Connie closed her book, resting it on her lap, as her phone began to ring. She grinned to herself, today being her self-given day off from college preparation and therefore a day that she and Steven could talk all day without any guilt.
Since Steven had left Beach City with Lion to explore the country and find himself, the two hadn't talked as much as they previously did but made up for it when they met up via Lion's teleportation and chatted about nothing and everything. Last week Steven told her that he was in the Sunshine State and heading to Jersey.
Connie was confused when her phone screen showed a picture of Pearl, so Connie answered quickly. "Hey Pearl, what's up?" Connie asked.
"Hello Connie. Today is your free day, correct?" Pearl questioned.
"Yes Ma'am," Connie confirmed.
"Perfect. Are you free for a mission?"
Connie sighed. She didn't want to be the one to cancel on Steven, and make him feel like a second choice. "I'm supposed to meet and talk to Steven today. We haven't talked all week."
Pearl paused before replying. "Apologies Connie, but this is an important mission to recover an ancient relic. Unfortunately, Garnet, Amethyst and myself are all teaching for the foreseeable future and we don't feel comfortable sending untrained Gems on a mission."
Connie smiled, feeling the praise of being deemed trusted enough for the mission before she deflated slightly. "Sorry Pearl. I promised Steven we'd talk and I don't want to disappoint him."
Pearl fell silent for a few moments. "I suppose there is a simple solution," Pearl suggested.
"Which is?"
"What is that human phrase, 'Two birds and one stone?' Accomplish two tasks with a single action. I require you to do a mission, you require yourself to meet Steven. The obvious solution is for you to meet Steven and the two of you carry out the mission."
"Huh." Connie considered the option. "Ok, send me the details." She picked up her sword and winter outfit, before sending a text to Steven reading 'Change of plan, can you have Lion pick me up now x?'
Connie, now resting against Lion's snoozing, soft body in Steven's motel room, looked at Steven to gauge his reaction. She sweated, partly from being nervous of Steven's potential reaction and partly because of the thick green winter coat and woolen gloves she was wearing in preparation for the mission. "So," Steven started, mock offense in his voice. "Instead of us spending a relaxing day together as boyfriend and girlfriend, you want us to go to The Great North, so that we can find a relic and return it to the Crystal Gems." He grinned widely, genuine and happy. "Sounds like a fun adventure together. Let me get changed." Connie felt her cheeks redden as Steven casually pulled his black top over his head and tossed it on the floor, leaving his toned torso exposed. He reached a hand through Lion's mane and rummaged, pulling out a pale blue coat, a clean white shirt, and a reddish pink scarf that was dotted with stars. He dressed quickly, checking himself out in the mirror.
"Ready?" he asked Connie, who nodded in affirmation. He turned to Lion and ordered, "Lion, take us to The Great North, please." Lion lazily opened his eyes and gave a leisurely stretch before he rose to his feet, roaring and opening a dimensional rift. "Thanks buddy, see you soon." Steven said before he and Connie stepped through the portal.
Steven observed The Great North as he tightened his scarf around his neck.
The bitter chill in the wind carried sub-zero temperatures, freezing the numerous trees and mountains and blanketing them in a layer of snow. The pair shivered as they began to walk to the coordinates that Pearl had sent Connie.
The comfortable silence was broken by Steven as he asked, "Do you remember the first time we were here?"
"Of course," Connie laughed as her breath hovered in the air in front of her, grateful for the distraction from the cold. "It was the first mission I was allowed to join. It was just you, me, and Pearl." Thoughts began to muse in her mind. After that day, she never thought she would be trusted to even join another mission, now she was Pearl's first choice at a solo recovery task.
"So, what are we looking for?" Steven asked.
"Pearl called it a Paragon Stone. Apparently they used to be used to create and power Warp Panels. Pearl doesn't want something like that being left unchecked."
"Where are we looking then?"
"If it's where Pearl thinks it is, then we're looking for a white building that looks like a smooth hill."
Steven paused and narrowed his eyes. "Like that?" he said, pointing in the distance.
Almost blending seamlessly into the snowy expanse, a marble building stood of interlocking and overlapping diamond shapes forming a smooth dome.
"Yeah, that'd be it." Connie grinned. "Race you there!" She took off at a sprint, allowing Steven to jog after her, the pair laughing as they approached the target building.
The building was like most Gem buildings, simultaneously obviously abandoned and unused yet spotlessly clean, an ancient Warp Pad in the middle of the room.
Everything was carefully stored and organized, which made spotting any items simple.
"Pearl said the Paragon Stone looks like big rainbow rock," Connie explained as she rummaged through some of the items.
Steven scanned the room, eventually spotting an object that fitted the description. It was a large and pointed oval shape, with all the colors of the rainbow swirling around inside it. "Got it!" he declared as he picked it up and gave it a wave.
"Nicely done Biscuit," she laughed, like a melody to Steven's ears. "Now I've got to reactivate and home the Warp Pad." She walked to the circle on the floor and opened its hatch, quietly muttering to herself as she worked through the system. "Align the relay. Match the symbols. Make sure the power is flowing. Set it to synch with the existing Pads. And done!" she declared.
"Let's go then," Steven said smiling, "Maybe we still have time for a date night?" He held the Paragon Stone in one hand and held Connie's hand with his other. "Ready?" he asked, and Connie nodded.
The building fizzled as the Warp Pad activated. The Stone shone brightly as it was engulfed in light, the spectrum of light emanating from it.
And then they were gone.