Chapter 63: Return of the Cluster
Huntress: The Cluster?
Gien: Yes. I was a fool for not attempting to release it when I first came to this rock. And now that I've lost Viggo, those gems have really crossed the line!
Bomber: But how do you expect us to release it? It's at the center of the Earth and if I remember right, bubbled.
Snaptrap: My lord, we will dig for you and plant explosives to wake it up.
Gien: Excellent idea Snaptrap.
Gien activates the space bridge.
Gien: You and Bomber head back to Homeworld. We need the necassary equipment for this and gather more soldiers and elites.
Bomber and the Seatrons walk into the portal, heading back to Homeworld, leaving Gien and Huntress alone in the ship. Once they were gone, Huntress immediatly wrapped her arms around his waist.
Huntress: You should go back.
Gien: What?
Huntress: Go back to your lab on Homeworld. I'll take care of the rest of the mission for you.
Gien: This is my revenge Huntress and what did we talk about?
Huntress: It's our revenge darling. Besides no one is here to see us like this.
Gien: They scarred me first.
Huntress: It doesn't matter who got scarred first. You saw what they did to Viggo, I'm concerned for you're life now.
Gien: I am not to be underestimated Huntress.
Huntress: I'm not underestimating you. I want you safe! I'll hunt each and every one of them down for you. You know how quickly I can conquer a planet.
Gien: You didn't have to deal with these rebels before. I'm doing this for Pink Diamond.
Huntress: Don't you love me? Why do you still want her?
Gien: She's was the one who inspired me. To continue my work and be the best I can. She is the reason I have you. The reason you and I are still alive. I want her back to see how much I've accomplished and free her from her prison within that boy. I'm finishing this my way.
Gien placed his hand on her cheek.
Gien: Dear Huntress. You are the most reliable troop I have left. You've never disappointed me and always made me proud. I don't even know what you see in me that you're so... aroused of.
Huntress smiles and she nuzzled on his chest.
Huntress: Just a charming, intellgent and brilliant scientist.
Huntress kisses him.
Huntress: Just stay by me darling and I will protect you.
Five days later.
Five days has past since Viggo and Verokran's attack. Steven was on his way to the Big Doughnut. He entered inside and too his surprise he saw Acha and Kocha wearing the Big Doughnut shirts and serving customers.
Acha: Here you are sir, two glaze and one large coffee. Thank you come again soon.
Kocha: Very soon. Oh Steven, how are you?
Steven: Hey guys, you're working at the Big Doughnut now?
Acha: Why yes? We wanted to interact with humans more now that we thought of getting one of these things you call " jobs." Revenger told us how one of you're friends Sadie was looking for a replacement so she can join a rock band or something like that.
Steven: Wow that's great! But what about Lars?
Kocha: Oh he's still here. Someone has to show us how things work around here. He's in the back on his break.
Steven: Mind if I see him for a minute?
The duo looked at each other for a moment and then back.
Kocha: Yeah uh... he said not to let customers inside the back room.
Acha: Except for staff current or former.
Steven: Oh! I'm a former employee here.
Acha: Well...eh why not?
Steven goes into the back room to see Lars who was facing flat down on the table.
Steven: LARS!
Lars: AAAAAHHH!
Lars was breathing heavily after being startled like that and then saw Steven.
Lars: Steven! What are you doing here and did you really have to yell?
Steven: But I'm so excited to see you.
Lars: Yeah well, excuse me but I'm not in the mood.
Lars slams his face back on the table.
Steven: Are you okay?
Lars: Not really.
Steven: Are you upset because Sadie left?
Lars: No I'm not upset that she left. At least she got those two to work here now, but... I don't know I guess because she got to do what she wanted to do and I'm still here.
Steven: What is it you want to do?
Lars: Well you know how I like baking, maybe open my own bakery. Show everyone what I can bake.
Steven: You can still do it.
Lars: Yeah but it's not that easy. It's a lot harder than just joining Buck to be a rockstar. I mean I am happy for her, I'm just... I don't know.
Steven: Come on Lars, don't be that way. It may take long, but I know you can do it. You just gotta believe in yourself.
Lars: That is honestly the most cliched thing I've heard, but thanks still.
Five minutes later.
Steven left the Big Doughnut and headed back to he house and saw Connie waiting for him.
Steven: Hi Connie.
Connie: Hey Steven, I'm ready for training.
Ronaldo: Come on work already!
Steven and Connie turned and saw Ronaldo on the beach trying to get what appeared to be a camera drone to work.
Steven: Is everything alright here Ronaldo?
Ronaldo: Oh hello Steven and Steven's girlfriend.
Connie: ( blushing) It's Connie and we're not dating.
Ronaldo: Uh huh sure, anyway I'm kinda busy.
Steven: What are you doing?
Ronaldo: Trying to get my drone working again after your last fight with that robotic dinosaur.
Steven: You mean Verokran? Wait I thought we got you evacutated.
Ronaldo: Yes, yes you did. But after the whole first gem invasion a while back I was so disappointed I didn't get any footage of it for my blogs. So I purchased this drone to get to far away distances and to capture footage of the more dangerous things. Thanks to this, I managed to capture footage of that monster. But during your fight , you blew it into a tree and I'm trying to get it to work right agai...there we go!
Ronaldo finally gets the drone working again and flies it around.
Steven: That is really cool. Can I try!
Ronaldo: Obsolutly not. Do you have any idea how much this thing costs?
That's when they heard an explosion. They looked far into the horizon and saw a bit of smoke.
Connie: What was that?
Ronaldo: This is where I come in. Watch and learn.
Ronaldo uses the drone and flies it to the estimated area as he looks through the screen on his controller.
Ronaldo Whoa! Look at all those Robotmen!
Steven: Wait what?!
Steven looks at the screen. Gien' ship was in a large open area. There soldiers, generic elites and the Seatrons all over the place with mining equipment and drills. They were digging deep into the ground and were currently adding what appeared to be explosives. They got out of the way and detonated the bombs.
Steven: What are they doing? Digging for more ruby crystals?
Ronaldo: I don't know, but this is going to be great for my blog!
Suddenly the drone was attacked. Ronaldo turned it around and got a glimpse of an aerodroid shooting it until it was destroyed and lost the signal.
Ronaldo: NOOOOO! That was three hundred dollars!
But then an earthquake occured lasting for 10 seconds.
Connie: An earthquake!
Steven: I don't think this is no ordinary earthquake.
Garnet: Steven! Connie!
All the gems along with Revenger, Acha and Kocha met up with them.
Steven: Garnet! You don't think...
Garnet: It is. Gien is trying to free the cluster.
Revenger: The what?
Peridot: The cluster. It's an Earth destroying geo weapon that Gien made by fusing like a bajillion gem shards.
Revenger: You have a geo weapon in this planet and you're barely dealing with it now?
Steven: I bubbled it, but now he's trying to pop it and if we don't do something soon...
Amethyst: Game over man! Game over!
Pearl: We need to get over there and stop him.
Steven: Maybe I can keep it calm. I can communicate with it again, but only when I'm asleep.
Acha: Asleep?
Steven: You'll see what I mean in a moment.
Garnet: Alright then, let's go.
Ronaldo: Can I come?
Everyone: NO!
The main gem trio along with Bismuth and Revenger warped over to the estimated area to stop the Gara Droids while Connie, Peridot, Lapis and Lion stayed with Steven to help him sleep.
Meanwhile with the Gara Droids.
Gara Soldiers and the Seatrons were digging in deeper into the ground. They cleared out and then added explosives in the huge hole and detonated it causing an earthquake. Gien was standing in front of his ship as Bomber, Snaptrap and Huntress approached him with the report.
Gien: Bomber, progress report.
Bomber: With a few more detonations, the Cluster should emerge soon.
Gien: Excellent.
Snaptrap: Uh, my lord. This uh cluster thing you think will do us good?
Gien: It was build to destroy planets and wipe out everything it see's and is indestructable. That new fusion of theirs won't even stand a chance to it.
Huntress then detected something from the distance and looked away.
Gien: What is it Huntress?
Huntress: They're here.
Bomber: What?
Gien: We're almost there. Snaptrap, don't let them get here.
Snaptrap: We will stop them my lord. Seatrons! Follow me!
Meanwile with the gems.
Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Bismuth and Revenger saw the huge hole the Gara Droids were digging and Gien's ship near it.
Garnet: There it is.
Pearl: They really are trying to release it.
Amethyst: Sure hope Steven can keep it calm for us while we deal with these guys.
The ground begun to shake again.
Bismuth: AAAH! Another earthquake!
But the ground bursted open near them and out from underground came the Seatrons.
Snaptrap: Crystal Gems! So we finally meet the other three. Prepare yourselves for...
Seatrons did their introduction again doing various poses as they introduced themselves.
Lobclaw: Lobclaw!
Overbite: Overbite!
Kraken: Kraken!
Gulf: Gulf!
Tentakill: Te-Te-Te-Te-Tentakill
Snaptrap: And I, Snaptrap! Together we are...
They gathered together to do one last pose.
Seatrons: Aquatic Elite Force Seatrons!
The gems just stood their confused.
Pearl: Uh wha...
Amethyst: I don't... I don't get it.
Garnet: Neither do I.
Revenger: Is this a joke or something?
Bismuth: It's even more cringy than last time.
Snaptrap: Intimadated aren't you?
Amethyst: Not really, it's just so...weird and dumb.
Snaptrap Weird and dumb?! We've given you our best performace yet.
Bismuth: It wasn't great last time and it wasn't great now.
Snaptrap: That's it! You will die here and will not interfere with our master's plan. FIRE!
The Seatrons fired away at them, but they dodged and fought back. Garnet was fighting Snaptrap and Overbite. Pearl was fighting Kraken, Amethyst against Tentakill, Bismuth against Lobclaw and Revenger Chub.
With the exception of Kraken, the Seatrons weren't exactly the fastest though as the gems kept dodging their attacks. Snaptrap was on top of Garnet, trying to bite off her head, but she got him off and threw him Tentakill. Overbite was about to attack her from behind by biting into her. But she knew he was coming and punched him in the mouth, breaking all his teeth. The others were able to make due of them quickly as well.
Overbite: I would be pissed but lucky for you I know a good dentist.
Lobclaw: She served my good claw.
Tentakill: They're ganging up on us captain! Let's go while we still have our sparks!
Snaptrap: IDIOT! We run we fail our master! That is not how we play. We fight until we can no longer fight! Seatrons merge into King Poseidon!
The Seatrons merged together as they formed into King Poseidon once more.
King Poseidon: Master Trident!
Lightning struck down to his hand, forming his Master Trident.
King Poseidon: Hehehehe! See my power!
Revenger: Look out!
King Poseidon aimed his Master Trident at them and shot out lightning, but they got out of the way in time.
Garnet: Pearl, Amethyst! Let's fuse.
The trio gathered together and formed Alexandrite as she and King Poseidon began to fight.
Meanwhile at the house.
Steven was on his bed trying to sleep as everyone stood by him. But with all the explosions and earthquakes how can he.
Steven: AURGH! How am I suppose to fall asleep with all this noise?
Connie: Try counting sheep.
Peridot: We don't have time for that. But I got something.
Peridot took out her tablet and played a streaming video of some girl studying while doing her homework with calm music in the background.
Acha: What is that?
Peridot: I've heard how humans listen to this lofi music to help them calm down or to study. Lapis and I always use this when making our morps.
Lapis: It really helps.
Connie: I'm not sure...
But suddenly Steven was fast asleep as he began to try and make contact with the cluster. He was now in the black void and standing before him was the bubbled Cluster.
Steven: The Cluster.
Steven approached it, but then felt another shake, caused by the explosives. It was disrupting the bubble and was becoming unstable.
Cluster: C-Can't...must...
Steven: Stay calm. Try to keep from forming.
Anothe explosion occured shaking the bubble.
Cluster: Can't...must...form!
Another explosion occured and that did it, the bubble began to pop.
Steven No, no,no,no,no!
Cluster: Steven!
Steven wakes up.
Steven: It popped!
That's when a big earthquake begun.
Back with the others.
Alexandrite and King Poseidon were still fighting, unitl the latter stabbed her with his trident, causing her to unfuse.
King Poseidon: Nothing defeats the mighty King Poseidon! Nothing!
Before he could finish them off, they began to feel the earthquake.
Revenger: Is it... is it happening?
Pearl: We're too late.
The soldiers were getting out of the way. Gien was standing near the hole.
Huntress: My lord you must step back.
Gien: No! My Cluster is about to emerge. I must have a good look to it.
The Gems and King Poseidon kept watching, as that happens Steven and the others got the scene with Lion.
Steven: Guys, are you...
But he is cut off when the Cluster began to emerge. Several ghostly strands emerged from the ground as the formed together. Bomber and Huntress were right behind Gien who's red eyes were widened wide and was so excited.
Gien: Yes...YES! My Cluster is finally about to take form!
Finally the Cluster took form as a giant hand without it's skin.
Revenger: This is the Cluster?
Peridot: Gien really is an insane fool.
Gien: Cluster!
The Cluster faced over to Gien.
Gien: Go and destroy the Crystal Gems. Crush them and the entire planet!
The Cluster made it's way to Steven and the gems as King Poseidon stood back as it formed it's hand into a fist, about to crush them.
Acha: Welp, we're dead simple as that.
Kocha slaps him in the face.
Acha: Ow!
Steven got his shield out, but would it protect them from something like that?
King Poseidon: Hehehehehe! It's over you gems. This planet is now under custody of the Gara Droids! We have won! We have...
But then King Poseidon was crushed by the Cluster. It moved it's hand off now showing the Seatrons, all dead and broken into pieces. The Cluster moved to Steven and gave him a thumbs up.
Peridot: Wait what...what just happened?
Steven: I think it's in control of itself and it's on our side.
Revenger: That thing?
Steven gives it a thumbs up back as the Cluster made it's way back to Gien and began to attack his army as it slammed it's hand onto the ground.
Huntress: It's attacking us!
Gien: What are you doing? Stop! I command you!
The Cluster didn't listen and continued to attack the soldiers, crushing them all.
Bomber: Gara Droids! We're under attack! Scramble!
A fleet of Aerodroids and generic elites flew up and transformed into jet modes. They flew towards the Cluster and attacked. They flew around around shooting at it. But the laser projectiles had no effect on it. The Cluster kept slapping them away.
Bomber: Tell me my lord. Is this all part of your plan?
Gien: Damn it! Does everything I create turn traitor?! First Peridot. Then Acha and Kocha. And now my Cluster! Who's next? You Huntress?!
Huntress: I would never betray you darling. I'd rather be shatttered than to do such a thing.
Gien: I don't know what that boy does, but he is ruining my soon perfect empire. Into the ship!
Gien along with Huntress and Bomber got into the ship as he began to activate it. Steven and the others just watched as the Cluster was destroying the army.
Peridot: I really don't believe what I'm seeing.
Acha: The Cluster that was meant to destroy the Earth is now defending it.
Amethyst: Yeah, glad we're getting all the big and scary stuff on our side.
Steven and Connie: Go Cluster go!
Many Gara Soldiers were retreating from the scene. Before the Cluster could go after them it got shot in the back. It turned and saw Gien's limb enhancer ship, shooting laser projectiles at it.
Gien: Stop this at once. I am your creator! You are to do as I command!
The Cluster in response just punched his ship away. It remebered the pain and suffering Gien conflictd when it was being made. Shattering gems, experimenting and fusing their shards together and compressing it's size into a seed for his enjoyment. Gien's ship tried to punch back at it, but the Cluster caught his fist and threw it down. Finally the Cluster grabbed hold of the palm of the ships hand and began to crush it.
Gien: Controls are not responding!
Huntress: It's going to crush us with the ship.
Bomber: Get to the escape pods! We must abandon ship!
Bomber ran over to the escape pods first leaving them behind.
Huntress and Gien made their way to the escape pods. Bomber's was already gone and there what appeared two working ones left.
Huntress: I'll see you at the bottom darling.
Huntress got into her's and made it out and Gien got inside his.
Gien: Dispatch escape pod now!
Computer: Unable to dispatch. Escape pod disabled.
Gien: That's impossible.
Gien tried to activate the escape pod manually, but it wouldn't respond. That' when he began to recieve a message from Bomber from his built in transmittor.
Bomber: Oh how it pains me to see you go out like this.
Gien: Bomber?
Bomber: Ironic isn't it. The two of us have the same goal to destroy these gems and to conquer this planet. But in my version the captain goes down with his ship. So I took the liberty of disabling your pod. I took a gamble and hoped it would be you who take this one. If it was Huntress, than I'd still be stuck with you.
Gien: Bomber?! You traitorous bastard!
Bomber: You've done nothing but fail the Gara Droids more than once. And for what? Just so you can bring back a Diamond, something we despise. It wasn't just you, Viggo was the same too, he was growing soft and so I had to make scrap out of him. How did you think he couldn't eject from his jet?
Gien: You did what?!
Bomber: The both of you have grown weak. And don't think I don't know about your little secret relationship with Huntress.
Gien: What?
Bomber: That's right, I saw everything that day.
A brief flashback occures from the chapter " Treason." It shows Bomber was spying on Gien after he brought back Huntress and the two kissing.
Flaback ends
Bomber: You don't even follow your own law. For that, you must be purged! Oh but don't worry. I'll take good care of your army and lead it to victory. I'll tell your story and I'm sure Huntress will learn to respect me, and hey maybe I'll change a few rules and she will learn to love me. If not I don't need her respect, only her obediance. Goodbye Gien. Hahahahaha!
Gien: BOMBER!
But the transmission ends and Gien doesn't have much time left.
Gien: The space bridge.
Gien ran to his lab and activated the space bridge. He set the destination to Homeworld back to his main lab. But it was too late, the ceiling of the ship began to collapse onto him.
Gien: What no! AURGH!
Gien is now trapped under the debris as the walls began to close and is equipment began to explode. The space bridge was open and was right there he had to try and get to it. He couldn't get out. He was trapped.
Gien: ( in his mind) If I had any single regret for the countless horrific events that have transpired in my wake...it's that I'm dying. ( out loud) NOOOOOAAAARRRGGHH!
The Cluster continued to crush the ship and finally it explodes. Everyone saw this and were speechless.
Huntress's had her mouth hanging as she covered her mouth and teared up as she fell to her knees.
Huntress: D-Darling...my love... no I...I failed you...
She heard footsteps from behind. She wiped her tears and turned and saw Bomber. He pretended to look distraught
Bomber: It seems Gien could not make it.
Huntress: He's dead. Our lord and master is dead.
Bomber: Come, we must retreat to the Kindergarden at once.
Bomber and Huntress teleported away.
The Cluster turned back to Steven and the others.
Steven: Cluster! You were amazing! Are you okay? Do you want to go back into your bubble?
The Cluster responds with a thumbs up and retreats back into the center of the Earth.
Steven: Okay take it easy. You're the best!
Garnet: That was...definitly insane
Connie: Is it...is it over?
Revenger: I've been reading the life signals during all this. Bomber and Huntress got out, but I can't detect Gien's life signal. He's... he's gone.
Peridot had a sort of a dull or surprised look on her face. Gien the one who made her and worked with is gone. It was hard for her to grasp. Is he truly dead?
Steven: Peridot are you okay?
Peridot: Yeah, I'm just...it's just hard to grasp that he's truly dead.
Acha: I can't believe it either. He's cheated death multiple times, the fact that he's now dead is just...hard to believe.
Kocha: Very hard.
Revenger: But it's true. I can't detect his life.
Garnet: They've lost their leader. All that's left is Bomber and Huntress. As long as they're still here the Earth is still in danger. This battle isn't over yet.
Revenger begins to walk away.
Steven: Revenger, where are you...
Revenger: Gien is dead now. My mission is done. I need time to think.
Everyone just looked at Revenger confused. Now that Gien was dead, what would he do now? Leave Earth or stay to atleast help them with the remaining Gara Droids?
Meanwhile at the Kindergarden.
With the ship destroyed, Bomber and Huntress have made the Kindergarden there new official base. Gara Soldiers and generic elites were now concerned about who will lead them now. Bomber and Huntress stepped forth to them.
Bomber: Fellow Gara Droids. We have taken a heavy loss. Because of those Crystal Gems, Gien and Viggo are dead. But we must fight on. I Bomber the Great declare myself as the new leader.
Huntress: Y-You?
Bomber: Yes. I am the general of the army. If Viggo were alive he would have taken control, but because he's dead I am the closest to next in command.
Huntress: I know how you were with him. Why should you lead?
Bomber: I am the only other highest rank in the Gara Droids. You are not Huntress.
Huntress looked away balling her fists upset.
Bomber: Don't worry my dear. I am doing this for the Gara Droid cause. I promise I will lead you all to victory. Now you have the option to bow to me or go away. What's it gonna be honey?
Huntress just glared at him for a moment and sighed, reluctantly pledging loyalty to him.
Huntress: I am here to serve you, Bomber the Great.
Bomber: ( silent chuckles) That's better. Now...
Bomber turns to the soldiers and generic elites.
Bomber: All hail to your new leader.
Gara Droids: All hail ( Long live) Bomber the Great! Bomber the Great!
The End of Part 2
Author's Note: And that is the end for part 2 of the story if it was a season. Next time we will move to the third and final act of the series which will consist of three major arcs including the finale and two mini arcs one with Bismuth and the other with Ruby and Sapphire. Also I was tempted on using the Cluster's original concept art which I was unaware of until recently, but didn't end up using for a few reasons. 1.) Destpite the cool design, it looked too scary to be an ally to Steven. 2.) I couldn't imagine it being expressive unlike the hand which uses body language.
Also I went back to a couple chapters, mainly chapters 1 and 21 and 50 to add more detail to Gien, Acha, Kocha and Viggo as well as adding a couple more voice cast ideas on who voices who. I can't believe I never thought of this before, but how did I forget Chris Ayres who was the new voice of Frieza. I really don't know how, I guess because I've never seen DBZ Kai since all it was just a retelling of DBZ but without the filler, following more on the manga and changed most of the english dub voice cast. But I kinda imagined Gien's voice having a voice like Frieza or like Tarantulas from Beast Wars .
I also recieved some feedback saying I didn't describe some of the characters enough or they had a hard time imagining the characters and so I went back to add a little more detail and to make it a little easier for some of you to understand. Please if there are things you are confused on or don't understand, let me know so I can go back and fix. I'd like to thank Chibi Zephry for criticism and thoughts along with AC1252 and Lady Shadow92 for help and ideas. If you liked this chapter, be sure the follow, favorite and review. Thank yo and as always, until next time.