Since my family's in quarantine mode, that gives me more time to finish these chapters more quickly.
"Oh Pink!" Blue Diamond continued to cuddle Steven close to her cheek, "Please forgive us! We didn't meant to hurt your friends!"
Steven tried to move away from the Diamond, grunting at his unsuccessful attempts as tears poured down his cheeks from her powers. Most of all, the Diamonds refused to let him come near the bubbled Gems or pop it, which peeved him greatly.
"Let... me... go...!" He protested angrily, pushing himself away from her cheek.
Blue Diamond finally noticed his discomfort, "O-Oh, sorry." She placed Steven down on the porch, quickly snatching the large bubble from him.
Yellow Diamond struggled to reactivate her nearly destroyed ship, but no success. The tip of one of the fingers fell off and splashed into the water.
She humphed, "Pink, how could you done this to us?" She walked towards them, "After everything we had done for you, you left us to try to destroy the planet we gave to you! We are all trying to avenge you, Pink. All for you, and only NOW we find out we were trying to kill you!"
Steven cringed as Yellow Diamond came close, nearly crying as she wiped her tears and flicked them away. It was unclear it was from Blue Diamond's powers or her own tears.
"Don't you know how much turmoil we went through?" She asked, "And now you're just putting on a voice, a strange disguise, and you said nothing at the trial. Care to tell us why? We already know why you left, but what about you now?"
Steven sighed, knowing how much distress the Diamonds were in. "Y-Yeah, I should explain. The thing is, after Pink became Rose permanently, she gave up that form to make me, Steven. The only thing she left was her gemstone and some of her powers, but I don't have any of her memories. Sorry..."
The yellow monarch eyed the gemstone on his belly and turned to think, "Hmm. I'm sure your memories are in there somewhere, Pink."
Steven felt uneasy by her calling him that, "M-My name is Steven, actually."
"Oh stars, how did you even survive?" Blue Diamond gasped gently, "We blasted the planet and obliterated every Gem on its surface."
Steven glanced at her, "They... weren't obliterated."
At The Ancient Gem Colony Ship
Steven touched the touch-pad of the ship, letting Nephrite out. He fed her a few chips before she looked up to see the Diamonds.
"What..." Yellow Diamond stared, "Am I looking at?"
Nephrite's jaw dropped.
"No one should've survived our attack."
"Nephrite's mind is broken," Steven explained, " I've tried to heal her, but... it didn't stick."
Yellow Diamond raised a brow, "Heal her?"
"But, maybe you two can help her. You're more stronger than I am, and I got close to her!" Steven suggested.
Blue Diamond looked down, "Well, that's not something we normally do..."
"This is completely unprecedented," argued the yellow monarch.
"But you did this to her!" Steven protested, "You have to help them, all of them!"
Yellow Diamond got on her knees, "Hm, very well. I can try, but I make no promises."
Rubbing her hands together to generate power, Yellow Diamond pressed her fingertips to Nephrite's head, lifting her up. She focused on healing the dark green Gem's physical form. When the glow faded, the now uncorrupted Nephrite looked around until she was placed down.
"There. Good as new," Yellow Diamond nodded, but then saw Nephrite flailing and squawking, "... She may be too far gone."
"Gently, Yellow..." Blue Diamond held her hand to her chest, pressing her fingertips to the Gem, healing her mental state, "There we are."
But Nephrite's single eye welled up with tears, "No please no! No we're all gonna be-!"
In her sheer panic, she repeated the words until Steven quickly licked his palm and patted her back, "Nephrite, it's okay. It's okay..." Much to his relief, she stopped crying and looked up to the Diamonds.
Then Nephrite saluted, "Nephrite. Facet-4-1-3 Cabochon-12. I'm sorry for my failure to heed my Hessonite's evacuation orders. My team and I tried our best to make it out before the attack, but... You're here and it must've worked! You finally avenged Pink Diamond! You destroyed Rose Quartz!"
The Diamond flinched and pulled their hands away, reverting Nephrite back to her corrupted form. Steven went over to console the exhausted Gem.
"Ugh, Pink," Yellow Diamond groaned, "How many perfectly adequate Gems did you have us ruin?"
Blue Diamond touched her shoulder, "Shh, Yellow! Pink's been punished enough. She's been trapped here in this awful planet with these... creatures."
Steven glowered at them, "They are not creatures! They're Gems like us! You've got to help them!"
"How long do you expect us to hold it together?"
"I-I don't know! Forever!" Steven yelled as Nephrite took the chip bag and skittered back into the ship, "You did this! So you have to fix this!"
"We can only do so much," said Yellow Diamond, "If it was the four of us."
Blue Diamond tensed, "Oh no! We can't let her see this!"
"Who?!" Steven stared wide-eyed and desperate, "Who is 'her'?!"
The yellow monarch sighed, "White Diamond. That's who."
Steven felt a strange surge of fear when he heard that name. Something about it seemed... familiar. He didn't know why he felt that way, but he continued to question, "Who's White Diamond?"
Blue Diamond almost hid her face in her hands, "Oh Pink... You don't remember? White Diamond is the head of The Diamond Authority. She's the most strongest of all Gems, even us. But..."
"But what?"
"You see, ever since you left, White... hasn't spoken to anyone in eons, nor left Homeworld."
The boy thought about what to do. He knew he would be risking his life again, but now that his m... Rose had been revealed to be Pink Diamond all along for the past week or so, this time he wouldn't be close to death. "... Then we need to go to Homeworld!"
"In what?!" Yellow Diamond yelled, "You and your... family destroyed both our ships!"
"Unless..." The blue monarch glanced to Steven, "You don't still have yours, do you?"
Steven finished packing up his stuff that he really needed. Food, water, clothes, anything Pearl or Spinel would've given him. Well... if the Diamonds would release them already. With the legs all ready to go, he picked up his hot dog duffel bag, he heard rapid footsteps coming close.
"Steven!"
He turned to face whoever made the shrill cry, only to be met with a tight hug, dropping his duffel bag.
"C-Connie...?" He hugged her back.
The girl pulled away, her brown eyes welling with tears as she showed him the letter, "I-I got the letter! I-I'm sorry for not understanding! I'm sorry I didn't come to the wedding, I was just..." She sniffled, wiping her tears away, "I-I'm sorry."
"I..." Steven breathed, beginning to cry as well, "I'm sorry for everything too."
Connie nodded, "Are... Are you leaving again?"
"... Y-Yes... But it's not to risk my life again, I promise! We're just going to talk to White Diamond about healing the corrupted Gems."
Still worried, Connie glanced up to the Diamonds for conformation. With their calm expressions, she understood, "I... I hope she'll listen then."
"I'm sure she will... But Connie?"
"Hm?"
"I-I promise... When I come back, you can punch me in the arm all you want."
Connie laughed a bit before pulling Steven in for another hug, "Steven, can you promise me another thing?"
"Y-Yeah?"
"... ... Please... don't... don't die."
"... I won't."
They finally pulled away, and after Steven hugged Lion and Clementine goodbye, he stared up at his and father and wrapped his arms around him.
"Oh stchu-ball," Greg murmured, "I love ya so much. Take care, won't cha?"
"I will, Dad." Steven nods, his eyes glistening with light, then he turned to face the Diamonds, "Alright! I'm ready to go!"
Yellow Diamond had her arms crossed, frowning impatiently, "About time."
Steven stepped onto the footplate, a pink aura formed around his legs, giving him full control of the robotic legs.
"Oh..." Blue Diamond sighed, tears falling down her face, "It's been so long since we've been together in Pink's ship..."
He wiped the tears from his eyes as Yellow Diamond grunted, "Please, Blue. If we could continue?"
The other Diamond sniffled, "Yes... of course."
Gulping, Steven's gaze shifted, not knowing what to do, "How... did Pink launch this thing?"
"Urm... try a running start." Blue Diamond replied, holding the bubble close to her lap.
Sighing, Steven took a few awkward steps before he launched the legs into the air. He nearly chuckled to himself at the thought, wondering if Pink Diamond's take-off was more graceful.
After what felt like hours, Steven continued to stand at they traversed through space. Only a while ago, he tried asking Blue Diamond to release the Gems, but she refused. At this point, Steven figured if he got on their good side and they've fully calmed down, they'll finally let them go and he could see his family again. But it would take some time, but from what he'd seen what Spinel did, he'd be patient.
"... H-Hey," Steven began nervously, "Do you think White would want to talk to me?"
Yellow Diamond humphed, "We'll be lucky if she'd want to talk to any of us after this."
"What...?"
"The thing is..." Blue Diamond was hesitant to answer, "White can be... difficult."
The other Diamond decided to explain more clearly, "When we show up in this ship, it will be irrefutable that the last 6,000 years are now the biggest galactic embarrassment that's ever happened, and we're the ones to blame... If you don't want to be in a bubble for the next few millennia, I suggest you let me do the talking."
Steven wasn't sure how to reply, so he complied and remained silent for the next few moments. Then the engine started to whir and Steven saw through the giant windshield, was a massive white planet with two rings around it and it was fragmented in several places.
"... Homeworld..." Steven whispered hoarsely.
Trying to feel determined, he landed the legs feet-first onto a rooftop of a building.
Yellow Diamond sat up, "Pink, wait here. Blue and I will return for you... Once White's temper has cooled."
"Which might take a while," Blue Diamond added.
But before Steven could retort, he heard... cheering? The Diamonds and Steven left the robotic legs through a bubble, only to see the large crowd of Gems cheering upon their arrival, the colors of them resembling the Diamond Authority insignia.
"O-Oh..." Steven felt slight hope swell in him, "Maybe things won't be so bad after all-"
But the Gems stopped just as a white bubble floated over to them, revealing a gray and white Pearl, her right eye horribly cracked and her gemstone located on her naval.
"It's White's Pearl..." Blue Diamond gasped.
"Pink Diamond," White's Pearl spoke, "Your presence is required."
Yellow Diamond stepped up, "Come on, Blue."
"Only Pink Diamond's presence is necessary." The Pearl replied, her expression unchanging as she glided to Steven, a white bubble encasing them.
Steven yelped in panic, feeling a bit claustrophobic as he thrashed against the bubble wall, begging to be freed. Once it dissipated, Steven saw the Pearl phase through the wall.
He pounded his fists against the wall, "Help! Someone!"
"Pink!"
Steven gasped, looking up behind him.
"There you are."
He whimpered, cowering in fear as the tall, white feminine figure stared down at him as she grinned gently, "Hello Starlight, you certainly gave everyone a scare. They're all just thrilled to see you safe and sound."
"I-I-"
"As for this latest little game of yours, thank the stars it's over! Did you have fun? Did you get everything out of your system?"
"U-Um n-"
"Good, good... Everyone is so relived. Welcome home, Pink." White Diamond finished, encasing Steven in a bubble and sent him out to Pink's tower.
Steven began to shout and cry again, banging against the walls until it popped and he saw he was somewhere else. Looking around, he saw White's tower from the balcony across from the tower he was in.
He knew what he was in for.
Guess Steven's on his own.
