Okay, now this was draining. But I finally did it, I finally got to the chapter I've been wanting to write the most, and the chapter you've all been waiting for. This is the fics turning point. I hope you enjoy.
Also, I have been constantly rewatching Steven Universe Future, and I LOVE IT. SOO MUCH angst and development for Steven that I've wanted to see for years! I honestly think it's better than it's original series(not to knock down the quality of the original, which I still love), and OH BOY, I'm really, really scared for the kid now. That corruption theory is really, really starting to terrify me now. Favorite episode so far is a tie between prickly pair and Rose Buds, just for how I can really relate to those situations.
It both excited and worried the Queen when she realized her daughter had called her on the mirror. In truth, she kind of given up on her daughter directly contacting her, and was prepared to leave her own her own. Quartz would've said something if anything truly terrible had happened, so she left well enough alone.
Really, she was starting to worry if she did something wrong to upset her, but that couldn't be the case. Letting her grow on her own on Earth seemed to have been the best choice. The very little that Glosseryck showed her indicated her magic had massively improved, and the chats Star and Moon had from then on made it clear there was more trust growing between the two. A lot less then there needed to be, but enough to satisfy the two on both ends.
In any case, it would be nice to at least talk to her daughter. "Mirror, Mirror, answer call." Sure enough, on the other end of the line was Star. Nothing stuck out, except for the rather forced smile that Moon was able to instantly recognize. "Star, to what do I owe the pleasure this time? Did you finally figure out how to make the sun explode, or did you turn your friend Marco into a peanut?"
"I can blow up the sun?" Looked like Moon didn't need to have that conversation yet. "Exactly how.., you know what, never mind. I'll figure that out later. What I'm trying to ask right now, it involved Quartz, and it's, it's pretty personal."
"Star, I've already told him, you can't give him an actual cat made out of ice cream for his birthday. It would melt the second he tries to pet it, if he doesn't eat it first."
"I've seen the plans he's drawn out for that. It's an interesting read to say the least." No, focus. Although, ice cream did sound good right now. Maybe she should put someone her pancakes. "Ah, so, you know how Quartz is adopted?"
The face on Moon couldn't have been any more neutral and unimpressed than any other moment in her life.
"Right, right, dumb question, shouldn't have asked it." Star's fake laugh was awkward and uncomfortable to witness. Moon only hoped she wasn't this obvious when Quartz's secret was on the line.
"Star, your stalling."
"I'm totally, completely, totally, because what I'm about to say is something I thought I would never say, and truth be told, I always hoped it would never come up.." The Queen looked like she was about to hang up. "Sorry." The Princess took a deep breath and let it out. "So, you wouldn't happen to know who Quartz's real parents are?"
Moon was far more prepared for this than anyone would've thought. She knew that someday, someone would ask these kinds of questions, and she prepared a full denial speech that would last at least 12 hours. She would accuse, deflect, but most importantly, strive any fingers away from her son. Heckapoo, Omnitrackis, nobody would suspect anything.
But for her daughter to be the first to confront was something of a shock to her ego. Then again, this was her daughter, who spent the last nine years practically studying her brother like some sort of animal. In hindsight, she should've expected more out of her daughter with this kind of stuff. "Ummm.."
"You see how awkward that sounded. I feel awkward for saying it. And I know I should, but I can't help but ask you, because I feel like you know more than you've told. Plus you're always giving Quartz to me every time those commission guys come over, so you probably don't think him and them go together very well.."
What?! She actually paid attention to that? "Star, I'm afraid I don't.."
"Come together, will two little stars, one of Mewni, another from afar, be they foe, or be thee friend beside each other till the end,either chaos will begin to cease,or nothing shall ever know peace,for whatever these stars bring,they'll lift their voices, and begin to sing. and in that day there shall be a sight,that will bring about the darkness, or the light." Star said the entire poem in one take without hesitation.
"Star, how do you know that?"
"Really, because you said it to Quartz, like hundreds of times." Star accused. "Do you honestly forget how many nights I spent in his room watching over him? You'd come and say that same rhyme over and over until he fell asleep all the time as a baby. I was always right there when you said it."
"Star.."
"And, and, I never remembered what happened the day before we took Quartz in. All I know is one morning, I found him in my room, the next, I'm walking to the dining room and finding out he's my brother. That was also the day he started forming the stars on his face, right?"
"Well, yes, but.."
"So obviously you know more about that then you let on, right?" Star didn't wait for a reply. "I really, really do try to ignore anything that doesn't involve me, but this involves Quartz and me, and you're not saying anything about it."
"Star, would you please.."
"Seriously, two little stars, that's a little on the nose, don't you think? Not that I don't agree he is one, but someone was clearly trying waaay too hard to be subtle."
"Star.."
"Look, I'm not mad at anything, just a little frustrated at the moment. There's been a lot of things in front of me that I tried not to see." She huffed. "So, is there any chance that you know who Quartz's parents are?"
Moon stood silent. She knew if the positions were reversed, she'd be angry about the secrets. She'd demand answers from Star, she'd dig deeper and deeper until she hit something. But, the positions weren't reversed. Moon was the mother here, and she needed to cement that.
"Star, I truly don't know where they could be, if they're even alive at all." Moon answered as truthfully as she could without revealing herself. "Don't you think Quartz should be asking me these kinds of questions?"
"Well, yeah, but he wouldn't just straight up ask you about it. He thinks asking about his past only leads to trouble."
"And you think asking about it makes things any better?" Star made sure not to say anything else in fear of making herself look dumber. "If Quartz has a problem, then I'll be sure to deal with it."
"But Mom.."
"I appreciate you looking out for him, but this is where it ends for you. Good day." Moon ended the call, and made sure to shut down the mirror to ignore any more calls from her. She really was proud of Star's closeness to her brother, It definitely put them above any of the other royal siblings in the past, but she cursed Star's nosiness in the manner.
Though it definitely put her mind on a certain issue she had been ignoring for a while. Was Quartz wondering about his parents? The last time he asked about was around the same time he started hating Glosseryck, and to be fair, it was out of line for the blue man to basically wave the information in front of him. But, was her son now suffering in silence over it? Was he pained with a lack of information and she just hasn't noticed.
Walking to her son's room ,she peeked through the door to get and answer. "..And then Pony Head dragged us throughout the building by a licorice string. Bottom line, she's been banned from every candy store in five dimensions, heh."
"Heh. Heh." The mirror in Quartz's hand repeated back to him.
"You don't talk much, do you? Then again, being a mirror, I guess you're never expected to talk at all."
"I...never...expected… to talk...at...all."
"And you don't have your own voice? But you can talk with recordings of my own?"
"I..talk...with...your...voice."
"I'm not just talking to myself right now, aren't I? You're an actual person?"
"Right..I'm..an actual person."
"Good, the last thing I would want is for people to think I'm crazy."
"You're..crazy...heh...heh...heh."
"Glad you're at least a funny mirror." Quartz finally looked up and noticed the Queen staring at him. "Hey Mom, did you need something?"
"Quartz, who are you talking too?" Moon said with worry.
"Just the mirror I got a while back."
"I know you're using the mirror, but who are you calling on it. I don't remember ever agreeing to let you have one yet." Moon snatched it from his hands.
"Oh no, it's not that type of mirror. The mirror itself is who I'm talking to. Say hi, mirror!"
"Hi, mirror."
"Well, I guess if you're not calling anybody, there's not reason for you not to have it." Dumping it back on his bed, Moon sat beside her son. "Quartz, are you feeling sad or confused in any way?"
"Not anymore than I usually do. Yesterday, Marco told me about penguins and how they're incapable of flying, and I spent ten minutes crying about the cruelty of life, but then Star strapped one to a flying cloud and made everything better."
Moon realized she would have to check later to see if Star broke any animal cruelty laws on earth. "Okay, I'm glad you made me aware of that, but that's not what I had in mind." She sighed. Man, was this harder to get out. "How often do you think about, you know.."
That uneasiness made Quartz 'ooh'. Aside from Star, he never really talked about it with anyone. "Not much, if I'm completely honest. Anytime I think about it too long, everything gets weird. I mean, I've been a Butterfly ever since I was a baby. I don't know what I'm supposed to feel about my real.." The word just felt wrong the more he said it. It wasn't like Moon and River were fake. What qualifies as a 'real' parent anyway? "...My birth parents."
"I know, pretty, weird to bring up, right?" Moon shared her son's discomfort. "You know I've always seen you as my son. And I couldn't be happier for it." Quartz smiled silently, only giving a cheerful nod. "And you're certain you don't need to talk about it?"
"It's fine, Mom. I'm Quartz Universe Butterfly: Now and forever." Moon gave a short nod and walked out of her sons room, leaving the boy by himself. Making sure no one else was looking, he slips his hand underneath one of his pillows and pulls out his sister's mirror phone. "She's gone."
Almost instantly, A small portal was made in front of him, and his sister's arm forced him through it, leading him to the Diaz family living, where Star and Marco were waiting for him. In the middle of the living room was a whiteboard with a whole lot of pictures and yarn connecting everything together. None of it really had a purpose to be anywhere, Marco just said that every serious investigation had a set up like this. "You could've pried a little more, you know. I weakened her defenses pretty well." Star commented as she placed her brother on the couch.
"I didn't want to come off as rude or ungrateful or anything." Quartz said a bit guiltily. "I don't know, maybe we should stop right now."
"Come on, Quartz, you're always reading those old dusty tales about our grandmas, what's so different about it now?" The unsure face spoke volumes. "The Quartz I know isn't a quitter. He's the guy that sticks by something until the end, and we are going to end this." Star stared at the board intensely. "Marco! What do we do first?"
"Hmm, well any good mystery would begin with what we know so far about it. Lay out the facts to get a cohesive plan going forward." Grabbing all the pictures, he took down and began organizing them in a more practical manner. "So, what do you guys have?"
Star went first. "When I was five, I found Quartz all alone as a baby, where we fought our first monster together..."
Quartz went next. "I've had this crystal in my belly since forever, which is what gives me my magic..."
"But due to some sort of event Mom refuses to talk about, we're bonded by magic...
"And there's that weird rhyme that indicates that I'm probably not even from Mewni.."
"Mom acts like she knows who at least one of his parents are, someone close and personal.."
"The way that time out guy acted pretty much confirms she thinks them knowing about my parents would cause trouble.."
"And there was that one picture of that guy who was holding you as a baby. Quartz." Knowing what she wanted, Quartz had the mirror bring the same image of the bearded man. "And with all of this combined, that leads us to.." Everyone was quiet for a full minute. Apparently, they expected some sort of epiphany to pop up right around now. "Did we actually come up with a solution, or are we just stating the obvious?"
"It was a nice attempt at least. Closer than I ever came." Quartz couldn't help but roll his eyes. His sister spent all this time connecting the dots for him, and this was all they could get. "You know, I should have expected this. Every time I think too hard about this, I come out frustrated."
"Come on Quartz.."
"It's not your fault, Star, there's just nothing we can do about it." He kept staring at the image of his supposed father, not noticing Marco kept a keen eye on it as well. "This is as close as I'm ever going to get to knowing them." He fought back the tears. "Maybe that's supposed to be enough."
"Maybe not." Marco rushed upstairs. "Hold on, hold the phone, hold it, tight." Rumbling noises were heard before the teen fell down the stairs carrying a small box of dvds. "My parents, back when they use to date, always hung around the beach. They use to tell me about every single thing they did, playing carnival games, getting stung by jellyfish, all that gushy embarrassing stuff I usually try to ignore."
"Okay, and.." Star wondered what this had to do with anything.
"..And my parents always love to remind themselves, and me, of what helped them get together. Way, way back then, my parents would always tell me how they made this reservation at a restaurant, but somebody screwed up something, and they couldn't make it. They ended up attending this one night show playing at the beach that evening, where they were two out of three people in the audience."
"Not that isn't a sweet story and all Marco.." Quartz complimented. "..and trust me when I say I want more details, but.."
"Getting there, getting there." Marco rambled. "Ever since then, Mom and Dad have been collecting every single bit of merchandise from the same performer for the past 20 years. And that performers name is.." Rummaging through the piles of posters and old CDs of a 20-something year old man in a torn black shirt with a yellow star. "Greg Universe!" He finds a CD cover with a more recent depiction of the man. He was wearing shades and the top part of his hair had mostly fallen away, but the resemblance to the man in the mirror was undeniable.
"The music guy with the space theme?" Quartz eyes perked a little. "Really?"
"Yeah, check this out Quartz." Star picked up one of the covers with the younger version of the rock star. "Look at that face." Grabbing a marker, she blacks out the longer brown hair and draws Quartz's more curly style over it. "It's practically identical!" She then looks back to the more current picture. "Yeesh, you may want to lay off the cookie cats for a while. A month tops."
Quartz couldn't deny the resemblance now that it was staring right at him, but he still couldn't help but be in denial. His father on Earth? That's a bit of a stretch. "I, I don't know about this guys. The guy who just so happens to play my favorite songs is my dad?" He turned back to Star. "And how'd I end up on Mewni? I'm pretty sure one of the reasons Mom left you here was because of the lack of portals."
"Don't be such a downer now Quartz, you have adulthood for that." Star tried to change the mood. "This is the biggest lead we have so far. Marco, where does this guy live?"
"Hold on, I thought I had.." the teen reached into the box again. "..Here!" He pulled up an old newspaper article. "It says here after his album went platinum, he's been constantly booked on tours and various side gigs. Nothing about it says anything about his personal life."
"Doesn't the internet have that kind of information?"
Marco pulled up his phone and typed. "Still nothing. Around 10 years ago, he fell out of the public eye. He doesn't go out to eat, hardly drives anywhere aside from his tour bus." Quartz was just about to sigh and tell him to stop.
"Marco, be more helpful!"
"Okay, okay!" He scrolled down some more. "The only interesting thing here is that he invested in a car wash right next to the beach, but it's not much."
"Then it's settled then!" Star exclaimed, bringing Quartz and Marco closer to her as she created a portal. "We're heading to the beach!"
"Star, wait, just, just wait!" Quartz forced himself out of her embrace. "You've been going over and beyond for me, and I love you for it. But, let's think about this for a second." Quartz paced back and forth. "We might find something, and we might not find something. I'm okay with not finding out."
"Quartz, why are you fighting this so much? I know you want to be a Butterfly, and you're always going to be my brother, but why are you trying to turn this down? It's your life we're talking about! Don't you at least want to know how it all started?"
"Yeah, I do, I guess." Really, there wasn't anything to lose here. No matter what they fined, he'd still be living in Mewni. He'd still be a Butterfly, legally speaking. He'd still have his name. "Okay, Okay! We're heading to the beach!"
"Oh yeah! That's what I'm talking.."
"But!" Quartz stopped his sister. "If we find nothing, we leave it at that, no matter what. No going back. No more questions, no more answer seeking."
"Deal!" Star said nonchalantly. "Alright, if there's no more questions.."
"I'd prefer to take my shorts if we're heading to the beach.." Marco tried to talk.
"..Then let's get our groove on!" Taking them by the hand, Star leapt through the portal and in a literal second, they were at the beach. Since there was no flaming ball of death ramming itself on the sandy surface this time, the beach as much less crowded this time, giving the trio a better scope of the area. Aside from the donut place, the sight as rather unfamiliar, with a long boardwalk work of food, rides and games to the far right, along with a seemingly unending stretch of sand spread all over. "Aww, boo! How are we supposed to find anything here!?
"Relax Star, the car wash is supposed to be in the other direction." Marco calmed her down, only for the sound of growling stomachs to go off. "But our stomachs are telling me to go the other way."
"I can get us something! I hadn't had the chance to eat anything yet today." Quartz volunteered.
"Okay, but please don't get donuts. I'm still trying to forget the cat finger thing."
The short, purple lady known as Amethyst was a bit of an oddity around the beach side of town. Sure, no one would down right say it to her face, but whenever she spent her days hanging around the boardwalk, she turned many a head. Not because she was the best looking or because she was purple, though those two definitely came up from time to time, but because for the years she lived there, no one had even begun to figure what her deal was.
Everyday, she seemed to do something new: order thirty pizzas and never pay, frighten the latest tourist by pretending to be some deformed creature, break the always crumbling roller coasters that all cost Mr. Smiley a fortune to cover. She seemed pretty happy, if careless about any consequences her actions had on people or anyone else. On most days, the locals figured it was best just to her do her thing. There would always be less bruises that way.
"'Let's increase our searches' they said. 'We finally got a lead' they said." The purple one mumbled on her way to town. "Seriously, learn to let it go." It had been weeks since Garnet's future gave them a glimmer of hope, and it had been around a week since all hope had been drained out of her.
"It wasn't even our fault he's gone! He's a kid. Kids get lost all the time. Not like I have to feel guilty about it." That wasn't fair, and also a huge lie she's been telling herself for years. Of course she blamed herself. She blamed herself, she blamed Garnet, Pearl, Greg, she blamed everyone and no one. Sure, was the last piece of Rose gone from their lives; absolutely. Shouldn't they get over it and move on; definitely.
Her grumbling made everyone she passed by looking at her a bit timidly as she made her way to the fry shop. She didn't have any money, but she had excessive force and annoyance. That was an equal trade off, right? "Hey Frybo, you know what I want."
The little kid behind the counter took notice of her. "Welcome to beach city fries, what would.." One peek at Amethyst told him to run. "Dad, the purple girl is here again."
"Heh, never gets old."
"Come on, Amethyst. Do you really want to eat here again?" An older man with a beard in a fry hat came. "I actually need to run my shop, and it would help to actually get paid for one of your orders."
"Hey, you were about to dump the grease on the beach anyway, not my fault it makes a good shake." Amethyst rolled her eyes. "Besides, I just need a little snack now. Some of your best and finest bits please." She said in a mock fancy tone.
"Look, I have actual customers waiting behind you." He pointed to the kid in the reddish armor. "What would you like, son?"
"Actually, those bits sound pretty good." The curly haired kid said curiously. "I'd like three orders of bits, please."
"No, kid, it's not on the menu, it's just fry ends with dried grease bits I scrape off the fryer..."
"The Bits! The Bits! Gimmie the Bits!" The boy chanted, pounding his fists on the counter.
"Watch it! The paint job just dried.."
"Great idea, kid!" Amethyst, impressed joined in on the fun. "Bits!
"Bits"
"BITS!"
"BITS!"
"Alright, alright, just take it easy already!" The Fry Man relented. "Nothing's sacred with you, is it lady?"
"Hey, maybe next time, spend less time yapping and more time frying. Not like everyone comes here to see your ugly mug." Grunting, the man shoved the orders in her face, muttering some sort of obscenity under his breath.
"Thank you!" Quartz slammed the money Marco gave him and turned to the purple lady. "Is it like that all the time?"
"Nah, he's usually more compliant. Must've caught him on a bad day." She shrugged, eating her bits, bag and all, in one small gulp. "You going to eat these?"
"There for my sister and friend, so no?" He took back his share. "Say, weren't you that lady I met in the water when that giant eyeball was about to kill everybody.
"Huh?" She inspected the kid closely. He was familiar, that she did know, but something about the armor and the stars on his face got in the way, like it didn't belong on him or something. "Oh yeah, that's right, you're the kid that almost drowned." Eh, maybe she'll figure it out later. "So how's the magic thing working out for ya?"
"Eh, better than before, not that Star makes it easier for me. Almost froze time forever the other time."
This kid had imagination, she'd give him that. "Funny. Well, thanks for helping me with the bits. I'll be sure to think of you whenever I'm in need of something fried and greasy." She changed her from into a seagull to fly away.
"Wait, I didn't get your name!" Quartz shouted out.
The purple lady thought for a second. No harm in humoring the kid. "Names Amethyst."
"Quartz Butterfly." Again, sounded very familiar, but something about it seemed just a bit off. Maybe it was the last name that threw it off for her. "Is that shapeshifting you're doing?"
"Yep! Proud and certified!"
"Can you show me how you do it?"
"Are you sure, little man? I mean, you say you want to hang out now.." She changes her form again, this time into a very large snake. "..But then people start freaking out when you show a little fang.." Her for changes into a lioness. "..and all of a sudden, people start thinking you're going to bite them, despite the fact it only happened one time, and the jerk totally had it coming!" She returned to normal. "Scared yet."
The boy, through her rant, hardly flinch. "I've faced scarier things on a daily basis. Helps that your purple skin makes you look like a grape flavored gummy."
"I don't have any skin, but thanks." This was definitely the most interesting thing that's happened to her in the past 9 years. Better than constantly using the warps and hoping to somehow make it off earth.
What Amethyst chose to do with her day may be pointless. It was probably irrelevant, wasteful, and aimless, but it was a fun aimlessness she decided for herself.
Better than the constant grief Pearl and Garnet put themselves through.
It wasn't like Steven was going to pop up in front of them.
"Close indefinitely?!" Star complained once they made their way to the car wash. All they had to do was walk a few feet in the other direction to notice the mostly white building with a giant 'It's a Wash' sign right at the top. "Why would it be closed?"
"Tell me about it." A man in a suit sat in a rather tacky vehicle with a giant version of his head at the top, with the words 're-elect' painted on the side. "I've been waiting for my free wash for the last 10 years!"
"Wait, you've been waiting here for ten years, just to get a car wash?" Marco asked skeptically.
"What? No, I'm the mayor. I'm saying ever since I sold that punk rocker the Car Wash, I was promised free washes for life, but the one day I needed one, he decides he's too good for this town and goes on tour!"
"So you haven't washed your car in ten years?"
"Do you know how many miles this thing gets? I'm lucky if I'm able to reach the end of town. For that trouble, I might as well let the rain do it's work for me." He started up his car, but Star clung to the side opening of it, forcing it to stop.
"Wait, what about Mr. Universe! Do you know where he is? Do you know why he left?"
"Heck if I know. The guy hasn't shown his face here in a decade." He starts driving away with Star still holding on. "Last I heard, it was some drama involving his girlfriend or something." Star finally managed to let go, falling on her face.
"Ew, Star, you alright?"
"No. Just let me be. Facing the pavement is better than facing failure." She peeled herself off if it anyways with a defeated sign. "Well, now what? We just lost our last lead, and Quartz's is going to have this over his head for the rest of his life."
"I think you're blowing this a bit out of proportion." Marco stated.
"Am I Marco? Am I?"
"Yes, you are. You did it with when Quartz first came to visit, when you took him to school, the monster claws, the football game.." Really, it was almost scheduled by this point. "So can you calm down long enough to tell me why you're getting more worked up. If anything, Quartz seems, uncomfortable with finding his parents."
"He says that now, but he doesn't know what he wants. So it's my duty as his older sister to know for him." Marco raised a brow. "You don't have a bother, so you can't tell me that's not how it works."
"You're right, I don't have a brother, or a sister. I don't know what it's like to look out for family like that." Marco replied, picking Star up. "I've never protected a sibling from harm, never took one out for ice cream and monster fighting, and I've never had anyone I could share everything with without fear..."
"Exactly, so why are you telling me all this?"
"What? No, I was trying to prove.." Marco shook his head. "Point is, Quartz is fine with the family he has, because you, your parents, you're all he has, and you're all he wants."
"I know. I just want to give him more that what he wants." Star sulked. "If you could do something for someone that says, that proves 'I love you forever', wouldn't you take the chance?"
Marco really wanted to say otherwise, but he had to agree. If there as just one thing he could say to Jackie that proved his ability to be a good boyfriend to her, he would do it, despite the anxiety and sweaty armpits that was sure to follow. He really got Star's point, almost made him wish he had someone little to look after. "Star, I'm sure.." The winds were suddenly changing, blowing harder and harder in there direction. Made Marco glad he always wore his hoodie. "..is it getting windier here?"
Star noticed it too, finding it more difficult to keep the hair of her face. "Yeah, what's up with.." The winds became more violent, the sand now flying into their eyes, making it all the more harder to stand.
"Star, you didn't make another tornado again, did you!?"
"Of course not! There's nothing here to clean up!" Star shouted, concentrating everything she had on her wand and sticking it in the ground. It extends into a large pole, allowing Marco and Star to stay relatively still as the winds began lifting up their legs.
"Then what the heck is causing this!?" The teens soon got their answer in the form of a pink and green monstrosity. Floating calmly above their heads, a giant pufferfish was flying above. It didn't look angry, or mad, or happy. It's face seemed to be stuck in one position as massive currents of wind blew out of it like a giant leaf blower. "This isn't one of Ludo's lackeys, is it?"
"None that I've seen, but it's not like I keep track of who's who." Star climbed her wand-pole thing, making her way to the top. "But hey, I needed to blow off some steam anyone." She laughed. "Hey, I didn't even mean to say it like.."
"Less puns, more magic please!"
"Got it! Rainbow pu.." Sand got in her mouth. "Rainbow.." A sea shell got in her mouth. "Rain.." She had to swing herself in order to avoid a kitchen sink. "Rain..oh it's pointless to even try." The pufferfish kept on blowing harder and harder, refusing to stop, and kept going and going. The teen's fingers were growing tired and irritated, slowly slipping off inch by inch. "Rainboow…..!"
SMACK. The flying fish was launched where the water met the sand.
"Nice shot!"
"That wasn't me."The wind finally cleared up, allowing the two to finally see what was in front of them. A rather tall lady covered in some sort of dark red outfit with a giant square afro for hair. Her face was calm, stoic, and unmoved, though it was largely helped by the shades she was that covered half her face. "You alright?" She spoke in a voice that largely resembled a British accent.
"Who are.." Marco tried to speak.
"Get out of here. We'll take care of it." Without another word, she launched herself at the creature, taking off at breathtaking speeds.
"Rude." Was the first thing that Star thought once they were able to regain their senses. "Come on Marco, we can't let another monster roam free."
"Are you sure? Afro lady seemed pretty confident in what she was saying."
"And you're saying I'm not? Please, if I wasn't confident, I wouldn't always be putting my life in danger for fun.."
"Nice to know you're admitting it.."
"Save the therapy for the couch! We got fish to fry." Star ran ahead, charging right towards the fish without it noticing her, all it's attention on the Afro lady. "Mega Narwhal Bl.."
"Hold it, hold it!" A more pale and lanky lady in a blue ballerina outfit that had a yellow star in the middle of it came. The most obvious thing about the lady was the small, shiny surface that seemed to be embedded in her forehead, not too dissimilar from the gemstone on Glossaryck's. More so, the lady was holding a spear in front of her, blocking her charge. "I know it's a sunny day and you humans love the water, but this is a serious matter being handled by professionals, so go away and be ignorant of the danger."
Star never knew she could hear a voice more pandering and demeaning then her mother's, but the universe found a way to make it happen. "What? I'm not even hu.., never mind, just stay back while I take care of this thing." Star raised her wand, only for Pearl to knock it out of her hand.
"This isn't a game that can be won with toys and games, it's a delicate situation that requires a specific strategy." The pale woman kept pushing her back. "Oh, here's Garnet now preparing the final step."
The final step itself was launching herself into the air and torpedoing down on it with some sort of giant gauntlet now formed around it's hand. She stayed perfectly in position, even as the fish turned its attention on her and began blowing. Having no control over the gravity and wind, she was helpless as she tried to hold out, keeping still, hoping to land at least a blow, only to flip over and get launched back into the sky and into town.
"So you're strategy was to punch it hard enough?" Star mocked. "Because you really blew it."
"It's not like you can do anything about it, with that toy and your weak human body."
"Again, I'm not human." Star failed ignore her as she turned back to the fish. "And weak is the last thing you should ever call this princess. Raspberry Ribbon Lasso!" Star's wand shout out the berry scented rope, seemingly putting it on a leash. "Easy Peasy, lemon greasy."
The pale lady was quite taken aback, not at all expecting this from a human. "Wha, huh, but, that.." The lady's mind began effectively breaking before her composure came back. "What in the names of the stars allowed you to do that?!"
"Duh, magic, how else?" Really there wasn't any other explanation.
"But humans can't use magic, that, that's just unnatural by every.." the lady got closer to the wand, eyeing it like she recognized it. "That can't be, they never came here.." She got a closer look at Star. Those cheek emblems weren't impossible to fake, but given the evidence, that seemed unlikely. "You're a Butterfly."
"Born and proud!" She stated, not noticing her feet were starting to slide off. "Wait, how do you know.." The fish regained its strength and pulled her away.
"Great, another irresponsible queen in the making." Pearl muttered as more unpleasant memories started to form. With the whole Steven thing giving her a ray of hope, the last thing they needed was more dimensional madness to add to it. "It's like spending the day trying to talk to Amethyst."
"So, let me get this straight: You turned your fingers into cats, and those cats took over your body and tried to kill your sister?" Amethyst couldn't keep a straight face while recapping what the kid was telling her. It was impossible to believe, and too surreal to make up.
"Yeah, but thanks to the magical bond I share with my sister, it turned out well in the end." Quartz concluded. For about the past half an hour or so, they were sharing stories back and forth about their lives. Or at least Quartz was. Amethyst was 80% sure he was just making this stuff up just to impress her. Hey, give the kid credit, it would be hard to find anything impressive about a 5 year old. And it wasn't like there was a massive line of people wanting to talk to her, so she would take what she could get.
"Right, right. And that's why you haven't shapeshifted at all?" She poked at the holes in his story, mainly the fact he hasn't shapeshifted at all.
"Nah, that whole thing put me off it for a while. Heck, it's taken me this long to look at cats the same way again."
"I guess I could see that." She shrugged. "But when the chance to swim with dolphins or Halloween comes, isn't a little fear worth it?" She playfully nudged, seeing if she could put him in a corner.
"Maybe, but my sister has the wand. I could ride a Narwhal anytime."
He kept mentioning his sister a lot. They seemed to be close. "Oh really? I bet it must be sweet to have someone always willing to give everything you want if you ask. I have to work to get what I want. Dumpster diving behind the Big Donut isn't as glamorous as you would think."
"Yeah, I guess, but we've always did everything for each other, even before we had a grip on the whole magic thing. Before coming to this dimension, she was the one I spent the most time around. I followed her, she followed me, and we'd do what we want. Play in mud, eat the corn, spin around until you think you're going to throw up.."
"Heh, I love doing that."
"Exactly, and there didn't need to be anything else. Just me and her alone." He sighed. "Not that I don't love what we have now, but everything's starting to get complicated. I might have some sort of destiny tied with her, people might come after me, and my parents might be on Earth, there's nothing simple about it!"
"Tell me about it. You feel the weight off a lot of stuff around you. Some of it's good. Some of it's bad. No matter what it is, you're expected to be apart of it, despite never being apart of it before." Amethyst huffed. "My friends really don't make it any easier. There's this, this big mess we're trying to fix.." She laughed. "Actually, there's a lot of big messes we need to clean up. And every time we think we're closer to getting rid of it, nope, underneath the trash is just more trash."
"That's why I hate keeping secrets. Just say what's on you're mind. If something bad is coming, then tell me what it is."
"Exactly! I know I might be bad, so at least tell me if it's true! I already know you're good, and I'll be nothing like you!" Quartz made sure to keep shut. "Sorry, lot's of stress lately."
"It's fine. I'm a good listener. That's pretty much why Star trusts me not to say anything to Mom." He sips his lips. "It's in one ear and out the other."
"Thanks kid. I don't really have anyone around to say any of this to." She thought for a second. "Well I do, but Validia has her own kids to worry about, and Pearl and Garnet aren't exactly in a place to tell me how to deal with my trash."
"I get it. I'm a total stranger to you. You could say anything to me and it wouldn't make a difference anyhow." Quartz smiled. "I mean, it was by sheer coincidence we ran into each other today. My sister's out no trying to find my Dad, and I just wanted some fries." He looks at his now empty bags. "Amethyst.."
"Sorry, but without an actual stomach, I never get full. I don't actually get hungry either, but it feels good either way." She slapped him on the shoulder. "Don't worry. I can get us something better." It was a short walk down the path, but the two ended up where the Pizza shop was, though you wouldn't be able to tell at first because you'd be distracted by the strange woman who was smashed against the sign. "Or not."
"You smashed my sign, and now you're just laying there!" The owner, not so ironically name , was shouting at the afro lady while his daughter, Kiki, watched. "Are you even paying attention! Or are we engaging in a secret staring contest?!"
"Yo, Garnet, watcha doing?" Completely ignoring the man, and the property damage, Amethyst called out to her friend.
"I'm fine." Garnet answered, irritated as she plopped back down. "Where were you this morning?"
"Nowhere you would go, that's for sure." She laughed, though no one else did. "Come on Quartz, back me up here."
Garnet now turned here eyes on the kid, who seemed just as intimidated by her presence as much as any other human, but something was a little off about him. She couldn't really see exactly was off. "Who's this?"
"Stop scaring the kid, Garnet. Just because you can't make friends doesn't mean I can't. Sometimes it's better to act human, right Quartzy?"
"I'm still not.."
"Doesn't matter. Pearl needs out help." Her screams, along with someone else's, was heard from far behind. "Go." She launched into the air once more.
"Are you still ignoring me?! What about my sign!?" shouted in vain. "You!" He pointed to Amethyst. "What is your deal! You dine and dash, mess up my stove, and now destroy my roof!?"
"Heh, yeah this place is wrecked, and it ain't my fault for once." She turned her back without even acknowledging . "Well, fun is fun, but I should probably get back before my friends kill themselves. See ya.."
"But I can.." Amethyst didn't here as she followed suit. "..help. Well, if it's how they travel.."
"MY SIGN!"
Quartz was off before he could even respond properly.
"If you'd only let go, we'd finally be done with this mess!" Pearl chased after the pufferfish, now dragging Star all over the sandy surface. "You'd think a Princess of Mewni would be willing to think things through a little more after all this time!"
"I was thinking! I was thinking that lassoing the thing was going to stop it!" Star shouted, getting more and more tired of the sand skiing and Pearl's lecturing. "And now I'm thinking 'when is this lady going to stop talking! I've heard more pleasant sounds scratching chalkboards with sandpaper!""
"Here we go. Another Princess who can't follow the rule for once in her life! Even Solaria knew when to listen before.." Pearl winced at the memory of the bloody and often cruel Queen. "..okay, slightly bad example, but you get what I mean."
"Yeah, I get it, I just don't know why you get it!" Star was finally thrown off the creature, ramming right into Marco, who had been struggling to keep up with her. "How do you know about my family?"
"How can I not?! I've never seen such a misuse of power throughout history than the Butterfly line." Pearl answered with more and more hostility. "Relying on one single source of power, what a mess." Garnet finally popped back up along with Amethyst by her side. "Amethyst! Where have you been? You were supposed to be staying at your post this morning."
"I was, and then I realized I was hungry, and I left for a second." Sand blew into their faces. "Not like it caused more damage then I do on a normal bases."
"Not the point!" Pearl did her best to keep calm, holding back her words and looking like she was about to explode. "I really don't have the time to deal with you, just keep the humans away while we finish up here."
"Seriously, that's what you need me for? I was doing a bang up doing it on the boardwalk!" Nobody listened to her, so her gaze fell on the two teens, who could only stand by and watch for the moment. "Sup."
"What are you guys doing? We're trying to help!" Star demanded.
"Look, it were up to me, I'd let you do what you want, but we've been tasked with protecting all of humanity, and allowing 'soft and fragile' humans like you 'impedes' on that mission. Pearl's words, not mine." Amethyst gave a nonchalant shrug."
"I'm not human!" Star shouted to the sky. "Marco, do I look human to you?"
"Yes."
"..Well shame on you for not knowing the subtle differences." Quartz then landed right beside, making Marco jump out of the way, and making Amethyst's eyes widen. "Where have you been?"
"Sorry, I got distracted getting the fries. Also, I don't have any fries." He turned to his purple companion. "So, what's the problem?"
"How did you.."
"The problem is a giant fish is blowing really hard and the colorful ladies here aren't letting us help." Marco got him up to speed.
"How were you able to get .."
"Is that all? Usually, you're more ahead in these types of situations." Quartz told Star.
"I am. The bird lady over there just kept annoying me." Star rolled her eyes. "Imagine Mom, but even more disapproving."
"That bad?"
"Is this how that Pizza guy felt?" Amethyst said to no one, since no one would listen. "It doesn't feel good at all. I should probably stop doing it."
"Enough small talk, that's a monster, and we're taking it down whether they like it or not." The boys nodded. "Right. Quartz, you be playfully distracting, Marco and I will take care of the rest." She and Marco ran off, leaving Quartz with Amethyst once more.
"Come on, Amethyst, they're counting on us to.." He attempted to drag her with him, only for her to stay firmly planted in the sand.
Something was starting to itch in her head. It was a fairly ludicrous idea, and maybe a little more than coincidental, but something about this kid didn't feel right. He outright flew in front of her and landed without a scratch. Clearly, something other than her was a little off. "You sure you're name is Quartz?"
"I'm pretty sure. I mean, I literally have no other name to go by then the one given to me." Weird question, but it's been a weird day overall. "So, how are you at fastballs?"
Amethyst grinned, knowing exactly what he had in mind, though she stopped herself to ask another question. "Wait, so all that stuff you were saying about your sister and magic, that was true?"
"Of course!" He said proudly. "Wait, did you think I was lying the entire time?"
"No, yeah, maybe. I just thought you had a good imagination, that's all." She got herself in position. "But if you're telling the truth, then you can handle it, right?"
"Of course I can! Get ready!" Jumping to here, Amethyst caught the little boy and shapeshifted her right into a little catapult, flinging him right in the fishes direction.
"It shouldn't be this hard! We need to keep this thing grounded long enough to pop it!" Garnet struggled, every punch she made kept missing it's mark, every spear thrown by Pearl failing to pierce it bubbly body.
"That, that girl from earlier tried tying it up." Pearl thought. It almost hurt her to give credit to someone who clearly had no idea what they were doing. "Maybe if we had some sort of net.."
"INCOMING!" Quartz alerted everyone, barely giving the two older ladies enough time to notice him, but giving more than enough time for the pufferfish to react, by turning its head down and making Quartz face head first into its prickly head, which Quartz just realized wasn't hair. "Bubblebubblebubblebubblebubble!" Quartz knocked it into the sea, only forming his pink ball at the last second. "Okay, it has spikes. This was an important lesson to learn." He fell gracefully to the ground, where Pearl was staring in shock and anger, while the Garnet looked with mild shock and surprise. "You're friends with Amethyst, right?"
"Little boy, what in the name of the Earth do you think you were doing!? You've could've ended you're life in a severely horrific manner!" Pearl talked down. "Saving humanity is no job for a human, Garnet help me out here?"
"How did you summon that bubble?" Garnet asked.
Quartz really didn't know what to say right here. On the one hand, the pale lady seemed a bit rude and a little demeaning, and the other lady felt a little intimidating with her blank expression and blunt voice. But they also had a vibe that Quartz felt whenever he learned something knew about Mewni's Queens, so he was a bit confused on how to feel. "I-I, I made it with my magic." He stammered. "I'm, I'm magic."
"Hey, lay off my brother!" Star intervened, her and Marco coming through holding a volleyball net. Amethyst, not too far behind, joined up as well.
"Of course, of course, what else should I have expected?" Pearl slapped her head, bringing her hand down on her face. "Rushing into a dangerous situation, using magic you clearly haven't mastered, and now you're throwing your own family towards danger? I highly doubt your mother would approve of any of this."
"Okay, first of all, it was your friend that threw him at that thing.."
"Don't lump me into this!" Amethyst immediately defended herself. "I only did it because the kid asked me to."
"And second of all, I have enough trust in my brother to know he can handle himself for a good minute. What he definitely doesn't need is some stuffy, overbearing, pain in the neck bird lady squawking in his ear constantly telling him what he's doing wrong!" Quartz held his sister's hand and tried pulling her back.
"If no one tells you what's wrong, you'll never do anything right! Like how you're brother knocked the monster in the sea when we were just about to stop it for good." Pearl was held back by Garnet.
"What? He got rid of the monster when you couldn't handle it?" Star said with her voice draped in sarcasm. "I wonder why you're panties are in such a twist over that?"
"That means it's going to come back later!"
"Then we'll deal with it later!"
Marco, not really sure why he was here now, just sort of droned out the arguing, as did Amethyst. "Is your friend always this uptight?"
"Yes, yes, yes, Yes, with a capital Y." The purple one admitted with no hesitation in her voice. "I've heard it a thousand times over a thousand years. It's like the noise the ocean makes. After a while, you're so used to it that it makes you sleep." She yawned. "And I literally don't need to sleep, like at all, so you know that it's that bad." She turned to Star. "And I'm guessing she's usually stubborn and snarky?"
"I'd call it overly passionate, but yeah. It's a bit annoying, but a little endearing." He shrugged. "You just gotta roll with the punches and deal with the occasional bite marks."
"Definitely. More people need to get beaten up to toughen up."
Marco would've felt the need to feel uneasy about that remark, only to find his attention now on the bubbling in the ocean. "Guys.."
"You shouldn't even be here! Mewmans have no authority or claim to Earth at all. You're disrupting the peace just by being here!" Pearl and Star continued to go back and forth.
"Well, sorry lady, but coming here wasn't exactly my first choice! And the only thing disrupting peace of any kind is you with all you're squawking!"
"Why, I never.."
"SQUAWK, SQUAWK!"
"Guys!" Marco sighed. "What's it going to take to get their attention.." A small glow made him look down. "Huh, a microphone. Thanks."
"No prob, bob." The microphone replied back, revealing it to be Amethyst herself.
"Uh, this isn't weird at all to you?"
"Only if you want to make it weird."
"That's not creepy at all." Nevertheless, he turns it, her, whatever, on. "GUYS!"
All heads turned and the arguing stopped, just in time to see the spikey monster rise from the waters, ready and eager for a fight. "This is exactly what I meant!"
"Like you were doing any better stopping it befor.."
SWOOSH!
With not even a warning, the fish blew large, sharp cannonballs of wind at them, using the sand to blind the two groups and trying to blow them off the beach entirely.
No one in the group was expecting an attack, and with the sand everywhere, everyone was expecting to find themselves lost and scattered everywhere as the monster continued it's rampage. None of them were expecting to still be standing in the same spot, surrounded by a faint pink light that came from a 9 year old. "Everyone alright?" Quartz, summoning a big enough shield to shelter everyone, said while sweating.
"Hooray! Magic shield for the win!" Star celebrated while the three ladies found themselves speechless. Pearl held her hands to her mouths and started sobbing furiously. Amethyst fell flat on the ground stayed there, unwilling to acknowledge what was happening right now. Garnet tried, and failed to walked towards the boy, not certain what to say at all.
"Steven.." Pearl muttered in between tears.
"Guys, I'm glad you're all safe, but this is bigger than what I'm used to." Quartz's shield began to shrink. "Please tell me we have a plan!"
"Plan?" Star turned her head. "Plan? Yes, plan, that's right, I have a plan!" She turned to Garnet. "Hey you, you seem to be the strongest one here."
Garnet was quiet for a moment. All that was on her mind at the moment was taking the little boy far away from here and holding on to him eternity. She saw this girl, the boy's supposed sister, as a slight damper to that. In fact, the more she thought about it, this girl seemed to be a hindrance to the boy's safety in general.
But there was no time to argue. The path of least resistance seemed to be the best call, for the moment. "Pearl, you come with me and help them.." She gestured to Marco and Star. "..carry the safety net. Amethyst, you and Steven run circles around it."
"How did you know my plan? And who's Steven?" Star was left with no answers as everyone else got into position. "Right, leave a girl hanging, you lousy.."
"Don't know what this has to do with anything, but okay!" Complying, Quartz got the fish's attention, making it follow him. "Amethyst, come on! My sister's plan depends on it!"
"..Right, right." Amethyst shook her head. This made too much sense, and not enough sense all at the same time. Soon, both of them we're doing as they were told. The fish, not knowing where to fire or who to fire at, just followed suit, spinning itself in a circles, keeping it's head, and therefore the winds it produced, close to the ground. "Uh dude, I'd really hate to be a downer here, but I don't think that girl is your sister.."
"Of course she is. I live with her, we were raised by the same parents, we've shared practically everything we own, I'm pretty sure she is." Quartz said a bit annoyed. He had a hard enough time question his family already, and this virtual stranger chose now of all times to ask about this?
"Ah, I mean, I'm pretty sure you're not related by, you know.." Then again, she hasn't seen Greg in a while, and he never did like to talk about his family life, so it was like, a 60 percent possible at most.
"Family doesn't need to be by blood you know. It's a choice we make." Quartz quite irritably replied. "I know I'm adopted."
"Oh, so you know you were kidnapped!" Amethyst blurted out, making Quartz stop for a moment, only to run again at the closeness of the wind getting closer.
"What?! No, what, what the corn are you even talking about?" Quartz shouted back, really wishing he could stop right now.
"You were taken as a baby! You were supposed to grow up here!" Amethyst kept arguing, wishing she could stop running to calmly explain everything. "I know you were young, but some part of you has to know this!"
"No, I, just, just no. You're crazy! I wasn't kidnapped by the Butterflies, I was saved.."
"Your name is Steven Universe!"
"Not listening, not listening!" He covered his ears.
"Your father is Greg Universe, and you're mother is Rose Quartz!"
"LALALALALALA CAN'T HEAR YOU!"
"You loved listening to the ukulele when you were a baby, and you have a giant pink rock sticking out of your stomach! That's how you're able to float, and use that shield and all that."
"No, I, how, how did you.." There was no way this lady was telling the truth. But, she already knew stuff about him he didn't tell her. "This isn't true, I.."
"Come on, Steven! You need to see what's in front of you!"
"My name is Quartz Butterfly!"
As the two kept on arguing back and forth, the same could be said for the other group, specifically between Pearl and Star. "What did you do to that boy? He's blindly following whatever half-baked plan you came up with, assuming you actually have a plan."
"Why, you.." Star had her hand held back by Marco. "I have a little something call faith in my brother, so try dissing him again, and see how it goes."
"Oh, I believe in Steven." Pearl affirmed. "It's you that I have doubts in."
"His name is Quartz.."
"No, his name is Steven Universe, not whatever your family has brainwashed him into thinking he is!"
"Brainwashing? Brainwas.." Star really had to fight the urge to blast her into outer space. "What are you even talking about? He's a prince of Mewni, he's been by my side for the last 9 years. I'd think I know if someone was brainwashing him. You're the only one here spouting nonsense out of nowhere!" Star accused right back. "In fact, how do I know if that's not you're plan to begin with!"
"Because I know what's truly right for Rose's son.."
"Rose, Rose..?" Star was lost, until something clicked. " You mean THE ROSE GUARD?"
"Rose Guard? She hadn't used that name in centuries.." Pearl kept wanting to argue, though Garnet got everyone's attention.
"ENOUGH! We're all confused right now, and we all have our own concerns and issues to work with, AFTER the fact." Everyone shut up at the simple truth. "Right now, that boy is the one thing we have in common, and I know Steven isn't going to appreciate all of us arguing over him."
"His name is QUARTZ." Star grinded her teeth. "But you're right." Everyone gripped the handles of the volleyball net tight, and jumped forward in the path of the fish. "INCOMING!"
Amethyst hopped out of the way, tacking Quartz as well to get him to safety. Everyone else wasted no time in ensnaring the creature, which immediately fighting back, blowing as hard as it could in resistance, though with the combined strength of both human, mewman, and whatever the colorful ladies were, it found itself having much more of a harder time. "Not that I usually question what we do.." Marco sweated as he constantly spat sand out of his mouth. "..but I assume we were aiming to defeat this thing!"
"YES, JUST STOP ASKING QUESTIONS!" Star let go, making the group struggle for a brief moment. "You, short, dark, and purple: take my place!" Amethyst did so without question. "Quartz: ready to show everyone how we play the game?"
"I'M READY!" Quartz properly bubbled himself in his spikey sphere. "Just make sure to be a little more ge.."
"POWER PONG PADDLE SUPER CHARGE!" A large, red paddle, made of magic encased her wand, allowing her to give the ball a humongous smack, sending it into the sky.
"STEVEN!" Pearl shouted. She attempted to let go and jump to him, only to have her feet restrained by Garnet's left hand. "Steven! Sky! Danger! My BABY!"
"Is going to be fine." Simply pointing up, all three ladies sat Quartz/Steven make his way down like a blazing bullet. He had no fear in his eyes, no hint of hesitation or resistance in his expression. They didn't see a lost child, or even the baby they knew they lost years ago. They saw a fighter. A warrior.
A Crystal Gem.
Ready to take down the blowfish, Quartz had two words to say before everything went blurry.
"BUTTERFLY BOMB!"
"I'm not saying it's a terrible power or anything." Amethyst talked as everyone calmed down from the fight. "I like it. I'm just confused on where the butterflies came from."
"The explosion is suppose to minimize damage, so my magic makes it I guess?" Quartz shrugged, happy at least that the arguing had stopped for the moment. "Though I guess the only thing left to know is what happened to that monster? I don't see it anywhere."
"Not important." Garnet spoke as she held something in a bubble, before tapping on it's top and teleporting it away. "I would like to congratulate you and your friends. Your teamwork is quite commendable."
"Well, I'm actually the friend here." Marco clarified. "I'm their friend. They're brother and sister, and I'm their friend, just so you know." Silence. "There's just no right time to talk today, is there?"
"Okay, look, we're just stalling at this point, so we need to adjust the element in the room." Pearl kneeled down to Quartz's level. "Steven, 9 years ago, you were taken from our care, and we have been trying to find you ever since." She looked at Star. "I know how much the people of Mewni idolized Rose, but I would never believe they would resort to kidnapping."
"Rose? As in the Rose Guard?" Quartz immediately felt his heartbeat stop. "The Rose Guard, the Rose, Rose.."
"Her name was Rose Quartz. The Rose Guard was a title she took up during her years of service protecting other worlds.." Garnet explained.
"No, I, I'm sorry, I really, there's someone we need to bring along.." Star began dialing her mirror. If this really was happening, then there was one other person who needed to hear this.
"Star, if this is about.."
"Mom, Is the Rose Guard Quartz's Mother?"
The silence filled the girl with dread, unsure of what her mother was thinking. Mad? Sad? Relief."
"I'll be right over." And faster than you can say 'I can't believe this is happening right now', Moon Butterfly made it to the beach, clearly just a worried and distressed as Star. "How did you find out?"
"You knew.." Star muttered.
"Um, , I presume." The Queens attention was turned to Pearl. "We need to talk about Ste..your son."
And so, Moon Butterfly explained the story she's had branded in her brain for the last 9 years. How Star came about with Quartz, how they took him in, even going into details like what caused Star's and Quartz's empathic bond to begin with, a story completely new to both Quartz and Star. All the while, Star kept muttering the words 'you knew' to her mother.
"Nice story, but that still doesn't explain why Steven was on Mewni to begin with." Amethyst interrupted. "Isn't it just a little too convenient that Steven ended up in the one place Rose loved almost just as much as Earth?"
"Believe what you want, but the fact of the matter is my daughter saved Quartz that day.."
"We saved each other.." Star mumbled
"..and I couldn't have been happier to take him in." Moon turned to her son, who stood silent the entire time. "Is he okay?"
"He's been like that the entire time." Marco pointed out. "Hey buddy, snap out of it!"
"My mom, my mom is the Rose Guard?" Quartz found the strength to finish one sentence. "My mom is the Rose Guard?"
"..Yes Quartz."
Quartz quietly left the group, and when he thought that no one was watching him (which they totally were), he was as giddy a jackrabbit hopped up on a bag of sugar. "YES! MY MOM'S THE ROSE GUARD! MY MOM'S THE ROSE GUARD! THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER!"
"He's happy at least. Nice to know the original plan was a success." Star uttered in a defeated voice. "Glad that's all cleared up, but there's still a matter of who the heck you are!"
Garnet took the lead. "We are.." Quartz was still jumping all over the place, cheering to the skies. "We are.." Still cheering. "Could you bring him down for this?"
"Of course. QUARTZ!" Moon called him, making him float down immediately. "Pay attention now, they have something to tell us."
"We are the Crystal Gems!" They all gave a pose like they've practiced for this very moment. "Garnet.."
"Amethyst.."
"And Pearl! Alongside our leader, Rose Quartz, we have protected humanity.." She gave a quick look at the Mewman royals. "..and others for centuries."
"You, worked beside the Rose Guard? Quartz?, whatever her name was?" Pearl glared at Star for that. "Every story we've ever heard about her tells how she saved lives, alone. Nothing in our history suggests otherwise."
"History? You Mewmens never even bothered to record how you stumbled across the lands you call home. Humanity is at least able to track the last few thousand years." Pearl scoffed. " Besides, I wouldn't put my faith in the commission's ability to tell the truth."
"Or keep a secret.." Moon said to herself.
"You guys actually worked with her?" The stars in Quartzes eyes glimmered as he ran up to her. "So that means she's been on Earth this entire time?! Is, is she here, like right now!" That's when the air got really, really uncomfortable, and everyone could feel it. The Crystal Gems looked at each other, then at Quartz and then back to each other again. Moon already knew what they were going to say next, but it didn't make it any easier.
"Steven.." Amethyst shook her head. "Quartz, your mom isn't exactly, around any more."
"Like, she isn't here right now?"
Pearl went next. "You, you are aware of the gem on your body, correct." Quartz nodded. "Gems, the species that we are, are sustained solely by our gem. Our entire being is tied to it. You're mother, when she conceived you, passed on her gem to you."
"Your mother gave her life in order for you to be born." Garnet finished. "We were tasked with watching over you, along with your father, Greg Universe." Quartzes face became visibly appalled.
"Well obviously, you failed on that front, because the day I found him, a monster was chasing me!" Star blurted out.
"Star! Quiet!" Moon ordered. "No need to complicate the situation as it is."
"I couldn't agree more." Pearl got closer to Steven, which really irked the princess. "It's clear you've done your best in a difficult situation. Steven's clearly been cared for and trained." Moon tried to downplay the pride she held. "So we can take things from here."
What? "I'm sorry?" Moon scowled. "I don't mean to sound like I'm assuming, but it sounds like you're under the impression that I'm going to just hand Quartz over to your care."
"That's because you are." Pearl affirmed with total seriousness. "Rose was our leader. She intended for us to watch over him..."
"Rose isn't here." Moon snapped back. "I have no doubt you would've been fantastic guardians, but legally, I'm his mother, so I say, he stays with my family."
"But we're his, family." Pearl had trouble saying that last bit. In all honesty, it was hard to classify them under that term. The group hadn't had a general sense of togetherness since Rose's passing. "He has Rose's Gem, he needs to learn how to properly use it."
"Properly use it?" Star joined in. "Were we not apart of the same fight, or did you just forget who it was that turned the fish to flat fillet?"
"You three jumped into battle without even thinking about your safety! And the last time I checked, Rose's bubbles aren't supposed to explode! If anything, his abilities have greatly degenerated under your care!"
"DEGENERATED!?" Steam poured out of the Queens ears as her face because redder than the blood she was boiling. Neither Star nor Quartz saw a greater display of anger from their mother before, not even from the great food fight that lasted an entire weekend. "I'll have you know that I have done everything in my power to protect my children! I've had to pull so many strings and lie so many times in order to shelter him from her enemies. I've spent months on end, training him, teaching him what the Rose Guard taught me. If my daughter says he's capable, then I know I have done nothing but right by him and his mother!"
"Excuse me, people relevant to the conversation!" Amethyst joined in. "Because we all exist too."
"Amethyst, stop, Garnet, help me out here." Pearl pleaded their leader.
"Let Amethyst have her say." Garnet said plainly.
"Thank you. Okay, so.." She turned to Moon first. "You raised Steven, took him in, gave him a new name, and all that junk. We were there when he was born, and we were supposed to raise Steven under Rose's wishes, train him, get him use to life. So, since we're all in the business of looking after the kid, why don't we just raise him together?"
"Uh, I don't think you know how parents work." Marco pointed out.
"Okay, just because we aren't human, or know what humans eat, or.." Garnet gave the short one a little smack on the head. "We just want what's best for Steven. It's literally all that Rose wanted for him."
"Mom, let's just get out of here. These people are crazy." Star tried dragging her back, but she was weirdly still for some reason. "We're his family, let's just leave it at that."
"I told you to leave it alone, Star. How many times did I tell you to leave it alone." Star back off bitterly, while Moon became lost in her own head. Maybe she should've just kept Star on Mewni. Then again, it was a complete coincidence that she sent her daughter to the one place everyone overlooked. A place that even the Rose Guard knew no one would think to hide. Where would a hero as grand as her choose to live out the rest of her days. A place of little magic but full of life. Quiet, uncomplicated, and simple. A life she probably wanted to give to her own child. "Quartz, what do you think about all of this?"
The prince was equally as lost. So many answers, so much closure, he should be on top of the world, resting on a bed of ice cream picking at the cherries. But with that satisfaction came more confusion, more questions, more issues, and just a lot more drama than before. He was the Rose Guard's son, the son of his most beloved idol, who he practically worshiped, who he strove to be. It was like destiny was smacking him over his head his entire life, and he didn't notice.
Or at least, his mom noticed. Probably his dad too. His mom, well Queen Mom, knew this entire time, and didn't tell him. She was willing to tell him he was adopted, but not this? Where was the logic in that? Was she going to tell him? Was she training him to be like her because she was never going to tell him? Mom loved it when he relented and told her some of Star's secrets, but she kept such a big one? Wasn't that hypocritical?
And what about these guys? They were supposedly the Rose Guard's, his bio mother's team. Heck, he met one of them before this. What were they to him? Aunts? Sisters? Cousins? What were they period? Was Earth their home dimension? And should he go with them? Should he just live with him? And why Steven? Not that it was a bad name, but where did that name come from?
"Quartz, you've been staring blankly at nothing for the last 7 minutes, you're freaking me out." Star snapped him back with a gentle shake. "Just say what you need to so we can go."
Alright, this was his choice, and he needed to make it. "So, my real name is Steven?"
"Steven Quartz Universe, yes." Garnet nodded.
"Okay, weirdly close to my name, but okay." Didn't sound like he needed to change much on that front. Maybe that was a sign. "So you guys want to teach me about my powers?"
"That was definitely going to be one of our roles originally, but yes." Pearl affirmed.
"..And you're not secretly evil and trying to exploit me for person gain?"
"Do you really have to ask?" Amethyst raised a brow.
"Just checking. You can never be too sure." They didn't seem too bad. They fought monsters as well. Plus, more time with them meant more time on Earth, which meant more time with Star. So there was nothing but wins as far as he could see. "Okay, so maybe I can visit you guys, like twice a week?"
"Ah, I really think you need more time than that to truly.." Pearl began to argue, only for Garnet to take over.
"A little time is all we ask."
"Fair enough." Moon agreed. "As long as we can try to keep this quiet, I see no reason for it."
"Mom!" Star complained. "We just met these guys, we should really take this up in court or something.."
"And have hundreds of eyes prying into this mess, I don't think so." Moon sighed. "Come on Quartz, we're leaving." She carried him by the hand.
"Wait!" Quartz yelled, escaping his mother's grip and running towards Amethyst. "Uh, thanks for talking to me, and being cool about everything, for the most part."
"No problem dude." Amethyst was then caught off guard with a sudden hug, making her blush. "Whoa, hey, I, I didn't know we were at this stage yet."
"Sorry, just, wanted to end today on a positive note." He shrugs, feeling just as awkward. "We'll get their eventually."
"Yeah, I wouldn't hold my breath." Star pushed her brother towards their mother. "Don't call us, we'll call you."
"But we don't have.." Pearl tried to elaborate, but with a single swoosh, everyone had left. "..phones."
"I do." Amethyst said.
"Well, how does that information help us now?"
"Wow, well, I can't say I expected any of that to happen, whatever it was." Star tried to laugh through the situation as everyone stood silent in the halls of the Butterfly Castle. "The Rose Guard was on Earth the entire time. Pretty hilarious, right guys." Marco only shook his head in silence. "Right?"
"I, need to think about this a little more." Quartz started to leave, with Star following him. "Uh, I actually want to think about this alone."
"But.." Star held back. "Right, you deserve some quiet time. Just, know I'm here, Quartz."
That name would never have the same meaning it once held again, not after today. "Steven."
"Huh?"
"I'm, I think I like that name. Steven." Definitely sounded a little better the more he said it out loud. "Steven Quartz Universe Butterfly."
"That's a lot of names for someone to have, don't you think?" Marco questioned.
"Yeah, but I'm the son of the Rose Guard. Something about me should stand out." He shrugged and left without another word.
"Star, what did I tell you about meddling with your brother's.." Moon started
"No, no, no! You don't get to tell me what I did wrong, not today!" Star marched up to the Queen, sending her more anger that Moon assumed she was always too scared to show her. "I asked you about this, I did everything I could to help Quartz, and you lied to me about it!"
"Star, I am your.."
"That shouldn't matter! I can understand you not telling me about it, but Quartz? Why lie to him? You know as much as I do that this is far from a bad thing to him. He's ecstatic about the whole thing! He wouldn't agree with those three weirdos if he didn't think it was great! He want's to be like the Rose Guard!"
"Well, maybe I don't want him to be!" Moon finally fought back! "Do you know how much that title carries? The pressure, the danger, those that want him dead or worse?"
"We're always in danger! We're Butterflys! We rule Mewni! Nothing about us can keep us safe! I'm always fighting off Ludo and his band of dummies because I'm suppose to carry the wand around!"
"You what.."
"But I can handle it because I can protect myself! Quartz can protect himself. He can handle problems!" Star pouted. "He should've known from the start who his mother was! Heck, I've should've known from the start how the two of us got bonded together!"
"Star, that was a stressful day for you.."
"Because you almost took my brother away!" Star got even angrier thinking back. "Tell me, if he wasn't the son of Rose Quartz, Guard, whatever, would you have made him your son!"
"Star!"
"Answer me!" Star turned red. "Tell me, do you love him only because he's the son of a hero?!"
"Leave now, Star!" Moon own cheek emblems glowed a piercing purple. "Leave before you mess everything up as usual."
Too angry to say anything else, Star reluctantly obeyed. "Come on, Marco." Soon, Moon was alone to stew in her own thoughts.
What was right?
What was wrong?
And what has she been doing this entire time?
"I have to say mirror, that wasn't at all what I was expecting." Quartz, or Steven now, told the mirror about his day. "It was good, I think? Maybe?"
"Maybe?"
"I'm not sure. I was excited about it earlier. I just found out who my mom is." Honestly, he was still thrilled about that prospect. Everyday, he'd walk pass that painting of the Rose Guard, and he always had a weird tingly feeling every time he did. Maybe that was his mother watching over him. "Out of all the people to be my mother, I'm so happy it was her."
"What..is..Mom?"
"Her name is Rose Quartz." Knowing he didn't have to constantly say 'the' every time made it a lot easier. "And she was, is the greatest hero the universe has ever known!"
"Rose..Quartz?"
"Yeah, she's saved countless people countless times. Do you know how many people that is?" More butterflies filled his stomach. "And her old team is going to train me too? How awesome is that!?"
"Old team?"
"Yeah, apparently she had a team. Shame I never knew anything about that. Said their names were the Crystal Gems."
"Crystal..Gems?"
"Sounds a bit redundant, but it still sounds cool." Amethyst at least was pretty chill for the most part. The other two, well, the didn't leave the best impression. Or at least, the Pearl lady didn't. "Actually, that's where things got messy. Star clearly doesn't like or trust them, probably thinks this is some sort of trap. Mom doesn't really like them either. Kind of makes things weird for everyone."
"Crystal Gems."
"I guess these people were suppose to be my parents, I think. It's a little hard to imagine how that would've worked." He chuckled. "It's hard to imagine any life without Star in it. Or Mom, or dad, or any of this." The Mewmans, the magic, even the monsters. "I don't know. If they're who they say they are, then I want, no I need to give them the benefit of the doubt."
"Don't. Trust. Crystal. Gems."
"Huh?"
"Don't. Trust. Crystal. Gems."
"You're saying I shouldn't?" Now this was weird. The mirror never warned him of anything before. Usually it seemed happy enough just to listen to him. "But.."
"Star. Doesn't. Mom. Doesn't. they're. not...who they say they are."
"Do you know them?"
"Mirror. Knows. Crystal. Gems. Mirror. Trap.
"You're saying you were trapped by the Crystal Gems?" Steven could've swore the mirror sounded angry. "Were you owned by them at some point or something?"
"I'm not a mirror."
It finally clicked in his head that what he was talking to was more than a talking piece of accessory. "You're, you're an actual person, aren't you? I mean, you weren't always a mirror?"
"I'm. an actual person. I'm. trap."
"You were trapped by the Crystal Gems?" Steven happy feeling was now becoming more and more sour. "You sure?"
"I'm. sure. Don't. Trust. the Crystal Gems. Quartz."
"My name is Steven now." Shouldn't this be more shocking? Well, he did just meet them today. One day really wasn't a true way to measure someone's character. Then again, everyone else was telling him not to. And they were pretty difficult to work with at points. Definitely something he should put a pin in. "Thanks for warning me. "I'm glad to have friends that care so much about me."
"Mirror. Steven. Friends?"
"Of course. We talk all the time, you tell me about something dangerous. I'm pretty sure we're friends by now."
"Mirror. care. for. Steven."
"Same for you, Mirror." He was grateful, he really was. He just wish there wasn't so much uncertainty about everything now.
Maybe that was the price he had to pay for the truth.
Next time, a hopefully more light hearted outing:
Giant Woman.