Oh stars, her Diamond’s station was under attack.
Her body ached and throbbed, begging for her to stop, to lay down and properly recover, but she couldn’t let this stand. She may not know who, or what the attackers were, but she wouldn’t let that stop her. Forcing her hand to move, she went to grab her whip from the gemstone on her neck, ignoring the pain she felt as her arm reluctantly cooperated with the orders her brain gave her. But then, one of the attackers aimed their rifle at her, lining up a shot on her chest with its laser, before discharging an energy orb that hit home.
She screamed, feeling a surge of energy course through her. Her entire body tensed up, while burning, searing pain occupied all her senses. She collapsed onto her side, this time unable to do anything at all other than lay there helplessly. She unceremoniously fell onto her back, where she saw one of the attackers approach her.
You have to move. You have to fight. Do something. Do something. Do SOMETHING-
But she couldn’t. Whatever they had shot her with, it left her paralyzed and twitching on the ground. All she could do was watch in horror and fear as the attacker raised their rifle, before bringing the butt of it down on her head, sending her world into darkness.