Author's Note: Thank God I just happened to finish this first chapter on the 13th anniversary of 9/11. Welp, I might as well dedicate this entire fanfic to the people who not only died on that tragic day, but were also orphaned and widowed that day too. (It only seems fair, after all.)
Um, ciao! And I hope you enjoy reading this all the way to the end!
-Voltalia
All seemed well in Beach City since Zoisite was defeated two years ago. Steven and the Crystal Gems went on with their lives, as did the other townspeople in this anything-but-banal Californian landmark. Well, it was only anything but banal because the town was regularly targeted by all sorts of Crystal monsters and Eldritch Abominations, including the arachnid cycloptic Centipeedles. Thus, it was "awarded" its reputation as a disaster magnet and a rather damn scary one at that.
It was pouring outside today, so there weren't any adventures to be had. Therefore, boredom ensued for the younger Gems Steven, Orange Topaz, Aquamarine, and Fluorite.
"So what do you suppose we should do?" Fluorite asked in her usual Joisey accent.
"I can't think of anything right now." Aquamarine answered. "Ask me again later."
Fluorite sighed as she and the other three Gems stared out the window in Steven's "room." It was a real shame the weather had to go and dampen things like this, but the young and petite Orange Topaz wasn't about to give up. She suddenly gasped and ran quickly down the steps.
"Hey, where you going, Topi?" Fluorite asked while coming down after the orange Gem.
"To Tanzie's room!" Topaz perked up. "I think I saw something fun in there once!"
"Really?" Aquamarine asked as she joined in on the chase.
"Must've been red Jello or somethin'." the orange Gem answered as she tried to remember.
Soon, all four of the young Gems were on the ground floor and approaching the door with the five colored gems (red, blue, white, violet, and pink respectively). Steven was the only one tall enough to open the door, and did so with his navel gem. As soon as he had opened the door, the rest of the young Gems swarmed into Tanzanite's (formerly Pearl's) room at once and started searching for the "red Jello."
"You see anything?" Aquamarine asked Topaz as they were searching for their desired object.
Topaz shook her head, but then she said, "I know the Jello's in here..."
After a few minutes, Topaz and the other young Gems caught a glimpse of something red in the corner. It was in a monster bubble for some reason, and the red "Jello" wasn't really Jello at all. It was, in fact, more like a slimy fungal mold with a metallic luster. It seemed so fascinating, so pretty, that it mesmerized the young Gems in an instant. None of them could help themselves; they'd never really seen anything like this and couldn't be certain what to make of it.
"What do you think it is?" Aquamarine asked while staring at the red slimy thing.
"I have no idea." Fluorite responded while simultaneously shaking her head.
"Well, why don't we just find out for ourselves?" Steven asked simply enough. "It can't possibly hurt to know, can it?"
"Hmm..." the other three Gems mused together.