For a little ambience, listen to Lanayru Desert (Present) from Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Shifting sands blew across the barren landscape. Its weathered fragments erasing any evidence of life that once roamed here by burying it where no light could hope to reach it. The only indicator of vitality that wouldn't be so easily overtaken by the non-forgiving wasteland were the colossal paw prints of an out of place predator. But the pink carnivore didn't have prey on his mind…he was searching for a different kind of prize that would satisfy him more than a meal for a ravenous appetite.
A smile.
That small, genuine gesture was all he desired.
And given his companion's current state of mind…Lion hoped against all odds that this hidden, long forgotten sanctuary would give him his wish. Or else the Steven that everyone knew and loved would be lost forever, becoming nothing more than a memory engulfed by the sands of time.
Hot winds billowed through Lion's mane and his sole rider buried his face further into the furry shield to protect himself from the scorching onslaught. It was first time Lion felt any movement from him since they begin their trek. It gave him some comfort to know that he didn't completely shut himself down.
Although…it's pretty difficult to be completely numb to the abnormal, sweltering temperatures of the arid wilderness.
He purred, trying to assure him that they were almost there.
Hopefully.
Working purely on instinct had its advantages, it beats wandering aimlessly around. But not knowing the exact location negated the convenience of his warp ability. Rose only showed him this area once, so his memory was a little foggy.
Once he reached the pinnacle of a steep sand dune, he beheld the sight before him. An array of oranges were painted across the vast, rippling sea of sand. The radiance from the sun caused the landscape to shimmer like diamonds. To any other traveler, the magnificent yet daunting sight would crush their will to carry on.
Luckily, Lion wasn't an ordinary traveler.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to focus his energy. When he reopened them, they glowed like white-hot fireballs. Through his enhanced vision, he was able to penetrate the layer of the seen into the realm of the unseen. A little ways from the concealing shadow of the dune, he found the indicator he had been searching for. He used his tail to hold Steven as he carefully sprinted down the sand mountain.
Soon he came upon a bud-shaped, alabaster stone no bigger than an ostrich egg. In response to the close proximity of Steven's gem, the stone began to pulse with a crimson color, almost as if its dormant heart had been jump started.
Suddenly, Lion's mane matched the color of his blazing irises and he struck the stone with a powerful swipe from his claws. He backed up as the stone started to shake and shine with the signature pink hue. Slowly it began to swell and split apart, almost as if a rose was blooming. After a couple of moments the stone finished its metamorphosis; now it was a thorn patterned, slightly elevated pink alabaster platform.
Lion returned to his normal color as he climbed up the steps and walked onto the mythical panel. Once they were in the center of the area, the floor shone with a brilliant fluorescent light and a familiar bubble shield surrounded them - only this shield was shaped like a diamond prism. Suddenly the area started to shake, as if some internal mechanism had been activated. But even then Steven didn't stir; his natural excitement and curiosity were overshadowed by a hanging melancholy cloud.
Lion watched the grains of sand slide down the shield as the prism gradually burrowed underground. After a couple of minutes, the mechanism ceased its operations and the prism disappeared. Lion cautiously stepped off the platform and set his paws onto the cobblestone floor of the massive, inky cavern. As soon as he did, the underground shelter lit up in an array of pinks and purples. He glanced up to see the source of the illumination. In the midst of all the natural forming glass stalactites, some of them had the same egg-shaped alabaster stones attached to some that were carved to resemble vines. When they bloomed, they resembled hanging lanterns.
Lion growled, trying to get his charge's attention to elicit some kind of response to the breathtaking sight…but to no avail. He sighed and continued his trek toward the end of the cavern. Soon he came upon a prodigious stone door with a star carved into it, similar to the one back at the temple.
However, instead of six gems on the door, there was only one. A clear diamond.
Tapping into his hidden power again, Lion stood up on his hind legs, being mindful to hold Steven with his tail, and pressed the star inward with his paw. Five pink lines split the door open and a rush of warm mist blew out.
As Lion walked inside, he really wished that Steven was in his right mind to behold the sight before them. Soothing steam blanketed an underground hot spring; its interior lit by a single, massive, colorless crystal embedded into the ceiling. At each corner of the hidden grotto was a gigantic, weapon-wielding, faceless statue all with uniform body shapes but different hairstyles. One held an azure-blue spiked ball mace, another grasped a silver lance, the other clutched a golden-yellow longsword, and the one Lion gravitated towards possessed a straight-bladed sabre that resembled Rose's sword. And it was pulsing with a pink light.
Abruptly, the glowing statue slowly pointed its weapon towards the crystal illumination source, causing the light to refract in different directions. Taking that as a cue, Lion walked down the small set of stairs towards the edge of the spring. He lifted the limp boy with his tail and delicately placed him in the remedying waters, making sure to hold his head above so he could breathe.
But his meticulousness would be for naught when all of sudden a row of rough, thorny vines emerged from the ground near the pool's edge. He instinctively let go of Steven and backed away, but immediately regretted his impromptu action when he saw his unconscious head go underwater.
The thorns were growing like weeds, higher and higher with each passing second making it impossible to jump over. He unleashed a supersonic roar, but just as quickly as the opening was made, more brambles grew in to seal it.
In his hectic state, Lion ran around to the other side of the pool to try and get to him, but the vines were spreading just as fast. In the midst of his running, he saw that the water was turning black. His eyes widened at the disturbing sight, and he increased his speed. Then it dawned on him that he could just warp in. He let loose another roar and went into the warp stream. But just as soon as he went in, he came back out. Still outside the pool! He grunted and tried to warp again, but met the same results.
By then the entire pool was enclosed by the prickly barrier, and he knew that slashing at it wouldn't do any good. He let out a loud howl, completely frustrated out of his mind.
When he more or less calmed down, he remembered what Rose had told him concerning this place, "My friend. Should Steven's mind ever be overwhelmed, bring him here so he can recuperate. However, you can't interfere with the healing process, no matter what."
He huffed and clawed at the ground. All he could do now was wait for the process to be over…but it didn't stop him from pacing around the perimeter.
Within the depths of the increasingly murky pool, Steven's comatose body sunk further down. Although his body was unresponsive, his gem still continued to beat with a lustrous pulse. Unfortunately, that light drew the attention of the encroaching contaminant and it penetrated through his gemstone. In response to the foreign invader, the intensity of the glow increased – as if a war was raging within him.
In truth…there was.
However, this war couldn't be won by canon fire or brute strength…it could only be won with a strong will. And like any battle, an enemy would use every tactic in the book to ensure victory…even if it's dirty…
Silence.
Even as he traversed through the shadows, his sandaled soles didn't make a sound against the invisible ground.
"Where am I?" Steven questioned wandered aimlessly around the aphotic abyss. "Why can't I remember anything? Did I get hurt again? No…that can't be it because then I'd be with mom."
As soon as he thought that a distorted voice shrilled, "Rose should be here instead of you!"
Steven looked around to see who said that, but there was nobody there. "No…my mom wanted me here" his shaky voice countered.
"Not so perfect now are you?! Your fellow crystal rebels will never accept a broken and scarred…whatever you are!" another horrid voice spoke out.
"M-my name is Steven! And I'm-"
But he was cut off when an additional voice screamed, "SHUT UP STEVEN! No one in their right mind should ever listen to anything you have to say! Because you're WORTHLESS! AN OUTCAST! A BIG MISTAKE!"
Steven covered his ears to try and block out the insensitive chants, but the damage had already been done, with the evidence of the inflicted wound being his tears.
"N-no…I'm not…" his said through his wavering voice, but the chants continued their merciless barrage, getting louder with every syllable.
The blackness suddenly shape-shifted into tentacles and began reaching out towards him. Steven was unaware of what was happening because his eyes were closed and had curled himself into the fetal position.
He kept on repeating "I'm not" over and over, but his volume was completely overpowered by the booming voices.
One of the misshapen appendages latched onto his foot and whatever substance that coated it slowly spread over his leg. He yelped and tried to back away but he was snatched by his other leg too!
"Let me go!" he pleaded but the voices replied, "Why? You deserve to be lost in the darkness! Mistakes are meant to disappear!"
"That…that's not true…" he said between cries, but the revolting entity continued to coat him with its nasty self. He struggled and fought but it seemed like the more he did, the faster it covered him. Now only his head and navel remained untouched.
"Just give up…you can't fight what you can't see! Make this easy on yourself, there's no good ending for an abomination like you!" it assured.
As soon as it said that, a fire ignited inside of him and his gem reflected that flame with the light of supernova! He remembered Little Robbie and yelled, "I know I'm not perfect…I know I'll make mistakes…but that's ok! Everyone deserves a good ending! Even me! And I believe it will happen! I'll do my best and learn and be a great ME!"
With his bold declaration, the sinister shadow was rapidly losing its grip on him. In desperation it yelled, "Why would anything want to be you?!"
"Because I am loved! And you're nothing but a big ol' pile of stinkin' thinkin' scum!" he countered and the darkness was completely obliterated from the area. Soon the serene see-through crystalline palace materialized itself, as well as a comforting voice.
"Steven."
The young hybrid turned around and his huge grin matched the one his mother wore, albeit with less tears. He ran into her arms and she hugged him like there was no tomorrow.
"Steven, I'm so proud of you!" Rose said as she released him; he still sat in her lap.
"Mom…what happened to me?" he hesitantly asked.
She sighed and gave him a kiss on the forehead, with little diamond sparkles appearing at the point of contact. "Your mind was overwhelmed and it shut down because of the mental trauma. I know you don't want to…but please remember"
Steven grabbed his head as flashbacks of what happened underneath the kindergarten raced through his mind. The clusters, his family fighting, Garnet's berserker mode, and him singing all came back to him. He grabbed his mom and whimpered as he closed his eyes.
"Shhh…you're safe now Steven…nothing can hurt you" Rose assured as she stroked his hair. He looked at his mom with glossy eyes.
She tightened her grip and solemnly said, "Steven, I wish you didn't have to go through any of that…I'm so sorry."
He wiped his eyes and said, "It's not your fault. You didn't say all those mean things to me. You didn't punch me either…" with a touch of bitterness at the end. The castle walls started to turn opaque, reflecting his sour disposition.
Rose spoke, "Steven, I know you're upset"
"Not just upset, more confused than anything else! I mean while I was recovering from the first attack they were all lovey and doting, now they're saying all these horrible things! Making me feel like I shouldn't be here…and they don't even trust me. I know you told me not to hold it against them because they're learning to walk without you…but it was just too much" he sniffled as he looked away from her.
Rose immediately picked up the subtle undertone of regret and said, "Steven, none of this is your fault. Believe me, I know exactly what you're going through because the gems that fought with me during the war did the same thing…including Pearl and Garnet."
Steven couldn't believe his ears. His mom was the exalted Rose Quartz! Hero of Earth!
"It's true…Every battle plan I came up with was met with doubts and criticisms. Especially from Pearl if it involved me going out on the front lines. She always risked her life against her better judgement to make sure mine stayed intact" she said.
"But you had a shield" Steven pointed out.
"Like I said, against her better judgement. Garnet wasn't too vocal about my decision to rebel against home world, but she let me know about the dangers of what could happen and I believe she was hesitant once I made up mind…no matter the consequences. Because I knew that no matter what it looked like on the outside, I knew we would prevail" she explained.
"Just like Little Robbie!" Steven chimed in.
Rose hummed in agreement and said, "That was a wonderful story Connie gave you. But sometimes…I got overwhelmed trying to convince everyone to trust me. When that happened, I would come here. This is special spring that my former kin and I built."
"What's different between this spring and the other fountain?" he asked.
"This spring cleanses the mind by drawing out the negative energy. However…in order for that energy to be completed eradicated, you have to face it. No one else can interfere. Silver emphasized that if your will was weak…you were no longer fit to be diamond. So extra defensive measures were put in place to obey that philosophy" she added.
"…So those black tentacles I saw were just bad thoughts?" Steven asked and she nodded her head.
"That's why that thing said I couldn't fight what I couldn't see…" he realized.
"That's right, because you can't fight words physically speaking. The only to combat bad words is with good words and that's exactly what you did!" she proudly stated as she peppered him with kisses.
He giggled from the "attack", but then reflected "…It's kinda weird how basically puffs of air with sound can cause so much damage. It's just like what that rat sensei on TV said, 'We can choose to ignore words and let them wash over us, like a river over stone. Only we can make words into weapons.' 'I just wish those weapons didn't come from my own family… "
Rose hummed in agreement as she held her son. "Steven…I'm sorry that those dreadful thoughts about yourself were fueled by our family. I know you feel like you take the brunt of their issues, but the truth is… it's one of your powers."
"What?!" he asked.
"Diamonds have the ability to draw out and absorb feelings; your gemstone specifically drains the negativity out of those you come in contact with."
That's when the light bulb went off in Steven head. "So all that nasty talk…"
"Was you drawing out their impurities, so to speak. You are basically a personified version of this spring. You cleared their minds a little bit at a time." Rose finished.
"A little bit? Felt like it came out at once…" he commented.
"I know it did. I believe your father said it best when he told you that rocks were the most resistant change. You bringing in three former enemies, the threat of a home world invasion, and all the uncertainties about your abilities became too much for them. But bottling up your feelings so as though to appear strong and not have any flaws isn't the way to go. I believe the human saying is "the straw that broke the camel's back"; in other words once the bottle has reached its capacity, all it takes is a single trigger to unleash all the hurt stored inside. And your powers were that trigger" she explained.
"But I don't understand why they couldn't just…talk about it. They don't have to be pork chops. If no one didn't have any flaws, there wouldn't be anything to strive for. To be a better you in unexpected ways. Did they…feel like they couldn't talk to me? Well I guess they wouldn't if they don't even trust me…" Steven bitingly said.
"Yes…trust is a factor. They believed you wouldn't understand because you are a child, even though you have proven on more than one occasion that your wisdom far exceeds your age."
"Yea…about that. I been wondering and-"
"Steven. I said your wisdom. Remember, the only time I get to see what's going on is when you retreat into your gem and I tap into your memories. It's not me talking, it's all you." Rose answered cutting him off.
"But...how?" he asked.
"Remember what you told me last time we met? You proudly declared that it didn't matter if a billion gems came after you, you'll continue to take care of them because that's just what a family do. And that you had the power to choose what becomes reality? You chose to get better. You chose to start becoming a great king. All you're doing is confirming your declaration. I believe there was a human athlete that played a game called basketball for a team called the Bulls. He said that he would be the greatest player ever in the history of the game, and he strove for that. He believed what he said, practiced hard and sure enough he became the greatest. Just like I know you will" she fondly said.
"But…you're amazing! How can I possibly be greater than you? Everyone expects me to be like you when I'm grown…" he lamented.
"Then they should start expecting something else because you have already exceeded far more than I could've ever hoped to achieve. Long ago, I once met a king who was led his people with benevolence and helped them to turnaround from their bad habits that were permitted in the past, but ended up hurting them later. And he became leader when he was eight years old! He had that much intelligence and sense at such a young age!"
"Besides, isn't there a human saying that says, "Be yourself, everyone else is taken"? You may have some of my features, but you also have your dad's traits as well. You are the combination of our love, son. Not just between your father and I but for Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl. You're our fused form, so don't sell yourself short" she smiled as she gave him another kiss on the cheek. He giggled at that and the palace walls returned to their clear state.
"Another reason why I believe Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst didn't come to you was because they didn't want to burden you with their problems. Remember how they sheltered you from the truth when they were preparing for Peridot's arrival?"
Steven nodded and said, "But…I told them that we could figure things out together."
"Fear has a way of absorbing all the hope out of a person. Just like what that black mass attempted to do to you. But it's only a trick; it only becomes dangerous if you allow to penetrate your mind."
"Must be in there pretty deep" he thought then asked, "Can I bring them here? Maybe the spring can help them too! Or is it diamonds only?"
"Honestly, I'm not sure. After the war, I reprogrammed it to only allow me inside. I continued to absorb the negative feelings from Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl, in secret of course, because I believed I was the cause of them feeling that way. That I should be the one to face this…"
"…You felt like you had to punish yourself?" he asked and she slowly nodded.
"But they chose to follow you" he said and Rose remained quiet. "…Right?"
She sighed and said, "The majority of them yes. But…some of them were temporarily forced so to speak. Remember when I said that diamonds have the ability to drain another being's emotions?"
He nodded his head and she continued, "Our power can be utilized to the point of draining another gem's will to only obey us."
"You could mind control gems?!" Steven shouted.
Rose nodded her head and said, "Back on home world, Silver, Blue, Yellow and I each ruled our own area of the planet. I had the south, Silver controlled the north, Yellow and Blue had east and west respectively. Any gems in our area were subject to our control. So let's say a Jade from Yellow's district moved to my area, after a while Yellow's influence would disappear and mine would take hold. So no matter what the diamond authority was always present."
"During the war…sometimes my emotions would get the better of me when I tried to explain my reasoning for protecting Earth that I would accidentally activate that power. But I always shut it off when I realized what I had done. Even then, nine times out of ten they forgave me because they knew that I wasn't their shackle any more. That I had my own deficiencies that I needed to work through. It made me relatable to them, especially since everyone that fought alongside me was considered defective." she explained.
It took a minute for the cogs to turn in Steven's head, then he realized, "They used you guys as bait?!"
"I knew you'd be extraordinary. Not everyone has that kind of perception. But yes, everyone that was sent to Earth was basically cannon fodder. In the past, we only established kindergartens on uninhabited planets or planets with what we considered trivial beings. Earth was the most nutrient-rich planet we've ever come across, but also the first inhabited one with sentient beings. We didn't know what to expect so Silver "suggested" that we send the ones considered abnormal to test it out. I didn't agree with that logic, so I decided to go as the supervisor of the operation. Mind you this was before my kin labeled my mind defective" she explained.
"…Wait, does that mean that I'm mind controlling everyone now?! Is that why Lapis, Jasper and Peridot decided to stay with us?" he asked.
"No. Long before you were born, I trained myself to make sure that ability was permanently disabled. I will admit that I was thoroughly surprised and impressed that you were able to disable Yellow's hold on Peridot and Jasper. Lapis Lazuli had been on Earth for far too long to be under any diamond influence, so she had regained her free will. But I truly believe that the reason they turned around as quickly as they did is because you gave them a voice. Remember what Jasper told you when she brought you to the woods? 'You didn't force anything on me! You encouraged me. You actually gave me an option. You gave me freedom.' You showed them empathy. Back on home world, no one would even dare to talk back to a diamond. So needless to say, those three had a lot of pent up feelings and you were the trigger that released them" she said.
"Wow…I had no idea. I mean, it didn't feel like I did anything special. It just felt natural" he said.
"That's another thing I love about the human race. No matter what the differences are, the majority of them possessed this innate sense of compassion and resilience."
"But you're compassionate too!" Steven said.
She rubbed his head and answered, "Experience developed mine, yours is natural" He didn't press further into it.
"…Mom, can I stay here for a while?" he asked.
"Of course! This is your recovery time. You can stay here as long as you want until you're ready to return. Plus…I can tell that you have many questions, and I'll be more than happy to answer them the best I can" she replied.
He sighed in relief; a part of him wanted to return to the gems right away, but he realized he had to take care of himself first before he could help anyone else.
"Okay. Did you…know about the clusters?" he tentatively asked and he felt her hand tense up a bit on his head.
"…Yes."
He stared at her with a blank face.
Before he had a chance to say anything, Rose followed up with, "But it's best if I explain this from the beginning. Remember when I said that we upheld the rules set forth by Black Diamond?"
He nodded and she continued, "Well…the four of us were Black Diamond. All of our gems were combined into one; they weren't in different areas such as Garnet's gems being on her hands."
"Did Black have lots of arms or legs or a second mouth?" Steven asked.
"No, we were a true humanoid fusion, just like Stevonnie. You two looked so adorable together" she said as she pinched his cheek, causing him to blush.
"But I digress. Black was her own entity so I don't even have any memories of what she did. I don't even know how we split apart. The only thing we have to remember her is an illustrated book. It contained the laws she wrote and pictures of what life was like on home world as well as herself."
"Kinda sounds like one of those history books Connie told me about. I wish I could see it…" Answering his wish, the crystal room manifested an old tome right in his hands.
"Cool!" he exclaimed as he flipped through the pages.
"Whoooaaa…that's Black Diamond?" he asked as he pointed at a massive black gem and Rose nodded.
She had his mom's curly hairstyle albeit with bangs, muscular legs like Garnet and arms that were slightly leaner than Jasper's. She wore shoulder armor pads and gauntlets, a sleeveless tunic dress with a fluttering sash similar to Opal's, body-suit like pants and no shoes. She had a face helmet that covered only her forehead and the bridge of her nose. Her weapon was a long, serrated sword as well as a shield with a single diamond on it. He flipped to another page and it had strange writing on it.
"What's this?" he asked
"Those are the decrees. They're written in our native language" she explained.
"But…there's only five of them" he observed.
"And each one carries an immeasurable amount of weight. They are:
Grow and Expand
Learn
Respect
Protect
Subdue"
"…That doesn't make any sense. Why are they so cryptic?" he asked.
"I don't know myself. Like I said, Black was her own being with her own independent thoughts. So it was left up to our own interpretation."
"How come you guys didn't fuse into her again?"
"Believe me the four of us tried, but for whatever reason… we just couldn't. While Silver, Blue and I reveled in our newfound independence, Yellow was very bitter about not being able to fuse. I believe that's why she outlawed fusion. Well...more or less. There are always exceptions to the rule, even one as absolute as the authority. But she really detests it now even more so since the rebellion… "she lamented.
"Sorta like "if I can't have it, no one else can" kind of thing?" Steven asked and Rose nodded her head.
"Now…about the clusters. There was another reason I wanted to protect Earth. Within one of the kindergartens, I discovered that Yellow was performing experiments on the manufactured gems that were deemed incomplete."
"You mean she smashed 'broken' gems and forced the shards to fuse with each other?!" Steven exclaimed.
"Yes. And I'll never forget what she told me."
"Don't you see Rose, I'm doing this for us. By using these rejects, I can discover the secret to fusion and we can become Black Diamond again!"
"I was completely enraged by her blind pursuit of forming Black Diamond…and to think that she would even use the precious shards of my fallen comrades is completely unforgivable!"
The crystalline room shook with her booming voice. She squeezed him to ground herself.
"So…you didn't know about the clusters we found?" he hesitantly asked.
"No. And I'm not at all surprised that Garnet entered berserker mode."
"…It was scary. I didn't mean to push her away, but seeing her like that just freaked me out." he guiltily said.
"I know. I'm sorry you had to experience that, and I'm sure she is as well. She loves you so much, all of them do. Heh, I even remember some of the names they came up with for you when I told them I was pregnant."
Steven got stars in his eyes and asked, "What were some of their ideas?"
"Well, Ruby wanted to name you Gusto and have Gus be your nickname. She wanted you to have strong, fiery name. Sapphire came up with a something a little more regal, Maximillian Rex."
Steven chuckled at those ideas. "Amethyst wanted to name you Amethyst Jr. but after Pearl lectured her about namesakes, she decided on Rose Jr."
"W-what did Pearl come up with?" he asked.
She gave him a soft smile. After everything that transpired between him and her, it made sense that he was a little unsure of whether or not she was happy when he was conceived. She replied, "Actually, she wanted to name you Bud - a more poetic version of Rose Jr."
Steven sighed in relief and asked, "So why'd you pick Steven?"
"Your dad that came up with it! I already liked the sound of it, but when he told me that it means "crown", I was sold. You are our crowning achievement Steven, and I'm so overjoyed that I could bring you into the world and experience all of its wonder."
"…Even at the cost of your physical form?" he asked.
"Even if it meant my gem had to be broken, I wouldn't change my decision."
"What made you decide to have me?" he asked.
A big smile revealed itself on her face as she explained, "Your father and I were sitting on the beach watching the ocean. He was playing a soft melody on his guitar that created such a euphoric atmosphere…it was almost ethereal.
Suddenly a little human girl shouted, "Mommy look! That man makes pretty music!" "Mm hm, he's a talented musician" the mother replied with a smile and she led her child away so as not to disturb us. Soon her attention was captured by a purple-spotted conch shell, and she was thoroughly shocked when she discovered that it was still inhabited. Greg was on cloud nine from the little girl's comment. He once told me that the best complement you can get is from a child because they don't know how to lie.
But my mind drifted elsewhere. "Greg?"
"Yea Rose?"
"Have you ever thought about having a child of your own?"
He abruptly stopped playing and stared at me wide-eyed. "Well…all the time actually. Not like the making part of it! Not that! Well...I mean yea...that's kind of an important action and all since it does take two because it's physically impossible for me, since I'm a guy and all. A-and I didn't want to ask you because I-I thought it'd been insensitive. Since you're and alien and all and…hoo boy. I just made this super awkward…I'm sorry."
I giggled and replied, "Don't be. I'm the one who asked. So, this has been on your mind for a while?"
He rubbed the back of his head and blushed, "Yea. Ever since I babysat Sour Cream. He was such a chill kid. I always wondered if my child would be like or something completely different, but in a good way. Just the thought of teaching a little boy or girl guitar, watching him/her eat their first birthday cake, taking'em on rides at Fun land, and hearing'em say 'I love you' with their little voice just makes me giddy."
I grabbed his hand and said, "Greg, I'd be honored to help you bring a child into this glorious world."
"R-really?!"
"Really"
"I'll never forget the silly dance he did and all the kisses we shared" she fondly recalled.
"Mom!" Steven exasperated as he blushed.
"Now Steven, I saw that Connie gave you a kiss on the forehead and I'm sure there will be plenty more where that came from" Rose slyly said.
"Ugh…" he groaned as he covered his eyes with his forearm.
Rose laughed and said, "Sorry, I couldn't help myself."
He slowly uncovered his face; he couldn't be mad at her even if tried super hard.
"When did you tell them about what would happen to you?" he asked.
"…I told them later that evening and naturally Greg was against it. I knew he wanted a child but he wanted me as well. He wanted all of us to be together. That's when I told him that he wouldn't be losing me at all. My body is nothing more than an illusion, my true self is my gem. A part of me will always be there, no matter what happens."
"But his mind began to fill with fear and doubt. Not only his but Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl's as well. A half-human half-gem was inconceivable, but not impossible."
"That's when I had to put my foot down so to speak and I told them, "I understand your concerns, but they're not warranted. In the end this is my body and as such, this is my call. All I ask is that you trust my judgement, like you always have…" They didn't have a comeback except for their tears. Then I asked your father what he wanted and he told me a son. And here you are" she explained.
Steven was dumbfounded. This was exactly what happened to him. Once everything became real, that's when Garnet, Amethyst's and Pearl's demeanor started to change. And it was all based out of fear!
"…How do I get rid of fear?" he asked.
"Love. It's just like you told everyone when Jasper brought you to talk to Peridot. Love is patient, kind and it never fails. And it does banish fear. It may not look like it at first, but it always will. After all, that's how you were able to calm down Garnet and those clusters" she said.
"Yea, about that. What power was that? And how do I control my powers anyway?" he asked.
Rose quizzically looked at her son and asked, "You're not going ask what kind of powers you have?"
"Nope! It's like Pocket Monsters! I'd rather level up and discover my powers on my own" he explained.
Rose grinned and said, "Alright then. To answer your first question, I honestly have no idea what you did. I've never even done anything like that before. But it seems to be connected to your natural eloquent ability and music."
"Oh yeah! Thanks for the guitar, its awesome!" he exclaimed with stars in his eyes.
"You're most welcome. Although it was supposed to be birthday present…" she whispered to herself.
"Now, the secret to controlling your powers is emotional clarity. Remember when your gem reacted to your state of mind and caused you to unintentionally age?"
He nodded and she said, "The stronger your desire, the easier it'll be to use your powers. But remember, you have to continue to practice so you can build up your endurance to using your gem powers. Your human half can only take so much strain. And unfortunately…that may have to come sooner rather than later."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Steven. Even though I renounced my title as a diamond, I still have an instinctive connection to my kin due to use being fused. We're able to tell if something happened to one of us. I believe it's no mere coincidence that Yellow sent Peridot to check on the cluster. Out of many millennia that passed, not once has any home world force come within three light years of Earth. She must've sensed that something happened to me and decided to bide her time a little while longer. Probably waiting for the rest of our family to fall apart without a leader. Now after three failed attempts, she, Silver and Blue might come to investigate personally."
"What are they like?" he asked.
"Yellow has always been into advancements, so developing technology was her passion. Although her intellect was immeasurable, she had quite the superiority-complex and as such came off as a bit standoffish."
"Blue was a calm, usually silent warrior with a curious streak in her. That's why she always went off on scouting missions. But her strength was unrivaled."
"White, Silver is her nickname, was the embodiment of the perfectionist ideals. She assumed the position as leader of the diamonds so to speak since she was a master organizer and a tactical genius, but got easily flustered when things didn't go the way they were supposed to. That's how they were back then, I have no idea how much they've changed since the rebellion" she said.
"Well…it doesn't matter. I'll get stronger and we'll face them when the time comes" he declared.
"I know you will. I believe in you" she smiled.
"Thanks mom" Steven gratefully said as he embraced her.
"Hey, mom? Can you tell me more about yourself? Not all that war stuff, but like some of the adventures you guys went on and what the other planets were like and your favorite food and how you and dad dated. Just leave all that mushy stuff out" he pleaded.
Rose giggled with their signature laugh and said, "I'd be happy to. I'll even show you as well."
For however long Steven stayed within safety of his gem, Rose regaled him with fantastical tales of bravery, hardship, wonderment, and inspiration.
For the first time in a long while, he could just focus on himself and his mental well-being instead of being a lifeline for others. He finally had someone to support him that experienced the same trials he went through.
The perfect remedy was inside him all along; an internal declaration of his self-worth and the unconditional love and unbreakable bond between a mother and her child.
Now that Steven's in good hands, who will be there to comfort the gems? Stay tuned for part three!
I chose the desert landscape mainly because I live in a desert and there's just something special about seeing the sunrise over the painted landscape. But that's just me.
At least this one is little more lighthearted than the last chapter. This'll give you guys a chance to resurrect yourselves before the next emotional bomb ;)
And I wanted to say thanks to everyone that wished me a happy birthday and a speedy recovery. Getting poked with a bunch of needles and getting blood drawn isn't fun...but at least I know that I'm allergic to mangoes and not soy.
And a happy birthday to SkyfallxKnight, I know you said that yours was at the end of the month.
Thanks again for all the reviews and views guys! You're awesome. And for those that start school this week, enjoy the beginning of a new year with new experiences.
Also, I wanted to apologize for all my grammatical errors throughout this story. I know how much you guys love "A Leader's Call" and I try to write as fast as I can. However, in doing so I sacrifice the quality of it. Nighttime is the only time I'm able to write out chapters, so that doesn't help proof-reading wise since I'm already tired. I mean, just going over the first few chapters made me want to slap myself. But hey, it's all a learning experience. I know I won't catch everything, but I need to stop making rookie mistakes. I care about this story and it deserves better.
That being said, I won't rush things anymore. I have to take my time. The chapters are getting longer and it's starting to get hard to complete one every week. So, please be patient with me. The chapters will come and they'll be a higher grade. After all "good things come to those who wait"
I don't own Steven Universe, just my imaginative capabilities and black diamond theories.