[Peridot soars through the air towards Obsidian, levitating a metal plate beneath her with Connie clinging tightly to it, her hair whipping in the wind.]
Peridot: The ground's not safe anymore, so try not to get too far from me.
[Connie wobbles slightly, trying to keep her balance.]
Connie: Yeah, sure. Like I've got any real control over this thing... Anyway, let's get to work.
Peridot: Alright! *calling out to Obsidian* Hey! Over here!
[Obsidian, bewildered, struggles to turn their gaze. Their eyes widen as they gasps at the sight of Peridot and Connie.]
Obsidian: Wh-What are you doing here?! You have to leave!! NOW!!!
Connie: Not a chance! We're here to help! *turns to Peridot* Okay, Peridot. It's now or never. Talk to her!
Peridot: *gulps* R-Right...
[She hovers in place, a bead of sweat rolling down her forehead. Her face shows concern and doubt. She glances at Lapis, still trapped in Obsidian's grip, and doesn't dare to get closer.]
Connie: Peridot? What's wrong?
Peridot: Nothing... I just... I can't.
[Peridot says with a trembling voice.]
Connie: What do you mean, you can't!?!
Peridot: I-I just can't bring myself to make Lapis relive all that pain! It's... too cruel. She's already been through so much. If I bring it all up again, she might never forgive me. She might even... kill me.
Connie: I get it. You care about her, so much that you're afraid of causing her even more pain. But the past is an integral part of who we are, and as painful as it may be, facing it is often the only way to move on. Right now, Lapis doesn't even know who she is. If you don't help her remember, she could end up destroying everything, even herself! I know it's not easy, but you're not doing this to hurt her... you're doing it to save her. And I believe she'll understand that... eventually.
Peridot: I... I...
[Peridot silently wrestles with her thoughts, then reaches a decision.]
Peridot: Y-You're right. I have to do this... for her.
[Peridot takes a deep breath, gathering her courage as she hovers toward Lapis. Her hands trembling slightly.]
Peridot: H-HEY, LAPIS!
Lapis: Hm?
[Lapis turns her head, eyes narrowing as she takes in the sight of Peridot.]
Lapis: Oh, look who it is. Here to beg for mercy? Or maybe you're just here for some pathetic attempt to distract me?
[Peridot falters for half a second, but then forces herself forward.]
Peridot: No. I'm not here for that. I'm here to show you something... something you need to see. And, believe me, this is gonna hurt... for both of us.
Lapis: *snickers* Spare me. If you really think I'm falling for your crap again, you've got another thing coming.
Peridot: I just hope… someday… you'll understand why I had to do this.
And maybe… just maybe you'll be able to forgive me.
[Without another word, Peridot activates her right limb enhancer, and instantly, a hologram of a mirror materializes in front of Lapis. It's a perfect replica of the mirror Lapis spent millennia trapped in. She stares at it, brow furrowing in confusion.]
Lapis: A mirror? What's that supposed to mean to me?
Peridot: *guts up* Oh, this mirror means EVERYTHING to you! Don't you remember?! The thousands of years you spent locked away in there?!
Lapis: *waves her hand dismissively* Pfft. You're delusional. Just spouting nonsense.
Peridot: Don't you remember?! You were stripped of everything, reduced to a mere object, nothing more than a tool to be exploited!
[A shiver runs down Lapis's body as a vivid memory surges to the surface, dozens of Homeworld Gems, glaring at her, interrogating her while she's helplessly trapped in the mirror.]
Lapis: *gritting her teeth* Aghh! Shut up!!
[Lapis clutches her head with both hands, her whole body trembling.]
Lapis: *struggling to hold back the panic* Ugh! That's...
[Then, another memory flashes before her eyes: a stifling silence, followed by an unending darkness, where she is trapped, utterly alone, powerless, and with no way to escape.]
Lapis: That's not...
[Lapis shakes her head, trying desperately to push those tormenting memories away.]
Lapis: *cries out, voice breaking* THAT'S NOT REAL!!! IT CAN'T BE REAL!!!
Peridot: Oh, but it is! If it weren't for Steven, you'd still be locked away in that mirror! He gave you the freedom you were so desperate for! But what happened?! You let yourself be used again! The moment you set foot on Homeworld, I locked you away! I made you my informant!
[Peridot pauses for a moment, letting the weight of her words sink in.]
Peridot: You've always been a tool for others, a prisoner to someone else's will! That's been the entirety of your existence, Lapis!
Lapis: I said, SHUT UP! I'm NOT a tool! I'm NO ONE'S prisoner! NONE of what you say is true!
Peridot: Well, look at where you are now. Bluebird and her people treat you the same way. They use you, Lapis. And right now, you're our prisoner.
[Lapis runs her fingers through her hair, her breath unsteady, as though she's fighting to keep herself together.]
Lapis: Ahh... stop it... STOP messing with my head...!!
[Lapis's control over the water sphere weakens, giving Obsidian a chance to push it slightly upward.]
Obsidian: That's it! Keep going, Peridot! She's losing focus, don't let up now!
Peridot: R-Right... *turns back to Lapis* Don't you remember that feeling of utter hopelessness?!
Lapis: *shaking her head* S-Stop! Just stop!
Peridot: You do remember, don't you?! That feeling of being trapped, knowing that no matter how hard you tried... there was no escape?!
[The old memories of being trapped in the mirror surge violently, haunting her.]
Lapis: AAAHHH!!!
[Lapis breaks down in a scream of anguish, her powers faltering completely.]
Lapis: PLEASE NO MORE!!!
Peridot: *horrified* I-I think I went too far...
Obsidian: Now's my chance!
[With a powerful thrust, Obsidian pushes the sphere upward. They lets out a mighty roar, the shockwave blasting the water sphere into space.]
Obsidian: Well... looks like Homeworld's going to be short on water for a while.
Lapis: *crying out in anguish* LET ME GO!!!
[Peridot quickly shuts off the hologram of the mirror, hands shaking.]
Peridot: *shivering, panicked* OH! MY! STARS! She's... she's gonna kill me!