Steven Universe: Return of Cinnabar Chapter 25: The Goddess, a steven universe fanfic

For various reasons regarding an unfortunate group of people coming after me, the song portions of "Steven Universe: Return of Cinnabar" have unfortunately needed to be removed. Thus, this version of the story is no longer legible in those chapters. The "true" version of this story can be found on Archive of Our Own (AO3) under the same name. Please understand I didn't want to do this, I was forced to by a horrible group that will go unnamed.

For those who want to read this story as it is meant to be read, you can google the name of the fic, and the AO3 link will be one of the top results.

Chapter 25: The Goddess

"I'm Pink Diamond," Steven's mind cried in terror. Tears simmered and boiled off his skin, leaving a trail of steam behind him as he ran.

"I'm Pink Diamond," his heart shuddered out with despair. He gripped his chest, clutching at the tremors that shook his body. He tried and failed to grab the fabric of his cape, the cape he no longer owned. He drew a sharp breath.

"I'M PINK DIAMOND!" his voice finally roared in pure desperation. His body froze as a wave of pink energy exploded out from his skin, sound rocketing through his ears as it spread out. Steven shook his head as the wave dissipated, setting off car alarms in the distance. He didn't stop to listen, however, as he took off again.

All of it was true. Every fear he had, every concern about who he was and who he was becoming. It was all true. He was Pink Diamond, undeniably and irrefutably. As evil and manipulative and abusive as a Diamond was. He was no different from Yellow Diamond, the Gem who had made Peridot feel small: useless and incomparable to someone like him.

And then Steven realized, he had made her feel those things. He took off even faster.

Steven had no idea where he was going. He had no plan, no direction, and especially no place to stop. He was just running, trying to escape from his fears. He could never run away from those, however, because they lived on in his mind.

"I'M PINK DIAMOND!" he screamed again, holding onto some vain hope that confessing his wrongdoings would somehow forgive them. Yet, as he froze again, feeling the energy building up in his body, he knew. There was no forgiving who he was. "I'M PINK DIAMOND!"

Another wave of raw pink power exploded out from him, filling the dark town with light for just a moment. Before it could fade, however, Steven sprinted off, a cloud of steam streaming behind him. The cries he was uttering grew even louder.

His voice had gained an echo, an ethereal tone that projected his words through the whole town. Unlike an echo, however, it did not sound like him. It was more like a second voice, repeating what he said with a slight delay. It was powerful, booming, and commanding, all the traits of a Diamond.

It was at that moment Steven realized, that was his voice, his true voice. He felt his world crashing down even faster.

"I'M PINK DIAMOND!" He stumbled, feeling his arms alight with flames. Seconds later his hair followed, straightening and glowing with that same blasted colour: Pink. Yet, his hair was even more wild and unruly this time, waving and flowing and crackling with energy. It looked more like a flame now than it ever did before.

Steven wasn't Shining, he was Blazing.

A trail of fiery footprints followed him as he ran down the city road, igniting the asphalt with every step. It was so hot, it was a miracle his flip-flops weren't melting and fusing to his skin. Steven couldn't give this a moment of thought, however, as he accelerated even more. His eyes were clenched tight, giving him no sense of where he was heading.

A part of him wished he could run straight into the ocean. He wanted to submerge himself, extinguishing the sight of his powers, and give himself a chance to drown his other emotions along with them. His heart was aching, crying out for some relief from the pain.

He could run forever, he felt. He should run forever, he thought. He would run for—

Slam!

Steven's train of thought and locomotive-like motion derailed as he collided head first with what felt like a flat piece of sheet metal. His head shook as he was thrown to the ground, ears ringing with a distinct hum. It was silenced a moment later as he hit asphalt. He barely had a second to rub his head in pain before a voice rang out.

"Steven!" it cried, the tone twisting from shock to alarm midword. Steven cringed, knowing it was the sight of him that brought on that panic. They were surely trembling in fear, he thought. Yet before he had a moment to look up at who had uttered the cry, he found himself doused with a stream of pressurized water.

"Ah!" Steven yelped as the cold water completely drenched his hair and body. Steam shot into the air as the liquid evaporated on contact. After a second, however, Steven managed to gain some control over himself. He allowed the water to douse the flames from his body. As the last of the steam floated away, there wasn't a sign of pink left on him, other than his shirt.

Steven looked down at himself before glancing up. His eyes widened in shock as he found himself face to face with his father, Greg, holding a garden hose.

"Steven, oh my gosh!" he exclaimed, dropping the hose and rushing forward. He pulled Steven up into a tight embrace. "I was just picking up for closing time, when I turn around and see you slam straight into the side of the van, on fire!"

Steven peeked out from Greg's grasp, looking around at his surroundings for the first time. He was at his dad's car wash, the It's a Wash Car Wash. He had picked a random direction and managed to wind up here. What were the chances?

"What the heck happened?!" Greg asked, pulling his uncharacteristically silent son from his chest. "Did Amethyst offer to show you a 'hot trick'? Steven, I'm still seeing the doctor from the time she did that to me! I get you're a bit tougher than me, but not—"

Greg stopped as he realized Steven wasn't listening, but rather was on the precipice of tears. He swallowed his panic, delegating his questions for later as he pulled Steven into his shoulder. The moment Greg did so, Steven erupted with cries of anguish, flooding the back of Greg's t-shirt with hot tears. He sighed, realizing this would take a while.

Greg carried Steven over to the van, taking a moment to note the serious dent his son had left in it. He put that aside, however. He had a job to do. Steven's cries echoed out as Greg sat down on the floor of the van, making him grimace as he held his son tighter.

Greg took a deep breath as he gave Steven the time to let it out, trying to get him to a somewhat comprehensible state. He couldn't answer what was wrong if all he could get out was tears. After several minutes, Greg loosened his hold on Steven, allowing him to sit in the back of the van alongside him. Still, Steven left his head buried in his father's shoulder.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Greg asked, looking off into the city. Steven paused before quickly nodding his head in response. Greg pulled Steven closer, feeling his son wrap his arms around his waist for support. "Let's start from the beginning."

Steven mumbled out something indecipherable, stumbling over himself as he tried to speak. Greg frowned as he patted Steven's back.

"Come on buddy, you know you can talk to me," Greg said, pushing for a reply. After a moment, he gasped as Steven tightened his grip, pushing the air out from his chest. "Steven—"

"I'm Mom," he said outright, muffling his voice through Greg's shirt. Greg did a double take before trying to pull Steven up.

"What? Steven, what're you talking about?" he asked.

"I'm Mom, I'm Rose," Steven cried, more tears pouring down his face then. "And I'm Pink Diamond!"

Greg recoiled in shock as Steven's voice rocketed out with a wave of energy, causing the van to shake violently for a few seconds. Steven's crying only increased as he watched his father move away from him. Greg saw his reaction and immediately got closer.

"Steven, what the heck has been happening to you? What are you even saying?" Greg put his hands on Steven's shoulders, shaking him lightly and grabbing his attention. Steven's head shook back and forth, tears flying off and hitting Greg. He flinched slightly, the heat almost singeing him. "You're Mom? You're Rose? And who the heck is Pink Diamond?"

"Mom was Pink Diamond, she was always Pink Diamond!" Steven put a hand on his chest, trying to steady his rapid breathing. "And now I'm Pink Diamond, because I'm Mom, and Mom was her!"

Greg grimaced as Steven buried his head into his side. He could feel the torrent of nearly boiling tears running off his son's face. This was getting bad, fast, he thought.

"Listen, Steven. I know things can be confusing, what with how Gems work. Trust me, I don't understand it mostly myself," Greg began, trying to pull Steven up from the slobbering mess he was. "But I know better than anyone, you're not Rose. Rose may have been this Pink Diamond lady, but you're not Rose, so you're not her either."

Steven cried out.

"That's not true, I know it's not true." Steven squeezed the fabric of his shirt. "I just keep hurting people. I hurt Cinnabar, I hurt Peridot. Connie was hurt because of me."

Steven looked up at Greg, streams of tears pouring down his face. Greg noticed that some of the liquid was beginning to float away as steam.

"I'm sure it wasn't your fault—"

"I'm evil!" Steven cried in anguish. "I'm evil because I'm a Diamond, because I'm Pink Diamond!"

"Steven!" Greg yelled, turning and grabbing onto Steven's sides. "You're talking crazy! You're not evil, you're my son! And I would know if my son was evil!"

"How do you know!?" Steven screamed, both out of stubborness and the hope that perhaps his dad had an answer.

"Because you would never hurt someone you care about on purpose, Steven!" Greg exclaimed, steadying Steven's rocking motions. He tried his best to keep his eye contact with him. "You're Steven, you're my son."

Steven's face flashed with a dozen emotions: anxiety, elation, anger, relief, terror, and more.

"H-How do you know," he stuttered, pushing back. "How do you know I won't hurt you! Right now, I could!"

Greg's eyes lowered for just a moment, glancing down at the light shining through Steven's shirt from his Gem. He looked back up again.

"Would you?" he simply replied, watching for Steven's reaction. Steven stared back at his father, unsure of what to say. The pouring tears began to slow down. As Steven remained silent, Greg pushed him to speak. "Would you want to hurt me, Steven? Do you want to hurt me?"

"N-No!" he sputtered out. "I wouldn't— I couldn't—"

"Then why are you so convinced you're evil, Steven?" Greg continued. Steven didn't answer, scrunching his face as the torrent of tears returned. He didn't have a response. Greg sighed, pulling Steven in and pressing him into his chest. "You need to talk to me Steven, please. I can only help you if you talk to me."

"I'm scared, Dad," Steven sputtered. "I'm so scared."

"I'm scared too, kiddo. When you're acting like this, I'm absolutely terrified," Greg said, running his hand down Steven's back. "So why don't you stop scaring your pop, and start talking to me?"

Steven held his breath before slowly nodding, keeping his eyes closed as he tried to calm down. Greg frowned.

"Just keep breathing, Stu-ball. Can't talk if you don't breathe," he said. Steven's lips bursted with half of a laugh, transitioning into another sob. Greg sighed. "Or cry, that works too."

Greg held Steven through several minutes of deep breathing, helping him steady his heartbeat. The river of tears pouring down his face slowed to the pace of a light stream. Though it still poured, Greg wasn't as concerned about it burning either him or Steven. As the tension in Steven's body finally began to unwind, Greg felt ready to slowly set his son down next to him.

Still keeping his arm wrapped around Steven's shoulder, Greg let out a sigh of relief as the weeping didn't return. Hopefully, he thought, Steven was ready to talk.

"So why don't you start from the beginning, at least, to when things started going bad. Think you can do that for me, kiddo?" Greg asked, trying his best to not pressure an answer out, despite how much he wanted to. Steven nodded, sealing his mouth shut again. "Just keep breathing, don't want you passing out on me."

Steven laughed again through the tears, this time not immediately returning to the waterworks. He took a moment to look down at the ground.

"I guess… I guess it started when we went out to that desert for a mission," he began, getting out the first complete sentence in a while. "I left Cinnabar behind for a few minutes, and somehow she… found out."

Greg pursed his lips. He had been worried that something like this would happen, when Steven had told him about Cinnabar weeks ago. He kept his mouth shut though. This wasn't the time to rub it in that he was right to be concerned.

"Stars, when she got outside, she was… angry, to say the least. Before I knew it, she was attacking the Gems and a fight broke out," he continued, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Was anyone hurt?" Greg asked, interrupting for the first time. Steven shook his head.

"No… Not that time…" Steven felt his knuckles grow white as he squeezed the edge of the van's metal paneling. He relaxed his grip as the steel began to bend. Greg patted his back, calming him down somewhat. "Then, when I tried to stop them from fighting, she told me… that."

"That Rose was—"

"That I am… her." Steven let out a deep breath, pressing a hand to his eye. He tried his best to not let his emotions come out, to not begin Shining. After a few moments of support from his dad, Steven regained the composure to continue. "Cinnabar… ran away. She didn't want to see me, when I'm like that."

"If you don't mind me asking, what is that. I'm not exactly a fan of the idea of my son burning alive," Greg asked, holding his knees. Steven's chest shook with a half-baked chuckle. He wiped away a tear.

"It's… a power, something from Mom. It happened for the first time when Cinnabar told me, what she knew." Steven looked down at his hand, wondering if he should give an example. "Garnet calls it… She says I'm Shining."

Some time passed in silence, as Greg let it hang in the air. He didn't want to make Steven talk faster than he was comfortable with. After some time, he continued on his own.

"I had a fight with the Gems, because they didn't tell me. But that went away after a while." Steven hugged his body as he sharply inhaled. "I'm more angry at myself than them, anyways."

"What do you have to be angry about, Steven?"

"Because I can't stop hurting people, Dad. Because people are afraid of me!" Steven shouted, pulling his legs and balling up. "Garnet was afraid of me. Peridot was afraid of me. Stars, Cinnabar was afraid of me! They look at me and see Mom. They see a Diamond."

Greg pulled Steven in again, squeezing him tightly with a hug. After a few moments of deep breathing, Steven's stress leveled out again. He nodded once, letting his dad know he was ready to continue. He took another breath.

"We… we went after Cinnabar after that, just trying to find her and bring her back. I told the Gems to not hurt her, and we did our best, but…" Steven's voice trailed off as he looked away, trying to avoid what came next. Greg put a hand on his shoulder, eliciting a sigh and convincing him to continue. "It… it didn't go well. All the Gems were poofed, Connie was hurt, and in the end, it was just me and… just me."

Steven left off mentioning Peridot. None of what had happened was her fault, he thought. It was all on him. His dad gave him a momentarily suspicious look, one which Steven tried his best to not notice.

"I— I fought her."

"You fought Cinnabar?!" Greg asked, stunned. It wasn't that Steven was weak, or incapable of defending himself. It just seemed so unusual for him. Steven was always more of the diplomatic type. He wasn't one to immediately turn to his fists like the Gems were a lot of the time. "I mean, how? Why?"

"I was just, so angry. I was so angry at her, at myself, at everything!" Steven pulled at his hair. "I was so mad, I just kept going. I didn't know when to stop, when to stop hurting her. After a while, I was enjoying it, Dad. I was enjoying hurting Cinnabar!"

Steven buried his face in his hands, ashamed of himself. Greg patted his back a few more times, taking in what he had just said.

"Steven, I— Are you sure you really felt that way? Maybe, this is just the guilt talking?" Greg suggested, pulling at Steven's attention. "I know when you're down, it can feel like you're the worst person in the world sometimes. And—"

"I am the worst person in the world," Steven cut in, bluntly. Greg paused.

"Steven… No, you're not," he replied, putting his hands on Steven's shoulders. He tried turning his son around, but Steven resisted. "I can't say I know what you're going through exactly, but you've got to cut it out with this I'm evil stuff. You haven't changed, you're still the Steven I know and love."

"How?" Steven said, turning to face him. "How do you know? I feel like all I can do is hurt and hurt and hurt and hurt. Everyone around me is in pain or scared or who knows even worse."

Greg didn't answer at first, letting Steven bury his face into his knees again. He sighed, running his hand down his son's back a few times. Steven's breathing pitched up and down as he found himself at times gasping for air.

"I'm not," Greg said, exhaling. Steven looked up then, confused.

"What?" he asked, sniffing and wiping his eyes. Greg patted his head, combing his hair back with his fingers.

"I'm not scared of you, buddy. I'm not hurt either," he explained, looking off into the distance. "The only fear I have is for you, Steven. And I gotta admit, it really hurts me to see you like this."

Steven held down a laugh in his chest, forcing it to come up as a hiccup. He then cleared another tear, looking up at his father as he did so. Greg moved in and wiped away more before continuing.

"I look in your eyes, Stu-Ball, and I see the same sweet kid I saw a few weeks ago. And I'd be hard pressed to find a reason you'd hurt anyone on purpose back then." Greg held Steven's cheeks with his hands.

"Daaaad," Steven whined.

"Things haven't been going the best for you lately, and when you're growing up that's going to happen a lot. The only thing we can do, Steven, is just keep moving forward. We can't wallow in tears or try and run away, because we're afraid of hurting." Greg put on the most comforting smile he could manage, masking his own worry and concern. "Whatever is happening, Steven, we can work through it. Scratch that, we will work through it. You, me, the Gems, everyone. We love you buddy, whatever is going on, we'll help you through it."

"You really think… the Gems will?" Steven asked, looking off to the side. He had nearly mentioned Peridot, his mind going back to the memory of what had happened in the temple. If he couldn't even forgive himself for what he did, how could he ever expect her to do so?

"Of course they will, Steven! Look me in the eye and try to tell me for a second that the Gems, that anyone, would abandon you over this," Greg replied, putting his hands on Steven's shoulders and bringing him closer. "No matter what happened, give it some time and things will work out. Trust me."

Steven sniffled as he looked out at the horizon again. The sun was dipping below the water's edge, casting a long ray of orange and pink light across the sea foam. It was a pretty sight, Steven thought, the first positive thing that had come to his mind in a while. With that, however, he frowned.

"Things are messed up, Dad. They're really, really messed up," Steven said.

"Hey, hey, that's okay. Sometimes you have to make do with a bad situation. Not everything can come out perfect," Greg replied, locking his eyes on the same sight as Steven. "You know what I always say. If every porkchop were perfect—"

Steven smiled. He smiled a true, genuine smile.

"We wouldn't have hotdogs." Steven and Greg pulled one another into a tight hug, laughing with half a breath between them. They separated, sharing a moment of quiet.

That moment, however, was quickly shattered in the next.

"Steven!" A voice called out, causing the two to look down the road. Steven jumped from the back of the van, a smile growing on his face as he saw who it was. His eyes lit up.

"Peridot!" he called back, waving his hand in the air. Peridot spotted him and picked up the pace. Steven then rushed to meet her. As soon as the two got close, he came to a stop and raised his hands out to her. "Peridot! I'm so sorr—"

Steven's words were forced to an abrupt stop as Peridot slammed her palm across his cheek, causing him to recoil in surprise at the slap.

"Steven Universe! Don't you dare try to apologize to me!" she roared, tears building in her eyes. "If I have to force it through your ears that I don't want you to say sorry, then so help me I will!"

Steven stood there in shock, a hand pressed against the spot on his cheek where Peridot had struck him. He glanced back at his father, who was looking on in confusion with the same befuddled gaze Steven had. He turned back to Peridot, whose anger had died down, leaving her with just the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Peridot, I—" Steven put his hands on Peridot's shoulders, catching himself before he apologized again. He tried speaking a few more times, finding that each time he opened his mouth, he just tried saying sorry again. After a moment, he gave up. "Bring it here."

Steven pulled Peridot into his embrace, something she quickly welcomed. The two hugged it out, not saying a word for a minute. Peridot was the first to break the silence.

"Stop scaring me like that, please," she practically begged, laying her head on Steven's chest. "I can't take it anymore."

"Heh, I can't make any promises," Steven said with a half smile. He glanced back at Greg, whose look of confusion quickly turned into a sly grin as his son's embrace with Peridot kept going. "Uh, Peridot, maybe we'd want to—"

"No," Peridot replied, burying her head in his chest. She gained a weaker smile. "I need this. At the current rate, I'll only have a few minutes before you run off crying again."

Steven chuckled, laying his head on top of Peridot's. She was right, he thought. He needed this too. After a few minutes, Greg interrupted the two with a not-so-subtle intentional cough, prompting them to separate. Steven turned around, immediately connecting his hand to Peridot's, who squeezed in reassurance. The two faced Greg.

"So, Stu-ball," Greg began, rubbing the back of his neck as he thought out what he was going to say. "Wanna, uh, introduce me? Well, I mean, I know Peridot. I mean, like, more formally?"

Steven turned to Peridot, opening his mouth to ask if she was okay with it. He was surprised when she stepped forward, placing her free hand on her chest.

"Peridot, though you already knew that," she began, introducing herself. She extended out her hand, which Greg took into a handshake after a moment's pause. "I'm the one who has been romantically engaged with your son the last few weeks."

Greg blinked a few times in surprise. Then, he laughed.

"Well, that's one way to phrase it I guess," he said. Peridot and Steven were left stunned as Greg suddenly threw his arms around Peridot, lifting her up off the ground in a tight bear hug. This confusion quickly melted away as Greg shook her side to side while laughing. "I'm so glad to finally meet you! Steven told me about having feelings for someone, and I've been stuck guessing who this whole time!"

Steven had a small laugh as Greg put Peridot down, watching as she took a moment to shake her head and steady herself. That was as much of a surprise to her as it was to Steven. Still, she took it in stride and put on a smile.

"The feelings are mutual, Mr. Universe," she replied, parting some loose hairs from the front of her visor.

"Please, call me Greg," he said, waving his hand in front of him. "Gosh, there's so much I want to ask you guys about, but I can tell the stuff going on right now is kinda important."

Steven and Peridot nodded in unison before glancing at one another with a thought. A moment of pause took the two.

"Hey, Steven," Greg spoke up, catching his son's attention. "I know this is a bit soon, but how are you holding up?"

Steven felt his posture degrade somewhat as he remembered the feelings and thoughts that dominated his mind only a short while ago. While he was far more confident in facing them, he still felt intimidated by the sheer depths of his problems.

"Okay," Steven said. "I'm feeling okay. Still trying to figure out a lot of things."

"We've been doing that for a while now," Peridot commented, turning and putting a hand on his shoulder in reassurance. "We have a lot of questions, not very many answers."

Another long moment of pause took the three. Then, Greg's head shot up, his eyes widening as he remembered something. Steven opened his mouth to ask what was wrong but was cut off as Greg turned and rushed to the passenger side of his van.

"I've got just the thing!" he called, not even pausing to open the door. He reached through the open window and began rummaging through the glove compartment. Steven and Peridot glanced at each other, somewhat confused. When Greg returned moments later, holding what appeared to be an aged and wrinkled envelope, their confusion didn't go away.

"What is it?" Steven asked as Greg handed it over to him. He glanced at one side for a moment before turning it over. It was blank, with only specks of dust and dirt marking its white cover. He looked up. "An envelope?"

Greg nodded.

"When Rose and I decided to have you, Steven, we always kinda knew she wouldn't be around to answer your questions," he explained. "So we made do, recording lots of little messages for you. You've already discovered a few if I'm remembering right."

Steven nodded, thinking back to the video tape he had found in Lion's mane many months ago.

"Well, this is one of them," Greg said, pointing to it. Steven's gaze snapped back to the envelope as if it suddenly became more interesting. "Rose asked me to hold onto it for a while, if things ever got bad. And well, things are pretty bad."

A pang of anxiety flashed through Steven, as he pictured what could be in this message from his mother. A part of him immediately recalled the image of Rose he had been hallucinating, in those terrible visions. He imagined her sneering look, laughing at him as he tried to get answers.

"Steven." Peridot's voice interrupted his fear stricken thoughts and immediately brought on a degree of peace. "Whatever it says, things will be fine, alright?"

"Alright," Steven said with a smile and a nod. He looked down, immediately digging his finger into the seal of the letter. He tore the opening clean through, revealing a folded paper hidden within. He paused before pulling it out and straightening it to read. "Alright…"

Both Greg and Peridot moved to look over his shoulder, curious to see what the message was. Both were surprised when they found not a lick of English on the page at all.

"Uh, is it just me, or is that just a bunch of random scribbles?" Greg said, gaining a voice of worry. Yet his feelings were not held by Peridot and Steven, as they quickly both recognized what was on the page. Greg noticed their expressions as he looked between the two. "Am I missing something? Or are you guys seeing something other than total chicken scratch?"

"What you're looking at is far beyond mere 'chicken scratch,' Mr. Universe," Peridot explained, leaning over Steven's shoulder. "You're looking at the proud written language of Homeworld. You're looking at—"

"Gem-Speak," Steven spoke aloud. He felt a pang of irony, remembering why he began learning the language he was looking at in the first place. He remembered who taught him, Cinnabar. She was the reason he was here reading this, and the way he was going to read it. Steven held back the urge to laugh.

The letter began with crisp rows of Gem-Speak sentences, in the Diamond method. Five statements adorned each line, dotting the page until halfway through. Then, at that point, the method suddenly switched. The tight and orderly Diamond-style Gem-Speak was quickly replaced by messy and disjointed Gem-Speak Standard. It was like the writer was more drawing at times than dictating sentences.

Steven smiled.

"Wait, can you read it, Steven?" Greg asked, noticing the grin on his son's face. Steven nodded, running his fingers through his hair. "Well, that's great! What's it say?"

"It says, uh," Steven began, focusing his attention on the upper corner of the page. He stared at the base symbol, the core verb of the statement. He racked his mind for a moment before moving on, concluding he'd never learned that word. Once the second sentence came up the same, he shook his head. "I don't know a lot of these words."

"Here, let me take a look," Peridot offered, sticking her hand out. Steven passed her the sheet which she immediately took to examining. After a few moments, she pursed her lips. "Gah, I must concede. Most of these words are archaic, practically ancient. Not only that, the few I've recognized are very advanced, something I don't have much experience reading."

"Shucks, don't tell me we're going to be done in because Rose wrote too fancy," Greg said, rubbing the back of his neck. Peridot shook her head.

"No, we can still decipher the meaning. We just need something we can reference the harder words against. A lexicon perhaps," Peridot replied, rubbing her chin. Steven's gaze shot up, catching her attention.

"I have one of those! Pearl went searching for it during our first Gem-Speak lesson. It's still in my room!" Steven immediately turned to the direction of the temple, determination filling his chest.

"Perfect!" Peridot exclaimed, approaching his side. "We can go and translate this now then."

"That's great! You guys should go get that done," Greg cut in, walking up to the two. Steven faced him, bearing a smile as Greg put his hand on his shoulder. "Stay strong kiddo. And good luck."

"You got it, Dad," Steven said with a smile. He nodded once before throwing his arms around his father for a quick hug. Greg had a chuckle before returning the embrace. The two separated, saying one last goodbye before Steven finally left with Peridot by his side. As the two walked down the road, Greg let out a sigh of relief.

Things were going to be okay, he hoped.

"They're instructions," Peridot said, somewhat stunned. She ran her finger across the lexicon, confirming once again what she was reading. She looked up at Steven, who had a similarly confused expression on his face. The two were sitting at the edge of Steven's bed, Pearl's Gem-Speak lexicon placed on their laps. Peridot laid the message from Rose on the page they were turned to. "It's not a letter at all, it's a set of directions."

"Well, that makes sense, I guess," Steven commented, picking up the letter himself. He trailed his finger across the dry aged paper.

"What do you mean?" Peridot asked, somewhat confused.

"Well I mean, Gem-Speak really isn't that good for just holding a conversation. It's all about orders and explanations and stuff," Steven explained, looking up from the page in thought. "Like, I don't even think 'hello' is a word in Gem-Speak. How can you write a letter without saying hello!"

Peridot snorted with laughter, wiping her mouth as she did so.

"Well, despite that, you should probably still try to follow the directions. Whatever they lead to, I imagine that'll contain the actual message from your mother." Peridot stood up, pushing her half of the lexicon off her lap. Steven nodded as he took the large book into his hands, looking down at the letter with apt attention. He decided to spend a few minutes making sure he understood the instructions well before going through with them.

Peridot paced around Steven's bed, thoughts racing through her mind as she walked back and forth. She hoped this would be it, this would be the help Steven needed to finally move on past his Diamond woes. She couldn't bear it anymore, seeing him torn up inside about it all.

Her train of thought came to a halt as she absentmindedly walked into something. Looking down, she spotted a strange contraption that rested at her feet. It was long and thick, with a claw at one end and a compartment with some carrying handles on the other. It took only a moment's glance to remember what she was looking at: An experimental Gem repair tool.

Peridot shuddered, knowing full well what was in that drawer that decidedly was going to remain shut.

The first time she'd seen the device was fresh in her mind; It had been a few days ago, while she was scavenging Steven's home for parts for her new limb enhancers. She had stumbled across it, not realizing what it was at first. Upon closer inspection of the inside, however, she very quickly remembered, and decided against taking it apart for scrap at that point.

A moment's pause allowed a thought to cross Peridot's mind. She very much hoped none of them would ever have to use this device.

"Okay, I think I'm ready," Steven said. Peridot turned, putting the contraption to the back of her mind. Steven stood up, placing the lexicon to one side and carrying the letter in his hand. He stepped down his stairs, followed by Peridot as he approached his destination. Gulping, he looked at the temple doors with a few racing thoughts. It didn't even cross his mind that the Gems were nowhere to be found. "So, I stand right here."

Steven came to a stop just in front of the temple doors, only an arm's length away. He looked on the paper, his attempt at memorization failing him.

"Then, I put my hand right here," he said, looking up and following his own words. His hand splayed against the center of the door. Peridot tightened the grip on her own hands, pressing them into her chest. Steven flashed her a smile before he continued. "And then, I'm supposed to…"

Steven paused, looking over the word one last time.

"What? You're supposed to do what?" Peridot asked, the tension killing her.

"I'm supposed to sing," he answered. Peridot gave him a dumbfounded look, one he merely shrugged at.

"What, just like, a song?" she asked, slightly incredulous. "You people sing at the drop of a hat. You want to tell me none of you have sung while touching these doors before?"

"Not just any song," Steven said, looking back at her. He waved the paper, pointing his thumb at the scrawled Gem-Speak Standard that took up the bottom of the page. "This song."

Peridot's mouth opened and closed a few times, unsure of what to say. Deciding on nothing, she took a step back, nodding to Steven as he turned to the door. Steven took a deep breath, readying himself. He was nervous, he thought. He had no idea what this was going to do.

"Steven," Peridot called, catching his attention again. He looked back, finding her crouching behind the armrest of the couch. She looked worried. "Good luck."

Steven smiled, feeling his beating chest steady out. He nodded.

"Thanks, Peridot." He glanced down at the paper one last time before letting off some air. "Stars…"

Steven sang. He took a breath, collecting himself before he continued.

He turned his head, looking back at Peridot as he said that.

They shared a smile before Steven returned to the door.

Steven's grip on the letter tightened, matching the knot that was building in his chest. He was breathing perfectly fine, yet he felt like he should gasp for air.

Steven clenched his eyes closed, as his voice rose in volume.

He tried to fight it, but tears were leaking down his cheek.

Steven looked down at the ground, exhaling and panting for a moment. He breathed in.

His head picked up, as he looked at the temple doors again.

Steven's eyes found Peridot, as he turned and shot her another smile.

Peridot gave him a small grin before directing his gaze back to the temple doors with a wave of her hand.

he sang, his voice cracking with the words. He took a breath.

A silence took the room, an unusual consuming quiet, one that left Steven to hear nothing but the beating of his heart. His breath had stalled, as he had no idea how this message from his mother was going to show itself. It could be a nearly silent whisper for all he knew.

He resisted the urge to turn back to Peridot, who was no doubt looking on with a similarly bated breath. The moment he turned could be the moment the message flashed before him. No, he had to keep watching. He couldn't miss this.

And yet, his fears of a sudden and all too subtle message were then proven wrong. The seams of the temple doors flashed with a blinding light, forcing Steven to cover his eyes and take a step back. A sound rung out from behind the gate, a low hum that quickly gained pitch. It was soon obvious what the sound was: the strumming of guitars.

The sigil of the Crystal Gems, the star depicting each of the five members, lit up. The gems in each corner glowed in tandem, beginning low and growing brighter. Steven gasped as the symbol did something that surprised him: it moved. Each point of the star began to morph and change, converging towards the center. The gems moved past each other, crossing and approaching into new positions.

As they settled into their final states, Steven gulped. A new shape greeted his gaze now. His gem now took up the middle of the sigil, with Ruby and Sapphire's gems to the left and right. Above and below his gem now resided Pearl and Amethyst respectively, forming two new points on both sides.

This new shape, it was the shape of a diamond.

Steven didn't have a chance to react to the sight before more began to happen. His gem, the one on his navel, began to glow now, prompting him to lift up his shirt and look. The gem on the door lit up in turn, matching it in intensity.

With another flash, the symbol of a rose appeared on the door, bearing the diamond sigil at its center. It expanded, peeling away the boundary of the door with it. In a moment, it was gone, and the path to the temple was open. As Steven gazed inside, he saw where it was leading him.

The path to Rose's Room was open.

The sounds of strumming guitars didn't let up, filling the house with their gentle melodies. It was somewhat calming in the face of the overwhelming anxiety Steven was feeling. He took a step back, tempted to run away and not face what was before him. The steady hand of Peridot on his shoulder, however, convinced him to stay.

"Your mother was dramatic, to say the least," she said, glancing at him. He nodded, keeping his lips pursed and shut. Peridot's mouth remained flat as she turned to the door again. The sound of the guitars picked up, as if beckoning someone to enter.

"Yeah, you can say that," Steven replied, trying to calm himself with a bit of humor. Despite that, his hands kept shaking, even as he stuffed them into his pockets. "Can you tell I'm nervous?"

"Whaaat? Nooo," Peridot looked to the side, avoiding eye contact. Steven snorted with a small laugh which pulled her gaze back. She continued. "Sorry, it's hard not to notice."

"It's fine," he replied, stepping forward. He paused again, the pink clouds of the room making him feel strangely nostalgic. It was reminding him of something he couldn't quite place. Dismissing that thought, he looked back at Peridot. "Do you wanna come too?"

Peridot looked at his outstretched hand and rubbed her chin in thought.

"As much as I'd like to hold your hand through this, and trust me, I'd very much love to be holding your hand, I think it'd be best if you faced this alone, Steven." Peridot looked up at him, giving him the most reassuring smile she could muster. "It's a message for you. It'd be intrusive for me to listen in on it."

Steven contemplated what she said for a moment before nodding, dropping his hand as well. He took a deep breath before facing the door again, puffing up his chest in the process. The calm chords of the room were now closer to driving him insane than they were to soothing him.

He drew a sharp breath as he felt arms wrap around his chest suddenly, pulling him into a tight hug. Looking back, he found Peridot holding onto him with a warm embrace. She pressed her head into his back for a moment before letting go.

"Steven… Good luck," she said, more trying to force a good fate onto him than actually wishing him well. He chuckled, though Peridot didn't join him. "I love you, you know that?"

"Hehe, of course I do," Steven replied, placing his hands on hers. "I've forgotten lots of things lately, but I didn't forget that. I love you too, Peridot."

Steven turned, breaking from her embrace and leaning forward. In one motion he planted a kiss on her forehead, which grew a smile on her face. The two shared one last look before Steven made his way to the temple doors.

Before she knew it, he stepped inside and the gate closed behind him.

"Hello?" Steven looked into the depths of his mother's room, gazing past columns of pink clouds that stood in his way. The usually wide open and spacious room was strangely crowded today, with the clouds marking a thinner path that guided Steven's eyes.

He stepped forward, searching around for whatever he was supposed to be looking for. If he was going to be honest with himself, he had no idea what he should expect. The letter hadn't exactly explained anything beyond sing a song.

As Steven approached an opening in the clouds, he paused and began looking around. The endless field of pink greeted his eyes no matter where he turned, frustrating him more and more as he found nothing. The sound of the guitars had faded in the background, leaving him with nothing but his thoughts.

What was going to happen, he thought.

"Hello, Steven."

Steven whipped around, his head snapping to attention at the calm voice. He paused as he turned to find nothing. He then looked back, jumping as he came face to face with something that wasn't there before. Taking a step back, he held his breath. He wasn't sure how to react, what to say. What he saw before him set off a million emotions, called for a million actions, and left him with a million thoughts.

Before him, stood her.

"My name is Rose."

A lump sat in Steven's throat, serving as a very convenient blockade to the thousand thoughts he was close to shouting. He raised his hand for a moment before pulling back, unsure of the sight he was beholding. The image of his mother stood before him, gazing down and holding a smile.

He had no idea what to do or say. He half expected her to break out with a smirk and a haughty laugh, like that version of Rose he and Peridot had imagined time and time again. As the stilled silence between the two remained, however, he pushed that idea to the back of his mind.

Steven took a step forward, just as Rose began to speak again.

"You must have many questions," she said, her hand moving forward. Steven recoiled back, putting a good meter or two between him and his mother. Rose did not react as she continued. Steven raised a brow as her hand stopped in midair, curling around some object that wasn't actually there. She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped to instead break into a snorting chuckle. "Apologies, I don't actually know where in the room you'll be standing when I'm recording this."

Recording, Steven thought. This was a recording. His farfetched speculations that his mother had somehow backed up her consciousness into her room were dashed away. They were replaced instead with new thoughts about what he was looking at. Rose parted a ringlet of hair from her eyes, still laughing with herself at how silly she must look.

"I don't even know how tall you'll be when you see this," she said with a laugh whilst standing straight. Steven ran his fingers through his hair. "I could be leaning down to touch your shoulder, while you tower over me!"

Rose's casual demeanor and her light laughter brought a sense of ease to the room. Steven felt less like he was being given some deep sage advice and more like he was just… talking. As Rose's laughter petered out, Steven took more steps forward, bringing himself to just a meter from his mother.

As Rose looked up, her eyes locked with Steven's. For a moment, he felt like she was there, her deep and curious gaze staring straight through him. He took a breath, assuring himself that this was just a message, nothing else.

"I'm sorry, for my silence," Rose said, holding her hands together and looking to the side. This surprised Steven, who hadn't even been thinking about her long pause up till now. She turned and began to walk, prompting Steven to follow her. "It's hard for me, at times, to think of what to say. I have so little time to tell you what I should be saying over a lifetime."

"It's oka—" Steven silenced himself, remembering he was talking to a recording. Pursing his lips, he pulled his hand back, letting his mother continue. In the back of his mind, however, a feeling sat, demanding attention. This whole thing, this message, it caught him completely off guard.

Rose was far different from the image of her that he had imagined. She wasn't demeaning and controlling, nor overwhelming and haughty. The Rose he had been seeing up till now, it seemed like a complete fabrication.

Steven jumped as Rose came to a sudden stop, dropping to the ground with a light movement. Her dress splayed as she sat down and turned in one motion. She smiled at Steven before resting her hands on her knee. Steven stood hesitant. Rose was now eye level, looking straight at him. For a moment, he doubted this was a recording.

"I should start from the beginning, your beginning at the very least," she said. Her hand moved to part a ringlet of hair from her vision again. Steven mirrored her as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Please, take a seat."

Steven stared for just a moment before falling back onto his haunches. Crossing his legs, he buried his hands in his lap. He looked up at Rose, nodding as if to confirm he was listening. After a moment, the image of Rose continued.

"There are a million ways I could tell you this story. A thousand hours of my life I could recount. I have so much more to show you though, so I'll save most of the details for Greg to tell you one day. If he hasn't already, of course." Rose rested her head on her hand. "The short of it is, Steven, we just decided to have you one day."

This surprised Steven somewhat, as he had always assumed Rose had some deeper reason behind his birth. A more pessimistic part of him had imagined it was his mother trying to push the mantle of Pink Diamond onto someone else. He elected to ignore that side of himself.

"I'm telling you this first because I want you to get away from any thought or idea you may have that's saying otherwise. The thought that you coming into the world was some plan by me, some long scheme that involved you being born," Rose began before looking off to the side. For a moment, her attention wandered. She turned back, however. "That's simply not true. You were as close to unplanned as you could be, considering the circumstance of your birth."

And with that, Steven felt some weight lift off his shoulders. The idea that Rose had given birth to him because of some plan, some destiny he wasn't purview to, it terrified him. With everything he already had on his plate, his secret fate wasn't something he was really ready to deal with. Steven let out a half baked laugh of relief, quickly rubbing his eye to wipe away tears that never came.

"We didn't have you for some grand reason. You weren't born to be an extension of me. We had you to be you, Steven." Rose smiled. "To know freedom, to have choice, to be human. We had you to be an opportunity."

An opportunity, Steven thought. He wasn't a hundred percent sure what that meant. An opportunity for what? He knew Rose just said she wasn't planning on him becoming anything in particular, but this seemed to contradict that somewhat. Then, he remembered Pink Diamond.

Steven opted to keep listening.

"That brings me to this," Rose continued. She sat straight, placing her hands in her lap as she did so. Steven realized after a moment that he and his mother were doing mirrored poses. "This will be the hardest thing for you to accept."

Steven knew exactly what was coming.

"Before I say this, Steven, I want you to know something." Rose's head rose. "It can be very easy to feel that you're responsible for the things I left behind. That you have to carry on whatever place in the world I held."

Steven's mind wandered to the thought of the Gems, to Homeworld, and to The Cluster. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel that way somewhat.

"But if you take anything from this, Steven, please let it be this." Rose pressed her hand into her chest. "What I left behind, whatever legacy is still here when I'm gone, it isn't your future. You can't judge yourself or where you're going because of who I was."

"But everyone expects—" Steven said before Rose cut him off.

"Pearl, Garnet, and even Amethyst may look onto you, Steven, and want to see a part of me, something that can comfort them when times become hard. And I don't expect Homeworld to ever see you as anything but me in another body." Rose for a moment glanced off into the distance. "Please, live knowing that they're all wrong. That you're not me, not a part of me. You're you Steven, you're you and a little bit more."

Here it is, Steven thought.

"And that brings me to this. Steven, Pearl and Garnet and I have kept something from you, and I hope you find it in your heart of hearts to forgive us for lying for so long." Rose took a deep breath, one that Steven felt carried a touch of anti-climax. "You and I, Steven, we're not Rose Quartzes. We are Pink Diamond."

Rose paused then, trying to hold for Steven's reaction that never came. Rose obviously hadn't planned on Steven figuring it out beforehand, which he thought was fair enough. The circumstances of him realizing the truth weren't exactly the most likely of events.

"This might be hard for you to take in," Rose continued.

"It's… It's fine," Steven tried saying, remembering that, of course, this was a recording. Still, he wasn't in the mood to relive the realization and fallout from that reveal.

"In my life, Steven, I've done such terrible things. Things that may leave you feeling responsible for them, or feeling as if you could do the very same," Rose said, looking down at her lap. Again, Steven found himself agreeing with her.

He was terrified of the idea that he was falling into the mannerisms and thoughts of a Diamond. Someone who'd lord themselves over other Gems, who'd toss other people to the side for their own ends. He saw how Peridot and Cinnabar thought of their Diamond, Yellow Diamond. How she dominated their minds and their decisions. The last thing he wanted was to be that.

"But if there is anything you don't have to worry about, it's that, Steven," Rose said with a hearty smile. "I may have been Pink Diamond, and you might be Pink Diamond now, but don't think for a second that you are me, Steven."

"What?" Steven audibly asked. "That doesn't—"

"Doesn't really make sense, huh?" Rose said, cocking her head with a laugh. She wiped away a tear. "The thing that might be hard to understand, Steven, is despite what we share, there's nothing that would make us the same person."

"But our Gems!" Steven called, pulling up his shirt. The gemstone glittered in the pink light of the room, matching Rose's. He then called out his shield, waving it in front of himself. "Or the shield, Cinnabar saw this and knew I was you!"

A moment passed before Rose smiled.

"You and I, Steven, we're like songs. When you were born, I died. My song came to an end right there and then and your song began." Rose's hands fell to her stomach as she cupped them around her gem. "And though we're being played on the same instrument, our gem, we're our own unique melodies."

Steven sat there in stunned silence, processing the words he had heard. He didn't even notice the trail of tears that were making their way down his cheeks. All he could do was gape and think. He thought and he thought and he thought and he thought. And then, with a long look at his open palms, he stopped thinking.

Pressing his hand into the stream of tears, Steven let out a strained laugh followed by light almost inaudible cries. Wiping his face and taking a deep breath, he nodded to the image of Rose, who had paused to let him think.

"I… I understand. I understand, Mom," he sniffled. Steven felt more weight fall from his shoulder as another one of his fears was laid to rest. He stood straight again, taking a deep breath and regaining his composure. Still, he stopped again to wipe more tears. He wasn't completely satisfied, but this was a major step forward. "I— I'm still worried, though."

Rose remained silent. Though Steven knew it was because she couldn't predict how long it'd take him to process her words, he liked to think it was her patiently waiting to hear his concerns. He needed that right now.

"I might not be you, but I'm still… I'm still Pink Diamond. You were bad once, and you had to change. I feel like I'm becoming that, like I'm turning bad." Steven turned his eyes up, finding Rose's smile slowly fading into a more neutral expression. An illogical part of him said it was a response to his question. "I… I hurt Cinnabar, I hurt Amethyst once too, even if it was an accident. And I've been close to hurting Peridot. I don't want to be like this, I don't want to hurt my friends or the people I love."

Rose looked down before taking a breath and returning to Steven.

"A part of me knows you'll be worried about what being Pink Diamond means. I'd be lying if I said your biggest concern would be how tall you'd grow," Rose said with a slight laugh. Steven couldn't help but chuckle along with her. "But Steven, in the same way a Pearl doesn't have to be a servant or a Ruby doesn't have to be a soldier, a Diamond is not predestined to be cruel or controlling."

Rose extended her hand out, which Steven nearly reached out to touch.

"They can change and regret the things they've done, like I have," Rose continued, as she tightened her fingers into a fist. She then loosened, allowing her hand to splay out. A single finger pointed in Steven's direction, as the rest remained more limp. "Or they can never become bad to begin with, like you, Steven."

Rose gave another comforting smile, leaving her hand hanging outwards. Steven, without thinking, limply extended his hand out as well. For a moment, the tips of their fingers nearly touched. Steven then pulled back.

"We aren't the same Pink Diamond, Steven," the image of Rose said, catching his attention. "The old one died with me, and with me all of her misdeeds. A new Pink Diamond was born with you. I said you were an opportunity, Steven, an opportunity for the world to see a better Pink Diamond, one I could never be."

"But how am I supposed to do that!" Steven yelled, standing up. Tears poured down his face, forcing him to firmly wipe them away. His face was beginning to turn red from the abrasion. "How am I supposed to be a better Pink Diamond, when I've already done so much wrong!"

Steven sharply inhaled as another crack of tears made their way down his face. He looked down, trying to hide his crying from the projection of his mother. Sobbing, he struggled to keep his breathing in check. He didn't look up at Rose, he couldn't. Thus, he couldn't notice her leaning forward, extending her hand out.

Not until it paused centimeters from his face.

"Huh?" Steven said, looking up with a shallow breath. Rose's hand hung in front of him, her thumb moving across the air. "What—"

"I'm sorry, I can't help but feel you'd be crying right now." Rose snorted with a bit of laughter she couldn't contain, confusing Steven as he sniffled. "I'm sorry, I still— I don't know where in the room you'd be exactly, so I hope you can accept my hand to wipe away your tears."

Steven stood still, unsure what to do at first. After a moment, he decided he wanted contact more than he wanted to seem strong to a recording of his mom. As he stepped forward, Steven awkwardly brought his face up to Rose's hand. He fumbled around it for a moment before letting her fingers press against his cheek.

In one motion, Rose wiped away the tears pouring down Steven's face, smiling as she pulled back.

"Steven," she said, laying her hands on her lap. He sat down on the ground again, still mildly sniffing.

"Yes?" he answered. He didn't care that she couldn't actually hear him. He just wanted to feel like he was talking to someone.

"Please don't think the bad things you've done are because of who you are, because of who I was. I have lived for thousands of years regretting my actions, believing it was my nature to do wrong. And if I'm right, you may feel the same way about the mistakes you've made. But that's just it, Steven, mistakes. They're just mistakes." Rose moved to part hair from her face, mirroring Steven who had ran his fingers through his hair just then. "You're not bound by the mistakes you've made, Steven, and especially not the mistakes I've made. You're your own Gem, your own human. Being a Diamond won't take that away."

Steven sat in silence as Rose leaned forward again, this time perfectly bringing his cheek into her hand. He couldn't help but lay some weight on it.

"You aren't me, you aren't the Pink Diamond the world knew. You are your own wonderful, unique, beautifully ridiculous person." Rose lifted Steven's gaze, locking eyes with him. "You are Steven Quartz Universe, my son, and a new Pink Diamond, a better Pink Diamond. You're my little Prince of Gems."

Steven fell forward onto his palms, bursting into tears then. Tears of happiness and relief and most of all gratefulness pooled together and splattered to the ground below in thick globs. He laughed and he cried and he laughed and he cried again. Emotions swelled in him, the feelings of solace and joy and love filling every corner of his body, screaming out with the same three words.

Thank the stars.

For the first time in so long, Steven felt the very last of the weight disappear from his shoulders. For the first time in so long, he felt like he could stand straight without the pressure of everything bearing down on him. For the first time in so long, Steven felt like himself again.

He pulled away, still sitting on his legs as he did so. His head hung back, more tears pouring and falling to the ground behind him. After a few moments, he could finally wipe his eyes and get some small semblance of control. Still, he was a mess. A crying, laughing, overjoyed, and quite simply just relieved mess.

Steven threw himself at Rose, tossing his arms around her as he pulled himself in for a hug. The image of her didn't react at first, but after a few moments, her hands moved to Steven's back.

"Forgive me, this may seem presumptive, but I can't help but feel you'd be hugging me at this point," she said, squeezing her son tightly. Steven laughed, pressing his face into her shoulder. "This is the last thing I can give you in this message, Steven. I don't have much time left. I hope if you see this, when you see this, it'll be at a point in your life where it can help you."

"That's an understatement," Steven laughed, pulling away somewhat. Rose smiled, moving one last time to part a ringlet of hair that had fallen onto her face. Without thinking, Steven ran his fingers through his own hair. He squeezed Rose tighter then. For a moment, he didn't want these moments to end. But he knew they had to. "Thanks, Mom."

A long pause followed.

"Goodbye, Steven," Rose said, parting from him and standing up. Steven stood up himself, widening his shoulders and perking up his chest proudly. This quickly faded as Rose placed her hands on the face of her Gem. She closed her eyes. "Please, always remember."

"Remember? Remember what?" Steven asked. She opened her eyes and smiled.

"Remember, that I love you, Steven."

And with that, the image of Rose disappeared in a puff of smoke. The clouds surrounding them parted and the room got ever so slightly duller. The background ambience, the sound of strumming guitars, faded away, leaving Rose's room calm. Calm and normal. As Steven looked on into the empty space his mother once stood in, he gained a grin full of hope.

He held the cheek Rose had touched.

"I love you too, Mom."

My name is Steven, Steven Quartz Universe, and I know who I am now.

I'm the son of a rock star named Greg Universe and an alien rebel named Rose Quartz.

I was raised in Beach City and live with my mom's closest friends, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl.

My best friend is Connie Maheswaran and I'm in love with a Gem named Peridot.

And under all that, I'm also Pink Diamond. I didn't know what to think at first. I was confused, worried, and most of all, scared. But I'm not scared anymore.

I'm Steven Universe, I'm Pink Diamond, and most of all:

I'm going to save Cinnabar.

End of Chapter 25

Changelog:

7/3/2018: All Song Lyrics were removed from Chapter 26.

For those who want to read this story as it is meant to be read, you can google the name of the fic, and the AO3 link will be one of the top results.