"I-I'm sorry, the what?" Spinel's mood was turned off when she heard the word.
"Yeah! The palanquin!" Steven showed her the rough sketch of the palanquin in the journal of Buddy Buddwick, "What do you know about it?"
It had been several months since the fusion training at the arena. Through the autumn and winter, Steven had a few misadventures, such as making friends with Onion, reuniting Mr. Smiley and Quentin Frowney, learning about the day she met Steven as a baby, and meeting Andy DeMayo who was Greg's cousin.
For Spinel, all she had done was visit Jasper from time to time whenever she could. She had been given herself more thoughts about her relationship with Pearl, who had moved on from Rose. Strangely, she had been unable to visit her garden anymore. She didn't know why.
But now, it all came to this.
Spinel took a step back, trying to find an answer as the warp pad activated, revealing it to be Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst.
"Still no sign of Jasper," Garnet sighed.
Spinel silently gulped as Steven ran up to them with the journal, followed by Connie, "Hey, do you know anything about this thing?"
Amethyst leaned in for a closer look, "Hmm... 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."
"Excuse me, Amethyst," Pearl butted in, "Allow me." She looked at the image and Spinel could just see the fear in the pale Gem's eyes, "Uhh... well... It appears to be an illustration in some kind of journal."
Steven was a little puzzled by their answers, "Oh come on, I'm sure you know. I saw it in my dream and I was thinking maybe you guys knew what it was."
Pearl glanced nervously at Spinel, knowing exactly what she was thinking, "S-Steven, Connie, I think you should-"
"YOU CAN'T GO THERE!" Garnet cut him off, sending everyone in shock.
Steven and Connie stared, "... Why not?" The former asked.
Amethyst leaned over, "Yeah, why not?"
The boy closed the journal, sighing his disappointment, "I thought you were going to tell me everything from now on."
"Oh Steven… we…" Pearl mumbled, shooting another glance to Spinel, which Steven saw.
"Spinel!" Steven turned to face Spinel, rushing to her, tugging on her dress and looking up at her with pleading eyes, "I know you wouldn't lie to me, would you?"
The pink Gem almost felt her heart break, "... N-No, I wouldn't…" She had to let something out, "I-It was Pink Diamond's palanquin and-" She saw Garnet making frantic gestures behind Steven, as if she didn't want her to say any more.
Steven noticed just as Pearl froze in place, and he realized something, "Wait… are you guys hiding something from me?!"
Spinel shook her head, "O-Of course not, love! It's just-"
"SPINEL!" Garnet shouted, "Just shut it!"
"Why should I?!" Spinel shot back, "He already knows I was Pink Diamond's toy, so he deserves to know that-"
In her fury, Garnet jumped at her, holding her tightly and covering her mouth, Spinel muffled some protests and struggled.
Pearl gasped in shock, "H-Hey! Let go of her!"
In the background, Amethyst was eating some popcorn, offering it to Connie who declined.
Steven, who was watching Garnet, Pearl, and Spinel argue and struggle in their fight, finally had enough, "STOP IT! I'm sick of everyone hiding stuff from me! If that place has something to do with Pink Diamond, then shouldn't I know more about her?!"
Pearl cupped her hand over her mouth in fear, Spinel's eyes trickled with tears, and Garnet only frowned, "You just can't go there, Steven!"
"WHY NOT?!" Steven screamed, tears forming from his frustration, "DON'T I DESERVE THE TRUTH?!"
"I-I'm sorry," Connie broke into the argument, "I shouldn't have brought the book."
"YES you should've!" Steven glared at her, "At least this thing has information that I don't have to get out of THEM!"
Everyone was frozen with shock, Spinel removed herself from Garnet to try to comfort her boy, but he ran out of the door. They all remained silent until Garnet grabbed Spinel's shoulders.
"Spinel, please listen to me," The fusion told her in a panic, "You must tell Steven to not go, you're the only one he'll listen to. Trust me on this. Please."
Spinel glared at her coldly, and went outside to follow Steven.
Steven was halfway down the stairs when he heard the door open and close. He saw it was Spinel, whose pigtails hung low and eyes full of sorrow.
"I-I'm sorry about that..." Spinel said.
"What?" Steven scowled, "Here to tell me to not go?"
"... No."
"Hm?"
Spinel gazed at him, "No, you deserve to go there. I know I can't stop you now, you already found the palanquin, so you should go there. It's somewhere in Korean."
The boy was at first happy that Spinel wasn't stopping him, but noticed something in her tone and words, "A-Are... you not going?"
"... I can't..." Spinel's voice was hardly audible.
"W-Why not? Are you-"
"No, it's not that!" Spinel lashed out before relaxing, "I was there, Steven. When Pink was shattered by Rose. I can't go back there, my dear... It brings back too many bad memories... I'm sorry."
Steven glanced down, and stood up after a moment, "A-Alright... I'll just take Dad with me."
"T-That sounds best," Spinel mumbled, "I... I love you..."
"Love you too," Steven replied before he walked down the steps and headed towards the gas station, holding the journal in his arm.
Good luck, my sweet baby… Soon you'll know everything.
She nearly jumped when Garnet slammed the door open, "WHY DID YOU LET HIM GO?!"
"Garnet, you know I love him too much to hold him back!"
"It's not that- I... You might..." The fusion face-palmed and muttered something under her breath that Spinel couldn't understand. The pink Gem groaned and headed back inside, hoping what she was doing was right.
For the days Greg and Steven have been gone, Spinel had been thinking more and more about her choice. No, she was doing the right thing. Talking to Jasper, letting Steven go to the palanquin, she's doing nothing but the right thing.
She sat on the couch, sipping her tea as usual. Pearl has gone quiet and Amethyst had been asking questions, which Garnet made them not answer, which angered her. Did Garnet not love Steven that much? How could she?
Just then, Garnet appeared from her room, storming out while mumbling a few words, but Spinel heard a few.
"... Can't believe… Blue Diamond… there…"
Spinel dropped the teacup, "... What did you just say…?"
Garnet panicked when she realized the pink Gem was right there, "O-Oh no, Spinel wait-!"
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME SOONER?!" Spinel screamed loudly, rushing over to the warp pad and warping over to the area where the palanquin was. She shoved away any of the trauma built up from that time and ran as fast as she could.
How could Garnet be so stupid?! Why didn't she tell me or Steven that she was there?! She better not steal my baby away! I won't let her!
She got closer and closer, zooming through the trees, and when she got to the place, her pace stopped as she saw the familiar tall, blue figure hovering over Greg. She stopped right in front of the bush, panting for breath as she screamed.
"GREG! RUN! NOW!"
"Oh?" Blue Diamond stared at her, "Who is…?"
Spinel felt like the world stopped. Oh no. She just made the worst decision in her life. Instantly, the Diamond recognized her and her hand snatched Spinel and lifted her up, her body making a loud, comedic squeak.
"Spinel?!" Blue Diamond gasped, "Is that you?!"
The pink Gem struggled in her grasp, No no no no no no no no no no no no no! This can't be happening!
"I… I can't believe it!" The Diamond's tears poured down from her face, also grabbing Greg who yelped and protested, "Two gifts at once! Oh, what a wonderful day!"
Spinel looked down to see another Pearl, Blue Pearl, staring at her, her mouth agape. Then she felt pressure apply to her body, Spinel grit her teeth to try to get her strength back, but the hand tightened her so much, she poofed and retreated into her gem.
"I have to show her to Yellow! Oh, we haven't lost all of Pink!" Blue Diamond spoke excitedly, commanding her own palanquin and she and her Pearl stepped inside, Greg continuing to protest.
"SPINEL! DAD!" Steven cried out, running out from the bushes as the palanquin floated up into the blue arm ship. He tried to leap up towards the ship, but couldn't reach it in time as the ship flew away into space and he fell.
"No…" Steven whispered, beginning to cry before someone caught him and landed safely on the ground.
Garnet's visors disappeared as she hugged Steven, "S-Steven! I'm s- I'm so sorry! I saw you come here, I saw Blue Diamond on Earth, I saw Spinel giving away our hiding spot trying to rescue you, I-I didn't want any of you coming here!"
"S-She stole them away!" Steven sobbed, "It's all my fault! I should've listened to you! What do we do?!"
The fusion looked up, "... We're going to space. We're going to get them back."
Guess what? Spinel can do dumb stuff too!
