Another chapter! Yeah!

Please i beg that you are patient with me regarding publishing times. I am working on two long fics and a one shot (plus i am crazy job-hunting), so one chapter each month is as fast as i can go.

This chapter and the next one are more plot than anything else BUT they are also not as long as the first one.

I hope you enjoy it.

The top-secret council with the Diamonds quickly devolved into a messy family meeting. Steven's report was quick and efficient —a befitting Diamond's way; only a few questions were made here and there, mostly about Earth concepts the Diamonds didn't get; what is a school? What does an Earth job involve? Is it absolutely necessary to own a cell phone?

Once he was done, the Diamonds were eager to share their own progress of the last year.

Yellow has been focusing most of her resources on the technological advancement of the not-quite empire, with all her free time being spent on the new arena she has built, where gems could fight for sport and not war.

Blue loved the concept of meep morps, and had enlisted a group of gems of various castes to help her design updates for the old-fashioned temples and spires. Once they had refined this new wave of art and architecture, they will travel to the former colonies to educate the locals about it.

White's life was quieter these days. Even with the empire dismantled, she was still revered; a sort of figurehead who was sometimes called from the former colonies to request advice, give report to or, —even rarer— ask for blessing. Most colonies liked the idea of freedom, but they still think of White as, if not a ruler, at least an honored creature. A Gem amongst gems.

It was irremediable. After all, she was the closer thing the gems had to a god. Although, if there was place for religion in the Gemkind's unconscious mind was a controversial topic

In any case, White did come out of her Head-Ship often these days, which was good. Mostly to reprimand Yellow and Blue when they did something she deemed 'wrong', though, which was bad. However, she had Val now, and she could be a much needed positive influence in White's life. Steven imagined Val sitting on White's shoulder, shaking her head at the Head-Diamond latest outburst. This thought made him smile.

In general, everything was good news! The Diamond's still had their issues for sure, but they had grown so much it was almost scary. Steven still had to talk to them about their social skills, but that was a headache for another day.

Spinel was a different story. She had abandoned White's neck to go back to Yellow's shoulder and, while the Diamond's chatted and laughed, Spinel hid behind Yellow's neck, coming out to add an occasional off-hand comment, trying —and failing— to insert herself into the conversation.

Now, how can I reach up to you? Steven asked himself.

He searched for her gaze, but Spinel was too interested in the vapor coming from the boiling bath water.

"What about you, Spinel?" said Steven, interrupting Yellow's speech about the new gravity motors of the ships. "What have you been up to?"

"Me?" yelped Spinel, her neck stretching out to peep at Steven, "W-why do you ask? What could I been up to? I'm just my usual wittle ol' me, hehe…"

Steven shook his head. She is not slick at all…

"Little one, I think what Steven means to say is if you have tried out any new 'activity' yet," said Yellow.

"Oh! Well, no, but you guys know I have been busy, right? I mean I have been practicing my dance moves and my juggling. You can never be good 'nuff at jugglin', that's what I say. In fact, you guys want to see sum?"

Before anyone could answer, Spinel propelled herself from Yellow's shoulder, made a mortal flip in the air, and landed on White's palm, next to Steven. Specifically, she had landed on top of Steven's jacket and shirt —which he had disposed off due to how hot it was in the bath— and was stepping on it.

Spinel wasted no time; her gem lighted up as she took out a pink sphere. It was so perfectly round it was upsetting.

"I can start out with three but work myself up to seven o'them. Wanna see?"

Spinel played with the ball, throwing it up in the air, grabbing it when it fell, then tossing it to the other hand and throwing it back up, over and over again. It reminded Steven of the idle animation of a videogame.

The Diamonds were quiet and contemplative for a second, not liking Spinel's evasive attitude.

"Thanks Spinel, but no," said Yellow firmly. Spinel held the ball to her chest. "I think Steven wanted to know how you use your spare time."

"Yes. What do you do when you 'hang out' —I think I said it right— with your friends?" said Blue.

Spinel swiped her finger over the ball, making it chirp. "I thought you guys were my friends."

"Of course we are!" said White, matter-of-factly, "but what about your other friends?"

There was a loud silence, broke only by the squealing of the ball under Spinel's fingers. Steven could tell the Diamonds' were getting impatient; they didn't like to be ignored.

"I think Spinel just didn't have time to make new friends yet," said Steven, rushing to save her.

Spinel nodded at this.

"If that's the problem then you can have more time for yourself," said Blue, followed by a gasp, "Oh! You can spend time with my court. Imagine the sculptures they could carve of someone of your dynamic shape."

"I-er… yeah, I don't know 'bout that…"

"Hmp! You are right Spinel. It would be a waste of talent," said Yellow, raising a fist in the air. "You must go into the arena! The new obstacle course would be no match for your athletic prowess!"

"Mmm… may-beee? I-I am not sure…"

"Or if you want," said White, "you could spent time with Val."

The sphere escaped Spinel's grasp and, after a few futile attempts to catch it, it finally fell from her hands. Spinel let out a quiet, pathetic nooo as she saw the ball crash into the water. Steven held his lips tight shut. That would have been funny if it wasn't so sad.

"I… beg your pardon?"

Blue was already clapping her hands with enthusiasm. "White, that's a wonderful idea!"

"Guys. No, guys. That-that's a terrible idea" said Spinel.

"Of course it is, Blue!" said White, ignoring Spinel's protests, "They have so much in common. They are both pink gems, they were Pink's friends, and they were both abandoned by her. It's perfect!"

"That's not perfect! That's, like, the opposite of perfect! Its below-zero-perfect! It's an irrational numbuh! Tell them, Yellow!"

"The circumstances of their abandonment are different, White," said Yellow.

"Yes! Yes that's exactly-"

"Oh, those are just details, my dear," said White.

"You guys are not even listening," cried Spinel, utterly miserable.

"I know they haven't had time to 'hang out' as one would say…"

"I could be saying anything right now and you guys wouldn't listen…"

"But I am sure once they get to it, they would be inseparable rascals!"

"I infested Homeworld with lice. I am the one that broke the statue last week. You guys' butts look gigantic from this angle…"

Yellow scratched her chin. "You may be right, White."

"Yellow, dear, have I ever not been right?" White raised her free hand in the air, in her usual commanding pose.

The other Diamonds laughed at the irony of White's words and her theatrical way of being.

Meanwhile, Spinel has dropped to her knees and hid her face on her hands; she was whining, but not yet crying. Many flashbacks of Steven's own annoyance at the Diamonds raced through his mind.

He knelt next to her and put a hand on her back.

"Don't even bother. It's impossible to get their attention when they get like that."

Spinel's neck made like a corkscrew and turned around 180º degrees. Her expression was fierce.

"YES, I know how they can get. I have been living with 'em for a whole year now, Steven."

Steven took his hand off her. Alright, geez! He stood up and looked the other way.

Once the Diamonds were done enlarging each other's heads, White raised her occupied hand closer to her face. At this distance, her aura was blinding; flowing out of her gem like a torrent. Were Steven not standing on her very physical hand, he would have thought White was just light given shape, without any real mass.

"What do you say, Starlight? Didn't we had the best idea?" asked White, showing her sparkling teeth.

"I-I don't know 'bout that White..." said Spinel, dodging her gaze.

White blinked a few times. It was like a pair of flickering stars. "You… don't know?"

The other diamonds came into view, standing at each side of White, looking down at the smaller gems and, more specifically, at Spinel. She hugged herself and tried to stand as tall as possible.

"I mean I-it is a great idea, it's just…" she looked around as if trying to find the answer in the roof, the floor, the air itself. "I... You guys know I am very busy. It takes time and effort to keep my act top notch."

She offered a weak smile. "Also, you guys would miss me if I am away for too long, right?"

Silence. The Diamonds looked at each other with quizzical looks.

Spinel's smile banished. "Right… guys?"

It was Blue who spoke first, her head closer to the tiny gem: "Spinel, my dear, are you feeling alright? You seem distressed."

Spinel opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Her hair was now frizzled out and her heart buns had loose all shape. She went quiet, resuming the 'broken doll' form she has taken when the Diamonds mentioned Pink a while ago. Her aura was so entangled in itself it looked like a yarn ball.

Alright, that should do, thought Steven. That's enough suffering for a day.

He patted Spinel's shoulder and held his hand there.

"You know guys? I think Spinel's just done for today." He looked down at Spinel. She was beyond confused. "And I am sure she would appreciate some much needed 'her' time in her room."

Steven winked at her. Spinel mouth made like an O then she nodded fervently.

Yellow scoffed. "Ha! I found that hard to believe. Her body is made of the most flexi-dynamic material ever constructed —the same one we use to make the cables that hold our bridges and ships together. Not to mention her gem was fabricated with the combined nutrients of a whole planetoid. A Kindergarten of one. She is truly a marvel of gem engineering," Yellow sighed, "the product of another era."

Spinel tensed a bit; Steven tightened the grip on her shoulder.

"She may be all of that that you say, but we all need time for ourselves. It's the right of every gem now," said Steven in a scolding tone. "Also, I was gonna head to my room, so I can drop her on my way."

"But you are not leaving already, are you?" asked White.

"Not at all. I just… need to lie down for a while," he smiled awkwardly; "I am still human, remember? Made of squishy meat, am I right?"

Blue hummed. "Steven's right. We all must leave already. There is a report of the colonies of the outer rim that still needs my attention," she raised her hands, showing how much her blue color has faded from her skin. "Also, if I stay in the tub longer any longer, my form might dissolve into the water."

"Very well," said Yellow, as she stretched her arms and neck, "I might as well go supervise the installation of that new battle cruise motor." She pointed a finger at Steven. "But we must meet again before you leave."

"Yes ma'am!"

Yellow's finger caressed his curls. "Good boy."

Steven gulped. He knew Yellow meant no harm to him, but she was still the second most demanding Diamond.

"Oh, I had another bright idea," said White, the most demanding Diamond, as she stood up. Steven and Spinel held to each other to not fall out of her giant hand. "We shall host one of those —what you call them? — 'family dinners!'"

"But White, don't you remember? We closed off the kitchen when Steven moved out," said Blue.

"Oh… I guess you are right," said White as her face turned a shade of green. "The odors that came from that place…"

"Bah, the peridots under my command can have it open in no time —with an added ventilation system if you will It, White—," said Yellow. "What we must discuss is what foods we should serve."

"Yes! It must be a nutritive meal, fit for Steven's organic needs…"

And so the mighty Diamonds went down a tangent, discussing what food would be best for Steven and how they shall decorate the ballroom for the occasion —even if it was just the four of them.

They are gonna be at this for a while, thought Steven. Gotta leave now or never.

He made a head tilt to Spinel, which she understood immediately. She stretched her hands and picked Stevens clothes, while her other hand made circles around Steven's waist. Steven surrounded her waist with an arm and, when White was the most distracted, they jumped.

The descent was quick but the landing was soft as a step, thanks to Steven's levitation. They looked back to see the Diamonds had stood up, splashing water everywhere, still distracted with the dinner preparations.

Steven and Spinel shared a silent look and skedaddled stairs down, hand in hand, dodging the water puddles and jumping the obstacles. They didn't stop until they had left the bath house and the door closed behind them. They walked away from the noise of the Diamond's arguing, laughing all the way of the silliness of it all.

If the trip through Blue's palace made Steven nostalgic about Homeworld, the walk around Pink's former palace had done nothing but awoke his sleeping fantasies of blowing the whole place to the ground.

It wasn't even because of the worn-out murals, showing corroded images of Pink Diamond —mom, Steven reminded himself. It wasn't even about all the statues, fountains and decorative tiles that made the walls, each one of them a long-gone dormant gem that will never awake.

No, the worst part was the silence. It wasn't like the common echo he could find in any room on Earth, it was something he had never experience before. What he was hearing now was the emptiness of a cemetery; and that's where he was now. His mom might not be buried here, but for all matters and purposes, this place was Pink's Tomb. Steven thanked the Light for having Spinel to make him company.

The squeaking of her shoes was oddly relaxing.

"Listen, I should probably thank you for what you did back there," said Spinel as they went deeper into the palace. "The D's were getting, heh, a tad too chummy for my taste. Oh, and sorry 'bout your shirt."

They were walking hand in hand. The physical closeness was weird but not unpleasant. Steven's shirt, by the way, was fine. Just a bit wrinkled for having been stepped on.

"I have seven more of them, don't worry about it. Or about the Diamonds," said Steven. "I know they have good intentions, but they still need to learn a thing or two about social cues."

Spinel chuckled. "A thing or two? Better go back to 101 with 'em."

"Heh, I might."

They stopped talking after that. There was a semblance of calm around them, now that Spinel was more at ease. Feeling her aura shine up had lifted Steven's mood, too.

Soon enough they had reach Pink Diamond's chamber. In other words, Steven's room for when he was visiting Homeworld.

"And here we are. 'Ye olde place!'" announced Spinel. "That's human for 'room sweet room'."

"I'm… pretty sure it's not."

"Hehe, it is so!"

Steven raised his hands, giving up.

Spinel pressed the button and they both went inside. A sudden nostalgia sucker punched Steven, making him feel weak for a second. He hasn't had the experiences that Connie —or other human children— had; with all the times she had moved from one house to another. Steven has only ever had two homes: Beach City and Homeworld, and even thought he only lived in the Palace briefly, Pink's chambers felt like his 'childhood bedroom' even more than his actual bedroom ever did.

Steven has expected Spinel to leave the room once they get there. He didn't mind her presence, it just felt logical.

Not only she didn't leave, she made herself comfortable by jumping backwards on the bed. The semi-gelatinous elastic mattress made like a water bed and swayed under her weight.

"So, what are ya waiting for? Make yourself at home," she stretched her whole body, covering most of the king-sized bed.

Come to think of it, why was there a bed? The room was usually empty when he wasn't around. On a second look, Steven noticed there were also a table and a chair at the farthest wall. He walked towards it, making the floor squeak. He had stepped on a sort of bouncy ball. The floor was all but littered with all sorts of trash like that.

Steven picked up the ball, watching his own confused face on the reflective surface of the sphere.

Wait a minute…

"Spinel… do you live here?"

She giggled, as if Steven has said a bad joke. "Yeah, no duh! If I didn't, why would all my toys be all around? Toss it over."

Steven threw the ball directly at her and she hit it with a volleyball motion, sending it flying into the air. When it felt, she caught it and proceed to play 'throw and catch' with it, with both hands and legs. It was like a kitten and a ball of yarn.

Steven looked back at the trash on the floor, trying to make out some of the stuff there.

There were hula loops of various sizes, dolls representing different gems, dancing sticks, ribbons, a giant plastic mallet, and many, many balls; everything organized into tall piles. Toys, she had said, but it looked more like stuff made to entertain.

"But you know there are no other gems in the palace, right?" said Steven, "as in… never."

"Oh geez. And here it thought I was surrounded by invisible judgmental agates."

Spinel threw the ball so high it made BONK on the ceiling. Steven suddenly felt very uncomfortable in his own skin.

"What I mean to say is… Why are you, of all the gems, living in Pink's palace alone?"

Spinel caught the ball in her hands.

"What are you implyin', uh?" she sat on the bed. "That somehow, the overwhelming loneliness and the perpetual silence, combined with living in the home of the gem that left me waiting in a garden for six thousand years —which is what ignited my spiral into madness in the first place—, would be detrimental for the health of someone with my particular brand of trauma?"

Steven's mouth fell open. "...yes?"

"Not at all."

Spinel went back to her tossing game like she hasn't just dropped some high level Freud on Steven's head.

At least she is self aware, that's something, right?

"I thought Val would live in the palace too, all things considered," Steven waited for a reaction. There was none. "But I suppose she lives in White's place now."

"Yup."

Steven felt like suffocating now. He touched his face and, confirmed, he was sweating like a fake witness, even thought his jacket was tied around his waist. This shouldn't be this difficult, for Light's sake! Why does he keep feeling like a stranger in his own… in his mother's house?

Spinel tossed the ball aside, making it bounce around the floor.

"Besides, I don't live exactly 'alone'" she leaned against the wall and hit it one, two, three times. "Wakey, bakey, Spinekey!"

There was a big rustle all around, as if the walls itself where moving. Steven smiled and braced himself for what was about to come.

A small square window opened on the wall, and a bunch of tiny heads peeked from inside; the pebbles jumped from the platform inside the wall and landed on Spinel's head and shoulders.

"Spin's here!" cheered one, and the feeling was general for all of them. "Spin's here, everyone come out."

And just like that, the room was soon invaded by the tiny creepers; their windows opening on the walls and floor. They raced each other to the bed and climbed their way out, surrounding Spinel by all corners. She was positively beaming.

At least the little buggers like her, thought Steven and came to the realization that if they did, she must be being nice with them.

Spinel settled on the bed, legs crossed, giving room for the pebbles to sit on and around her.

"We missed you, Spin," said a pebble.

"Did you play with the big Diamonds today?" said another.

"Oh, ho, ho, did I?" said Spinel, swelling with pride, "You guys wouldn't believe it. I showed Yellow that swingin' trick —the one I practiced with the bars you guys made—, and she was eatin' it!"

Steven watched the scene, content with how Spinel's aura was now matching her happy face. He wasn't going to be the one to change that.

Oh well… I still have to stay for the dinner, so I might as well hang out for a while," he thought. "I can't stay overnight, though... If the Diamonds insist, I'll just call Pearl and pretend an emergency to leave early. Yeah! That should do it! Now I just hope the Peridots' cooking has improved since last time.

Feeling satisfied with his plan, and with nothing to do but wait, Steven looked around for a place to rest. The chair looked comfy enough.

He hung his jack on the back then grabbed the chair, intending to drag it closer to the bed. Instead, he felt to the ground once he tried to pull it.

Right; it was stuck in place, like everything the pebbles made.

He sat up, running circles with his hand over his left butt cheek. A noise at his side caught his attention and he saw a window open on the floor. There was a tiny spiral staircase inside, and climbing it up was the cutest, tiniest pebble Steven has ever seen. He had a pair goggles on his head, and they were too big for his eyes!

Steven squealed like a teenage girl. If it were any cuter, he would consider eating it —and nonetheless, he was still tempted to.

The goggles pebble walked past Steven, ignoring his presence. He was stopped, however, when a giant hand stood in his way. BOOP made the pebble when he hit the wall of flesh.

"Aww. Ain't you the cutest little thing in the house?" said Steven using his baby voice.

The pebble turned around and took his goggles out to see him better.

"Hey little dude. Think you can make me a chair with wheels?"

The goggles felt on the floor.

"STEVEN'S HERE!"

The reaction was instant and the same as with the Diamonds. The pebbles jumped out of their nest in Spinel's lap and made a run towards Steven, and soon enough he had them at his feet, scratching his legs while they climbed him like a mountain.

"Ok guys I-yeah I missed you guys too just… Can you guys please stop-Ouch! Stop climbing me and just-ok, alright I-I'll lie down just stop climbing me."

Steven contemplated about his life and how he has become Gulliver, laying on the floor with two dozen or so of tiny creepers jumping happily over him and prying into his pockets.

"Hey is that-is that my phone?" he protested as a pebble took his phone out his pocket, "Please be careful with that guys, it's very delicate and I don't think you-"

His whining was in vain; the pebble was all too entertained, taking pics of another pebble and applying filters to it.

"Never mind."

From his spot as a meat carpet, Steven looked up for Spinel. Her ponytails had lost all form and her aura was dimmer.

"Uh, guys?" said Spinel shyly, "Don't you want to hear about my day, or cuddle a bit or something?"

There was no response, and Spinel's aura shined darker as her face turned somber.

Steven, you are an idiot, Steven told himself.

This wasn't his fault, in theory, but he should have seen it coming. The pebbles always had a soft spot for him, as they did for his mom.

He emptied his head of all thoughts and focused on doing the same with his body. Soon enough he was carefully elevating himself over the ground. Not much though; barely enough to turn around and put both feet on the floor. In this vertical position it was easier to get the pebbles out of him, since most of them felt down by the sudden motion and crashed on the floor —they weren't hurt or even upset by this at all.

Steven gave them the important task to take care of his stuff, and 'it was imperative that they don't disturb him or Spinel'. The pebbles accepted and, as fast as usual, fabricated a cradle-like structure from the material of the floor. Then they collected Steven's phone, keys, wallet, and everything else they could get out of him and they put it all on the cradle, on top of his jacket. It looked like a mix between a shrine for Steven and a bird's nest.

As long as they don't text my friends at Earth, this should be fine.

Free to do as he wants, he approached Spinel. Quietly, as if she were a wild hare. Or a dire wolf.

"So…" Steven made a motion to sit on the bed but decided against it at last second. "The pebbles are quite something, uh."

"Traitors, is what they are. Traitors the whole o'them!" growled Spinel, "It would be 'off with their heads' if I had a guillotine that small."

Steven's hand went to his neck by instinct. He was having a hard time merging the poison in Spinel's voice with the cuteness of her new —old— form. Almost as much as he was pondering how did she know what a guillotine is.

"They just missed me, that's all," he said.

"Mmm, that's happening an awful lot these days."

Steven breathed in. He would have to approach the subject with care. He clapped his hands once, assuming his diplomatic persona.

"You know? I am actually glad you live here now."

Spinel's eyes opened wide. "Uh? For real?"

"Yep. Because this place was abandoned before you came. I only use this room every once in a while," Steven smiled with confidence, "plus, I think the pebbles appreciate your company."

Spinel played with her buns, stylizing them back into shape. "They are quite the little fellas, uh?"

Jackpot!

"Besides, I like that we have some privacy. I've been meaning to talk to you."

"Whaaaat," Spinel brought a hand to her gem, "Ya mean you didn't came all the way here to have fun times with your ol' pal Spinel?"

"Well-"

"Hehe, just messing with ya. I already figured it so."

Spinel crawled to the corner of the bed, picking her pillow on her way there and hugging it to her chest. Steven sat at the opposite end.

It hit him that he was sitting on his bed, but it wasn't his bed anymore. It was his bedroom, but not anymore. Steven felt like he has walked on Homeworld for the first time. It was surreal.

"So, what's been eating ya?" asked Spinel.

Steven told her about his growing powers, how they have been getting out of hand and how scared he was of himself now. Of losing control. He even told her about the fight with Jasper and the incident that morning on Little Homeworld. He didn't mean to open up to Spinel that much but he couldn't stop once he started. It was like the Jasper situation all over again; the distance between them made talking easier. Natural.

Throughout the middle of his rambling, Steven saw Spinel caressing the surface of her gem with her fingers.

"You're talking about Pink's destructive powers. You got them," she said once Steven was done.

"Yes!" he shouted, "Its… it's the shockwaves of energy, and the aura reading, t-the psychic ghost projection, the telekinesis, the power to-to freaking kill things instead of giving life and that weird light coming from my gem. It's like an explosion waiting to come out!"

Steven took a moment to exhale all his pent up anger.

"See, I knew I was right coming to you. Nobody knows anything about mom's power, except the life-giving tears and stuff. But you do! And I need your help. I need to know everything about… Spinel?"

But Spinel was already up and pacing across the room.

"Spinel, is something wrong or-"

"Here it is!" Spinel picked something from a pile of toys and held it up like trophy.

It was a monocycle. Where she got it from, it was a mystery. There was tag with a name on the side but Steven couldn't make out what it said.

"Want to see how long I can ride this until I fall hard?" said Spinel, stretching the last word.

"Er… not thanks? I thought we were in the middle of something."

"Yeaaah… But we don't need to disclose everything right now, do we?"

"Why not?"

"Humor me for a second, alright?" said Spinel, hands on her waist, "Cause you said —I am just paraphrasin' here—, 'I am glad you live here now', right?"

"Yeah."

"This means that this is my room now, and you, Steven Universe, are the guest."

Steven shrugged. "So?"

Spinel laughed, sweet as cotton candy. "Well, it means that it is my duty, as your host, to entertain you!" She straightened her back in a business posture. "And I take my duty very seriously, mister!"

Steven suppressed a laugh. That's what this is all about?

"There is no need for that, Spinel. Really," he said, holding his hands up.

Spinel showed a tense smile. "Not a fan of the wheel? No problemo!"

She threw the monocycle across the room, breaking a corner of the table in the process. Then she stretched her hand, turning it into a sort of snake, and made it crawl across the pile of junk. She reeled it back in, now loaded with a bunch of balls.

"Wanna see my world famous juggling? The D's love it!" Spinel began juggling the balls with extreme dexterity.

"Spinel, I-I really don't have time for-"

"O-or if you prefer…" Spinel made a powerful throw, sending the balls to a bouncing trip across the room.

Steven ducked in time to save his head for being ball-smashed.

Then Spinel took a literal dive inside the pile of toys. Once she emerged, she was carrying the biggest ball Steven has ever seen. Must have been Jasper sized!

How did I not see that when I came in?

"I can ride this bad boy for ages!" said Spinel, full of pride. "Now, I heard you can do some balancing too, but ya never had a real rival. At least 'till now! Check this out, ankle-biter!"

And without warning she jumped onto the ball and rolled over it, running circles across the room. When she reached the wall, she jumped; the ball bounced against the wall as Spinel made a mortal backflip. She flew a few seconds in the air before landing feet first on the ball, stopping its motion altogether.

"Ta dah!"

Steven's mouth felt open. He heard the pebbles clapping from their little nest, and he was tempted to do so too.

Alright, that was awesome, he decided, but I have no time for this. Not when I am so close to get answers.

"Spinel."

The gem —who was bowing to her public of pebbles— went rigid at Steven's serious tone. She took the hand he was offering and got off the ball. Steven gave it a little kick and sent it rolling away.

"Look. I am flattered that you want to entertain me, really, I do!" Steven's voice turned commanding. "But you don't have to. Remember, I. Am. Not. My mom. And I am not your Diamond. Think of me as… a friend that came to visit, alright?"

The effect was the opposite of what Steven expected. Spinel looked away as her aura changed colors with shame.

"Doesn't that sounds good for you, or-"

"No, no it's… Its fine," her hands went to her hair, playing with her little heart buns. "Yeah, it's sounds good; it's just, um…"

SHRIIK.

The sound startled them both. A tiny pebble —the one with the goggles— was carrying with difficulty a diamond-shaped piece of metal. It was roughly the size of a hand, but thrice the size of the little buddy.

Spinel's smile grew so much it threatened to split her face apart. She picked the object —and the pebble with it.

"Oh its nothing," she said with a dismissing hand motion, "I was just hoping to beat you in a little game called Empire."

Steven's shoulders went stiff. Ah, that's what that is. Steven hasn't recognized the portable board, but in his defense, he hasn't played Empire in a while.

"I-I don't think that's a great idea," he walked back, slowly. "I mean, the Diamonds might call us to dinner any time soon. A-and the pebbles will probably get bored by watching us play. Besides, I am not even a good player in the first place."

"Yeah, yer probably right," Spinel held the diamond on her palm and made it spin over its vertices, "I have been playing with Yellow a lot and I am mad good at it. I wouldn't want to beat your butt too hard."

She whistled a happy tune that made Steven's blood boil.

"I mean, I am not that bad. I have played with Yellow too. A lot. When I lived here, remember that I used to do that? I also played with the pearls AND on Earth. Just so you know it was me who proposed changing the name to 'Empire' to begin with."

"Oooh, those are some wicked words for a goody like you," Spinel shifted herself taller as she said this, "But are you mean enough to beat good ol' Spinel?"

"Please stop calling yourself 'old Spinel'"

"Why don't you make me?"

Spinel held the metallic object next to Steven's face. The reflective surface was covered with rust here and there, telling the age of the object, but it still showed Steven's face back to him. The Diamond eyes greeted him, reminding him to calm the fuck down. He shook his head and made them go away.

'Competitive' was not a word to describe Steven. He had the bad habit of measuring himself to others, that's true, but always regarding personal kinks like your personality or likeability or your willingness to help others. Winning a game said nothing about you, except that you had more skill than your opponent. And a bigger head.

With that said, this wasn't about the game, and both of them knew it. Spinel didn't want to entertain him; she wanted to keep him from asking questions. And perhaps, yes, to measure herself against him as a gem. A harmless way to settle this tension between them, once and for all.

And Stars, Steven would love to wipe that stupid know-it-all smile out of her face. For him and for Val.

"Fine," he said. Spinel fist pumped the air. "But only one game! And then we talk serious business."

"Yea, yea, whatevuh you want!"

Spinel made a big leap and landed in the bed, bouncing on the mattress a few times. Steven sat opposite of her, just like before. She lied down the diamond board over the bed and the goggles-pebble at her side.

She pressed the center of the diamond. Several metal layers expanded around the diamond, one over the other, each one making a painful noise. Finally it made a long blip as the whole board, a roughly 2x2 rectangle, materialized before them. Two triangular pillars raised from each side; the controllers for each player. Spinel's was yellow. Steven's was white. This upset him for a reason he couldn't grasp.

Steven noticed Spinel was giggly on her size of the bed, rubbing her hands together like a maniac mastermind.

"Just one game, Spinel-"

"And then we talk business, yeah..." Spinel scratched her chin, "Tell you what, buck: you beat me to this; you can pry all of Pink's dirty laundry from me. Deal?"

Steven bit his under lip, an undeniable signal that this was a stupid decision.

"Seriously? For real?"

"Double cross my gem!"

It was settled then. Feeling full of decision, Steven pressed the button on the controller; the inner panel of the board shined green as the white pieces appeared on his side. Spinel did the same and her pieces manifested as well.

One game. Just one game and I'll get all my answers, he reminded himself.

Just one game.

There it is.

Now that you have read it, i want to say that this chapter and the next one used to be one single chapter. I split them for time reasons as much as for convenience for you guys.

In any case, please remember to post about what you liked or what critics you have, and i'll see you when i see you.

Bye!