Chapter 6

It has been a week since the incident and victory against the Centipeetle mother, as well as living in this 'timeline' with Steven and the crystal gems. Fireteam shield adjusted to their new home as they did their best to live amongst the people in beach city, with Steven's guidance of course. Ace had no problem roaming around the town and enjoying the sights as he did the things he used to do. Such as swimming in the ocean, riding the rides in the board walk, eating junk food, and sleeping in late. Boss managed to pass as Amethyst's 'sister' when she first walked around the town; it was very awkward at first, but eventually she felt comfortable enough to fit in. Scout's adventure in the town was very strange as he tired to blend in since he was a machine; he wore clothes head to toe to cover his 'identity'. He wore a baseball cap, a pair of sunglasses, a trench coat, a pair of gloves, pants, boots, and a scarf to hide most of his face. People thought of him weird to have that much clothing on since it is the middle of summer, surprisingly everyone accepted him since he wasn't the only one who was strange and mysterious due to a young boy wearing a sailor shirt and acting 'innocent'. The guardians lived in peace at last as they enjoyed their new home until a solution to head back to their real home is found.

But what they don't know is that a new threat was upon them…

Beach city, board walk, afternoon.

"Hey Fryman! Give us the bits!" Shouted Steven as he, Ace, and Amethyst ran towards the store that sold no other than fires.

"Steven, we're closed!" said Fryman.

"Aw what!"

"Give us the bits!" said Amethyst as she began to slammed her fist on the counter over and over. "The bits! The bits!"

Steven joined Amethyst to bang his fists on the counter as well.

"You might as well give them the bits Fryman, they wont stop you know." Ace Warned.

"Ok, ok! Take it easy on the counter will ya?" said Fryman as he walked towards the grill to give the trio the bits.

"Yes!" said Steven and Amethyst as they high five each other.

"I can give you actual fires if you want." Said Fryman as he bagged the bits.

"Just the bits please!" Said Steven as he was handed the bits.

As they got what they came for, Steven and Amethyst ran back home while Ace stayed behind to pay for the bits.

"Thanks for the bits Fryman, I know it's not on the menu but it's the least I can do to be good costumer."

"Thanks Ace, I appreciate you're concern."

"Well you got a family to look after, and a business to run."

"Ha! I hear that. Anyway I gotta close place, don't what the miss's to wonder why I'm late for dinner."

"I understand, see ya!"

Ace turned around and headed home, until he saw a weird object in the sky.

"What the…is that…an eye ball!?"

"Ace!" said Ghost as he appeared next to him. "We got an emergency!"

"Is it related to that giant eye ball?"

"Yes."

"Of course, it's pretty obvious isn't it?"

"Well, it is huge."

"That it is, come on!"

Ace and Ghost ran/floated towards the house and managed to catch up with Steven to see the others having a discussion.

"This is bad." Said Garnet with a hint of worry in her voice.

"Look at the size of it!" said Pearl as she looked through a telescope. "I had no idea these things were so big!"

"Scout? Can you confirm it's big?" Said Boss.

"It's true, that thing is enormous." Said Scout as he looked at the object though a sniper rifle.

"Garnet! Pearl!"

"Boss! Scout!"

Hearing their names, everyone turned around to see Steven, Ace, Ghost, and Amethyst running towards them.

"We saw it! Not to mention while some of us are trying protecting humanity! Where were you!?" said Pearl as she was upset with Amethyst not being here to help.

"Eating fry bits." Said Amethyst.

"And I paid for them." Said Ace." Also I got your message Boss, what do we have on that thing?"

Before Boss could explain, Steven spoke.

"Can I see?"

"Sure, go ahead." Said Scout as he gave Steven his Sniper rifle.

"SCOUT!" Shouted Pearl and Boss."

"What?" said Scout as he wondered what was the big deal. Until he realized what he was about to do. "Oh...Uh, how about you take a look at it through the telescope instead?"

"Ok." Said Steven as he walked towards the telescope and looked at the eyeball closer. "Woah…it's a giant eye ball! Awesome!"

"No not awesome! It's a red eye!" Said Pearl.

"A red eye?! It's going to infect us all!"

"That's pink eye Steven." Said Garnet.

"A red eye?" said Boss. "Something tells me it's not from around here, mind telling us what it does?"

"It's going to crash into beach city and crush us along with a bunch of oblivious and innocent people! We have to stop it!" said Pearl

"What are we going to do?" said Steven.

"The only thing powerful enough to destroy it is a light cannon that belonged to Rose Quartz."

("Rose Quartz? Who is that?") Thought Boss.

"My mom?" said Steven.

"Huh!?" Said Fireteam shield.

"*Ugh* If Rose were here this would be so easy!" said Amethyst.

"I know, and she's not." said Pearl. "And the cannon is missing, we have to find another solution."

Boss wanted to know more about this Rose person, but when they mention that she's not here, she knew what they meant. She decided to let it slide for the moment, and thought of something that could help destroy the red eye.

"Perhaps the gjallarhorn could destroy the red eye?" said Boss

Hearing the word 'gjallarhorn' caught he attention of the others.

"Gjallarhorn? What's that?" Asked Pearl.

"The gjallarhorn?! Boss are you sure?" said Scout.

"You know I'm sure."

"Gjallarhorn?! Oh man I haven't seen that thing in action in a long time!" said Ace.

"Excuse me!" Shouted Pearl. "Can some one explain what is a gjallarhorn!?"

"I can explain!" said Ghost. "The gjallarhorn is a rare and an extremely powerful rocket launcher. One hit from its rocket can pack quite a punch if you were facing the end of its barrel! It's one of the reasons a few were made and was nearly banned back home."

"If is rare where did you find it?" said Amethyst.

"We bought it from a guy named named Xur. He seemed like a nice guy." Said Ace.

"Uh huh…well if it's that powerful can you use it to stop the red eye?" said Pearl.

"It's worth a shot, Ghost?"

"Yes Boss?"

"Bring up the gjallarhorn, its time to cause some damage."

"Understood."

Ghost's eye glowed and a bright object appeared before him, it took the shape of a rocket launcher and it landed in the Boss's hands.

"Gems, Steven. Behold, the gjallarhorn!"

"Woah…" said Steven and Amethyst as they looked with awe, while Pearl and Garnet looked at the weapon with interest.

"She's a beauty isn't she?" Said Scout. "The gjallarhorn here a mean one. You treat her right, and she'll get things done."

"Alright, time to fire this red eye to bits! Everybody stand back!" said Boss as she prepared to fire.

Everyone took a few steps back as they watched Boss getting ready.

"Here we go. Three…two…one…FIRING!"

*Boom*

As the gjallarhorn fired, the rocket launched at high speed towards the red eye and in seconds it made contact. The rocket caused a huge explosion, making a large smoke surrounding the affecting area. Everyone waited for results in hopes it worked. As the smoke cleared, the red eye was still heading towards beach city.

"Damn!" said Boss.

"It didn't work." Said Scout.

"Well, there goes that idea." Said Ace.

"Say…if the cannon belonged to my mom, I bet my dad knows where it is! He can help us save the day! Huh? Huh?"

Everyone went silent when Steven mentioned his father, Fireteam shield wondered why would Steven's dad have the cannon in the first place? The gems however, had quite a history with that man.

"Greg is, er…nice." Said Pearl as felt uncomfortable mentioning him. "But I doubt that Rose would entrust someone like him with such a powerful weapon."

"Why wouldn't she?" said Scout with curiosity. "I mean if he's Stevens's father, I'm sure he would be trust worthy to keep it safe."

"Plus what do you have against this guy? I mean how bad can he be?" Said Ace."

"Steven's dad owns a car wash and lives in his van, that's how much of a mess he is." Said Amethyst.

"Amethyst!" Shouted Pearl.

"What? We were thinking it right? Plus even if she did leave it with him he probably broke it, or lost it, or dropped it in the ocean by now."

"True…" said Garnet as she agreed.

"Hmm…good point." Said Ace."

"What! No way!" said Steven. "I'm sure he's just keeping it safe, I'll go ask him!"

Before Steven could leave Garnet spoke.

"We can handle this Steven, with or without the light cannon. Ready Amethyst?"

"You know it G!"

Garnet grabbed Amethyst, jumped into the air, spun a few times and threw her straight into the red eye. Everyone looked as Amethyst flew towards the object and crashed into it, only to hit it with barely any effect and land into the ocean.

Seeing this caused the others to wince as she failed to stop the red eye.

"Uh…I'm gonna go." said Steven as he left."

"Ok, good luck." Said Pearl as she kept focus in the red eye and wondered what to do now.

"Should we follow him?" said Scout. "I mean, he could use some help."

"We might as well, there's nothing much we can do right now." Said Boss.

Later that day, Steven and Fireteam shield made it to Steven's father's car wash and saw the van the gems talked about. Steven knocked on the door of the van and called his father out."

"Dad it's me! Dad! Are you in there? Dad! Wake up! We have to save the world!"

As Steven called out his father, Boss and the others were talking amongst themselves on wondering how are they going to find the light cannon.

"Amethyst was right, Steven's father is mess." Said Boss as she looked around the area.

"I wonder how he ended up in a place like this?" Said Scout.

"Does it matter?" Said Ace angrily. "If Steven's dad is a mess, all we have to do is convince him that we to find the cannon and stop that red eye from destroying the city."

Boss and Scout wondered what made Ace upset about discussing Steven's father.

"Ace, what's wrong?" said Boss.

Ace said nothing as Steven continued to call out is dad. With one final yell, the van's door opened. Revealing a man armed with a waffle iron.

"Who's there!? I have a waffle iron!"

"Dad it's me!"

Greg turned around and saw his son on top of his van.

"Steven?"

Steven climbed down the van and hugged his father, which he returned the hug.

"Steven! Good to see you, haven't seen you in a while. I almost waffled your face! What are you doing up so late?"

"What do you mean? The sun just went down an hour ago."

"Oh, uh…heh, it was a slow day at the car wash." Said Greg as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

Greg turned around and saw three figures behind him.

"Uh, Steven? Who are they?"

"Huh?"

Steven lloked behind his father and noticed Boss, Ace and Scout.

"Oh! Those are my friends! That's Boss, Ace, and Scout!"

"Friends huh? Well then, I'm glad to see you're making new friends."

"And their good ones too."

"Good to hear, anyway what's up? Just wanted to see your old man and learn some lessons about life?"

"Actually no, we need the light cannon that belong to mom to blow up that eye ball!"

"Eye ball?"

"He means that one that's floating over the ocean." Said Ace as he pointed towards the direction of the red eye.

Greg looked towards the ocean and saw the giant eye, as well as Amethyst flying towards the object and failed to destroy it.

"Wait! Is that a magical thing!? The gems told me not to get involved magic stuff!" said Greg. As he panicked. "Plus, it could be dangerous! Or it could interfere what's left of my hair!"

"But dad, they need mom's cannon! You've gotta know where it is! Like a cave dungeon, a cloud fortress, or clam at the bottom of the ocean!"

"Well I don't know anything about that, but I have an idea where it might be! Follow me."

Moments later after following Greg to the location of the light cannon, they found themselves in front of a storage unit. But to Steven, he had a different view of it.

"Whoa, a magical storage unit!"

"Heh, not exactly. But some would say there's magic inside." Joked Greg as he winked.

Steven said nothing as he didn't understand what that meant, the guardians however knew what he said as they kept it to themselves.

"Its just a shed that I use to keep things that don't fit in the van." Quickly said Greg as he opened the gate. "If its anywhere it'll be here."

Steven and the others observe the storage unit and saw a huge pile of boxes, and other junk that was in there. Steven walked towards it and tried to move the pile boxes to enter, lucky the pile fell apart and made an opening.

"If I'm going in there, im going to need some gear."

"Got you covered Steven." Said Ghost as he appeared next to him and made his 'eye' brighter.

"Hmmm, it's start but I need something to find my way back if I find the cannon."

"I found some rope." Said Greg as he held a pile of rope in his arms.

"Perfect! Quickly put it on him and find that cannon! We're running out of time." Said Boss.

"We're counting on you Steven." Said Scout.

"Be careful in there." Said Ace."

"And Good luck." Said Greg.

With that said, Steven and Ghost entered the unit and searched for the light cannon.

As both entered they saw what was in the unit, it was full of junk. To Steven, it was a place to be full of fun, like adventuring. As for Ghost, it was a place of discovery. Seeing this much pre-golden age items made the being of light wanting to scan everything!

"Cool…it's like a dad museum!" said Steven

"Museum? I call it loot! Look at all this! If other guardians brought these back home, our researchers would have a field day!"

"Is that so? Well scan much as you can Ghost, in the mean time lets find that light cannon."

"Will do!"

Steven and Ghost then walked further deeper into the unit and searched for the weapon.

Meanwhile, Greg and fireteam shield waited for Steven to return. As they did, Greg started a conversation.

"So, you guys come form the future?"

"Eh?! Where did you get that idea!?" said Boss in surprise.

"Well, a floating ball appeared from nowhere, you look alien, and that guy is wearing clothes head to toe. As for Ace, well no offense but I bet he's from the future as well."

"And this doesn't freak you out? Oh! And none taken on the part where I'm from the future." Said Ace.

"Well, it did for a moment. But when you hang out with the gems long enough, you'll get use to the weird things you see."

"I bet we've seen weird things than the creatures they fought before we met them." Said Scout.

"Really? How weird?" Curiously said Greg.

"Well, its along story so I'll try to make this short." Said Boss as she prepared to talk about her team's adventures.

Back in the unit, Steven and Ghost searched for the cannon. But so far no luck, however they did saw some cool things such as golf clubs, a bongo drum, a t-shirt cannon and other amazing things. As they searched, this gave Ghost a chance to scan much of the things he could to bring back home. It was really a loot place! Ghost looked like he was having much fun discovering like Steven.

As they looked around, Steven found a box full of his father's things.

"Hey dad! I found a box of copy's of you old CD!"

"Really? Aw man, I couldn't give those thing away." Replied Greg. "You know before I ran the car wash I was a one man band group traveling the whole country!"

"Haha, I know dad." Said Steven.

"Yeah, when I came to play a concert here in beach city no one showed up except-"

"An alligator!"

"Haha, no It was your mother."

"Heh, I know!"

"*Sigh* We're always together after that, until she gave up to give up her physical form to bring you into the world. I don't know what a magical lady like her every saw in a plain old guy like me."

"Mr. Universe, I'm sorry…" Apologized Boss as she heard what happened to Steven's mother.

"Huh? Oh well, thank you. It happened a long time ago, it was very painful to lose Rose like that. But she brought Steven into this world, a symbol of our bond and love that couldn't be broken. *sigh* There's not a single day that I miss her."

"She must've been very lovely." Said Ace sadly.

"Yeah…she was."

*Crash*"

"*Gasp* Dad! I broke a photo!"

"It's ok son! If every pork chop weren't perfect, we wouldn't have hotdogs."

Suddenly a bright pink light glowed in front of Steven and Ghost.

"Could it be?" said Ghost

"It is! It's the light cannon!" shouted Steven. "Dad! I found it!"

"Really?!" said Greg.

"Yeah! Quick get the van!"

After tying the cannon attached to the tail of the van, Greg managed to pull the light cannon out of the unit. Including his junk.

As they met up Steven said.

"This thing could save the city! We gotta get back to the beach!""

"How?! Its too big for the van!" said Greg.

"I could carry it, but we wouldn't make in time!" said Ace.

"How about this?" said Scout as he brought out a red wagon.

"Uh, yeah. It could." Said Greg.

"Then it'll have to do, we don't have much time! Come on!" said Boss.

Ace easily placed the cannon on the wagon and tied it to the van, however due to the weight it broke the wagon. Knowing it will have to due, Steven and the others went in the van and drove back towards the beach. But thanks to the cannons extra weight, it made the van slow.

"You think the cannon is going to be ok?" Asked Steven.

Greg shrugged his shoulders as he said.

"If every pork chop weren't perfect-"

"We wouldn't have hotdogs!" Finished Steven.

"Uh, guys?" said Ace. "Is it just me? Or is that thing getting closer!?"

Everyone in the van looked at the red eye and saw it was getting closer! Time is running out!

"Can't this thing go any faster!?" Shouted Boss.

"This is faster!" said Greg as he pushed the gas pedal further.

"Uh, don't worry! Come on, lets put on you're CD!" said Steven as he held up one of Greg's CD copies.

"R-Really? Come one you've heard it." Said Greg as he blushed.

"Not us! Come on play it!" Said Ace.

"Ok."

Steven inserted the CD in the radio and the song played.

(Play 'Let me drive my van into your heart' by Greg Universe.) (See what I did there? ^-^) (No? I tried.)

As the song played, Fireteam shield listen and was surprised Greg actually sang and made this.

"Wow Mr. Universe, you sang this?" Said Boss.

"Well yeah, a long time ago."

"I like it!" said Ace.

"It sounds like you've put so much dedication into this music, excellent work." Said Scout.

'Oh uh, t-thank you."

As the van drove, everyone listen and enjoyed the music. As they made it to the beach, Garnet, and Pearl turned to see Greg's van pull over. Amethyst washed up on shore and said.

"Throw me again, I think I'm cracking it!"

She then saw the van and saw a familiar weapon being pulled out.

"Is that…?"

"*Gasp* He really had it." Said Pearl.

"We're saved!" Shouted Amethyst.

Suddenly bits of everything the surrounding area was started to be pulled by the red eyes gravitational pull.

"We have to use it now!" Said Garnet.

Pearl inspected the cannon and found nothing to activate the weapon.

"I don't know how it works, it was Rose's!"

"Dad! How do we use it!" said Steven as he asked his father, only to shrug his shoulders as he knew nothing about it.

"Ghost can you find a away to turn the thing on?!" Shouted Boss.

Ghost scanned the cannon and said.

"There's nothing I can find to activate the cannon! Not even a switch!"

"Wait…Steven! You're gem! You have Rose's gem!" Said Pearl.

"That's it! Your gem has to be the key turn this thing on!" Said Amethyst as she carried Steven and placed him on the cannon. Yet nothing happened. "Gah! Come on!"

"Stop that! It's not working!" Ordered Garnet.

"It's no use! Were out of time!" said Pearl.

"Fine Throw me again!" said Amethyst.

"What's the point!? You can't destroy it!" Shouted Scout.

Suddenly the van started to be pulled, Greg tired to pull it back but it was no use. Steven tired to find away to turn the cannon on.

"Come on! Please work! Activate! Turn on! Please?! Everyone is counting on you! You just can't be useless! I know you can help us!"

"Steven…I'm sorry, we did what we could." Said Ace as he placed his hand on Steven's shoulder.

"But…"

"It's ok Steven! We'll figure out something else! Something even better!" said Greg.

"R-Right…If every pork chop weren't perfect, we wouldn't have hotdogs."

All of a sudden, the cannon glowed and transformed. Making Steven jump off and catching everybody's attention.

"It's working! It's actually working!" Said Pearl.

"By the travelers light, there is hope!" Said Boss.

As the cannon finished it's transformation, it fell on the ground as it began to charge.

Steven ran towards it and tired to pick it up and aim it, but it was too heavy for the boy as he still did his best to raise it.

Suddenly the cannon rose higher than Steven as he turned around and saw Garnet, Boss and the others helping him!

"Steven!" said Pearl.

"We got you're back kid!" Said Ace

"Brace yourselves!" Garnet.

"Here it comes!" said Boss.

With the cannon fully charged, it finally fired! A beam came from the cannon as it turned into a rose, and it took on the shape of a woman flying towards the red eye. As it made contact, the red eye started to crack, and then it exploded. Pieces of the red eye started to fall down towards the town causing some damage to the buildings; luckily none of the debris hit anyone who was outside.

As the pieces stopped falling, Amethyst said.

"Steven, you just saved beach city!"

"Well…most of it." Said Ace.

"Y-Yeah, I did. Sorry about that!" said Steven as he shouted to the people who where coming out of their hiding spots.

"As long as no one was hurt, that's all that matters." Said Boss.

"How did you get it to work?" Asked Pearl.

"I just said the thing that Dad always says."

"That thing about pork grinds?"

"Hot Dogs." Corrected Garnet.

"You know, I may be machine. But I'm feeling some hot dogs."

"Rose…" said Greg as tears formed in his eyes.

As they celebrated their victory, the ocean started to rise. Causing everyone to laugh. Until Greg's van started to get sucked into the water.

"My van!"

"It's ok dad, if every pork chop weren't perfect-"

"I LIVE IN THERE!"

With the red eye destroyed, Fireteam's new home is safe. For now. Just who sent that thing anyway? Where did it come from? And why? All they know is that a new enemy is out there is trying to destroy them for some reason. Soon or later, they will find their answers. One way or another.

To be continued…