Connie laid in bed, dreaming about magic and gems and adventure. Excitement in every turn of her slumber. On a side table next to her bed, the necklace Steven gave her was propped up against the lamp behind it.
The gem gave off a vibrant glow and hovered off the side table. The chains broke and disintegrated as a figure emerged from the gem. A woman with long, flowing, blonde hair with a slim hourglass figure and white eyes and yellow-tinted skin with a golden, backless layered dress materialized from the gem. Connie stirred in her sleep. "Where...am I?" the woman thought aloud.
She turned her head when she heard the bedroom door open up. Connie's parents stood at the doorway staring at the woman.
"Who...are you? Where am I?"
"You're in the Maheswaran residence. We LIVE here," Mr. Maheswaran said, carrying a tennis racket.
"Honey, do not provoke her. She's standing right next to Connie," Mrs. Maheswaran said.
"Connie?" She looked down on Connie who was beginning to wake up. "You mean this little human?" She kneeled down next to Connie's bed and brushed her hair aside. "Is this what you humans call a daughter?"
Connie opened her eyes and looked up at the strange woman looking back at her. She saw a diamond-shaped topaz in her right shoulder. "Are you a Gem?" Connie asked with wide eyes.
"You are correct. How do you know about Gems?"
X-
The Gems were out, leaving Steven and Lapis alone. "Lapis, are you okay?" Steven asked her.
"I'm fine, but, Steven, Jasper and I got separated. She's on the loose somewhere," she replied, eliciting an overly dramatic gasp.
"You need to be careful!"
The front door opened up with Garnet entering first and Pearl and Amethyst entering next. As soon as they saw Lapis, Pearl summoned her weapon and charged, but Garnet grabbed her by the back of her outfit and lifted her off the floor. "Pearl, remember, Lapis is Steven's friend. We don't hurt Steven's friends," Garnet said.
After Garnet dropped Pearl, she took a deep breath and apologized. Lapis just glared at Pearl and the other Crystal Gems. "Looks like little miss raindrop still doesn't like us," Amethyst said, grabbing some donuts from Steven's fridge.
"Calm down, everyone. Let's just get along, okay?" Steven suggested. "Besides, we've got worse things to worry about. Jasper's around again."
Pearl was stunned, the only sound Amethyst made was her loud munching, and Garnet responded by saying, "Well, that's depressing."
"Aren't you concerned?" Lapis asked Garnet.
"No. I beat her once, I can do it again."
"I...see."
A tune interrupted them and Steven pulled out his cell phone and answered it.
"Hello? Connie? What's up?" Steven became starry-eyed and said, "There's a Gem at your house?!" All the Gems turned to Steven with shock and concern on their faces. "Topaz? Oh, alright, stay right there, I'm on my way." Steven ran out the door and started running, but how would he get to Connie's house on his feet? His dad was also probably asleep by now and the boy really didn't want to bother his dad so late. Then a pink blur flashed by Steven and slid to a halt in the sand in front of him. "Lion! Hey boy, I need you to take me to Connie's, okay?"
Lion grumbled and laid himself down so that Steven could climb on. The Crystal Gems were right behind him, trying to catch him before he could go. Lion roared and a hole in space ripped open, which he leaped through. Lapis managed to jump in after them before the hole closed and landed out the other side of the hole, in front of Connie's house.
"Lapis, you followed us?"
"Well, I thought you might want someone to help you out...you know, in case things don't go well," she replied. Steven smiled wide and went over to knock on the front door, with Lapis right behind him. Lion growled for a moment before stroll onto the lawn and laying down for a nap.
Connie's father answered the door with Mrs. Maheswaran right behind him.
"Steven? How did you get here so fast? Connie just called you a minute ago," she questioned.
"I rode here on Lion," he said matter-of-factly, pointing at Lion. "He's magic."
"Right, well come on in." Steven and Lapis stepped inside and looked around. "Connie and...what was it...Topaz? They're in the living room." Steven ran for the living room and found Connie conversing with Gem on the couch.
"So then, we swung the sword at the fireball and launched it right back at the robot thing. The fireball went right back inside the robot and it blew up!" Connie told her rather excitedly.
The Gem laughed softly. "Well, it sounds like you've been through quite a few rough times, doesn't it?"
"Hi, Connie," Steven called out.
"Oh hey, Steven, I'm so glad you could make it. Let me introduce you to Topaz. You know that necklace we found on the beach? Turns out that the gem attached to the chain was...well...a Gem!"
"That's so cool! It's like we're Gem magnets!"
Topaz and Connie laughed. "So I assume this is Steven Universe?" Topaz asked. Connie nodded with a goofy smile on her face. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Steven. Oh, and who might you be, fellow Gem?"
Lapis seemed a little taken back by Topaz's formal words and polite attitude. "Lapis...Lazuli," she answered slowly.
"Ah, Connie's told me about you as well, Lapis. You were trapped in a mirror for many long years and when Steven freed you, you used the ocean along the shores of the neighboring city in hopes of reaching Homeworld. Steven healed your gem and you returned the waters of the ocean and flew off. However, it sounds like you've had quite a hard time even after all that." Topaz lifted herself off the couch and walked over to Lapis with a sympathetic smile. "I can't imagine the pain you've experienced, Lapis. But you're with friends now, so there's more good things in store for you."
Lapis managed a smile and nodded her head. Steven smiled too and hugged Lapis. "So you're Topaz, huh?"
"That's correct, Steven," she answered. "I'm the right hand of Yellow Diamond. Or...at least, I was, but I was retired forcefully for showing sympathy towards other races."
"That's horrible!"
"Yes, I suppose so, Steven, but perhaps it's better this way."
"Alright, alright, now, I think that's enough chit-chat for tonight," Mr. Maheswaran said, breaking up the conversation. "Connie needs to get back to bed and it is very late. Ms...Topaz, was it? Do you have anywhere to stay?"
"I'm afraid not, good sir."
"Right, well then, I guess you can stay the night tonight."
"Your hospitality is most appreciated."
"Ooh, ooh, Mr. and Mrs. Maheswaran, can me and Lapis stay the night too?" Steven asked. Connie's parents looked at each other for a moment and looked at Steven's hopeful eyes and groaned.
"Oh okay then," Mrs. Maheswaran said, "Just don't be noisy. We've had enough excitement for one night." Steven high-fived Connie and jumped for joy, making Lapis and Topaz smile and snicker.
X-
"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness," Pearl spazzed. "Steven went off to Connie's without us to encounter a Gem we don't even know. What was he thinking?"
Amethyst and Garnet exchanged glances before Garnet said, "Pearl, Steven was riding Lion and Lapis followed him as well. With both of them, he's well protected. You don't have to worry."
"Garnet's got a point, P, just chill out. I'm sure Steven will be back soon," Amethyst agreed.
Garnet's reasoning had calmed Pearl down a bit, but she remained concerned. However, she would have to worry about herself for a bit.
A familiar and unpleasant voice broke out, yelling, "I'm back, you runts!"
Author's Note:
Sorry for the wait, everyone. The absence I had to get all the stuff I had left for High School done was a doozy that got me out of the groove of writing my fanfics for a bit. However, thanks to the latest Steven Universe episode "Sworn to the Sword," I was motivated to get back to work, at least on this story.
In actuality, this chapter was meant to take a much more drastic turn with Topaz being unstable, but instead it went in this direction. To be honest, I think this version is much better. Once this story is complete, I'll post a summary of what the original concept of this story was supposed to be like.
Anyways, that's all for now. Until next time,
This is Reploid7,
Signing Off!
