Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Malachite was the product of rage. Pure, unbridled hatred. She knew that, it was a well known fact, but it didn’t really sink in until she thought about how loved other fusions were when gems realised they could talk to them without fusing, and yet she was left there, yearning for the ocean and fearing it all the same. 

The fusions, the group of gems made from such strong emotion, usually just existed for the two or more gems that made them. But here, on this stretch of coast inhabited by humans, Gems were able to talk to them. A ruby and a sapphire could talk to their Garnet fusion, an amethyst and a pearl could talk to their Opal fusion, A jasper and a lapis.. Were nowhere to be seen, and Malachite knew why. 

She wasn’t a good fusion. Her personality was the combination of the good, but also the bad. She loved control and she loved being silly. She valued strength and she hated weakness. She could be calm, but she could also be excitable. Malachite was the embodiment of an abusive relationship, but they were also their own fusion. 

Malachite huffed a sign, smiling goofily as her breath made a cloud of mist. She settled down on the ground, resting her head on her middle set of arms as she watched for someone, and yet she was alone. 

She knew no one would come. She knew everyone saw her as bad. She knew her creation was that of a prison. She was a form of trickery. Malachite wasn’t meant to be good, she was meant to be a torture. So why did she feel so lonely?

Malachite knew how to entertain herself. She knew how to pass time, drawing in the sand carefully as she relished her newfound freedom. She was singular, no arguing going on inside her mind. She wasn’t chained, though her wrists were rubbed raw from where they had been all that time. She could just sit here, hands in the sand, drawing and humming to herself.

That was until someone came along. Someone Malachite didn’t know.

“Woah.” The little gem murmured, staring up at her with amazement, not fear, “You must be Malachite.”

The little gem approached cautiously, avoiding the ravines dug by Malachite’s careful tugs. Malachite had drawn herself as if she were happy, and although it was a fantasy, it was one she thought of frequently. 

The little gem grabbed something Malachite couldn’t see and began to levitate, albeit shakily. The attempt at flight made the fusion smile and open her set of water wings. That power was probably her favourite. The little gem just stared in awe, eventually reaching eye level with her.  She moved closer, as if asking to land, and so Malachite let her, holding out a pair of green hands for the little gem to land on. 

“Why would you visit me, little gem?” Malachite asked, the roughness in her voice amplified from lack of use, “Why not visit one of your own fusions, or one of your friends? Why not watch Alexandrite and Obsidian like the others?”

The little gem hesitated.

“Because I haven’t fused. I don’t have fusions to visit,” She admitted sheepishly. The object she had used to fly was discarded to one side, and Malachite considered getting distracted to examine the thing, but company was more important. 

“And besides, who wants to watch a four gem fusion play-fight a five gem fusion when you can meet the reason your best friend hates fusion!”

Malachite stiffened. She considered dropping the little gem then and there but decided that would be too much like her old self. She was a new Malachite, and one comment wouldn’t phase her.

She found the comment about Obsidian and Alexandrite funny at least. The two fusions were big enough and animalistic enough that they loved to play-fight. Malachite wanted to join in, her competitive nature egging her on, but her form ached from water pressure and chains weighing her down. Her wrists were sore from cuffs and besides, Alexandrite and Obsidian wouldn’t want to see her. 

“Lapis or Jasper?” Malachite hummed at last, “Which one did I hurt the most?”

Before the little gem had a chance to respond, she continued.

“Probably Lapis. She never liked me. Jasper didn’t either, but she fused again.”

“Lapis.” The little gem said, her tone quiet, “She didn’t wanna see you, but I wanted to. I wanted to meet you.” She smiled a little, “I’m Peridot. And you’re fascinating.. I’ve never seen a two gem fusion so big before!! You must be strong..”

Malachite smiled that goofy smile she had picked up from Jasper. 

“Strong.. I guess I am different. But I’m also bad. I’m bad. You should go.” Malachite shook her head, her fluff of mint hair swishing into her eyes and blowing in the breeze as she fell onto the elbows of her top set of arms. She rested her hands in the sand so Peridot could get down, but she didn’t. She didn’t move. 

Malachite very hesitantly got back up, eyeing Peridot suspiciously.

“You’re just a fusion.” Peridot beamed, “I blame all that bad on Jasper. If you’re anything like Lapis then that’s an automatic win!” 

Malachite didn’t speak, she simply smiled in response, showing off her glinting fangs and sharp teeth. She didn’t seem dangerous in that moment, she just seemed normal.

“And look!!” Peridot leaned over Malachite’s palms, making the fusion worry she would fall, “Your drawing is amazing! Lapis draws like that.. I love her drawing.”

“Thank you.” Malachite said at last, “Thank you for visiting me. And thank you for the compliment.”

Peridot beamed again, raising two thumbs up in response. She grabbed her object used for flight and clambered onto it, hovering a few inches above Malachite’s green skin. 

“I’ll be back!! I’m gonna bring more company, and I wanna research you more.” Peridot waved, soaring off towards Beach City, leaving Malachite with a smile and a warm feeling. Was this.. joy? Was Malachite happy? She liked feeling happy. She only wished Lapis and Jasper were here to be happy with her too. 

Chapter Text

The next time Malachite was visited was a few hours later. She’d been lying on her back, her lower half using the ocean as a blanket. Salt licked at her wounds, making them sting, and Obsidian and Alexandrite playfighting in the water were making the waves and tide invade the beach space. Malachite occasionally sat up to glare at the duo when a particularly high wave splashed her in the face, or when they got a tad too close to her territory, but this time, she sat up because she heard footsteps. 

Malachite sat like an animal, with her middle set of arms fidgeting with the sand. She shook her great head to rid it of sand and attempted to look formal, but that was pretty impossible when you’re a ridiculously tall fusion with a habit of being impulsive. True to her word, Peridot had sent Garnet along. Part of her disliked Garnet because Jasper did, but the other part of her disliked Garnet for being loved. She was the product of love, true and strong, and Malachite was the product of an abusive relationship, corrupt and malicious. 

“Malachite.” Garnet addressed, her tone not really one emotion. 

“Garnet,” Malachite found sitting up straight to be unnatural, it was unlike her to care so much, so why did she? “Peridot said she’d send you.”

“Mm. She told me you were alone out here.” Garnet approached further, sitting down on a rock when she got close enough. Malachite took this as a sign to lie down again, though more cautiously. She remained facing towards Garnet, resting her head on her top set of arms a little like a cat resting on its paws. 

Something you wouldn’t really be able to tell unless you got close were the animalistic traits she had picked up from both being an unstable fusion and from being underwater for so long. She’d dried out a little now, so it was clear to Garnet, who was close enough to notice, that a thin layer of fluff coated her skin. She needed it to stay warm underwater, not unlike a seal, but she found it embarrassing in times like this. 

What she also found embarrassing was her aquatic tail that propelled her movement. There was a reason she used the ocean as a blanket, and it was because she didn’t want Garnet to know just how animistic her fusion traits were. She wanted Garnet to think she was normal. She wanted the others to like her. She just wanted a friend. 

“Lonely.” Malachite murmured, shoving a small pile of sand together to make a makeshift sand sculpture.

Garnet stood up, moving closer to Malachite. She gestured to the taller fusion, asking to be lifted so they could be eye level, and Malachite obliged, resting a large hand next to the considerably smaller fusion. 

The size difference made Malachite self-conscious. She knew Jasper valued it, but to her, it was just another difference. Smoky was smaller, and so was Rhodonite, and Garnet, and Rainbow, and so many other two gem fusions. Why was she so much bigger? Maybe it was just another way she was different. Maybe she just fitted in with all the other animalistic fusions, and not with the two gems. 

Fusions with more components added more information for the fusions themselves to process. Not only were their appearances more inhuman, but so were their thought processes and their personalities. Obsidian, the five gem fusion, was the most prone to feral behaviours, often preferring to make noises instead of talking. Alexandrite was similar to Obsidian, except she made sure to at least seem somewhat human when in front of others. They both liked to build nests and climb, often just letting their instinct take over instead of making decisions. 

Malachite was like that. She liked her impulsivity, and how wild and unpredictable she could be. Sometimes she found herself hunting without really thinking about it, and it always scared her when she woke up in a makeshift nest. It was her nature, from being an unstable fusion, but she was still just two gems. She was supposed to be in control, but she felt like she wasn’t. She just wanted to be like the others. 

She knew she was odd, even with the way she took any chance to make something fun. She loved to draw and collect, and she adored making sand sculptures, even if they weren’t very good. She had loved the watermelon stevens, collecting things for them and helping them when they were stuck, but she could only ever see them when Lapis and Jasper were fighting. They would make her head hurt, and she would go off and play with the little watermelon stevens. It was a routine, and she made sure to dive back down into the water when she felt them take control again.

“Well, maybe you don’t need to be.” Garnet replied, “You are a fusion, just like the rest of us. You might be the bad, but you’re also the good.” Garnet patted Malachite’s palm gently, the best she was getting to comfort, “I might seem like the good, but I also have Ruby’s impulsive nature, and Sapphire’s struggle to show emotion. You? Well, you have Lapis’s artistic ability, and her silliness,” Garnet smiled a tad as she spoke, “and you seem to have Jasper’s looks, which isn’t a bad thing. Not a bad trait to pick up.” 

There it was, that silly smile Malachite always had. The waves increased around Malachite as her tail involuntarily wagged, a habit she hated and wished would stop, but she was so happy for once… Alright, it could stay in this instance, but now Garnet knew she had a tail. 

“Do you… Do you think you could take me to meet the others?” Malachite asked quietly, sitting up a little, “I don’t know how they’ll react to me. I. I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable.”

Garnet’s smile widened a smidge. 

“Of course,” She replied, getting to her feet, “We can go and see Opal first, or Sardonyx, but she’s a three gem fusion, and you probably want to meet more fusions like us.”

Like us. Garnet had said ‘us’, not her. She counted Malachite as a two gem fusion just like her. Malachite wanted to run a lap; she was so excited, but instead she just rested Garnet on the beach a little harsher than she had intended, and shook her hands like she was a child. She felt a little silly, but who cared! She was happy, and that was all that she cared about.

Chapter Text

Meanwhile, with the gems…

“I met Malachite today.” Peridot chirped, sitting cross-legged on the floor of the new barn now located on the outskirts of Little Homeworld. It was close enough to their old barn, built by Bismuth so it was certainly more structurally sound. Light filtered through the open doors, sending water patterns over the floor and walls from their makeshift aquarium. It was a quaint little scene, with Peridot tinkering with some new project and Lapis doodling in a book gifted by Steven. “She draws. She’s actually kinda nice.”

Lapis tensed. She knew she’d said it was okay for the smaller gem to see Malachite, but…

“Oh, sorry-” Peridot was getting good at recognising emotion, noticing the tenseness in Lapis’s body language.

“No, no, it's okay. I’m glad she…” Lapis faltered, unsure of what to say next. She wanted to be glad Malachite was different to them. She wanted to be glad Malachite had interests. She wanted to- No. She wasn’t ready to see her. “I’m glad you went to see her.”

A few moments of silence passed, only interrupted by the occasional muttering coming from Peridot. Lapis gazed up at the rafters, thinking. She was thinking about fusion. Fusion with someone she actually cared about. Fusion with… With Peridot. But- No, she wasn’t ready, was she?

“Hey, Peridot?” ABORT. ABORT. ABORT. ABORT.

“Hmm?” Peridot looked up, her triangle of yellow hair messy from frustrated tugging.

“Would you… I mean, do you think you’d ever…” Lapis began, unsure of how to phrase her question, “Do you want to dance?” She blurted out at last, sighing with the most annoyance she had ever felt. 

Peridot beamed for a moment before her smile faltered. Shit, she’d caught on.
“Uh, Sure! I’m just. Not the best dancer.” A small awkward blush crept up Peridot’s cheeks as she scrambled to her feet, and as Lapis regained her composure as the world’s okayest gem. She laughed, getting to her feet too and offering out a hand to Peridot. Peridot took it as Lapis pressed play on their tape player and the room was filled with the sounds of music. 

Peridot was good enough at dancing in Lapis’s opinion. She was smaller than Lapis, so it was a tad awkward, but once they got the hang of it, they were both smiling and laughing together. Peridot tried dipping Lapis and somehow managed to hold her, and in turn, Lapis spun the smaller gem before pulling her in close. They continued to dance around the space, only tripping once or twice. 

The setting sun illuminated their dancing forms, glinting off Peridot’s gem and visor. Her lime skin was bathed in an orangey glow and she was smiling bigger than Lapis had ever seen her smile. She was truly happy, and so was Lapis.

In a spur-of-the-moment decision, Lapis took Peridot’s visor off, tossing it to the side so she could look into her green eyes without the tint. Peridot blinked in surprise, attempting to grab them off Lapis before they were tossed to the side and she was pulled into a kiss. Now that took her by surprise. 

For a brief moment, Peridot didn’t know what to do. She wasn’t overwhelmed, per se, but she was definitely in awe. It wasn’t unpleasant, definitely not. She was just a little confused. After that initial moment of shock, Peridot kissed Lapis back, wrapping her arms around the taller gem tightly. She had never felt so much love before, but it was entirely welcome. Especially when their forms were engulfed with light, swirling and merging like a harmony accompanying a melody until they stood there, not as two gems, but as one fusion.

The first thing they noticed, mainly Peridot noticed, was how tall they were. Then they noticed their arms, how they had two pairs. Another set of eyes opened under their green and blue ones, turquoise in hue. Their skin was a similar colour if only a tad lighter, and a visor not unlike Peridot’s covered their eyes.

A shawl of water cascaded down their shoulders and back like a cape, probably from Peridot’s over-dramaticness. Their hair was a little like Lapis’s, only a tad longer and a lot messier. It was a darker greenish-blue colour, falling into their eyes despite the visor. 

Their outfit consisted of Lapis’s top-trousers combo, though in a similar, lighter greeny-blue. It bore Peridot’s stars on their chest and knees, and they wore fingerless gloves, not from either of them, but just something to add to their appearance. Later, Lapis would be mildly annoyed that they had Peridot’s boots, but at least they had a cool embroidered pattern on the side, resembling waves.

As they stood there, taking a second to realise what had happened. Lapis had been ready after all, and so had Peridot. That’s how they could be here as their fusion. As Turquoise. 

Turquoise hesitated, unsure of what to do for a moment. Peridot still saw fusion as a battle tactic, but she was warming up to the idea. This was a big leap, but for Lapis? Fusion had been such a sensitive subject, Peridot was terrified she had upset her. 

Peridot tensed, unsure of whether or not to say anything, before they spun in a circle with a cry of joy. Their cape shifted into a set of water wings - except, no. That wasn’t water, that was liquid metal. Peridot, you somehow made water wings cooler. They had to go and show Bismuth! But the other fusions... Screw the other fusions! Bismuth would be hyped! 

Despite being half Lapis, and therefore they should’ve been adept at flying, their first attempt at flight was a tad shaky. It was the mix of Lapis’s excitement and Peridot’s inexperience that made them face-plant once they got a few feet off the ground. Ah, now they saw why they had the visor.

After a moment of making fun of Peridot, They took off properly, soaring so high they were above the clouds. The rising moon shone off their shimmering wings as they extended both sets of arms. They were so unbelievably happy flying above Beach City, completely alone to be themselves. Until they noticed Stevonnie floating beside them, losing altitude. They were in a lying position, on their side with their head propped up by their arm. They raised their eyebrows at Turquoise, and Turquoise was so surprised that they almost fell out of the air. 

Landing carefully, they bent over, hands on knees, catching their breath. Stevonnie was laughing beside them, almost falling over themselves. Turquoise scowled, standing back up so they could fold their arms.

“You scared us! Me? Gah! Bismuth was supposed to be the first to know.” They muttered, kicking the sand. Stevonnie was still smiling, but it was more empathetic now as they reached up to place a hand on their shoulder.

“Look, if it’s any consolation, I’m the only one who noticed. Y’all can still go surprise Bismuth!” Stevonnie beamed, and Turquoise gave an excited smile back, “I’m glad you guys fused, by the way.”

Turquoise’s smile shifted to a gentle one, glad that Stevonnie was relatively chill about their fusion.

“I’m glad too.” 

Turquoise opened their metal wings and soared once again, heading towards Little Homeworld. Time to scare Bismuth.

Chapter Text

Malachite was unsure how to feel. She was nervous and excited, a tad fidgety and definitely distracted. She wanted to make a good first impression… But that was always so difficult! She didn’t know how to talk to other fusions! She barely understood Fusion herself! All she knew was that she was different, and that was bad. 

When she had risen from the ocean, it had been a magnificent sight. Her great stature cast a bold shadow on the golden sand, and the sun illuminated their mint hair like a spotlight. Despite the sun silhouetting them, their eyes still glowed faintly, giving them an air of threat. It even made Garnet a tad uneasy, gazing up at the fusion with the ocean practically parting to let them stand.

Their tail flicked from side to side idly as they scrunched up their face and shook themself off. Malachite no longer looked as threatening, she just looked disgruntled. She paced in a circle, taking a minute to stretch before beaming at Garnet. The smaller fusion tried to not show how unsettled she was by the raw skin around their wrists from the chains as she smiled, but it was so… gut-wrenching. She knew why Lapis had done it, but seeing the consequences shown on this fusion…

Malachite eventually stood there, water dripping off her back and sand sticking to her hands, grinning at Garnet goofily. She had been in that spot for a few days now, so she was pretty sandy, and it was odd to stand without being restricted by chains, but not unpleasant. Her mane of hair was damp, the ends dripping with water, but another shake of her head and the water was dispersed into droplets. Granted, the droplets were more like a shower for a smaller fusion like Garnet, but to Malachite, it was a light shower. 

Garnet shook her head softly, smiling with amusement as she gestured for Malachite to follow her. The larger fusion took careful steps, traversing the sand with ease, but finding the harder ground of roads a tad difficult. She was glad it was darker now, she could see in the dark, and it was good cover! …But then she remembered the stripes along her deep green skin glowed in the dark and she began to dislike the dark too. 

To anyone witnessing this scene, it was beautiful. Malachite wasn’t the most graceful fusion, but the way they practically glid through the air as they prowled low as to remain mostly hidden was beautiful. She was simply bright blue-green waves cresting and crashing through the night, and four pricks of glowing green light as her eyes narrowed and scanned for good places to walk. 

She had a difficult time traversing Beach City, what with the roads being for humans and human transportation devices being everywhere. She had to tread carefully, one step at a time. It was certainly more difficult considering she didn’t have feet, and she walked on four ‘legs’ instead of two. Garnet found her cautiousness mildly amusing, and the urge to be less careful kicked back in. 

Garnet had decided it would be best to see Sardonyx first. Malachite had mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, she’d wanted to see a fusion like her first, but on the other, Sardonyx was one of Garnet’s fusions, and so that made them pretty okay in Malachite’s books. 

Malachite’s stomps shook the ground despite her caution, announcing her presence to any nearby. Her tail had accidentally whacked into too many cars to remain sneaky at this point, so she wasn’t even trying anymore. She was simply irritated by the lack of space. She was glad when Garnet decided that meeting in the town probably wasn’t the greatest idea, and headed instead for the temple. 

Malachite was a lot more comfortable on the beach. The sand was her territory, her place to run and play, except, she couldn’t play now. She needed to at least pretend she was a serious fusion. Her steps were muffled here, though the impact of four hands landing in the sand left craters where she had trodden. Sardonyx was waiting in the temple, which made sense, that’s where they would meet. Sardonyx had her show she often did when she was fused for long enough, or when other fusions needed some character development.

This was how Malachite had ended up learning she could shapeshift. Obviously, she was too big to fit through the door, so she had to shift to a smaller size, entirely unnatural and too difficult to hold for too long. It was odd to be at a similar height to Garnet, who stood beside her helping her to climb the stairs. It was a tad humiliating, but at least she didn’t have to keep the small form for long. Soon enough, the curtains opened and she headed into Sardonyx’s room. 

The brightness of it all took Malachite by surprise. She had been unprepared, her eyes adjusted to the darkness and now assaulted by stage lighting. She shifted back a tad quicker than she had intended to in her surprise and ended up knocking over a chair or two, but Sardonyx didn’t seem to mind. Or at least, Malachite assumed this was Sardonyx. She had Garnet and Pearl’s gems, so… Probably?

Sardonyx was a relatively normal fusion, with a triangle of caramel curls and four eyes in varying hues. She wore a visor tinted with orange, complimenting her dark skin perfectly. Her gems, orangey in hue, glinted in the stage lighting as she gave her midsection a spin. She had four arms, which made Malachite a tad less on edge, but the way she was perfectly in sync? At least she wasn’t entirely normal. On the back of her legs, she had spines, just like a cricket would, and on her back were a set of dragonfly wings, folded neatly, but fluttering every so often.

“Ohoho!” The fusion cried, clasping her top set of arms together as her bottom set of arms spun theatrically again, “Well, It’s been far too long since I’ve interviewed a fusion!”

Malachite shifted uncomfortably. She was already overwhelmed and it hadn’t been five minutes. She knew Garnet was outside just in case, and she considered leaving… But, no. She wasn’t going to leave now.

“Welcome back to Sardonyx Tonight!” Sardonyx spoke to a nonexistent audience, smiling widely, “Our very special guest comes in the form of a toxic gemstone with a knack for art and an affinity for hydrokinesis, It’s Malachite!”

Sardonyx smiled at Malachite, and all she could think to do was neaten the way she was sat. She’d never been great at talking. 

A few clips of Malachite doodling and controlling water played on a screen near Sardonyx. It was all a little unsettling, and the comment about her being a toxic gemstone? She supposed that was true… But she wasn’t toxic! Was she…?

“Tell us about yourself, Malachite,” Sardonyx leaned on the desk in front of her, blinking up at the taller fusion with intrigue, “What makes you you ? What new power did fusion give you?”

Malachite thought for a moment, unsure. She had Jasper’s strength, and Lapis’s hydrokinesis, but she didn’t really have anything that was hers! Except… She kind of did.

“I can um. I can glow.” Malachite murmured, their two-toned voice quiet, “My stripes glow in the dark. And so do my eyes.”

“Well, isn’t that neat!” Sardonyx had learned from last time, that every fusion’s abilities were perfect for them, there wasn’t any need to push them, “You’re a fusion of Lapis and Jasper, not the best pairing! I wonder how the fandom reacted to that! I doubt you were taken well, but now here you are! Just Malachite.”

That took Malachite by surprise. Not the best pairing? Not taken well? Was she… hated? Who was she kidding, of course she was. Who would like such a mistake? Such a prison. Such a bad byproduct of a bad situation. She shifted uncomfortably again, tucking her tail under her arms. The fluff on her neck pricked up as she looked away from Sardonyx, unsure of how to respond. 

“It seems you’re taking advantage of this whole fusion situation! Fans are glad you’re making friends, despite your differences!” Sardonyx’s voice carried an air of showmanship, and she clearly had no idea she was making Malachite uncomfortable with her bluntness, “I mean, you’re certainly not like other fusions, with your voice and your stature. But don’t get me wrong, I find nothing wrong with that!”

Malachite wanted to leave. She wanted to get out of there. She wanted to get out of the temple and just go back to hiding.

“I am flattered Garnet decided I’d be a good first choice, but-” Sardonyx paused, worry crossing her face, “Oh- Oh! I do apologise, that was rather insensitive of me, wasn’t it?” 

The stage lights dimmed as Sardonyx got to her feet. She fidgeted with her hands uneasily, worried she’d hurt Malachite. 

“I’m not the greatest at noticing the line if you hadn’t noticed.” Sardonyx chuckled quietly, approaching the taller fusion carefully, “I truly meant those things as compliments, though if you would like to visit another time, the door’s just behind you.”

Malachite got to her feet, stretching slightly before giving Sardonyx a small smile. 

“No one’s ever apologised for insulting me before. Thank you.”

As Malachite shapeshifted again and left through the curtain, Sardonyx was just glad they were left on a good foot. Malachite might even come back for an interview! And Sardonyx would learn from this, but now she had to meet Smokey! 

Chapter Text

As Malachite left the Temple, she very nearly face-planted down a flight of stairs. Considering she didn't have feet, stairs weren’t exactly her strong suit. Her smaller-than-usual form didn’t help, the steps feeling unnatural under little palms. She fumbled and fell, tumbling head over tail until she landed in a sandy pile at the bottom. Well, at least she didn’t faceplant. 

“Malachite,” Garnet called, rushing down the steps to help the now very sandy fusion to her metaphorical feet. “That looked like it hurt.”

Malachite shook herself off, dusting Garnet with sand.

“I’m fine. Just tripped.” Malachite murmured, avoiding eye contact. She had a habit of doing that when she was lying.

“Doesn’t seem like it.” Garnet countered, letting her scamper a little ways away so she could shapeshift back to her impressive stature. As soon as she was back to her regular size, Malachite slumped, lying on the beach with her head resting on her upper arms. 

“I’m fine . I didn’t fall that far.” Malachite was still avoiding eye contact, preferring to look at an interesting rock rather than the fusion in front of her. She knew Garnet wasn’t talking about her physical form. She was talking about what had happened with Sardonyx. 

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.” Garnet approached her, leaning against Malachite’s fluffy forearm, “Sardonyx can be… intense . She doesn’t mean to be.”

Malachite didn’t respond, she just moved her head so she was looking away from Garnet again. She didn’t want to admit her insecurities. She wanted to act like she was fine being offended. She was fine with the comments. She was fine being a bad fusion. But she wasn’t. She hated her voice. She hated her extra arms. She hated how she stumbled and how she wasn’t her own person–not in the way Garnet was. But she supposed Garnet was just perfect . The embodiment of love. A shining example to all. She was just… Well, she was just Malachite. 

“Malachite, I can see something’s bothering you.” Garnet stood up, walking around so she was eye to eye with Malachite again. If the fusion wasn’t so big, she would’ve put a hand on their cheek.

“It’s just…” Malachite hesitated, drawing a doodle of Garnet in the sand as she spoke, “Why doesn’t my voice sound like yours?”

The way Malachite’s voice broke made Garnet tense, the emotion raw. Malachite should not be feeling like this. She shouldn’t be made to feel wrong just for being the product of an abusive relationship. She was her own fusion, and that was beautiful, but the way tears fell down her green face made Garnet want to tackle both Jasper and Lapis. Malachite’s voice was just one of her differences, and it was clear how insecure those two had made her. She just saw herself as one giant mistake. 

When Malachite spoke, she often stuck to the Lapis side of her voice, hating the way the Jasper half made people tense. When she got overwhelmed or stressed, her voice often leaned more towards Jasper’s gruff tones and she hated it. She didn’t want to sound like Jasper, so she tried to stick to sounding like Lapis. When she forced her voice to sound more like one half for too long, however, it hurt. It physically hurt her to hide part of her tone. So she stuck to the dual voice, no matter how strange. 

“I don’t know.” Garnet murmured, being met with a stifled noise of sorrow, “I don’t know, but I do know every fusion is different. Maybe it’s just one of the things that make you you. Maybe you'll develop new traits once you take some time to get to know Malachite. You just have to accept that you’re not them. You’re not Jasper and Lapis, you’re Malachite, and that’s wonderful.”

“I’m so different and we- I- They hate it!” Malachite sat up abruptly, slamming her fists against the sandy ground. She got to her hands and considered fleeing, but knowing Garnet might be disappointed in her was enough to make her stay. “They hate how different I am. I’m strong, but I’m weird. I don’t look like all you stable fusions. Sardonyx said it herself, I’m a toxic gem. Not the best pairing.”

Ah. Garnet hadn’t made the best decision then. She could’ve sworn this timeline was the one where things went well.

“Sardonyx doesn’t know where the line is in conversations. She didn’t mean to imply you’re toxic.” Garnet had no way of getting to Malachite’s eye level with her standing up, so she settled for clambering onto a rock to see her better. Before Garnet could continue, Malachite interrupted, the sheer amount of insecurity she felt causing the ocean to churn behind her. The sky darkened and rain began to fall as she grew further overwhelmed.

“I AM a toxic gem! I know I am! Just look at me!” Malachite shouted, a little louder than intended. Her voices came out as more of a growl than a shout, intimidating and two-toned. Clearly she had surprised herself, because she took shaky steps backwards, eventually collapsing to the sandy floor. She looked so… scared. “I-I’m just a monster. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t cry. Not allowed to cry.”

Garnet really just wanted to attack Jasper and Lapis at this point. She understood why Lapis had done it, why Malachite had been formed, but seeing this fusion now, scared of herself and afraid to cry? What had they done to her? What had they done to each other to show Malachite that emotion was weakness? To show her that strength was only physical? Where was the good to show her she was allowed to be different? Where was the positive, to let her know it’s okay to not be okay, and that strength was being herself?

“Malachite, listen to me.” Garnet spoke with a commanding tone, walking over to the fusion with a determined look, “You are not a monster . You are Malachite. You aren’t Jasper, and you aren’t Lapis. You’re a fusion.”

Malachite tried to counter, but Garnet just continued. 

“Fusion is unpredictable. No two fusions are the same. If another Ruby and Sapphire fuse, they aren’t going to make me, they’re going to make a Hessonite, or an Ametrine, or so many other gems. They could be anyone. Because all fusion is different.” Garnet took off her visor, smiling gently, “They just happened to make you. And that’s wonderful. You are Malachite, and you might be different, sure, but you’re not different bad, you’re different good.”

Malachite felt tears run down her face, falling onto the sand below. She offered out a palm for Garnet to sit on, and she obliged, letting herself be lifted up to eye level of Malachite. The fusion smiled a small, thankful smile that could power a star. It was nice to see that smile, one usually so sorely missed. No fusion should be made to feel like their components defined them. They were all different, and that was truly amazing. 

“Now,” Garnet began, smiling too, “We were planning on making fusion teams for some competitive games, We need another player.”

Chapter Text

Right, big dramatic entrance or not? 

…

Big dramatic entrance. 

But first, they had two gems to see. 

Turquoise was back and ready to see Bismuth. The Stevonnie scare had made it a tad harder to get back into the air, and the half-human fusion may have laughed at their face-planting more than once, but once they were soaring again, they were back in their element. Their metallic wings shimmered as the moon illuminated their form. It was still dark out, but considering Bismuth didn’t need to sleep, they knew they were still safe to go and pester her. 

Turquoise considered landing in a sensible place–like outside the front door so she could, you know, knock –but instead she landed on the roof, sneaking in through a window. Bismuth was in the basement of her home, forging some new item that had inspired her. The dull, muffled sounds of metal against metal echoed throughout the walls of the stone house and made the place seem rather eerie. The lack of lighting certainly didn’t help, nor did Turquoise scaring herself with her own extended peripheral vision and her shadow. 

The house was spacious and a tad barren, most of the furniture being bean bags and randomly placed tables. Bismuth wasn’t one for decoration. Her home was functional for hanging out and forging, and that was all she needed. Her walls were stone, decorated with random painted designs by Lapis, Pearl, and other gems who wanted to add their touch. The floors were carpeted despite her hatred for flammable materials and the walls bore large windows. The only interior light came from the open basement door, guiding Turquoise to where she needed to go. 

Their footsteps were quiet and deliberate as they tiptoed down the stairs, unsure of where to place their extra arms. Their metal wings had been neatly tucked away when they’d landed, dissolving back into her shimmery cape of water. The light from the lava in the basement illuminated her form and shone off her Peridot gem, the only giveaway that a gem might be lurking in the shadows. If Bismuth had noticed, she didn’t mention anything. She was too busy forging to notice the telltale glimmer of a Peridot stone on an excited fusion.

Turquoise snuck down, creeping up behind Bismuth with slight difficulty before hugging them from behind with a cry of triumph. All four arms wrapped around her in a tight hug, a vengeance for all the times Bismuth had hugged them tightly. Slight issue, perhaps sneaking up on a gem used to fighting wasn’t a good idea in retrospect. They soon found their triumphant cry turn to panicked yelp as they summoned as much water as they could to stop Bismuth from melting them in a lava pool. 

“BISMUTH– Bis– Bismuth– It’s just us! Or– It’s just me!! And now I realise you’ve never met me before!” Turquoise yelled, letting go of Bismuth with a nervous chuckle. Bismuth narrowed her eyes, squinting at the fusion pressed against the wall nervously. What was familiar about them…? Was it that gemstone? 

Of course!

 Bismuth look one look at their Peridot gemstone glinting in the dim light and immediately relaxed once again, her half forged raised weapon dropped as she too laughed. 

“Oh, y’all terrified me! I didn’t hear you come in!” Bismuth rested against the wall, sliding down so she could catch her breath, “Don’t do that! I could’a melted you!” It seemed evident that in the chaos, Bismuth hadn’t registered that they had fused until Turquoise walked over, joining her on the floor. It was only as two arms rested around her shoulders instead of one did it click.

Wait…

“Y’all FUSED?!” Bismuth exclaimed excitedly, immediately scrambling to her feet again, “Oh, I’m so happy for y’all! You know, people have been placing bets—“

There it was! The crushing hug and display of over the top enthusiasm. It was what Turquoise loved. Could have done without the broken bones, though. “BIS—“ Turquoise squeaked, attempting to wriggle free but to no avail, “Wait, bets?”

“This is so– augh, I can’t even put it into words!” Bismuth put them down after a moment or two, still beaming, “What do I even call you?!” Turquoise thought for a moment, looking down at herself. What fits this form? Hmm… 

Her greeny-blue skin tone was a shade she couldn’t quite name, and her hair was more of a blue, taking after Lapis… Her clothes weren’t really a giveaway, and she couldn’t see her gems to tell that way. Hmm… Oh. Yeah, it’s probably…

“Turquoise,” she finally determined, “Yeah, Turquoise.”

Her confident expression with hands on hips and a smile so pure it infected Bismuth too was soon interrupted by a hair ruffle. “Well, It’s so nice to meet you, Turquoise.” 

Turquoise huffed indignantly, but as Bismuth put what she had been working on safely away, Turquoise followed her back up the stairs. Bismuth was a tad surprised with how tall Turquoise was, almost taller than Bismuth! Oh, Bis was so happy for them. She knew how scared they both were of fusion, and for them to fuse? She was still smiling as she collapsed into a bean bag, gesturing to another for Turquoise to do the same. They preferred the floor. Peridot had too many memories of getting trapped in bean bags or falling out of hammocks to trust one.

“You know,” Turquoise began after a moment of comfortable silence, “You’re the first person I’ve chosen to meet! Had a little encounter with Stevonnie earlier, but they promised not to tell anyone. I trust them enough.”

“I’m glad y’all trust me that much.” Bismuth replied, looking back over at the fusion she had been so desperate to meet for months, “But you really should go tell the others. I think they’re down a player for some kinda fusion game?”

“Oh, I have a whole plan– ” Turquoise began, smiling deviously. 

“Dramatic entrance?” Bismuth interrupted, being met with a defeated, “Dramatic entrance.” from Turquoise. 

Chapter Text

Hessonite being a fusion hadn’t been on their bingo card, but here they were, watching Hessonite tear up while talking to a Ruby and a Sapphire. Hessonite never teared up. It was about as rare as seeing Bismuth unhappy, or Peridot tired. She was this powerful commander, more than a tad overdramatic and with a flair for style. She didn’t show much emotion unless around people she trusted, so seeing her crouched in front of a Ruby and a Sapphire with tears in her heterochromatic eyes was certainly a sight. 

Hessonite was only a tad annoyed that her secret was out. She’d been keeping it for so long she had slightly forgotten she was a fusion–the gemstones on her collarbones either side of her faux Hessonite gem were always enough to remind her. So was the knowledge that she was missing her extra arms and her extra eye. That’s why before anyone had a chance to really see her with her Ruby and Orange Sapphire, she decided to unfuse. Unfusing as a fusion with their components in front of them just really meant poofing, so instead of re-fusing, she had to reform. It didn’t take long seeing as it wasn’t entirely reforming, but Ruby and Sapphire still guarded each other’s gems as if it was. 

When Hessonite reformed, she opted to keep her fusion traits this time, and oh was it liberating. She hadn’t noticed the ache of keeping her extra arms and eye hidden until it was relieved, but now she was standing on the beach, able to be her? She felt so free. She still felt anxious as she approached the rest of the fusions, her lower set of arms holding Ruby and Orange Sapphire’s hands respectively, but the ear-to-ear smile from Garnet was worth it. Another Ruby and Sapphire Garnet?! And Hessonite had been– 

Hessonite had been fused for so much longer.

“...Hello, gems.” Hessonite greeted nervously, putting up her front of confidence as she usually did. Garnet seemed to be showing some level of restraint seeing as it had been a whole fifteen seconds and she hadn’t picked anyone up yet. Unfortunately for Pearl, she had been stood by Garnet at the time. Luckily for Hessonite on the other hand, the crowd she had encountered just consisted of the Crystal Gems. 

“HESSONITE.” Amethyst ran over, stars in her eyes, “You were a FUSION?! This ENTIRE TIME?!” 

“...Yes–?” Hessonite replied, slightly tense. She usually loved all eyes on her, but this was unnerving even for the greatest performers. She hated people knowing she was a fusion. She loved that they loved it! But she’d lived with the notion that fusion meant shattering, and that deep-rooted narrative was hard to untangle. 

“GARNET. Are you SEEING THIS?!” Amethyst shook Garnet’s arm, running back and forth between an anxious Hessonite and a frozen-with-joy Garnet.

“Alright Amethyst, no need to yell–” Pearl chided, considering just picking Amethyst up at this point. She was just as excited as the others, but someone had to be the voice of reason in the chaos that was their group. 

“Alright, alright,” Garnet said at last, her smile dimming, “Give Hessonite some space. Go bother someone else.”

The group dispersed, Amethyst and Pearl going off to go and talk to Opal whilst Garnet spoke to Hessonite. Garnet was so happy to know Hessonite was a fusion of a Ruby and a Sapphire, just like her, but she wasn’t going to hound her. Hessonite seemed awkward, unsure what to do with her usually hidden fusion traits. She was the same Hessonite, with her permanent slight frown and careful guarded stance, but now she seemed so much more real. She wasn’t just a commander, she was a fusion, and that was special.

Hessonite had been the first fusion. She’d known how bad it was because no one had done it before, but the feeling of sheer, total love had been overpowering. They had fused again, and this time they had stayed fused, suppressing their fusion traits and pretending to be a Hessonite with a fake gem. They had climbed the ranks to reach Prism Bearer, and then that had been taken from them, and now this was taken from them. Their secret.

No, Hessonite, you’re being ridiculous. Your secret was never going to stay a secret forever. The Diamond Authority isn’t here to separate you. 

“Hessonite.” Garnet addressed, still smiling just not with the ferocity of her full excitement.

“Garnet,” Hessonite replied, finally deciding to hold her hands behind her back in a sign of respect and formality, “I hope nothing changes in your perception of me. I may be a fusion, but I am very good at hiding that. I’m still just Hessonite.”

“Of course. You don’t have to join us yet, but when you're ready, you know where everyone is.” Garnet went to leave before turning around again, remembering something to add: "We’re glad to have another fusion around, even if you’re not ready yet.”

“Right, well…” Hessonite hesitated, “Thank you.”

“Maybe you can even captain a team for the fusion games. Sardonyx decided we need some kind of event, so she’s on that whilst I’m off recruiting people.” Garnet added as a slight joke, but honestly, Hessonite was probably the most logical person to pick for the other captain, “Might be fun, might be chaos. Even I don’t know.”  Garnet adjusted her visor knowingly, and Hessonite gave a small smile.

“Well, perhaps I’ll take you up on that.”