CHAPTER I

STEVEN UNIVERSE

It all started when Amethyst ate the table. No I'm serious, she had spilled the chocolate syrup all over the table making a sprinkled-root beer-triple fudge-banana-strawberry-chocolate-vanilla-and-mint ice cream float/sundae/split with a cherry on top with me and Connie. Amethyst had squeezed the syrup too much and the thing just kinda exploded. Unfortunately, so did the Creamy Mona Lisa. Ice cream flew everywhere. It splattered the entire table and on me Connie and Amethyst.

Amethyst groaned looking angrily at the splooge she just caused. Her purple face was covered in ice cream. The hair that covered half of her face had sprinkles and banana in it. Her black tank top and sweats with stars on the knees were now green with mint ice cream, which was now trickling down her sweats. Connie was trying not to laugh as she wiped the ice cream off her face. Good thing she tied her hair back in a braid. Connie's t-shirt and jacket had flecks of chocolate fudge in them, her jeans were completely untouched. Her boots squished in the cream sludge. Amethyst grunted after a few seconds.

"Argh! Me Gelato!"

I looked down at my clothes which were covering in creamy goodness. Then I looked up at Amethyst. She had her arms crossed and was stomping her foot, getting her white boots covered in ice cream.

"We can always make another one" I said

Amethyst scoffed "Nah, It won't be the same, y'know? It's only good the first time you make a delicious mess"

"But is it still delicious even in this state?" Connie asked. She looked at her hand, which was covered in chocolate and licked it.

Amethyst looked at the plate that used to be a masterpiece. She picked up and ate it. Just like that. She just ate the plastic plate. Amethyst smacked her lips and smiled.

"You bet your bottom it does!" She exclaimed.

She started gnawing at the edge of the table, taking a few good bites in before Pearl walked in. Pearl turned at saw us and our tasty mess and groaned when she saw Amethyst.

"Amethyst stop trying to eat the table." Pearl said

Amethyst stopped biting the table, but she still clung to it like a sloth. She was engulfed in her dessert by now. You could hardly see any part that used to be her.

"ICE CREAM, ICE CREAM, ICE CREAM!" Amethyst chanted, and continued gnawing on the table. Pearl walked over and pried her away from her dessert. Amethyst flailed around wildly in Pearl's arms, throwing more ice cream everywhere. Pearl dropped Amethyst in disgust and, always striving to be clean, wiped her hands and arms with a towel. Meanwhile Amethyst had taken a piece of a table and was biting the thing like a dog. Connie walked over to the kitchen sink to wash her hands. Pearl glared at Amethyst, her hands on her hips.

"Honestly!" Pearl said, "I have no idea how you're able to act like that!"

"Maybe she's just really hungry" I said

Amethyst stopped torturing the piece of wood and laughed as she stood up.

"Duh. Why else would I actually work for something"

Connie laughed, then she slipped on the banana peel Amethyst had thrown on the floor. She landed with a thud. Connie sat upright and stayed silent for a moment, then laughed again, her cheeks taking a striking resemblance to the cherry stuck in her hair.

Pearl closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes, she looked at the mess we were all stepping in. Pearl put her hands together and turned to us.

"Amethyst, Steven, Connie, could you please clean up this mess?" She asked, obviously trying to mask her frustration. I looked down at the floor. Wow. I did not realize what a big mess it was.

"Ummm..Can't we do this later?" I asked.

Pearl shook her head, "Oh no! You always say you'll clean up, but I'm the one who always ends up cleaning the place!"

Connie and I groaned and slugged over to the cleaning closet right next to the fridge.

As soon as I opened the door, the warp-pad in front of the temple blazed to life. Garnet stepped from it and looked at Pearl in that you-should-hear-on-what-I-have-to-say look. Half of the order's she gave were completely silent, even though you couldn't see her eyes behind that red visor. Connie always told me that when she first met Garnet, she was scared of her. Now growing up with Garnet, I couldn't really relate, but I could see where she was coming from. How Garnet was like 7 feet tall and had major thunder thighs tend to be quite intimidating. Not to mention how well built she is, with the shoulder guards and everything. She looked agitated, which is never a good thing.

Pearl approached her and waited for order's. Garnet was still staring intently at the ground. As if she were trying to think of an elaborate plan. After a few silent seconds, Garnet finally looked up and gestured to Amethyst, Pearl, and I.

"There are corrupted gems approaching the city" Garnet said stoically.

Pearl was immediately alert, this scenario was one she was familiar with. Battling corrupted gems is something she was definitely familiar with.

"Alright, do you know what the gems look like" Pearl asked.

Garnet frowned "Yea. Unfortunately, there quite tough t' beat." she said "The crabs"

Amethyst jumped to her feet and whooped "Yeah! Finally something to smash!"

"The crab's again? I thought we took care of them?" I complained

Garnet shook her head. "Well, these are different one's a whole squad of em approaching the pier."

Pearl gasped, her jaw dropped "A whole SQUAD?"

Garnet crossed her arms and nodded "Mm Hm. About 5 of them as I recall."

"Then we should get going!"

Pearl whirled and faced me and Amethyst, who were still covered in ice cream. Her excited face slowly turned into a disgusted one.

"Maybe you two should wash off quickly before we go."

Connie's face lit up with excitement. She scrambled to her feet and walked up to Pearl.

"And me too, right, Pearl?" she asked

Pearl's commanding look turned into an awkward look. She rubbed her arm and didn't meet Connie's excited expression took a complete nosedive and so did my heart when I saw her expression.

"Actually Connie, I was going to warp you home to be completely safe" Pearl said reluctantly

I walked in front of Pearl "But she's been practicing!"

Pearl slowly shook her head "Yes,yes, I know that, but this is a quite dangerous mission"

I turned around and faced Connie, she looked crushed. Connie had taken a sudden interest in her boots. I knew how much she wanted to help us on a mission, ever since she started training with Pearl, she was anxious to go on missions with us. I felt like I had to convince Pearl to let Connie come.

I turned back to Pearl and opened my mouth to stand up for Connie, until she stepped forward and stood up for herself.

"No." she said as she walked up and stopped in front of Pearl looking up defiantly at her "Pearl, I have trained with you for months I should be able to fight with you guys by now!"

Pearl looked down at Connie with a stern look. "Connie, we've never seen you fight outside of training"

I brilliant idea popped in my mind, i felt my face light up like a light-bulb.

"I have!" I said speaking up "She fought the gem mutants with me at the hospital!"

Amethyst burped "At the what?"

Pearl didn't hear she stared mouth open at me "You did what?"

Connie smiled at me with gratitude and then turned back at Pearl. "He's right! We fought three gem monster's at the hospital and protected my mother"

Pearl looked back at Connie, her face growing stern again "Okay, I understand, Connie, but this type of corrupted gem is very dangerous!"

"More dangerous than three fusions?" Connie questioned.

"Yes!" Pearl exclaimed, anger creeping into her voice.

She projected an image of the crabs with a comparison of a person from her gem, it was like putting a man next to a helicopter.

"This gem is much MUCH larger than most things we fight and there's more than one! Connie this mission is on a level of danger that is way too high for an amateur to handle!"

Garnet, who had been watching the whole thing silently, finally spoke up. "Pearl, listen to me. If Connie can fight three of those gem's with only Steven's assistance, I'm pretty sure she can take one of the crab gems with Steven. Not t' mention we'll be there to help out"

"But…"

"Just trust Connie, you felt the same exact way for Steven"

I smiled nervously and might've even laughed nervously as well. Then Pearl threw up her arms in exasperation, as if she knew Garnet wouldn't take no for an answer

"Fine, Connie you can come, but please please be really cautious" Pearl said

Connie leaped up and yelled in triumph, then she hugged Pearl tightly. I laughed because she caught Pearl off balance and almost tackled her. Then Connie charged me and tackled me in a hug. When I stood up, I saw Amethyst wink and smile at me. Pearl looked at our clothes. "You should change quickly, though. I know I wouldn't want to fight in that disgusting mess"

Connie and I rode on Lion's back together because Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl just simply hopped over to the pier. When we got a good amount of space, Lion let out a big roar and teleported us to the wooden posts of the pier right next to the water. We had a good sight of the dark shadow the pier made on the sand. The wooden posts covered in dead coral and moss. We hopped off of Lion's back. Connie jumped off as Lion was sitting up, so she fell and landed right on top of me.

"Hey!" Connie pouted "Lion! What are you doing?"

I got to my feet and helped Connie up. Lion looked alert, sitting bolt upright and staring at the crowd in front of the arcade. In the distance, I saw Pearl looking alert with her spear, on one of the rooftops looking out at the sea like a military scout. Amethyst was behind her reclining against a bell tower with her legs crossed, looking bored. She held her whip lazily in one hand and was twirling her hair with the other. Garnet was on top of the bell tower, looking down at the people on the pier. Pearl looked down from the ocean and saw us, then she turned around to see Amethyst slacking off, and she started scolding her. Amethyst rolled her eyes and walked toward the edge, slouching. Then she jumped a good distance and landed next to us.

She blew hair out of her face "Pearl wants ya two to be up there to help her lookout"

Connie crossed her arms, looking defiant "She wants us to stay up there the entire time"

Amethyst shrugged "Can't say I know except what she told me"

Lion growled, still looking at the crowd, as if he found something threatening. The only problem was that Amethyst was in front of him, so it looked like Amethyst was getting growled at.

She crossed her arms and looked at Lion with attitude, like Oh yeah?.

"What's with him?" She asked with annoyance.

I shrugged "I dunno, It's either he found something or he's hungry"

Suddenly Lion lunged at Amethyst, catching her off-guard. She yelped and ducked, dropping her spear. Midair, Lion roared and teleported away.

"What the heck!?" Amethyst shouted, picking herself back up. Connie laughed behind me as Amethyst brushed herself off. Garnet and Pearl hurried over to see what the fuss was about. Of course, Pearl arrived first. She hurried over with her spear held in a fighting position.

Pearl looked at a frustrated Amethyst brushing herself off.

"What happened?" Pearl said "I told you to do one thing"

Amethyst scoffed, not looking up and still brushing sand off her hair. "Lion tried to jump me, then he teleported away"

Garnet tilted her head in confusion "He tried to tackle you?" She asked

Amethyst nodded, frustration shone in her eyes. Garnet pondered this, then looked at me.

"Steven do you or Connie know why?"

I shrugged and Connie shook her head. "He was acting a bit strange when we arrived" I said

Connie crossed her arms "Hmph" she grunted "Crazy animal catapulted me off him"

Pearl looked at Garnet, possibly for reassurance, "Maybe his connection to Rose might have something to do with it"

Garnet was thinking furiously. She had taken a sudden interest in the sand beneath her feet. She crossed her arms and sighed.

"Well, we have worse things to worry about" Garnet said, readjusting her visor "the gems could arrive at any moment"

Pearl nodded "Right we should keep a lookout"

A faint smile tugged at Garnet's lips "S' not me you should be tellin' that to."

Pearl paused, then she blushed, her cheeks turning a shade of bright blue.

Amethyst groaned "Uuuuuuugh! This is so boring! Why do have to keep a-"

She was cut off by a giant wave hitting the shore. We all turned toward the sea, drawing our weapons. Connie slowly pull my mom's sword out of it's scabbard. It was a mystical sound, metal against metal. The ring it made when the sword was completely out of its metal cage was a little intimidating. Instinctively, I found myself side to side with Connie with my shield out.

The ground rumbled and the sea groaned, yearning to free the destruction. I heard people behind me panicking and running. that gave me enough determination to defend the pier. Also, I really like the arcade. I faced the ocean and watched the corrupt gems crawl out from the depths of the sea.

Only there wasn't two of three. No, there were seven crabs, all the size of attack helicopters, barreling toward us in fury.