The Crystal Gems stood silently. Garnet leaned against the wall with her arms folded, relieved her eyes were hidden from view beneath her visor as they swam with tears that evaporated instantly. Tears brought on by the frustration and sadness of failure and helplessness. She should have seen this coming sooner. How could she not have? What changed? Amethyst didn't see what the deal was at all and happily ate a banana without bothering to peel it.

Pearl watched them desperately. Between the sound of Amythest's hog like chewing drilling into Pearl's Gem as she chomped and swallowed loudly and Garnet's unwavering silence she was about ready to crack. "Well!?" Pearl demanded incredulously after a while. "Are we going to DO anything?!"

Amethyst piped up, sparing Garnet the complexity of explaining it formally. "Steven's gonna be fine! He just needs to get whatever this is out of his system. It's just like floating and shape shifting and everything else that happens to him." Amethyst was very confident in this and she washed down the banana with some dish detergent. "Honestly, I didn't think the guy had it in him."

Garnet broke her silence, "I agree with Amethyst... about the first thing."

"Are you two insane?!" Pearl bellowed, "I told him that of course but he is completely out of control! Those human hormones have him in a frenzy! He could seriously injure someone! What in the Helictite are we going to do with all of that... that... energy!"

The two stared at her, Pearl paled. Garnet looked away and sighed heavily as Amethyst shifted her eyes. "You can't mean me." Pearl said tonelessly.

"He could seriously injure someone." Garnet echoed solemnly. "Connie, for example." Amethyst added as she was rummaging through the fridge. She just couldn't bring herself to the level of anxiety and woe that Garnet and Pearl could. This was her defence mechanism. If Connie hadn't nearly gotten hurt she would probably tease the ever living out of Steven. "And..." She went on, "Steven really isn't himself... I mean did you see him?! He's hotter than Kevin!" Amethyst felt strange saying that. She frowned and looked at the floor, "I'm not sure I could do it."

Pearl dropped her head into her hands and closed her eyes. "I just can't wrap my mind around... Something like that."

"Pearl." Garnet spoke meaningfully, "We don't have any idea what may happen to Steven in the future. He is an entirely new type of being." She turned toward Pearl and removed her visor, both eyes were closed, but the third eye remained open and searching. "If he remains under so much pressure it may take over his consciousness. Can this corrupt him? Not in any way we ever may have seen. We don't know. It's all in the air. We may lose him forever. He must expel at the very least. Whatever this is." Garnet took a deep, comprehending breath. "It can't be me. It has to be you, Pearl. Amethyst doesn't have the emotional discipline nor strength for this type of mission." Garnet said bluntly. "The only one Steven can trust himself with other than Connie is you. Unless you'd prefer to summon Peridot."

Pearl scoffed, "Honestly, Garnet!"