Star sat in the temple, staring down at the cup of tea that Pearl had prepared for him. he knew that gems have no need to eat or drink, but like most humans, it brought him comfort in his stressful moment. he held the mug close to him and stared into the beverage. Steven stared at him, curiously. "So how do you know Lapis?" He finally asked, breaking the silence that filled the room. Star sat there in thought at the question before taking a sip of the tea- a sight which only made Pearl cringe in disgust- and gently set the mug down. "She was my friend back on Homeworld. Back then, i was an outlaw due to my being a male gem. i was locked up by Jasper, but i escaped. I met Lapis by the water, and it was there that she helped myself accept my difference and allowed myself to become a better gem."

"Woah, that's so sweet!"

Star smiled slightly at Steven's comment. "She stood beside me when i warned the Crystal Gems about the war, she fought beside me in the battles, and she was the only other gem that shared my belief that this planet could teach Gemkind something."

Steven cocked his head and looked at star with concern. "She said that?"

"Yes, Steven. why do you ask?"

"Because when i saw her she said that she never believed in this planet. she just wanted to go home."

Star almost dropped his mug at the words, but Garnet reacted and caught it before i hit the floor. "She-... she gave up on earth...?"

Garnet sat beside Star and placed her hand on his back. "Star, i'm sure that she has her reasons for saying that. you can't just assume that she forgot about you. Deep down, you know she's still looking for you."

Star stuffed his face into his hands and held back the urge to cry. "Sensei, it's still possible. she might have forgotten all about me because i lost her in the war."

Steven walked over and tried to hug Star in hopes of being comforting. Star soon pulled himself together and gently hugged Steven back. "You make your mother proud, Steven."

The two smiled at each other, and Star gently sat back, looking out to the ocean. He thought about everything that he was told in the past few minutes. while little of it made sense to him, he still understood some of what he was told, and he knew that time may have taken its toll on the gem he had grown to love. he already saw the changes that effected the crystal gems, and he understood the changes that he himself experienced. so it was possible that Lapis was not the same gem he knew. this did not change his need to find her.

"Where is Lapis, now?" he asked with a serious face as he looked back at Steven, his mirrored eyes allowing Steven to see his own reflection.

"She went back to Homeworld. Back home where she wanted to go." He said, worried that this meant that Star was leaving already.

"Then that's where i'll look." Star stood up, but his arm was suddenly grabbed by Garnet, as she pulled him back down to his seat. "Star, i don't know where you've been the last few centuries, but Earth has no way back to Homeworld. the warp pads are not functional and there is no rocket powerful enough to cover the distance. we're stuck here."

"She found a way. We can find a way, too."

Pearl stood up and put her hands on his shoulders, weighing him down. "Star, you know that's not possible with Earth technology. You're better off staying here and giving up."

Star looked down at the floor and thought. "i can't let go, Pearl, i lost Lapis."

"you haven't even known her that long on Homeworld. why would you 'love' her for this long?"

Star looked up at pearl, "Because she made me feel like a real gem!"

the house went silent again and the Crystal Gems all stared at him. Amethyst scratched her head in confusion, "What do you mean by that, Star?"

Star opened his mouth, but all that could escape was a crack of his voice, followed by a waterfall of tears, as his head fell into his hands. Garnet gently pat his back and then looked up at Amethyst. "Back on Homeworld, he was the only gem that took on the form of a male. And because of that, every gem that saw him would harass him, outcast him, and even try to destroy him."

"Woah, G, that sounds intense..."

"Why would they do that?" Steven asked.

Pearl stood up and walked to the window, wishing to avoid eye contact with steven. "Because we didn't think he was a true gem. we thought of him as an abomination to our kind."

"P-Pearl? you did that to him, too?"

"once... a long time ago... Rose was so disappointed In me."

"a-and you, Garnet?"

Garnet nodded gently. "Yes, before i took him in as my student. we didn't know any better at the time, Steven."

Amethyst walked over and tugged on Star's blue scarf, which moved one of his hands away. "So what made Lapis so special?"

Star wiped his eyes with his red scarf and took a deep breath. "She made me feel unique. She didn't try to attack me or hurt me. and we danced together. in return i protected her from Jasper and stood beside her in the war."

"Awe!" Amethyst elbowed him with a smirk. "Well, i think you should go find her."

Steven stood up and stood on the other side of him. "I think so too. She might be looking for you, Star!"

Star smiled at the two and placed his hands on them. "Thank you, Steven and Amethyst." He stood up and ignored Garnet's attempt to pull him back. He walked out to the beach, but was interrupted by Pearl and Garnet who ran up to him.

"Star! You know you can't get to Homeworld."

"Pearl is right, you're wasting your time."

Star stood at the edge of the sand and stared out to the ocean. he looked to his left to see a sea Turtle that was crawling past him in the sand. it was far out of the usual nesting season, but this turtle was still digging her nest. "I don't care. I'll find a way. Don't stop me, because you know what i'm capable of."

Pearl stepped forward, despite his warning, but Garnet grabbed her shoulder, stopping her. "Garnet-"

"Let him find a way, Pearl."

They watched as Star walked forward, running into the water. Ice formed in his path and melted as he ran over it, destroying the path as he ran. Amethyst sat beside the turtle, poking her, as Steven went to join the other two. "Do you think we'll see him again, Garnet?"

"We'll have to wait and see, Steven."

Star proceeded for hundreds of miles, crossing the ocean with incredible speed. He ran past the land and returned to the canyons where the first battle took place. he looked through the kindergarten, knowing that the answer was somewhere there. He walked past the cracked and shattered gemstones that remained and eventually came across a small, mint green sphere that walked on four glass-like legs. A flask robonoid. it was examining the ruins, and it was also his ticket out.

Star avoided the device so he wouldn't be seen, and prepared to pounce. He watched as the robonoid soon used the legs as a helicopter, and began to launch itself into space. star then pounced, grabbing onto the robonoid's body with his scarves wrapped around it to keep himself secured. The sphere struggled, but then kicked into overdrive, towing itself and star into the air. The device soon left the atmosphere and began to eject a stream of liquid from its body, using it as a rocket propulsion. star could not avoid the slime, but this still did not impair the flight so he had to endure this through the trip. it would take a while, but he would find his way to Homeworld this way. He was going to find Lapis so he could make things up to her...

if she remembered him, that is.