A/n: The summary says it all, really. The hiatus has driven me to writing these. (I sincerely apologise for the trash you are about to witness.)

Steven grinned as he woke up. He could hear the gems by his bed - Pearl shushing Amethyst, who was giggling. He played innocent, and shifted a little in his bed.

"He's waking up!" Steven's brow furrowed at the words. The voice didn't come from any gem he knew... He opened his eyes to get a look at the mysterious new gem, only to find his vision full of purple.

"Happy birthday Ste-man!" Amethyst laughed as Steven blinked up at her.

"Hey, Amethyst." Steven propped himself up to get a proper view of the upper level of his room. He could see Pearl, holding a neatly wrapped gift, but not the source of the voice. "Who was talking before?"

"Me!" Steven's vision was invaded by red. A few blinks allowed a red gem to come into focus, wearing a headband and grinning at him. Her hair almost reminded him of Garnet...

"Hi," Steven greeted. "Where's Garnet?"

For some reason, this made the new gem laugh. Steven pouted, not getting the joke - and Pearl was laughing too, how odd - and crossed his arms. "Where's Garnet?" he repeated.

Instead of getting Garnet, he found another new gem. This one was blue, with her hair completely covering her eyes. "Garnet isn't here at the moment," she explained.

With, if anything, more questions now, Steven climbed out of his bed. "Is she in her room?" he asked, moving towards the stairs. It was odd for the visor wearing gem not to be present, especially on his birthday of all days.

"Well, she is here," Amethyst backtracked cryptically, "just not... as Garnet."

"What is she then?" Steven was on ground level now, looking for something out of place. Everything was as it had been yesterday, save for the presents collected on the table. "Is she hiding in a present box?"

Amethyst guffawed. Steven huffed, and flopped against the couch dramatically. "Stop laughing!" he protested, sinking into the sofa.

"Sorry Steven," Amethyst said, quite insincerely, "but it'll be funny to you too once you get it."

"Get what?" Steven eyed the presents suspiciously - maybe Garnet was laughing to put him off from the truth. "Where Garnet's gone? It can't be that funny."

The red gem grinned. "She hasn't gone anywhere. She just doesn't exist right now."

"Doesn't exist?" Steven gaped at the red gem, eyes glistening, "Is she -" he shook his head. What was everyone laughing about, if Garnet didn't exist anymore?

"Ruby," the blue gem chided gently. She took a seat next to Steven, and put an rm around him. "Garnet isn't dead, Steven."

"Then where is she?" Steven sniffed.

Ruby frowned - this wasn't how she'd imagined the revelation going. "Come on Sapphire," she held her arms out.

Steven looked up, blinking away tears, as the blue gem ran into Ruby's arms. Ruby picked up Sapphire and swung her around. They almost looked like they were... dancing - Steven gasped, realising what was happening just before the white light of fusion filled the room.

"That's so cool!" he shouted, jumping up to hug the refused Garnet. "I can't believe you're a fusion!"

Garnet smiled down at Steven and pulled him into a hug.

"See," Pearl gestured to Garnet, "Garnet's just fine."

Steven nodded, but remained in Garnet's arms. Suddenly, he pulled his head away. "That was the worst introduction ever! We have to do it again - quick, unfuse!"

Amethyst laughed from her place on the couch, and was shushed by Pearl.

"We already love you," Garnet told Steven. "But..." she stood up and glowed white, splitting up into the two smaller gems again.

"I'm Ruby, and this is Sapphire!" Ruby jabbed a thumb at herself, then her partner. "Nice to meet you!"

I have a few ideas for these. I don't think there'll be any more than 10, though. (The general idea is that, although they're trash, at least someone should enjoy these, so I'm subjecting the general populace to them anyway ;) )