Author's Note: Here we are in the future, again! Remember back in the fifth chapter of Steven Universe: The Fantastic Mutants where I said I'd come back with a whole new Steven Universe story that was an AU version of Future? Well, this is it, and right on the first anniversary of the original version too.

Synopsis: Steven tries enrolling Jasper in Little Homeschool while introducing some new Gems to Earth.

Cast:

Zach Callison as Steven

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno Hall as Pearl, Holo-Pearl

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper, Cherry Quartz

Amy Sedaris as Teal Zircon/Tongue Monster

Steven Universe: Alternate Future

Part 1, Episode 1: Little Homeschool

'Today is gonna be a good day.' Steven thought to himself while preparing a bathtub to heal some bubbled corrupted Gems with. After filling up the tub with water, he took three bottles resembling Yellow, Blue, and White Diamond out of the medicine cabinet in his mirror and poured them in the water, followed by covering his finger in healing spit for a final touch.

"Happy welcome back day, you two." Steven said to the inactive gemstones in a sing-song voice. He then placed the bubbles in the tub, before the bubbles popped and the gems were submerged in the special water. The corrupted Gems were reformed, but this time they were cured of corruption and with no idea of their surroundings.

One was a large Cherry Quartz who had red & peach spots on her body and three horns on her head. The other was a Teal Zircon who had a green monocle, a star-shaped cravat and her iridescent gemstone resting on her chest.

"Whoa, what happened?!" the Zircon exclaimed, a long tongue suddenly leaping out of her mouth as she asked in shock. "Huh, that's a new one."

"Where am I?!" Cherry Quartz panicked before she looked at Steven. "Who are you?!"

"That used to be a loaded question," Steven answered brightly. "but now I can say with confidence that I'm Steven Universe! And you two are in my bathroom."

"Hey, nice star!" Teal Zircon commented on the design of Steven's black shirt while gesturing to her cravat. "I got a star too, since I'm a Crystal Gem. We're total twinsies! Hey, are Rose, Garnet, Bismuth and Pearl still around? I wanna catch up with them, like old times!"

"Oh, about that." Steven said sheepishly. "Garnet, Bismuth and Pearl are still on Earth but as for Rose, that's a funny story. You wanna know something?" he asked Teal Zircon. "She was actually Pink Diamond the whole time, and now she died giving birth to me." Steven then pulled up his shirt to reveal the diamond on his stomach. "Crazy, huh?"

"SAY WHAAAAAT?!" Teal Zircon yelled. "Okay, I have so many questions!"

"Save your questions for later!" Cherry Quartz grumbled, looking at herself in the mirror. "What happened to me?!" She tried looking for the first thing she could use as a weapon in the bathroom, but she got a plunger and threateningly held it up to Steven's face. "What is this?!"

"You two were corrupted in a Diamond blast, but now you're all better!" Steven said, trying to ease the tension as he lowered the plunger. "And that is a plunger. Come on, let me fill you two in on what you missed."

"Missed?" Cherry Quartz asked before she and Teal Zircon were handed some pamphlets in the main area of Steven's house. One of them was titled 'Era 3 and Me!', while the other was called 'You and Your New Horns'. "We have some reading material for you guys." Steven said. "Available in both English and Gem Glyph. Spanish translation forthcoming."

After taking the two newly-healed Gems outside, Steven opened up his Dondai Supremo for him to drive them in. "Watch your heads." He said to the pair as they got in, Cherry Quartz curling up in a front seat next to Steven while Teal Zircon sat in the back. "Ooh, is this one of those fancy human inventions?!" Teal gasped in awe of the car. "Rose was right, your species is really something else!"

"Thanks." Steven blushed to Teal, before he turned the car on and drove off. "Life is a little different these days. The Diamonds have stopped their reign of terror, the intergalactic war is done for, and Earth is now independent from what's left of their empire." He began recapping. "We're all safe to explore our dreams."

As Steven continued talking, he drove past Lars sweeping outside his new bakery called Spacetries, who stopped to wave at Steven. "Lars opened up his own pastry shop, and it's got this really cute space theme going on. Sadie's been touring with the Suspects & promoting their new album, and Connie's got a head start on college prep. She won't be applying for another two years, but she did say it never hurts to start early."

Steven stopped for a moment to gaze at a picture of Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl taped above his head. "And speaking of higher education, Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl and I have been cooking up a dream of our own."

"I have no idea what you just said." Cherry Quartz bluntly stated. "I have to agree." Teal Zircon added. "I mean, who's Amethyst?"

"Don't worry about it." Steven chuckled while the car drove closer to a small walled town with a large whirlybird-like structure at the top. "You'll learn all that, and more, at Little Homeschool."

Once the three disembarked from Steven's car, Cherry and Teal saw many Gems all around them enjoying the day and learning how to live on Earth. Many of the students were Gems that Teal recognized. "Hey, I think I can see Larimar over there!"

"Pay attention." Steven instructed the cheerful Zircon. "Here at Little Homeschool, you have the chance to rediscover yourself and learn to live on Earth if you like." He explained. "You can forge a new identity, grow your own ideas, and find your inner Morp!"

Steven continued giving the pair a tour of the school, showing them a forge where Bismuth built weapons, a greenhouse that was home to a gardening class taught by Peridot, Yellow Pearl modeling for an art class taught by Vidalia, and Lapis Lazuli helping a Nephrite build a statue.

"I think I like that sculpturing class the most." Teal claimed.

"I think I'm leaning more towards that gardening class." Cherry responded. "By the way, what's a Morp?" she asked again, the funny word causing Teal to giggle. "That's exactly the question we love to hear!" Steven exclaimed happily.

"Find your center, your very core." Garnet instructed her yoga class of a Ruby, a Topaz fusion and a Zebra Jasper. "Remember, your body isn't just a projection of life. But also a reflection of your inner soul."

Steven followed along with the class to demonstrate. Teal Zircon was posing upside down with the other Gems, but Cherry Quartz was still hesitant.

"Check me out, I'm upside down!" Teal chattered while doing a handstand. "What do you think about that?"

"You're doing very good for a new student." Garnet complimented the new Gem's sudden aptitude.

"Garnet teaches all kinds of stuff!" Steven explained to Cherry Quartz.

"Hello, Pearl speaking." Pearl spoke on the phone to a Holo-Pearl, as a display of communication technology to Larimar, Snowflake Obsidian and Orange Spodumene.

"This is Holo-Pearl." The Holo-Pearl answered over another phone.

"Oh hi, Holo-Pearl." Pearl greeted her hologram. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your calling?"

"Just calling to see how you are." Holo-Pearl answered before she vanished, leaving the real Pearl alone with her students. "That was an example of the short-range human communication device, also known as a phone."

"Pearl will teach you all about human technology." Steven said to his pair of guests. "Who's Pearl is that?" Cherry Quartz asked him. "No no no, no one owns her anymore!" Teal corrected her fellow healed Gem. "Well, she did belong to Pink Diamond, but when Pink became Rose Quartz, she must've brought her Pearl along."

"Yeah, you can put it like that." Steven smiled at Teal's comment. "But that's not how things work here anymore. On Earth, you can decide for yourself what YOU want to do."

Finally, Steven took Cherry and Teal to Amethyst teaching her own class with Onion, Ocean Jasper & Biggs Jasper as students, while also wearing a pair of glasses and standing next to some paper to complete the professor look.

"Hello, I'm Professor Amethyst." She introduced herself to her class while the new students sat down with them. "Go on, take a seat wherever. I'll be teaching 'How to Decide for Yourself 101'. Today's lesson is, there is no lesson! Just do whatever you want for an hour!" Amethyst took off her glasses and threw them away before looking at Steven. "Hey Steven, wanna grab some lunch?"

"Sure." Steven accepted the offer, and the two left, leaving Cherry Quartz very confused. "Hey Steven, is this part of the tour?!" Teal Zircon yelled as she raced after the pair. "I want to come too!"

Later that day, Steven, Amethyst and Teal Zircon sat down on a bench at the boardwalk to eat some fry bits from Beach Citywalk Fries. Teal looked enamored with the snacks before her and chowed down on whatever Steven didn't grab. "Oh, these are so neat!"

"Glad you like them newbie." Amethyst said while slurping down some soda, and then turned to Steven. "This school thing is so great." She sighed. "I love being a teacher. No one's ever looked up to me before, y'know? Except for little baby Steven!" Amethyst began tickling Steven's belly and making him laugh, but then he stopped her. "Seriously dude, things have been awesome! Everyone wants to come to Earth and learn how to be themselves!"

"Uh, not everyone." Steven guiltily admitted, much to Teal's confusion. "Who's not part of everyone? Who we talkin' 'bout here?" the Zircon, now with a mouth full of fry bits, asked her new teachers. "It's a long story." Steven answered, putting a hand on her boxy shoulder.

"Forget her!" Amethyst scoffed and continued with her drink. "We tried to give her a second chance once, and look where that landed her. Think she might be pretty pissed at you for what happened."

"Seriously, who is it?" Teal continued asking. "Was there someone you couldn't help and had to put down?!"

"No, not like that!" Steven yelped at Teal. "But still, I'm worried. We healed all these Gems, and built the town and the school, because I wanted to fix the bad things the Diamonds did." He explained dejectedly. "Knowing there's still someone out there hurting because of what they, because of my mom, did just makes me worried. I know it's not really my fault, but if there's a chance I could make things better between us, shouldn't I try?"

Amethyst just stared emotionlessly and continued drinking her soda. "You know, I think you should stop trying to fix everyone." She suggested. "Maybe there should come a time where you find someone who doesn't want to be fixed, and you should just let them be."

"Yeah, you're right." Steven sighed, but then Teal Zircon raised her hand. "You think you could bring me along to see 'The Gem Who Refused'?" she dramatically asked. "Alright, you can come." Steven accepted. "By the way, is it okay if I give you a nickname?"

"Okay!" Teal exclaimed. "I'm Teal Zircon, but how about you just call me Teal, or even TZ?"

Later that day, Steven and TZ embarked on a journey throughout the outskirts of Beach City, passing by various scenes of disrepair in the forest surrounding them. "Yep, I'd recognize this much destruction from anywhere." Steven said to himself as the two marched deeper into the woods, eventually coming across a cave with a simple drape as a door, surrounded by a stack of boulders and no sign of organic life.

When Steven took a step forwards in this desolated patch of the woods, a loud voice called out for him. "Hold it!"

High above the pair on top of the cave, a bizarre shape covered in some kind of cloak towered above them. The shape tossed off the cloak, revealing itself to Steven as Jasper underneath it, and she was not happy to see him. "What do you want now? And is that another stupid Gem from that school over there?"

"Jasper, I just want to talk." Steven called for Jasper from below. Jasper grumpily complied and jumped down from her perch to chat with him. "Hey, I know you!" TZ exclaimed. "What up Jasper? Remember me from the Rebellion? I'm pretty sure you don't, but I did catch a few glimpses of you back then, and my oh my, you were a beast!"

"Can you please get your little friend to shut it?" Jasper murmured, leering threateningly at the Rebellion veteran. Almost on command, Teal shut her mouth and nervously walked backwards to give the two some space.

"So as I was gonna say, how's it going?" Steven timidly asked Jasper. "I know it's been a while since we last talked." However, a little beetle that had crossed onto Jasper's territory quickly distracted Steven. "Aw, it's a cute little-"

Before he could finish, Jasper crushed the life out of the little bug with one stomp, right before Steven's eyes. "Why did you do that?!"

"Any Earthling that comes in here will perish." Jasper snarled before gesturing to the ground beneath them. "Took me ages to get all those little green ones out."

"You mean grass?" Steven corrected Jasper. "I don't know their names!" Jasper roared. TZ on the other hand turned to gaze at the grass that Jasper didn't pluck out, and took a single blade of it for her to look at. "I think I'll call this one Mini-Teal."

"So what's with the rocks?" Steven asked, pointing to the neat pyramid of boulders next to Jasper's cave. "Training." The orange soldier revealed, grabbing another boulder to add to the pile. "Oh. I thought maybe-" the half-Gem boy replied before Jasper shoved him out of the way. "I thought you were gonna get into art. That pile really ties the place together. In fact, Peridot and Lapis teach their own art classes. Maybe you could learn from the-"

"Don't you dare say their names around me." Jasper growled, kicking the rock pile and making one roll towards Steven. "Especially Lapis, not after what she did to me." As Steven inched out of the rock's way, he made a mental note to try and help tie up their loose end before he continued. "Now what are you even training for? You know there's no one else left to fight."

"There's always someone to fight!" the perfect Quartz shouted. "There's just no one left worth fighting. And even if someone comes along wanting revenge on Pink Diamond yet again, you can count me out."

"In that case, maybe you could come to Little Homeschool!" TZ shouted from afar, before Steven nodded in affirmation. "What did I tell you?!" Jasper yelled at Teal. "And by the way, the answer is no."

"Aw, come on, we're all learning and growing together." Steven tried convincing her, while slowly growing more irritated. "And you should be part of that. Who knows, maybe you could make some new friends there, like TZ here."

Teal Zircon waved cheerfully, only to be shut down by an angry glare from Jasper. "Sounds dumb." Jasper said. "The day I decide to become a peace-loving loser who's forced to hang around with a bunch of other Gems who hate my guts and brainwashed by the son of the Diamond who basically ruined my life." She taunted. "On THAT day, I'll send your stupid Earthling butt a call saying I give up."

"Y'know, half of those Gems were soldiers who fought by your side before they were corrupted and turned into monsters." Steven began getting angrier. "They're lost, confused and still a little messed up, but they're getting the help they need!"

"Who cares?" Jasper talked back. "And if you bring up that Zircon over there one more time-"

"I care!" Steven shouted. "And if I didn't, you'd still be just like them!"

"And what, now I owe you?" Jasper argued. "You think that just because you did something without telling me, I'm just going to obey you?! You can't just force people to change!"

"That's not-" Steven was on the edge of breaking when Jasper cut him off. "Kind of like how you forced all of Homeworld to change."

It was here that Steven finally snapped. "AAGGGH! I only came here because I felt sorry for you, but you're your own worst enemy here! You tried using Gems that were corrupted by the Diamonds, only to get corrupted yourself just to beat me, and you lost! No one is going to make you stay here forever waiting for a war that will never come! Are you just going to be alone in the universe without a purpose?! Because I'm trying to give you one!"

"Ooh, he's got you good." Teal Zircon whispered while spectating on Steven and Jasper's argument, now hiding behind a tree.

"Listen brat, you may have Pink's diamond, but you can't control me!" Jasper yelled back, pointing a finger to Steven's forehead. "And I will never take orders from a sappy, useless little piece of dirt who thinks everything can go his way if he just cries enough! If you think you can tell me what to do, then prove it by fighting me!"

Jasper turned around and strolled off, but Steven stopped her in her tracks with one word. "Fine!" With just one word alone, Jasper turned to face Steven with a genuine, if somewhat unsettling for someone like her, smile on her face. "Really?"

Steven took a deep breath before getting into a fighting stance, a sight that excited TZ. "Ooh, this is gonna get good!"

"Huh, well then." Jasper grinned, beckoning Steven to come at her. "Why don't you throw the first punch?" Regretfully, Steven threw a punch at Jasper's arm, and that punch sent her flying a few feet away.

"And Steven throws the first punch!" TZ yelled excitedly, like she was narrating a sports game, even though she was only healed today and barely had any idea what sports are. "Oh, but Jasper is looking to strike back!"

As Jasper charged at Steven in response, Steven just murmured, "I guess we're doing this." He summoned a bubble to protect himself with, but Jasper hit the bubble and he rolled through the woods.

"And Jasper hits like a Quartz should!" Teal shouted. "But what's this? Steven's still in the game baby! He's running like the wind!"

Steven kept on rolling while Jasper gave chase and tried to hit him. "And now Jasper's in hot pursuit!" Teal Zircon cried as she chased after the two. "How can Steven save himself?!"

"I appreciate how excited you are Teal, but what's the point of all this commentary?" Steven asked his new friend.

"What? I was bored." Teal answered. While Steven was distracted, Jasper landed a kick that made his bubble crash into a tree, causing a bird's nest to fall from the branches.

"No no no, babies!" Steven yelled, reaching for the nest and forming a bubble around it & the birds inside before tossing it to safety. "Touchdown!"

"And in a show of goodwill, Steven has just saved those little creatures from h-" Teal began, but then Jasper's landing knocked her off her feet and shut her up. Steven immediately formed a shield to block his opponent.

"STOP TRYING TO HELP THOSE TINY, FLAPPING EARTHLINGS AND FIGHT ME!" Jasper roared.

"I'll never stop trying to help them!" Steven replied just as loudly. "Or you!" Jasper didn't listen, and kicked Steven's shield into a tree. "I don't need your help." She declared before stomping on Steven. "You're the one that needs help here! You think you've beaten me, but you've never done it alone! You always had your friends and fusion to back you up, because you're nothing on your own! You think everyone needs help because you want to be seen as oh so perfect!"

"I-I just wanted to patch things up with you." His opponent's words shook Steven's confidence, and he began to cry.

"Is this true? Is Steven really crying?!" Teal Zircon got back to her commentating.

"SHUT UP ALREADY!" Jasper shrieked in the other Gem's face, the force of her voice making Teal fall to the ground before she turned back to Steven. "But it's only you. You're absolutely pitiful!"

Angered by Jasper's bullying, a pink aura began covering Steven's body. This new power began to manifest as he pushed Jasper's foot back and launched her in the air, and he took a moment to examine his current state. "Whoa. This is new."

"Where did this come from?" Teal continued. "This came right outta nowhere, but that doesn't matter cause Steven is gaining on her!"

After discovering this new ability, Steven formed a bubble around his hand and charged straight at Jasper. "I'm, not, PITIFUL!" he yelled, punching her hard enough to send her flying into some trees, knocking them all down like bowling pins.

"Not bad." Jasper landed on the ground and spin-dashed at Steven, but now Steven caught her mid-spin in his hand. "Nice catch." She complimented him. "Thanks." Steven replied. "You should see my throw!"

Jasper laughed heartily as she was thrown into the air and Steven leaped up after her, unleashing a flurry of attacks on the mighty Quartz, who just kept cackling in amusement.

"STOP LAUGHING!" Steven screamed and with that, he spiked Jasper into the ground like a volleyball, creating a massive Jasper-shaped crater in the earth. "Jasper!" Steven yelled as he returned to his senses and ran to check on her.

"THREE, TWO, ONE!" Teal Zircon cried like a wrestling referee and hoisted Steven's arm into the air. "AND THE WINNER IS STEVEN!"

"What did I tell you?" Jasper snarled at TZ as she emerged from the ground with nary a scratch. "Hmph, didn't know you had it in you."

"I'm sorry, I just don't know what happened!" Steven tried to apologize, only to be ignored by Jasper. "Don't apologize." The bigger Gem rolled her eyes in disgust. "I think I got you all wrong." Steven realized. "Maybe you don't need to learn from me. Maybe I could learn from you." Jasper raised an eyebrow at this moral. "Hey, I got an idea. Maybe you could teach at Little Homeschool?"

"Me, a teacher?" Jasper scoffed, but then Steven corrected himself. "Not just teach other Gems, but maybe you could teach me as well. You brought out something in me I didn't know I had."

For a few moments, Jasper remained silent as the two looked at each other. Teal Zircon opened her mouth to speak, but this time Steven was the one to keep her quiet.

"Consider our fight your first, and only, lesson." Jasper declared and began walking away. "Any chance I could come back sometime?" Steven asked her. "Do what you want." Jasper replied. "But only if she doesn't come along next time." After pointing at Teal Zircon, Jasper finally left.

"I don't know about you Steven, but I think she doesn't like me." TZ whispered to the boy as they walked back to Little Homeworld, with Steven happy that he reached some form of reconciliation with Jasper while he went along fixing the damage they've done to the woods.

Once they were back at Little Homeworld, Teal Zircon excitedly told the story of Steven & Jasper's fight to many of the other Gems. Steven on the other hand found Cherry Quartz by herself with a schedule in hand. "Oh hey, Cherry Quartz was it?" he asked. "Sorry I didn't get a chance to talk more. Had some personal business I needed to wrap up."

"It's okay. I took some time to think, and this place may seem scary at first, I'll try to fit in with the others." Cherry declared. "You wanna sign my class schedule?"

"Good on you Cherry." Steven said before shaking the Quartz's hand. "I learned something today. There are fundamental things about ourselves that we know to be true. It's important to remember those things when in a tough situation, or you can make decisions from the heart. But it's equally important to know you can surprise yourself too. I thought I finally figured out what I want to do, but it seems I still have lots more to learn. Life is a wonderful mystery, am I right?"

"Uh, yeah." Cherry replied, not knowing how to react to Steven's filibuster. "Now, can you sign my schedule already?"

"Okay, sorry." Steven quickly apologized and signed his name at the bottom of the schedule, marking Cherry Quartz as one of Little Homeschool's newest students.

And that's Little Homeschool everyone! Now before I sign off, let's get some things I plan on doing with Steven Universe: Alternate Future.

1. There will be 32 chapters across four parts, each having eight chapters. I got the idea for 32 chapters from someone on Reddit saying that a possible Season 6 would've had that many episodes.

2. Within those 32 episodes, there will be more character development and additional storylines to go along with what I adapted from Future, based on unproduced content like a backstory for Rhodonite and the return of Emerald.

3. A new antagonist will show herself at the end of Part 1, and unlike all the other Gems who have antagonized Steven throughout the original show, the movie and Future, this new Gem will be an opportunistic, power-hungry sociopath who even Steven will start believing has no chance of changing her ways. Who is she and what will she do? We'll see.

4. Fandom drama will form a part of the character development here. Trust me, I've been on Tumblr enough times to know just how certain types of fans & haters think.

Now this first chapter may seem like an almost word-for-word plagiarism of the first episode of Steven Universe Future, but I promise that things will be more different as Alternate Future goes on. And trust me when I say, Steven's future is beginning to look darker than what was aired on Cartoon Network. Until next time, see ya!