Dark. That was the first thing that registered in my head. It was dark, so very, very dark. It was almost like I was surrounded by a never ending oblivion, just...darkness spreading forever in every direction.

"W-w-wha? W-where am I?!" I shouted into the dark, but it was almost as if the darkness had consumed my words. No response.

I was just...

There

Floating in oblivion for what felt like an eternity. Total sensory deprivation can drive a person mad, not being able to feel anything, see anything, hear anything, I learned this the hard way. For endless hours, days, and maybe even weeks, I floated in that place.

When it felt like my grip on reality was finally beginning to crack, I heard a voice. After all this time, I finally had something to snap me back to reality. It sounded like a woman, she said, "I'm so sorry. I don't know how you got dragged into this, this...wasn't supposed to happen." I heard sadness in her voice, but at the same time, I felt very at ease. Like none of this mattered.

"What? What do you mean? Who are you?! Who...who am I...?" I cried

"You are a guardian, someone who protects those that cannot protect themselves. You weren't meant to be brought into this, but there is no going back now. I have little time left, please, keep Steven safe! Keep my son safe!" She pleaded. I didn't have much of a choice, so I agreed. I don't know how, but somehow I could just tell she was smiling.

"Thank you...Matthew."

The Oblivion came crashing down with a roar, a swirl of blue, and the taste of salt.

I awoke with a start. I was...on a beach? How did I get here? Where even is here?

I shivered as a breeze blew over me, my soaked clothes stuck to my body. I stood and brushed the sand off of my black T shirt and jeans. 'Might as well look around right?' I thought to myself.

Farther back on the beach I could see a bend around what looked like a cliff. I decided I would check it out. After a few minutes of walking and several facefulls of sand later I made it around the bend.

"Whoa, what the hell is that?"

It looked like a statue of a woman was sticking out of the top of the cliff, and near the bottom was a house. As I approached the walkway leading up to the house, I heard a rumble and crash as something, no, someone hit the ground a few yards ahead of me.

Needless to say, this scared me shitless. "Who are you? Are you a HomeWorld gem?" A tall dark skinned woman with an English accent asked with an accusing tone in her voice.

"What? HomeWorld gem? What are you talking about?" I was completely dumbfounded at her accusation.

"Don't play dumb. Your gem is right there on your arm!" I heard a voice from behind me say. I turned and saw a pale, blue skinned, tall girl standing behind me. I looked at my right arm and, sure enough, there it was. Plain as day, not even hidden by my shirt, just a deep green gem resting IN the side of my arm. How had I missed this earlier? I didn't have a clue. I tapped it and it felt like an electric shock shot through my arm.

"Gah! What the hell is this?!" I raised my arm for her to see, and her eyes widened.

"Emerald..." I heard her whisper.

"Emerald? But she's dead." The first woman spoke again. She turned to me, "You need to come with us. We have some questions for you."

"Whoa, no way. I don't even know you, I don't even know what this place is."

A short girl with light purple skin walked out of the screen door of the house, "You got anywhere else to go, kid?" She said.

"No...fine." I said in hesitant agreement, "I don't really have much of a choice."

They led me into the house where a boy was waiting on a couch. I sat on the end of the couch and just stared at the people I'd met. The dark skinned girl began to speak, "I believe some introductions are in order. I'm Garnet." She said.

"I am Pearl." The tall one said.

"Name's Amethyst." The purple one said.

"And I'm Steven! What's your name?" The boy asked.

I remember what the woman in Oblivion had called me and I answered sheepishly, "My-my name's Matthew...that's about all I can tell you. That's all I can remember."

After I explained my situation Pearl spoke up, "So you have no memory up until you woke up on the beach?"

"Yea, pretty much. All I can remember is my name."

"Man, that really sucks, Matt." Amethyst said with a sympathetic look in her eyes, then she perked up, "Well, looks like we have ourselves a new roomie!"

"Seems like your right Amethyst, it doesn't seem like he means us any harm." Garnet said.

"Awesome! Someone else to hang out with!" Steven shouted with glee.

The fact that they were willing to take me, a total stranger with no memory, into their home shocked me more than anything. I looked up at all of them.

"Thank you." I said, "but, uh, are there some dry clothes anywhere?"

Steven left for a moment before running back into the room with a black shirt that had Mr. Universe on the front and another pair of jeans.

"Here! My dad left these when he stayed here for a while." He said handing them to me.

"Thanks dude. I was starting to think I was gonna freeze." A small grin formed across my face as I accepted the clothes.

After I got changed, Pearl said I could sleep on their couch if I wanted, I again said "thank you" and nodded.

I got back to the living room and the place had been cleared out, I was the only one there. I just decided to sit on the couch for a while and just think about what had happened. The couch suddenly lurched,

"So you're a gem too?!" A voice asked.

"Shit! Jesus Christ, you scared me." I clutched my chest and calmed myself down.

"Oh, uh...sorry."

"No worries Steven. And to answer your question: I guess I am."

"Cool! So what can you do?" He asked, his eyes shining.

"What? What do you mean, 'what can you do?'" I stared at the stone in my arm.

"Well, I can do things like this." He surrounded himself in a pink bubble.

"Whoa! How did you do that?" Again, I was left shocked.

"It's just something I can do. You mean you can't do anything like that?" He let the bubble pop.

"You aren't a very good listener are you?" I said with a bit of a chuckle, "It's like I said earlier, I don't remember anything up until the beach."

"Oh. Well, we'll just have to discover what you can do ourselves then!" He grinned.

"Yea, I guess it'll just come with time." I put my hand on the stone and got another jolt down my arm, "Why do I keep doing that?!" I yelped in pain and jerked my arm away. I heard Steven begin to laugh.

"Alright, I'm gonna go hit the hay. Goodnight, sleep tight, don't let Lion bite." He walked off towards his room.

I laid back on the couch, then it hit me.

"Wait, LION?!"