Author's Note: Hey all! Crest here back at long last! Sorry for taking so long if you want the full explanation, I will be posting that in the epilogue, Yes, the epilogue with the posting of this chapter I will be posting the rest of this fic. So, there is that. Notes will be rather sparse between here and the final chapter. There will be drawings to accompany chapters. Now that said let's begin fair warning from here on the fic gets a bit grisly in several ways! I do not own the Ben 10 series, Steven Universe, or The Life and Times of Juniper Lee in any way, shape, or form. Reviews welcome.

Possible Powers

Chapter 08

Desperation

Connie watched with eyes mouth agape as in front on her, her best friend Steven arms outstretched took the swipe of Dark Pearls sword right across his chest and yeah there was a little blood in the air.

Time almost seemed to stop when it did.

You see when Connie tried to form a shield, it didn't solidify the sword cutting right through, and Steven jumped in the way to defend his best friend.

Then time unfroze and the attack knocked Steven past Connie with an oof.

Lightning fast Connie turned her head to where Steven was lying on the ground an absolutely nasty gash on his chest plain to see with some blood flowing from it and that wasn't the worst part.

No that was the massive crack going straight across his gem following the path of the gash and his gem was flashing and sparking and sputtering. Clearly that had been the cracking noise they'd heard.

The whole thing looked rather horrific.

From behind her Connie heard Dark Pearl sniff dismissably "well that's that. Goodbye Rose." And there was such a sneer at that last word.

Then before Connie could even think of doing anything there was the sound of a flying projectile heading for Dark Pearl who turned to face it and with a cut dissipated it.

Then light erupted from behind Dark Pearl, she pivoted, and there was a portal.

They watched with dead eyes as Ray Ray fearfully looked back at her, Connie and Steven in front of him as the portal closed.

When it faded Dark Pearl let out a sigh "I will need to adjust my wards, I have measures in place for people teleporting or portaling in but nothing for getting out. I need to fix that."

Musing to herself she slowly and a little dramatically walked up the stairs "and I suppose it's not that big a deal they got away. After all someone needs to be able to deliver my ransom…"

The passageway leading to the more magical aspects of June's everyday life in her house opened up and Ray Ray bounded through calling out desperately "JUNE! DENNIS! MONROE!"

He knew it was futile that based on everything horrible that just happened June being captured was a very real possibility and Dennis was out of the country but then…

"Ugh… Ray Ray, lad is that you?"

"Monroe!" Ray Ray turned to face the speaker and horror formed on his face.

The old, little dog was lying on one of the desks and was reminiscent of a mummy with the bandages wrapped around him.

Before Ray Ray could even say anything, the dog looked at him blinked and said "laddie your hair…"

That snapped him out of his stupor "um that can wait till later my new friend Steven needs help and things are really bad and I don't know what to do!" He said in a fast rant.

Monroe blinked then looked at Connie who trailed in after him, Steven slung over her shoulder takes in everything about the two particularly noting Stevens injuries takes a deep breath and then says "lad the blue jug on the shelf has a bit of a healing potion in it, I'll check our trinkets Elders Willing one of them has a charge, recent incidents has hurt our stock quite a bit. And while we set up you can explain everything to me."

"But_" "Lad he is bleeding and breathing, he's alive, there is time now I would like an explanation starting with this young lady's name."

"OK" Monroe says once the explanation was given. "I am going to skip over how incredibly foolish it was for you to charge into the lair of the enemy the way you did. The consequences are punishment enough I think."

Unconsciously Ray Ray and Connie's eyes went to where Steven was lying on a towel with a pad covering his gem and part of his stomach with some potion between the two.

Monroe also turns his attention to Steven and after a moment of contemplation "lass…"

Connie started "yeah?"

"You said Steven has healing powers?"

Connie nodded.

"Can he heal himself or just others?"

"Um… I've seen him injured and they've never lasted long."

"Right… Well I don't how your magical abilities work what with you being Outsiders and all" and oh did Ray Ray and Connie wince at that with so much meaning and emphasis in that sentence "but it sounds like the very source of Steven's magic was damaged."

He shook his head and looked back to the duo "we don't have the supplies to heal him here and I don't think anyone local has what we need or enough of it. We won't be able to take him to where he can get healed either… Ugh Great McGregor's Ghost there's no helping it. We're gonna have to reach out for help."

"Reach out?" Connie asked.

"Yeah and I'm not crazy about it. The whole ordeal will be dubious at best but we're desperate."

"Is this one of those deal things you hear about in books like where you trade your soul?"

"Yes but no one asks for souls nowadays they're too cheap so something else will be asked for and that'll come back to bite us later probably but again time crunch. Ray Ray."

"Yeah?"

"Quick test lad. Catch."

Ray Ray quickly caught what was caught and looked at it.

It was their Metamorpho Stone and in his hands, it started to vibrate while again his fingers sparkled and he watched as the shift in color which indicated charge level slowly went up a bit then stopped.

"…Huh." Went Monroe.

Ray Ray looked at him. "Uh…"

"We would need to do more testing to be sure but it looks like this new power of yours seems to be as a type of power booster not constantly mind you but it's a bit of a jump start thing. Which" he said with a bit of a sigh "probably explains a lot of the incidents lately with you."

Ray Ray looked uncertain at these words which was rare but it was a day for firsts clearly.

Then Monroe "c'mon laddie let's put this new power of yours to work."

Then before long in a clear space in the middle of the floor was Connie sitting down, Steven cradled in her grasp while Monroe had a chart propped up before him a diagram on it.

Next to him was Ray Ray who was holding a box full of magically empowered chalk (which Monroe had hidden from him) looking the chart over.

"Remember lad you need to draw each new part with a different piece for this to be maximized."

"Right." Ray Ray said with a solemn tone.

Half-kneeling on the floor Ray Ray carefully reached into the box making sure to only touch the piece he needed.

Picking it up his fingers began to sparkle and the chalk he held almost seemed to brighten and quickly but steadily he began to draw.

Once he finished an arc or a shape, he would cast aside the piece he'd been using, pick up a new one, and start again.

In this manner and shifting position and direction as needed he soon had a multi-colored array set up around Connie and Steven.

Stepping back, Ray Ray tossed the last piece of chalk aside dusting off his hands as Monroe nodded "well done lad. Grab the amulet." He gestured to what had to be one of the most occult-looking gizmos he'd seen yet but still he grabbed it.

"Now you two together with me the incantation…"

Taking a deep breath together Ray Ray pointed the face of the amulet towards the array while Connie raised her free arm with her hand beginning to glow green as the three began to chant.

Before long the array started to glow white than it turned the green of Connie's magic than the blue that was the same as the stripe in Ray Ray's hair and then it was an intertwined color between the two.

Then as they finished chanting the array flash incredibly bright and it surged up and around Connie and Steven and when Connie could see again, she and Steven were alone in the dark.

Connie looked around warily as into the black she said "Ray Ray? Monroe? Anybody?"

And then golden light erupted under her feet.