Alright! It's time for...THE RETURN!


"Why are we doing this again?" Naruko asked as she and the rest of the Ninjas were at the Galaxy Warp, looking over the various Warp Pads.

"The Gems want us to make sure that Peridot and whoever she's allied with don't try to use the Warp Pads to catch us by surprise. I feel like I've already explained this to you." Sakura stated with an exasperated expression.

"Well, the readers will want to know, right?" Naruko pointed out.

"Little Sis is right! Gotta keep the reader's alight!" Bee rapped, once more earning him a slap from Yugito in the process.

"I could be looking over my stocks over this..." Grumbled Kakuzu as he and Hidan were standing guard over one of the Warp Pads. Kakashi was talking with Steven on a phone.

"Yeah, we're doing fine, Steven. So far, nothing has come up. We've covered all the bases and I'm pretty sure they'll think twice before coming through here."

"That's good to know! Pearl is really worried about you, too!"

"STEVEN, DON'T TELL HIM THAT!" Pearl squawked over the line as Kakashi chuckled before he could continue speaking with Steven, the phone suddenly began short-circuiting.

"Kakashi! What's going on?! I-" Steven was cut off as the line went dead.

"Steven? STEVEN?!" The Copy Nin cried before turning to the others with concern.

"We need to get back to them!"

Naruko quickly drew a large scroll and draped it over the gang, sealing them inside as she put the scroll on her back and got on the Warp Pad back to the Beach House...only for nothing to happen.

"What the-?!" The Blonde Kunoichi cried as everyone got out of the scroll and looked stupefied as the Warp Pad wasn't working.

"What the hell?! Why are we not going back?!" Deidara exclaimed in panic.

"Someone must have messed up the Warp Pads or something! I don't know how that's possible!"

"DAMN YOU PLOT!" Kiba cried as everyone looked at him and he sheepishly shrugged. "It seemed appropriate..."


Peridot nodded, having sent some Robonoids to fiddle with the Warp Pads so Lee's allies wouldn't be able to interfere. It would only work for 24 hours but that was all the time she needed to get the mission done.

"The Rock Lee won't be able to interfere with the plan now. I've made sure of it."

A buff Gem wrapped in a cloak and with her gem placed where her nose should be stood by her. "Good. A shame I won't be able to face this 'Rock Lee'. He seems to be quite a powerful warrior from what you've described.

In a nearby holding cell, Lapis was huddled up against the wall with a fearful expression. "Gaara, Steven...please be safe..."


The Ninjas were left stuck in the Galaxy Warp, unable to get back to Earth.

"This is bad! If Peridot comes with whatever forces she's bringing, the Gems will be without backup!" Tenten said fearfully as Chouji and Kiba were running around screaming like a certain sponge and starfish duo.

"AND THOSE TWO IDIOTS WON'T STOP SCREAMING!" Ino barked angrily as she grabbed the two by their collars and spun them around like Nunchucks.

"That, and we've been cut off from Steven and the others! There's no way we'll be able to see how they're doing and warn them!" Kakashi exclaimed, his heart beating with worry for the Gems, especially Pearl and Steven.

"Don't worry, I came prepared for something like this!" Naruko said. before anyone could ask, she suddenly disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"We're with her as well!" Gaara said and he and Bee disappeared in a plume of sand and ink respectively. Everyone stared at where the clones had been before Sasuke turned to Sakura.

"Remind me again why Naruko came up with a plan like that and not us?"

"Naruko's smarter than she looks, you two. At least have faith in her for that." Kakashi scolded his students.

"Meanwhile, I'm stuck here without any action to stimulate me!" Hidan bemoaned as he sat down in defeat. The rest of the Ninjas could only wait and hope that their friends would be okay.


Naruko, Gaara, and Bee had actually been helping evacuate the civilians of Beach City along with Steven and Greg. They had been alerted by the giant green hand-shaped warship coming down towards the beach and they were tasked by Garnet to help the citizens escape.

"Yo, this is mad, bro! Beach City has lost its flow!" Bee exclaimed. Gaara was making clear paths for the citizens with his sand while Naruko had summoned Kurama in Tailed Beast Mode to act as a guide. As they made sure everyone was safe, the Blonde Kunoichi noticed Steven riding away on Lion.

"What is he doing?!" Kurama asked.

"Beats me! We gotta make sure he's okay!" Naruko cried as Kurama ran over to Bee and Gaara before picking them up in his jaws and throwing them onto his back as they followed after Steven.

"Why is he not evacuating with the others?!" Gaara asked.

"Beats me, Sandman! He must be stark raving mad!" Bee cried as the three Jinchuuriki rode Kurama back to Beach City.


"Fire!"

Pearl and Amethyst had transformed into their Fusion, Opal, in order to try and stop the Warship from approaching. However, the arrows she fired had no effect. In fact, the Warship was picking up speed.

"At least Steven is safe..." Garnet said softly but unfortunately for her, Steven had just arrived, having dismounted Lion.

"Hey, guys!"

"Steven!"

Upon seeing Steven, Opal split back into Pearl and Amethyst, throwing them back on the sand.

"You came back!"

"What are you doing?! Get out of here!" Pearl cried with a mother's worry in her voice. Steven wanted to protest but Garnet got in front of him as the Warship was right upon them.

"It's too late! Just stay behind us!"

The Warship then settled onto the ground and lifted a finger as a strange bubble pod opened up revealing Peridot and Lapis along with the Buff Gem wrapped in a cloak.

Peridot gave a glare towards the Gems and Steven as she turned to Jasper. "That's them, all right. They're the ones who keep breaking my machines."

"This is it?" The Buff Gem asked in an unimpressed tone, much to Peridot's irritation.

"Jasper! They keep interfering with my work!"

The one known as Jasper sighed in annoyance. "Looks like another waste of my time... Hey, get over here!"

Jasper grabbed Lapis and pulled her out from behind. The Azure Gem gasped when her eyes laid on Steven.

"Steven!"

"Lapis!"

"This is their base?" Jasper aggressively asked as Lapis hesitantly nodded.

"You need to leave immediately!" Garnet stated firmly as Amethyst and Pearl stood by her side.

"Yeah, step off!"

"This is not a Gem-controlled planet!"

Peridot and Jasper jumped off their Warship, pulling Lapis along as they faced the Gems.

"And neither of you saw Rose Quartz? Oh, what a shame. I'd hoped to meet her. I was looking forward to beating her into the ground!" Jasper said menacingly as Steven flinched at the mention of his mother. However, the Buff Gem was not done with her rant.

But this is all that's left of her army? Some lost, defective Pearl, a puny overcooked runt, and this shameless display?" It was then she noticed Steven. "Hmm? What is that?"

Seeing that her sights were on the boy, The Gems drew their weapons, ready for a fight.

"NO! He's just a human! He isn't a threat at all! He's not one of them!" Lapis pleaded Jasper, who simply brushed her aside.

"I know what a human is. You don't need me for this. Just blast them with the ship."

Peridot rolled her eyes as the Warship began rising back up and then pointed its index finger at the Gems. Peridot drew a wide circle on her finger screen and the Warship began charging an energy blast in its finger.

"Steven! Get out of here!" Garnet said to the boy urgently, only for him to shake his head.

"No!"

"I won't let you risk your life!"

"But this is my home! And you're all my family!" Steven argued. Peridot then finished setting up the Warship's energy blast and tapped the screen as it fired.

"I- I'm a Crystal Gem too!"

With those words, Steven ran in front of the beam as the Gems screamed in terror. However, his shield once more manifested and reflected the beam, growing in size to counter it. Jasper saw the shield as well and her eyes widened in shock.

"That shield! That symbol!"

The shield dispelled as Steven moaned weakly, collapsing to the ground as Jasper pointed an accusing finger at him.

"You! You have the power of Rose Quartz!"

Peridot groaned exasperatedly. "Now do you believe I needed an escort?"

Jasper angrily turned to the shorter Gem. "Fire a barrage! Widespread!"

Obliging, Peridot swiped a line across her screen and the Gem Warship fired again, cutting a line across the beach as Garnet just barely pushed Steven out of the way from the resulting explosion that knocked Pearl and Amethyst off their feet. The boy was weakened from overtaxing himself making his shield big enough to protect the Gems.

"Rose, why do you look like that? Why are you so weak?" Jasper barked as Lapis tried to stop her.

"Don't hurt him!"

"You knew about this!" The Buff Gem said angrily to her as she stared at her defiantly but with clear fear in her eyes.

"It wasn't relevant to the mission!"

"Forget about the mission!"

"What?!" Peridot squawked in disbelief at her partner's words.

"Yellow Diamond needs to see this...THING!"

As Jasper approached the weakened Steven, Garnet burst out of the sand and charged at her. Jasper gave a malevolent grin as she formed a crash helmet over her head and headbutted Garnet's approaching fist, creating a powerful shockwave that pushed Garnet and Steven back in the process.

"Steven, RUN!" The Afro Gem cried desperately to the boy she had raised as a son. However, Jasper whipped out a strange taser-like device and jabbed it into Garnet. Electricity coursed through her as she screamed in agony. Steven, Pearl, and Amethyst could only watch in horror as Garnet then exploded in a puff of smoke, leaving two Gems behind in the process. As Steven tried to salvage the two Gems, Jasper began approaching him.

"I was there, you know? At the first war for this garbage planet. I fought against your armies. I respected your tactics. But this?" Jasper then lifted Steven up by the collar of his shirt. "This is sick!"

"Unhand him!"

Pearl and Amethyst furiously charged at Jasper, who simply smirked as she turned her attention back to Steven.

"I don't get what you're planning, Rose. But look?! Your base is taken. Your armies are ruined. YOU HAVE FAILED!"

And just like that, Steven's entire world went black...


"Come on, hurry! Or else our Gems are gonna be mixed in a flurry!" Bee rapped in panic as Naruko grit her teeth while Kurama growled.

"I'm going as fast as I can but we've moved pretty far! It'll take at least another few minutes before we get there!"

"MOVE FASTER!" The three Jinchuuriki barked as Kurama sighed.

"Naruko, keep a clear head. We can't have you losing control like this!" Hashirama advised wisely.

"Try saying that to Gaara! He's about ready to blow a gasket!"

Sure enough, Gaara's eyes were narrowed and his teeth were clenched tightly. Bee was no better as he had his arms folded but if one looked closely, he was gripping his shoulders tightly with fear and anger.

"Gaara, calm yourself, my son."

"Shut up, father! You could never understand what's at stake! Our allies are separated from us! The Gems are potentially outnumbered! We must help them!"

"I actually agree with your shitty old man, Pup. Getting pissed ain't gonna help us in the long run." Shukaku spoke in an uncharacteristically serious tone to his carrier.

Gaara took a deep breath, knowing his Bijuu was surprisingly right, which in turn considered the Sand Nin even more. Soon, they arrived at the Crystal Temple just in time to see the Gem Warship taking off with the Gems nowhere to be seen.

"NO! We're too late!" Naruko cried.

"OH NO, WE'RE NOT!" Kurama said as he grabbed Bee and Gaara and threw them at the Gem Warship like a pair of baseballs. Gaara quickly formed a clawed hand of sand from his gourd while Bee took out two of his swords and jammed them into the Warship hard enough to grapple on.

"It's up to us now..." Gaara muttered as he and Bee began making their way into the Warship, hoping that they were not too late...


Next Time: Jailbreak and Changing Canon!

With Gaara and Killer Bee to the rescue, will the outcome of this encounter change? Bonds will be strengthened as we reach the Season 1 Grand Finale!