"Well Garnet, how do I look?" Steven said as he waltzed into the room wearing a fine tuxedo.

Garnet looked up from a magazine she was holding upside down and gave Steven her signature half smile, "Lookin' good."

Steven spun around in a few circles to show off, "I think I look mighty fine myself." And he did. Steven, now 23, was almost the spitting image of his father when he was that age, but instead of long flowing brown hair, Steven's black curls poofed out around his head.

"I will never understand earth's customs," Pearl said from the small kitchen, "Gems don't need trivial things like marriage to-"

"Peaarrl..." Steven whined, "Connie's family aren't gems."

Pearl rolled her eyes, "Well I still don't see why it's necessary."

Steven huffed and looked around the room, "Hey, where's Amethyst?"

Garnet shrugged.

"Ooohhgg," Pearl groaned, "She's probably off in some dumpster again."

"Hey!" said a voice from outside the kitchen window. Just then, Amethyst flew in in the form of an owl and she landed on Steven's head, much to his amusement, "Heyyy, Steven! You're looking good!"

"Thank you," Steven giggled.

"You ready to get hitched or what?" Amethyst then flew off of Steven's mess of black curls and turned back into her regular form.

"Yeah... two days," he tittered.

The purple gem plopped down on the couch next to Garnet, "I can't wait to eat some wedding cake."

Steven turned to Pearl, "You made sure to rent that one spot on the beach that Connie likes, right?"

"Well of course," Pearl said like it was silly for Steven to even ask, "And I also talked to the florist, and the musicians, and that Big Donut place, and-"

"Thank you so much, Pearl," Steven beamed.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, "Steven? Are you there?"

Steven screamed, "Aaah!Connie! Don't come in! You're not supposed to see me in my wedding clothes!" he quickly ducked into the bathroom just as Connie opened the door.

"Hi Pearl, Garnet, Amethyst," she said sweetly before going to the bathroom door, "Steven, it doesn't matter if the bride sees the groom, it's the other way around!"

"Oh." he smiled and poked his head out, "Well hello."

Connie smiled and gave him a small kiss on the lips, "Ready to go?"

"Uh, go where?"

"Don't tell me you forgot!"

"Uh..."

"Steven, we have dinner with my parents! The rehearsal dinner?!" Connie cried, her eyes getting wide.

"Hey, relax," he said soothingly, "Everyone's right here. We'll just pick up my dad on the way."

Connie began to wring her hands together nervously, "It's my whole family. They've come into town just for this and they have such high expectations and-"

Steven kissed her lips and took her hands into his, "Don't worry. And you need to relax. This wedding stuff has gotten you really stressed out."

"I know... It's my family. I know they'll love you, and the magic stuff might take some time for them to get used to, but my parents said they would soften that blow as much as they can. And I just want everything to be perfect."

"It will be." Steven then cleared his throat and turned to the three gems and announced in the most official voice he could create, "Tonight, we must attend a dinner with Connie's family! Now I want no funny business and for you all to put on something nice!" he then added, "And we have to go get my dad, so make it fast!"

...

Greg's van rumbled up to the restaurant, and a very nervous Greg clutched the wheel with one hand while the other tugged at the collar of his suit, "Geez this place looks fancy, Connie's family sure likes to go all out, don't they?" Faint symphonic music from a band and laughter could be heard as Greg turned off the engine. The restaurant was like a very large patio on the beach with small white lights strung through the beams overhead.

"I guess this place is mostly for wedding parties. Connie's mom picked it out, the place we're getting married is only about half a mile down," Steven said matter-of-factually before turning to the gems behind him in the back seat. "Alright you guys, this dinner is really really important to Connie. Her whole family is here. Amethyst, please don't eat all the food, Pearl, you don't have to eat anything, but please don't say anything offensive. And Garnet... Well I guess just have fun."

"You got it Steve-man!"

"I don't offend people!"

And Garnet just smiled and gave Steven a thumbs up.

The group tumbled out of Greg's van and climbed the steps to where a waiter in a white suit greeted them, "Hi we're here for the Universe Maheswaran Party," Greg said as he rubbed his hand nervously on his greying hair.

The waiter gave them and odd look before hesitantly showing the way to where Connie's family was seated. Amethyst and Pearl began to bicker before Garnet sat in between them which caused them to stop, and Greg took a seat across from Doug and Priyanka Maheswaran (Connie's parents) while Steven took the empty seat next to Connie at the head of the table.

"You're late..." Connie said under her breath through a very forced smile as her family began to mingle with Steven's.

"I know," Steven whispered back, "The Crystal Gems didn't want to change their clothes."

Across the table, Amethyst began loudly eating oysters shell and all, while Pearl began to turn green at the sight, and Garnet just started blankly ahead. Connie's grandparents, aunts, and uncles stared at the trio of gems and began to gossip quietly among themselves. Connie's parents and Greg began to discuss things like grandchildren and that was when Connie nudged Steven with her elbow, "Make a toast!" She whispered.

Not needing to be told twice, Steven scooted his chair back and stood up very suddenly, "Families!" he said a little too loudly, he cleared his throat as he raised a flute of champagne, "Tonight, you all come as two separate families... But in two days! We will all be one family!" he took Connie's hand and she stood up as well, holding her champagne glass, "Connie is really amazing, and so you all must be amazing as well to have such an amazing niece, granddaughter, and daughter. And I can't wait to be part of your family too." Steven raised his glass and smiled, "To becoming one family."

Just then there was a loud rumble, and the ground trembled for a moment, causing a few glasses to tip over. People gasped, and began to stand up from there seats when suddenly, there was another larger rumble that caused everyone to fall over.

"Connie!" Steven cried out as he formed his bubble shield around her.

"Steven what's going-"

She was cut off by a loud screeching sound that caused everyone to cry out and cover their ears. "PEOPLE OF EARTH. SURRENDER OVER THE CRYSTAL GEMS NOW OR EVERYONE ON THIS FILTHY LITTLE PLANET WILL DIE OF EARTH. SURRENDER OVER THE CRYSTAL GEMS NOW OR EVERYONE ON THIS FILTHY LITTLE PLANET WILL DIE SCREAMING."

The sky then turned green and the seal of Yellow Diamond was projected in the sky.