Okay, so here it is. I had a lot of fun writing it so far because the way Chromite is in this story is absolutely nothing like she is now. This will be canon if Akaya and Kronshi approve of it.
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Chromite appears somewhat incredulous when asked about her history, but offers an understated smile. "Honestly I'd probably disappoint you, young one, considering most of my history is quite boring. If you insist however, I can gloss over the boring parts and tell you about the time I fought in the war for Earth. At the time I was still very young, at least by gem standards.
-flashback mode-
"Chromite reporting." The young gem stood at attention, straight as an arrow before her superior. After a few decades of training and two centuries working security jobs, Chromite had been stationed on the Earth to help fight the growing rebellion. Her nervousness was so palpable you'd practically get lightheaded just standing next to her.
The older chromite didn't rest on ceremony, she didn't even bother with so much as an "at ease." Hardened as she was, she'd suffered more than a few headaches since the war began, and she wasn't interested in wasting time or words. She looked her new soldier in the eye, her gaze like a corpse's: unreadable. "You won't be with us long. Fall in with the rest of them, chromite." If she weren't a gem, Chromite would be sweating. "YES, MA'AM!" she belts.
Chromite falls in with her squad. In spite of being the same type of gem, she doesn't blend in particularly well. She stands among other chromites in the ancient forest where they were instructed to meet up. The group includes several chromites of various colors and gem placements, those being bicep, eye, hand, and stomach, in addition to the commander's who had hers on her head.
The chromites head towards their "base," a small area where the trees and plantlife are especially thick, thereby providing cover and preventing their words from traveling very far. As they make their way there, a brown mass becomes visible not too far in the distance. The older chromites immediately raise their shields as a bear moves towards them. Chromite, caught off guard by this non-gem opponent, imitates the rest of her group only a second too late. The bear is on top of her just before she can bring her shield up. Even with her strength, Chromite has immense difficulty against the overwhelming force of the bear. She manages to keep it's mouth away from her face, but is repeatedly grazed by its claws. The squad leader puts her hand up as the other chromites lower their shields and prepare to help, allowing this to continue for a full minute. Finally, she draws the shortsword from the sheath at her hip and takes care of the animal, rolling its body off of Chromite as she does.
Chromite bolts up as soon as she overcomes the shock of the event. "I'm sor-" "Stop." The leader kneels down before Chromite has a chance to stand up, giving her yet another glare of death. "Listen up. Don't apologize- and no, this isn't a stupid 'Don't apologize, do better" lecture because right now you'd only fail at that too. What I want you to do is understand that being hard on you is the best thing I can do for you at this point. So I don't want your apology. A 'thank you' is what I just worked hard to earn." "T-thank y-" "Thank you's are cheap! You were so wound up that if that had been a group of Crystal Gems instead of some mindless Earth creature, you'd be dead, and all the time we spent reaching you would have been a complete waste! I trust that's over now."
Chromite had no idea how she was supposed to respond. She thought for a moment and realized that, as traumatic as that situation had been, she was quite lucid now, like the worst was already over. Gone was the constantly nagging fear that she'd do something wrong, or that she wasn't good enough, she'd already come face-to-face with the knowledge that she wasn't. "Yes, ma'am." she said calmly. "I'm glad we understand each other, see that it doesn't happen again." The older chromite stood up and joined the rest of the group. The chromite whose gem was located on her stomach gave Chromite her hand and dusted her off as she got up.
"Hey, I don't think the Paladin wants you doing that." the bicep chromite called. "It's fine." the leader responded. "Let her have someone to get her emotions on, spares us from having to deal with it. If she hasn't grown out of it by now, she never will."
Kronshi