"All right, I think that's everything. How does it feel? Anything too tight? Too loose?"

"No, it's good."

"Are you sure? I can get a bigger helmet if you want."

"It's fine."

"How about the breastplate? Can you breathe?"

"Yeah."

"And your pauldrons? Are they too heavy on your shoulders? I can try to find something lighter."

"No, these are good."

"Okay, but take off your gauntlets for a moment. . . . Yes, I think I'll need to tighten your vambraces; they shouldn't move around like that each time you move your arms. . . . There, is that better?"

"I think so? It feels kind of the same to me."

An exasperated sigh. "Steven. This is serious!"

Steven tilted his head back, flicking up his visor so he could better see her in the pre-dawn light. "I was being serious, Pearl!" he said. "It all feels fine to me. I mean, I've never worn armor before, so how should I know what's right?"

Pearl said nothing as she continued to inspect his armor for any imperfections. Again. For the seventh time.

"Pearl, I'm fine," he said, removing his metal-encased leg from her grip. "I can breathe fine, I can see fine, I can move fine, and I don't even feel that hot!" Steven leaned back on the couch, resting his head on the cushions. "It's actually kinda comfortable!"

"All right then," Pearl said, sighing. She stood up from where she was kneeling and stretched her arms, armor clinking. "If that's everything, then we just need to wait for the others to finish up before we go."

Steven grinned, kicking his feet in anticipation. "This is so exciting! Are they gonna look as cool as you, Pearl? Does everyone have a symbol on their armor, or just you and me? Are we gonna take the flag with us?"

"Steven, this isn't a game." The gravity in her voice cut through his enthusiasm like the sword at his side. Sobering up, he stopped fidgeting and met her solemn stare with wide eyes. "This isn't like our missions. We're going to fight a real battle with incredibly high stakes against a very serious opponent. Do you understand that, Steven?"

Steven deflated a bit, looking at the ground. "Yeah, I know," he muttered, picking at the fabric of the couch. He hesitated for a moment before raising his eyes to meet hers. "Pearl, I'm scared."

Pearl's eyes softened as she knelt on the floor in front of him, placing an armored hand on his knee. "Oh, Steven, it's okay to be afraid. Only a fool goes into battle without fear." She gave him a small smile. "Embrace that fear, Steven; it's what will keep you alive." Suddenly, the smile dropped off her face and her eyes widened, and without warning, she had Steven in a bone-crushing hug.

"Augh! Pearl!" Steven exclaimed, straining to wrap his arms around her. Worry crept into his mind as her frame began to tremble. "Pearl? What's wrong?"

"Steven," she managed, her voice low and muffled. "Promise me something, all right? Promise me that you and Connie will leave if things start going wrong."

"What? No way! We're not leaving you guys behind!"

"Steven, please." Pearl pulled back, keeping both of her hands on his shoulders as her tearful eyes met his anxious ones. "You are the priority here. If things aren't going well, you need to focus on your escape!"

"We won't leave without you!"

"You must, if the situation calls for it! Don't risk your safety needlessly!"

"It's not needless; it's your life! Yours and Amethyst's and Garnet's!" He could feel his eyes begin to fill. "You're important too! If not to yourself, then to me!" Tears leaked out of his eyes as his lip started to tremble.

"Oh, Steven, I didn't meant it like that." Her eyes softened, a weak smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She removed one of her gauntlet and wiped away his tears, letting her hand linger on his cheek for a moment. "I'm sorry I upset you. I just . . ." A stray tear trickled down her cheek, making her smile look all the more unconvincing. "I can't stand the thought of something happening to you."

Steven thought for a moment before standing up, taking off his helmet. "Well, that's silly," he decided, putting his helmet on the couch behind him. "You can't let nothing happen to me; then nothing would ever happen to me!" Grinning, he threw his arms around her neck and hugged her tightly. "I'll be careful, though, I promise. We both will. But you have to be careful too, okay?"

Pearl chuckled, albeit a little tearfully, before returning the embrace wholeheartedly. "Yes, sir," she said, smiling. "Any other orders?"

"Just one!" Unwrapping himself from the embrace, Steven straightened up and looked Pearl directly in the eye. "I'm going to be missing today's episode of Crying Breakfast Friends," he said very seriously, "but I set it to record, so when we get back, we're all watching it together!"

Pearl cringed, her smile turning into more of a pained grimace. "Steven, that show doesn't make any sense. There are plenty of less . . . ah . . . unsettling ways of celebrating a potential victory."

"Crying Breakfast Friends!"

"Okay, okay!" The atmosphere lightened considerably after that, Steven putting on his helmet and Pearl pulling on her gauntlets. Once Steven was fully suited, Pearl stepped back to admire him.

"Oh, just look at you, Steven!" she said, beaming. She clapped her hands together and pressed them to her chest. "You've come so far in just the past year; I'm so proud of you!" Squealing excitedly, she pulled him in for another hug. "Your mother would be proud too," she said, wistfulness seeping into her voice.

"I know!" She could hear the grin in his voice. "You just told me you were!" Pearl simply smiled and hugged him tighter. There was really no point in trying to speak past the lump in her throat.

Caught up in the moment as they were, they didn't hear the temple door opening, nor did they hear the exclamation of "Aw, sweet, hugfest!" They did, however, register the sound of metal against wood but had no time to react before a short, stocky suit of purple-and-silver armor hurled itself at them.

"Ouch! Amethyst, be careful!"

"Geez, Pearl, calm down. Not my fault you still haven't worn your helmet."

"You could have been a little gentler."

"Meh." After a few moments, the three separated, allowing Amethyst to have a proper look at Steven. "Dang, look at this guy, all armored up! Looking good, Ste-man!"

Steven blushed, scratching the back of his head. Or trying too, anyway. The helmet made it incredibly difficult. "Thanks, Amethyst. Your armor looks really cool too!"

"Aw, thanks! I try."

As the two younger gems continued to talk, Pearl huffed and folded her arms, tapping her foot impatiently. "What is taking those two so long? At this rate, the sun will be up before we even reach the battlefield!"

"Don't get your tasset in a twist, P; they'll be here."

"We are here." Standing in the now open doorway were Garnet and Connie, fully decked out in their armor. The early morning light, or lack thereof, made it difficult to distinguish the crimson and black of Garnet's armor from Connie's gray, but to Steven, they both looked awesome. Everyone looked awesome.

"Steven!"

"Connie!" The pair ran at each other full force as Pearl looked on, a proud grin plastered across her face. "You two look so adorable!" she said. They couldn't hear her over their excited chatter.

"Your armor looks so cool! D'you think Lisa would've worn something like this if she were a knight?"

"Maybe! And I love the emblem on the chestplate; is that your mom's symbol or something? All of the ones we looked at had it."

"Yup! Isn't it cool?"

"Totally!"

"All right, you two, settle down." Garnet dropped her hands onto their heads, stopping them in place. "Remember why we're here."

"Yes, Garnet!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Pearl clapped her hands together, the metallic sound echoing through the house. "All right, so is everyone ready to go? Armor in place? Weapons ready?"

"Oh, wait just a minute!" Connie ran over to coffee table, rummaging through her backpack for something. "Aha!" With a cry of victory, she pulled out her phone. Taking off one of her gauntlets, she turned to the others and said, "Let's take a picture first! All of us together!"

"Connie, while I am a bit fond of the idea, I really don't think we should waste time taking—"

"Aw, yeah, let's do it! Group picture!"

"Wh—Amethyst! We don't have time for—!"

"Eh, we've got some time. One picture won't hurt."

"But Garnet!"

"Come on, Pearl, it'll be fun! Right, Connie?"

"Steven's right, Pearl. Come take a picture with us!"

"Oh, all right. But let's do this quickly; the sky is brightening."

Once the five of them were in position, Connie held her arm out, making sure all of them fit in the small frame. "All right, everyone, say cheese!"

"What? I don't see any—" Click. "Ack! Delete that immediately! I wasn't ready!"

"Ha! You look hilarious, Pearl! Don't delete it, Connie!"

"If you like, Pearl, we can just take another one?"

"Thank you, Connie."

"Aw, what? Aren't you the one that said we needed to get going, P? Isn't this a bit hypocritical?"

"I—well, yes, but—"

"All right, let's hurry this up; I can see the sun."

After another, more successful photo (by Pearl's standards, anyway. Amethyst would disagree), Connie stowed her phone away in her bag and grabbed her sword and shield. "All right, I'm ready!" she said, raising her visor. "Are we going?"

Pearl looked around the room, scanning everyone one more time before nodding. "I believe that's everything. Shall we depart?"

"Let's roll!" Amethyst hurried toward the warp pad, followed immediately by Connie and Steven. Pearl just sighed and walked behind them, Garnet following closely behind. Once everyone managed to squeeze onto the warp pad, Steven and Connie on Garnet's shoulders, Amethyst activated it. A bright light filled the house, painting the walls a brilliant shade of turquoise, before disappearing the very next moment, taking with it all life in the house.

Outside, the sun was just beginning to creep over the horizon, shining a beam of pale golden light across the sea. Birds started to sing, a few crabs scuttled out of the sand, and a couple of shops on the boardwalk began setting up for the day. To the unaware and uninvolved, this marked the start of a day just like any other. To the five beings in the warp stream, however, this was the start of something else entirely.

A/N: I realize this isn't Legend of Korra, but I am currently suffering from writer's block and this is the only thing I could make work. I would've drawn it out, but then I remembered I don't have the patience for something so long and colorful. Anyway, hope you liked it, and let me know what you thought of it! Was the pacing weird? Was the characterization off? Did I get the purpose of vambraces wrong? I won't know unless you tell me! But anyway, thanks again!