For a while, things seemed pretty calm. Maxwell got to take part in some missions with the gems, fortunately not as bait. Yet despite his accomplishments, the gems were still not ready to let Steven train with him. He never asked, but Max knew the gems didn't fully trust him. Was it Obsidian's corruption? He wasn't sure, but he was determined to try and gain their trust. Until then, he would just secretly show Steven some small tricks he can do, and maybe educate him a bit more on the real world.
During one of their talks though, Greg and Connie came to the front of the house and were calling out to Steven.
"And that is why you never- what is that noise?" Max and Steven go out the front door to see Greg holding up a flyer.
"Steven! We were invited to a party at the Mayor's new mansion!" Connie explained excitedly. Steven and Greg definitely looked excited, but Max was a bit confused?
"A new mansion? Why is tax money going into a mansion?"
"Oh the mansion is to help house the important visitors from Empire City. If Mayor Dewey and all the citizens make a good impression, Beach City could be given a huge grant of money! I could probably get a new car wash?"
"Maybe remodel the library!"
"Or maybe funland can get bigger and better!"
Everyone was absolutely ecstatic, but Max couldn't help but be unable to shake away a bad feeling.
"So who are invited? Is there a specific list?"
"Nope, everyone in Beach City can come."
"Including the gems?"
Greg's smile turned to shock as he remembered that Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl were prone to bringing danger around them. "Uh oh."
Yet Steven just smiled wide. "It'll be okay! It's a party, we'll all have a fun time, then we'll get the money, and everybody wins!"
"That's the spirit, tell you what Greg, I'll inform the gems about it, and make sure everything is danger proof.
"That's...actually a real relief to hear. We'll take Steven to get him ready for the party, and we'll meet at the party at 6:00."
"Sounds perfect."
For the next few hours, everybody was getting ready for the big shindig at the mansion. Fortunately this was enough time for Max to explain the situation to the gems and help them get ready while making sure every possible problem was accounted for.
It wasn't too long before it was 6:00 and everyone was at the front of the mansion. Right on time, Mayor Dewey opens the doors and invites everybody in.
"Welcome beloved citizens of Beach City! Please feel free to enjoy yourself, but remember to use the coasters."
Everyone rushed into the mansion, enjoying themselves and having a grand time.
Max couldn't help but act like an usher, making sure everything was fine, even being mindful when people were using plastic knifes.
"I don't know what you and Greg were so worried about everything seems to be just fine." Amethyst commented as she drank some punch.
"Maybe...but I can't shake away this feeling…"
He looks and sees Mr. Smiley getting some punch, right next to one of the Empire City visitors, a rather old man. The senior citizen tried to pour some punch into his cup, but ended up pouring it on Mr. Smiley's shirt.
"Oh I'm sorry sonny." Mr. Smiley was definitely forcing a smile, but waved it off.
"T-that's okay. It's just punch."
The senior tried to get more punch, but ended up spilling the whole bowl all over Mr. Smiley's pants. Everyone gasped and stared at the scene, Mr. smiley looked ready to snap.
"Y-you senile geezer, I-I'm gonna-" He was cut off as the lights flicker, shutting of for a good 10 seconds. Warning sirens were going off in Max's head, every instinct in his body telling him something was wrong. Once the lights come back on, the scene before them was something nobody ever thought would happen in Beach City. Sure there were gem attacks, but no one ever really got hurt. But this was something different. Mr. Smiley lost his smile as he looked at the senior citizen on the floor.
The old man was decapitated...his head off his body and bleeding all over the floor.
A scream was heard, everyone started panicking. People were crying, some tried to leave the mansion, but the doors were locked. Buck Dewey grabs a chair and tries to break open a window, but the chair breaks instead.
"What's going on!?"
"Why are we trapped?"
"Who killed this man."
At the last question, some eyes turned to Mr. Smiley, considering he was the closest on to the old man before the lights turned off.
"W-wait! Sure I was mad, b-but I would never kill someone!"
Accusations were thrown around, people questioning each other, fear controlling their minds.
A bang was heard and everyone looks toward Max, who shot his pistol into the air.
"Everyone shut up and listen. I'm afraid to say it, but this man has been murdered. We also appear to be trapped in this mansion. Now with that out of the way, I will tell you all this, this is not a simple killing. Someone planned this, to put all of the citizens of Beach City here and trap us, possibly planning to kill us all. But they made one mistake, they kept me in here. I am Maxwell Ignitus, an ally of the Crystal Gems. I will make sure the rest of you good people will get out of here safely, but before we do that. We must find out who the murderer is. No one can be ruled out. The lights were out for 10 seconds, which is actually a lot of time for the murder to take place, and for the killer to blend into the crowd. This will not be easy, but with all of your cooperation, I promise to save everyone!"
After Max's speech, Max organized everyone to be separated safely, and watched over all of the Crystal Gems. Max sighed sadly, thinking this place was safe from the evil of the world...how wrong he was.
"I have to say, I'm impressed with how you took control of the situation." Garnet looked at Max, standing next to him.
"I wasn't lying when I said I would protect everyone. I've seen enough terrible things, I do not want this great city to be hurt."
"I understand...what have you found out so far?"
"Well, the old man was Executive Bert Sherman. He was 65 years old, pretty old, but he was healthy. The decapitation wasn't simple, according to the tears to the flesh, the weapon used was a serrated machete. I questioned the mayor, and he said the mansion was given plexiglass windows, so no bullets can break through. So there is no easy way to break out. We know the killer couldn't have escaped through the windows or doors. So the killer is here with us, but we don't know who. I do not wish to question anyone, I want to believe in everyone."
"...I understand, but please don't hesitate to talk to me, Pearl, or Amethyst."
"Okay, where's Steven?"
"Don't worry, he's with Greg and the other families, Pearl is watching over them."
Max nods as he starts looking around, trying to find any useful evidence. As he searches the area though, Steven walks up to him.
"Hey buddy, you holding up well?"
"I-I guess...it's just, I wanna thank you for making sure everyone is safe. I thought things would get worse."
"Don't worry Steven, we just gotta…."
"What's wrong?"
"...wind…" Max looks around, and ignites one finger, seeing it seem to sway in one direction. He follows where the fire is going and looks at a big portrait of Mayor Dewey. "Dewey, when did you put up these portraits?"
"Oh um, they went up immediately."
"Is that so?" Max rips down the portrait, revealing a large gap in the wall, a hidden entrance that goes deeper into the mansion.
"What do we have here? The killer possibly escaped through here."
Amethyst summoned her whip and walked to the entrance. "Well what are we waiting for? Let's go get em!"
"No Amethyst, if we all go, then the people will we left vulnerable. You all need to stay here." Despite saying this, Steven ran up to him, a determined look on his face."
"At least let me come."
"Absolutely not, I will not risk your life."
"But I can help! I have shield powers and healing spit."
Greg comes up and puts a hand on his shoulder. "Look Steven, this is too dangerous, I can't risk you getting hurt." Steven resigns and stays back.
"I'll make it back, stay safe everyone." Max sighs as he walks into the dark corridor, using the fire on his hand as his only light.
Max traversed the strange hidden hallway carefully, intent to find some clues. As he searches he finds small lights coming into the hallway. He looks through these little holes to see that the killer could see everyone from here.
"Hmm, why go through all of this to kill someone?"
A shadowy figure walks quietly behind, before it could get close though, Max turns around and points his shotgun at the figure and shines his light at it….showing it to just be Steven.
"Jesus Christ, Steven! I almost shot you! What are you doing here?"
"I couldn't stay behind, I had to help you...who's Jesus?"
"Don't worry about it, how did you get here?"
"I have my ways~"
"You bribed Amethyst, didn't you?"
"...maybe…"
"Whatever, I'm taking you back."
"Aw man." Just as Max was about to lead Steven back to the main room, he saw something glimmer and he pushes Steven out of the way, just for a machete to plunge into the wall.
"The killer!" Max aimed his gun as the killer ran away. He fired and hit it's shoulder, but the shadowy killer kept running. Max and Steven followed as fast as they can, but the killer seems to have escaped.
"We lost them!"
"We better go back." Max sighs as he and Steven go back to the main room, and everyone looks to Max expectantly.
Pearl and Greg run up to Steven. "Steven! How could you run after Max in such a dangerous place? You're grounded from TV for the next 1000 years!"
"It's okay Pearl, if it wasn't for Steven, I wouldn't have found the clue I needed."
"Huh?" Pearl looks at Max as he smirks and grabs something off of Steven. A pin that says Vote for Dewey.
"Now what was this doing in the corridor? Huh Dewey?"
Everyone looks at Mayor Dewey accusingly, making him sweat on the spot.
"N-now that can't be right, I'm not the killer!"
"But in a way it makes sense. By killing the Executive, you hoped to worm your way into Empire City by using fake sympathy for his death, and get the grant for the city."
"P-please! I'm no killer!"
"Sorry Dewey, but you're suspect #1." Max walked over to Dewey to apprehend him, but then the lights flicker. There shouldn't have been anytime. In just a few seconds Max made his flames brighter, but it was too late.
Mayor Dewey, and in his chest was a machete.
"NO!" It was Buck, running to his dad's side.
"B-but how? There was no time, I was right here."
Whispers can be heard, everyone accusing Max. He was the one with so many weapons, and he was the least trusted person in Beach City, only being here for about a month. Max couldn't believe it, his will wavering as the people glowered at him.
"Everybody stop!" Steven stands in front of Max. "Max is not the killer, he's one of my best friends, he's been such a kind guy, he's helped everyone and tries to keep you safe. He even risks his life to find the killer."
He wasn't alone though, the gems backed up Steven, showing their support in protecting Max. Soon everyone was silent, still scared of the possible killer.
"But who else can be the killer? There are no clues, except for…"
Max looks at the dead bodies carefully. He walks closer to Buck and gently pushes him off. "This isn't your dad."
"What are you talking about?"
"Trust me." Max takes out his gun and fires out the dead body, only for the lights to flicker rapidly. Both corpses disappeared.
"What's going on!?"
"There was never an Executive, just some imposter!" No one was dead, it was a relief to say that, but there was definitely someone trying to hurt everyone.
"Uh, M-max." Greg stutters as he and everyone else disperses...there were two Steven's, looking completely identical.
"Huh?" They even spoke in sync. "What? No wait, I'm the real Steven! No I am! Stop copying me!"
No one knew what to do, everyone was just in stunned silence. It wasn't until Max stepped up and reloaded his shotgun, that everyone murmured worriedly.
"Steven is a good kid, you won't be able to copy him so easily. Here are some questions. Question one, what is Steven's favorite treat?"
"Cookie Cat!" They responded simultaneously.
"Question two, what's the name of the Crystal Gems?"
"Easy, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl, and Steven!"
"Question three,...who is Rose Quartz?"
"My mom." Says one Steven, but the other one has a sad and conflicted look. "Well, she turned into me, or is me...I'm not so sure lately."
"Well there's your answer." Max aims at the Steven who answered first and fires, blowing it's head clean off...only for the body and head to melt and reveal a swarm of miniature robots. They currently are too broken to work, but it seems that they work together to look exactly like a person.
With some investigating, the real Mayor Dewey and Executive were found. They were tied up in the basement of the mansion. As thanks for being saved, the Executive gives the grant to Beach City. Everyone seemed so happy, but Max wasn't satisfied. Someone sent those swarm bots, as he's decided to call them, to attack everyone. Max knew there was a new enemy, and he wasn't going to lose.
Author's note: wow this took long! I hope you all enjoy this. Still wanna let you all know I'll still take suggestions until I say otherwise. Sorry if this seems rushed, until next time!