Chapter 15: The Terror of Nova

At Gien's Ship, the Gara Droids were examing Nova.

Acha: Incredible my lord! This looks just like the prototype you made several years ago.

Gien: That's the point Acha. Nova here is the finished version of my prototype. Unlike before, this one I made some modifications. The ability to burrow underground, firing plasma laser cannons from it's eys and chest and bombs from shoulders. Just to name a few. This time they will fail.

Kocha: It's time to take those gems to the jewelery store.

Bomber: Hold on a minute. You seem to be very confident with this. What makes him so different than the other elites that we sent to attack?

Gien: You will see when we leave Bomber.

Meanwhile, the Crystal Gems were on a mission in forest to fight another corrupted gem. It looked like a giant reptilian bat and it could spit acid. Amethyst had her whip tied around it's neck, but then it flew up trying to shake her off but Amethyst held on.

Pearl: Amethyst stop messing around.

Amethyst: You think this is easy P? You try it then.

Garnet: Hold on Amethyst.

Garnet jumped up and grab Amethyst. She brought her back down and still had the whip on it. They pulled the gem monster down to the ground.

Bismuth: Alright Pearl. Let's take this thing down!

Pearl: Right!

Bismuth and Pearl rushed at it, but then the monster began to spit acid at them. They stopped on there tracks thinking they were about be hit, but then Steven used his shield and protected them all.

Pearl:( sighs) Thank you Steven.

Bismuth: Yeah, that was too close.

Steven: You're welcome, but how are we going to get through?

The monster kept spitting acid at them. Garnet and Amethyst were still trying to keep it down.

Garnet: Amethyst, form another whip and keep it's mouth shut. I'll hold it down myself.

Amethyst: Got it G!

Garnet kept the monster down and Amethyst formed another whip and used it to close the monsters mouth. But the head still wouldn't stop moving around, so Lion jumped up and landed on it's head, biting it to keep it down. Now that it was completely down Pearl, Bismuth and Steven ran to it and poofed it. Now leaving the gem, Garnet bubbled it away.

Amethyst: Man, that was pretty rough.

Steven: It was, but we managed it.

Garnet: Excellent job everyone, lets head back.

They were about to leave, but then they heard a slow clapping sound. They turned to where it was coming from and then behind the trees was Gien along with Bomber and Acha and Kocha.

Gien:( still clapping) Bravo, bravo. An extrodinary fight.

Garnet: Gien!

The gems all had there weapons out.

Gien: I have to say I understimated you gems. Your not as weak as you look. Especially you boy. No you have name, Steven was it?

Steven kept his shield up not knowing what he's up to.

Amethyst: Who said we were weak?

Bomber: I did first time I saw you.

Amethyst: Yeah, well you really shouldn't judge people before you get to know them Bomber the Lame.

Bomber: Why you miserable little piece of...

Gien: Now, now Bomber. There's no need to get our hands dirty for this.

Bismuth: Hey, are we going to fight now or what?

Gien: Oh, you will fight, but not us.

Suddenly they felt the ground rumbling.

Pearl: What is this? Earthquake?

Gien: No. Something much worse!

The ground bursted open and out from the hole was Nova.

Bismuth: Oh great, another one.

Gien: Meet Nova, my newest creation and your final match.

Garnet: We don't care who he is. We're just going to destroy it.

Gien: Good luck with that. Nova, destroy them and bring the boy to me alive!

Nova nods and walks towards them.

Steven: I have a bad feeling about this.

Garnet: Keep it togethor Steven. We got this.

Garnet charged at Nova. He didn't seem to react to it and kept walking. Then she finally landed a punch to him. But much to her and everyones surprise, her punch had no effect on him. It didn't even push him.

Garnet: What? No, that can't be right.

Acha: Did you see that?

Kocha: Not even a scratch or a dent.

Bomber: Incredible. This is going to be interesting.

She kept puching at him multiple times, but nothing. Nova finally attacked by slashing her with his hook hands. Garnet gets hit and then he fires his plasma eye lasers at her. Garnet is flown back a little and is on the ground.

Steven: Garnet!

Pearl: No! ( looks at Nova) Let me handle this.

Pearl went up with her spear and first fired her lasers at Nova. But like before it had no effect on him and just kept walking. Pearl got closer and started slashing him. Much to her surprise her spear couldn't event scratch him.

Pearl: What the?

Nova then hit her with his giant claw, making her hit a tree. Amethyst went up next. Whiping him didn't work and so she got out two of her whips and wrapped them around him. Then she whiplashed sending wave of energy towards and explodes. When the smoke clears up, Nova is still standing in one piece.

Amethyst: It can't be. I put everything I had on that.

Bomber: Really? That was just pathetic even for you.

Amethyst: Shut it Lamo! I guess I'll have to give more.

She used her two whips again and this time curled into a ball and spin dashed to form a violet fiery energy and dashed at Nova. Nova launches two bombs from his shoulders and hits her messing up her move. Amethyst is on the ground and then Nova stomps on her chest, trying to crush her gem. Amethyst couldn't get out. Bismuth came and resucued her by hammering Nova in the face. She kept changing her hands from hammers to pickaxe.

Bismuth:( as she's hitting him) You think I'm gonna let you hurt my friends and get away with it? Then you got another thing coming!

After hitting him multiple times, the orb on Nova's chest began to glow. Bismuth wasn't paying attention and she gets blasted by the plasma laser cannon from his chest.

Steven: Guys!

Steven and Lion fought next. Lion's energy roars did push him a little, but no damage. Steven tossed his shield at him, but it just bounced off of Nova. Nova kept firing his eye lasers at them. Steven kept his shield up. Then Nova fired the his chest cannon and shoulder bombs too. This was becoming too much for him to handle now as the lasers and bombs started to push him.

But now the others were back and Garnet launched her rocket gauntlest at Nova. It didn't hurt him, but it did get his attention.

Garnet: Still nothing.

Bismuth: Then lets get him at the same time.

Now the four of them along with Steven ran towards him and started attacking Nova. They were all on different sides of him and kept attacknig. But still nothing. Nova getting annoyed hits them all with his hooks.

Garnet: Can the two of you still fuse?

Pearl: I think so. Amethyst are you ready?

Amethyst: Let's do this.

Pearl and Amethyst form into Opal. Opal formed her bow and she fired and energy arrow that mulitiplied into a bunch of smaller arrows and they all targeted Nova.

Acha: Oh no. This is not good my lord.

Gien: Relax Acha. Just watch.

The arrows all hit Nova. But still no damage.

Now all the gems looked shocked.

Opal: No. It's not possible.

Nova fired it's chest laser at Opal causing her to unfuse. Pearl and Amethyst were on the ground as Garnet, Steven and Bismuth tried to help them up. But then Nova used all weapons on them. They couldn't escape as they were continuesly hit by the droids lasers and bombs.

Steven: Hold on guys!

Steven formed his shield to cover them.

Garnet: Steven! You can't hold on to that kind of fire power!

Steven: I don't care! I have to!

Steven kept the shield up, the combined fire power was pushing him back, but Steven had to stand his ground. The drill on Nova's face began to spin as it shot out the maser beam at Steven. This now became too much for him and soon he couldn't hold it anymore. Steven gives up and is hit by the blasts which sends flying and hitting a tree.

All gems: Steven!

Garnet hurried towards him. He was bleeding from his head and wasn't moving. She place her ear on his chest. Thankfully he was still alive.

Gien: Hahahahaha! You really think you can destroy Nova. He is made by the best quality metal from Homeworld. Starting sunrise tomorrow, he will unleash his fury and destroy the entire planet. Starting with your home city!

Bismuth: You can't be serious.

Amethyst: This is not good. Really not good.

Pearl: Garnet what do we do? Surely you have plan right?

Garnet just stared at Steven. Her mind was racing. She couldn't think straight and didn't know what to do. She couldn't see a clear path with her future vision. This was something way out of there league.

Pearl: Garnet?

Garnet: I-I don't know.

The gems just looked at her with worried and defeated faces.

Garnet: Everyone retreat!

Garnet carried Steven and they all ran back to the warp pad.

Acha: Look at that my lord. They're running away.

Kocha: Ha, we've got them now.

Gien: Don't stop Nova. Finish them off!

Nova nods and from the bottom of his feet were rockets and he was able to fly. Gien looks at Bomber.

Gien: Don't let them escape.

Bomber: ( smirking) As you wish. Missile Mode!

Bomber transforms and flies quickly to the war pad. The Crystal Gems kept running. They had to get to the warp pad fast.

Garnet: Hang on, we're almost there.

They saw the warp pad just a few feet in front of them. But then Bomber crashed landed on it, destroying the warp pad.

Bomber: ( silent chuckles) There is no escape for you this time.

They tried to go back, but Nova just landed behind them. Gien, Acha and Kocha teleported next to him.

Gien: Don't leave now, things were just starting get fun... for me.( red eyes open) Hahahahahaha! It's over for you Crystal Gem!

It looked it was over for the Crystal Gems. But they still had one more way of escaping. Lion came and he used his energy roars which pushed back the Gara Droids. They got on top of him and he warped them away from the battle.

Acha: Oh no they're gone.

Kocha: We almost had them.

Gien was overly excited.

Gien: Hahahahahahahahaha! Did you see that? The power of my Nova! I can't wait to see the destruction of this planet! Hahahahahahaha!

Bomber: Gien. In case you didn't see, the Crystal Gems got away.

Gien: Not to worry Bomber. They can't hide forever. Knowing their devotion to protect this planet they will have to fight again. And the next time the fight him again they will be dead for sure. By sunrise the great attack will begin.

Bomber: Why at sunrise? Why not now?

Gien: Because Nova needs to recharge and I want to make sure he is tip top shape. Let's head back to base.

The Gara Droids teleport back to base.

Later that night at the house, Steven was starting to wake up. He looks around and see's he's in his room.

Steven: Oh man, what happened? Ow my head.

Steven rubbed his head and fealt the bandage wrapped around it.

Steven: What happened? Did we win?

That's when he heard the gems conversation from downstairs.

Amethyst: I can't believe we got beat like that?

Bismuth: This has never happened before. We never lost to something like this before. I'm glad we were able to save Steven.

Garnet: We have to think of different strategy. There has to be some kind of weak point to this thing. But we have to think fast. Maybe Peridot might know something.

Pearl however was frustrated and angry with this.

Pearl: If Rose was here she would know what to do! We wouldn't be in this situation!

Now Steven couldn't resist hearing this.

Amethyst: Relax Pearl, so we lost one battle. At least we got away in one piece and Steven is safe.

Pearl: But Steven isn't Rose and sometimes I wish she was here to help us.

Amethyst: ( now getting upset) Are you blaming Steven because we lost?

Pearl: I didn't say that. I'm saying that she helped us whenever we got stuck in battle and out of all the times we did't need her, now is the time we do.

Bismuth: Look Pearl, you know Steven is doing his best. Sure when Rose was around things were a lot easier. Yeah sometimes I wish she was here to give us advice and coming up with clever plans to help us win, but I knew we coulnd't rely on her forever. From the past fourteen years, we came across bumps in the road and we still were able to figure things out. So there's no reason that we can't figure this out now.

Garnet: Bismuth is right. We can't lose are heads just yet. We just need to think of a plan.

Pearl: And what plan is that Garnet? You couldn't think of one when we were out there and you have future vision. We need our real leader here.

Garnet was bit offended with that right there. Before she could talk, Amethyst spoke out.

Amethyst: Okay then tell me something Pearl. If Rose was here, what would she have done differently? We tried everything, our normal weapons, special moves, fusion and none of it worked. What would she have done differently?

Pearl didn't know what to say and looked away

Amethyst: What?

Pearl didn't answer.

Amethyst: What?!

Pearl: I don't know, but something.

Amethyst: See, you can't even think of anything. So don't go blaming Garnet for not thinking straight out there.

Pearl was starting to breakdown.

Pearl: You don't get it. Ever since Rose left, things have been hard for us. Not just with missions, but our personal normal lives as well.

Bismuth noticed someone behind Pearl.

Bismuth: Uh Pearl...

Pearl: I get that Steven is doing his best, but he hasn't mastered his full power yet.

Bismuth: Pearl...

Pearl: At a crisis like this is the time we needed her advice, but she isn't because she went through with her decision!

Bismuth: Pearl!

Pearl: What?

Bismuth point's behind her. Pearl turns around to see Steven looking hurt.

Pearl: Steven. Thank goodness you're awake.

Steven: I heard everything.

Pearl covered her mouth realizing what she just did.

Pearl: Steven, please let me explain. I didn't...

Steven: I thought I was finally making you proud. I thought that training with you and becoming a more active fighter would have shown you all that I could be great like you. But it doens't matter does it? What matters is that I'm not my mom!

Pearl: Steven that's not...

Steven: I don't want to hear it! You flat out just said it. If she was here things would be easier. You don't say it, but you all are disappointed whenever I can't do what she did! You all wished that Rose was here! But she's not, it's just me, a disapointment.

Steven ran to the warp pad.

Pearl: Steven come back.

Steven: ( tears in his eyes) I'm sorry for taking her away. I'm sorry for being born.

Steven warps out of the temple. All the gems were shocked to here what he just said. Amethyst hid behind her hair, Bismuth looked down feeling bad, Garnet took off her visors whiping away tears and Pearl just stood there shaking with her tears in her eyes.

Pearl: What have I done?

To be continued...

Author's Note: That's it for this chapter. It seems the Crystal Gems now have two problems to solve. How will they solve this? Find out next time. Special Thanks to Lady Shadow92 for helping me with the final scene in the house. Please read and review. Thank you.