Dark, thunderous clouds brooded over Steven. He stood in a circle covered in strange, arcane runes. He was surrounded on all sides by endless ocean, the waves green with debris. In front of him was a kneeling, hooded figure. Their face was completely obscured. They were about Steven's height. The cloak they wore was a dark, dried-blood red. Steven tried to move, but he couldn't. He was frozen in place.
The hooded figure slowly stood up. When it reached its full height, thunder cracked, and the ocean roared with the rising surf. Steven still couldn't see into the hood. The storm quieted, and a voice came from the cloak. It was thin, wispy, yet commanding. It chilled Steven's bones.
'You must understand that I do not do this for spite. I do this because the universe requires justice. It is law.'
From beneath the hood, a pair of blue marbles sparkled. Their reflected light grew stronger, and Steven realized he was staring into a pair of eyes. Cruel, unblinking, the figures' gaze bored into Steven. It seemed to reach into his very soul.
'An eye for an eye. Such is the way of things.'
A hand reached out from beneath the robe. It was pitch black, covered in spider web-thin cracks. It reached towards Steven's face.
'You shattered the one I love most. So, I must shatter the one you love most.'
It caressed Steven's face, and he thought he'd lose his mind.
'The contract has been sealed.'
The hand wrapped around Steven's throat.
'Expect me.'
Peridot awoke to the sound of happy barking coming from the cornfield. She was sleeping on her bed, on the top floor of the barn. She stretched, scratched her head, and sat up. It was already morning. It had seemed only a minute ago that she had been talking to Steven. Well, texting. She never really understood the human preoccupation with textual communication, but Steven seemed to like it. She heard the slow, steady creak of the barn door, and smiled.
"Don't worry about being quiet, Pumpkin already woke me," Peridot said.
"Oh, sorry," Lapis replied. Peridot walked over, and looked down to the first-floor of the barn. Lapis was looking back up at her, a sheepish grin on the blue girls face. "We need to teach him not to bark."
"Why?" Peridot asked. "I think it's cute! And, it's not like we have any neighbors."
"I suppose," Lapis said. Aqua wings burst out of her shoulders, and she flew up and landed next to Peridot.
"Can't you climb the ladder like a normal person?" Peridot asked.
"Do I detect a hint of jealousy?" Lapis asked. Peridot folded her arms.
"Maybe," she mumbled. Lapis giggled, and Peridot rolled her eyes. The emerald Gem walked over to the couch, and collapsed onto it. "So, how did your date go last night?"
"Terribly," Peridot sighed. Lapis raised her eyebrows.
"What happened?" she asked.
"Me and Steven had a fight," Peridot said. She shook her head. "It was really weird. He got all, I don't know, glowy and stuff, and then he got all sad. It was really uncomfortable." A small smile lit Peridot's face. "We made up at the end of the night, but still… not a fun time."
"Well, you knew that doing this human dating thing was going to be hard," Lapis said.
"It wasn't supposed to be like this, you know," Peridot said. "I was just supposed to be doing human fusion with him. But nooo, he wanted to date." Peridot banged her fist on the couch. "Why is everything so complicated? Why can't he just, you know, bang me!?" Lapis shrugged, utterly serene.
"He's a human, Peridot," Lapis said. "You're a Gem. No matter how you parse it, there's going to be issues."
"I guess," Peridot sighed. She stood up, and walked over to the window. "We've been through so much together, you know? This whole group. Kidnappings, injury, heartbreak, even death. It's strange that, after all this time, something as simple as being with someone can be so difficult."
"It is what it is," Lapis said. She walked over to Peridot, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Even with Gems, love is never easy. But it can be worth it." Peridot looked up at Lapis, and smiled. She squeezed Lapis's hand.
"You still don't want to do anything physical?" Peridot asked. Lapis shook her head no. "I figured," Peridot said. "Well, I'm gonna go work on some meep morps." As Peridot descended the stairs, Lapis unleashed her wings. She took off out the widow, flying into the morning breeze.
"When I woke up, the only thing I could remember clearly was a name," Steven said. He took in a breath, and said the name slowly and carefully. "Serendibite."
In another time, at another place, the glance the three Crystal Gems exchanged might have been comedic. Considering the circumstances, the glance only panicked Steven. All three Gems looked somewhere between concerned, bemused, and horrified.
"That's a name I never thought I'd hear again," Pearl said.
"Same here," Garnet said. The fused-Gem stood, and walked over to where Steven sat. "You're sure that was the name? One hundred-percent sure?"
"Yes, I'm positive," Steven said. "I'm guessing you guys have heard the name before?"
"Rose used to tell us about Serendibity," Amethyst said darkly. "It was one of her first warnings when we became the Crystal Gems."
"I'd heard of her before Rose, but I had always assumed she was a myth," Pearl said.
"A myth?" Steven asked.
"More like a legend," Garnet elaborated. "According to Rose, Serendibite was an assassin created by the Diamonds to deal with extreme problems. She was especially close to Pink Diamond." Steven felt hot shame rush through him, and did his best to suppress it. "She wasn't around when Pink Diamond was shattered, but Rose assumed she'd find out eventually."
"Rose was always expecting Serendibite to come and take her revenge, but she never did," Pearl said. "Eventually, Rose just assumed that she had been shattered."
"Not just Rose," said Amethyst. "We all did. We figured that, if she hadn't shown up by now, she'd never show up."
"I guess we were wrong," Garnet said.
Peridot was curled up on the couch, her head in Steven's lap. He was petting her hair absentmindedly. The pair were doing their best to remain calm.
"So, we have no idea when Serendibite is going to land?" Peridot asked.
"No," Steven answered. "That's the worst part. I feel like she could land outside at any minute. I'm not gonna be able to sleep, I'm gonna be stressed all the time… but the thing I'm worried about most is you." Peridot felt Steven wrap an arm around you. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"The Crystal Gems will help protect me, Steven," Peridot said. "I know they'll keep me safe."
"Yeah," Steven said, "but I still don't want to leave you."
"This whole thing is a little inconvenient," Peridot sighed.
"What do you mean?" Steven asked.
"Well, it's gonna be next to impossible to fool around if we're under twenty-four-hour surveillance," Peridot said.
"I was actually thinking about that," Steven said. "Peridot, there was something I wanted to ask you about."
"You can ask me anything," Peridot said.
"Well, why haven't you asked me to fuse with you?" Steven asked. Peridot sat bolt upright, and looked at Steven.
"W-well, I guess it's never crossed my mind," Peridot stuttered.
"Really?" Steven asked. "That's a little surprising. I know you've been interested in exploring the physical aspect of our relationship, but I figured the emotional parts would be just as important. I think that fusing could be the best way to really get to know each other."
"You know how I feel about fusion," Peridot said. "It's so… intimate." Steven raised his eyebrows.
"So is sex," Steven said.
"But it's just physical!" Peridot insisted. "I know you say otherwise, but I just don't understand how it could be different." Steven smiled, and Peridot tilted her head inquisitively. "What are you happy about?"
"I just realized something," Steven said. "The way you feel about fusion is the way I feel about sex. To me, fusion is just something people do to get closer. It's not this crazy, intimate thing." Peridot nodded slowly.
"I guess you're right," she admitted. "I never thought about it like that." She crossed her arms. "I guess we both have a lot of exploring to do."
"For now, let's just enjoy each-others company," Steven said. Peridot put her head back in Steven's lap, and Steven resumed his petting.
"Does fusion hurt?" Peridot whispered.
"Not at all," Steven said.
"What… what does it feel like?" she asked.
"You become a part of someone else so completely, the pair of you transform into a new, incredible being," Steven said. "You know everything about your partner, down to their most minute thoughts and desires. But more than that, you become greater than the two of you could ever be separately. It's incredible."
"Wow," Peridot whispered. "That sounds pretty amazing." She slowly stood up, and stood in front of Steven. "Well, maybe we can't fool around, but I don't think anyone would object to us fusing."
"I don't think so either," Steven said. "Are you sure you're ready?"
"Yes, Steven," Peridot said. "If it's with you, I can do this."
Garnet and Pearl sat beside each other, keeping an eye around the barn. They wanted to give Steven and Peridot their space.
"You're still not sold on Steve and Perry?" Garnet asked. Pearl shook her head.
"It's still very strange to me," Pearl said. "I guess I just didn't see it coming. Truthfully, I always imagined that Steven and Connie would get together. For Steven to be dating a Crystal Gem, it's just… well, strange." The pair looked out at the cornfield, where Amethyst and Lapis were doing battle drills. The fight was mesmerizing. Amethyst was controlling a dozen whips at once, each acting of its own accord, while Lapis had created an ice whale that still had full mobility. The whale trumpeted in anger as the whips crashed against its side, and spat a geyser of icicle-laden water at the purple Gem. Amethyst transformed into a cat, nimbly dodging the ice before it could get her.
"They've both improved tremendously," Amethyst said.
"I'm not sure it'll be enough," Pearl said. "You remember how Rose used to go on and on about how dangerous Serndibite was. It felt like she thought that Serendibite was apocalypse incarnate."
"Maybe she is," Garnet said. "I don't care. We're going to stop her. She's not going to kill Peridot. I refuse to let it happen."
"You really can't see how this is going to end?" Pearl asked. Garnet shook her head.
"My future vision has been clouded," Garnet said. "I think Serendibite's doing it, somehow."
"Unfortunate," Pearl muttered. "I wish there was something we could do to get ready for her, other than train."
"So do I," Garnet said. "Times like this make me wish Rose was still with us." Pearl smiled, and put an arm around Garnet.
"Rose is with us," Pearl said. "She's in that barn, with Peridot right now." Garnet smiled, and nodded in affirmation.
"Dodge this!" Lapis shouted angrily. She raised her hands, and a typhoon of pure lightning energy rose above her. She pointed at Amethyst, and the lightning came crashing down. Amethyst spun like a top, and the lightning wrapped around her. She pulled out a whip, and used it to spike the lightning back at Lapis. The blue Gem conjured an ice shield, which shattered with the force of the lightning. The pair stood looking at each other, battered and bruised.
"All right, take a rest you two!" Pearl shouted. The pair collapsed. Pearl turned to Garnet, but before she could speak, an incredible flash of light filled the surrounding air. All four Gems looked towards its source- the barn.
The group raced towards the barn door. When they reached it, Garnet threw it open. In the center was a pulsing, glowing being. The group couldn't make out its features- the light surrounding it obscured their vision.
"What do we do?!" Pearl asked, panicked.
"We wait," Garnet said serenely. Pearl wanted to press on, but before she could, the light filled the room once more. When it dissipated, Steven and Peridot sat where the being had been. Both had tears in their eyes.
"Steven… oh my goodness…" Peridot cried. She crawled over to him, and collapsed in his arms. The pair sat there, crying together, as the four other Gems looked on in shock.
"What happened?" Lapis asked.
"We need to give them some time alone," Garnet said.
"But-"
"Now," Garnet ordered. The four Gems marched out the way they came, Garnet shutting the door gently behind them.