Notice: I am aware the Big Donut on the show doesn't have tables; just assume the one in this universe does.
"It was something your mother wanted you to have," Pearl was saying, "She made it just for you to have when your powers started to develop. She gave it to me for safe keeping before..."
Pearl didn't have to finish the sentence for Steven to understand perfectly. The book was small, yet suprisingly heavy, with a plain brown cover with an old, preserved rose taped onto it. Steven opened the book and flipped through the pages, not taking the time to obsorb any information, but to just bask in the glory of the delicate, cursive writting that filled its pages.
"She wrote this?"
"Yes, Steven." Pearl's voice was soft and somber, "She wrote it for you. We didn't know if you would have any powers or if you would just be human. Rose wanted to make sure we were ready to handle your powers if you did have them, and you do! So I think it's time I gave it to you."
Steven held the book close, and though it was old and cold and smelled of paper, it was perfect. At least, to him.
"Pearl, can I call Connie over?" Steven asked, "I wanna show her the book!"
Pearl blinked at that. "Steven, I was hoping we could... go over the book together!"
"Oh, we can!" Steven brushed past, "But I wanna share it with Connie first! She's gonna love it!"
"Oh... well, I suppose..."
"Thank's Pearl!" Steven gave her a quick hug and then hurried over to the phone to call Connie. She answered after the second ring. "Connie!"
Steven explained to his friend quickly what happened, and they made arrangements to meet up at the Big Donut to look at the book together; Steven had suggested his house at first, but then Connie had offered to pay, and Steven couldn't bring himself to say no to free food. He took the book with him and found a place to sit, and as he waited for his friend to arrive, he buisied himself with talking to Sadie and Lars.
At least, he tried to. Though he talked to them, they didn't talk to him; they seemed far more preoccupied with something else.
"How does that," Lars pointed to Ronaldo, "Get that?!" He pointed to the woman that Ronaldo was sitting with.
Steven looked at Ronaldo's companion. She was a short, attractive woman with a mane of ginger curls and a face full of freckles. She wore clothes that clung tightly to her curvy frame, and bold makeup that outlined her features. On her lap was a purse that looked more expensive than any house in Beach City, and on her face a pair of glasses that, despite the expensive appearance of the rest of her person, were taped on the bridge.
"They've been talking for hours!" Sadie said in disbelief.
They were talking, and rather loudly; up to that point, Steven had tried to ignore them, but now he tried to listen in.
"... mixed with all the inbreeding is a pretty clear indication that the queen's descended from reptilians !"
"Well, that I'd like to see!" Ronaldo declared, "I haven't much gotten into the whole reptilian theory myself; I'm more fond of the Sneeple and Rock People myself."
"Like on your blog!" His companion said, "And that's what got me thinking! What if the reptilians and the Sneeple are like, cousins?"
"Yo! That would make so much sense! What if, like, the reptilians are at the top and their cousins the Sneeple control the general population?"
"Now that, I could get behind."
"That explains it." Sadie whispered sourly.
The sound of the door opening made Steven turn around to see Connie entering, a purse slung over her shoulder and pushing her false glasses up the bridge of her nose.
"Connie!" Steven ran over and hugged his best friend.
Connie returned the hug with the same rigor. "So, where's this book?" She pushed up her glasses again.
Steven gave her the book, and watched excitedly as Connie flipped through the pages.
"I haven't read any of it yet; I wanted to read it with you."
Connie closed the book and gave a wide smile. "Then what are we waiting for?"
She tugged the book under her arm and grabbed Steven by his hand, leading him to a nearby table to sit down. She shoved the book toward Steven.
"Open it!"
Steven almost did, and then another idea came to him. "We can open it together!"
Connie smiled and nodded, putting her hand on Steven's. Together, they flipped to the first page.
"We can take turns reading!" Connie said, "You can read the first page since it's your book."
Steven cleared his throat and started to read. "My dearest child, I am so glad you are reading this book. I am sorry I am not there to tell you this myself, but I hope this book helps you come to terms with your powers." Steven paused. "Shapeshifting. Huh. Never done that before."
"Keep reading!" Connie urged.
Steven could feel a tightness growing in his chest, threatening to strangle the life from him. "You read." He pushed the book over to his friend.
Connie picked up where Steven left off.
"I am sure you are aware of what shapeshifting is. Living around Amethyst it would be impossible not to. Shapeshifting was the first power I learned, and I have no doubt that it is the first one you will learn."
"Whelp. That's wrong." Steven said.
"Maybe we should skip to the ones you can already do?" Connie suggested.
Steven nodded. "Yeah! Do that!"
Connie flipped through a few of the pages. "Oh! You can do this one! Floating. A power you may have inherited from our gemstone is the power to control your speed of descent. I learned it late in my life, during the war... war?"
Steven stared. "What war?"
"I dunno." Connie flipped through a few of the pages, using her finger to keep her page, "It doesn't say anything about a war."
Steven felt numb. "Keep reading."
Connie continued. "During the war, when many of my other powers came to light. I was young then and still learning about myself and my powers as you are now. I wish there had been something like this book to guide me, but there wasn't. I am glad to give to give you an opportunity I didn't have. Steven, are you okay?"
Steven took a shaky breath. "Yeah... I'm fine..."
"You wanna stop?"
"Maybe... let's just get some donuts now."
Steven nodded. They both took off together toward the counter. As they placed their orders and Sadie went off to retrieve them, Steven heard the jingle of the bell as someone else entered the store.
Connie growled. "Look at who just came in."
Steven looked, and felt his heard drop when he saw Mason and his friends.
"What do they want?" He tried to watch discreetly to see what the three boys would do. He saw them look around, and for a moment their eyes passed over him and Connie. Then they snapped back to them and locked on tight.
They made their way over to the counter.
"What are you doing here?" Connie snarled, turning around immediately.
Mason rolled his eyes. "Like I want to be? I can think of way better ways to spend my winter break than being here. There's nothing to do in this town."
"Well you're welcome to leave." Connie said.
"Would if I could." Mason said.
"No one's stopping you."
"Connie." Steven held onto Connie's arm to stop her from lunging.
"Yeah." Mason smirked, "But someone's stopping you."
"Leave these kids alone." Sadie said as she returned with Connie and Steven's donuts, "They haven't done anything to you."
"Whatever." Mason rolled his eyes, "Let's go."
Steven watched as the group walked over to join Ronaldo and his companion.
"Think she's one of their sister's?" Steven asked.
"Or she's the babysitter." Connie joked, "They might be older than us, but they do act like babies."
Steven couldn't hide his laughter. Connie paid for their food, and then they went back to their table to try and enjoy it.
It didn't take long for trouble to return, the moment Steven had gotten out the book again.
"What's that you got there?" Rubin asked.
"A book." Connie said with a roll of her eyes, "Doubt you've ever seen one."
"It looks weird." Rubin said.
"What's with the flower on the cover?" Haider added.
"My mom's name was Rose." Steven said, "I guess that's the reason."
"What? Was she a witch or something?"
Steven felt heat bubbling inside him, but it was nothing like the heated rage that he felt growing inside Connie. "She... wasn't anything but good." Steven said slowly.
"Well, only a witch would do something like that." Mason pointed to preserved Rose.
"And only a witch could give birth to something as ugly as you." Haider added.
"Bet your little friend here's a witch; heard it's part of her religion."
Steven barely had time to grab onto Connie before she was lunging forward, and he was pulling her back. The older boys began to laugh. Steven felt a third rush of heat, and turned to see the short ginger woman and Ronaldo making their way over to them. The boys immediately stopped laughing.
"Why don't you just leave them alone?" She asked, "They're just trying to eat their donuts."
"Come on, Sabina." Mason rolled his eyes, "It's not like he needs any more sugar anyway. He's just going to end up on the street like his good for nothing dad."
"Don't talk about my dad!" Steven cried out, and that only made Mason all the more smug.
"Technically," Ronaldo added to the conversation, "He is half Rock Person, and Rock People are very loyal to their fellow rocks, so he would never end up like Greg."
Sabina grabbed Ronaldo's arm. "Ronnie, sweetness, why don't you go get us some more donuts?"
"I'll do my best!" Ronaldo went to leave, but then quickly turned back around, "Can I have some money first?"
Sabina smiled and rolled her eyes as she reached into her purse and gave Ronaldo a few dollar bills.
"Yeah." Mason said, "I don't know about Rock People, but I do know something." He leaned close to Steven, "The only reason anyone like you is because you're easy. You're simple, and you'd do anything without question. I wonder how many people would like you if you had a mind of your own."
"That's enough!" Sabina dragged Mason away from Steven by the scruff of his neck, "Get out." She tossed some money at him. "I don't care where you go, but don't stay here."
Mason huffed, but pocketed the money. "Fine. We're going to the Funland."
Steven watched as they left, and held his breath until he could no longer see them. Once they were out of sight, he finally let go of Connie. Connie crossed her arms.
"Friends of yours?" She asked Sabina.
Sabina sighed. "Friends of the family, I'm afraid."
"Sabby, I got all the donuts." Ronaldo returned with a bag full of every type of donut you could buy.
"Let's hear more about these Rock People." Sabina lead Ronaldo back to their table, and Ronaldo immediately took off into a long, detailed description of the cripid.
Steven and Connie sat back down.
"I can't believe those guys." Connie said.
"Do you think it's really true?"
Connie looked up at Steven.
"Do they only like me cause I'm 'easy'?"
"What?" Connie shook her head, "Of course not!" She grabbed Steven's hands in hers.
"Well, how do you know?" Steven asked, "You're not them!"
"Steven, they're just trying to get to you."
Steven pulled his hands free of Connie's and held his book close to his chest. "But maybe they're right! How do I know?"
"You're being ridiculous, Steven; the gems love you!"
"But I have to be sure!" Steven insisted, "I just have to be."
Connie took off her glasses. "Steven, they love you for you, not for who you are." She got a mischievous grin on her face, "And I know just how to prove it."
Greg and the gems were in the middle of discussing Amethyst when Steven walked in. He had Connie with him, of course, and they had both been gone for such a long while that Pearl was starting to worry, but she tried her best to ignore her screaming thoughts; Steven has asked them for space, and they were going to give it to him as long as he needed it. She immediately felt a weight lift off of her shoulder when she heard that door open, but that weight immediately returned, except to her chest instead.
Steven's usually beautiful curls, so reminiscent of his mothers, laid flat and lifeless, covering his left eye. Spiked piercings stuck through his nose, upper lip, and one of his ears. His face was adorned with dark, bold makeup. His clothes were mostly the same, except with torn sleeves, and on his forearm a skull-and-crossbones tattoo.
"Steven!" Pearl wailed, feeling her gem pulsate with shock, "What happened to you?"
Steven stepped slowly inside, looked around with that innocent gleam in his eyes, and blew his hair out of his face only for it to fall straight back down. Connie walked in beside him and put two hands on his shoulder.
"Steven got a makeover!" She explained.
"Um. Yeah!" It still sounded like Steven, even if it didn't look like him, "I thought it was time for a wardrobe change!" He held the bottom of his shirt and gave a half-turn, "What do you think?"
Spinel raised a finger, concern etched onto her face as she pointed at the tattoos and piercings. "Who... did that to you?"
"It was Ronaldo's new girlfriend." Steven answered.
"Her name's Sabina!" Connie added.
"And you..." Spinel swallowed, "Wanted that done?"
Steven looked away, his gaze on the floor, and dug his heel into the wood. "Yeah. Don't you like it?"
Spinel furrowed her brow, and then gave a slow smile and thumbs up. "You look... great, Steven. So... emo."
Steven grinned.
"Uh, yeah Stew-ball." Greg added, "I really like what you did with your hair."
Steven's grin grew wider. Garnet scrutinized the tattoo on his arms, and Steven began to look nervous again.
"What?" He asked her.
Garnet hummed. "Nice tattoo Steven."
Steven grinned even wider, if it was possible.
"I..." all eyes were on Pearl, so she was going to make her words count, "I can't believe you did this to yourself!"
Everyone else fell into a stunned quiet (except for Garnet, who seemed to expect it).
Steven looked near tears. "What?"
"Look at you!" She pulled at Steven's hair, "Your hair! You're face!"
Steven shrunk under her shouting. "I... like it."
"Well I don't! How could you do this to yourself?!" Pearl didn't give him a chance to response, "Better yet, how could that 'Sabina' do this to you? I'm going to go into town and give her a piece of my mind!"
"Pearl."
Pearl ignored Garnet's warning. She didn't know what this Sabina looked like, but she was too furious to stop now. How could anyone do that to a child? How could Steven do that to his own body? A gem doing it was one thing; she could always change her mind and return back to her original form, but a human couldn't. What that clod did to Steven was permanent, and Pearl was going to punish her somehow.
It was easy to find Ronaldo Fryman hanging around the Big Donut, and it was even easier to deduce the woman beside him as the woman of Pearl's misfortune.
"Excuse me. Excuse me!"
Ronaldo and his friend turned around.
"Yes?" The girl asked innocently.
"That's one of the Rock People." Ronaldo whispered to her, "It's not one of the more important ones, so we should be fine."
Pearl ignored him. "Are you Sabina?"
"Why, yes I am." Sabina confirmed with a grin on her face. "Can I help you?"
"Yes you can." Pearl growled through her teeth, "I would like to know what gave you the right to desecrate my child!"
There was a glint in Sabina's eyes. "What gave me the right? Well, he did."
Pearl gasped. "Excuse me?!"
"He gave me the right. It's his body, after all."
"That doesn't matter! He's a child!"
Sabina raised her eyes. "So you think, just because he's a child, he doesn't have a right to his own body?"
Pearl felt immediately flustered. "I... I never said that!"
"Sure sounded like you did to me." Sabina responded.
"I would never say anything like that!" Pearl stomped her feet.
"I don't see what the big deal is, ma'am. Your son wanted a makeover, I gave him a makeover."
"The 'big deal' is he's thirteen years old! He doesn't know what he wants for breakfast, let alone to make a decision like this! He can barely tell his left from his rights!"
"That doesn't give you the right to make decisions for his body. That's the kind of thing that pushes kids away."
"I'm not the problem here!" Pearl shouted.
"Really? Because you're the only problem I see."
"Why you...I!"
Sabina gave a smug grin at Pearl's expense.
"Ugh!" Pearl screamed her frustration and stomped off.
"Wow, Steven, I really like this new hair style you're going for..." Greg engaged, "I mean, your old one was fine, but this one is just... wow! It's your own, and that's... wonderful!"
Steven beamed, and it seemed he barely noticed the constantly pausing.
"Yeah!" Spinel said, "I remember when I changed mine; it was a very important stage in my life! And very sad."
Steven's eyes lit up. "You had a different hairstyle once?" He gasped.
"Well, duh! You think I was rocking these pigtails my whole life?" Spinel ran her hand through her hair, "It was way different before."
"Different how?"
"Well um. Hold on." Spinel turned her back on Steven for a few moments, and when she turned back around, her pigtails were pulled up in tight, heart-shaped buns. "Like this!"
Steven gasped. "You look so cute!"
Spinel grinned widely and chuckled, blushing a light shade of pink. Her buns immediately fell apart, and Steven pouted.
"Aw, I liked them like that."
Spinel shrugged, "Well, gems change, Steven. Surely you understand that." She ran her hand through Steven's hair and pushed it out of his face.
"Oh. Right." Steven averted his gaze. "Yeah."
"Well I for one like new Steven just as much as I loved old Steven." She wrapped her arm around Steven, "Maybe even more!"
Steven looked up at her with eyes that glimmered like a starry night, and the reflection in his eyes almost seemed like small, rippling hearts. Garnet didn't bother trying to hide her smile at the sight.
"Not that I don't like your new form, Steven..." Spinel began cautiously, "But... can I ask why you chose this particular appearance?"
"Well, I'm tired of being pushed around." Steven puffed out his chest, "So I'm gonna be strong from now on!"
Spinel offered him a small smile. "There's more than one way to be strong, Steven."
"Really?" Steven tilted his head. "I mean... I like this way better."
"Well that is your choice, Steven." Garnet said. "Though you will have to live with any consequences it brings."
"Like what?" Steven asked, "You never have consequences for things you do and you're the strongest person I know."
Spinel snickered, and even Garnet laughed a little.
"I'm only strong when I have to be. Which is always."
The door was thrown open and Pearl stomped inside, furious and growling to herself.
Spinel smirked. "What, giving Sabina 'a piece of your mind' didn't go as well as you planned?"
Pearl began to pace in circle. "Grr. When I get that Sabina alone, I'm gonna make her wish she had never been born!"
"You will do nothing of the sort." Garnet said, "This is Steven's choice."
"Well, it's the wrong choice!" Pearl stomped her foot.
"That's not your decision to make."
"Steven isn't mature enough to make that decision! Just the other day he was crying about snakes!"
Steven whimpered. "They don't have any arms."
"Neither do worms." Connie pointed out, and Steven gasped.
"Now I have to worry about worms too?"
"I'm sure the worms and snakes are fine, Steven." Pearl sighed.
"I like this new look." Greg said
Pearl scoffed. "As if your vote counts!"
"It..." Greg shrunk under Pearl's violent gaze, "Looks pretty cool..."
"I can't believe you're condoning this!" She got close to Greg and prodded him in the chest, then she spun around and opened her arms, "Any of you! Steven, take those piercings out now."
Steven looked her in the eye. "No."
Pearl gasped her offense. "What?"
"I said no." Steven defended, and Connie couldn't look prouder.
"That is enough." Garnet stood between Steven and Pearl before the situation could escalate further. "Steven, Connie, go wait outside."
"Yes Garnet." They said as a team.
Connie lead Steven out onto the porch. It was warmer than it had been for the past weeks, and Steven would have gladly basked in the glory of the heat if he didn't have so much on his mind. His dad and the gems had supported him, just as Connie said they would. All except Pearl, and maybe Amethyst, though Steven wasn't so worried about her. Amethyst didn't care much about anything unless it was food or sleep.
After a few minutes hiding out on the porch together, Connie took Steven's arm again and nodded to the door. Steven understood immediately and let himself be lead to it. Connie opened the door quietly and they both opened the door just a crack to listen inside.
"... refuse to let Steven do this to himself! I would think at least Garnet has some sense in her!" Pearl said.
"I do." Garnet responded, cool in the heat of Pearl's rage, "I have the sense to let Steven explore his own youth."
"As a parent, you're meant to support your kid, no matter what." Greg said. "And that's just what I intend to do with Steven; give him the freedom I never had."
"Well what if he wanted to be an axe murderer?"
"Then I'll buy him an axe!" Greg shot back, "Or make him one if it's too expensive."
"So you'd be okay with him going around killing people!?"
"It's a huge jump from going through a phase to killing people." Spinel pointed out.
"Well, what if it's not just a phase?!"
"Then we'll love him all the same!" Spinel said, "At least, I will. Will you?"
"How could you suggest such a thing? I will love Steven no matter what!"
"Well you sure aren't acting like it!" Spinel spat, "What you're acting like is a stuck up, know it all bitch who think she's better than everyone!"
"STOP!" Steven had heard enough.
Connie stood supportive at Steven's side as all eyes turned on both of them.
"Steven!" Pearl gasped, putting a hand to her chest, "You were spying on us?!"
"I'm sorry!" Steven closed his eyes as they brimmed with tears as he started to removing all the piercings that littered his body. "They're fake; just clip on."
An echo of gasp sounded across three of the four gathered; Garnet only stared, monotonous as ever.
"The tattoo too." Steven said, "It's just a fake one; it comes off in water. It's all fake."
A collective sigh followed that.
"Oh thank God." Greg breathed.
"That's a relief!" Spinel sighed, flicking a bead of sweat off her forehead.
"It truly is." Pearl added.
"Mm." Was all Garnet said.
"But, why in the world did you pretend they weren't?" Pearl scolded, "That was very irresponsible of you, Steven!"
"He-" Connie began, but stopped at a wave of Steven's hand.
"I wanted to prove something... and... you proved it, Pearl."
Confusion was etched in Pearl's features.
"Someone told me that people only liked me so much because I was easy to get along with. So I wanted to see if you would like me..." Steven motioned to himself, "If I wasn't me. They did." Steven pointed to Garnet, Spinel, and Greg, "But I'm not so sure you did."
Pearl's face faded into one of pure fear. "You were... testing me? And I failed?" Her eyes rippled with emotion.
Steven looked away to avoid having to see the sad sight. "I'm sorry... they all did great... you... not so much."
"Oh Steven, I..." Pearl's voice wavered, "I..."
Steven shook his head. "It's fine. I'm just gonna... go back out."
Pearl raised a hand toward the child, but made no attempts to stop him as he left with his friend. Spinel shook her head, and Garnet sighed, while Greg only looked sadly to the regretful gem.
Steven and Connie returned together to the Big Donut. Connie ordered them both donuts, but Steven felt too sick to eat, or even to talk. His flat hair wrapped around his face in an uncomfortable fashion, clinging to his plump cheeks and blocking his vision.
"I'm so sorry, Steven." Connie said as she barely picked at her dessert. "I didn't think Pearl would react like that. I should never have suggested it."
"No, I'm glad you did." Steven said, "It helped me clear my mind."
"There you are, Steven!"
Steven and Connie turned to the door to be faced with Sabina, Ronaldo, and Peedee, though the older Fryman brother had his face buried in some strange, beeping machine and the younger brother was taking notes (though he could have also been drawing; Steven couldn't tell). Steven also noticed the group of young boys loitering out front, not looking the least bit happy to be there.
Sabina walked up to the table and placed Steven's special book on it. "You left in such a hurry earlier you forgot this at Ronnie's place."
"Oh." Steven took the book. "Thanks." He wished he could be happier about it.
"I take it your family didn't react so well so your new... appearance." She fluffed Steven's hair, "Your uh... family member didn't take so kindly to me earlier."
"Yeah." Steven admitted, "Pearl can be a bit... judgmental."
"That's putting it lightly." Sabina joked. "Anyway, just wanted to give you your book."
Ronaldo shoved past her, following the beeping of his machine, and placed it against Steven's shoulder.
"There's a conspiracy afoot!" He said as the machine continued to beep.
Sabina peered over at the lights that flashed on its screen. "Oh! The readings are going crazy."
"They must be underground!" Ronaldo moved the machine away from Steven and to the ground, but immediately stopped beeping. "Or not. I think they know we're on to them." Ronaldo immediately turned around and hurried out the door in search of better readings.
"Wait for me!" Peedee ran immediately after him.
"I better go." Sabina said, "Well, anyway, good luck with your family, man."
With that, Sabina took her leave as well. Mason and his group immediately seized the opportunity to enter the shop and walk right up to Steven and Connie.
"Well, it seems I was right."
"Bug off, Mason."
Steven raised a hand, and immediately Connie fell silent. Steven got to his feet, stood up to his full height (which wasn't much) and approached Mason.
"Go away!"
"What?" Mason raised a brow and looked down at him.
"I said..." Steven closed his eyes and his face faded into a pink anger, "GO AWAY!"
There was a rippling affect, and the room around them seemed to vibrate with the aggression. Mason and the other boys held out their arms to catch their balance before they would have fallen.
"He is a witch!" Rubin shouted.
"Just like his mother!" Haider added.
"LEAVE!"
Mason pushed his friends. "Come on, it's not worth it. Later, fatty." Mason shoved his friends out the door, and the moment they were three, all three took off running.
"That was awesome, Steven!" Connie ran forward and embraced Steven from behind. The pink that came to Steven's face was for a completely different reason.
"Thanks Connie."
Notice: Though Sabina has the same name coined for the Mystery Girl, they are not the same character. She is an OC of mine on the same wavelength as the three bullies; she will not play a major part in the story, but may help forward some future plotlines. There will be many characters like this, most of which will not play particularly major roles, but will help to further the story.
In the next chapter, we will meet the one exception to this; she won't be as important as the main characters, but will still play a pretty major role in the overall story line. As I have stated before, you are free to suggest your own OC's have a place in the story; while they will not be having any major roles, i can most definitely give them a minor role in a plotline, or else a simple guest star appearance, with credit for you at the top of course!