Emerald Spartan

Lessons in Shapeshifting

It was a nice Sunday morning. The waves rolled into the beach in a soothing manner. The beach house was strangely quiet. Lapis was out exploring, Will was in his room with Quasar and Garnet and Pearl were out on a mission.

As for Amythest.

"Wake up Steman." Amyhtest yelled to the sleeping boy from the side of his bed.

Steven immediately shot up and fell off his bed. "Ow." He slowly mumbled and got back up. "What was that for Amythest." He asked.

"It's a surprise, so get your clothes on and I'll go get me firehead."

Steven had no idea what was going on. But he did as he was told and got dressed. He was just worried of what she had planned.
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"Amythest, where are we going." Will asked the short gem.

"Were going to a place to teach you two a few things." She said cryptically.

The two human hybrids looked at each other. Steven was confused while Will felt a shiver go down his reinforced spine.

"What are you going to teach them?" Quasar asked from his slot in Will's prosthetic arm.

"Well...remember how you both had a rough start with shapeshifting." She said.

"I doubt Steven almost being converted into a blob of cats and my cells feeling like their on fire would be qualified as 'a rough start'." Will stated.

"Yeah Amythest, I really don't want that to happen again." Steven said, shivering at the thought of turning into a monster.

Amythest continued to talk while they walked to thief destination. Steven was mesmerized by the almost greek architecture of this gem site. Dark crystalline pillars carved with beautiful designs, the polished white floor dirtier with time. Ahead was a massive archway that connected to the ceiling. Even Will and Quasar's eyes widened when they saw where they were.

"It's like a gem version of the coliseum." Steven said in awe.

"Pearl said something about how this is what inspired humans to make a similar version of something like that. All I know is this is where ancient gems trained and fought. So this is where I will teach you two how to become shapeshifting masters." She said.

Neither of the two saw this one coming. Although it was a very good point to learn how to use their gem powers to their fullest. Even when they don't make any logical sense.

"Yes sensei Amythest." Steven did a playful how.

"Come my pupils. It is time to start." Amyhtest lead them to the center of the coliseum.

"Alright, the first thing you need to do when shapeshifting is to imagine what you what to change in your mind. For example." Amythest then glowed for a moment and shrunk and turned into her signature purple cat form. She then jumped on Steven's shoulders.

"Alright, imagine what I want to turn into." Steven then concentrated what he wanted to find into. His brow kept getting more and more creased. Until finally he let out a sigh and pooped to the ground.

"Why won't it work. I concentrated and everything." He asked Amycat.

She looked at him. "What do you do when you do when you summon your weapon." She asked him.

He put his hand to his chin and thought for a moment. "I pour my heart and soul into my gem, I imagine the need to protect people and it appears." He told her.

"Try doing the same thing with your shapeshifting. But make sure to keep it in control. That's why you both ended up like you did, it's because your shapeshifting backfired."

"I'll give it a try." Steven took a deep breath and concentrated. He put power into his gem and thought of what he wanted to turn into. He put the same feeling he does his shield and he starts to change. A pink glow sorrounded him. Amythest and Will watch as his body begins to change. When the light finally dies down I looks like a small version of lion.

"Steven, is that you bud?" Will asked.

Steven looked down at his new paws and fur. "Yes! I did it." He ran around the coliseum, his tail wagging back and forth as he did.

"Oh my god,you look so adorable." The Spartan said in a rare bit of pure amusement on his face.

"Your turn big guy." Amythest told him.

Will stood still and closed his eyes. His gem started to glow a dark green. Light green flames licked around his feet until his body finally dissapeared in a dark green glow. Both Amythest and Steven waited in anticipation of what he would turn into. When the light died down there was one thing that come to Amythest's mind.

"It suits you." She said.

Will turned into an American style dragon. His scales were a dark green while his belly was dark grey skin. His front left leg and entire left wing were mechanical.

"I see your arm can shapeshift with you." Quasar said.

Steven lion looked at Will with stars in his eyes. "That's sooo cool. I want to try that." Steven said.

"Alright, you two can change into your favorite animals. We're going to take it up a notch now. " Amyhtest then turned into her purple puma persona.

"O o o me first." Steven yelled. He was once again sorrounded in a pink glow before an taller and older version of himself.

"Remember to focus Steven or do want a repeat of what happened last time." Amyhtest said referring to his rapid ageing.

"No prob Bob." He said, giving her a thumbs up.

Both then looked at Will, wondering what he was going to change into. He then got a wicked smile on his face before he dissapeared in a green glow. When it settled down Steven felt a bit of fear rise in his stomach while Amythest looked on in awe.

Will had turned into the very Windego he hunted on one of his previous missions. Amyhtest and Steven had both never seen this on so it come as a bit of shock.

"What the heck is that." She asked with a giddy look.

"This was the thing I hunted down on my mission before we found Lapis. It's in pieces in the temple still." He said while he towered over the wrestler.
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From that point it just descended into a battle between Amythest and Will to see who could have the best transformation. Steven tried to participate for a little bit, but he just gave up after a while due to being vastly outmatched. It was interesting to him to see what they came up with. In the last hour he had witnessed everything from the Take to the Kraken and Bigfoot.

"Alright Amythest, I think we should call it a night. Thank you for teaching us how to control our shapeshifts better." Will said to the short gem.

"No prob dude. Just remember to keep focus and not to change into anything to his or complex for very long and you'll be fine."

They walked back through the coliseum enterance to the warp pad. The familiar cyan glow of the warp stream sorrounded them as they went back to the beach house.

When they appeared back in the temple both Garnet and Pearl were sitting at the kitchen counter. "What did you three do today?" Pearl asked.

"Amythest thought us how to control our shapeshifting." Steven blurted out.

"She's actually not a bad teacher when she's focused. " Will complimented her.

"Aw you guys are just buttering me up." Amythest said.

Pearl then turned back to Garnet. "Why do I have the sinking feeling this isn't going to end well."

"Yep." She said casually.