"P-Pearl?"

Steven's eyes locked onto the pale gem's own, meeting her glare with confusion. Her entire form was different again, and she didn't have the same demeanor at all. Everything about her screamed danger.

"You." She muttered, her glare narrowing with burning hatred. Before Steven could say anything, he was met with a thin blade pointed at him. She was standing above him now, her speed outrunning his eyes. Her face had a dark shroud hanging over it. "Explain yourself now! I will no-"

"Pearl!"

The voice of Garnet reached both of their ears(well, one of them had ears) and caused them to look to the left. Garnet was running right towards them, but stopped in a skid a meter away when her eyes met Pearl's. Even with her visors on, Steven could make out her wide eyes shining through it. Amethyst appeared right after, her whip wrapped around in her hand.

"Alright, where's the... trouble"" Her words slowed as she saw the sight of Pearl hanging a sword over Steven's throat, and for a brief moment, time seemed to slow. Garnet beat her to the punch with a shout.

"Pearl, don't hurt him!" She raised an arm towards the pale gem, who gasped lightly and turned her whole body towards them. Her eyes seemed to shake with a stare as she said, "G-Garnet?"

She turned her sword away from Steven, who let out a sigh of relief he didn't realize he was holding. The entire moment left him sweaty, his fear boosting his adrenaline from having a literal sword shoved in his face.

Garnet stepped closer as her mouth split apart in surprise, and she lowered her hand. "You… remember me."

It seemed to resonate with Pearl, who's form started shaking as she stared at the fusion. Then, her teeth gritted and her stare turned into a furious, yet betrayed look. "You let them control me! Why?!" Pearl took two steps towards her, her hands squeezing down on her sword's handles. It created a blue tint on them, but it didn't draw anyone's attention as much as the hot tears that rolled down her cheeks.

Garnet froze at Pearl's words, her mind trying to find any response to them. But the betrayal behind them acted as a barrier, closing her throat.

"Uhhh, is anyone gonna explain what's happening right now?!"

The sharp cry of Greg seemed to actually snap Garnet out from her frozen state, as she turned her head to the man. Steven looked over too, seeing his dad's confused, terrified face. The realization that he probably watched his son almost get stabbed by one of his long time caretakers and protectors dawned upon him.

Steven quickly stood up and ran in front of Pearl, thinking that he could stop her from getting angry. But he didn't know it added to Greg's fears even more.

"Pearl, wait! Please don't be mad! It's not Garnet's fault!" He pleaded, holding his arms up, using his body more as a shield. Pearl glared down at him with a snarl, "You're the one behind all of this!" Her sword rose slightly, as if she was getting ready to attack if he moved a single muscle.

"Woah, P! Chill!" Amethyst yelled as she tried intervening, holding her hands up.

The renegade scowled at the stranger before Garnet spoke up again. "Pearl, you need to calm down. You were hit by a device, and it took your memories away. Let us explain, please." She had her hands positioned like she was trying to calm a predator.

Pearl looked even more frustrated than before, "What gem do you take me for now? You… y-you can't be her, your appearance is completely different from Garnet's. You must be Homeworld gems!"

She raised her sword away from Steven and pointed it up at the two others standing ahead of her. "You can't trick me with your disguises! I know that as soon as my guard is dropped, they-"

She stopped her rant as soon as Garnet raised her hands and showed her the blue and red gems smack dab in the middle of her palms. Functions in her mouth shut down at the sight, and her arrogant smile she had on her face while talking disappeared completely.

"Pearl, we would never trick you. I... it's us." Garnet reaffirmed as she raised her gems even higher, nodding her head once with a frown.

"I-I… no… why?" Pearl lowered her sword as betrayal flashed across her face. "Then… why would you let them-"

"You reformed and linked yourself to him. We didn't want you to be controlled, but… I didn't know what to do," She admitted, her hands falling into tight fists. "Pearl, I'm sorry... for not doing anything."

The pale gem lowered her sword to a relaxed, but still tense, position by her side. She stared at Garnet with an unreadable expression. Due to the fact it was confusion, hurt, fury, and distraught all in one package. Her lips quivered as her swords clanked on the ground, shaking in surprise before resting on the ground.

Somehow, she forced herself to say, "I… need an e-explanation." Through the tremors in her form.

Steven didn't know what to think of the situation now.

Pearl didn't seem to be under his control anymore, which was good! But… she was… deadlier? He couldn't find the words for it, but she was definitely scarier. She gave off a 'cross me and I'll attack you and your whole family' vibe, and it certainly ruined his.

Not to mention the death glares she sent his way all at every chance she could. Shivers ran down his spine the more dangerous the glares looked. But now that they were home, he was given a break with Garnet's help, who shuffled the two gems into the temple while Pearl spouted off protests and questions.

But one thing was clear: Pearl had gotten some of her memories back.

So, there was a way for Pearl to go back to normal. But seeing as she held her past memories of him controlling her, he didn't know if getting them back was good if it meant… she was going to attack him.

Or maybe he was making a big deal out of it, and he shouldn't worry, and everything's going to be fine with him and Pearl!

He stopped brushing his teeth and paused.

Yeeeahh, he doubted it. But he held onto his usual optimism that maybe it'll blow past once Garnet and Amethyst tell Pearl about what's happening.

Dwelling on the thought, he walked out of the bathroom without a faltering step and stopped in the middle of the house with a low frown. To add to his dwelling, he had no idea what to do now. All he wanted to do was spend time with Pearl while hoping Garnet(well, Sapphire and Ruby originally) and Amethyst could fix everything. But, the biggest twist he ever faced was it fixing itself when a monster attacked.

Maybe she remembered because of fighting? The gems fought a ton of monsters, so it could've caused some kind of reaction in Pearl. Or Pearl was… pretending all along? And he was overthinking like he usually does when things go bad? Because it usuallycomesfromhimandhehastoalwaysfixit -

His inner ramblings were interrupted by the temple door opening with two red lines splitting down the middle. Steven turned his attention to the door as Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl walked back out. The first thing he noticed were the tear stains that ran down the pale gem's cheeks. Then, the second was her shaking form and quivering lips.

Steven froze under the gaze of the mess. What made him freeze cold was how fast she shortened the distance between them and threw herself down on her knees in front of him.

"Uhhh-"

"R-Rose? Rose, it's me!" Pearl said as she bent forward and looked down at Steven's stomach. The boy let out a startled quiet yelp and looked towards the two other gems in the room. Garnet had her head turned away while frowning, and Amethyst wouldn't even look at anything other than the floor.

Pearl, looking for a desperate resolve, lifted up Steven's shirt and stared directly at the pink quartz where Steven's belly button should be. Her baby blue pupils shrunk into points as she reached out and drifted her finger across the smooth gem.

"R-Rose… why?" She slumped forward as her entire form deflated, sending her eyes to the floor. The tears building up in her eyes fell as she sobbed "Rose" Repeatedly.

All the while, Steven could only watch with a sympathetic look and a deep frown that stretched his lips. He didn't even see the tears of the others falling down.