(Red Diamond's Ship) ; Tallon IV)
Red Diamond was watching the terminators drill into the ground, preparing to create a space station.
"So how long were you in those caves on homeworld?" She asked.
"For 6000 years. I got pretty used to living there, but I feel much better not living in them." Green Diamond said.
"You poor thing. If only the events that made us rejects never happened." Red Diamond said.
"Yeah.. we would have lived better lives." Green Diamond agreed.
Suddenly her diamond communicator device rang.
Purple Diamond appeared on the screen.
"(Mask voice) Greetings Red Diamond. Long time." She said.
"A long time it has been. Where are you?" Red Diamond said.
"I am taking control of all of White Diamond's planets. I am producing more gems so strengthen my army." Purple Diamond said.
"All by yourself? But you'll be shattered if you go on!" Red Diamond said.
"So far four of her planets have fallen under my control in less than six hours. My storms are too much for her gems to handle. Many of them have fallen, and many of them are freed from her control." Purple Diamond said.
"Allow me to assist, where are you right now?" Green Diamond said.
"Jarek told me you were Tallon IV, go to Magmoor Caverns, there is a Warp pad that leads Navin 10." Purple Diamond said.
"Got it." Green Diamond said.
"But Green, that's dangerous! What Purple is doing is too risky! I just got you two back, and now you're gonna run off and fight homeworld alone?" Red Diamond said.
"Who said we were alone in this fight?" Purple Diamond said.
Red Diamond sighed.
"Just please come back alive. I understand you're fighting for our freedom." She said.
"You have my word. Our kind will be freed from Homeworld's enslavement." Purple Diamond said, putting her fists together and saluting her.
Then the transmission ended.
"Jarek left this when he left. I don't know why, but I think this is meant for organics." Green Diamond said, holding the Cerebral Bore weapon.
"I don't know what that is." Red Diamond said, examining it.
(NIGHT - 11:04 P.M ; Earth ; Greg's Van)
On the TV, there were alien UFOs flying over the farm, preparing to invade it.
The cattle started mooing in distress.
"Hah! Jason, guard the cattle!" Marx said, running to his shed.
Jason then ran to the gates to close them.
Then the UFO shot a green blast at him, blowing him to pieces. Then it shot a blue blast at Marx.
"Help! The aliens are-" Marx said on his phone before his head blew up into popcorn.
"Oh wow. Steven did you see that?" Greg said, watching the TV.
Steven was snoring.
"Steven?" Greg said.
Tears then started welling in Steven's eyes.
"Steven?" Greg said.
(Steven's Dream)
The scene changed to a garden, with flowers all around, and green grass rustling with the wind.
"Huh? Where is this?" Steven said.
"Steven? Steven?" Greg's voice was heard.
There was a Pink Palanquin sitting on the grass, covered in moss and flowers.
(Reality)
Steven awoke suddenly.
On the TV, a UFO was abducting a cow, earning moo sounds from it.
"You okay, bud? You fell asleep during the movie. I was gonna let you sleep, you looked so cute. But then you started crying, and that was less cute." Greg said.
"Huh?" Steven said, feeling his cheeks for the tears on his cheeks.
"Haha, no I'm fine. I don't even know why I was crying. My dream wasn't really sad." Steven said.
Greg looked at his watch and saw the time.
"Oh gee, look at the time, and my classy new watch. Let's get you home, bud.' Greg said.
"Okay." Steven said.
(Crystal Temple)
Steven and Greg were walking to the stairs.
"Eh, you didn't miss much. Turns out they were abducting cows 'cause they needed milk for their cereal planet." Greg said.
Steven started walking up the stairs.
"Dad, before you go, can I ask you something?" Steven asked.
"Yeah of course!" Greg said.
"Did Mom ever talk to you about... Pink Diamond?" Steven asked.
"There were some things your mom didn't like to talk about. I never pressed her for details." Greg said.
"Why not?" Steven asked.
Greg approached Steven and sat next to him.
"Rose and I talked about tons of important stuff. Music, comic books, getting sand between your toes, you know, feelings. We both made a lot of mistakes when we were young. I thought disco was coming back, she started a war, I think she felt like she needed to confess everything to me, but I told her 'The past is the past. All that matters to me is who you are now.' And who she was, was an incredible, loving being." Greg told him.
Steven hugged him. "Night, dad."
"Night, Steven." Greg said.
The two parted ways for the night, and Steven went into his house to get a good night's sleep.
(Jarek's Dream) - UNUSED SCENE FROM AN ACE"S JOURNEY (OUROBOROS ROUTE)
"You know when I got back form my lunch break, the news said you were dead?" Jackson said, lighting his cigarette.
"Yeah I know. I was dead for a little while, before Cynthia brought me back to life by surgery." Jarek said.
Bravo blew the smoke from his cigarette and then looked at Jarek.
"I wish you would tell us this stuff instead of keeping it to yourself." Bravo said.
Jarek looked at him, before taking a drink of his iced tea.
"Why didn't you tell me anything after you left?" Bravo asked.
"Because you wouldn't have let me leave again. I couldn't chance that." Jarek said.
"It wasn't easy for any of us. Your mom got sick, and so did your grandma." Bravo said.
"What was I supposed to do? Pop up out of nowhere and show myself? After 4 months of being gone? You would have beaten me down, all of you and then my hate for you and her would have grown." Jarek said.
"Okay, but you could have told me. If you did, I would have went with you to see all this for myself." Bravo said.
"No, man. Doing that would have made me less of a man than I am now." Jarek said.
"You're not a man." Bravo said.
"He's right." Jackson said.
Jarek looked at him in disbelief and then back at Bravo.
"And so you are? Because you're breaking your fucking back, working on airplanes? Apparently hurting yourself makes you a man, taking bullshit from others and being forced to like it makes you a man, accepting everyone who hates you behind their backs makes you a man, taking the time and looking back at all the people who were there for you and to just suddenly betray them makes you a man. You're full of shit." Jarek said.
"Look who's talking." Bravo said.
"Did I do such a poor job, being your guide? I didn't tell you to go and be an errand boy for the mob. You did that." Jackson said.
"You made me leave this castle." Jarek said.
"Because you wanted to. I'm not at fault for anything. This is all your fault." Jackson said.
Jarek shook his head.
"Say what you will. But I didn't come here to have shit thrown in my face." He said, getting up and walking away.
"You know, it's that that makes us mad at you. You don't listen." Bravo said.
"Just go home. Go home and tell my mom all about this, I know you want to! (At Jackson) You can't hold me back anymore, pop! I enjoyed my time with you, as I enjoyed my time with him, but I'm done. I'm going." Jarek said, continuing his walk.
"You go, you'd be turning your backs on us. Again." Jackson said.
"Yeah, that's not the best thing to tell your kids either, dad." Jarek retorted.
[DOOR CLOSES]
Jarek walked down the stairs, and saw Rosa watering the plants.
"Mom, I'm sorry but I'm leaving." He said, walking to the front gates of the Courtyard.
"No, I won't let you join the coup!" Rosa said, stopping him in his tracks.
"Mother, it's for the best. You'll see why, one day." He said.
"No, please." She said, holding his arms.
"Mom, everyone has to choose their own path. This one is mine. You and my dad and my uncle are safe here. Remember, I have a plan for all this." He said.
She hugged him tightly, and cried in his chest.
He patted her back.
"I promise I'll call you when this is all over." He said.
"You come back home. You understand? No matter what happens out there, you come back home to me." She said.
"... Okay." He said, resting his head on top of her's.
"You shouldn't have left them...
You family, they loved you and you turned your back on them for Sublimation."
(REALITY)
Jarek woke up, due to hearing his phone ringing.
He groaned as he reached for it and answered the call.
"(Groggily) Hello?" Jarek said.
"Hi Jarek! Were you asleep?" Green Diamond said.
"Yes, what is it?" He asked.
"I just finished setting up my base on Tallon IV, gosh it feels so great to be out of the caves!" Green Diamond said.
"Oh... that's good. It's nice to get some fresh air. Be safe, I'm going back to sleep." He said.
"Alrighty, goodnight." She said.
"Goodnight." He said, before hanging up. He put the phone back on his end table.
Then he sneezed.
"Ohh." He groaned, as he laid on his right side.
"Mmm... " Black Diamond groaned in her sleep.
Then he dozed off and went back to sleep.
(SECOND DREAM - CONTINUATION OF SCENE) - NIGHT 3:04 A.M
An R-311 Remora flew up in the skies, with massive speed.
The UI-4053 Sphyrna was flying in the skies.
The docking doors opened and the hatch arms grabbed the wing, pulling it inside.
[DOORS CLOSE]
"Welcome back, Jarek. We have awaited your return. Ouroboros will benefit with your transfer from General. Now then, how about coming to the main deck and paying a visit to my dear Rena?" Dision said.
Jarek stepped out of the ship, and walked.
"It wasn't an easy transition. But I made it. And now I am ready for Sublimation." Jarek said.
"Patience. In good time, we will arrive at our destination." Dision said.
"Yes, Abyssal." Jarek said.
He entered an elevator.
"Which level?" Jarek asked, sighing through his nose.
"Level 4." Dision said.
Jarek inputted '4' on the elevator device, then the elevator went down.
Once the elevator reached Level 4, the doors opened and outside, stood a woman in a spacesuit. She looked over at him.
He had a look of hurt. The woman he loved was in front of him. Six months had passed since they split up, and he was welcoming her back into his life, but she wasn't with the cold stare in her eyes. He understood why she looked at him like this.
He walked to her.
"Rena." He said.
"You came back to me." Rena said.
"... Not because of you. Because I have a mission to do." Jarek said.
She backed away, resentful to him.
"I wish you wouldn't look at me like that." Jarek said.
"You betrayed me and now you have the nerve to show your face to me again?" Rena said.
"It's not like you to be mad at me for something so petty." He said.
Rena slapped him.
"It was my birthday!" Rena said.
"And I said I was sorry, did I not? And then I saw all the horrible things you said about me. How tragic." He said, rubbing his cheek.
She swung her fist at him.
He blocked her fist, and then grabbed her by the throat, choking her.
She gasped, and grabbed his right wrist, falling to her knees.
Jarek growled inwardly, frowning at her.
"You have to accept the past for what it is. I moved to General because you and I were fighting for corrupt leaders. Dision showed me the way to success, as he is doing for you." He said.
"Unhand me! Ih!" She strained.
Jarek removed her helmet and saw tears in her eyes. This caught his attention, so he let go of her throat.
She started crying on the floor.
"How dare you... how dare you do this to me!" She cried.
Jarek looked at the camera.
"You two mustn't fight. You two must resolve the issue at once!" Dision demanded.
"He's right. Fighting like this isn't gonna help us." Jarek said.
"Fuck you!" She said.
"Now Rena, that's no way to behave. Your first mission is about to begin, and you two are fighting over the past?!"
Rena looked at the camera.
"He's right. Doing this won't help. I want to wipe our slate clean and start a new." Jarek said.
Rena coughed to her left arm.
"... You attacked me, you bossed me around, you were mean to me." She said to him.
Jarek sighed through his nose.
"Yeah, I know. And I wanna say I'm really sorry for all that. Things'll be better this time." He said, offering his hand to her.
She looked at it, then at him again.
She took his hand and got up.
"We good now or what?" Jarek said.
She nodded.
The two hugged, with Jarek being the dominant hugger and lifting her up.
She hugged back, embracing him.
"I never wanted to hurt you, Rena. Let's work on this revolution together." Jarek said.
"That sound like a great idea." She said.
(REALITY) - MORNING 8:24 A.M
Jarek opened his eyes, as if he were just awake a split second ago.
Black Diamond wasn't in the bed. There was a note on her spot.
He looked at the note and read it.
"I'm gonna go make some gems with Purple Diamond. There's sandwiches in the fridge. Be back in two hours!"
Love Ulyssa.
[INSERT LIP PRINT]"
Jarek shook his head.
He then called Steven.
After a minute of ringing, he got a voicemail.
"Ugh, guess he's busy or still asleep." He said, before heading to the bathroom.
...
Circus Sapphire was washing the dishes, humming a tune.
"Hey Circus?" Steve said.
"Yes?" Circus Sapphire said.
"How would you like to go to the water park with me and Michelle?" Steve asked.
"I'd love to!" Circus Sapphire said.
(Steven's Dream)
The background was the same as before, the grass was bristling with the wind.
"Huh? I'm here again." Steven said.
"Oh Pink... " Blue Diamond's voice was heard.
Steven looked to his left.
Suddenly everything turned black.
(Crystal Temple)
Connie swept away the papers on the table excitedly.
"Sorry, I'll clean that up later! [Places book on table] When you told me about your dream, I thought it sounded familiar." Connie said, placing down the Journal of Buddy Buddwick on the table.
She flipped through the pages of the book until she reached the page that had an illustration of the palanquin. It looked similar to the one from Steven's dream.
When Steven saw it, he gasped. "That's it! The... palan-quin." Steven read.
"Actually, it's pronounced 'palankeen!" Connie said.
"It just doesn't make sense." Steven said.
Just then the Warp Pad was heard.
"It's the Gems! They've gotta know about this thing!" Steven said.
"Hey Steven, Connie!" Amethyst greeted them.
"Amethyst, do you know anything about this thing?" Steven asked, showing her the book.
"Steven.. you deserve to know the truth and the truth is... I have no idea what that thing is, I've never seen it before in my life." She said, having no knowledge as to what the palanquin is.
"Excuse me, Amethyst, allow me. [Looks at Journal entry] Uhh... well... it appears to be an illustration in some kind of journal." Pearl lied poorly.
"Come on, you know what I mean. I had a dream where I saw this thing. Connie and I were wondering if maybe-" Steven was cut off.
"S-Steven, why don't you and Connie-" Pearl was cut off by Garnet.
"You can't go there!" Garnet snapped in an alarmed tone.
Everyone looked at her.
"Why not?" Steven said.
Amethyst scooted over to Steven.
"Yeah, why not?" She asked, curious too as to what the reason would be.
Garnet hesitated, she didn't know what to say.
Steven sighed, getting frustrated with her.
"I thought you were going to tell me everything from now on." Steven reminded.
"Oh, Steven... we... " Pearl began.
"Does this have anything to do with Pink Diamond? (Unsure) I already know Mom shattered her, so what is it about this that you can't tell me?" Steven asked.
Pearl covered her mouth in sorrow. She was afraid of him leaving for what might possibly happen.
"Please! You're making Pearl very upset!" Garnet said.
"No! I'm very upset!" Steven retorted, getting angry.
Connie and Amethyst exchanged worried glances at each other. They backed away from the heated conversation taking place.
"We're. Not. Going. Rose never wanted you to see this place." Garnet said.
"Rose wanted?! Urgh! What about what I want?! I'm sick of everyone lying to me! Rose is my mom, out of anyone, don't I deserve to know the truth?!" Steven said angrily.
Amethyst was munching on a box of popcorn, she offered it to Connie who silently rejected it.
"This isn't the time." Garnet sternly said.
"I. Don't. Care! I wanna go there now!" Steven said.
"Steven!" Garnet said, getting mad.
"I'm sorry... I-I shouldn't have brought the book." Connie apologized.
"Yes you should have brought it. It's lucky something has some information that I don't have to get out of THEM!" Steven said, pointing at the gems who only looked away in shame.
"Connie, I need to borrow this book." Steven said.
"Okay, just be careful. I gotta return it to the library in a week." Connie said.
"Thanks. [Walks out the door]" Steven left.
"Wait, Steven! Where are you-" Connie said but he left.
Garnet then rested her hand on Connie's shoulder.
(Fire City)
There were cats meowing at Jarek, who was holding a tuxedo cat and stroking his fur.
"There there." He said, feeling it purr.
"Excuse me?! What are you doing to those poor cats?!" An old man said, approaching him with a cane.
Jarek put the cat down, and pointed at him.
The cats then ran to him, hissing and yowling at him.
The old man exclaimed and started running as fast as he could.
"I love it when that happens." Jarek commented.
"Why are old people so odd?" Orange Diamond asked.
"I don't know, believe me. If I knew, I'd probably be richer than what I am now." Jarek replied.
(Crystal Temple)
Steven sat on the stairway, looking at the palanquin picture on the book.
"Steven... D-Don't go. You have to trust me." Garnet said.
"I don't understand, Garnet. At least you're usually honest with me." Steven said.
"I really want to be, but if I tell you why you shouldn't go, you'll only want to go more." Garnet said.
"(Shocked) What?! Now I really want to go!" Steven said, shocked.
"Tch, ugh. I shouldn't have said that. You can't go because I can't go with you." Garnet said.
"Why not?" Steven asked.
Garnet turned away, not answering him.
"Garnet, why not?!" Steven asked.
"I-I'm scared. I-I-I can't get near her!" Garnet said.
"Ah! Her! Her who?" Steven asked, catching her at her weak point.
"Ah, shoot, now I've made it more interesting! Steven, please, just stay here. [Removes visor] For me." Garnet said.
"I won't." Steven said.
Garnet sighed. "I know." She looked away in sadness.
To be continued...