The group addresses Steven's thoughts with being bubbled in space, along with giving himself up to Homeworld.
...
With the room continuing to make the shapes and colors of the next scenario, the four individuals currently dwelling within its cloudy walls watched as the colors began to darken. As they did, the room began to shape the setting as well. Soon enough, the group found themselves sitting inside the moon base. With it's finishing touches, several characters appeared in the forms of the four of them and a mega ruby.
"Wait...this is when the rubies came looking for Jasper isn't it?" asked Amethyst.
"Yeah. You had to shapeshift into Jasper to convince them to leave. We almost had it too. Everything was going so well...until...well, you guys know." said Steven as the thought of the event wasn't something he enjoyed remembering.
As the group focused their attention back onto the memory, it began playing, with it signaling it's start from P-Steven.
"Hey, Rubies, if your gonna fight, then take it outside" he said as he pressed a button, opening the airlock to the base. As the fusion clung to the base, she found herself being struck by Sardonyx. With the strike, the rubies unfused and began to fly into the void of space. However, as the exited the base, Eyeball managed to grab Steven and send him into the void as well. As P-Steven flew off into space, his saw his friends scream for him as he continued flying off into the void. With this, the memory paused as the room began shift around.
"Sorry, needed to get rid of the moon base real quick. I'm not too sure how long I was in space or how far I traveled, so I'd rather not overload the room again by making too much."
As the moon base began to be deleted, the gems looked to Steven with concern.
"Dude...are you ok?" asked Amethyst.
"Yeah...why wouldn't I be?"
"You seem to be handling watching these events rather well Steven and frankly...it's concerning. We know you've been through a lot and that it caused some damage, but seeing it all in real time...we're just surprised at how well your handling seeing it all again." explained Pearl. "I mean, most of the events that happened didn't happen to us, at least not directly, nor did it effect us the same as it did you, and I believe I speak for us all when I say it's not easy to see these again."
"If it makes you guys feel better, I wouldn't call seeing these memories refreshing or relaxing for me. It still hurts, but I think I've accepted them a bit. They happened, and like it or not, they helped shape how we all are today. Besides...these memories hardly compare to some of the others and how they impacted me. Don't worry...you'll see what I mean soon enough." Steven said with an ominous tone, one that left the gems more worried then before.
"Steven...will you be able to handle these 'worst' memories though?" asked Garnet.
"I'm gonna have to Garnet. Not like I have much of a choice. You all saw what the alternative is. We need to do this, otherwise, I won't be able to come back with a simple hug. I'll be gone guys...and that's something I don't want."
As he said this, the room finished it's changes. Before anyone else could question his resolve, Steven began the memory, which began with him floating off in a bubble. Soon, the momentum of the object was slowed by the impact of Eyeball colliding with the bubble. The group watched as the two individuals bickered at their predicament before coming into an asteroid field. After some close calls, the two believed themselves out of danger. However, just as Eyeball was claiming victory, she was struck by an asteroid on the gem. Without many options, P-Steven extended the bubble and brought the damaged gem into his safe haven and healed her. As he did, P-Eyeball began to believe that he was Rose Quartz and began to move to attack the hybrid with a chisel. Before she could though, P-Steven enlarged the bubble to allow more room to avoid the danger he found himself in. As the homeworld gem began to chase P-Steven, the two began to run circles in the bubble. The scene everyone was watching would have been comedic if it weren't for the fact that Steven was almost dying again. As the chase continued, P-Steven stopped at the thought of what would happen if his gem were removed, something the gems were somewhat familiar with already, even if a little.. With Eyeball now having him pinned down, she moved to strike, but soon found herself floating in space as P-Steven had dissipated the bubble and remade it once the gem was gone. With a tired look and not much other options, P-Steven curled up as he found himself alone again. With this, the memory ended, leaving the four individuals to themselves in the usual lightened cloud room.
"Steven" said Amethyst.
"You guys know how the rest of it went. That day, you guys saved me, but I wasn't sure if I'd ever see anyone again. I actually believed I was going to die in space...alone. Heck, I wasn't even sure how long my bubble would last. It had some air in it, but I'm not sure how long it would have lasted...haven't actually tested that yet officially. I thought I could do some good still when I healed Eyeball...but she still thought I was Rose...and she still tried to kill me. She's still even trying to kill me today...even though I saved her gem."
"Hey, you can't save or help everyone remember. Some people just don't want it." said Amethyst.
"I know...it still hurts though. When you guys saved me then, it was out of luck. I believed I was going to die there...and it's honestly a miracle I didn't.
"We know that you've had your fair share of experiences and brushes with death Steven...honestly you've had far more than any average human would ever have in their lifetime. We know that it isn't easy for you to bear this feeling that you've grown familiar with...and that it isn't fair, but like you said, it helped shape who you are today, for better or for worse. All you can do now is learn how to cope with it." said Pearl.
"-sigh-, right. I know...that doesn't make it any easier either, you know. I just wish I could find the solution a bit quicker so that it can just stop."
"This is something you need to work for Steven. We can help guide you, but in the end, this is something you need to find, that you need to achieve. We'll always be here to help Steven and we're glad that you've opened up to us, but this is the only way still...even if it hurts." said Garnet.
"Yeah...I know. Guess we should keep going then huh. After all, we won't get anywhere if we just sit here and listen to me get all sad and stuff right"
Seeing the gems agreeance, the clouds began to shift and shape once more as the memories continued to be brought to light.
With the room swirling around again, soon another dark setting began to take shape as funland began to appear. Soon enough, several more shapes and figures appeared above the ocean water as the Crystal Gems and several of the residents of Beach City floated in the water. A space ship had also formed above them, with Aquamarine and the Topaz twins being present. Finally, the young Steven formed as he stared down the ship with determination.
"This is when you gave yourself up to Homeworld" stated Garnet.
"Yeah. I wouldn't call this one particular harmful, even though it was, but not nearly as much as other memories. I'm bringing it up because I feel like I should explain it a bit and why I did what I did."
As the memory began to play, the gems watched as P-Steven declared himself to be Rose as he gave himself up to the invaders.
"I believed that I didn't have any other choice. We were having a hard time facing those two and they wouldn't stop until they got the people they wanted. They even threatened their lives to gain the upper hand on us. I wasn't sure how well we would have done against them if we continued, so I decided it best to end it and give Homeworld what they wanted. Everyone else with a gem at the time believed me to be Rose Quartz, so I accepted that fact. I decided to take charge of the crimes I didn't commit, to take charge of the life that wasn't mine."
With the memory continuing, everyone watched as P-Steven looked back before the door shut, and the ship disappeared. "I thought that if I faced her crimes and took the punishment in her place, then everything would have turned out fine for everyone...everyone but me. You guys could have still lived here without Homeworld attacking, the residents of Beach City would have continued their lives, and it would have been fine. But...I know now, that it never would have worked that way. I was wrong to take Rose's place and believe myself to be her just because I had her gem. It wouldn't have made anything better. I only managed to get Lars killed, put us all at the forefront of the diamond's attention, probably much sooner than it would have, and cause harm to you guys and Connie. I'm sorry that I did something so...selfish."
Seeing the young man's inner turmoil at the memory, the gems moved to comfort him once more. "Steven, while your actions may not have been necessary, you were looking out for all of us. You made a choice, and while it was somewhat foolish, it was the one you made. And yes, it harmed us and caused us to go into a panic state as we couldn't exactly find a way to save you..."
"I believe what Pearl means is that you were doing what you do best...helping others. You found what you believed the best solution to help both sides of the equation, and although it wasn't a great choice for anyone, you still made it with us and everyone else at the front of your actions. You were watching over us and caring for us for so long, even in the most unlikely ways." explained Garnet.
"Yeah man. I wouldn't call what happened there good for anyone except Homeworld, but the effort is still appreciated. Though, I think you should take this as a learning point as well." noted Amethyst.
"What do you mean?"
"You put others before yourself too much dude. A lot of the things that happened to you were because you put our feelings and well being before your own."
"Amethyst is right. Even from a young age, you believed everyone to be more important. When I broke down and fled the temple at the discovery of Lion and Rose's sword, you chased after me. I almost let you die that day, but you still helped me and put aside the notion. While I appreciate your help that day, you didn't think of yourself...even afterwards. You believed that to be something average to happen and didn't address it much in a serious manner."
"That's not the only time either. There are plenty others. You giving yourself to Homeworld, you setting aside the countless times you almost bit the dust, heck even with the recent events from this last year or two, you still put yourself aside for others." explained Amethyst.
"But, you guys needed help so many times...and no one else would have stepped up to do it..."
"So that automatically makes you the one to burden our troubles?" said Garnet.
"No...but, I guess also yes"
"Steven, you helped us on so many occasions and we're grateful for that, but you haven't looked out for yourself as much as you did us. Your trying to get help now yes, but this could have been lessened, maybe even avoided, if you looked out for yourself rather than continue to throw yourself into our troubles as if they were your own. We should never have allowed you to bear such troubles at all, let alone at such a young age. It's your nature to be helpful Steven...sometimes to the point where it hurts you as a result. We just want you to know that you don't always need to look out for others, that you don't always need to help others." said Pearl.
"The only one who never had you Steven...is you. Now, you need to do what you do best and give the help that you always extend to others...to yourself." said Garnet.
"I hear you guys...and I see your point. I guess I haven't considered how helping might actually be harmful before. I'll try to pay more attention to that, but I won't promise to stop helping others."
"We don't want you to do that, we just want you to be able to stop yourself when your helping hurts you in return...or when it even isn't necessary. Like we said, not everyone needs your help. Sometimes you just gotta let others figure out their problems themselves or let someone else try their hand at helping them."
"Yeah...I get it now. In that case, I want to help myself...and the only way to do that is to get through these memories."
"You ready to move on with them then?" asked Garnet.
"Yeah, again, we won't get anywhere by just sitting here after all. Let's keep facing these head first."
With a new found determination and readiness, the group watched on as the clouds began to swirl again.
...
Woo, two events, one chapter. First one didn't have too much at the end, so I figured to throw the next one in there as well. Glad to be able to focus more on the present day feelings and dialogue versus that of the memories. From here, we'll address the events that occurred on Homeworld.
Happy Sunday. Hope everyone is still enjoying the fic. Really trying to not make this one as long as it's part 1 relative lol. Thanks for the support all and hope you all return again for chapter 10.
Bubbled: Season 3
I Am My Mom: Season 4