Disclaimer: yadda yadda don't own steven yadda yadda.

We... are the Crystal Gems!

We'll always save the day!

And if you think we can't,

We'll always find a way!

That's why the people of this world believe in

Garnet, Amethyst, Rose, and Pearl.

Episode 7: The Lion of Crystal Maze

Bringing Lapis home was rather… Interesting to say the least.

It was late at night, the sun had already set, because of this her skin tone wasn't as noticeable as it could have been given her pretty much human-like appearance.

Dad who was sitting down watching TV had heard me come into the house and called me over to yell at me about the door when he noticed Lapis behind me. He immediately assumed I was bringing a girl home and started talking about how proud he was that I was growing up so fast and how cute a couple we were. Lapis didn't help. She instead decided to take her Camp Pining Hearts to… Heart. And went into a long impassioned speech about how she reflected all the love I had for her like a mirror.

The trainwreck that was this meeting turned my brain off and I could only stare in shock speechless.

He was so impressed by the love she had for me he gave his blessing right then and there, let me off the hook for breaking the door, and sent us both to my room to hang out for a bit before she had to leave.

Then he noticed the Lapis Lazuli through the diamond-shaped hole in the back of her campers uniform… and her blue skin… and how her eyes were literal Mirrors.

She settled in nicely in the house after I told him this was the same Lapis Lazuli that has been living with us for weeks now.

Regardless.

The past week since Lapis was free from the mirror was filled with lots of cartoon-esque shenanigans, such as teaching her what a male is, and why it wasn't a Caste system like she assumed it was. Yes, people sometimes change their genders, and no I did not understand it. Why humans need to use the bathroom alone. How yes a mother did sometimes help a smaller human in the bathroom but no she's not my mother and no I did not need help, please stop saying My My when you look at me. Why we eat more than just delicious hot S'mores - and no it was not called S'moes. What a vegetable and fruit are and no I did not understand why a tomato is a fruit, why corn is a vegetable and a grain, how avocados are called a vegetable but it's actually a berry, how green beans are called a vegetable but it's actually a fruit. I don't understand the food. I just put it in my mouth and eat it!

While I'm glad Lapis is free. Sometimes I want to put her back into the mirror for my sanity alone.

No, I don't mean that, yes I'm just exaggerating. My point still stands!

ONCE AGAIN despite all that I have seen many strange things in my life. Women trapped in glass, a woman forms like a magical girl out of a Gem. I have seen giant tentacle monsters travel through space and time through Wibbly wobbly timey wimey bullshit. Giant crystal eyes shooting lasers at me. I have magical pinky powers. I have seen so many strange things. But this… This might take the cake.

"What in the ever-loving camper adventure strawberry crap am I even looking at."

"It's Pyramid Steven! Even I know that." Lapis commented looking at the building in front of me.

Did Lapis slip me something this morning? Have the Edibles kicked in? Because honestly, I can't fathom what I am looking at.

"Lapis. It is defying the laws of physics because it's upside down. This is going against Newtonian Mechanics! The slightest breeze should have knocked it down onto one of its faces."

"Stop being so serious Steven loosen up."

"Loosen up? This has to be a trap!" I looked up at the building and jumped back another thirty feet to be outside of the crushing distance of the side of the pyramid. Yes, I can jump thirty feet now.

"Look, Steven, I'll prove to you that is safe." Lapis walked up to the side of the pyramid and knocked on the side. She even leaned on the side to push, she brought out her water wings to try and knock it over. The building did not budge.

Maybe it's anchored down at the bottom of this is only the top layer of a deeper building design.

I quickly ran to the door and looked at a pyramid-shaped hole. The door had no pad or usual opening I've seen with the other gems.

"Huh looks like we need a key." Lapis said tilting her head to the left and right.

"Well, we don't have one. Why don't we just grab a giant berry and head home? I don't know why but this place just makes me uncomfortable."

"It's your gem reacting to the remnant Gem radiation, I feel it too. This is a place of mourning." Lapis said stoically.

"Mourning? Wait Radiation?!"

"This is one of the many battlefields where homeworld and the rebellion fought one another." Lapis said turning from the Pyramid and looking out at the strawberry fields. "When a Gem is shattered anything stored inside is expelled out from it. Usually just energy."

Lapis just made a sour face as she scanned the fields. "Your planet seems to just have eaten all that up."

Scary thoughts came to mind about radioactive plants, realizing I should probably not bring these strawberries home, and I really should shower…

Bottling that up now.

Lapis is sad! Let's focus on that!

"You know you have been out of the Mirror for about a week now and you never really told me about what got you put in the mirror." I said trying to brush off thoughts of a slow painful Chernobylesque death.

"Well, Steven it's not that important." Lapis said, trying to brush my question aside as we walked away from the pyramid and started walking through the field. There were weapons strewn about everywhere and she started picking many out of the ground and flinging them into a pile of her making.

"Lapis if it bothers you so much then it is important. Come on we shared a room for a while. Dad was surprised to have you out of the mirror, but your family now. We take care of each other."

"Steven just let it go for now, please. I'm just… not ready to talk about it with you... and the setting isn't even right. We are not on an emotionally revealing kayaking trip up the river, nor are we on top of a cabin in the woods looking at the stars." Lapis raised her brow at me as she pulled a particularly large sword out of the ground and flew it over to her growing pile of weaponry.

Her obsession with that show aside, "Why are you collecting weapons?"

"Steven for one we should never leave our tools lying around. Leaving these things out here is just going to remind us this is a battlefield. Just like when Jake left after season three of Campers River Love. When Gretchen kept seeing his things it just broke her heart. Everyone thought it was honoring his adventures when really all it was doing was hurting those who loved him most." Lapis said, gripping her uniform at her chest.

Overdramatics being ignored.

"So the weapons just bring you bad memories. We don't have to come back here you know?" I said looking out at the field. The weapons went on for miles, nothing had ever been laid to rest for years.

"And two we may one day need some of these weapons." Lapis finished a matter of factly.

"Need them?" I asked looking at the growing pile

"You saw the map, Steven. Those red marked areas have anomalous beings. The machine does not pick up organic life forms because otherwise, the whole map would be red. The map picks up things that may take a special team to take care of... " Lapis lowered her voice while pulling the Tablet out of a bag I gave her.

"So you want us to take care of these Anomalies. Lapis we don't even know what they are!"

"Oh, but we have to. For multiple reasons, the least pressing being that it'll make for great training on our gem abilities. I'm rusty from the mirror and your..." she leaned over me slightly tapping her chin, something I know she got from the show, "New at this."

She pressed a few buttons and turned the tablet towards me, she trailed her finger over the screen as she talked, "See here- The drones have locked on their signatures and gathered information about them. There are some imperceptible beings flying all around some city near some large bodies of water. Larger Class 8 Anomalous beings are crowding around some old Gem structures. Gems themselves seem to be everywhere, some actually in the process of being attacked by other anomalies." Lapis tapped some more buttons and a feed from the drone opened showing a green centipede-like gem fighting a large purple-skinned four-armed… beast. Lapis shudder before closing the feed.

"This planet is infested with Anomalous entities like Bigfoot and whatever that thing was... Should homeworld ever return it's highly likely that they will come with armies to wipe everything out." Lapis ended her statement with a punch to a nearby overgrown strawberry, "Boom! No more Earth." Strawberry juice gushed everywhere coating my face and her left side.

Oh god, now I'm radiated. This is how I die. Coated in delicious strawberry juice that will slowly kill me from the inside out. Goodbye, cruel world. Hello, cancer and tumors and hair loss. Eh well, I am half-gem. Maybe I'll survive.

Wow, this strawberry is delicious.

Despite the gravity of what she just said, and ignorant of the danger she just subjected me to, Lapis showed no real emotion on her face continuing to look around the area. "We won't be safe of course unless we prove ourselves useful and clear out the anomalies before that happens."

I wiped the juice off my face and licked my hand a few times before whatever juice was left flew off my body and then flew through the air like a pink water balloon off into the distance. I looked at Lapis to see her clean as can be.

"We don't need to prove ourselves to anyone but ourselves Lapis… But if you think dealing with them will help train us for when homeworld returns then I'm all for it."

"Oh really?"

I did not like the way she said that. Or her smile.

Why-HOW was she picking up that axe? It's taller than Garnet and Rose combined! Oh god, what is she doing!

"Lapis...Lapi...What are you doing?!"

I watched Lapis heft the much too large Axe over her shoulder before she swiftly flew at the Pyramid and started spinning the Axe around her body gaining momentum before she released it at the door. I watched the axe crash through the previously locked door and Lapis turned and smiled at me.

"Time to go on that adventure Steven."

Oh, dear. I released a sociopathic blue monster, with a love for cheesy eighties sitcoms.

I waited a few moments as Lapis walked towards the door, waiting for the pyramid to fall over. "Well, you coming?"

This is my life now, isn't it?

With a sigh, I rushed forward to catch up with the camper. Lapis took a moment to grab the axe and toss it back the way we came. The ground trembling slightly from the axe crashing into the pile…

Seriously how strong are gems? I know I can lift dad's van if I tried, but I still have to try you know…

Shaking that thought away I trailed behind Lapis as we walked up a few steps into a deceptively large room.

How in the world is there a room this large when we only walked up maybe five steps into the point of a pyramid.

Homeworld tech is ridiculously advanced. I looked around the room, the light from the doorway barely reached here, but it didn't have to. The large oval-shaped room has some kind of light to it, faintly outlining the murals along the walls and ceiling.

"Kinda creepy. I love it." Sure you do Lapi.

She walked around the room with her hands in her pockets before deciding to just lean against the wall as I took in the place. The walls featured what looked to be Gems With spikes over their heads. Some standing on floating platforms with water below them, or diving headfirst into it.

The ceiling depicted White Diamond shining her light while many hands grasped up to her. A mural of what looked to be Rose Quartz with her sword out in front of her pointing at what looked to be Pink Diamond who had her shield ready to protect herself. Around the two many generic gems stood in opposition of one another. Behind Pink and her shield were 3 unique gems one with hearts by her head a small orangish gem and Pearl. Three glittering Diamonds over it all.

"So… is this it?" The room was empty. Just murals. Lapis shrugged from her place, "Everything homeworld made when I was around served a purpose. Everyone and everything has a place in our society. I can't imagine this building is just an empty place with some murals, but I don't recall this being here when I came down to earth. So… It must be new. I mean look here." Lapis pushed off the wall and pointed to the middle of the ceiling.

A large triangle with three upside-down triangles inside of it. Each one of their points overlapping each other in the center.

"To have that symbol means this structure is either older than me, being created when there was only three diamond which it can't be, look at the image of Rose Quartz the Traitor. Or more likely this structure must have been made after Pink was shattered." I just nodded along. I could see that being the case, however, I distinctly remember seeing four multicolored diamonds on that eye ship, however. Was it just old? That would explain that green gems bitching-

"So how do we find out what this was built for then?" "Heck if I know." I blinked and looked at Lapis who didn't look the least bit sheepish. "That's the point of an adventure Steven! Mystery!" She struck a pose, one arm in the air and the other thrown behind herself. Paulette's pose. It looked ridiculous with her deadpan expression so I couldn't help but chuckle.

There was a rumble and Lapis took a ready stance, her water wings forming a second set of arms. I looked around unable to see anything and just formed my crystal shield mimicking Lapi.

Right behind us, a column rose from the ground with a floating upside-down pyramid… After it finished rising the shaking stopped and Lapis returned her water to her gem. She looked at me and back to the pyramid before striking her copied, Paulette pose again. "Mystery Solved!"

I decided to humor her, striking Percy's pose, One arm over my forehead and the other straight in front with a thumbs up, "Good Job!"

I held it for only a second before turning off my shield and shoving both hands in the pockets of my jacket. "So what does this do?" She continued to hold her pose, "A New Mystery!" Then dropped it, "I wasn't kidding when I said I don't know what this is. I know some ships have a hologram of itself that controls them, but those are generally used by the onboard A.I. or remote control. This is a building, so I have no idea why it would have something like this."

"So… A.I.s are a thing in Gem space?"

"Yes." I clicked my tongue, "Neat." Not that that helps us here.

I looked around to see if anything else changed. Nope. So I shrugged and poked the pyramid, Lapis reached out to stop me I think but was too slow. And then the rumble started again.

"Steven! You don't just go touching random things in a cursed tomb!" "This isn't a cursed tomb!" I looked at the pyramid that was flipping around widely in the air, I didn't touch it that hard...

Wait… why am I flo-

We both left the ground Lapis shot out her water wings to try and flap away but seemed unable to control herself and we flew into the now open ceiling…

"What in the-" "Adventure! Woo!"

I screamed loudly as we fell into the sky, which overshadowed Lapis' more excited cheers. The wind continued to brush past my face when the tube we were in seemed to shrink before widening the air turning and attempting to suck me into a connecting tube Lapis reaching for me before she was sucked into a different direction, her cheers turning into an angry shout and a faint "I'll come back." being the last thing I hear from her.

I looked around the tube as it gradually turned darker and darker, then…

Pink and Soft…

I pushed off the pink bed I found myself in and looked around. There was the long tube above me that seemed to stretch on farther than I can see. The massive bed I found myself in was huge, so large in fact It even had four posts with curtains. CURTAINS. The room had a white and pink color scheme with a desk, a mirror, and what looked to be a large wardrobe.

"... Mystery Solved?"

Dangit. Is Lapis brushing off on me now?

"Hello~!" I called out, only to hear an echo of myself from above… Just great. Then I heard something else. Static. From over… There!

The desk.

I crawled my way out of the gigantic bed and had to watch myself as I landed roughly on the ground below. The bed was obviously meant for an actual giant... stepping off onto the pristine white tiles… This room was built for some sort of giant gem I imagine, Maybe not one of the diamonds.

I walked over to the oversized desk and looked around for what was making the static noise.

The desk was filled with random tablets and random gem symbols but I don't see- Ah.

There was some multi-colored box thing that was half turned, along with several crudely drawn images of Various gems on tablets.

I picked it up and fixed it so the colors lined up, it would give me a migraine otherwise- why is the static getting louder?

I tried turning the cube the other way, but it just started fighting me trying to open-

Shards what did I do now?! First reversing gravity now-

Why is it blue- Is it going to explode?!

The tablet cube expanded above the desk and I ducked underneath to protect myself-

"... this is Blue Diamond's Control room." a soft voice echoed in the room, with faint sounds of crying in the background.

Did- Did I seriously just use a Gem Phone?

"... Hello?" the soft voice called out- almost timidly. Before tapping was heard.

Like. A Rubix cube is a gem phone? Do you turn in other ways to call other people? Like- what!?

"Pearl?" The tapping stopped, "Yes My Diamond?" Pearl? Oh right. 'Millions of other gems just like me' That's what Purple said before.

"Who is calling me?" "I am unsure My Diamond- The call is originating from an old model of a communicator. The video is not working."

I peaked my head over the desk to see the screen hovering a foot above it. The contents of the screen showed who I assumed was the timid voice. She was looking to her left revealing her profile. She looked very lean with long thin arms, and has an oval-shaped head with a prominent and pointed nose, just like my Pearl. This one however has sky blue skin and messy, chin-length periwinkle hair. The upper portion of her face was covered with her bangs. Her outfit consists of a periwinkle bodysuit with an open diamond-shaped keyhole neckline, with a sheer, frost-blue, skirt. Her gemstone, a pale blue Pearl, was visible on her chest.

She's cute.

She turned back to the screen and continued to type something on her end. "They are not talking, I assume the audio is damaged as well, so I am attempting to locate wher-..." She stopped typing and seemed to inhale as if surprised.

Wait… If she was trying to-

"My Diamond...It-..." The Pearl was shaking, mirroring my own.

How do I turn this off!? I started grabbing the corners trying to push them back together

"Off! Off! Turn off!" I panicked tapping at the screen or various corners.

"Pearl I just heard someone! Tell me what you found out. Who called?" As if by magic the Pearl stood up straighter and with confidence replied, "The call originated from Earth. It is Pink's old co-" The screen shook and what could only be described as the wail of a banshee echoed in the bed-chamber. For a second the shocked face of Blue Pearl-Bearl-with almost a waterfall of tears pouring from her eyes was on the screen before she poofed and a large hand grabbed the screen from the other end.

"Who DARES?" the Massive form of Blue Diamond enveloped the screen. Her large blue diamond eyes piercing into view.

I blinked taking in the image I was seeing… "You are one tall-" "I will find out who used her things and I will take great pleasure in shattering you!"

The line went dead and the cube fell down onto the desk. "What in the world just- Wait. They know the call came from Earth… She said she would- Oh no." I held the cube for a moment unsure if I should twist it in another direction. I saw a few more displayed in front of me and decided it would probably be best to just loot the place.

Adventure aside we may one day need something in here. I started to pack various screens and baubles into my bag and opened some drawers to see if there was much of anything I could use.

The ground started shaking. What-Now!?

One thing after another - after another!

Can't I just have one momen-

I instinctively formed a bubble around myself as my vision was bathed in white.

An echo of sound enveloped me as I flew through the air, the light blinding me as I took in the field of strawberries from above. All around me pieces of the pristine room and clumps of the pyramid fell up and down. In the distance I could see a small town- I'll have to look up that later- and gravity took control of the bubble.

If the bubble can survive being a flail and pinball machine I'm confident I won't break anything from the fall...

Water wrapped around the bubble a few feet from the ground and I jolted from the lost momentum, as Lapis set the bubble down gently her look of panic shifted to one of joy as she wrapped me around in a hug.

"I looked all over for you!- The Room just kept repeating and repeating, Ceilings falling down with spikes to shatter me, Lava floors, Flood rooms, ice beams, Lasers, even rolling boulders! Ugh! It got so frustrating looking for you I just had to get out so I used the water from the flooded room to drill down and found the Albite that was powering everything and ripped it off the core."

She reached into the breast pocket of her uniform and fished out the fist-sized gem for me to see.

"Then the whole place just blew up. You should think taking out a battery wouldn't do that, but what do I know about the new tech. Maybe it's a safety feature… What's wrong?" I just stared blankly at everything Lapis was saying.

I missed all that adventure, and just listened to a Pearl… Awesome.

I smiled brightly, Lapis returning the bright smile with one of her own, "So you had fun then Lapis?" She nodded, "Good! Let's head back home, I need to talk to my therapist about near-death experiences tomorrow."

Lapis cheered and walked over to the large pile of weapons,- "Leave the axe here unless you can store it in your gem!" "You're no fun!"

How do I tell her that her old boss might be coming to earth soon?

We walked on out of the rubble of the field. Smoke still rising from the pieces of 'Gem metal' and craters of crushed foliage. Lapis decided to only bring a pair of short swords with us.

As I pondered how to tell Lapis of the call without freaking her out about proving ourselves to the Diamonds. I could feel as if there was someone watching us.

I looked around in concern as Lapis picked through the strawberry patch and selected a large Strawberry.

"Lapis…. Doesn't it feel like something is here?" I asked turning round and round to see if I missed something but the field is a sea of red green and pink with various weapons peppering the field in little splashes of color. This was a horrible place to deal with a 'Where's the Danger?' game.

Lapis paused and looked around taking her weapons out at the ready bending her knees ready to spring to the left or right in a moment.

"Steven don't move."

I froze as I suddenly started to hear rustles in the field. There was a large pink berry moving in our direction.

Wait… that wasn't a berry. It was a Lion. a Giant Pink probably radioactive Lion.

"Oh look Steven a Cat!" Lapis smiled, lowering her weapons.

"Not Good Not Good!" I shouted as I bolted leaving Lapis alone with the Lion. Kind of a Dick move but she can handle this. I on the other hand am soft and Fleshy and more than likely on the menu.

"Steven?! Steven, it's just a Cat! It's not a bear! Stop running" She yelled following after the Lion

I ran through the field dodging weapons and strawberries. I crashed through a few drenching myself in strawberry pulp and juices. Great when the Lion Eats me I have been well seasoned!

I could feel the breath of the lion right behind me as I shielded myself the Lion flinging itself at my bubble. The force of the body crashing into the shield sent me flying. My bubble crashing along the field. I had to try to catch myself when I started careening down a steep hill. Vaguely in the distance, I saw a large barrier surrounding the field and a line I could only assume was a large fence.

Great, confirm my fears about radiation.

What could only be described as a portal opened up in front of me and the lion leaped out towards me. Does everything Pink have Magical powers now!?

Lion hit my bubble back the way I came from. I tried to control my roll again but the lion kept swiping me left and right till I could honestly say I was going to puke. The more nauseous I became the harder it was for me to keep my bubble stable till finally it popped and I found myself sprawled out in a cool strawberry Accepting my imminent demise.

I looked up at the sky thinking this would be my last moment on earth Laying on a strawberry being a pink lion's desert. I watched the silhouette of the lion block out the light of the sun as it looked ominous down towards me. It opened its jaws, shining teeth glimmering in the light for just a moment as it leaned towards its prey.

I tried to squirm and wiggle away only for a large paw to push down on my chest. I whimpered looking up Into the Jaws of the beast as it leaned close to my face then… A large tongue licked me. The Lion's foul-smelling drool licked up my nose and up across my forehead.

It must be tasting me before it decided to take a bite out of me. I lifted my arm to protect myself only for my whole arm to go in Lion's mouth. Oh god here it was I was going to lose an arm now. The lion's sandpaper tongue wrapped around my arm a few times before it nosed my arm away and over my head and it licked my side and up my pit and arm. I laughed in surprise as I went to sit up and it started to stuff at my neck and nudge me over and started to lick my side and back.

Oh, stars. It was giving me a bath. The Lion was treating me like a cub.

"Steven there you are!" I looked up to see Lapis flying low towards me. I went to go towards her only for the lion to throw a paw over my shoulder and pull me back as it licked the back of my neck and my hair.

"My My." She covered her lips chuckling at me and the Lion.

"What?! No, Help me!" I shouted to her, reaching out an arm only to get growled at as the lion pushed me forward but kept a paw on my back as it started to lick lower.

"Why? It's not doing anything?" Lapis laughed

Oh hell no I was not going to have a Lion licking me in my privates while Lapis stood by and laughed.

"Lapis get all this strawberry juice off me so the lion will stop licking me!"

"Oh alright. Fine~!" She used her water powers to drench me again in cool clean water and strip away the juice before pulling it away from me. The lion started batting then licking at the water orb she held up to the side. With the lion distracted I crawled away quickly before getting my legs under me to move behind Lapis.

"Feeling better now?" She asked.

"You live for moments of schadenfreude don't you." I asked her with a glare.

"I haven't the slightest idea about what you mean." She smiled as she released control on the water orb and started to lead the two of us to the teleporter.

As we started to walk away I heard a noise only to feel the lion nudging at my back.

"No kitty go home."

I started to walk away again only to have the lion grab the back of my jacket in its mouth

"I think the Cat wants to come with us. Can we keep it?"

Can we keep it? Has this gem lost her damn mind? "No, we can't keep it!" I shouted as I started to pull forward to get the lion to let go of my jacket.

"No! Lion let go of my jacket right now!" I growled out. The Lion instantly releasing my jacket and I stumbled forward. O.K good it responds to commands.

Adjusting my jacket so it fit correctly I started to stomp away from it to the Teleporter. I stood on it waiting for Lapis to join me. I looked back to see Lapis giving the Lion some ear Scritches and calling him a 'sweet little puddy tat'

"Lapis!"

"What Steven?! You named it! If you give it a name you are calling it yours that is Earth pet rules!" Lapis said continuing to pet the large beast like it was a simple house pet.

I mean she has a point but still!

"Lapis I did not name it."

"You called it Lion, you gave him a name. Isn't that right Lion?" She asked, getting in Lion's face and the Giant fluff bumped heads with her.

The lion looked up at Lapis and nodded and gave a snort as it followed us both onto the Teleporter.

Oh no not happening. I put my hand up stopping the Lion before I pointed down to the ground.

"No. Sit...Stay…" I said watching Lion intently as I pulled Lapis onto the warp pad

"Beam us up Lapi." I said straightening my back and crossing one arm over my chest

"Honestly Steven, we can take the cat home with us."

"Oh, and how do you plan on explaining our new pet Lion to my dad Hmmm."

"It followed us home?"

"No Lapi that would never work. The Lion stays and we go home. I need to take a hazmat shower as soon as possible. I can feel ulcers forming in my brain."

Lapis beamed us up and we made it to the statue, Lapis jumping behind the couch swiftly hiding herself. I stepped around the place poking my head around to see if any of the gems were nearby. After a minute or so I waved Lapis over and we avoided the volunteer constructors outside. Once we cleared the crews we began making our way back home.

The beach itself was not overly busy, mostly a few beachcombers looking for buried treasure and an Indian girl leaning against a rock wall working on what appeared to be some kind of report from the various piles of books surrounding her.

"You know Steven I am not sure I understand you." Lapis commented, grabbing my attention as we continued off the beach. She furrowed her brow watching the various passing humans "I'm not sure I understand any of the humans either?"

"I'm not following Lapi."

"You don't follow the human rules from my discoveries of human culture." Lapis said looking me up and down. "You do not follow human clothing norms or Rituals. Honestly, I'm starting to wonder if you classify as a human or a Gem. You are this odd grey area. The diamonds would consider you malformed or Off Color."

"Lapis you know I'm a Half-Human and Half Gem hybrid. I'm not one or the other I'm both. I'm working to embrace that. After all, I am unique." I said feeling impassioned

"Unique is just another word to make someone who is different or malformed feel good." Lapis commented quoting, I assume, Donald from season 2 of CPH.

I glanced at Ý̶̦̈́̽͂e̵̙͛̄͠l̵̩͎̅l̵̦͎̆̍̈́͝o̶̧̳̿̒͝ẅ̷̻̯̬́̇͜ and scowled, hearing B̴̰̰̽̀́͝l̵͕̑̕ű̶̠̹̈́͝͝e̴̡̞̜̲̊ in the background chuckling, before looking forward, "Whatever."

"You walked into it. Oh and also Lion is following us." Lapis started calmly throwing a thumb over her shoulder.

"Haha very…" I started only for the lion to grab me by my jacket as Larz almost ran me over in a car, having sped past a stop sign.

"Watch where you're going you-" I scream out to him before shrugging my jacket out of Lion's mouth and pat its head.

"Thanks, I guess."

"So Steven about keeping the Lion." Lapis asked knowingly.

"He can stay but you have to tell dad." I said as my heart calmed down and Lion let me lean on him to walk home.

I just couldn't anymore.

"Okay~." Lapis sang as she followed us along. Several people spotted us from across the street or further ahead of us, either stopping to take pictures from afar or jaywalking to get away from us.

Lapis didn't seem to notice or perhaps she just enjoyed the fear they gave us as she just smiled happily and waved to whoever left our path.

When we walked into the house I heard my dad in the living room. "Hey you two what's shaking?" he leaned over slightly to look at the door before going back to the tv.

"Mr. Universe, it is so nice to see you again. I hope you had a good day. Steven has a new pet and it followed us home." Lapis spoke overly cheery, as I waited for the meltdown.

"...A new pet?" Greg stood up stretching before turning around instantly spotting Lion mid-yawn and froze. "...is that a pink lion?"

AN: And we did it we did it we did it hurray Lo hicimos! We did it! We got a whole other chapter out in 5 days!

Artemis_HNR: Wooo! Ok so we got this chapter rolled out to you right quick. Introduction of Fully formed Lapis and her quirky new traits we have Lion and did anyone notice the new character on the Horizon? Who thinks they know where we are heading? Is their love Bobbing along the River? Will Steven and his mom reconcile their differences? Will Greg be able to handle his home becoming the wayward house of lost Gem things! What about Dr. Maheswaren and Stevens next therapy appointment?! Stay tuned for our next chapter coming soon….. sometime...someday…..

Mark the Mark: don't expect another chapter out this fast again. But Happy New Year, hope you all enjoy it! Its definitely not as long as the last chapter, but there was no reason to stretch it out, and we got to the perfect stopping point with Lion coming home with Steven. Next up- Birthday Wishes.

To the guy asking about Connie.

She will come into the story when she becomes relevant to the story. At the moment, because Steven is not… Spongebob she won't really have time to shine, other than just being a friend, and Steven isn't really that interested in human friends now that he has all this Gem stuff- which can you blame him?

Romance: Is also not really on his mind either, he might think some gems are cute or attractive, he is a teenage boy, but that doesn't mean he is looking to lock lips with anyone quickly.

When Romance happens, which it will happen, it will come naturally. More than likely over the course of Seasons rather than Episodes… More then likely… Maybe… Teenage boy after all.