Hey guys! I got through chapter one and thought I'd hurry and get it posted for everyone's enjoyment. This takes place immediately following Dream a Dream, but picks up just before the epilogue.
Although the mission was a success, it was on technicality alone. Garnet confirmed afterwards that there were no other artifacts at the site, no Gem beasts to go back for, and congratulated her team—especially Steven—on a hard day's work.
Somehow, they had only been gone for a few hours—most of a day, nothing more—and yet, everyone who had been involved in Tektite's deception felt disoriented. Even Amethyst, who had spent the least time in the dungeon space, bemoaned feeling like a week had passed. Steven was tired and hungry, and set about eating most of a box of sugary cereal after they returned home.
And that left Pearl.
Pearl hadn't been able to shape shift her hair to its regular length, and Garnet had wound it up for her, into a loose bun, securing it for her with a red hair tie. The dancer had thanked her, but her voice was smaller than usual, and she had almost toppled over when she phased out of the strange sheer dress she had returned in, in favor of her usual tunic and shorts.
The sash was missing, at first, and Garnet insisted on supporting Pearl while she got her bearings before she tried again. Sash in place, she almost looked like herself, even if her shoulders were slumped with exhaustion and her gaze was locked on the ground.
"Sorry," Pearl had said a dozen times, with each stumble, and Garnet had quickly decided that carrying her across the Strawberry Fields was a better option than trying to walk slowly. Lion had taken to letting Steven ride on his back, a true testament to how deeply the fight had affected the team. The pink beast nudged Pearl as she walked, staying closer to her than he ever did.
It wasn't long before both Pearl and Steven were dozing, but Pearl's Gem flickered and shone blue light against Garnet's shoulder, projecting a dream at quarters too close to make out the details.
"That was real crazy, G," Amethyst said at length, "What you did. I dunno how you woke her up, but… you're sure she's okay, sleeping now? Or are you going to have to do it again?"
"She's fine now," Garnet assured her teammate, "If I have to, I'll do it again. I know how now."
"I still don't even know what you did," Amethyst admitted, "You and P just… phased out, turned white, and didn't move for a while. And then you were back, and she was… weird."
Weird was a nice, harmless way to describe what Amethyst had seen. Pearl had worn her hair long centuries ago, at Rose's recommendation, but never past her knees. And while she'd worn sheer things in the past, a sheer gown covered in holes wasn't at all what Pearl would have dressed herself in. She was too practical, too pragmatic, too… too Pearl for that sort of nonsense.
The whole thing was incredibly unsettling.
Garnet said nothing for long moments, keeping her gaze ahead. There were futures still where problems could crop up, and others where Pearl made a full recovery. She didn't know how to ensure the latter. "Tektite used her magic to create another reality to trap Pearl in," she said slowly, measuring her anger. In her arms, the pale Gem stirred, and Garnet dropped her voice to a whisper. "She was convinced… when I found her, she thought I'd been shattered. Ruby and Sapphire, both. I don't know what else Tektite did to her, but… it will be some time before things are all right again." She sighed. "You'll have to go easy on her, Amethyst."
"I wasn't planning on picking on her," Amethyst said, stung. Garnet nodded. The purple Gem sighed, rubbing her arm. "This is the worst we've done in a while, huh?"
Garnet shook her head, no. "The Specials aren't your average enemy," she explained, and pride crept into her voice as she added; "You did remarkably well, breaking out of her spell. We lost many soldiers in the war to that tactic. We just… weren't prepared. That was my fault."
"G, you can't know the future every time," Amethyst protested, and by now they'd reached the warp pad. The smaller Crystal Gem hopped into her usual place, to one side, only for Lion to nudge her toward the middle as he took her spot. It was strange warping with the pink creature, but Amethyst wasn't complaining. She set a hand on his shoulder, staring up at Garnet. "Don't blame yourself for this, Garnet. What matters is we're all going home in one piece, right?" she didn't give Garnet time to argue, and Garnet anticipated that. "Pearl will get better in no time."
"We'll see," Garnet conceded, promising nothing as she joined her and nudged Pearl awake. The alabaster Gem groaned in protest, pale blue eyes fluttering open to stare up at Garnet questioningly. "Pearl. We're warping home now."
"Oh," Pearl paused, voice heavy with exhaustion. Amethyst wondered if she were really awake, but didn't think Pearl of all Gems could master talking in her sleep so quickly. "Should I stand?"
"I have you," Garnet assured her. "Amethyst, keep a hand on Steven."
"Got it," Amethyst said, putting an arm around the sleeping teen's shoulders. "Ready to warp!"
Garnet didn't wait any longer to activate the warp, and Pearl gripped her shoulders tightly. The rush of magic was electrifying, and when they reappeared back in the junction between Steven's home and the Temple proper, Steven was awake enough to slide off of Lion's back. By contrast, Pearl looked somewhat seasick, but Garnet reluctantly let her down.
Pearl's knees shook and trembled, and it was clear that determination was the only thing keeping her on her feet. But she stood, and Garnet respected that. She made her way to the couch on wobbly legs, sinking down to sit on the cushions. Gravity caught her before the seat did, and she fell the last few inches with an undignified yelp.
"Pearl?" Steven asked in a rush, almost tripping over his sandals as he hurried to beat both Amethyst and Garnet to her side. "You okay?"
"Miscalculated where the couch started," Pearl mumbled, cheeks tinged slightly blue with embarrassment. Steven climbed up beside her, hugging her tightly around the middle, and Pearl wrapped an arm around his shoulders. She managed a smile, but it didn't meet her tired eyes. "Thank you all. I'm sorry I worried everyone."
The words were distant, detached, and Amethyst's brows furrowed in displeasure at how mechanical she sounded. "P, we worry you every time we breathe wrong," she said carefully, folding her arms. "You don't have to apologize. Right?"
Garnet and Steven each nodded in affirmation, and Pearl hugged Steven a little more tightly. "It's okay Pearl," Steven ventured softly, "We're all just happy you're awake, and we made it home in one piece. We can worry about other things later. For now, let's just relax. We can go up to my room and watch a movie! I know you don't like Crying Breakfast Friends, but you can pick something else, and we'll watch that."
"That's a good idea, Steven," Garnet said, ruffling the boy's curly hair. "Go pick some choices out. I'll help Pearl up the stairs."
"I'm makin' popcorn!" Amethyst declared, perhaps too enthusiastically, and she abandoned the tense living room area in favor of scouring the kitchen for uneaten popcorn bags.
Steven looked up at Garnet, then to Pearl, who hadn't said a word. Then he nodded, giving the pale Gem one last squeeze before detangling himself and scrambling upstairs to peruse his DVD collection for promising options.
"Garnet?" Pearl asked quietly, eyes still downcast, and Garnet made a sound of acknowledgment in response. Shaking hands reached up to her long hair, feeling the loose bun, and Pearl blinked rapidly against the threat of tears. "This isn't a dream?"
"No," Garnet said quietly, "You're awake. And safe at home. I promise this is real."
The smaller Gem nodded slowly, mind elsewhere. She fidgeted a bit more before finally looking up at Garnet with haunted eyes that made the Fusion's stomach churn. "Can you cut my hair for me? I've tried, and it won't…"
She trailed off, and Garnet settled a hand on the crown of her head. "Sure," Garnet said softly, "I'll get the scissors."
This was going to be a much longer process than Garnet wanted to think about. Tektite's damage ran deeper than even she could see, looking into the future. She smoothed Pearl's bangs away from her Gem, earning an instinctive lean into her touch that made her smile, then made her way to Steven's bathroom to get scissors.
Pearl's quiet "thank you" was so soft that Garnet barely heard it, but she glanced back out of the corner of her eye to meet Pearl's hollow gaze. "Of course. I'll take care of you."
She meant it more than any vow she'd made in her long life.