AN: For anyone who doesn't know about Expressive Writing, it's a technique recommended by psychologists for addressing stressors and triggers in your life. You write for about 15-20 minutes every day, and it can be about everything or nothing. If you have a hard time writing something, you can make doodles, or lines, or just repeat what you've already written. The point is to give yourself the ability to think and just get your feelings out. To be true to form, I timed myself writing Steven's journal entry for 15 minutes and spaced out. I made no grammar or structure changes to the journal because it isn't necessary in this technique. You are encouraged to write without paying much attention to grammar/writing rules since the point is self-expression. I hope this is informative for anyone that likes to write, or just wants a good way to get stress out. I did actually feel a little better after writing that chapter. Felt more focused.
Also, for anyone curious about the new layout of the beach house, please check out my basic layout of each room.
Enjoy the chapter!
Xx/xx/xx
I'm never really sure how to start these expressive writing prompts, but my therapist has told me that I'm doing it right. I really like her. She's so nice to me, and she never acts like I'm bothering her. The gems have gotten much better at listening to me when I ask them a question, which means a lot to me. I never would've gotten to this point without my big brother. We renovated the house a couple of days ago, and we finally finished today. I like that I have more privacy now. I never minded that my room could be seen from the living room, but it's like having a place that's just for me. When the gems made me upset, I never had a place for myself. They always had their rooms, and now I have mine. To be honest, I kinda don't like my room too. I got used to sharing a room with Starbright. I feel a little lonely when I go to bed now, and Twoie is upstairs. I've never had family that I was that close with besides dad, and we stopped sleeping together years ago. I miss Twoie. It was like having a sleepover all of the time. I always feel safe knowing Twoie is with me. It doesn't matter that he's still in the house. Sometimes I wake up by myself and think that he went home. That he left and I'll never see him again. I'm scared of him going home. I'm so happy that he decided to stay, but I know that he will have to go eventually. I wish that there was some way for me to keep in touch with him when he eventually leaves.
The situation with Jasper is getting worse. Twoie has been telling us about what to expect with Jasper, and I'm worried. She's going to end up corrupting herself, and I really hope that won't happen this time around. I know that I don't have to fix mom's mistakes. I'm not doing this because of mom or because of the gems anymore. I'm doing this because the way the diamonds treat gems is wrong. I love my friends Lapis, Peridot, and Bismuth. If it weren't for mom and the rebellion, I wouldn't have the gems either. I want to help them. So I'm doing this for Twoie and me. I know Twoie is scared. He's getting better when it comes to asking for help and talking about his feelings. He knows we are willing to help him. I still worry about him, though, because I know these feelings don't go away easily. I still hesitate to talk to the gems when something bothers me because I worry they will brush me off again. I've gotten more confident, though, and I am doing my best to speak up.
Mom has been telling me that I am doing a good job when it comes to my mental health. I like to talk with her sometimes about therapy when I visit Connie. She likes knowing some of the techniques, and she has Connie in therapy too. I've been getting along with Mr. Doug as well. He's really funny. I like him. I think Twoie really likes him too. We've been talking about doing more family things, and the gems are invited. I think we'll have a picnic at the barn next. Dad's promised he would contact Uncle Andy and try to get us to meet up as well. I really like having a big family! I can't believe I've gone so long without them.
My whole world has changed with Twoie's arrival. I think this is the happiest I've ever been. I know that things are going to get harder from here, but I'm ready for it! We'll stop Jasper and the Diamonds! We'll end this war! And then we'll help all of the corrupted gems. I'll get to see Centi and her friends again. Twoie told me that he could understand the corrupted gems because of his own corruption. He said that Centi's friends are called White Fur and Sharp Claw. I wonder if they'll keep those names when they're healed? If they don't like them, we'll find new names that they'll like better. Twoie and I need to visit them again soon. I'm happy that they aren't lonely anymore, but I bet they get bored. Maybe I'll talk to Bismuth about making them an acid-proof ball, so they have something to play with if they get bored. Maybe we could play together when we visit! We could make up a game!
I guess my time's up. I know I say this after every entry, but I like writing like this. It really helps me feel better. Bye journal! I know I keep saying this, too, but I'll come up with a better name for you soon. I think you deserve a really cool name because you really help me.
Steven gently closed the cover of his composition book. He smiled at the doodles he made on the white cover. There were little doodles of Lion, Twoie, his family, and some Crying Breakfast Friends characters. The kid tucked the book into the drawer of his desk and stood up. It was almost time for Connie's sword training, and he wanted to join in. Twoie was at his therapy appointment, so it was just him at the house. Steven hummed as he trotted downstairs with his cheeseburger backpack. He packed a couple of water bottles and snacks while waiting for the gems to get back. The kid had just finished packing for the training when the warp activated.
Pearl, Amethyst, and Garnet appeared on the warp pad with worried expressions. Steven's good mood deflated a little when he saw them. "No luck?"
Pearl sighed with a hand on her head as the three gems stepped off the warp. "None. We've been searching the north all morning." She smiled softly at Steven. "How have you been? We just stopped by to check on you before we headed back out to search some more."
Steven blinked in surprise. "Doesn't Connie have sword training today? I wanted to join you two."
Pearl gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. "Oh my stars, I completely forgot!" She bit her lip. "I'm so sorry, Steven. But looking for Jasper takes priority at the moment. I'll have to apologize to Connie as well when she arrives."
Garnet hummed in thought before turning to Amethyst. "Amethyst, why don't you stay here with Steven and Connie? Pearl and I will continue searching the north to see if we can catch Jasper before she arrives at the beach."
Amethyst nodded in agreement. She nonchalantly tucked her arms behind her head as she stepped off the warp pad and stood by Steven.
Suddenly, the front door burst open. Everyone looked behind them to see Connie and Lion smiling as they rushed into the room. "Surprise! I'm here early!" Connie looked around the room in awe. "I know Steven said you all renovated the house, and I couldn't help my excitement. The house looks so cool! Much bigger than before!" Steven chuckled at the wonder in her voice. He knew the front room didn't look much different, but the outside did look neat. The house looked a lot bigger now.
"I'm so sorry, Connie, but I'm going to have to cancel today's training. I should've called you, so you didn't have to come all the way here." Pearl knew Connie would forgive her, but it still didn't make her happy to have to blow her student off. She was trying to make sure she was better with both Steven and Connie. Forgetting about training felt like she was disrespecting Connie's time.
"It's fine, Pearl! Is this about Jasper?" The young girl set her bag down on the coffee table, though she was still facing Pearl. Pearl smiled lightly at the understanding in Connie's voice.
"Yes. We're trying to find Jasper before she makes her way to Beach City. A lot has changed, so we're hoping we can stop her before she gets here. Or at least before she finds the other corrupted gems." Pearl sighed at the thought of Jasper trying to control the poor corrupted quartzes.
Garnet smiled as she placed a hand on her hip. "You guys should enjoy yourselves today. You've earned a good break." She turned to Steven. "Why don't you give her a tour of the house? By the time you three are done, Twoie's appointment will be over." Garnet's smile became a smirk. "I left some money on his desk this morning so that you guys could go get something from town."
Amethyst and the kids grinned at the idea of getting donuts in town. Content that the group would spend the day relaxing, Garnet and Pearl waved goodbye as they disappeared back into the warp stream.
Amethyst stretched and laid down on the couch. "You guys go explore the house while I take a quick nap. Come get me when you're done, kay?" Steven and Connie nodded, holding in their laughs when Lion laid on the floor next to Amethyst. The kids headed upstairs into Steven's room.
"This is my room! It looks mostly the same, except I've got a desk now, and it looks more like a room." Steven jumped onto his bed with a giggle. Connie looked around excitedly. It certainly looked more like a room than it used to, and she loved how happy Steven seemed with the change. After another moment of looking around, Steven led her up the stairs by his bed, leading to Twoie's room. Upon entering Twoie's bedroom, Connie was surprised to see how similar it looked to Steven's room. In fact, they were the same, except everything was flipped to the opposite side. The only difference was the balcony. Steven ran over to the sliding door, pushing it open. "Twoie's room has a balcony that leads to the observatory. Come on!"
Connie grinned as she rushed up the stairs. Steven threw open the door to the observatory, and the young girl was in awe. The design was based mainly on Twoie's sketch of the building in his time. There was a multitude of flora spread throughout the room. Most were in the stages of sprouting, but a couple of plants had already bloomed. She gently touched the petals of a pretty daisy in wonder.
Steven felt a sense of pride at the starstruck look in his friend's eyes. Twoie had outdone himself with the arrangement. The kid still remembered the stars in Twoie's eyes as he talked about the plants he had grown in his other time. He walked over to the giant telescope in the middle of the room. The observatory also functioned as a watchtower for Homeworld ships, but Steven couldn't wait to use the room for a sleepover. It'd be a cool way to have a fun camp night! At the light tap on his shoulder, Steven realized Connie was beside him. He moved so that she could look through the telescope as well, and he listened as she rambled about the stars and planets she could see.
When the two were done, they headed back to the living room to meet up with Amethyst. The gem was still snoozing in the living room, so they had to shake her shoulder to wake her. "Huh? You guys done?" Amethyst yawned and stretched. She looked over the kids as they nodded. "Sounds good! Let's go get Twoie and get some donuts!" Amethyst raised her hands in a cheer. Steven and Connie grinned, dashing out of the house with cheers.
It didn't take them long to arrive in town. The group made their way over to the therapist's office on the edge of town. When they arrived, Twoie was already standing outside, waiting for them. The young man visibly brightened as the two kids ran over and hugged him. "Hey, you guys! What a nice surprise!" Twoie ruffled them on the head while smiling at Amethyst.
The purple gem smirked and punched him lightly on the arm. "Yeah, right. You knew we were coming."
Twoie snorted. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small stack of bills—Steven and Connie oo'ed in wonder. "Garnet left a note saying that we should have fun today. I figured she'd either tell you about it, or I would just call you after my appointment, and we could meet in town." The group started walking towards the Big Donut. "Are Pearl and Garnet still looking for Jasper?"
Steven hummed in confirmation. He asked quietly, "Do you think they'll catch her?" Connie looked at Twoie inquisitively.
Twoie sighed and looked at the beach in worry. "I think it's been too long."
Amethyst looked at him warily. If that was true, then Pearl and Garnet were just wasting their time. They'd be better off sticking around Beach City and waiting for Jasper to show. "Well, we'll deal with her when she shows her face." Amethyst lifted her hands behind her head. She lazily looked over at the others, smiling when she saw they looked happier at her words. "Now, let's get some donuts! I'm starving!"
Steven, Connie, and Amethyst spent the rest of the afternoon goofing around. After buying most of the Big Donut's donuts, the group hung out at the boardwalk. Then, they spent the rest of the evening playing in the ocean. Steven and Connie splashed in the ocean for a while before becoming judges for Twoie's and Amethyst's surf competition. Twoie's shield wasn't the greatest surfboard, but it worked well enough to pull off several tricks.
"I don't think I've ever had this much fun in one day." Connie laughed as Twoie wiped out on a wave. Amethyst immediately guffawed at the look on his face when he resurfaced. Steven and Connie snorted when Twoie glared and pulled Amethyst off her board.
"Yeah! I've never seen Amethyst or Twoie this happy either." Steven smiled fondly as he watched Amethyst and Twoie laugh together. "I actually feel like we're a family." The kid grinned and splashed Connie. She looked affronted at the surprise attack. "As my best friend, you're part of the family too!"
"Well then, if we're family, then I guess you won't mind me doing this!" Connie raised both arms in the air and both them down on the water. Steven shrieked as he got splashed by a big wave of water. Just as the two began a game of splashing each other, the water began to rumble. Steven and Connie paused in surprise, looking around to find the cause of the strange sensation. Twoie's eyes widened, and he quickly summoned one of his pink panels. He shoved Connie and Steven to the side with his power, just as an orange corrupted quartz burst from the water where they had been playing.
"Steven! Connie!" Amethyst swam over to the two quickly while Twoie swam to shore. He could feel the beast's emotions. The young man recalled something similar when he was with Centi. It gave him an idea.
"Hey, Biggs." Twoie held his hands out in a placating manner. The gem growled at him, baring its dripping fangs at the movement. "Let's just calm down. Okay?" The beast roared, making Twoie flinch. Steven, Connie, and Amethyst watched in awe as Twoie glared at the gem. "Calm down." He stepped forward, easing his expression into one of comfort. "I know you're confused. I know you're scared. I can help you, but you can't attack us." The corrupted gem stepped back. She sniffed the air before lowering her hackles. Twoie smiled in relief as the gem let him approach her. He placed a hand on her snout. "I promise that we'll be able to cure you soon, but I need to bubble you so you'll be safe. Will you let me bubble you?" The corrupted quartz laid down, snuffling softly. Twoie smiled sadly as he summoned his shield and prepped it for a clean hit. She'd feel no pain. "I'm sorry, Biggs."
Steven and Connie closed their eyes, flinching at the sound of the gem poofing. Amethyst looked away. They knew it had to be done, but knowing that Twoie had calmed her made the action feel almost like a betrayal. "Steven? Amethyst?" Twoie held the corrupted gem reverently in his hands as the rest of the group looked at him. He never took his eyes off of the gem. "I need one of you guys to bubble her. Jasper will be here any second, and I don't want Biggs to fall into her hands."
Amethyst, Connie, and Steven walked up to him. Twoie gently handed the quartz over to Steven, who bubbled her and sent her to the temple. "You knew her?" Connie asked quietly.
Twoie sighed. "Yeah." He didn't comment any further. Instead, he turned back to the ocean, another shield appearing on his arm. "Connie, Steven, and Lion. You guys will handle the other corrupted quartz." The two kids nodded. Lion chuffed and moved into an offensive stance. Amethyst summoned her whip from her gem and stood beside Twoie. "Amethyst, you and I will deal with Jasper."
Seconds after Twoie gave his orders, the water rumbled again, and Jasper burst out of the ocean. She had her helmet on while she was riding the second corrupted quartz. Her gaze swept over the group on the sand, landing on Steven and Twoie. "What?" She growled as her eyes darted between the two. "Two Roses? What kind of cowardly trick is this?" Jasper snarled, jumping off the corrupted gem and landing on the shore.
Twoie took a step forward, throwing his free hand out to protect Steven. "I don't care which one of us you think is the real Rose Quartz. Your fight is with me, Jasper."
Jasper smirked at Twoie's declaration. "I can't believe the great Rose Quartz was dumb enough to think this would trick me. It's easy to figure out who the real one is." The orange gem bared her teeth in a wicked grin. "You're the one giving out orders, and you have the build of a real quartz." Jasper gestured to the corrupted gem beside her. "I've decided to build my own army. Where's the rest of yours?"
"They're not here right now!" Steven called out. Amethyst shushed the kid. Even if they could take out Jasper without the others, she didn't need to know that.
It was too late, though. Jasper laughed at them. "So, it's just you lot? This should be entertaining!" The orange gem smacked the beast, making it charge at Steven and Connie. Twoie threw his shield at the creature, forcing it to dodge and run past them. Steven, Connie, and Lion used the moment to get their bearings. Twoie couldn't focus on them any longer as Jasper lunged straight for him and Amethyst. They dodged to the side. Twoie summoned another shield and launched it at her while Amethyst tried to pin her in place with her whip.
"I came here to fight Rose, not some runt." Jasper smacked the shield to the side and grabbed the whip. Amethyst cried out as Jasper tugged her close, then kneed her in the stomach. The purple gem went flying, skidding across the sand with a pained grunt. "Stay out of our battle, you overcooked runt."
Twoie snarled and bubbled his fists. He charged forward, only for Jasper to grin and catch his punch. "Don't you dare call her that. She's better than you'll ever be!" He swung his other fist, but she caught it with her free hand. Before Jasper could taunt his attack, she was shoved away by a pink bubble that encompassed Twoie.
Jasper grinned. "Aww, are you angry that I hurt the runt?" The fighter smashed her fist through a pink panel that was sent towards her. "That's what happens when you allow weaklings in your army." She smashed another panel and caught a shield that was tossed at her. The gem knew that she had pissed off Rose. She could see the anger in her eyes. "Fighting is what I was made for." Jasper rolled into a ball and shot off towards her opponent. Twoie raised a shield but was thrown into the water due to the sheer force of Jasper's attack. "It's what you both were made for as well. However…" Jasper raised her arm, letting Amethyst's whip wrap around it. Amethyst pulled it back but strained to pull Jasper back. "You're just a half-cooked, weakling that Rose accepted out of desperation."
Four pink panels manifested around Jasper, forcing her hands to her side. Jasper let go of Amethyst's whip and turned her head slightly behind her. Twoie snarled as he lunged at her. With a laugh, the fighter broke free from the panels and spun on her heel. Twoie's eyes widened right before Jasper slammed her crash helmet into his face.
"Twoie!" Amethyst pushed herself to her feet. Steven and Connie glanced back just in time to see Jasper bash Twoie into the sand.
"Twoie!" The two kids cried out in horror. With a well-timed strike, Connie poofed the last corrupted quartz. Steven quickly bubbled it, and the two turned, ready to join Twoie and Amethyst in the fight against Jasper.
'Damnit! We're getting our butts kicked.' Amethyst rushed to help Twoie up but jumped back in surprise when Jasper cut her off.
"Alright, Defect! You want to fight me so badly? Fine." Jasper slid into a battle stance. "Your fight is with me now."
Amethyst narrowed her eyes in anger. She held a hand out to Steven and Connie, startling them. "You two go check on Twoie. I've got this." Without watching to see if the kids listened, Amethyst jumped into the air and snapped her two whips at Jasper. Her opponent dodged her attacks, which is precisely what she was hoping for. Amethyst landed beside the taller gem and smoothly struck out at Jasper with the tipped end of her handle. Unfortunately, Jasper grabbed her wrist, preventing the whip handle from hitting her.
"You're not even trying," Jasper smirked as she swung the smaller gem into a headbutt. Her crash helmet smacked solidly into Amethyst's head. The purple gem fell back onto the sand, dazed. "You seriously thought you could fight me? Pathetic." Jasper spin dashed over Amethyst, shoving her further into the sand.
Several hits later, the fighter grew bored and stopped. Looking over the stunned and battered gem, she scoffed and turned back to Rose.
During Amethyst's battle, Steven and Connie had managed to wake Twoie up. They had just helped Twoie stand when Jasper turned her attention back to him. Steven and Connie nodded at each other and fused. Now, Twoie and Stevonnie glared Jasper down as they shifted into battle stances.
Jasper's eyes widened in surprise before she snarled at them. "You Crystal Gems would even fuse with a human?"
Stevonnie pointed at Jasper. "I don't want to hear anything you have to say unless it's sorry." Twoie and Stevonnie charged at Jasper. While Stevonnie danced around Jasper with strikes from their sword and blocks with their shield, Twoie filled in the gaps with his thorned bubbled punches. The two quickly overwhelmed Jasper, forcing her back towards the ocean.
The orange gem looked around, realizing that her corrupted quartzes were gone, and she was unlikely to win. Jasper glared at them. "Fusion, fusion! It's always fusion! This was just a warm-up! Get ready for next time, Rose." The defeated gem retreated into the water until just her head was showing. "Jaspers don't give up. Jaspers keep going until they get what they want." Without another word, the orange gem disappeared into the ocean.
Twoie sighed and popped his bubbles. Stevonnie grinned before unfusing into Steven and Connie. "We did it! We fought Jasper and won!" Steven and Connie cheered. The two began complimenting each other about their battle, so Twoie turned and walked over to Amethyst. The purple gem was still lying on the ground, staring at the ocean.
"Are you okay?" Amethyst didn't look up as Twoie knelt beside her. Her hand tightened into a fist.
"I know you've told me before that I'm strong. You showed me that strength isn't the same as power." The purple gem pushed herself into a sitting position. "So why does it still hurt?" Amethyst sighed but finally looked up at Twoie. "Why do I feel so weak and useless?"
Twoie noted that Steven and Connie had stopped talking and were watching them worriedly. The kids quietly walked over to them, with Steven wordlessly licking his hand and touching Amethyst on the shoulder. The gem gave him a shaky smile in thanks as the kids sat down next to her.
"It takes a long time for our insecurities to go away. Even when we know they're wrong." Twoie brushed his hands through his hair. Steven and Connie both leaned forward so they could watch Twoie as he talked. "There will always be someone out there who is better than you at something. That's just how life works." Amethyst wilted slightly. Twoie playfully elbowed her. "I'll let you in on a secret. You were better at understanding the gems living on earth than I was."
Amethyst choked on her saliva. "What? Really?"
Twoie laughed at how surprised Amethyst was. "Yup!" Steven and Connie leaned in more, hoping that Twoie would elaborate more about the future. "I don't know if I've ever told you, but you've always been like an older sister to me." Amethyst blushed lightly. "Well, when my Amethyst became a teacher at Little Homeschool, she was kinda like a caring sister to a lot of other gems as well. She loved getting to know all of the gems, and it meant so much to her that they wanted to make earth their new home. So, she came up with this idea that she called the GHEM program." Amethyst was awestruck at the thought of her future self. She sounded so happy and helpful. It took Amethyst forever to feel like she was contributing to the Crystal Gems. Yet, her future self was a teacher and program founder!
"What does GEM stand for?" Connie piped up.
"It stands for the Gem-Human Excellence Mentorship program." Twoie looked over at Amethyst when the gem snorted. Amethyst blushed lightly when everyone looked at her.
"Hate to break it to you, dude, but G-H-E-M spells Guh-Hem. Not Gem." Twoie laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. Amethyst pouted until Twoie spoke again.
"My mistake. You pronounced it as Guh-Hem in my time as well." Connie stopped herself from interjecting that Twoie was correct when she saw the pride in Amethyst's eyes. "The GHEM project paired gems that wanted to live on earth with humans who had job positions open or could teach gems the skills they wanted to learn." Twoie gestured to Amethyst. "You held a meeting with every gem that applied to find out what their interests were. Then you paired them with a human that matched those interests. Gems were really happy, and you did an amazing job running it. You even helped me understand the gems better."
Amethyst smiled brightly. That sounded amazing. She could hardly believe that was something she came up with. But Twoie never lied to her about things like this. It didn't matter if she wasn't as good of a fighter as Jasper. It didn't matter if that was what she was made for. Amethyst was happy with the way things were and what she could expect herself to be in the future. "Thanks, Twoie. I needed to hear that." Amethyst sighed. "I'm guessing I'll still feel like this from time to time, though." Would it be okay to talk to Steven or Twoie about it? She didn't want to put her problems on them since they deal with so much already, but she trusted them the most. They always made her feel better when she was feeling down. "Could- is it okay if I come to you-. I mean, I don't want to put more issues on your plate, but-."
Twoie smiled. He knew how hard it could be to ask for help, to bottle everything inside because you feel like a burden for asking. He's never repeated a song before, but this Amethyst has never heard it, so it technically wasn't repeating, was it? Twoie stood up, staring forward at the setting sun and the calm ocean waves. "In the light of the day, in the dark of the night." Amethyst looked surprised as Twoie turned to her. He slid into a battle stance. "When you're raring to go." The young man then slumped his shoulders. "When you're tired from the fight." Steven laughed as Twoie mimicked the actions he was singing. "When you're losing your mind, let me give you a thought." Twoie held his hand out to Amethyst. "I'm gonna be right by your side, no matter what." The purple gem smiled and grasped his hand. Twoie helped her stand, and the kids jumped up in excitement.
Twoie noticed the excited look on Steven's face and chuckled. He tap-danced a couple of easy steps on the sand. Then, Twoie watched as Steven analyzed the moves he made and copied them, much to his delight. The older brother gestured for Steven to continue."In the dark of the night, in the light of the day." Steven sang as he did the next couple of steps and Twoie copied him. "When you're rising to shine. When you're hitting the hay."
Amethyst and Connie shared a look before laughing at the brothers. "We'll be hanging around if you like it or not." The brothers flashed a cheeky grin as they surrounded Amethyst on both sides. "We're gonna be right by your side, no matter what!"
Amethyst snorted and brushed them away, causing Steven to pout dramatically. Connie couldn't hold her laughs any longer and broke into a guffaw while Twoie playfully rolled his eyes. Steven leaned against Amethyst. "Oh, we're gonna be, right by your side." The young kid yelped when Twoie plucked him off the ground and into a piggyback. "We're gonna be right by your side, no matter what!"
The group began their walk back home. Dr. Maheswaran would be at their house soon to pick up Connie, and they didn't want to keep her waiting. Twoie set Steven down on the ground again when they were almost home. The two brothers took hold of Amethyst's hands as they walked. Amethyst looked at Twoie and then at Steven. Both boys were smiling, and she felt like she could do anything with them supporting her. Twoie hummed lightly. "Through whoever you've been." The purple gem startled and looked back up at Twoie. Her past self had hurt Twoie and Steven a lot."Through whoever you'll be." Guess that didn't matter to him. She knew Twoie had forgiven her, but it still surprised her a little when he said it.
"Through whatever you face, you will always have me." Twoie and Steven gave her a side hug as they sang together. "At the end of your rope, we'll be holding it taut. We're gonna be right by your side, no matter what." Amethyst was touched. Twoie and Steven were the best. She wiped a small tear away from her eye. "We'll be right by your side. Be right by your side." The two brothers stepped in front of Amethyst, with Twoie placing a hand around Steven's shoulders. "We'll be right by your side, no matter what."
Amethyst rubbed her eyes with her hands. "You guys…" She gave them the biggest smile she could muster. "You guys are the best!"
Steven held his hand out. "That's because we have the best older sister!" The purple gem felt tears start to well in her eyes again. Amethyst placed her hand in his for a second, then pulled him into a hug. Light burst from the two of them, and Twoie's eyes widened when he saw Smoky Quartz standing in front of him.
"Whoa, this is really cool! Did Amethyst and Steven do this?" Smoky hummed in thought as they looked at themself.
Connie squealed happily as she took in this new gem. "You guys! You guys fused! Who are you now?" Smoky blinked at Connie. Fusion?
"I guess we did? I mean, I know I'm an Amethyst and a Diamond, but I still feel more like a Rose Quartz than a diamond…" The fusion snapped their fingers in joy. "I guess that means I'm Smoky Quartz! Nice to meet you, Connie!"
Connie shook Smoky's hand, then rounded on Twoie. "Twoie! Did you know they could fuse? Why didn't you say anything?" Twoie rubbed the back of his neck as he turned to Connie. "Well, fusion occurs through having a strong bond, I didn't want to take the surprise out of Steven's first fusion with the gems, and I didn't want to force it either by saying something. My first time fusing with Amethyst was very emotional."
"So then, you and Steven can fuse with Garnet and Pearl too?" Smoky questioned while gesturing to themself. At Twoie's nod, they whooped loudly.
"What's going on out here?!" They all turned to stare at Pearl, who had just run out onto the porch. Everything was quiet as Garnet walked out of the house and stood beside her. Pearl's gaze flickered from Twoie to Connie to Smoky. Smoky laughed at the dumbfounded expression on both gems. They decided to take pity on them and greeted them with an exaggerated bow.
"Yo, Pearl, Garnet! I'm Smoky Quartz, fusion of Steven and Amethyst. Nice to meet ya!"