Chapter One: …Out in the Light

"Log Date 7 17 2: In the aftermath of the encounter with the Ruby Recovery Team, the Crystal Gems have returned to their previous activity of gathering up Corrupted Gems. According to Amethyst, 'it's better to deal with them now then later.' On a lighter note, it seems the impromptu game of 'base ball' has eased much of the tension Lapis Lazuli was feeling previously. She's even helping me with repairing the Barn! I'm also happy to note that repairs to my recording device seems to have come along quite nicely! Today, Steven intends to bring a human friend over to speak with us, a 'Connie'. Hopefully this will prove less…eventful then some of my other first time meetings. Peridot logging out."

With her latest log update finished, Peridot hid the recorded in a loose floorboard in the barn. A bit of a paranoid precaution, but the tape recorder was a gift from Steven after all! Walking towards the entrance to the Barn, Peridot looked over the repairs to the wall she had broken previously. The repairs had started out a little haphazardly at first but with Lapis Lazuli's help things were turning out great! And there was Lapis at the front of the Barn looking…rather glum actually…

"What's got ya down, frowny town?" asked Peridot in a chirper voice. Upon seeing the weird look Lapis was giving her, Peridot explained, "Amethyst has been trying teach to speak in a more Earthly vernacular. Though to reintroduce the question, why do you seem so…gloomy?"

Lapis sighed before deciding to answer her 'barnmate', "Look, the truth is…this isn't the first time I've met one of Steven's human friends. It was when my Gems was cracked and I was trying to get home and I…nearly drown Steven and his friend."

Peridot grimaced, realizing how awkward this meeting might but then realized something, "I am certain Steven has many human friends! I mean what are the odds that he would bring the one human you've had a bad experience with?!"

"That's her right there." glumly replied Lapis, point to Steven and Connie coming up the trail to the Barn.

Peridot's face froze in a comically startled expression, before quickly composing herself and saying, "Well…we'll just have to convince this 'Connie' that you're harmless! Okay first thing: try not to use any of you water manipulation abilities in a manner that's aggressive. Second…"

While Peridot was coaching Lapis Lazuli on how to 'appear nonthreatening,' Steven and Connie were having a conversation about the upcoming meeting, "It's really great that you wanna meet them, or you know, re-meet in Lapis' case." stated Steven Universe.

"I'm just glad I get to be back in your life again. I mean it was almost like you were actively avoiding during this whole 'Cluster' stuff." replied Connie.

"Hey, it wasn't like that! Remember, you had school, the Gems had to keep an eye out for the Cluster and Malachite, Peridot was working on the Drill to stop the Cluster…There was really a lot going on. Though I probably should have taken some time to see you. Sorry." answered Steven, turning from chipper to morose.

Connie sensing this, replied, "Relax Steven! I was joking around! Now let's go meet theses 'reformed" Crystal Gems."

Steven laughed lightly, before remembering Connie's last encounter with Lapis Lazuli, decided to ask, "Hey Connie…I know that when you last saw Lapis she tried to…well I just wanna know, are you really okay with seeing her?"

Connie looked down on the ground and answered, "I'd be lying if I said I was completely over that. But then I remember she had a crack in her Gem at the time and from what you've told me, those little stones hold everything about the Gem in question! She was just lashing out in fear, like a wounded animal. So I think I'll be okay with meeting Lapis. And just to be clear, I've got no problem with meeting Peridot either. Honestly, it might be good to have someone who actually understands what I'm talking about in science!"

Steven laughed at that for a few minutes before realizing she was talking about him and replied, "Hey!"

Just then Peridot leaped in front of them and exclaimed, "Steven! And Connie! So nice to finally get acquainted with you! Come, you must see what Lapis and I have done with our accommodations!" And with that, Peridot rushed back to the Barn leaving the two children to wonder what her game was.

It was Connie who first spoke about the slight strange event, "Do you think Peridot's got some plan to 'make Lapis seem harmless.'"

"I'd have to say it's a definite maybe." replied Steven before the two made their way to the Barn. Apparently, in the time between their last scene and Steven's arrival, Lapis had used her control over the water to create a winter funland look. Snow covered the ground and barn, and Peridot had created 'snow replicas'(1) of the Crystal Gems. All in all, it was an early winter wonderland in Fall!

"Where did she get the idea to make this? I mean Lapis and Peridot haven't even seen winter yet, much less the Holidays!" exclaimed Connie wondering what exactly Peridot was up to.

Fortunately, Steven seemed to have at least some idea of what was going on, "I think she's trying to recreate that Holiday special from 'Camp Pining Hearts.'"

"Really? Peridot watches 'Camp Pining Hearts'? You couldn't have gotten her interesting in something that was less…'blegh'." replied Connie. She was never a fan of that show.

Before Steven could replied, Lapis came out of the Barn…with a slight change to her usual appearance. She was wearing a light blue dress that glistened in the sunlight.(2) Walking out nervously, Lapis came to a stop in front of Connie and Steven who stared at the dress wide-eyed with wonder. Unsure of how to react to the silence, Lapis tried to smile, only her nervousness made it look…weird.

"Pretty great huh?! That dress is actually made from ice crystals! It took a bit of practice but Lapis…um Lapis you can stop 'smiling' now." stated Peridot, causing Lapis to nervously grin instead.

Steven finally mustered up the courage to ask, "So…what exactly is all this about?"

Peridot took Steven to the side of the Barn, leaving Connie and Lapis to talk, and whispered her explanation, "I am aware that Connie might have…difficulty getting along with Lapis. So, I thought a 'friendlier' setting might ease whatever tense was between them."

Steven thought about what Peridot said, and decided she was right, though he had to ask, "Where did you get the dress? I know we don't have anything like it in the Barn."

"Oh, Lapis made that, from ice crystal of all things. You see Lapis never really liked Camp Pining Hearts, so I managed to create a satellite uplink to connect to the human's entertainment network. She saw this movie about a human ice elemental and really liked it! Me…I thought it was a little…" Peridot finished her explanation with non-committal noises.

It was then that Steven notice something red 'crawl' on Peridot, "Hey Peridot I think a ladybug is coming to say 'hi'."

Peridot looked at the red dot, trying to swat it aside only to be covered in red dots. "What the-Oh Slag It!" exclaimed Peridot as a group of black armored trooper(3) swarmed over her! Peridot was not one of the physically strongest Gems so there was little that she could do. Steven stood in shock before trying to pull them off Peridot…only to receive a taser in the gut! Collapsing to the ground, the last sight Steven saw was Peridot reaching out to him calling his name…

STEVEN UNIVERSE

Meanwhile, Lapis and Connie were trying to have a conversation. It started with a fumbling attempt by Connie to ask Lapis about the dress. It turned out Lapis was eager to talk about the movie she saw. "I mean, I really could relate to Olsa and her difficulty with her powers, ya know? Peridot wasn't that interesting, but she's so obsessed with that 'Pining Hearts' stuff." explained Lapis.

Connie laughed a little to ease her tension, before looking thoughtfully at the ground. Then gather up her courage, Connie blurted out, "I forgive you, you know that right?"

Lapis was startled before she remembers why she was nervous about Connie's visit, "I honestly could not think of a way you could forgive me. I mean…I almost killed you!"

"You weren't exactly in your right mind at the time! Steven explained to me how important your gemstones are. It would have been like dealing with a human with a severe head injury." calmly retorted Connie.

"I suppose so. Thanks for giving me a second chance." said Lapis. And with that, the pair of social awkward souls gave a nervous smile. Then a clanking could be heard in the snow. The looked down to see…a grenade!

Lapis grabbed Connie and threw her out of the way as the grenade exploded. What they did not see was that unlike a typical grenade, the device released an electrical charge. The charged traveled through the snow, straight to a nearby Lapis, caused Lapis to shudder and 'poof' into her Gem. Connie got up just in time to see more black-cladded soldiers placing Lapis in a special suitcase.

"We have secured Subjects Aquarius, Icarus, and Androcles. What should we do with the girl?" asked a soldier into his headset as the first group came back with Peridot's Gem and Steven' unconscious body. Desperate for a way out, Connie looked around as the soldier's ignored her. Seeing a farming hoe by the door, Connie rushes over, grabs it, and then swings it down on the soldier holding the suitcase. It struck him in the back of the head, bowling him forward.

Surprised, the soldiers didn't move and even dropped Steven. Connie use this opportunity to grab the case and Steven! Unfortunately, Steven was not a light weight kid and therefore Connie could not run that fast. A female soldier quickly got in front of Connie and perform an uppercut that sent Connie sailing through the air. Upon landing, the dazed Connie was surrounded by the soldiers before the lead soldier said "WAIT! The Doc wants her too. Cuff and put her in the transport."

And with that Connie slid into darkness, with the red eyes of the soldiers following her into sleep…

STEVEN UNIVERSE

Unknown location, unknown time later…

Steven gasped loudly as he woke up. Looking around frantically, all he saw was darkness, while he seemed to be under a spotlight. He tried to stand up…only to realize he was strapped down into a chair! "Peridot…Lapis…CONNIE!" called out Steven in a desperate attempt to find help.

"They cannot hear you at the moment, but do not worry. As long as you and your friends don't…misbehave…there should be no cause for concern." explained a mysterious female voice with an accent from the darkness.

"Who are you? Where am I?!" asked Steven reaching the edge of panic.

Laughing lightly, a female figure stepped forward. She had a dark hair in a practical slick back haircut, wore a lab coat on top of a military jumpsuit, and held a commanding poise. "I am Director Alena Frankfurt and as to where you are…" Alena started to explain before making a dramatic gesture forward. And with that gesture screens of light began to turn on, showing scenes involving the adventures of Steven and the Crystal Gems!

"Welcome to the Earth Defense Intiative!"

Disclaimer: I do not own Steven Universe nor any characters or elements that are contained in the series. I only own this story and the original characters (i.e. villains and monsters) and concepts that go with it. Sorry for the delay. Life and such. Hope to get the next chapter out sooner. Please Read and Review!

1 They were more like regular snowmen with Crystal Gem facial features, like Garnet's cube afro and such.

2 Think Elsa's dress in "Frozen"

3 Think the Nanosuit from the "Crysis" series