A/N: Hi guys! This is my first fanfic and I hope you enjoy this. I do have to warn people, this is a pretty serious topic. Worst part is this is based off a true story so the major events in this fic did actually happen to someone. I might even change the rating from T to M. We'll see. Anyways, pease enjoy :)
"Hate. It has caused a lot of problems in this world, but it has not solved one yet." -Maya Angelou
Beach City is a small town, to say the least. It's a town where everybody knows everybody. Or at least, if you didn't know someone, you knew someone who knows them. News always spread quicker than wildfire, and rumors never stayed just "rumors." However the perks of living in such a small town included getting around town a lot faster. Everyhting seemed like walking distance. That's why Steven was confused when Connie was fifteen minutes late.
"I don't understand. Connie's never been this late before…"
Steven waited at the window, growing impatient. Connie was supposed to go on a mission with him and Pearl again today. Ever since Jasper, and ever since their continued fusion training, Connie has wanted to try fighting with a gem monster again. So when Steven called saying they needed her to go on a mission with them, she readily agreed. So where was she?
"Hmm. I hope everything's okay. This kind of tardiness isn't like her." Pearl commented. "You don't think she would suddenly cancel on us, do you?"
"Why would she? She sounded so excited!" Steven sighed. "I don't think she would chicken out either…"
"Connie's a chicken…?"
"No, no. It's an expression. Its means she bailed because she's scared. Which she didn't. She wouldn't." Steven explained to the confused gem.
"Oh. Well I agree she wouldn't. But I still don't see how comparing her to a farm animal implies that she-"
"Oh! Wait! There she is! She's coming up the steps!"
Connie ran in through the door, panting. "So sorry I'm late!" She set her bag down, wiping sweat from her forehead. "The road I usually take to get here was closed, so I had to take the long way around!"
"Closed? Why would they 'close' a road?" Steven asked.
"It happens. I think there was some construction going on. I couldn't tell." Connie started searching through her fencing bag. "It's about time too. That road needs to be re-paved. Its practially falling apart."
"Well whatever the reason, we still have a mission to go on. Are you two ready?" Pearl asked, walking towards the warp pad.
"Yes ma'am!" Connie said, pulling out Rose's sword from the bag. Steven nodded in agreement. "Ready!" Then they ran onto the warp pad with their mentor. In a beam of light, the three traveled to their destination, ready to fight.
Earlier that day...
Laramie Road was an ideal place for people who liked to ride bikes, jog, hike, et cetera. It's a long, narrow stretch of land with not many steep slopes, a gorgeous view over the ocean, and it was a handy shortcut from the suburb of Beach City, down to the sea side. It's the same road Connie liked to take to Steven's home. Now a days, the road has become too jagged for regular passers by.
A cyclist by the name of Brock was making his way down this road. He was training for Ocean Town's upcoming bike race. Brock knew it was going to be challenging race. Geographically, Ocean Town had many hills, sandy beaches, and rocky roads all in one town. Practicing laps around Beach City was a perfect way of training. He figured there wouldnt be as many tourists or trainees in Beach City either, so that was a bonus. Brock also thought that Laramie Road was an ideal road for getting used to bumpy environments. Even though it was slightly dangerous.
He had already biked six miles, and was determined to get in seven miles by sundown. Being somewhat new to this whole "training for a twenty mile race", he relaized how difficult this was going to be. As he pedalled, he had sweat dripping down his forehead, but he forced his tired legs to push him further down the path. Brock panted and weazed shallow breaths, almost ready to quit. Unfortunately, he was so focused on his exhuastion, he didn't notice the rock in his path. His front tire collided with the rock, halting his bicycle, and sending Brock flying over a handle bars. Brock landed on his side roughly, scraping his elbow, forearm and hip. Luckily for him, he had a helmet on.
Groaning and sitting up, he examined his wounds. Nothing major, but he knew he needed to be more careful if he were to come down this road again... which he probably shouldnt. Standing up, he reached to pick up his bike, until he noticed something.
On the fence outlining Laramie Road, ahead of Brock about fifty feet, a figure was slumped against the fence. Brock squinted, using a hand to sheild the sun in his eyes. It almost looked like... a person? Brock picked up his bike and walked closer to the figure. It almost seems like a scarecrow. Skinny, lifeless. Why would there be a scarecrow here though? What was it supposed to scare away? This could be a prank. Just to freak some tourists out or something. But tourists never come down this road. Hardly anyone does anymore. Who were they expected to scare? The closer Brock got, the less he was convinced this was any kind of joke.
The thing Brock saw in front of him wasn't a scarecrow. It wasn't a prank. It wasn't even a thing at all. It was a person.
That's all he needed to know before he pedalled back into town, determined to get help.
"Whew. Glad that's taken care of!" Pearl said thankfully as she sent their newly bubbled gem into Garnet's room. The three of them had just warped back into the house, and Steven couldn't have been more excited for Connie.
"I can't believe how insane that was! I thought that thing was gonna crush you! But then you did that thing, and dodged it- then you cut off that tentacle thing! Then you- just- aw man it was cool!"
Connie blushed at Steven's praise. "Well you helped! I liked how you used your shield and hit the monster in three of it's eyes! You practically blinded it!"
Steven chuckled. Pearl smiled at the two. "You both did an excellent job today. Next time Garnet will come with us. I think during our next mission, she'll want to see Stevonnie in action."
"Yes ma'am!" Connie beamed, then she walked into the living room where she had previously left her stuff. She reached into her bag and retrieved her cellphone. She had a new message from her mother. "Huh. Steven do you think your dad can give me a ride home? My mom had an emergency down at the hospital, and without that shortcut I don't want to walk home."
"Yeah sure! I don't think he'll mind. Here, I'll walk you down to the car wash." Steven offered. He helped Connie with her fencing stuff and held the door open. "Ms. Knight" he said, cordially. Connie chuckled. "Thank you kind sir!" They both giggled as they were leaving. Steven yelled over his shoulder, "I'll be back soon Pearl!"
"Okay! Just don't be out too late! Be careful!" Pearl yelled back as the front door slammed shut.
Steven and Connie recounted their adventures from that day and joked around some more as they approached Greg's car wash. Greg was listening to the radio, humming along as he waxed his Dondai. He was so caught up in his job, he didn't notice his son and his bestfriend approaching.
"Hey dad!" Steven called out.
Greg turned around, "Hey Schtu-ball! Hey Connie! Glad you're here! I want your opinion."
"Dad we already had this debate. The Snake Skins will always be a better band than The Reptiles!"
"Not the opinion I was looking for, but I still think you're wrong. Now, what I want to know is which wax do you think looks better on the Dondai?" Greg held up two different containers of wax. "The Wax King's Wax, or Mr. Miyagi's Wax?"
Steven and Connie examined the two spots on the car where Greg had been waxing. "I'm not sure..." Steven said.
"What's the different between the two?" Connie asked.
"Well you see the wax in this has... Well the King's wax is... and the uhh... I actually have no idea." Greg admitted. Steven shook his head. "We'll decide later. Anyways, can you give Connie a ride home?"
"Well sure! Hop on in!" Greg opened the car door for Connie. "Steven I can drop you off back at the house afterwards."
"Okay!" Steven hopped into the car next to Connie, and Greg started the car. Pulling out of the driveway, Greg forgot about the radio he was using to listen to music. As it continued playing rock and roll hits, it was suddenly interuptted.
"We interuppt the Top Ten Rock and Roll Hits playlist for an important news flash. Last night a 21 year old homosexual male was kidnapped, beaten, robbed and was tied to a fence left to die. He was found this afternoon by a cyclist and is now in the Beach City hospital, and he is in critical condition. Sources say he was tortured and robbed because of his sexual orientation. As of now this is the first hate crime we've seen in Beach City thus far..."
A/N: Sorry I have to end it here. But I'll try to get the next chapter out sometime this week. Hope you liked it and please let me know what you think! Review, PM, favorite, follow, whatever! I'll see you in the next chapter! Buh-bye!
