Steven stirred and the scene projected on the ceiling began to flicker. By the time he sat up all that remained was a pale glow emitting from the gem on his forehead. Looking around he found the gems all sitting on the floor around his bed. Garnet's glasses off and all three eyes shimmered with moisture, Rose wept openly and Amethyst's face was more hidden behind that mass of purple hair than usual.

"What's going on you gu. . ." Steven began to ask as he reached up to wipe the sleep from his eyes, only to find his own cheek stinging and wet. Then it all came rushing in, every moment of the dream as vivid as if he'd lived it himself. He laughed and wiped the rest of the tears away. "She loved him." Garnet grinned and re-summoned her glasses, Amethyst sighed and brushed her hair back, and shook it out giving one last little sniffle. Rose snorted loudly and her weeping redoubled, which drew a chuckle from everyone; Garnet stroked her back sympathetically.

She quieted down however when dim glow from Steven's gem intensified at the same time the distinct sound of the temple door opening drew all of their attentions. The pale oval on the five pointed star sparked to life and a line of white split the door down the middle, the two pieces sliding away to reveal a darkened interior.

"Pearl's room." Amethyst's voice shook slightly as she stared into the temple. Rose and Garnet turned to Steven.

"None of us have been in there since. . ." Rose's voice caught in her throat as she held back another sniffle.

"". . .Since you were born." Garnet finished and Rose nodded appreciatively. "You should go in, everything in there is yours now." Steven reached up to touch the warm pulsing gem on his forehead and nodded, eyes never leaving the open door as he slipped from his bed. That is until Amethyst punched his arm playfully.

"I'm jealous I always wanted to get in there and mess up Pearl's junk." He laughed and rubbed the sore spot arm, then turned when he felt Rose's hand on his opposite shoulder and she asked.

"Do you want one of us to go with you?" He thought about it, then shook his head.

"No, I think I'll be okay." She nodded and they all watched as he descended the stairs and made his way over to the still open door. Steven took a deep breath and steeled himself before stepping through into the darkened room. The door sealed behind him, and for a long moment the only source of light was his once again dimly glowing gem. Before he could take two steps a voice called out from the deeper darkness.

"Steven, Steven are you alone?" He was frozen; He knew that voice, it was a voice from his dream, the voice of his Mother.

"Ye. . .Ye. . .Yes" Once Steven managed to stutter out the word, light swelled filling the room, fountains that had been dry for thirteen years sprung forth with water. Then he saw it, a figure tall and long limbed like him. She had hair that went down nearly to her shoulders, and curled slightly at the ends. She wore a high collared shirt beneath a gossamer vest that extended down to her hips, where it met what looked like a simple pair of jeans, a pair of hightops on her feet rounded off the outfit. It was his mother, but there was a strangness to her. She was the wrong color, her whole body was nearly a uniform shade of blue. Light shone through her slightly as if she wasn't completely real; But the most disturbing was her eyes blank and devoid of life that even photographs and paints he'd seen of her had managed to capture. Still he hoped, and reached out.

"Mom?" Even those hollow eyes managed to convey sadness at that.

"No." The Hologram said bluntly. "I am a hologram, an echo of your mother she left behind for you to find. I can give some answers, and I can even respond to some degree but do not confuse me for the person who gave up her physical form to make you. Steven drew his hand back and lowered his head, hair hanging over his eyes.

"I understand." The Holo-Pearl stepped up to him and knelt to meet his eyes with her own empty ones.

"Steven, if you're seeing this it means you're coming into your powers, only Pearl's gem could have activated this hologram, I want you to know how. . .Pearl wants you to know how proud she would be of you right now." Steven wiped a tear from his eye (it was becoming a habit.) The Holo-Pearl stood and motioned for him to follow as she climbed the water in the fountains. He took a tentative step forward, and marveled as the water pushed back against his foot to support his weight. He laughed and chased the hologram up to the center fountain where it sat itself down cross legged, and he did the same.

Then it began to sing.

"It's time you knew,

what we really are.
We are not of earth
We're from out beyond your star
But we were amazed to find

Your beauty and your worth

and we swore to protect your kind

and swore to protect your earth

and to protect your earth

From those who would harm you."

Then she began to lay it all out, the history of the crystal gems, the war, the corruption that touched all but the Gems he knew. She didn't give away any secrets that weren't hers to give, and stuck to the generalities. Steven asked few questions but listened intently. At the end of the story the Holo-Pearl stood

"Steven I have one last thing to teach you, can you summon your weapon?" Steven bit his lip and lowered his head again. He'd been trying for almost a year now to summon his weapon. The Gems said missions were too dangerous but if he could defend himself they'd have to let him join, but he'd had no success. He shook his head. "That's alright, we have plenty to work with." At that moment a circle of swords rose from the water. "Pick one and we'll begin."

Stars appeared in Steven's wide eyes "You're going to teach me how to sword fight?" The Holo-Pearl actually smirked as it raised a blade of it's own.

"Training mode intiated, level 1 Begin."

In the weeks that followed Steven spent several hours a day training with the Holo-Pearl, practicing his style, perfecting his form. When the Gems would ask what he was doing in there he just told them it was a surprise. Soon he'd be able to help protect them.