A day has passed since I've arrived here. In this universe...dimension...world or whatever. At this point, honestly, I've pretty much accepted it. Any delusions of this being a dream have been flushed down the drain when I woke up In Steven's bed this morning. Now, I was just hanging around the house, pretty bored.
I made breakfast, some pancakes and eggs, and had casual conversations with the gems. By the way, that's still very much awesome. Currently, I need a plan. What am I going to do now that I'm Steven? Just wait and laze around until each episode passes? That's definitely not how I want to spend my time.
Now that I'm here, I don't want to have any regrets. I want to do what I want when I want to. So! For starters let's plan a workout routine. Technically, as someone who is part gem, I don't have to worry about stunting my growth from working out. Wait, would I even have to worry about that anyway? I mean, I am thirteen, is that something teenagers even have to worry over?
Oh who cares, focus on what's important. Steven is actually stronger than normal humans, he has super strength that isn't really shown much because the kid is a pacifist. If I was a full gem, I would worry about if working out would even help my baseline stats at all. Gems bodies are just a physical projection after all, but since I'm half human, that means I should be able to get even stronger the old fashion way. Which is a good thing, while normal gems are probably much stronger than me at the moment, I have the potential to surpass all of them simply for the fact that I can improve myself.
So far, I'm thinking of starting off small. So, around 50 pushups in the morning after waking up and 50 at night before sleep. After the push ups, I will proceed to do 50 sit ups. At noon I will try running a mile to increase my stamina and lose some of this chubbiness. While in the future, hopefully soon into the future, I will just be able to change my form, my base form and stats should always be as good as possible. After a 30 minute break I'll try having Pearl train me.
She has those holographic projections that she will use to train Connie. Though, I should be careful, being half human comes with its own disadvantages too. Mainly that I can't reform if my body takes too much damage to sustain itself. AKA if I die I can't just revive. With no extra lives, I'll have to be careful in this one. I don't know if I'm gonna get another reincarnation chance. This may be my last stop.
I first begin with the push ups. Counting out loud, at around 30 Amethyst comes into the living room with a confused look on her face as she watches. Before she even says anything, I tell her to wait and that I'm almost done with this segment. After finishing them off, I realized something. Easy. It was too easy. I didn't stop or falter a single time. I don't know the limits of this body but I shouldn't push any further than not. At least not right now.
"I'm working out." I explain while getting off the floor. "Humans can get stronger from repetition of certain actions. We break down our muscle fibers and when they repair and heal themselves that become stronger than they were before."
"Oh that's so cool! So if I play on the floor too will I also get stronger?" she asks while eating an ice cream she got from...somewhere. Where the hell did she get that? I know it wasn't in her hand when she came in, and she didn't move an inch while watching me work out. Does she have a supply of ice cream in her gem?
"Eh, I don't think it will work for you Amethyst. Your bodies technically aren't real. Since they are just projections and the real you is actually your gem, I'm pretty this would just be a waste of time for any of you guys."
"Awww that's so lame. Well hey, want to go hit each other again like yesterday? It was super fun right? Even though you lost. Not everyone can be as awesome as I am." she asks with a hopeful voice.
"Sure, I don't mind, we can head out after I'm done with my workout, and we can train to get better together. I kind of want to talk to you anyways. We can't spar for too long though. I have to talk to Pearl about something later."
"Alright, just hurry up. I'm in the mood to make you eat dirt again." she smirks while my eye twitches in slight annoyance. She wins one time and she's already bragging. It's frustrating, but I can't imagine myself beating her too soon. She just has a much higher dexterity stat than me, able to bounce and jump around me and my attacks at will.
I do my 50 sit ups without too much effort and stand up to see her with an impatient look. Noticing that I'm off the floor and finally done, she grins and rushes out of the front door with me on her tail. We arrived on the beach when I finally spoke up about what I wanted to talk about.
"You know…I've noticed something Amethyst." I say with a bit of reservation. I honestly still wasn't sure if I wanted to do this, but I've already started. Besides, cannon is already fucked up after what happened yesterday with Pearl. Not to mention that whole 'dream' thing I made up on the spot. I might as well be all in.
"What is it? Don't try to stall Steven. Sure we both know the outcome but take it like a man." she sassed. God I can't wait until I can kick her ass. This is embarrassing. How the hell did I lose to her again? It must have been luck. Yes, I must have simply Crit Failed that say in my luck roll.
"That out of the Crystal Gems, you were the weakest." I say with a grim expression. Her body stiffens and she looks at me with a complicated expression. There's a bit of awkward silence for a while before she responds.
"Yea, well I sure kicked your ass yesterday, so who's the weakest now huh?" was the retort while turning to the side and looking away. "Hey, you know what, I've changed my mind. I'm not in the mood anymore."
"Well I did say 'you were the weakest' didn't I? Now that I'm here, that spot belongs to me, for now anyway. I don't plan to stay in such a position for long. Soon, I'll be the strongest of the Crystal Gems. It's my fate." I say before she gets the chance to walk away.
"Oh really? Well good for you. You're so confident that you'll eventually beat me? How? Why? Do you think that I'm that weak? That after a few days of playing with a pink disc, you'll surpass me? Well good luck buddy. Because despite what people think, I'm a Crystal Gem too."
"I will surpass you." I say with confidence as I stare her down. "I'll become stronger than all of the Crystal Gems and use my 'Pink Disk' to protect everyone. No one will be able to stand in the way of my goals."
"And how do you know that?!" she yells. "How are you so sure that you'll become better than me? Than Pearl? Than Garnet?! She's probably stronger than both of us put together and you think you'll be able to beat her alone?"
"I do. I will beat you all. I told you already, it's my fate to become the strongest. To become the leader of the Crystal Gems." I say and sigh. "Look I didn't mean to offend you Amethyst. I wasn't trying to make fun of you or anything."
"Then what were you trying to do?!" she asks, now turning back towards me. I noticed that her eyes were becoming watery. "Bringing me out here, telling me that I'm weak right before a fight? Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I tell myself that everyday?"
"I'm trying to tell you that it doesn't have to be like this. I'm trying to tell you that things can change if you put in the work, time, and dedication. Finally, more than anything Amethyst, I'm trying to tell you that you're weak."
"I KNOW!" she screams at me, tears finally escaping. Her body shakes as she balls her fists and clenches her eyes shut. Honestly, the sight hurt me. To see my favorite character like this didn't make me feel the best, but this is the character development she needs.
"Then let's fix it!" I finally yell back, surprising her, causing her to open her eyes and look at me. "You're weak Amethyst! But so am I! And at some point, so was Pearl, and even Garnet. No one starts off strong. They have to work and train and get better. Get stronger!"
"It...it's not that simple. I can't just get stronger just because I want to. It doesn't work like that Steven." she says trying to wipe her tears away. She gives herself a pitiful smile as she grabs one arm with her hand and looks down.
"Yea, you're right, it's not that simple. But you're also wrong." I reply, confusing her. "It's true that it won't be easy, nothing worth anything is. But that doesn't change the fact that when it comes down to it, if you want to become stronger, all you have to do is work at it until you are."
"...You-you make it sound so easy. And it can't be. It just can't! How would I even start? Where would I even begin? I'm weak...and I want to be strong. Like Pearl. Like Garnet. I just don't know how."
"We start here. Right here on this beach. From now on, everyday we'll train around this time by sparring and fighting each other. Each time you win, I'll figure out how to beat you the next time. And everytime you beat me, you'll do the same. Getting strong isn't easy and it isn't quick. Day by day, step by step, we'll catch up to the rest. Do you understand?"
Silence. She looks at me with her eyes wide and tears streaming down her cheeks. Her body began to shake again before she forced herself to stop, taking deep breaths in and out. She doesn't really need to breathe but I guess the action itself helps.
"Alright...alright I understand." she says, a determined look on her face as she takes out her whips and gets ready for battle. I smile at seeing the change. It's only the first step but it has to begin somewhere.
"Good!' I say summoning my Shield. "Now prepare yourself!"
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