My first Steven Universe story, so please, be gentle with the reviews. And there may be a few of my own OC's here and there.

And yeah, yeah, you guessed it. I don't own Steven Universe.

The Hunters and the Hunted

Poof!

A cloud burst forth from what had been a Gem's physical form. There went yet another Homeworld Gem. One sent to destroy the Crystal Gems. Garnet stepped forward to contain the Gem in a light red bubble.

''Why do they keep coming back?'' Steven asked Garnet, who looked away from the bubble and down at him. ''Why do they want to hurt us? They're Gems, too.''

Garnet sighed. ''Steven…''

She gently tapped the bubble, as it vanished to the Temple.

''Not all Gems are like us.'' Garnet left it at that. Steven wasn't ready to take it all in. Not ready to know the truth.

Amethyst slapped Steven on the back. ''Yeah, Steven! They can't be awesome like us!''

Although the subject was touchy for even Amethyst, she tried to act as if it was nothing, trying to hide behind her carefree facade, while Pearl tried to act like herself. Pearl gently dusted herself off.

''Yes, Steven.'' She began. ''Like Garnet said, not all Gems are dedicated to protecting Earth.''

Steven turned and looked at Pearl, raising an eyebrow. ''Then, what are they dedicated to?''

Pearl looked to Garnet, who nodded her head.

''Homeworld.'' She answered flatly.

''Why aren't you guys dedicated to Homeworld, too?'' Steven asked curiously.

''We liked Earth better.'' Garnet gave Steven a reassuring smile, despite the awful memories that bubbled to the surface of her mind.

''Earth forever!'' Steven pumped a fist in the air, following the Gems as they walked to the warp pad.

He stepped upon the pad, as they were all enveloped in a stream of light. When the flow of light cut off, they were gone.

A figure stepped forth from the shadows as they left, lifting an item in her hand up to her mouth.

''They're gone.'' She spoke into it. ''They captured the Gem.''

''Keep following them.'' A voice spoke from the other end. ''Don't lose your cover.''

''Yes, my Diamond.''

XXX

''So, what was Homeworld like?'' Steven asked Amethyst.

Amethyst shrugged. ''Can't really remember.''

''Why?'' Steven tilted his head slightly to the side.

''Well…'' Amethyst bit her lip. Steven didn't know about the Kindergarten. Pearl didn't want him to know, for she thought he wasn't ready. Garnet thought it was for the best if he didn't.

''Not all Gems are the same.'' Garnet said from behind them.

''Oh, alright.'' Steven said. ''Oh! Oh! Amethyst, wanna watch Crying Breakfast Friends with me? It comes on in a few minutes!''

Amethyst cracked a smile. ''Why not?''

''Yeah!'' Steven cheered, rushing up the steps and sitting in front of the television on the floor. Amethyst rolled her eyes, before walking up the steps and sitting next to him.

Meanwhile, Pearl walked up to Garnet, who held a stoic expression.

''Garnet…I…when do you think we should tell him?'' Pearl asked the fusion. ''He has to know. If he's left in the dark, then…something bad could happen to him.''

''I know.'' Garnet spoke. ''But honestly, do you think he's ready to take it all in?''

Pearl sighed, averting her eyes to the floor. ''He is our only connection to Rose.''

Garnet nodded. ''I'll know when he is ready.''

She put a hand on Pearl's shoulder. ''It will be alright.''

Pearl nodded. Suddenly, a large crash was heard from outside, alerting all the Gems. They all ran outside to see what it was.

The sight that greeted them was a small crater, with smoke billowing out of it.

''Uh…'' Steven mumbled. ''What is that?''

Garnet put a hand in front of Steven. ''Stay behind me.''

Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl all took out their respective weapons. When they were about ten feet away, a figure emerged from the crater.

The Gems held up their weapons. The figure, however, stumbled slightly, before falling to her knees.

Her skin was a pale shade of white, while her hair was white with streaks of blue. Her hair was held in a high ponytail that extended to her waist, while a few strand pieces of hair framed her face. A gem was placed on her chest. She wore aqua blue boots that went up to her knees, with a light blue skirt that went three inches below her knees. The skirt revealed the sides of her legs. She wore a strapless top that stopped beneath her chest, with a band around both her upper arms, and a bracelet on her left wrist.

She looked up at the Gems, who held a look of shock. The Gem's eyes were glowing white with no pupils.

''Who are you?'' Pearl asked the Gem in a firm voice.

''I…'' The Gem coughed. ''I-I'm Moonstone.''

''Moonstone?'' Amethyst asked. The Gem nodded in response.

''Why are you here?'' Garnet grabbed the Gem's hand, pulling her to her feet.

''I-I come here to-'' The Gem fainted before she could finish. Garnet caught her before she could hit the ground.

''Aw man!'' Amethyst stomped her foot. ''What was she going to say?''

The purple Gem looked up to Garnet. ''Do you know?''

''Due to my lack of knowledge of Moonstone, I can't quite predict what she was going to say.'' Garnet explained.

''That's fair, I guess.'' Amethyst shrugged.

Steven ran down to the beach, joining the Gems. ''Who is she?''

''Her name is Moonstone.'' Pearl answered.

''What does she want?'' Steven questioned them.

''We…aren't really sure.'' Pearl answered, her weapon vanishing.

Amethyst groaned. ''Considering she crashed to Earth and she's a Gem, I doubt it was gonna be good.''

''That much I could sense.'' Garnet claimed. ''She seemed panicked and afraid.''

''What are we going to do with her?'' Steven asked the Gems.

''Well…'' Pearl began. ''I doubt she would travel to Earth without a good reason, so I suppose it's best to keep her here.''

Steven nodded, looking over Moonstone's unconscious form. ''She must've had trouble getting here.''

''Evidently.'' Pearl motioned to the scratches and bruises spread across Moonstone's body. ''We better get her to the Temple.''

Garnet carried Moonstone to the Temple, Pearl, Amethyst, and Steven trailing behind her.

''Okay, where will we put her?'' Amethyst questioned Garnet.

Garnet carried Moonstone to the warp pad.

''Uh, Garnet?'' Amethyst asked. ''What're you doing?''

''The Cloud Arena.'' Garnet answered. ''Despite the fact that I do not know what she will say when she awakes, I do know that she will have a loss of memories, and the Cloud Arena will help bring them back.''

Amethyst raised an eyebrow. ''Alright…''

Garnet stepped onto the warp pad, followed by Pearl and Amethyst.

''Yo, Steven!'' Amethyst called to him, despite the lack of distance between them. ''Watch the house!''

With that, the Gems were enveloped in a beam of light, which faded as soon as it had come, revealing the Gems were gone.

''Okay.'' Steven said, moving up to his makeshift room, turning on Crying Breakfast Friends.

XXX

After arriving in the Cloud Arena, the Gems proceeded to the center of the Arena. Garnet set Moonstone down. A few moments after her body was gently placed on the floor, it began to levitate.

''What is she doing?!'' Pearl asked in alarm.

''Healing herself.'' Garnet answered calmly. ''A power few Gems have.''

She sighed, before continuing. ''A power Rose had.''

Pearl and Amethyst's expressions almost instantly turned sorrowful. Amethyst turned and averted her eyes to the ground, folding her arms.

Garnet shook her head. ''But right now we have to focus on the situation at hand.''

Pearl nodded, while Amethyst remained the way she was.

''What…'' a small voice cut in. ''Wh-where am I?''

The Gems turned to Moonstone, who was now sitting on the ground, one hand placed on her forehead.

''The Cloud Arena.'' Pearl answered.

''Why're you here?'' Amethyst turned to her. ''Before you passed out, you were about to say something.

''R-right.'' Moonstone stuttered. She tried to get to her feet, but Garnet caught her, steadying her.

''Homeworld…'' she bit her lip. ''They…they are coming to Earth.''

''The first attempt they sent here failed.'' Garnet spoke.

''Yeah, we won.'' Amethyst said.

Moonstone shook her head. ''No, you don't get it. Yellow Diamond… She announced to all Gems, including other Diamonds, that she would come here herself.''

All Gems cringed.

''And she is bringing an army.'' Moonstone stated.

''I can see why you would protect this planet, its life. It's precious. But please…just stand down.'' Moonstone stepped forward, clasping her hands together. ''Please just surrender.''

''You came here to try to lower our defenses.'' Pearl crossed her arms, glaring at the Gem.

''Look, you can't defeat Yellow Diamond and her forces.'' Moonstone said. ''I'm trying to help you. I want no part of the Diamond's twisted plans.''

''How do we know you're telling the truth?'' Amethyst narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

''Would I have come to this planet and have to escape the Diamond's forces just to lie to you?!'' Moonstone snapped. ''This planet is doomed, I'm trying to get you out of it!''

Garnet sighed. ''Rose Quartz didn't care if her life was at stake, neither did we. We aren't going to start now. We carry on her beliefs.''

''Even if we were to leave or turn ourselves in,'' Pearl began, ''The Diamonds would shatter us.''

Moonstone's gem began to glow. ''I admired you for your bravery, but now is not the time. You must come with me.''

''Where would we go?'' Amethyst asked. ''The Diamonds can track us by our gems.''

''I don't know, but I know that this planet is unsafe. The Cluster will soon hatch and emerge. The Diamonds will come to shatter you. Anywhere other than here is more safe.'' Moonstone tried to reason with them. ''But you are to come with me.''

''I don't think so.'' Pearl said. ''We will not leave Earth.''

''Then you leave me no choice.'' Moonstone's eyes began to glow as she summoned a staff from the gem on her chest.

The staff had a white gem on the top of it. A blinding light emitted from it. The Gems shielded their eyes.

The light shrunk back towards the staff, forming a circle of light around it. A circle of light appeared on the ground. All the Gems were standing in it. Before they had time to move, Moonstone slammed her staff on the ground.

The circle of light glowed even brighter as she did so. The light from the gem on top of Moonstone's staff traveled down quickly to the ground, electrocuting all the Gems.

Following that was a shockwave and a blinding light. Moonstone looked up to see their skin cracking. With one more shockwave, their skin was hardly anymore.

Poof!

Poof!

Poof!

Moonstone looked to where four gems laid on the ground. Moonstone walked over to them. The first one she walked over to was a round, purple gem. Amethyst.

Moonstone knelt down, placing her hand above the gem. A transparent, white bubble appeared around it.

Moonstone looked down at the other three gemstones. Her staff vanished. She gently tapped the bubble she had, and it disappeared. She bit her lip and did the same to the other three gemstones.

Moonstone looked around the emptied Cloud Arena. She held out both her hands as her gem glowed. The clouds swirled around her, hiding her from view.

When the clouds dispersed, she was gone, as were the Crystal Gems.

End of chapter! Please comment and review, favorite and follow. Let me know if it was good or not. Thank you all!