*****DISCLAIMER*****
None of the Steven Universe characters belong to me. This story is purely a work of fiction, purposed for entertainment. Also, I started writing this story before "Room for Ruby," and thus this story doesn't exactly correlate with that. Also, some content could be seen as borderline disturbing. I guess my imagination is like that. :3
Enjoy!
Steven Universe: Black Hole
1
Steven woke up to the piercing noise of the Wailing Stone. He'd forgotten they still had that thing. He covered his ears, and climbed out of bed. He could see the other three downstairs, doing the same. Garnet was trying to find the Wailing Stone, it seemed. Why was this thing going off again? Garnet summoned her left hand gauntlet, and punched through the closet doors next to the couch. Nothing. Pearl took a glance out the window, and pointed outside. How did it get on the beach? Too many questions, but Steven needed to think straight at least before he could get any answers. The four of them walked out the front door. The sun was just beginning to rise over the ocean. Garnet put her hand in front of the other three, telling them to stay there for now. She jumped down to the beach, briskly walking over to the Wailing Stone. Garnet then picked it up, a look of extreme pain plastered on her face. She walked as fast as she possibly could over to the water. She placed it underwater. The sound wasn't gone, but it was quiet enough to talk, at least.
"We have to go get Greg!" Amethyst shouted. Both Steven and Pearl nodded. Steven went back in the house and got dressed and ready. The four of them arrived at the car wash, surprised to see that Greg was already awake, and getting his sound equipment in the back of the van.
"Hey, guys." he greeted. "I heard that noise again, and I thought you'd need my help again. "
"Are you sure you're up for this? It's still pretty early." Steven asked, concerned. Greg patted Steven on the head and yawned.
"Don't worry, Shtoo-ball. I can handle that deafening noise. I guess?" Greg said. Greg and the Gems got in the van, and drove back down to the beach. Large waves were being sent off from the spot where the stone was placed beneath the surface. Greg and co got out, and set up the sound equipment on the beach. Greg gave the thumbs up, and put on some headphones that muffled the noise. Garnet picked the stone up again, and placed it in front of the equipment. Greg picked up his microphone, and repeated the process from before. They tried to see if it was a video transmission, but that didn't seem to be the case. All that was displayed on the TV was shifting waves of static pixels. Instead, they switched to audio reading, which proved to be more successful. After a bit of tweaking, they discovered what sounded like a pattern of beeping, almost like morse code.
"What's that noise?" Steven asked to nobody in particular.
"It sounds like a Homeworld distress signal," Pearl explained. "Yet, something about it seems...different."
"What do you mean?" Steven asked.
"I mean, the pattern seems slower. Less panicked. Usually, a distress signal is transmitted when a Gem is in distress." Pearl replied.
"Y'know, it might be from Peridot or Lapis." Amethyst said. Steven considered this to be a possibility, but as he thought it over in-depth, he would see no reason for either of those two to send off a distress signal at this point.
"I don't think so," Steven determined. "It could even be from those Rubies we left in the asteroid belt." Steven turned to Garnet, who was standing just beside him. "You think we should go check?" he asked. Garnet stood there, deep in thought.
"No. The Rubies didn't have any way to send off a signal to anybody." she said.
"Good point." Steven said.
"But," Garnet began. "You might be onto something with the thought of it being from space. Where it is and how far away from here, I'm not sure." Garnet looked over at the muffled Wailing Stone. "Maybe, if we had a way to detect the proximity of the source, we'd be able to find it easier."
"Detect the proximity of the source? You mean, like play a game of 'Hotter, Colder?'" Steven clarified. "Sure." was the reply. The Wailing Stone quieted down, and Steven's ears rang for a few seconds, getting used to the silence. Greg was thanked, before heading back to the car wash. The four Gems went over to the Ruby ship, stored along the coastline. They boarded the ship, Amethyst carrying the stone and microphone. They took off, and headed for the asteroid belt. They had to be sure it wasn't the Rubies. As they got closer, and reactivated the stone, they realized that the signal was still relatively weak. They circled around to multiple locations around Earth, and only got a stronger signal when up near the Great North. It took them about 30 minutes before they were able to track down the source clearly.
"My Diamond," Yellow Pearl said, saluting. Yellow Diamond sat upon her seat, still towering above the Pearl. She was observing a holographic monitor, showing statistics and simulations of her plans.
"Speak." she said in a cold, emotionless voice.
"Our sensors have detected an unauthorized pod, presumably piloted by the Rubies we sent to Earth a few mo-"
"Get to the point." Yellow Diamond interrupted.
"They are heading towards...the black hole." the Pearl finished. Yellow Diamond looked away from her screen, staring at the Pearl. Her face displayed no emotion or feeling, yet her eyes were widened with shock.
"I must stop them myself, if that is the case. Tell the pilots to set new coordinates." she said.
"At once, my Diamond." said the Pearl. "But, what if they do not intend to encounter the black hole?"
"Whether or not they intend on doing so, they will encounter it regardless. It can only be assumed that their curiosity and stupidity will drive them towards it." Yellow Diamond said. Yellow Pearl saluted her, and left the room to inform the pilots. Yellow Diamond stood up, and walked over to her mural on the wall. She stared at it, hoping to gain confidence. To gain courage.
"I will not let you return." she said, seemingly to herself.
2
Steven and the Gems were getting closer to the source of the noise. They shut off the stone, as the noise was growing to be deafening, and they looked out the windows to see what they were searching for. They couldn't see much of anything. However, one thing that they did find to be interesting was a dark spot in between a cluster of stars, bending the light around it.
"Is that what I think it is?" Amethyst asked.
"Yep." Pearl replied. "That's a black hole."
"The signal couldn't be coming from there, could it?" Amethyst asked.
"I don't know." Garnet said, fear in her voice rising. "I can't seem to use my future vision here. I-I'm not sure what's going to happen." Steven hugged Garnet, giving her reassurance and comfort. Garnet took a deep breath. "We came here to find the source of the signal," she said. "We did. Let's go, now."
"But, we don't know how or why the signal was created!" Pearl said, paranoid.
"I can go out and take a closer look, if you guys want." Steven volunteered. The three Gems looked at each other. Garnet looked unsure, and seemed to oppose this proposition. Pearl looked extremely worried and concerned, almost a bit sad. Amethyst was completely confused, and could not decide what the right option would be. She shrugged to express her bewilderment.
"I can just bubble myself. Amethyst could even use her whip to keep me tethered." Steven added. The Gems thought about this more, and finally came to their decision.
"Alright," Garnet said. "But, not too close." They steered the ship forward a bit, getting slightly closer to the black hole. They could feel the pull of it slowly luring them in, so they had to be quick about this. Steven bubbled himself, and Amethyst wrapped her whip around the bubble. The doors to the ship were opened, and Steven was pulled out. Amethyst panicked, and started sliding, losing her grip on Steven. Garnet and Pearl grabbed hold of her, keeping her planted in the ship. Steven was just on the edge of the event horizon. He tried to see inside the field of the black hole, but the light manipulation made it hard for him to distinguish anything. A bright light shouted through the darkness of the area. A loud, powerful voice boomed through the area.
"ATTENTION! YOU ARE UNAUTHORIZED, AND ARE NOT PERMITTED TO BE WITHIN THIS AREA. VACATE THIS PLACE IMMEDIATELY, OR BE ERADICATED!" It said. The four looked over to the light, and could make out the faint outline of a giant, yellow arm.
"It's Yellow Diamond!" Pearl screamed. "Pull Steven back in, Amethyst!" Amethyst nodded, and started pulling Steven back into the ship. The pull of the black hole was too strong, and it was extremely difficult to pull Steven away.
"VACATE THIS PLACE! NOW!" The voice ordered. A low electrical sound was audible, and this suggested that the ship was charging its weapons.
"Pull him back in!" Pearl shouted in a panicked voice.
"I'm trying!" Amethyst said through clenched teeth. The other two joined in, using all of their strength to try and bring Steven back on board. The whip was stretching out too far, and it was getting increasingly difficult for Amethyst to maintain it. Steven just sat in his bubble, unable to do anything. Amethyst's strength was weakening, and she lost focus. Her whip disappeared, and Steven's bubble was torn to shreds. Steven himself, seemed to have vanished from existence. The three gems screamed in both pain and despair, and stumbled back inside the ship.
Yellow Diamond, standing next to the pilots in the cockpit, stared on as Steven was sucked into the black hole. On the surface, she only displayed a look that implied that she did not care about the loss of this human. But, she thought in the back of her mind: What if he was able to make it through? Alive?
"Alert Blue Diamond," Yellow Diamond said. " she needs to see this."
"But, why exactly?" asked one of the pilots.
"Do not ask questions! Alert Blue Diamond at once!" she ordered.
"Y-yes, my Diamond." said the pilot. Both Yellow Diamond and her Pearl walked to the back of the ship.
"My Diamond," Yellow Pearl said. "I have only heard rumors and stories about the black hole. What exactly is it that concerns you so much?"
"You do not have the authority, nor the proper reasoning, to ask questions." Yellow Diamond responded. She sat down in her seat at the center of the ship. She put down her hand, allowing her Pearl to be escalated up. Yellow Diamond sighed, and then spoke.
"I cannot, and will not, tell you everything. All that I will tell you, is that there was an event. It happened millions of years ago, and it involved all of us Diamonds. If that human survived, and is able to come back through, then he will unknowingly unleash a great threat that I would rather not deal with again."
3
Steven felt scared, confused, and panicked. He couldn't breathe, yet he didn't feel the need to. He moved his head around. At first, he thought his eyes were closed, but he soon saw a faint, distant glow. A light brown glow. He tried to move over to it, somehow. He tried the swimming motions. Nothing. All he could see was an ocean of infinite darkness, and the somewhat comforting light brown glow. He bubbled himself, and tried the trick where he bubbles nearby objects. He was just barely able to reach the glow, but was still able to drag it towards him. He looked it over, and saw it was another bubble. A gem bubble. He couldn't quite see what was being kept in there, though. He tried to call back out to his friends, yet found that the sounds he made echoed, descending in pitch with each reverberation. Sound could not escape. Light could not escape. He could not escape. He tried again to swim back to where he thought the entrance might be, yet he was still unable to. Steven started to feel uneasy. He started to feel sick, and terrified. He came to the realization that he may never get out of the black hole. He may never see the Gems again. He curled into the fetal position, and began to cry. The sounds of his sobs echoed in that strange way again, making him feel even worse. Miraculously, a long, robotic arm reached in. He got rid of his bubble shield, and grabbed on. He was being pulled back, and kept the mysterious gem bubble with him. He felt a strange sensation, as if every angle of his body were being pulled on with great force. His eyes were, once again, curtained by a bright light. As he focused, he could see the Ruby ship he arrived on, and a levitating platform with about a dozen or so Amethysts and Jaspers.
"My Diamond, Blue Diamond has received the message. She will arrive shortly." said one of the pilots, over holographic communication, to Yellow Diamond.
"Good." Yellow Diamond said.
"About 20 Amethysts and Jaspers were sent out to retrieve the human in the black hole, as well."
"WHAT?!" Yellow Diamond destroyed her holographic communicator, and stormed up to the cockpit. She entered with an unbridled rage.
"DID I GIVE YOU AUTHORIZATION TO RESCUE THAT SACK OF MEAT?!" she demanded.
"N-no, my Diamond." came the reply. Yellow Diamond looked out the window, just in time to see Steven be pulled out from the black hole. Yellow Diamond's face drained of all anger, and instead filled with a look of fear. She saw that Steven was carrying the bubbled gem from the black hole, and looked on in dread at the wretched bubble.
"No." she whispered to herself. Yellow Diamond looked back at the pilot. "Do you realize what you've just done?" she asked in a terrified voice. The pilot shook her head. Yellow Diamond looked back out, and saw that the Amethysts and Jaspers were leading Steven and the Gems onto the ship. "You're better off not knowing." Yellow Diamond said.
4
Steven was handed over to the group of Amethysts and Jaspers, and carried over to Yellow Diamond's ship. Once inside, he un-bubbled, and saw the other three Gems across from him. They looked around for a bit (except for Pearl, who was endlessly sobbing), before noticing Steven. The three of them ran over to him, but were cut off when three Jaspers restrained them.
"Yellow Diamond would like to speak with that one personally." they said. Steven was then grabbed by five Rubies. He was taken down multiple hallways, until he came to a large, open doorway. A bright, yellow glow poured out onto the surrounding area. Steven was pushed through the doorway, and the door closed behind him. He looked around for a bit, and could barely see through this stabbing yellow. His arm was grabbed by skinny fingers.
"This way." said a nasally voice. He was led to some stairs, and then up to a giant chair. A throne, even. "Wait here." said the voice. Steven's eyes were beginning to adjust, and he could make out shapes better. Then he could see whole outlines. Then he could see intricate details. He looked to the source of the voice, and saw that it was Yellow Pearl.
"Oh. Um, hi Yellow Pearl?" Steven said. Yellow Pearl just looked at him in confusion, and slight hatred. She then stared off at nothing, awaiting the arrival of Yellow Diamond. After what felt like hours, the giant door in front of them finally opened. Steven's muscles tensed up. He was frozen in fear. Yellow Diamond walked through the doorway, proving to be a skyscraper compared to Steven. He looked up at her, his eyes wide, his teeth clenched. Yellow Diamond sat down in her throne, and picked up Steven, making a platform with her palm.
"I assume you are 'Steven?'" Yellow Diamond asked. Steven rapidly nodded, staring at Yellow Diamond's face in sheer terror. "Calm yourself. I'm not going to hurt you," she said. She then looked at the bubble Steven held. "Unless I have to." Steven whimpered at this statement. "What you currently possess is an extremely powerful, and dangerous, gem. If you were ever to mistakenly release her, then you will have sealed the fate of every gem in the galaxy." Yellow Diamond said. Yellow Pearl, standing on the arm of the chair, looked up at her Diamond in shock and realization.
"You don't mean...her?" the Pearl asked. Yellow Diamond nodded. Yellow Pearl then decided it was her turn to tense up, staring off at the wall in front of her with a look of dread and horror.
"W-what do y-you mean, 'her?'" Steven asked in a shaky voice. Yellow Diamond looked at him, a look of seriousness and fear in her eyes.
"You needn't worry. So long as you give it back to me, there is no need to be concerned about it." Yellow Diamond said, laying out her other hand to be given the bubble. Steven looked at her hand, wondering what he should do. Suddenly, curiousness and determination overtook all other emotions and thoughts.
"No!" he declared. Yellow Pearl looked up at Steven, her eyes wide with surprise and shock. She then started shaking her head rapidly. Yellow Diamond, however, glared at Steven with pure hatred and anger.
"What did you say?!" Yellow Diamond asked, the anger in her voice increasing.
"I said 'no!'" Steven repeated. "Until I start getting some answers, I'm going to keep this! Heck, I might even let her out!" Yellow Diamond's anger was replaced with fear and worry.
"NO! WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT RELEASE THAT GEM!" she shouted. Steven, too, was filled with fear, and he curled up into a ball. The door opened again, and Blue Diamond entered the room, her Pearl standing on her shoulder.
"I received your message, Yellow. Is it true?" she asked, a hint of concern in her voice.
"See for yourself." Yellow Diamond said, displaying Steven and the bubble. Blue Diamond took one look at the bubble, and backed away, covering her mouth with both of her hands. Blue Diamond began to cry.
"She is contained," Yellow Diamond said. "For now. This 'Steven' threatened to release her." Blue Diamond then looked at Steven.
"I didn't mean it!" he said. "I'm sorry! Please, just let me see my friends again!" Blue Diamond then looked to Yellow Diamond, who returned her gaze.
"If you give the Gem to us, we will let you reunite with your friends, and return home undisturbed." Blue Diamond said, in her most comforting and sympathetic voice. Steven looked at her, and nodded somberly. He stood up, and presented the bubble to them. Blue Diamond took it, and walked out of the room. Yellow Diamond sighed with relief, and freed Steven of the room.
Steven, as he exited, saw Blue Diamond give the bubbled Gem to a Ruby. Steven remembered how clumsy most Rubies were, and thought about if the Ruby could pop the bubble. As Steven thought for a moment, he realized the possibilities of the Gem being freed were many. Steven ran over to the Ruby, who carried the bubble. The Ruby was just about to trip and fall, but Steven caught the bubble just in time. The Ruby glared at Steven, ready to attack.
"No, Ruby." Blue Diamond said. "He's a friend." The Ruby looked at Blue Diamond, and then back at Steven.
"Take it to the loading dock." The Ruby said.
"How do I get there?" Steven asked. The Ruby pointed to a hallway just across from them. Steven was heading to the hallway, when he saw the Gems down a large corridor to the left of him. Steven ran towards them, forgetting all about the bubbled Gem. The three Gems saw him too, and ran over to greet him as well. They hugged as a group, putting all of their force into their embrace.
"Steven! We thought you'd been killed!" Pearl said, on the verge of tears again.
"Yeah! We saw your bubble get torn apart when you got near the black hole!" Amethyst added.
"We missed you, Steven. Glad to see you're okay." Garnet said.
"Aww, thanks!" Steven said. "Yeah, inside the black hole was really weird and scary. Whenever I made a noise, it made this strange echo all over the place."
"That's probably because no form of energy could ever escape a black hole." Pearl said.
"Except you." Garnet said, sweetly. The four of them hugged again. Steven was so engaged in the moment, that he completely forgot the bubbled Gem he was carrying. The bubble slipped out from his hand, and fell to the ground, breaking it. Everyone turned around, and saw the Gem that was trapped within the bubble this whole time. A black diamond.
5
Steven rushed over to the exposed Gem, in an effort to bubble it again, but by the time he got there, he was too late. Just as the tips of his fingers stroked the edge of the Gem, it levitated up, far beyond the reach of any of them. The black diamond began to glow, projecting white beams of light around it. Blue Diamond, who was walking towards the exit, noticed this glowing out of the corner of her eye. Once she turned and saw what was happening, however, her heart sank. Every single thought in her head was cut off, redirected towards the return of the Diamond. Blue Diamond crouched on the floor, crying uncontrollably in fear. The white glow took the shape of a gigantic female. Then came a robe, a hood, and a high collar. Then came the details and color. As the new Diamond slowly descended, more and more details were visible. She seemed to have natural limb enhancers, like the ones Peridot had, on her hands. The fingers of this, however, were edgier and sharper. She wore a long, dark robe with two or three diamonds in the middle, spread out. There was a collar that looked similar to that of a pirate's, that rose up to the back of her head. She wore a hood, black as the deepest night, which hid her forehead. Her diamond, on her forehead, protruded through the hood. Her skin was an ash grey, which held a menacing face. She had two deep slits for a nose, and a permanent scowl plastered on her face. Her eyes had the black diamond pupils, yet no apparent irises. She turned towards the group, her eyes gravitating towards Steven. Steven falls back, shaking like a leaf. Black Diamond looked at the others, maintaining the dreadful scowl on her face, as if she were a sculpture with moving eyes.
"B-Black Diamond?" Blue Diamond greeted. Black Diamond merely looked at her, expecting elaboration. "What would be the last thing you remember?" Blue Diamond questioned. Black Diamond began to slowly advance towards her, their eyes locked.
"The last thing I remember," Black Diamond spoke, her voice cold and eerie, yet soft and comforting. Like a mother hushing her baby to sleep. "Is the four of you destroying my physical form. Accusing me of wrongdoing." Black Diamond smiled evilly, displaying her sharp, rigid teeth.
"E-excuse m-me, Black D-D-Diamond?" Steven said, his voice drowned in pure terror. Black Diamond turned to Steven, her initial monotone expression returning. "I-I freed you from t-the bubble." Steven said.
"Did you?" Black Diamond asked, a kind voice that may have been imitation. "Well, I suppose I should thank you. What would I call you, then?"
"S-Steven. Steven Quartz U-Universe." he replied. The other Gems looked on in surprise and fear as the two conversed. Black Diamond walked over to Steven, a smile forming on her face. This smile seemed genuine, yet it could not be determined certainly.
"Pleasure, Steven Quartz." Black Diamond said. Black Diamond's head then shot back up, and her smile slowly faded.
"Blue," Black Diamond began. "I have noticed that you and I are currently the only two Diamonds present. Where are the other three?"
"W-well," Blue Diamond said. "Yellow is in her control room, White has disappeared, and Pink," Blue Diamond looked up at Black Diamond, an expression of true sorrow overcoming her. "Pink was shattered." Black Diamond did not react to this information, and held her stare. She kept this for about a minute before speaking again.
"She never was my favorite, anyway." Black Diamond said, devoid of all emotion. Black Diamond looked back at Steven. "Come, Steven Quartz. I have a few questions to ask Yellow Diamond." she motioned for him to follow her. "The rest of you, stay here until I return." Blue Diamond stood up, moving over to the other three Gems. Steven reluctantly began to follow Black Diamond, who stopped after turning the corner. She looked down at Steven. "Direct me. This ship is unfamiliar." she said. Steven walked in front of her, and uncomfortably walked back to Yellow Diamond's control room. The big door opened, and Yellow Diamond sat in her chair. She was looking at a holographic monitor. Yellow Pearl, however, looked over at Black Diamond, and froze in fear. The Pearl poked Yellow Diamond's shoulder.
"What is it, Pearl?" Yellow Diamond asked, still distracted by her screen. Yellow Diamond then turned her head, and noticed Black Diamond standing in the doorway. Yellow Diamond's eyes went wide, and she shot up to her feet.
"Hello." Black Diamond said, her voice menacing.
"Black Diamond!" Yellow Diamond said. "I didn't expect to see you!" Black Diamond walked towards her slowly, taking big strides.
"I could tell. Now, answer my questions, Yellow." Black Diamond said. "How long has it been since I previously roamed?"
"About 7 million years!" Yellow Diamond replied, sounding like a soldier being confronted by their superior. Black Diamond vaguely flinched at this information.
"Where are my subjects?" Black Diamond asked.
"I am not sure I understand!" Yellow Diamond said.
"MY SERVANTS! MY GEMS! THOSE I FREED!" Black Diamond clarified angrily.
"We bubbled them away in a temple! I was not the one who put them there!" Yellow Diamond replied.
"Then who did?" Black Diamond asked.
"Blue Diamond!" Yellow Diamond said. Black Diamond stared at Yellow Diamond, an evil smile crawling across her face. Black Diamond then saw Yellow Pearl, trembling on the arm of the chair.
"I assume you belong to Yellow?" Black Diamond asked. Yellow Pearl nodded. "Are you aware of what happened to her previous Pearls?" Yellow Diamond turned to Black Diamond, her eyes widened. Yellow Pearl shook her head. Black Diamond's grin grew even wider, and she chuckled. "Then, perhaps she'd be willing to tell you sometime." Black Diamond said, looking at Yellow Diamond. Black Diamond turned back towards the door and left, Steven following her. Black Diamond went back to the spot where the other Gems were, yet found that Blue Diamond was gone. The three other Gems readied their weapons, pointing them towards Black Diamond.
"Blue Diamond told us what you are!" Pearl said. "She told us what you did!" Black Diamond looked at Pearl, ignoring her statement. Black Diamond slowly started walking towards them.
"Don't hurt them!" Steven said. Black Diamond stopped, and turned around towards Steven. She gave him a confused look.
"I do not hurt things." she said. "I do not kill things. I free things." Black Diamond looked back at Pearl. "However, I am in need of a Pearl. At least, until I find my Gems." Pearl started to shake, the courage and determination in her fading. Black Diamond reached down to her. Pearl tried to run, but was restrained by Black Diamond's floating fingers. Garnet and Amethyst attacked Black Diamond, hitting her with all their might, but found they had no effect. Black Diamond kept Pearl in her palm, and lifted her up far above the ground. She poked Pearl's gem with one of her fingers, smiling as she did so. Pearl seemed to flinch at this.
"Put her down!" Steven demanded. Black Diamond turned towards Steven.
"You do not order me, nor do you interrupt her freedom." Black Diamond said. She looked back at Pearl. "However, the slow process is usually better." Black Diamond slowly lowered Pearl to the ground, her weapon disappearing. Pearl collapsed on the ground, falling unconscious.
6
"What did you do to her?!" Steven interrogated. Black Diamond walked towards the front of the ship, at least where she thought it would be.
"I freed her, Steven Quartz." Black Diamond responded frigidly. "That's all I do to the Gems of Homeworld. I free them."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Steven asked, full of rage and confusion. Black Diamond turned around towards Steven, and crouched in front of him. She wore a giddy smile on her face that was almost frightening. Her eyes were manic and wide with joy.
"You'll see." she said in a quiet, sinister voice. She returned to her objective, leaving Steven behind. Steven merely stood there, eyes welling up with tears. Steven rushed back to the others, who were huddled around Pearl. Garnet lifted her up, and carried her in her arms.
"The Ruby ship is down in the loading dock." Garnet said.
"How do you know?" Steven asked. Garnet merely adjusted her visor. Future vision. The the four of them walked over to the hallway Steven was supposed to go to initially. They walked down, and saw piles of boxes, all of different colors. Over on one section of the floor, a cleared area, was a giant hatch. It must be the door used to transfer supplies. Amethyst nudged Garnet, and pointed over to the Ruby ship on top of a box pile. The group walked over to it, and Amethyst had to hole Pearl while Garnet got the ship down. Once the ship was placed on the floor, the four of them entered. Garnet placed Pearl in a chair for the time being. She, then, walked over to the main terminal on the ship.
"How are we going to even get out of here, Garnet?" Steven asked. Garnet looked around the place, and remembered the hatch they saw.
"Steven, go find a way to open the floor hatch." she said. "But, once you do, don't activate it. Okay?" Steven nodded, and exited the craft. He walked around for a bit, until he came across a control panel in front of the hatch, protruding from the floor. He went over to it, and was dumbfounded by all the random patterns and shapes.
"HALT!" sounded a voice behind him. He turned around, and saw a Jasper standing a few feet away from him. "By order of Yellow Diamond, you are to be locked in a prison until...she is contained." The Jasper started walking towards him, holding glowing, yellow handcuffs. Steven had to act quickly. He tried everything in a random order on the panel, hoping for something to happen. The Jasper was nearly upon him, and Steven opened the hatch just as the Jasper took a hold of him. The surrounding air was sucked out instantly, and the Jasper was pulled out in a flash. Steven held onto the panel, keeping a firm grip on it. The Ruby ship hovered over to him, and the door to it opened, revealing Amethyst standing there, reaching out to Steven. He grabbed a hold, and was pulled into the ship. The door closed, and the four of them were blasted out into space. They flew away from the Diamond's ships as fast as possible, and headed for home.
7
Once they landed back on the beach, Amethyst carried Pearl to the house. They laid her on the couch, and placing a set of tea on the coffee table.
"Pearl likes the smell of tea. It usually brings her back to good spirits." Garnet said, although a hint of uncertainty was audible in her statement. Steven took a close look at Pearl's gem, and noticed something strange about it.
"Hey, guys?" he said. Amethyst and Garnet, who were sitting on the couch next to Pearl, looked at Steven. "Was Pearl's gem always...grey?" he asked. Garnet and Amethyst looked puzzled at this question. They looked at Pearl's gem, and saw Steven was right. It was a smoky, grey color rather than white. Pearl's skin, as well, was beginning to darken just a tad.
"It must be something Black Diamond did." Garnet said.
"What, like, corruption?" Amethyst asked.
"Maybe." Garnet said. Steven went upstairs, and grabbed the blanket off of his bed. He went back down next to Pearls, and laid the blanket over her.
"She might be cold." he said. Pearl lay there, motionless, yet breathing. Her Gem was beginning to look dark around the edges of it, and her eyes remained closed. She was stuck in what seemed to be an eternal sleep. A coma.
This situation carried on throughout another week, and the three of them had nothing to do. Usually, they would have a great Gem crisis to attend to, yet they were constantly worried about Pearl's state of being. Steven silently spoke about Black Diamond in a less-than-friendly manner. Garnet spent most of her time on the couch, monitoring Pearl's condition, and hardly spoke. Amethyst spent the entire week in her room, refusing to acknowledge the situation. Steven made little contact with Connie, Peridot, or Lapis, as he didn't want them to get involved and worry. "Everything will be fine," Steven told himself. "She'll be fine."
By the end of the week, Pearl finally opened her eyes. Garnet, sitting next to her, jumped up a bit with surprise. She held back her emotions, as Pearl would likely be terrified. She didn't know what had happened while Pearl was in her coma. Pearl looked at Garnet, and slowly sat up.
"How are you feeling?" Garnet asked calmly. Pearl stared at the floor, a blank expression on her face.
"Fine. My head hurts, though." Pearl said, her voice quiet and distant. Pearl stood up weakly, and walked out to the deck. Steven, who had been sleeping, woke up and groggily walked downstairs to begin his morning routine.
"Good morning, Garnet." Steven said, tired. Garnet rushed over to Steven, and hugged him tightly.
"Pearl's back!" Garnet said joyously. Steven, once he was let go, looked at Garnet with wide eyes. He looked over to the couch, and saw Pearl's absence. A giant smile was painted on his face, and he ran to the bathroom to get himself ready. Garnet went to Amethyst's room, and notified her as well. She had been sitting atop a pile of trash, depressed. When she got the news, she merely said, "Cool." she still decided to avoid the entire situation. Garnet didn't have time to deal with Amethyst, and instead wanted to greet Pearl. Steven burst out of the bathroom just as Garnet exited Amethyst's room. Garnet rushed to the door, but stopped herself, and Steven, just before it opened. They had to remain calm.
"At least it isn't like last time Pearl was absent." Steven said, his voice cheerful. The two of them walked out of the door, out into the morning air. Pearl leaned against the railing, looking out on the sea beyond. She seemed to be in a trance.
"Hi, Pearl!" Steven said with great enthusiasm. Pearl looked over at Steven, and smiled delicately. She almost seemed fatigued. Steven's smile faded. He walked next to her, joining in on her watch. The water glittered with miniscule particles of sunlight, bouncing off the surface. Today was a very bright, clear day. A good day.
"Is everything okay?" Steven asked, greatly concerned.
"Yes. I just have a headache, that's all." Pearl replied. Steven looked at her Gem. It was completely black. Steven stared at her Gem for about half a minute, before Garnet took a look as well.
"Oh, no." Garnet whispered. Pearl looked at her, confused. She saw that they were both gazing at her Gem, and wondered what was wrong. She went inside and checked the mirror in the bathroom. A shrill cry tore through the air, and Pearl ran back into the living room. Garnet and Steven rushed inside to console her. Pearl sat down on the couch, and held her head in her hands.
"What h-happened?" Pearl asked, beginning to sob. Steven put his hand on her back, gently, and attempted to comfort her.
"It's okay." Steven said. "You'll be fine. Everything will be fi-" Steven saw Pearl's tears, and froze in shock and confusion. Garnet noticed it, too. Her tears were pitch black. Pearl looked at the two of them, revealing her eyes. They, too, were beginning to darken. Pearl opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a fit of coughing and choking. She gagged and hacked, and a black ooze began to escape through her mouth. More black tears. Darkened eyes. She fell to the floor, more ooze spilling out of her mouth and nose. Steven sat on the couch, watching in horror as his friend convulsed and twitched. The whites of her eyes were dark, and empty. All that remained were her pupils, looking at Steven with pained pleads. Crying for any sort of help, and holding on to every shard of consciousness. Steven remained frozen in terror, watching as her last shred of conscience and emotion slipped away, and her eyes were only dark pools. She stopped moving. Her mouth closed, and she slowly stood up. Garnet fell back, afraid of what she might do. Pearl simply stood at them, staring at them with soulless eyes, before walking out the door. Garnet and Steven tried to follow her, but once they opened the door to find her, she entered the Ruby ship. She flew off into the sky before either of them could even set foot in the sand. Steven stomped on the ground in anger and frustration. He ran back to the house, while Garnet called his name, attempting to stay calm. Garnet, once Steven was back inside, sat down on the beach. She removed her visor, and slowly began to cry. Her friend was gone. Steven came back out, dragging Amethyst along by her wrist. He had told her that Pearl had been corrupted, and left the planet in the Ruby ship. Amethyst, after hearing this news, decided to follow Steven back out. She constantly stared at the ground, and hid her face as best as she could. Garnet saw the two of them, and put her visor back on, and attempted to display an unfazed expression.
"How do we get Pearl back?" Steven asked. Garnet looked off to her side, and then shook her head. She walked angrily towards the house, ignoring the presence of the other two. The two of them followed her inside, and she stepped on the warp pad. Steven tried to stop her, yet she was gone before he was able to. Steven punched the floor, and tears began to form at the corners of his eyes.
"We can't." Amethyst said. Steven stood up, and turned to look at her. She, too, was crying, yet she kept one of her eyes covered by her hair. "We can't get Pearl back. S-she's gone." Amethyst walked past Steven, and back into her room. Steven simply looked on in despair, as the door to her room closed. Amethyst briefly looked back at him, her eye full of sorrow and fear.
8
Steven brushed his teeth, and put his pajamas on,yet he went to bed devoid of all joy and energy. He laid there, staring up at the ceiling. He thought about putting on some relaxing music to help him fall asleep, yet he didn't feel in the mood for it.
Thoughts bustled through his mind, all of which were about Pearl and Black Diamond. He turned over onto his left side, and his eyelids magnetically attracted together. His mind, his sight, everything was drowned in darkness. He slowly, and quietly, fell into his slumber.
He opened his eyes, and knew instantly he was dreaming. This vivid feeling was very uncommon. He looked around, only to find that everything was filled with shadow. A white spotlight illuminated him, casting a small circle on him and a bit of the floor around him. The floor was cold and hard, and had an edgy, rocky surface. It was impeccably smooth, however. The floor was a deep black, and Steven realized then what was going on. He tried running in a certain direction, but was stopped shortly by a tall, burly figure. The light illuminated this, as well. It was a common Amethyst guard, yet her skin was dulled to a dark shade of grey, and her eyes were empty. Just like Pearl's were. The cone of light enlarged, revealing an entire crowd of these blackened Gems. Steven, not knowing what could happen, turned and ran in the opposite direction. He slowed down after a few steps, as he saw Pearl underneath her own spotlight. She looked the same as she did when she left, and she her head hung towards the ground. Steven cautiously advanced toward her, again anticipating the worst. She slowly lifted her head up, and her empty eyes filled Steven with anxiety. Pearl's eyes then formed pupils. White, diamond-shaped pupils, that seemed to be inside deep holes. Distant.
"Tomorrow." she said, her voice echoing throughout the area in a similar fashion to the black hole. Pearl was then swept up by a hand that looked like Black Diamond's. This jolted Steven back a bit, and he fell on his back. Pearl's spotlight disappeared, and was followed by an evil laugh, echoing around Steven. He sat up, covering his ears, unable to bear this awful noise. His own spotlight vanished, and the laughter stopped. In front of him, Black Diamond's eyes glowed through the darkness.
"Wake up, Steven Quartz." she said, ominously. "Wake up."
9
Steven awoke to hear a loud, vibrating hum outside. He got up, rubbed his eyes, and then walked downstairs to find the source of such an odd noise. He walked over to the window, and saw Blue Diamond's ship just outside. Several Amethyst guards exited the craft, yet they seemed to be few in numbers. Blue Diamond exited in her Palanquin, with Blue Pearl alongside. The Pearl walked up to the house, and knocked on the door. Steven opened it halfway, wondering why they were here.
"Blue Diamond requested to speak with you." Blue Pearl said. Steven went back to his bedroom, got his clothes, and prepared himself to talk with Blue Diamond. Yellow Diamond was clearly enraged with him, so how would Blue Diamond treat him? Steven stepped outside, and was led towards the Palanquin by Blue Pearl. The entrance to the Palanquin opened, and Blue Diamond sat upon her chair, hooded and daunting.
"Hello, again." she said calmly, though her voice was anything but friendly. She rose from her chair, and exited the Palanquin. Steven simply stared up at her, wondering what could possibly happen.
"Black Diamond was able to overtake Yellow Diamond's ship." she elaborated. "I attempted to stop this event, and Black Diamond...changed nearly all of my soldiers."
"Their eyes turned black, didn't they?" Steven asked. Blue Diamond nodded grimly.
"As did their gems." she said. Her eyes remained hidden beneath her hood, yet Steven could understand she was not in a good mood.
"Then, why'd you need me?" Steven asked.
"Because," Blue Diamond replied. "You seemed to be the only one Black Diamond didn't threaten. It seemed the thought of destroying you hadn't even crossed her mind."
"So, you think that I'd be able to talk to her?"
"I do." Blue Diamond motioned to the ship, inviting Steven to come along. Steven hesitated, thinking about the Gems. Amethyst was in a state of depression, and it seems that Garnet needs to do some thinking. Steven nodded, and walked determined towards the ship. Inside, there was a bright blue ambience. The ship itself felt very cold, and there was nobody else operating the ship other than Steven, Blue Diamond and her Pearl, the Amethysts, and a few Rubies. Steven was told to sit near the main door, waiting for takeoff. And then for landing.
10
A large surge resonated throughout the ship as they landed. The door opened, revealing a jungle infested with black, glass vines and roots. Steven cautiously stepped out the door, being very wary of Black Diamond's presence. Blue Diamond and her Pearl did not exit with Steven. Once both his feet touched the ground, the door closed behind him. The ship lifted off, and warped out through the sky. He'd been tricked. Steven quickly turned around, and summoned his shield. He took silent strides throughout the barren land. He walked for about 20 minutes, until he found a gemstone. What was left, that is. The stone had been shattered, and its multiple glistening fractals were littered around, nearly buried beneath the sand. It was a bright blue stone. As he pressed on, he found more and more shattered gems, most of which were black. What had happened here? He wondered. Was there another war, or was it from when Black Diamond first got here? He walked for a few more minutes, these thoughts circling his mind like a train in a circular set of tracks. He'd un-summoned his shield for 2 minutes until another peculiar event occurred. Steven saw the body of a Gem. Her stone wasn't cracked or shattered, yet she remained there. Lifeless as a scarecrow. Maybe that's what she is? She was a Pearl, her stone a dark grey. It least it wasn't the Pearl he knew. He felt a big strike hit his back. A punch thrown by a Gem. He spun around, ready to fight with his shield out. It was what used to be a Jasper. She was one of Black Diamond's, it seemed. She didn't seem to want a fight, and instead led Steven through an area of thick bushes. As they walked, more and more of these blackened Gems began to follow. There were about 70 of them total by the time the bushes cleared. There, standing tall in front of them, was a giant, black, diamond-shaped temple. There were about 17 other Jaspers and Amethysts that were clearly serving Black Diamond. Steven was led to the front of the temple, noticing that the 70 other Gems were standing idly by behind them. A staircase emerged from the side of the temple, each step defying gravity. The Jasper poked Steven, indicating that he needed to go up the staircase. He reluctantly stepped up, and continued to do so. Once he reached the top of the staircase, he was fatigued. He looked back down. He must've been up higher than a skyscraper! None of the other Gems were following him, and instead looked on with blank expressions. He took a few more steps into the temple, and the stairs jerked back into place, sealing his only exit. The area in front of him was dark, lit dimly only by a few white torches. Wait, those aren't torches. Upon closer inspection, Steven saw that it was white, bubbled gemstones. They were letting off an eerie glow that illuminated anything within close proximity. He touched the floor, getting a better understanding of this place. Just as he thought: cold and smooth. He could see tall pillars, more reminiscent of those in a cave. There seemed to be a few tapestries, all depicting a different version of the old Great Diamond Authority's symbol. It looked to be some sort of argyle pattern, with the four diamond colors on the inner diamonds, whereas the exterior parts are black. Steven walked down this large corridor, and came to a tremendous door. Fit for a Diamond. Steven knocked on the door, and it instantly opened. Behind the door was a spiraling staircase.
"Great, more stairs." Steven thought aloud. He remembered his floating ability, and tried that. It did not work. He wasn't happy enough, it seemed. Steven groaned, and began to stomp up the stairs.
Once he reached the top, he saw a chandelier of bubbled gemstones. They were producing enough light to illuminate the throne. The throne, surprisingly, was empty. Steven slowly approached the throne. This place gave him a bad feeling, almost as if there was a constant threat present. He could see the throne clearer now. The throne itself was a deep black, yet the symbol of the Diamonds was on the back of it. This symbol was similar to the ones on the tapestries, yet the colors were reversed. Steven heard rhythmic, thunderous steps to his left, and he froze in place. A door opened, revealing Black Diamond. Her eyes darted towards Steven. Had she been expecting him? Black Diamond held Pearl in her hand, or whatever that hand-like thing is. Pearl was dressed differently, though. Her outfit was now in the design of a Homeworld Pearl's, and was grey and black. She stood like a statue, unmoving and expressionless. Black Diamond, however, wore a villainous smirk.
"How nice to meet again, Steven Quartz." she said. She walked over to her throne, and placed Pearl on the arm of it. She looked like the Lincoln Memorial as she sat in her throne. "Why have you come here?"
"I was actually dropped off by Blue Diamond. She wanted me to talk to you." Steven replied, attempting to sound confident.
"I see." she said, thinking. "Then speak."
"Um," Steven said, becoming nervous. "Both of us would like you to free our Gems."
Black Diamond chuckled, and this chuckle escalated into laughter. The sound of Black Diamond's laughter made Steven's blood run cold.
"They are already freed." Black Diamond said, her laughter subsiding.
"What does that mean?" Steven asked in a weak voice.
"Their minds, their energy, were trapped within their stones." she began. "They were created so that they could serve a singular purpose: do as we Diamonds say. They were trapped in more ways than one. I found that I could free them from their stone prisons. Of course, their physical form would not have been able to last, and their physical forms are of use. So, I had to preserve their physical forms. The only way I could do that, was by occupying the empty space with my own energy."
"But how do we get their regular energy back?" Steven asked.
"We don't." Black Diamond said with a grave expression plastered on. "There is no need to. Are you saying you'd rather have an ally that is constantly trapped than one that is free?"
"Yes!" Steven said, anger rising. "That's what I've been trying to say!"
Black Diamond looked closer at Steven, seemingly scrutinizing every cell in his body.
"That's odd." she said. "Your energy is weak. The energy emitted by your gemstone is dampened. Why is that?"
"I'm…" Steven thought about his next statement. Is it wise to tell her he's half human? It's his best shot to just cooperate with Black Diamond for now. "I'm half human." Black Diamond's eyes widened with excitement. A soul-chilling grin sliced her face.
"Fascinating." she said. She rose from her throne, and crouched down to Steven.
"I'm willing to bargain." she said. Steven didn't like where this was going. "I will return your Gems, in their initial state, if you allow me to free you." Steven had to think about this for a few seconds. He hesitantly nodded. Black Diamond reached out one of her floating fingers, and poked Steven's gem. Steven felt nothing. He looked back at Black Diamond, who still wore that devilish smile. Slowly, she receded back into her throne, keeping her eyes on Steven. She took Pearl in her hand, hiding her smile with her default expression. She had Pearl stand in her "palm," of which was really more of a platform. Black Diamond's fingers orbited around Pearl, until all of them at once impaled her. More black sludge began to pour out of Pearl's mouth. This nightmarish image lasted for 2 more seconds, before Pearl poofed. Black Diamond then used one of her fingers to scratch this defenseless stone. She threw it down to Steven, who caught it with ease. The gem was quickly returning to its smooth, white appearance.
"Return in one of your 'days.'" Black Diamond said, a small smirk appearing on her face.
"What about Blue Diamond's Gems?" Steven asked, cradling Pearl's gemstone. Black Diamond leered at him mischievously.
"What about them?" she said in a menacing tone. As soon as she said that, a large, black tube surrounded her. The tube lifted up through the ceiling, revealing a long lineup of open tubes. They were escape pods. Steven heard a loud BANG from downstairs. Voices were audible, saying something about "the plague expanding?" Steven ran towards the escape pods, and got in quickly. The door closed in front of him, and a holographic screen appeared in front of him. The designs on the screen looked similar to the ones on the Roaming Eye. Steven did his best to try and direct it towards Earth, and found himself successful. The gravity in the pod crushed him, as it lifted off from the temple. The screen showed an image of the outside, like a window. Steven saw the planet below him. It was almost completely covered with shining, black vines. Its moon was tethered by several of these vines, as well. The pressure made Steven pass out, and the last thing he saw was that infected planet below.
11
Steven awoke in a place that looked a lot like Rose's room. Was it? He tried to get up, but found his body paralyzed. Was he inside Lion's mane again? No, he could breathe. The sky was a soft pink, and the clouds were a vibrant white. Around him were trees that looked to be made of ice. Pink ice. Quartz? A hard slap to the face made him snap back to reality. He was lying on the beach, his clothes soaked. Everything was blurry and out of focus. He could make out a silhouette in front of him, of which looked a bit like Garnet. The sky was a faded orange, so the sun must've been setting. That orange slowly blended into the soft pink from before, and the silhouette disappeared along with it. He could hear a soft voice echoing throughout the place. It sounded muffled, almost as if it were underwater, so he couldn't understand what it was saying. It sounded a lot like Rose. That soft voice slowly transformed into harsh yelling. The pink sky turned orange again, and the blurry figure returned. Steven felt a sharp pain strike his cheek, as his vision cleared. He blinked a few times.
"Wake up! Steven, please, wake up!" Garnet was essentially screaming at this point. Steven looked up at Garnet, and he could see she'd been crying. She had her hand positioned for another strike, until she saw Steven looking at her. Her visor was gone, and her eyes were full of tears. She wrapped him in her arms, hugging him tighter than ever. Steven could see what was going on now. He must have crashed into the ocean not too far from the beach, while Garnet was looking for him. When she found him, he was unconscious, and running out of air. So, she took him back to shore to try and wake him up again. Steven looked around, still prisoner to Garnet's embrace. Amethyst was standing not too far away, holding a wet napkin in her hand. She was crying, too, but Steven could tell she was calming down. Her tears twinkled in the bright light from behind him. Garnet let go, kissing Steven's forehead.
"Thank goodness you're alright." Garnet said. "I thought I'd lost you. I saw so many futures where you d-I mean, didn't come home." she was smiling, yet her eyes still portrayed a deep sorrow. Greg walked up to him from behind him. Greg's eyes were a little glossy as well.
"Let's get you home, bud." he said, his voice shaking. Garnet handed Steven off to Greg, who carried him towards the bright lights, which turned out to be the headlights from the van. Steven was placed in the back of the van, while Greg got in the front seat. Where were they? They couldn't have been that far from home. As Greg started the van, Steven tried to get up. His limbs felt so weak, like twigs glued onto his body. He was exhausted. He could easily move his head, and he could talk, although his voice was faint. His mouth felt drier than a desert of nothing but salt. The thought of that nearly made him gag.
"Hey, Dad?" Steven asked, his voice quieter than an insect. Greg, surprisingly, heard him instantly.
"What's up?" Greg asked, his voice somber and low.
"Do you have anything to drink?"
"Not in here. Don't worry, Steven, we'll be home soon." Steven relaxed, taking his mind off the situation. He looked down at his shirt, which was now a dark red from the water. He tried with all his might to lift up his shirt, but stopped himself when he saw his arm. It was covered in bruises. How did that happen? He proceeded to lift his shirt, revealing his gemstone. It was comparable to coal. From that spot outward, his veins beneath his skin were a visible black. Steven pulled his shirt back down, hiding such a terrifying sight. Black Diamond's words echoed in his mind. "Return in one of your 'days.'" The van came to a slow stop, as they finally arrived at the house. Greg turned off the van, and went around to get Steven. Steven was carried back to the house, and put into bed. A glass of ice water was put on his night stand. Steven took gulps, enjoying the feel of this cold refreshment healing his sandpaper mouth. Once the glass was half empty, Steven started to slip into sleep.
Greg watched over Steven as he fell peacefully asleep. Once Steven was completely asleep, Greg went downstairs, out onto the porch. Garnet and Amethyst sat at the table outside, with Pearl's gemstone wrapped in a napkin on the table. Greg sighed audibly.
"Well, he's asleep." Greg said.
"I honestly thought he was dead. And it would've been my fault, too." Amethyst said quietly. Garnet turned to her, putting her hand on Amethyst's shoulder
"Why in the world would you say that? It's not your fault, it's not anyone's!" Garnet said, reassuringly.
"What about Black Diamond?" Amethyst asked.
"She...will probably just burn herself out eventually. She may be powerful, but she isn't going to kill Steven." Garnet sat with her arms crossed. "Not while I'm here." she said to herself.
"Um, are there any chances Steven...doesn't wake up?" Greg asked worriedly. Garnet thought for a moment. Then, she stood up, and walked into the house. When she came back out, she was clearly more relaxed.
"It's a very small possibility at this point." Garnet said. Greg felt relieved.
"I think I'll stick around until he's back to his old self. Is that alright with you guys?" Both of the Gems nodded. Greg nodded, and walked back down to his van. Garnet went back inside, carrying Pearl's gemstone. She looked back at Amethyst, who sat with her head down. Garnet sighed, and walked over to the couch, placing Pearl's stone on the coffee table.
Steven woke up in the middle of the night, his mouth tasting disgusting. His limbs still felt weak, and even a little sore. He got up cautiously, and took a sip of water. Once he did, he felt as if his throat had been completely sealed. He gagged, and spit the water back up. He felt nauseous. He groggily stepped down the stairs, heading towards the bathroom. Garnet was sitting on the couch, and gave Steven a concerned expression.
"What's wrong, Steven?" she asked. Steven began to speak, but he felt vomit climbing up inside his throat. He panicked, covered his mouth, and ran to the bathroom. He bent over the toilet bowl, and vomited into it. It was chunky and slimy, as usual. Yet, something was wrong. It smelled different. Almost like rotten plants. Steven opened his eyes, still gagging. What he saw made him vomit even more. He had been vomiting black sludge.
After he was done, darted over to the mirror, checking his eyes. Still as white as eggs. He took in a deep breath, and calmed himself down a bit. He wiped off his face, and walked back over to the toilet. It was a nightmare in there. The water looked akin to oil, and there were little black chunks of something on the inner sides of the bowl. He flushed it, discarding of the abhorrent bile he had coughed up. Garnet stood in the doorway, watching over Steven to ensure that he was alright. She crouched down to him, putting her hand on his cheek.
"Are you going to be okay?" she asked in a comforting voice. Steven vaguely nodded, his eyes locked to the floor. Garnet stood back up, and picked Steven up in her arms. She carried him back upstairs, and lay him on his back. Steven eventually fell back asleep.
The dream he had was strange. He was back in the world of Black Diamond, but he couldn't move. Black Diamond loomed over her.
"Prime." she said, quietly. She kept repeating this over and over, keeping her eyes on Steven. This made him feel very uneasy. Beside Black Diamond, Steven could see a silhouette. A tall one. Black Diamond stopped her repetitive chant, and noticed Steven's gaze. Steven looked at her, and one of her spine-tingling smiles formed. This made Steven feel even more disconcerted.
"You're a curious one." she said. "So was she."
Steven felt an awful pain in his gut. He felt as though he'd been stabbed. Sections of his skin split open. Black liquid oozed out. He screamed in agony.
"Make it stop!" he shrieked. Black Diamond displayed a look of confusion and, perhaps, concern. She leaned in closer.
"Wake up." she said. And, on command, Steven woke up.
He looked at his skin where it had split apart. Seamless and unbroken. He sighed in relief. The veins beneath his skin looked like something from a horror movie. As if a strange condition had turned his blood a pitch black. It was morning, and Steven smelled breakfast. He got up, walked downstairs, and got ready for the day. His eyes were still a perfect white, but it seemed that the "freedom" process was acting faster in his veins. The bruises had now taken linear shapes, and the darkness from his gemstone had branched out across his belly, and was slowly weaving up into his chest. That area of his body was nearly numb, and almost tingled at the touch. He tried drinking more water, and was relieved again when he swallowed it down with ease. This cheered him up a bit. Garnet was at the kitchen making bacon and eggs. A plate of fresh pancakes were layered up on the counter, next to a bowl of strawberries.
"Good morning, Steven." Garnet greeted. "I can see you're feeling better."
"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Steven said. His voice was enthusiastic, but not nearly as cheerful as it had usually been. He sat on the couch, looking at Pearl's lifeless gem.
"Two bacon, or three?" Garnet asked, holding a pair of tongs.
"Just two, please." Steven replied. Garnet walked over, and set a plate on the coffee table. Steven stared at it. Two bacons, a small amount of scrambled eggs, and a pancake with a good amount of syrup and a star shape formed by some whipped cream. Steven smiled. He was glad that Garnet was trying to keep him happy in such a bleak time. He took a few bites of his bacon, and some scrambled eggs. The food tasted a bit different. He didn't eat much. Steven sat there, with a half-finished plate of breakfast. He hadn't played the ukelele in a while. He went upstairs, and grabbed his ukelele. He sat on the edge of his bed, and played a few notes, trying to think of a good tune. He couldn't think of anything. He went with the chords of We are the Crystal Gems, and started humming along. After he finished, he thought more about Pearl. He knew that she takes a long time to reform, but in dire times, wouldn't she be back by now? Black Diamond's words played in his mind. "I will return your Gems, in their initial state…" Steven's eyes widened. Initial state. She'd tricked him! Steven looked down at Pearl's gem. She wasn't going to reform. When Black Diamond said "initial state," she literally meant initial. He punched the bed, anger and frustration overtaking him. Garnet looked up at him from downstairs, carrying the bowl of strawberries. She looked worried. Tears bloomed at the edges of Steven's eyes.
"She's not going to reform." he said grimly. He felt the tears slowly drip down his cheeks. Garnet put the bowl down, and rushed up to Steven, a look of fear sculpting her face. Steven pressed his hands against his tears, and observed them. They were a milky grey. Not quite black, though. Steven then thought: my eyes! He brushed past Garnet, heading back to the mirror in the bathroom. He frantically stared at the whites of his eyes. Grey. Steven hyperventilated. How can he stop this? He thought. Black Diamond told him to return in a day. That's today! But, where? How? In his dream, Black Diamond repeated "Prime," which probably means the Prime Kindergarten. Steven ran to the warp pad.
"Wait!" Garnet said. Steven turned around, frantic and paranoid. Garnet gave Steven Pearl's gem. "You'll need this." she said. "Make the right choice, Steven." He didn't know what she meant, but didn't have time to ask. Steven warped over to the Prime Kindergarten.
12
Upon arrival, Steven noted that the place smelled different. Before, it just smelled like dirt and rocks. Now, it smelled like his vomit did: like rotten plants. He walked around for a few minutes, until he saw a tall figure over by an Injector. She seemed to be repairing it. Steven whistled, which caught her attention.
"Ah, my favorite experiment." Black Diamond said. "And, how are we progressing?" Steven's anger began to boil. An experiment? That's all he is?
"You tricked me!" Steven exclaimed. "You said you'd return her in her 'initial state!'"
"I did say that. However, I did not trick you." she replied, calmly. "You simply misinterpreted what I'd said." Steven grunted in frustration.
"Change me back!" he screamed.
"Why? The process is nearly complete." Black Diamond responded.
"I don't care! Stop it, now!" Steven said, nearly screaming. His anger, panic, and fear were all blending together. Black Diamond flashed him a smirk of sinister confidence.
"Only for another bargain. A trade, if you will." she said. Steven didn't quite understand, but thought about it. About what Garnet said to him on the warp pad. He looked at Pearl's gem in his hand, and frowned. He closed his eyes tightly, letting the last few teardrops hit the gem. He nodded. Black Diamond held out her hand, which looked a bit different now that Steven thought about it. He placed Pearl's gem in ther hand, and she poked Steven's gem. A bright pink glow emanated from it, and he could feel his strength returning as Black Diamond absorbed her energy back. Steven saw an opportunity, and took it. He summoned his shield, and used it to sever Black Diamond's hand. She let out a screech, and jerked back her arm. The hand was reformed in a white glow. Steven jumped up, and threw the shield at her torso. He flew up to her neck, and perched on her shoulder. He punched, kicked, and even formed his spiked bubble. Black Diamond fell to the ground, and Steven un-summoned his shield. Black Diamond smiled, and was poofed! Steven was shocked at this turn of events. Was he dreaming? No, he could feel pain. Steven's mind refocused. He needed to bubble that gem, and quickly! He bolte straight for it, and bubbled it just in time.
"Yes!" Steven declared. "I did it! I beat her!" He looked at the bubbled gem, but was confused at what he saw. He looked closer. How is that possible? Inside the bubble was not a diamond. It looked to be some sort of quartz or amethyst. He got rid of the bubble, and summoned his shield again. He crouched down, hitting the gem with the edge of his shield. He was enraged at these games. The gem cracked, and that was when his head cleared. He couldn't shatter a gem. It was against his morals. He brought the cracked gem with him, and went over to the spot where Pearl's gem sat. He carried them both to the warp pad, and went back to the house. Garnet awaited on the couch, and was slightly surprised by the result of Steven's choice.
"I...didn't expect that, honestly." she said. Steven looked at her, empty of emotion.
This ends part one. I'm sorry, I honestly want to write more on this, but the way that the show itself is going on, it's becoming difficult to try and fit into its continuity. Of course, this is kind of my own thing, but I still think it distracting that some people may decide to complain about how much of this is my own thing, and whether or not I should stay true to the show's current plotline. I hope you enjoyed this story, nonetheless! This is my first official fanfiction, and I might write other stories in the future!
P.S.: I'm not sure if fanfictions are allowed to go against the source continuity. I assume they can, which means that part two might come out sooner than planned, but I'm still not sure.
