Chapter 7: The Mission

Steven opened his eyes.

It was mid-morning as far as he could tell. The sun hung half-way in the window. Steven was lying in his bed, his blanket was on the floor. His house stood silent. The teenage boy sat up, trying to recollect the day before. He didn't remember coming home last night. He didn't remember anything that happened last night. His head felt funny, like a faint pounding. Steven looked around the room as the pain faded.

The Gems weren't anywhere, he thought. They'd usually be up by now. Yawning, he looked down at himself. He had slept in his clothes. Then, he remembered. The events of the day before flashed in Steven's mind. The beach, Peridot, Tourmaline, everything.

Steven smiled to himself as he turned to sit at the edge of the bed. He yawned as he stood up, his morning routine on his mind. Outside his window, he caught a glimpse of a familiar red figure. Cinnabar was standing out on his porch, leaning against the railing. He smiled again, she looked happy. As he crossed into his kitchen, Steven began talking to himself.

"Alright, breakfast before or after I wash up?" He said, taking a look in his fridge. His stomach rumbled with assertion. Steven realized he had gone to bed without eating. "Definitely before."

Steven reached into his fridge and pulled out a carton of eggs. As he contemplated having scrambled or sunny side up, he looked up and over to his bathroom. Peridot was here, he thought. She might want some.

Steven approached the bathroom, the carton in hand and a merry grin on his face. Things were looking up. He knocked the door of the room twice, waiting for Peridot to open it with her familiar fumbling mannerisms. After a few moments of waiting, however, Steven became concerned. He jiggled the doorknob and noticed it was unlocked.

"Peridot?" Steven contemplated entering without warning. It was his bathroom after all. But Peridot had sorta occupied it for a while. He decided to go in, to make sure she was okay. He turned the knob. "Peridot, I'm coming inside."

He pushed the door open and noticed the lights were on. Steven stepped inside, looking around the bathroom for a sign of his partner. Then, on the floor, something caught his eye.

"Books?" Steven said to himself, reaching down. There was a stack of books sitting in the middle of the floor. He picked up the first one and read it off. "The Human Body for Dumbos? What—"

"Steven."

Steven flinched; the egg carton and book slipped from his hands. He twirled around in surprise. Standing in the corner was Peridot, who seemed to be brandishing the scanner device from the day before. Steven smiled as she approached.

"Morning Peridot! What's—" Steven was cut short as Peridot grabbed onto his arm and pulled it up. She examined it with an intense stare on her face. Steven gave her a look. "Uh, morning, Peri—"

"44.5 centimeters. Slightly above average length for your species." She crouched down and gripped his leg. Steven decided to play along this time and let her do what she wanted. Peridot stood up and mumbled another measurement to herself. She then gripped Steven's wrist and put two fingers on his vein. After a few moments, she nodded. "BPM of 66. Surprisingly above average."

This continued for a few moments before Steven cut in. With a laugh, he said, "Peridot, what're you doing?"

Peridot mumbled something to herself. Steven saw a light green blush form on her face.

"Come on, 'Dot. You can tell me." Steven said with a smile. Peridot looked off to the side as she continued to examine him.

"I spent all night researching your species' displays of affection. Concern for your partner's health seems to be a constant amongst… couples." She stood up again.

Steven beamed. "Awww. Peridot, that's so sweet."

"Actually, I'd recommend fewer sweets. They're not good for your BMI."

Steven laughed. "I appreciate the concern. But most people keep it to things like colds."

"What's a colds?" Peridot asked with a confused expression.

"Oh, forget about it for now." Steven let his hands grip onto Peridot's. The green gem looked off to the side again, another awkward blush on her face.

"Steven," she began.

"Yeah?"

"...I really enjoyed last night," she finally said. She turned to Steven and gave him a small smile. He grinned back at her.

"Me too," he said. After a moment, he hugged Peridot, who readily accepted the embrace. Steven felt his Gem light ablaze and a warmth spread through his chest. He glanced down and saw his Gem glowing through his shirt. Peridot's Gem then lit up with a lime light. Steven knew what was about to happen. He began to chuckle as the process happened.

Where two Gems were embraced… two still stood.

Steven looked down and saw Peridot put an arm between them. She had interrupted the fusion before it could complete.

"No, not here," she demanded, shaking her head. Steven gave her a concerned look.

"What's wrong?"

"Commander Cinnabar is literally just outside. If she caught us, they'd need a microscope to find every shard."

Steven gulped as he took a step back from Peridot "Yeah, probably not the best idea."

"Uh-huh."

The two stood silently, looking at one another. They weren't sure how to proceed. Steven reached down and lifted the egg carton he dropped. He opened it up and smiled, as only a few eggs were broken.

"Hey, I was gonna make eggs. You want some?"

Peridot snorted in laughter. The awkward moment slipped from her mind. "Sure."

"Awesome!" Steven exclaimed, turning back to the door. Peridot followed, a smile on her face. "I'll show you how—"

The two froze as they faced the doorway. There, leaning against the frame of the door, was Amethyst, who was giving the two a questioning glance.

"Amethyst!" Steven and Peridot exclaimed in unison. Amethyst raised an eyebrow at the two.

"You two gonna keep doin' that?" She said as she got off the door frame. "Ay, Steven. Pearl wants to talk to you."

Steven glanced at Peridot. "She does?"

"Uh, yeah?" Amethyst replied, leaving the bathroom. "Come on, we got stuff to do."

Steven and Peridot looked at one another. Steven shrugged, unsure how to respond. Peridot rolled her eyes.

"Go. We'll talk later," she said. Steven nodded before beginning to walk out. However, he paused just short of the doorway. He turned. Peridot furrowed her brows."What're—"

Steven ran over and gave Peridot a kiss on her forehead, much to her surprise.

"See ya, Peridot!"

Before Peridot could react, Steven ran out, laughing to himself. She was left to clutch her Gem, a bright green blush on her cheeks. She bit her lip.

Steven exited the bathroom, chuckling to himself. If only he could get a picture of her face when he had done it. That'd be great. The teenage boy slowed to a stop and looked over to the temple door where Amethyst was waiting. She gave him a questioning look. Steven laughed awkwardly as he began to walk towards her. He was visibly sweating.

Amethyst rolled her eyes as she opened the door. The two stepped through into her room and began looking for the stairs that would lead them to Pearl's room. All the while, Steven was fidgeting as he walked. Then, the pressure got to him.

"How much did you see?"

Amethyst smirked.

"Enough."


It was several hours later.

Pearl had gotten Steven up to speed with what had happened yesterday. They had managed to convince Cinnabar that they were a small outpost charged with keeping the surrounding area. They had also told her that the warp pads were only connected a short distance away. Their 'mission' with Cinnabar yesterday involved hiking in circles in some forest in upper Canada. Today, however, the mission would be a bit more active.

The six were currently in a jungle in Venezuela, several kilometers from the crashed Gem warship. Leading the group was Cinnabar, who was using her scythe to clear a path through the thick brush. Behind her was Pearl, using her spear to cut the remaining hanging vines. Collected in what was a loose mob was Steven, Amethyst, Ruby, and Sapphire. The latter two kept a distance from each other, standing on opposite sides of the party.

The story today was finding some lost tech in the jungle.

Steven paced behind Pearl, jumping up and over roots and stumps left by the trees. He had a wide smile on his face and his cheeseburger backpack on his back. His mind kept drifting between two thoughts. The first was with Cinnabar; what he would do with her today. The second was from this morning. He had managed to fit breakfast with Peridot in before leaving. She had liked his eggs.

Steven shook his head as Cinnabar cleared away a tall tree like it was nothing. He had business to do. Steven put on his 'Serious Steven' face as he picked up his speed. As he stepped passed Pearl, however, she raised her hand to intervene. But she stopped just short. Steven didn't notice as he walked by.

"Hey, Cinnabar," Steven said. He began walking just behind the Commander. Cinnabar smiled.

"Hello," she grunted, swinging her weapon down. She paused to wipe her forehead before continuing.

"How's it hanging?"

"How's what hanging?" She stopped for a moment and turned to look at her surroundings. Steven laughed.

"Sorry, it's an Earth phrase. It means how're you doing," he explained. Cinnabar nodded before continuing to work.

"Oh, I'm doing fine, Steven of Quartz."

"That's good." Steven paused, unsure of what to say.

There was silence for a moment, besides the sound of trees plummeting to the forest floor. Cinnabar kicked a fallen tree, launching it many meters away.

"You know, Steven of Quartz, I regretted telling you to go out yesterday."

"Huh?"

"I missed out on a chance to see your new body in action. I'm excited to be able to see you work today," Cinnabar explained. She had a grin on her face as she swung. "You're a first, Steven of Quartz. The first Gem to change through volition alone. Today is your chance to prove yourself."

Steven nodded as he understood what she meant. She had expectations for him, just like the Gems. He began thinking of what to say next. He had to be considerate.

The next quarter kilometer blurred by. The other Gems had remained basically silent as they trudged through the thick jungle. It was Steven's job to handle Cinnabar and he was still in thought. His attention, however, occasionally drifted to a beautiful sight of the forest or a wandering image of Peridot in his mind.

The group paused as Cinnabar worked on an especially thick tree, almost four meters across. Her attention was entirely on the task ahead of her. She didn't even notice the tree to her right, which was cut but had not fallen.

A loud crack caught Steven's attention, causing him to turn to its source. The large tree to the right of them was starting to collapse. None of the other Gems noticed past Cinnabar's grunts of exertion. The tree suddenly gave, collapsing towards the group. Steven reacted.

"Cinnabar!" He called, shoving the Commander out of the way. Cinnabar fell back in surprise as Steven grabbed onto the falling tree. The trunk groaned to a halt as Steven struggled to hold it up.

"Steven!" The Gems screamed. The four, barring Cinnabar, rushed forward as Steven struggled to hold up the massive weight of the trunk. He grunted as it pushed him back. Pearl immediately put her back to the trunk and pushed it along with him. Amethyst dove behind the tree and began pulling it with her whip. Ruby stood beside Pearl and Steven, pushing the tree up. Sapphire stayed back, unsure on what to do.

Cinnabar slowly sat up, her eyes drawn to the scene in front of her. She looked up at the tall tree that was bearing down on them. It soared high up into the sky, taller than most of the other trees. She looked down and saw Steven struggle with its massive weight. She thought for a moment.

"Move."

All eyes went to Cinnabar, who was now standing over the struggling group. She held her hands behind her back. Pearl faced the Commander.

"Are you crazy? This tree nearly crushed Steven!" she called. Cinnabar stared her down before placing a hand on the leaning trunk. Most of the weight gave way.

"I said, move."

Amethyst was first to let go, followed shortly by Ruby. They weren't prepared to face her down. Pearl, however, stalled. She looked back at Steven, who was still struggling to hold up the remaining weight of the tree. He was panting in exhaustion. Pearl's grip tightened; she couldn't ask what Steven wanted to do outright.

Yet, Steven quickly nodded his head, answering her silent question, He was giving Cinnabar the benefit of the doubt. Pearl apprehensively stepped away from the tree, being careful to not dump the remaining weight on Steven so quickly. Cinnabar let Pearl pass before crouching down to be at Steven's level. Her arm still held up the tree.

"Steven of Quartz."

"H-hey, C-Cinnabar," Steven replied struggling to hold up the trunk. He gave a nervous chuckle. "I'm gonna go out on a limb here, and say this is a bit mulch for me."

"Push the tree."

"Huh?" Steven said in surprise. His joking demeanor fell away. He was pushed back as his grip on the tree loosened. The trunk was now leaning over him. "Uh, this is a bit over my head, don't you think?"

"You are a Quartz warrior, Steven of Quartz. One of the strongest in all of Gemkind, second only to the Diamonds. You can do it."

Steven heard a gasp of surprise from Pearl. He looked up at the height of the tree. His arms began to tremble under the weight. "I thought you said I was small. Doesn't that mean I'm too weak to do stuff like this?"

Cinnabar stoic expression cracked. "You may be small, but you're special, Steven of Quartz. There is a part of you unique to all of Gemkind. You can change. If there is any Gem your size that can move this, it's you."

Steven turned back to the tree that bore down on him. He had a thought. It was a risky one, though. Still, he was willing to try.

"Even the Diamonds?"

Cinnabar was taken aback. Steven's question had thrown her for a loop. She paused as she heard Pearl gasp, again. She knew what Steven meant; was he unique to even the Diamonds? And she knew the answer as well. But, she couldn't bring herself to say it. The answer was logical, it just made sense. Yet, she couldn't open her mouth to respond. Something held her tongue back.

Cinnabar's grip on the tree tightened. Behind her, she could hear the hushed whispers of the others. They were concerned. She looked down at Steven, who was still pushing up against the tree, despite the challenge. He had saved her, she thought. Steven risked his own life for her. A surprising warmth formed in her Gem. Suddenly, the block in her mind gave way. Her lips were no longer sealed. She made a fist with her spare hand and looked Steven in the eye.

"Steven of Quartz. You are unique, even to the Diamonds." She heard gasps from behind her. It would take a lot to live that down. Still, she meant it. Steven looked up at her, stars in his eyes.

"You— Wow, I mean," Steven stuttered. He clenched his eyes and nodded. "I'll do it."

Cinnabar smiled. "Good. I'm going to let the tree go, alright? Be ready."

Steven nodded and tightened his grip on the trunk. If Cinnabar trusted him enough to say that, the least he could do was trust her. Still, he had to consider how he would actually move the tree.

"Commander Cinnabar!" Pearl called, stepping forward. "This has gone on long enough! You are needlessly risking Steven's health."

"Uh, Pea, maybe not the best idea, girl," Amethyst called from the back. Pearl ignored her.

Cinnabar stood up, her hand still holding the tree back. She rose and looked down at Pearl. She had a fire in her eyes. "Are you defying the orders of Yellow Diamond's head commander?"

Pearl was hesitant for a moment. Yet, when she saw Steven still struggling she took another step forward. "For Steven, I would defy all of Homeworld."

"Pearl!" Steven called, stopping the argument. She and Cinnabar turned to him. "Please, just trust Cinnabar here. Trust me."

Pearl didn't know what to say, how to react. She turned to Ruby and Sapphire, who had no response. Pearl sighed. Before she could make a decision, however, Cinnabar shoved her towards the others. As Pearl stumbled back, Cinnabar turned to Steven.

"Go, you could afford to take the advice of this Quartz." She said, crouching down. Before she could address Steven, she turned her head. "We'll be discussing your outburst later, Commander Pearl."

Steven pursed his lips as Cinnabar turned back to him. He didn't want this to get violent. He let out a sigh of relief as Pearl stood back up and returned to the others. Now he could concentrate on the task at hand.

He thought back to earlier that week, when he had lifted the laser light cannons. He just needed his powers to kick in. Steven looked up at the tree again and realized, this was a tall order.

"Steven of Quartz, I know this may seem beyond you," Cinnabar started again. Her voice was calm. "But know I have full faith that you can do it. You know why?"

"W-why?" He grunted. Cinnabar had released more weight.

She smiled. "Because, I believe in you, Steven."

A fire lit up in Steven's Gem and burned all throughout his body. Cinnabar believed in him, he thought. She believed he could do it. And if she thought he could, then so should he. A pink film glazed over his eyes and his Gem began to glow through his shirt.

Steven nodded his head, a big smile on his face. Cinnabar returned the sentiment and stepped back, releasing the full weight of the tree. The trunk leaned, no longer held back by the strong Gem. Yet, as fast as it began to move, it came to a sudden stop.

Steven was holding the tree now, all by himself.

"Steven!" The Gems called in shock. Cinnabar grinned to herself.

"Good! Now, Steven of Quartz, toss it away!"

Steven nodded again and began to heave the trunk upwards. The wood trembled in his arms as he lifted it. Leaves were raining down on the group like a summer storm. Steven smiled as he swung the huge tree back, like a baseball bat. Then, as if he was hitting a homerun, Steven swung the tree and tossed it, launching it into the forest. The group stood silent for several moments before the sound of the tree crashing reverberated through the jungle. Steven turned to the group and beamed them a big, toothy grin.

Cinnabar cackled as she rushed forward. She lifted Steven up by his arms and swung him into the air.

"That's how we do it, Steven of Quartz!" She called, twirling him. "That's how a Gem does it!"

Steven laughed as he was swung, proud and excited at his achievement. Cinnabar came to a stop and deposited Steven to the ground, still cackling. Amethyst rushed forward, a stupid grin on her face.

"That. Was. Awesome!" She cheered, looking off at the clearing Steven had made with the tree. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and began laughing along with Cinnabar. "Heh, I didn't even know you could do that, Steven!"

"Me neither!"

Cinnabar's laughing came to a slow stop as the excitement of the moment wore off. As Steven and Amethyst chatted among themselves, she looked onto the other three Gems with them. Pearl was covering her mouth, frozen in shock. Behind her, Ruby and Sapphire stared on. They were closer now. For what reason, Cinnabar couldn't tell. What she did know, was that those three hadn't taken to Steven's power like she and Amethyst were. She had to fix that.

Cinnabar reached down to her knee and summoned her weapon. This caught everyone's attention.

"I can tell you all need some time to process this and talk. I'll be heading off ahead." She explained, returning to the front of the clearing. Before anyone could object, she sliced down another tree. "Whenever you're ready, catch up with me."

And like that, she was off. The five stood silent for many moments before Cinnabar's cries grew faint. Steven opened his mouth to say something, but Amethyst jerked him around in a joking headlock.

"So you're a big man now, huh?" She said in a humorous tone. "Who told you that you could get so bada—"

"Amethyst!" Pearl interrupted, grabbing Steven away from her. She fell to her knees and began running her hands over Steven's arms. She pulled away his sleeves and examined his shoulder.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Steven asked as Pearl turned him around. She lifted his shirt and looked at his Gem for several seconds. Steven grew impatient. "Pearl?"

Pearl sighed and let go of Steven's shirt. She sat on the ground and began rubbing her temples. She deadpanned. "Oh my stars. It's happening."

"What's happening?" Steven asked, stepping forward. Pearl ignored him and stood up. She began to pace around the clearing.

"I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" She began. "I should've never let Steven interact with that-that-that brute! She's accelerating everything!"

"Hey! Lay off!" Amethyst demanded, stepping forward. "Cinnabar's been cool ever since we met her. Look what she's doing with Steven. In like the three days she's been here, he's gotten way stronger."

"So, hey, can someone tell me what's going on?" Steven cut in.

Pearl turned and stuck her finger at Amethyst. She was angry now. "You don't have even an inkling of an idea of what's going on! Of what she's doing to Steven."

"Mind if I could know what she's doing to me?" Steven said again. The two ignored him.

"Oh, I don't know anything, huh? Well, maybe I would, if you told me anything!"

"I am not getting into this discussion right now!"

"Guys." Steven tried again.

Sapphire stepped forward, finally entering the conversation. "Amethyst, she's right. There're parts of Steven's biology we don't understand yet. Thus, we couldn't have told you something that we, ourselves, didn't know."

Steven sighed, realizing he had been kicked out of his own conversation. He looked off at the final Gem in their party, Ruby. She had been stunningly silent this whole time. She was still standing in that same spot in the clearing, staring off in the direction of Cinnabar. She had this look of contempt on her face. Steven looked back at the three still bickering and walked over to Ruby.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. The sounds of squabbling became quiet as the three realized Steven had left. Ruby, still unmoving, stared deep into the path Cinnabar had made.

Without moving, turning, or even emoting, she declared, "I'm going to kill her."

The clearing erupted into screams and shouts as Ruby suddenly sprinted forward. Amethyst was first to process what had happened.

"Woah there!" She leapt in front of the charging Gem, attempting to block her way. But, Ruby effortlessly barreled through her. Pearl grabbed onto her next, yet Ruby had only slowed down a tiny amount. The two held on in vain as Ruby marched forward.

"Ruby! You need to calm down," Pearl pleaded, trying to keep her from running after the Commander. "You're going to blow everything!"

"Yeah, and blow up the jungle while you're at it," Amethyst shouted, wrapping her whip around Ruby's arm. Yet, Ruby continue to trudge on, each step she took leaving a burning mark. She threw her head back.

"I AM A BURNING WHITE FLAME!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "AND SHE'S GONNA BE DUST IN MY HANDS!"

Flames erupted from Ruby's hands and pillared into the air for a few seconds. Sapphire ran in front of Ruby and blocked the path. "Ruby, please calm down. You're allowing your rage to get the best of you."

"AND YOU'RE LETTING SOME GEM HURT STEVEN!" She screamed, taking another step forward.

"What are you guys talking about!"

Everyone, including Ruby, turned back to the clearing, where Steven was stomping out the mini-brush fire Ruby had created. He looked impatient. Sapphire was first to respond.

"Steven, we're—"

"—trying to protect you," Ruby finished, her anger suddenly diminished. She couldn't direct her rage at Steven. Amethyst and Pearl let go as they realized Ruby had cooled off. Steven frowned.

"Really? Because it looks like you guys are being really selfish right now," he said. "This is supposed to be my project, and you're all keeping something from me. Doing your own thing."

"Hey, don't pile me up with them," Amethyst said, stepping away from the other three. "I don't know anything either."

Steven sighed as Amethyst stood by him. The rest of the Gems were hiding something, but he couldn't worry about that now. They needed to finish the mission.

"Okay, look. You've all got some issues with Cinnabar. I get it. But right now is not the time to start falling apart. Let's just go follow Cinnabar, alright?"

"I'm good with that." Amethyst huffed, crossing her arms. The three Gems still at the edge of the clearing looked at one another. Pearl was the first to stand up.

"Despite what I may think about… her, I'm willing to continue the mission. For you, Steven," she explained. Pearl walked over to and stood by Steven. Sapphire looked down at Ruby, who was gripping the dirt in an attempt to release frustration. The ground was smoldering beneath her.

"We should get up."

"She's doing something to him, Sapphire. How can you stand it?" Ruby replied. Her head was turned away.

"I don't."

Ruby turned. "What?"

Sapphire smiled. "I know it may seem like I'm being careless, like I'm just leaving Steven to face the danger alone. But I feel the same way you are. However, I believe in Steven enough to trust that he knows what he's doing. And you should too." Sapphire extended her arm to Ruby.

Ruby took a few moments to think. The small fire beneath her finally went out. Her frown went neutral as she sighed. She chuckled and turned to accept the gesture. Sapphire lifted her up from the ground and the two found themselves in each other's arms.

And where two Gems stood, one remained.

"Garnet," Steven whispered in awe as the fusion formed in front of them. She took a moment to summon her visor before turning to the group.

"Steven," she began. "Thank you."

Steven nodded before Pearl stepped forward. "But, Garnet. Why fuse here? The Commander can still catch us."

Garnet shook her head.

"We… I. I need time to think." She summoned her gauntlets. "You all go on ahead. I'll catch up."

And with that, she leapt into the jungle and sprinted away, out of sight. The sound of her footsteps faded.

"We should get going," Pearl said, breaking the silence that had formed. "The Commander is going to start getting suspicious."

The other two nodded and soon the group was off down the path.

Pearl stood a few feet in front of the other two. Amethyst was off to the side of the path, her fingers locked behind her head. Steven had a lot on his mind as they walked through the jungle. The most prominent thought being what Pearl, Ruby, and Sapphire were talking about. What did they think Cinnabar was doing to him. He looked down at his hand and made a fist. He was getting stronger, which was cool. Yet, only Amethyst thought this was a good thing.

Speaking of Amethyst, the purple Gem knocked into Steven's side, catching his attention.

"Huh? Oh, hey Amethyst."

"Hey, Ste-man, don't listen to those two. I think you're doing awesome with Cinnabar." She reassured, her hands falling from behind her head. Steven smiled.

"Thanks." He began whispering. "I guess Pearl is just really worried about me, ya know?"

Amethyst huffed. "Yeah, sure..."

Steven frowned. "What's up with you?"

Amethyst perked up, and her mischievous smile returned. "Who cares about me, what's up with you and Peridot."

Steven's face erupted in a bright blush. "Uhhhh."

"Ha! I knew it," she called. Steven wrapped his hands over her mouth, making sure she didn't alert Pearl. Amethyst began laughing through his hands. "Okay, okay, give it to me straight. When did it start?"

Steven was hesitant for a moment. "Last night."

"And you're already about to fuse the moment you're in the same room? Wow, didn't expect Peridot to be so easy."

Steven didn't know what she meant. "Look, can we keep this between us? Me and Peridot are still trying to handle it ourselves; I don't really want Pearl and Garnet to be worried. Or give me dating advice."

Amethyst smiled. "Ah, don't worry about it. I'll shut up about your secret girlfriend until this whole Cinnabar thing blows over. M'kay?"

Steven would've been embarrassed over the "girlfriend" comment, but his attention was taken by what Amethyst was implying.

"What do you mean, blow over?" He asked. Amethyst snorted in laughter.

"I mean, Cinnabar ain't gonna—"

"Steven, Amethyst," Pearl called, cutting Amethyst off. "We're here."

The thin path the three had been walking through opened up to a larger clearing. Standing at the opposite end was Cinnabar who was leaning on her scythe, facing them. She had a quizzical expression on her face. Cinnabar shook her head as she noticed the others enter. She seemed to have been lost in thought. She stood straight.

"Took you all long enough," She commented, lifting her weapon from the ground. Pearl quickly apologized. Cinnabar nodded before turning to begin swinging again. However, she paused. "Where are Ruby and Sapphire?"

Pearl didn't hesitate. "They stayed back, they needed more time to talk."

Cinnabar nodded once more before returning to cut trees. "I think we'll be done very soon. I can feel us approaching the objective."

Steven smiled to himself. If they finished soon enough, he might be able to get back home in time to see Peridot. He might even have enough time to have Connie over. He picked up the pace, excited at the thought.


It was many more hours later.

Apparently to Cinnabar, who was often hulled up in her ship for weeks at a time, several hours meant 'very soon.' However, it wasn't like anyone could complain. Ruby and Sapphire also hadn't returned yet, leaving the group quite bare. It was past nightfall now and the party was beginning to lag behind. Pearl was walking a few feet back from Cinnabar, using the light of her Gem to illuminate the thick forest.

Behind her, Amethyst and Steven trudged on, tired and sweaty from the hours of walking through the hot, humid forest. Amethyst had her hair tied up. It had kept dragging through the mud and dirt. Steven, meanwhile, had rolled up his sleeves and was swatting the air in frustration; dozens of mosquitoes were swarming around him. His idea of seeing Peridot before bed was thrown out a long time ago.

Cinnabar, meanwhile, hadn't faltered in the slightest. She was still diligently cutting down each tree in their path without much resistance. The only difference now, however, was that she'd occasionally pause to knock down a tree that was half cut.

Minutes before Amethyst was tempted to just scream into the night from boredom, Cinnabar came to a stop. The trees had suddenly cleared, leaving a long line of just forest floor. Cinnabar smiled as she put away her weapon. It was a crash site.

"Gems, I believed we've found our target," she commented, catching everyone's attention. In front of her was a mound of moss and vines, wrapped around something imbedded into the ground. Pearl shined her light on the mound in question. It was about the size of a couch.

Amethyst leaned over to Steven. She began whispering. "Hey, do you even remember what we've been looking for?"

"Pearl said something about some machine lost during the war," he whispered back. He was especially quiet when saying the 'w' word.

Cinnabar leaned down and gripped the edges of a thick sheet of plant life. Then, like she was dusting a carpet, she tore the whole covering of moss and vine and shook it. She took a look at how thick it was before turning to Pearl.

"I thought you said this payload was lost only recently?"

Pearl stumbled. "Uh, yes! But you see, the, um—"

"The jungle grows really fast," Steven cut in, providing an explanation. Pearl nodded with haste, to which Cinnabar just grumbled. She tossed the sheet of moss away to reveal the metal underneath.

The group stood forward to get a look. Pearl shined her light down. Buried about halfway into the ground was a metal tube. It had what appeared to be fins and booster at the far end and a rounded tip at the other. It resembled an old school rocket ship. Near the tip of the ship was an insignia of four diamonds. They were yellow, blue, white, and most prominently, pink. The pink diamond was larger and still quite vivid while the others were faded.

Steven's eyes lingered on the bright pink diamond. For a reason he couldn't discern, it attracted his attention. Cinnabar smiled and leaned down to the insignia. Pearl panicked as she placed her hand on the yellow diamond. The insignia flashed red and a loud beep was heard.

"What?" Cinnabar said out loud. "How in the world—"

"What's wrong?" Steven asked, peeking from behind Pearl.

"These transport pods are meant to only open to high ranking Gems. Yet, it's rejecting me," she explained, standing up.

"Here, let me try," Pearl said, now calm. Cinnabar stepped out of the way for Pearl to lean down. She laid her hand on the insignia, specifically on the pink diamond. She grew concerned as it beeped and flashed red. "That is strange. Whatever's inside must have been very important to… Pink Diamond."

Steven looked up at Pearl, who had paused at the mention of the matriarch. Before he could talk to her, however, Cinnabar stood forward again and summoned her weapon.

"Forget it, I'll just cut it out," she declared as she spun her scythe above her head. Pearl pulled Steven back as the Commander showed off. Steven smiled, excited to see Cinnabar go to town on the ship. However, as he looked back down at the half-buried pod, he was reminded of something.

Something Peridot had said, Steven thought. Cinnabar tossed her scythe into the air. It twirled a few times.

Something… relevant.

Cinnabar caught the scythe as it descended. She swung it back, arching back comically. Then, Steven remembered. The metal of the ship and the seal, that was it. Cinnabar hurled her weapon down.

"Isn't that carbonadium?"

Cinnabar froze mid-swing. Her pupils constricted. She pulled back from the ship.

"Oh my stars, I'm an idiot."

"Carbonadium!" Pearl called, pulling Steven back further. "And we nearly hit it!?"

"What?" Amethyst asked. "What's that hafta do with anything?"

Cinnabar quickly put away her weapon. She turned back to the group.

"Carbonadium absorbs and resonates kinetic energy back at its source. Me striking it would be like hitting a giant tuning fork."

"With the force of a nuclear weapon!" Pearl finished. She had Steven tightly wrapped in her arms. "It would've shattered everything in ten-kilometer radius."

Cinnabar turned to the two.

"How did you know what the pod was made of, Steven of Quartz. I hadn't even considered it."

"It just looked like the door that was on your ship." Steven peaked out from Pearl's concerned grip. "It even had the little diamond scanner thingy."

"My ship?" She replied, suddenly reminiscing. She shook her head. "You were on my ship?"

"Well, yeah. I was the one who found you," Steven explained. Cinnabar looked back down at the insignia. She was lost in thought. The new silence grew weary.

"We can't open it," Pearl reiterated. "Let's just go, Cinnabar. We can try again tomorrow."

"No," Cinnabar answered. "If the jungle grows as fast as you said it does, we'll just lose a whole day of work."

She turned to Steven and Pearl. There was a fire in her eyes.

"I want you to try, Steven."

"Really!" Steven said, loosening from Pearl's grip. The thin Gem wrapped him up tighter.

"No!" She shouted. "You have no idea how it'd react to a Quartz like Steven."

"Yeah," Amethyst added. "Doesn't sound like the best idea."

Cinnabar shook her head. "How did you get into my chambers to find me?"

"I opened the door," Steven explained, getting out from Pearl's tight hug. Pearl pulled him back.

"I knew it," Cinnabar said with a smile. "The scanners seem to be misreading Steven of Quartz. He may be able to open it."

"I wanna try!" Steven said with excitement. He jumped up and down in Pearl's arms. She was forced to let him go. He turned to her. "Come on Pearl, just let me try."

Pearl was hesitant. "Steven, I— I don't know."

"Please, Pearl. Pretty please?" He said with puppy dog eyes. Pearl sighed.

"Alright."

"Yes!" Steven jumped up again and ran over to the ship. Cinnabar smiled as the young Gem passed her. She smirked at Pearl before turning back to the pod. Steven got onto his knees and leaned down to diamond insignia. Behind him, Pearl was sweating. Amethyst shot her a look.

He looked down at the four diamonds, and his eyes fell back to the large pink one. He placed his hand on it, like he saw Pearl and Cinnabar do before. A few seconds of anxious silence followed before the pod reacted. The whole insignia flashed a bright pink and dinged a high tone.

"I think it opened!" Steven called, stepping back. Cinnabar grinned and patted Steven's shoulder.

"Great job, Steven. I knew you could do it." Cinnabar stepped forward as the pod began to change. A seam suddenly formed in the smooth ship and a whole panel slid away. Dust and smoke fled the newly opened compartment. The Commander stepped over the ship and reached inside. She shifted around the container before smiling. She had something.

What she pulled from the ship was strange. It could only be described as jackhammer with claws rather than a hammer. It short and stout, with a box that connected to a claw that reached out like a hand. It had two handles on either side with what looked like a drawer on the side opposite of the claw. It was covered in what looked like complete chicken scratch.

"What is it?" Steven asked, getting closer. Pearl jerked him back. Cinnabar gave the device a look over, turning it a few times.

"I… don't know." She looked up at Pearl. "Commander Pearl, you wouldn't happen to have any idea? And for the Diamonds' sake, let go of Steven of Quartz."

Pearl apprehensively released Steven before stepping past him. Cinnabar handed her the device to study. After a few seconds, Pearl put a hand on her mouth.

"Oh my stars, this is it."

"Quit with the pronoun game, Pea. What is it?"

Pearl turned to face everyone better. "This is an experimental Gem healing technology that… Pink Diamond was working on. It can repair fractures and cracks in a Gem."

Cinnabar furrowed her brow. "Pink Diamond certainly has enough Rose Quartzs to heal Gems. I don't see why she'd need this."

Steven was slightly taken aback at the mention of his mother. He knew there were other Quartz like her. It was just… weird, hearing her referred in plural.

"Not every base on the colony can get one, unfortunately," Pearl lied. She turned it over in her hands. "But judging from its current state, it would only be able to heal one, maybe two, Gems. And—"

Pearl's eyes bulged as she pulled back the drawer of the device. Cinnabar took a step forward.

"What? What is it?"

"I'm sorry. It's just… I'm not used to this." Pearl handed the machine back to Cinnabar looked at what Pearl was talking about.

"Oh. Oh," She said. Suddenly, she was less passionate about holding the machine.

"What's wrong?" Steven asked, worried about the sudden nervousness from the two. Cinnabar straightened up, realizing she was setting a bad example.

"The device, its energy source is a bit… unsettling." She pulled the drawer open to show Steven. He recoiled in shock. He was suddenly filled with the disgust Pearl and Cinnabar had a few moments before.

Inside was the shattered remains of some poor Gem. The healing device relied on a Gem being shattered to work. An uncomfortable quiet grew in the group.

Steven was distraught. He had seen far more shattered Gems than he was comfortable with. The idea of one Gem being sacrificed to heal another sent a shiver down his spine. Why would you ever do that when you could just go to someone like Rose? His mom would've helped, right?

Steven shuddered, realizing Pink Diamond might've made the device after the rebellion began. Because his mother wasn't there to heal Gems. He tried to distract himself, but found that his gaze kept returning to the device in Cinnabar's hands.

Cinnabar shut the drawer quickly, breaking the short silence. She perked up.

"It's alright. Whatever is required to serve the Diamonds, right?" She said, expecting a sounding call of yes. All she got were a few murmurs of agreement. Left to another awkward and still silence, Steven was forced to return looking at the device. The long scratches caught his eyes; they were too deep to just be scratches.

"Why is it so scraped up?" He asked, trying to distract himself. Cinnabar looked down at the device. She turned to Steven in confusion.

"Steven of Quartz, can you not read the language of your people? This is Gem-Speak." She turned to Pearl who was blushing in embarrassment. "Have you taught Steven of Quartz anything about Homeworld? First, it's the history of the Diamonds and now his own language?"

"She's got you there, Pea." Amethyst laughed. "To be honest, I can't read a lick of it either."

"We-We never had a chance!" Pearl defended, taking a step back. Cinnabar shook her head.

"We'll discuss this later." Cinnabar crouched down to be level with Steven. She pointed to the first large mark on side of the device. "This character means ownership, Steven of Quartz. It's modified by this double loop, to denote the owner. In this case, it's Pink Diamond."

Pearl's lips scrunched up as she saw Cinnabar teach Steven his first few Gem words. That was going to be her job. Amethyst smirked and nudged her in the side.

"And these two mean energy and source. Together they mean—"

"The source of power!" Steven said with excitement. He committed the few words to memory. Cinnabar had a wide smile.

"Perfect!" She said, patting his shoulder. Standing up, she faced the other two. "Alright, Pearl. Unless you want us lugging this around for the entire return trip, I'd recommend you store it."

Pearl nodded before taking the device from Cinnabar's outstretched hands. She shuddered as she slipped it into her Gem's storage. Satisfied with everything, Cinnabar began walking down the path she had formed.

"Mission's over Gems. Let's head home. We'll hopefully meet up with the other two on our way back." She paused for a moment, before turning to look back at the other three. "Steven of Quartz, why don't you lead the way?"

Steven grinned, stars in his eyes. He raced forward to get in front of the Commander.

"Alright!"

Pearl sighed as she saw Steven run up to Cinnabar's side, before overtaking her. Oh Rose, she thought. She was losing him.

End of Chapter 7