"Talk about déjà vu all over again"
That was the only thought that came to Connie's mind as she once again sprinted across the naturally resistant sand towards the secluded temple. She couldn't wait to tell Steven about what happened at the tennis tournament.
"I hope he's okay. I know mom said that he just needed to ease back into physical activity…but what if he overdid it? What if he got hurt?!" The torrent of worrisome thoughts caused her to push her legs to go faster, even though her body was still recovering from the physical toll of the competition.
"This is nothing compared to what he went through!" she said to herself to will her aching muscles to keep up the rapid pace.
As she approached the mountainside, she suddenly stopped when her ears picked up a barely audible tune. "Is…is somebody playing music? No, I can't worry about that now! I have to see him! But…who else would play music out here?"
She pondered whether or not to travel up the hilltop. Ultimately her curiosity over who the mysterious musician was won the internal debate, and she steadily climbed the slightly demolished cliff side. With each passing step, Connie realized that the music wasn't the familiar strumming of a ukulele, but of a guitar.
Her mind kept telling her that it wasn't Steven up there, but her body wouldn't listen. It was as if the simple melody was enchanting her - drawing her in. So she continued to follow the sound. She was so captivated by the alluring melody that she almost lost her footing in a humungous divot.
"What in the world?!" she thought as she stomped on the filled in crater. She pushed the thought aside for now and continued her ascent. Once the top of lighthouse came into view, she noticed a familiar tuft of pink fur.
She was just about to shout out Lion's name, but the increased strumming and intensity of the improvised song halted her vocal outburst. She put her hand over her heart; it was still racing…even though walking up the hill should've greatly reduced her heart rate.
"What…what's going on?!" she thought.
This indiscernible pressure upon her body…it felt as though a massive hand was pushing her down into the ground, with no intent of letting her up. Her knees gave out and she collapsed onto all fours.
"Nnnn-ghhhh!" she grunted as she gripped the grass blades.
Her whole body was cramping due to the unknown force. She tried to steady her breathing, but her frantic state of mind accelerated it with each passing second. Tears escaped through her sealed eyelids as the music reached its crescendo. The pain was becoming unbearable, so much so that her white-knuckled grip uprooted chunks of turf.
She didn't know what was going on and she couldn't even cry out for help; the sudden spasms paralyzed her vocal chords. Being in such a dire and helpless situation scared her to no end. And those fears manifested itself into a terrifying, dark miasma within her subconscious.
"What are you doing here?! You don't belong here! You're just a pathetic human that's destined to live alone!" the horrible voice spat.
"…N-no. That's not true" Connie shakily countered.
"Isn't it? Your mother and father were utterly appalled when you told them your little secret. Now they'll only see you as a freak!" it yelled.
The repetition of the three chords became nothing more than white noise within the mind of the frightened girl.
"Y-you're wrong. My parents love me. And Steven-"
"Steven!? He's just a feeble little mishmash of different species! At least he has his faulty magical powers going for him. But that alone can't make up for his brain dead intellect! I mean C'MON! He definitely has horrible taste in friends if he chose an introverted weirdo like you!" the voice shrilled.
As soon those foul words erupted from the sinister void, something inside Connie's mind snapped and she went off! "SHUT UP! Steven is kindest, gentlest and most loving person I've ever met! He went out of his way to save and return a glow in the dark bracelet that I lost over a year ago! He sought me out because he truly wanted to be my friend! And I'm grateful that he did!"
The vile voice tried to counter her claims, but her volume increased as the magical melody shifted its chords to an upbeat, rapturous tune.
"I've become a more confident person and I'm not afraid of sharing my feelings anymore! And it's all thanks to him! He accepted me into his universe! I've never felt stronger and I've never been loved like this before! My parents will always accept me and they'll accept him too! Because we made a promise to be friends forever, and I won't let you get in the way!" she yelled.
Suddenly, the hideous entity fled from her overpowering presence, and it was replaced by a tranquil yet familiar environment. A calm wind carrying the waning notes caressed the victorious child.
"…Thank you Steven" she whispered before bursting into a fit a cheerful laughter.
Back in the physical realm, the budding musician asked his confidant, "What do you think about that one?"
Lion purred softly in response. His eyes were closed and his body was spread out on the grass like smooth peanut butter. Needless to say he was in a state of pure bliss - completely overwhelmed by the mellow atmosphere his charge created with just a few strums from his handcrafted gift.
Steven smiled as he petted him. "I'm glad you liked it" he said.
He put the guitar back in his mane for safekeeping. He stood up and stretched his hands up to the sky. He took a deep inhale and released it to the wind swirling around the hilltop.
"Wonder if the gems are done yet" he thought as he shook his legs out to wake'em up.
"Ooooo…pins and needles…better walk it out" he thought.
As soon as he walked around his companion's muzzle, Lion's ears immediately perked up. His eyes shot open and he was up on his feet in a flash. A menacing growl passed through his snarling fangs.
"What's wrong bud?" Steven asked as he followed his line of sight. Just slightly downhill from their location, he noticed a lump of…something on the ground.
"…No way"
Steven quickly reached into Lion's mane and pulled out his mother's sacred sabre. He unsheathed the weapon, put the scabbard back into his mane and cautiously approached the immobile figure on the ground. Once he got close enough, he instantly recognized the person lying face down on the grassy terrain.
"CONNIE?!" he exclaimed, but his outburst didn't wake her up.
He put the sword down, rushed to her side and gently turned her over. As a million worrying thoughts barreled through his mind, he didn't even notice that her smiling countenance was the perfect picture of peace.
"What's Connie doing here? Why didn't she call? Oh right…she doesn't know I got a new phone. But why is she sleeping on the ground? And why does she have a ban-aid on her forehead? …Did my music knock her out? Wait…then that means…oh no…"
When that awful realization crossed his mind, Lion let out his equivalent of a shriek. Steven turned around in time to witness him do a complete one-eighty slightly above the ground and land on his feet. He bared his razor-sharp teeth as the hairs on his back stood on edge, creating a little ridge.
Before Steven could even ask what was wrong, a small, sludge-covered creature shot up into the air. It had the appearance of a tarantula, but its legs formed makeshift bat wings. It opened its five blood-red, beady little eyes and spotted the startled duo underneath it.
"SCRREEEEE" it bellowed through its fanged mouth, which would've been intimidating if it didn't sound like a squeaky toy.
Steven almost laughed at the sound it made, but remembered to stay focused. Just because it was the size of a lime didn't mean it still wasn't dangerous.
Lion countered its call with his own powerful, supersonic roar…but it had no effect! If anything, it further agitated the already hostile entity. It climbed higher into the air then suddenly dived-bombed straight at the perturbed feline. Lion unsheathed his claws, ready to slash the annoying little pest to shreds once it was low enough.
But Steven shouted, "NO LION! DON'T TOUCH IT!"
Lion heeded his master's order and ducked in time to dodge the onslaught. Unfortunately, it didn't stop the little ruffian from whizzing around Lion's head like a bothersome mosquito.
"HEY! LEAVE HIM ALONE!" The mini terrorizer stopped attacking Lion when it heard Steven yell.
It let loose another squeaky battle cry before speeding towards him! Steven quickly grabbed his mother's sword and just like a moth to a flame, it instantly headed towards the crystalline weapon. Just like its slimy, slytherin brethren, the small yet surprisingly nimble creature burst into tiny pieces the moment it made contact with the blade. The particles were readily absorbed by the glowing sabre and were replaced by shimmering diamond-shaped fractals.
Steven was breathing heavily due to the impromptu mini boss battle. He ran over to his distraught companion and asked, "Lion, are you okay?! Did that thing hurt you?"
The ridge on Lion's back slowly receded as he nuzzled against Steven's head, signaling that he was okay. But he suddenly stopped his intimate caresses and roared at him.
"…Yea…I guess I have some explaining to do huh?" he sheepishly guessed.
Lion glowered at him as he huffed through his nose.
"Well…y'see"
"Mmmmm-nnnnn"
His attempt at an explanation was cut off when he heard Connie stirring. He swiftly took the scabbard out of Lion's mane, sheathed the sword, and put it back. He ran over and knelt beside her just as she opened her eyes.
"C-Connie?" he whispered.
"…Steven?" she asked as her eyes finally focused on the darling boy above her.
"Yea, it's me. A-Are you okay?" he asked.
For a response, he got her sweet laughter. Steven started chuckling along with her, thrilled that she wasn't seriously injured…well minus the bandage on the left side of her forehead. He helped her stand up. Once she was stable on her own legs, she grabbed him in a tight hug and gave him a big ol' smooch…right on his lips!
Steven stared at her wide-eyed as a crimson blush enveloped his entire face. It took Connie a moment to realize what she had done, but once she did, her eyes were the same size as Steven's. She quickly ended the spontaneous gesture and backed away.
"I-I'm sorry! I was just so happy to see you and…and…oh my gosh I'm such an idiot!" she stammered as she covered her blushing face with her hands.
Steven just stared at her, completely speechless. The tingling sensation on his lips sent shockwaves throughout his body – like if he had eaten three pouches of strawberry pop rocks.
Soon his gaping mouth morphed into a big grin. "Wow…" he thought.
When Connie saw his giddy countenance, she couldn't help but smile along with him. Soon, the embarrassment became nothing more than a fleeting memory, replaced by the jubilant energy coursing through the two children.
"I-It's okay" Steven finally managed to say. "I'm just glad you're okay. I found you on the ground and you were knocked out" he explained.
That's when her smile disappeared when she remembered those sinister voices in her head, and the tender hug that enveloped her when the vile entity fled from her presence.
"I…I remember hearing this beautiful music, then my body started hurting. Then the voices and…wait…were you playing the song? Did you cause whatever happened?" she finally asked while trying to connect the dots.
"Yea…it's a long story. And I mean super long. But what happened to you?" he asked pointing to her forehead. "Did I…do that?"
"This? No no you didn't do anything! I got this while I was at my tennis tournament" she explained.
"Oh, that's right! Your mom told me about that when she gave me a checkup. How did it go? Did you use the overhead death strike?" he asked.
Connie couldn't help but chuckle at his enthusiasm over such a trivial thing like a tennis tournament. But that's what made Steven Steven, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
"Alright, I'll tell you what happened and you'll tell me what's been going on while I was away, deal?"
"Deal" he replied. "But do you want something to eat? I have some snacks inside of Lion" he offered.
Connie nodded her head and the two of them walked back to where Steven previously sat. Lion laid down behind them; not only so he could get some rest from the unexpected scuffle, but so he could also serve as a body pillow for the two of them.
Steven reached in his mane and pulled out two fresh golden delicious apples and two boxes of durian juice. "Here you go. Sorry…I know it's not cheese puffs or anything like that. Your mom said I needed to eat healthier foods and Pearl kinda agreed with her" he explained.
"That's okay, thank you" Connie replied as she took the snack. "Y'know…you could tell Pearl it was more of a suggestion instead of an actual command" she explained as she took a few sips from her juice.
"…Huh. Nevah would'ff thought of it like thaff" he said through his stuffed mouth.
"I know my loop holes" she smugly commented.
"**gulp** Cool! Now c'mon! Tell me about the tournament!" he excitedly begged.
"Alright, alright" she chuckled. She set her half eaten snack down and stood up.
"Ahem"
Just like an expert storyteller creating fantastical images with her words, she began her tale:
"There I was, at the final match. The other competitors didn't even come close to matching my skill set. You should've seen it! I blasted that ball with such ferocity that some of them swore that the ball was on fire!"
"Whoooooa…" Steven marveled, completely engrossed in her story…even if it was slightly exaggerated.
"As I walked through the tunnel towards center court, I won't lie…I had little butterflies in my stomach. Under the bright spotlights lights on a moonless night with thousands of people in the stands was enough to rattle me just a teeny bit. But I took a deep breath and steadied my jittery nerves before entering the arena to face my opponent."
"Her name was Venus King. She has the same skin tone and hair color as me, but she was about three inches taller and her arms were a lot more muscular. Her hair was braided with green and white beads. She was the top amateur prospect; in fact she was going to turn pro in two years!"
"Was she a mean jerk?" he asked.
"No, she was actually really nice. But the kids that faced her told me she turned into a completely different person whenever she played. Razor sharp focus, increased tenacity…it was almost like a bestial metamorphosis" she explained.
"So…like a tennis gem monster?" he asked.
"In a way, yes. So needless to say, I was the underdog in the match. But hey, I was already an underdog coming into the tournament and I proved everyone wrong! So I was excited to prove them wrong again!" she declared.
"YEA!" Steven cheered, feeding off of her competitive energy.
"Both of us approached the net and shook hands, signaling friendly comradery and ultimate sportsmanship. I won the coin toss so I was able to serve first. I put everything I had when I smashed the ball over the net. I wanted to set the tone, letting her know that I meant business. I was sure that it was going to be an ace."
"What's an ace?" he interrupted.
"An ace is when a person can't hit a ball that is served to them on the first shot" she explained. "Sorry, I forgot you're not familiar with tennis terms."
"It's okay. Sorry for interrupting, I'll save my questions for later" he said.
"You don't have to do that. It's important that an author doesn't confuse the audience" Connie assured.
"But I don't want to mess up your story's funky flow!" he asserted.
She chuckled and said, "Well, then I'll just switch it up!"
"Venus was able to counter my supersonic smash. When I parried it, it felt like she hit the ball with double the force! I had to hold onto my racket with an iron grip so the ball wouldn't knock it out of my hand! Back and forth we went. My backhand to her forehand, my fast paced power shot to her slow paced slice shot."
Steven was completely captivated by how she recreated her shots. It was like watching a dancer practicing their moves, so fluid yet spontaneously in control.
"It took three minutes for the first point to be won, and unfortunately it was by her."
"Is three minutes long?" he asked.
"In a tennis match, three minutes feels like an hour. I was able to win points in my earlier matches in twenty seconds tops. My coach always taught me, "Get in, get out, and move onto the next one". All that running around and arm swinging will wear a person out."
"That's what Venus was trying to do to me; that's how she won all of her matches. She gets her opponents to play her style and pace, then takes advantage of'em when they're tired out. And for a while…I fell into her trap. I was trying so hard to beat her at her own game that I completely lost sight of who I was as a player; what had gotten me to the championship in the first place."
"My energy was nearly drained when we took our first time break; she was leading the first set four points to three. I don't know how I even managed to keep it close, but I knew that if I didn't start mounting a comeback, I would lose for sure. After the time break was over, it was her turn to serve first. But I was still a little out of it. Then WHAM!" Connie extenuated by slapping her hands together. It caused Steven to jump a little, but Lion was un-phased.
"I let my guard down for one second and I got hit in the head with a ball going eighty-five miles an hour."
"Ouch!" Steven grimaced.
"Yea, but she didn't do it on purpose. I just wasn't paying attention because I was tired. Surprisingly I didn't black out, but my vision was blurry for a little bit. Then my mom, dad and coach rushed out onto the court. Mom pushed the medical staff out of the way so she could check me out herself. She nearly fainted when saw the damage. When I felt it myself, I was equally shocked at how big the bump was."
"But…I thought your mom was used to seeing that kind of stuff" he said.
"I guess it's one thing to see it on another person, but it's another thing when it happens to your own child" she surmised.
Steven nodded in agreement.
"Needless to say my mom wanted to cancel the match. Not only did she think I suffered a concussion, but the force of the hit knocked my glasses off. When she picked up the frames, she finally noticed that they didn't have lenses. Then I told her that I could see just fine without them. Of course she thought I was delusional."
"Connie Abi Maheswaran, this is not up for discussion! You most likely suffered a grade two concussion! If you go back out there and get hit again, you could suffer permanent brain damage!"
"Then Steven can heal me just like he healed my eyes! This bump on my head is nothing compared to what he went through! If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't even be alive right now. You have no idea how many times he has protected me, when he didn't have to. He never gives up, no matter if the odds are against him. I'm not going to let this injury stop me from trying to win a championship and you're not going to stop me either!"
"…You really told her that?" he asked.
"Yea. Steven, you inspire me. Whenever times got tough in the tournament, I'd just think of how you always gave it your all and it gave me the strength to go on" Connie quietly said while avoiding direct eye contact with Steven.
"…So…yea…mom and dad were shocked by my outburst. Then my coach stepped in and said, "Y'know…the greatest regret of any athlete is not even having the opportunity to try. It's plain as day that the fire has been re-ignited inside of her. Let's see what she can do. If it gets dicey, then we'll take her out. Whaddya say?"
"Mom and dad looked at each other, then dad put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Go get'em Connie, but please be careful." Mom smiled, but I could tell that she still didn't want me to play. So after a two minute emergency break, I went back onto the court and they went back to their seats.
"Don't you dare hold back!" I yelled to Venus.
"Wasn't planning on it" she replied.
"When she served the ball, I smashed it back and she couldn't counter it! She was playing my style now. I don't know how to explain it, but it's like that hit to my head triggered this untapped power inside of me. It almost felt like you were with me" she explained.
"Like…if we were fused?" he asked.
"Exactly! I was moving faster and it felt like I had Lion's strength! I was matching her shots, even doing between the leg shots. She just couldn't keep up! For the final point, for the Sussex County Championship, I served up a one-hundred mile an hour heater! Venus could barely hold onto her racket as she sent it back to me. But she knocked it back slow and high, which is the absolute worst thing to do in a tennis match. So…guess what I ended the match with?"
Both of them beamed and simultaneously shouted, "OVER HEAD DEATH STRIKE!" while laughing after their outburst.
"Yep! I won in straight sets, 6-4 and 6-3! Everyone in the stands gave Venus and me a standing ovation for a match well-played.
"When we shook hands again, she told me, 'Sorry about hitting you in the head. But I gotta say, you sure are crazy tough for playing through it. Good game, but I'll get you next time.'
'We'll see' I replied and she left the stadium, leaving me alone to bask in the praise of everyone in attendance.
"Mom, dad, and my coach rushed out of the stands and gave me lots of hugs…well mom was still checking me out to make sure I wouldn't pass out from overexertion. Here, let me show you a picture of the trophy presentation!"
Connie reached into the front pocket of her overalls and took out a photo with her and Venus standing next to each other; Connie had the brightest smile while she was holding her gold trophy and bouquet of white roses.
"Whoa…cool trophy!" Steven awed.
"Yea! I like it because it looks like a tennis ball surround by swirling flames. Just like my serve!" she commented.
"Congratulations! I'm so proud of you!" Steven praised as he handed the photo back to her.
"…I can't take all the credit" she said.
"What do mean? You're the one who beat her" he said.
"Yes, but I didn't do it alone. My coach taught me everything that I know. And like I said, you were there with me too. In spirit anyway" she clarified. "That's why I wanted to give you this."
She dug in her side pocket and pulled out a gold medal attached to a red lanyard. Steven took the medallion; it had the same design as the trophy, but underneath the logo, UNIVERSE was written in old English font.
"When it was time to etch the last names, I asked my mom and dad if it was okay to put my name on the trophy and yours on the medal. And they said yes!" she explained.
Steven quizzically stared at the molded metal in his hand. "But…I-I didn't…"
"But you did! Steven…you have no idea what it means to me to be your friend. You're like a flame! I know it sounds cheesy, but you really are! You make everything brighter just by being you! I never would've become the person I am right now if it wasn't for you. As far as I'm concerned, every victory I get, you get it too! So, I'm giving you this medal and there are no exchanges and no returns!" she stated.
Steven smiled and conceded, "…Thank you Connie. I'm really glad you're my friend too."
Connie nodded, then said "Sorry again about the kiss. I…I don't know what came over me. I mean like I said I was happy and all, but I don't know. I guess what I'm trying to say is...w-will that make things weird between us?"
Steven raised one eyebrow up and said, "Why would it? Dad, Garnet, Pearl and Lapis kiss me all the time. Sometimes Lion does too. Kissing is just another way that people show that they care about each other, right?"
Connie smiled and replied, "You're absolutely right."
He smiled at that, then remembered, "So… did you tell your parents more about how I healed your eyes?"
"Yea. When we got back to the hotel, I gave them more details. They weren't too happy that I drank some of your spit. Something about 'indirect kissing' or something like that. Anyway, dad was actually thrilled that he didn't have to deal with those optometrist bills anymore. Mom said that she might even need you on call at the hospital for extreme cases, but for the most part to stay away or else she'd be out of a job."
"Why would she be out of a job?" he asked.
"Don't worry about it. But the thing that upset them the most was the fact that I felt like I had to lie to them…that I couldn't trust them with all of this. They said they didn't mean to be so strict, that they were only trying to protect me. I understand that now. So they promised to pull back on the rules and to be more accepting of my choices in life…to some extent" she finished.
"Did you tell them about Stevonnie?" he asked.
"No. That'll be for another day. My mom is still trying to get over the fact that you have a lion for a pet. But when I tell her…will you be there with me?" Connie asked.
"Of course I will!" Steven exclaimed.
"Thanks" she replied with a smile and he nodded.
But his giddy aura shifted to a serious and somewhat apprehensive one as he sighed.
"Steven? Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yea, I'm fine" he answered as he stared at the ground. "I guess it's time for me to tell my story."
"You don't have-"
"Yes I do" he said cutting her off.
"Just…just promise me you won't freak out" and Connie nodded her head as she sat down directly across from him. She grabbed her half-finished meal and Steven articulated his life changing saga.
"The night when Jasper beat me up, I retreated into my gem. While I was in there…I met my mom."
"Really?!" Connie exclaimed and he nodded his head.
"Garnet said that I was an experience, just like her and Stevonnie. I'm the combination of the love between mom, dad, and the gems" he explained.
"Wow…that's so amazing! What's she like?" she asked.
With a big smile Steven said, "She's wonderful! She looks just like the picture hanging up in my room. We even share the same laugh! And she's the one who created Lion for me. She wanted me to have a powerful protector with approachable fluffiness to guide me and provide me with knowledge. She's also like to talk a lot about mushy stuff. Heh, guess I know why I like schmaltz so much."
Connie giggled at that as he continued. "She gives the biggest, squishiest hugs and plenty of kisses. When I saw her…it felt…normal."
"What do you mean?" Connie asked.
"I don't know. I mean, I know I have dad and the gems and they love me, but it always felt like something was missing. And…I know it's bad and I hope you don't think less of me, but I was kinda…jealous of you. Even though your mom is kinda strict, you still have one and she loves you" he said while avoiding eye contact.
"Oh Steven, of course I don't think less of you. I'm should be the one feeling bad. All this time I've been saying "My mom this" or "My mom that" not even considering your feelings. I'm sorry" Connie lamented.
"It's okay. Now that I know that my mom is with me, I feel complete" he happily said. "Oh yea! She also says that we look absolutely adorable when we're fused!"
Connie blushed when he said that.
Then he transitioned into his heritage. "You're a king?!" she shouted, nearly spitting her juice out.
Steven meekly nodded his head and she said, ""Wow…I knew you had some kind of magical destiny!"
"You're…you're not scared of me?" he asked.
"What?! No, of course not! Why would I be?" she asked.
"I-I thought you would be since I'm a diamond…well, half-diamond. And diamonds are bad…or at least really misguided, and"
"Steven" Connie said cutting him off. "Just because they're bad doesn't mean that you're going to be. Your mom saw what her family was doing was wrong and she changed. You're not a tyrannical overlord and you never will be. If anything, the world would be a better place if you were ruling it."
"Thanks…but what's a tyransickle overlard?" he asked trying to mimic what she said.
"Tyrannical overlord. It means a horrible, killing ruler. Sorry, I like reading the dictionary" she said.
"Don't be. I need to get me a new one so I can learn more cool words like that. I think Amethyst ate my old one." he said.
"Talk about eating your words" she thought. Then she commented, "I think your vocabulary is perfect." He smiled at that.
Then he shifted the story to the shopping trip, the new shirt he created and how he felt that everyone deserved to be loved, including Jasper. "That's why I released her" he explained.
Connie furrowed her eyebrows in rage and confused frown simultaneously appeared on her face.
Before she had a chance to voice her opinion on such an asinine act, Steven held his hands up and pleaded, "Wait! Before you say anything, just hear me out!"
She sighed and allowed him to explain himself. He told her about the battle between copy Rose and Jasper, her backstory, how he's her little tiger cub and the training they've been doing.
Just like when he told the story to his dad, Connie's opinion on Jasper changed…but only a tiny bit. "Unbelievable. Only Steven could pull off something like that. And that also explains the hole in the ground" she thought.
Then he went onto what Pearl said about him.
At that point, Connie stood up and was about to run down the mountain and give the gems a piece of her mind.
But Steven reminded her, "Connie…please. You promised."
She irritably huffed through her clenched teeth. She sat back down, crossed her arms and hissed, "I'm. Not. Freaking. Out. I'm fine…"
Steven hesitantly took her word for it and continued his narration. He told her about the "hard hands, soft hands" analogy his dad used, the reconciliation, and Jasper's half-baked plan to talk to Peridot.
If steam could really erupt from the top of a person's head, Connie would've had that and lava spewing from her ears as well.
Then he transitioned into how he confronted Peridot, her backstory, and how she went against Yellow Diamond to join them as well. For the climax, he finally reached the part about how they went into the cavern underneath the kindergarten (he gave a brief explanation about how the area was used for growing gems) and encountered the cluster experiments.
Connie's gaping mouth clearly showed how surprised and appalled she was at how Yellow Diamond could do that to her own kind.
Next he told her about what Garnet said to him, her going into berserker mode, and Lapis morphing into a ferocious water creature out of fear. Soon he reached the end of that saga by articulating how he managed to calm everyone, gem and cluster alike, down by singing but in turn, his sanity was shattered.
"…No way" she managed to breathe out. She couldn't believe it… it's unfathomable that he's even sitting here across from her.
"It's gets better" he said trying to lighten the mood. Connie nodded and continued listening.
He explained how Lion took him to a special cleansing spring for diamonds, because his mind was overwhelmed due to all the hurtful things everyone said to him. Then he explained what happened to him during the purification process and the black mass he had to face inside of his mind.
"That's exactly what I went through! But just like the tennis tournament, I could feel you with me and I was able to get rid of those horrible voices. Then…I was standing in front your house" she explained.
"Really?!" he asked.
"Yea…I guess just like how your mom's crystal palace is where you feel safe…I feel safe when I'm at your place" she said. "With you" she thought as another blushed crossed her features.
Steven smiled at that and carried on with his story. He went on to reveal that all diamonds have the ability to draw out and absorb feelings, to the point of mind control, and that his gem drains out negativity.
"Wow…but what happens when you're full? Do you go to the spring again?" she asked.
Steven remained quiet.
"Steven? What's wrong?"
"…I don't need to go to the spring. Well…not anymore. In a way, I am the spring. I found out that whatever negative energy I absorb, it transforms into these black, sludge-covered monsters. And I guess it gets bigger the more I absorb at one time" he finally explained.
"Wait…so that means"
"Yep, I fight your negative feelings. I don't know how, but mom's sword absorbs it as soon as they touch it. Your thoughts looked like a tarantula bat, but it sounded like a squeaky toy. It was kinda funny" he tried to joke but Connie wasn't having it.
"Do the gems know?!" she asked and he shook his head no.
"Why didn't you tell them?!" she shouted.
"Because I don't want to feel weak again!" he shouted back.
The air was still around the trio.
"What do you mean?" she calmly asked.
Tears were flowing down Steven's cheeks at this point. He's the one supposed to be getting rid of negative emotions. He's not supposed to even let stinkin' thinkin' enter his mind and yet here he was. Feeling bad about himself.
"R-Remember after I threw up, I s-said I wished I was stronger. Now I finally am. I'm helping the gems with knowledge I didn't even knew I had, discovering new powers and abilities, using words that I've never used before, and putting things together that're simple to me but almost profound to them. I-I don't want to lose that" he explained through a cracked voice.
Connie put her hand over his knee and said, "Steven…I get what you're saying, but that's the most foolish thing I've ever heard! So you want to protect the gems from their negative feelings, but what if something happens to you when you're fighting them? How will they feel then?"
"It's better than having them fake happiness just for my sake" he bitterly said, not liking the harsh truth she was speaking.
"…They may do that, they may not. I'm going with the latter on this one. Based on what I've seen and what you've told me, none of them hide their true feelings very well…except maybe Garnet."
"Steven, you have to tell them. You said that your mom was a crutch for them. If you fight these things on your own without giving them the chance to learn how to deal with these negative feelings on their own, you're basically becoming the same thing."
"There's an old saying: 'give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.' It means that if do something for someone repeatedly, it's only a short term solution. You need to teach them how so they can survive on their own, that's the long term solution. That power should only be used as a last resort" she explained.
Steven nodded his head and wiped away some of his tears. "…You're right. I'm sorry for snapping at you. It's just…the gems rely on me a lot more now. I guess I didn't want to let them down. I was afraid that plain ol' Steven wouldn't be enough for them anymore" he dejectedly said as he looked at the ground.
Connie was quiet for a moment, then said, "Well…I became friends with plain ol' Steven."
Steven slowly looked back up at her as she continued.
"Plain ol' Steven was willing to run away with me after dinner so I wouldn't have to worry about anything. Plain ol' Steven was kind enough to allow me into his mother's room so I could re-create an ending for a book, even though he liked it. Plain ol' Steven lets me have fun like a regular kid by letting me watch Under the Knife and play video games."
Steven's eyes started to light up as Connie continued her list.
"Plain ol' Steven got me out of my shy shell and danced with me. A plain ol' Steven fused with me, another human! Something that's never been done before! Plain ol' Steven was able to tame a ferocious lion and make him his pet!"
Lion huffed through his nose at that statement.
"Sorry…I mean best friend" she corrected.
Lion gave a sharp nod and resumed chilling.
"Plain ol' Steven was able to return the ocean to the Earth. Plain ol' Steven was able to save his family from a space prison and protect them as they fell from the sky. Plain ol' Steven was brave enough to trade his life for Lapis and in turn defeat Jasper. Then plain ol' Steven turns around and changes Jasper's heart; now you're her little cub! Plain ol' Steven showed compassion to Peridot by bringing back her arm and helping her see that she wasn't worthless. Plain ol' Steven stopped an army of mutant gems by playing a song! Do you hear how crazy awesome that sounds?!"
Steven couldn't help but smile by how impressed Connie was at the feat.
"Plain ol' Steven was able to get rid of dark thoughts in both gems and humans without breaking a sweat! Even after all that, plain ol' Steven will still watch the snow fall with me.
"Steven…it's natural that a person matures after experiencing things. Of course, you've experienced stuff that should only exist in the next saga of the Spirit Morph series. Anyway, it doesn't matter if you're Zen Steven, Playful Steven, Knucklehead Steven"
"Hey!" he playfully chided.
"Or even King Steven, you're still you. All those parts make up your perfect puzzle. Sometimes one piece will be needed over another, but that doesn't mean that other parts are less important or should be forgotten. If any of them are missing…then I won't have my friend whom I've grown so very fond of. So…can you make me another promise? Promise me you won't change?" she asked as she extended her pinky out.
Steven smiled as more tears pricked through his starry eyes.
"Heh…you're tapping into your Zen Connie now huh?" he joked and Connie merely smiled and nodded.
He grabbed her pinky with his and added another part to the pact, "I promise. But promise me you won't change either?"
"Well…there are no take backs" she said and Steven let out a hearty laugh.
Then he pulled her in for a tight hug. "Thanks Connie…I really needed to hear that" he said through a cracked voice.
Connie had little tears in her eyes as well as she patted his back. After a moment, they ended the embrace. Both of stared into each others' watery eyes and all they could do was laugh.
That's when Steven realized something, even encouragers need encouragement.
With newfound confidence he said, "Alright, now where was I? Oh yea!"
He went into detail about his mom's knowledge about the clusters, Black Diamond and why fusion was frowned upon on home world. Then he shifted gears and told her some of the names Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl came up with before he was born and why his mom chose Steven. For the finale, he explained what he did to the gems, the similar explanation he had with them, the party they threw for him and the t-shirts he gave them. He even showed her the video.
"Wow, they really went all out" she commented.
"Yea, it was amazing! Even Lion was into it!" he said.
"I'm just glad you got a new phone" she said.
"Yea, but the bad thing is all of our pictures are gone" he sighed.
"That's okay. We can always take more. Let's start now!" With that, she sat next to him and held his phone out for a selfie.
"Say cheese" she said and they sported their biggest grins.
After the flash, they looked at the image on the screen. "Looks good!" he commented and she nodded in agreement.
As he put his phone back in his pocket, he said. "…Hey Connie? Thanks for listening to…everything. I know it's a lot to take in."
"Steven, I meant what I said when I wanted to be a part of your universe. Listening is the least I can do. So don't be afraid to share whatever is on your mind" Connie assured and he nodded.
"So…where are the gems now?" she asked.
"They're in the temple building new rooms for Peridot and Jasper. I came out here to practice my guitar until they were done" he explained.
"What song were you playing? It was beautiful" she praised.
"I don't know, I just made it up. But I'm glad you liked it. Maybe you can help me come up with some lyrics for it" he offered.
"Maybe. I mean, I can do little made-up ditties on my violin, but lyrics? That's more of your expertise" she said.
"Naw, I'm sure you can come up with a few lines. Just gotta feel that funky flow!" he extenuated by waving his arms like a snake.
Connie laughed at that, but her merry outburst soon faded away when she heard him sigh. "What's wrong?"
"I was just thinking about the clusters. Different parts of different gems all trapped together like that, scared and confused. I told them I would help them, but I don't know how. I don't even know what home world did to even make'em that way" he dejectedly said.
"Well, for normal gems to be made, the right minerals have to be trapped in the Earth's crust because it takes a long time and a lot of pressure to get the components to fuse. They get inside the crust through many different ways, like being made by magma or being dissolved by water. I'm guessing being stuck together underneath the Earth's crust for such a long period of time did that to the shards as well" Connie explained.
"Wow Connie…you sure are smart" he marveled.
She blushed and replied, "I-I've been doing a lot of reading on gems since I met you. Did you know that Rose Quartz is known as a stone of unconditional love?"
"Really?! That's awesome!" he exclaimed.
"Yea, and I think fits your personality to a T" she said.
Steven nodded, then said "I wish my music could un-separate them somehow."
That's when a lightbulb went off in Connie's head. "Laser surgery!" she exclaimed.
"What?"
"Yea! My mom does it all the time! Lasers are used to cut away tumors and other bad things out of people. Maybe we could use the lasers that they use for cutting gems for jewelry and use'em on the clusters! And your music could be used as a sedative to keep'em calm so they don't feel anything!" she happily explained.
Galaxies appeared in Steven's eyes as he grabbed Connie in a tight hug. "That's a fantastic idea! Forget being just smart, you're a genius!" he proclaimed.
"No, I'm just like you. I just used my experiences and put simple things together to get a solution" she said and he hummed in agreement.
"C'mon! Let's see if the gems are done with the new rooms! I can't wait for them to hear your idea!" Steven excitedly said as he quickly pulled her up. However, the fast action caused Connie to groan and rub the injured area on her forehead.
"Sorry! I'm sorry!" he panicked.
"It's okay. I just have to take it easy. Turns out I did suffer a concussion, so I get dizzy if I do things too fast" she explained.
"Oh…oh right! Here, m-may I?" he asked as he reached for the bandage.
She leaned in, signaling that it was okay. He gingerly took it off and planted a kiss on the black and blue bruise. Soon, the damaged tissue was healed and the dull ache went away. Connie reached up and touched the no longer tender area.
"Just returning the favor…from before" he said with a blush and Connie face felt heat up as well. Their awkwardly cheerful moment was interrupted when Lion let out a long yawn.
"Guess we've been out here a long time" Connie commented as she looked up at the slightly orange tinted sky.
"Well…I did say it was going to be a long story"
"But well worth hearing" she replied and Steven smiled. He and Connie held hands as the trio walked down the mountainside to share their marvelous and revealing information.
"Oh yea, what're your favorite colors?" he asked.
"Favorite colors?" she repeated.
"Yea, so I can put'em on the next shirt I make" he said.
"…Red and yellow" she answered.
"Hey, just like my other shirts!" he realized.
"Mh-hm" she hummed as she tucked some of her hair behind her ear, secretly thankful that he's still the lovable yet completely oblivious boy.
Back at the Beach House…
The temple door flashed in array of multiple colors as two new circular gemstones, a green one and an orange one, appeared within the star-shaped emblem. Soon a singular, orange zig-zag line split the door open and the newly formed family exited the sacred sanctuary.
"Sheesh…that was more exhausting than combat practice with a Carnelian" Jasper said as she plopped on the couch.
"No kidding. And did every single stone need to be organized by size?" Amethyst irritably asked Peridot.
"I'm not used to the…rustic…infrastructure you have within your dwelling place. I like my things neat and tidy, thank you very much" Peridot replied.
"Well I for one think it's a good habit to have" Pearl commented.
"Whateves, I'm just glad it's done. The rooms do look pretty sweet though" Amethyst said as she rummaged through the fridge.
"Yea, and thanks again for all the décor and those drums" said Jasper.
"No prob" she replied as she settled on eating a couple of cantaloupes.
"And thanks for giving us a private chamber" Peridot added and Garnet acknowledged her with a nod.
"…Where's Steven?" asked Lapis when she noticed that her favorite person wasn't in his bedroom loft.
As soon as she asked that, the young duo burst the door and Steven shouted, "Garnet! Amethyst! Pearl! Lapis! Peridot! Jasper! We have amazing news that'll knock your socks off!"
Peridot quizzically looked at him and asked, "What're are socks? And how can news be converted into a weapon?"
"He means that he has something important to tell us" Garnet clarified and she nodded at the excited youngling to continue with his proclamation.
"Oh, but first! Jasper. Peridot. I'd like you two meet Connie. She's my best friend!"
Connie warily clutched Steven's hand tighter as the titanic warrior and cybernetic technician approached them to get a better look at the human deemed worthy to be a diamond's "best friend."
Peridot just stared at her; she didn't know what to make of her. She was just an ordinary human. But then again, she didn't understand anything about Earth nor its inhabitants.
Jasper on the other hand crossed her arms over her chest and glowered down at the girl. She remembered the last time her cub introduced her to another human, and he almost made him cry due to his lies!
So she got right to the point and bluntly stated, "You'd better not cause him any trouble."
When she uttered that subtle threat, something inside of Connie snapped and she boldly walked up to them.
She pointed her finger at the surprised gems and shouted, "Me?! Cause him trouble?! I should be saying that to you two! I'm not the one who nearly beat him to death with her bare hands! I'm not the one who nearly squished him with a giant robotic hand and almost blasted him with a plasma cannon!"
Jasper and Peridot stared at her wide-eyed with shock. They were completely stunned that such a small human could unhinge like that. Plus, no one likes to be reminded of all the horrible things they did in the past. If they had stomachs, it would've been twisted into little knots right now.
But she wasn't finished. As little tears poked through her agitated eyes she ranted, "I had to watch him throw up a bag full of blood and cry from the top lungs because of how much pain he was in! Do you have any idea how it feels to be so helpless when your best and only friend is hurting and you can't do anything to help him?!"
"As a matter of fact we do! We watched him cry out of fear in that underground cavern because his mind was broken, and we couldn't do anything! Not a single damn thing!" Jasper countered.
"Oh yea, Steven told me how he even got to that point!" she yelled back as she glared at Garnet and Pearl.
The duo adverted their eyes from her condemning gaze.
"So I swear if any of you hurt him to the point of having him go back to that spring I'll-"
"CONNIE!" Steven shouted as he got in front of her and gripped her shoulders.
Luckily he stopped her before she could say something that she would've undoubtedly regret later. He could tell she was still fuming and raring to go by the way she aggressively bit her lip and furrowed her eyebrows in agitation.
"It's okay. Thank you for defending me, but it's not necessary. They already know what they did was wrong and they're already making up for it. Remember, Jasper and Peridot thought they were right because they grew up under home world's rules. Now they realize that home world's views are really messed up" he said.
"That doesn't excuse what they did! They knew better!" she retorted while pointing at Pearl and Garnet.
"They were scared, and fear has a way of sucking all the common sense out of people" he explained and she didn't have a rebuttal for that.
"Connie…you're scared right now. Scared for me. But you don't need to be. Everything that happened, whether good or bad, were the results of my calls. But instead of focusing on the negative, I acknowledge it and move on. That's what forgiveness is all about. And I'm liking all the positive that came out of it" he said as he smiled at his family and they returned the gesture with small smiles of their own.
"I understand that it'll be awhile for you to trust them, but…do you trust me?" he asked.
"Of course I do" she immediately answered.
"Then trust me when I say that everything will be fine and we'll be chilling together in no time" he assured as he wiped the lone tear flowing down her right cheek.
"Heh…Zen Steven strikes again" she commented as she pulled him into a hug.
"…Connie" Jasper hesitantly called out.
Steven and Connie broke the hug and gave her their attention.
"I-I'm sorry for what I said and for the way I came across. I'm still getting used to this whole 'friendship' thing. I've experienced some…questionable humans so I based my assumption of you on that. But I should've trusted Steven's judgement when he deemed you his right hand human. You're pretty feisty" she commended and Connie showed a small smile.
Jasper extended her hand out and attempted to smile…although it came out as a snaggle-toothed, awkward grin. Connie stared at it for a moment. She slowly reached out for it and placed her hand in her massive palm. With a singular shake, it signaled that there were no hard feelings between them.
Peridot skittishly approached her and offered her free-floating digits to initiate the same act. Connie graciously took them and shook them as well. Steven was beaming.
"So…what's this big news you were going on about?" Jasper asked him.
"Oh yea! Tell'em Connie!"
She told them about how laser surgery could separate the gem shards and how Steven's music could be used to keep'em calm.
Garnet approached her and ruffled her hair. "I think it's brilliant! Thank you Connie" she smiled.
"Indeed! Soon we'll be able to heal all of our comrades!" Pearl exclaimed as she clasped her hands together.
The children giggled from the praise.
Jasper, Peridot and Lapis on the other hand looked at each with wide eyes.
"Are we just going to ignore the fact that humans, of all species (no offense), have developed technology to cut gems?! And wear them?! What kind of planet am I living on?!" Peridot exasperated while running her digits through her hair.
"Peridot, Earth gems aren't alive. They're like regular rocks. Humans like to wear them as decoration; they are considered a sign of affluence" Pearl causally explained.
"…Oh" the green gem responded.
"Of course…now she's an expert" Amethyst thought.
"Where can we get one of these lasers?" Lapis asked.
"Steven, can I borrow your laptop?" Connie asked and he complied.
Everyone gathered around the screen as she did some research through Roodle. "There it is. The Sayine Company" she said.
"Their machine looks kinda bulky" Lapis commented.
"I can convert it to a more efficient model, no problem" Peridot boasted.
"It doesn't list their prices?" Pearl questioned.
"Products like this are more on a "who wants to know" basis. They want to make sure you either have the money or the right business to own something like this" Connie explained.
"Pssh, screw money. I'll just pop on over there and 'liberate' it" Amethyst grinned.
"Oh no you don't! We are NOT having another cookie cat incident!" Pearl asserted.
"We'll pick up a few of these machines tomorrow, and we'll use force if necessary" Garnet said and everyone agreed with that, especially Amethyst and Jasper.
Steven turned off his computer and went upstairs to put it back. Connie followed him and whispered, "Aren't you going to tell them?"
"Do I have to? Look how happy they are" he replied.
"Steven, you can't put this off!" she countered.
"Do you two have something you want to say?" Garnet asked and the two younglings flinched.
Steven looked down at the gems, then back at Connie. He caved in under her determined stare and trudged down the stairs.
"Yea…but please don't be mad" Steven pleaded and everyone apprehensively nodded, fearing what sort of information could come out of his mouth.
After he explained that he basically fought their negative thoughts and why he didn't tell them, the only thing the original trio of crystal gems thought was "…He's just like his mother."
Lapis scooped him up and said, "Steven, don't you dare think that just being you isn't enough. In fact, it's more than enough!"
"She's right" Garnet said and everyone turned to her. "Steven, we already knew that we had to change the way we unleash our emotions. Now we have even more of a reason to do so. It will be rocky to start off, but we'll get better over time. Just like with any training process. I know it's not fair for me to ask this of you, but will you be patient with us, correct us when we're wrong, and help us when we are overwhelmed?" she asked.
"Of course I will. After all, that's just what a family do, right? We learn and grow together." Steven answered.
"Right!" everyone responded.
Steven could've kept on smiling, knowing that they were still going to be real with him, but all of the day's events finally caught up with him as he let out a long yawn.
"Steven, are you sleepy?" Lapis asked.
"N-no..." he responded. The gems didn't buy it, especially since he was teetering from side to side in Lapis' arms and his eyelids were drooping.
"Yes you are, and so is Connie" Garnet observed.
"What?" Steven looked over at his friend sitting on the couch, trying to keep her head up.
"Connie!" he shouted and that jolted her awake for a moment.
"Wha? "Whaz wrong?" she slurred as she quickly stood up.
"Do you want to spend the night?" he asked and that immediately got her out of her dazed state of mind.
"What? No! I can't do that! Mom and dad may be less strict but even this will be pushing it!" she exclaimed.
"Dude, chill" Amethyst said.
"Don't worry Connie, I'll speak to them and I'm sure they'll understand" Pearl offered.
Connie nodded her head and said, "Thanks."
"Well, before you two go to sleep, you'll need something to eat" Garnet said.
"How 'bout some pizza?" Amethyst suggested.
"NO!" Jasper and Peridot responded; they did not want a repeat of what happened last night.
"I was asking them. You don't have to eat if you don't want to y'know" Amethyst irritably said.
"Actually…can we get some sandwiches from Sub King? Is that okay Connie?" Steven asked and she nodded her head.
"Hey…that sounds pretty good! I haven't had a good ol' foot-long, ultimate triple decker in a looong time" Amethyst said.
"An ultimate triple what? And what do feet have to do with anything?" Peridot asked. Just the thought of it made the empty cavity within her churn in disgust.
"You just gotta try it to understand it. Although…you're probably better off eating the veggie supreme" Amethyst said.
"The what?! Why doesn't anything on Earth make any sense?!" she exasperated.
"It's all relative. I mean, I didn't understand any of the advancements home world made, and I used to live there" said Lapis.
"…I suppose that's true" she relented.
"Besides, it's a lot of fun to just go with the flow and try new things" Steven explained.
"Well, I'm up for trying this triple decker thing" said Jasper.
"Aw yea! You won't regret it" Amethyst said.
"I'm just claiming this now, I get the bathroom first" asserted Peridot.
"Uh…no. Doesn't work that way. It's who can get there the fastest" Amethyst clarified.
"Plus, since Steven and Connie have to experience that process on a daily basis, they naturally have first dibs" Pearl added.
"…Fine" grumbled Peridot.
"Alright, that's enough of that. Let's go get those subs!" Amethyst declared as she walked towards the door.
"Awesome! Family dinner outing! We can eat outside and watch the sunset!" Steven exclaimed as the rest of the crew followed the purple gem out the door to get some much needed nourishment and create another wonderful lasting memory.
Later that night…
The two children slept peacefully side by side on Steven's bed underneath the comfy duvet cover.
Although the rest of the gems were slightly upset that they couldn't sleep with him, Garnet reminded them that it was just for one night and that this was an important bonding moment for the two of them.
While the rest of the gems went to their rooms, Jasper elected to stay behind and keep an eye on things. Their soft snores along with the lapping water outside created a surprisingly harmonious melody that Jasper would've enjoyed…if it wasn't for that nagging concern in the back of her mind. Being careful to tip-toe across the floor so her heavy footsteps didn't disturb them, she quietly exited the house. She walked down the stairs and sat down on the grassy alcove underneath the deck. Luckily, Lion wasn't there to disturb her thoughts.
She tried to focus on the ebbing edge of the limitless ocean to organize her thoughts, but it didn't work. "Gem…how am I going to protect him from that?" she thought.
"…J-Jasper?" A hesitant voice snapped the warrior out of her reflective trance.
"Peridot? Lazuli? How long have you two been here?" she asked.
"For a while. Sorry for interrupting, I just needed to think; I feel calmer when I'm around the ocean" Lapis explained.
"And I tend to talk to myself whenever I have a lot on my mind. So the most logical choice of action was to come outside" added Peridot.
"Well…I can lend an ear" offered Jasper as she patted the ground next to her. The two gems accepted her offer and sat down next to her.
"Heh…I never would've thought the three of us would have this kind of familiarity with each other" Lapis chuckled.
"Yea…it's pretty unreal" agreed Jasper.
"Well, I'm glad we're together. So, am I safe in assuming that you two were thinking about the experiment?" Peridot asked and they nodded their heads.
"Thank goodness Connie came up with that idea. Now the only problem is getting to it in time so we can stop it" said Lapis.
"Stop what, pray tell?"
The three of them flinched when they heard the monotone voice of the de-facto leader.
"Sheesh! I really to start training again! It's disgraceful that my senses are that dull!" Jasper thought as she shook her head.
When the three of them turned around, not only was Garnet there, but also Pearl and Amethyst.
"W-What're you three doing out here?" stuttered Peridot.
"Same question could apply to you" replied an unamused Garnet.
"Well…I asked first!" Peridot childishly countered.
"Alright then, that's fair. Pearl and I wanted to check on Steven and Connie" Garnet explained.
"Although in Pearl's case, it's more like stalking" Amethyst joked.
"Amethyst!" Pearl chided as her face darkened.
"And I was getting the rest of my sandwich" Amethyst explained through her giggles.
"When we didn't see you, we went looking for you" Garnet finished.
"…I didn't realize I was out here for that long" Jasper sheepishly said as she rubbed the back of her head.
"Now, it's your turn" she subtly commanded.
"…We got this. It doesn't concern you" Jasper stated.
"On the contrary. If whatever you're talking about endangers Steven or the Earth, then as their protectors it's our right to know" Garnet countered.
"No offense Garnet, but based on what I've witnessed back in the underground chamber…I don't think you can handle it" Jasper retorted.
Garnet merely crossed her arms and dared her as she said, "Try me."
Pearl took a more compromising approach and said, "C'mon. We can't let stubborn pride and assumptions stop us from achieving a common objective. Besides, as the old saying goes, 'there's strength in numbers'."
The former home world trio looked at each other. Lapis walked closer to the ocean whereas Jasper summoned her battering helmet.
"What're you two doing?!" asked Pearl.
"Just a precaution" Jasper answered. "Peridot, if you would."
The green gem gulped as she materialized her holo-pad. "The clusters we saw that day were only the prototypes. There's something much more deadly that's going to emerge…"
After a lengthy explanation, the original trio were speechless. Pearl's hair lost its pointy edge and Amethyst shivered. But everyone focused their attention on Garnet when they heard her growl.
"A…A war weapon?! A forced fusion being used as a forsaken WAR WEAPON?!" she seethed. She was clenching her fists so tight that it looked like she would crack her own gemstones.
Peridot immediately hid behind Jasper as the warrior assumed a grounded fighting stance. Lapis was prepared with a legion of water hands at her command.
"G-Garnet. A-Are you okay?" Pearl asked as she placed her trembling hand on the shoulder pad of her shuddering friend. She quickly retracted her hand once she felt Garnet flinch.
She took a very deep breath to calm the raging inferno inside of her. She stood tall and answered, "…No, I'm not. But I'm not that upset."
She sighed as she faced Jasper. "I'm sorry. I guess you were right…I couldn't handle it" she apologized to the battle ready warrior.
"Well, that actually went a lot better than I thought" Jasper said as she dismissed her helmet. Lapis banished the water armada and rejoined the group.
"Now I know why you and Peridot looked away, the gems were already here" Garnet surmised.
"When Steven explained that the first wave of gems to colonize the Earth were nothing more than cannon fodder, it made us realize that we're basically same thing" Lapis lamented.
"Yea…I mean why would Yellow use her resources to save an out of date gem, a crippled gem, and a gem that knows too much about her biggest failure? She's probably thrilled that we're gone" Jasper reflected. "No offense" she quickly added.
"None taken" Peridot and Lapis replied.
"Still, I wouldn't rule out her sending more forces to check the status of this…thing and possibly capturing it. She's waited over six thousand years for this thing to emerge. I'd doubt she'd give up now" warned Garnet.
"Did she happen to say why she created this thing in the first place? She can't still be trying to figure out how to form Black Diamond" Pearl asked.
"Unfortunately…I don't know. She said that was classified information" replied Peridot.
"Probably just another way to keep gems in check" guessed Jasper.
"It doesn't matter what it's for, cause it ain't gonna do nothin' because we're going to smash it!" announced Amethyst.
"You're right! By using those lasers that Connie suggested, we'll be able to cut that thing down to size and eventually heal it" Pearl declared.
"When will it emerge?" Garnet asked Peridot.
"There's no set timetable; it's on its own schedule. It'll come out when it wants to" she said.
"Great…" Amethyst dejectedly commented.
"Well gems…our objective is clear. We'll drill our way to where this abomination is located and stop it" Garnet commanded.
"What about Steven?" Lapis asked.
"I don't want him to know about this. This mission is completely top secret, understood?" Garnet asserted.
"What?! Are you sure that's wise? Don't you remember what he was able to do to the prototypes?!" Peridot stressed.
"And it almost cost him his life!" she roared back and everyone was silent.
She took off her shades and faced her family, "Listen. I know that his abilities could prove to be useful. And I'm aware of the consequences if he finds out that we kept this from him. But I'd sooner have my gems shattered than to see him like that ever again."
Everyone nodded at that.
"We'll still see him, it's not we're going to abandon him. Plus, he needs to continue his training in the event that more gems do decide to pay us a visit" she said.
"I can handle that" Jasper stated, pounding her chest with her fist.
"Good. Alright, rest up everyone. All of us need to be at full strength if we're going to save our home, both the planet and our most precious person."
Will the gems be able to stop this underground threat? What kind of training awaits Steven? Will Yellow's patience run thin? Stay tuned for the next new arc: "Strong in Which Way?" Kinda fitting that I'd go into a training arc after my crossfit event, which I did very well in.
Well, Connie did says she wasn't afraid of sharing her feelings. That's the kind of friend I'd want any day. That whole scenario is the result of playing Mario Tennis and having "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" stuck in my head. I'll leave you guys to guess which tennis players I used for her opponent.
It kinda clicked for me that a gem laser cutting machine could be used to perform surgery on a gem, so to speak.
And just like Steven realized, I'm truly grateful to everyone who takes the time to read my work, follows, faves, and leaves encouraging and helpful reviews. I'm glad that all of these pieces(happiness, sadness, zaniness, anguish, occasional singing, etc.) are coming together to form a perfect puzzle. And I'm blessed that you all have chosen to come along for the ride.
I mean just…wow.
25 chapters.
I would've never imagined this in my wildest dreams. And I've just barely scratched the surface. Now that the foundation's been set, time to get into some more twists and turns with more fluff, feels, action, and another 'enemy' besides home world gems (thanks for the idea guest2). Oop, said too much.
Also, I can't find the review, but I wanted to thank whoever suggested the reason why Yellow wouldn't come back for Jasper, Lapis, and Peridot.
See you guys later :)
I don't own Steven Universe, just my imaginative capabilities.
Quick shout out to Sub King in my hometown! Best roast beef sandwich ever!