Disclaimer: Characters, settings, names from the cartoon television show 'Steven Universe' are creations and property of Rebecca sugar and Cartoon network. Any Non-steven universe characters, settings, names, Gems, Gem powers, beliefs, mythology are my own creation.

Author's Note: Connie arrives moments after Commander Soren anointed Whistles, what will happen between the former couple.

Story Tags: Steven Universe, Lapis Lazuli, OC's, Connie Maheswaran Pearl, Amethyst, Ruby, Sapphire, Bells, Whistles, Citrine, Peridot, Beach City, Gem Powers, Romance, Adventure, Comfort, Destiny.

Music Inspiration: "Bachata en Fukuoka" By Juan Luis Guerra

Chapter 31: A Friendly Match

Saturday

May 18, 8:10 [Afternoon]

Beach House, Crystal Temple

Walking up the steps of the beach house, Connie Maheswaran arrived a few minutes too late to the Anointing. But she was here nonetheless. Connie wore a dark jeans shorts, a light blue shirt with an image of the planet earth on the front, with the words 'The Earth Rocks!' on the back. On her feet she wore black and white shoes. And she kept her hair tied in a pony tail.

From inside of the beach house, Commander Soren felt a presence which sent a shiver all throughout his body. He told everyone to stop talking and not turn on the phone, or 'music device' as he referred to it. Steven, Lapis, Greg and everyone turned their eyes to the front of the door of the beach house. Steven's heart beat quickened, his palms became sweaty seeing Connie walk past the side window. she stopped and knock on the front door.

Lapis noticed and felt Steven's uneasiness and stood behind him, keeping her hands on his shoulders. Carlos walked over to the front of the door, grabbed the door knob and turned it. He opened the door to Connie standing on the door step. She kept her hands behind her back, a smile came over her face when she saw Carlos.

"Hey Carlos, it's been a while since we seen each other."

"Oh hey Connie, yeah it's been a while. You here for the Anointing?"

"The what? Uh no. I came here to see Steven. Is he here?" Connie said, sounding curious.

"Uh yeah, he's here." Carlos answered the young girl, he moved back and opened the door.

Walking slowly over to the front door, Steven and Lapis stopped only close enough to see who it was. Lapis's face became angry, cold and suspicious. Steven's however, did not. He was confused as to why Connie was here. He felt Lapis walk and stop next to him, taking his hand into hers, this helped him feel reassured.

Connie walked inside, Lapis walked back, tugging on Steven's hand to make him move back as well. Commander Soren stood near the stone altar, watching this small young girl walk inside. Through his eyes he saw everyone in the room as 'pillars of light.' Ruby and Sapphire's were red and blue respectively, their pillars were not that tall. But not small either. Pearl's, Amethyst and Lapis were white, light purple and dark blue. Their size of their pillars varied between the three of them.

Greg did not register, except for a small dot of a light in the spot where his heart was. Lion's pillar was light pink and dark pink (Rose Quartz's sealed half), and it burned wildly and large. But the real large pillars of lights belonged to him, Steven, Carlos and Connie. Carlos's pillar rose just past the roof of the house. Steven's was half the size of Carlos. Soren's towered over theirs. but Connie's seemed to reach high into the night sky. It's summit getting lost in the darkness, like a mighty fist raised proudly high enough that the stars themselves would have kissed.

Soren walked over to Connie, past Lapis and Steven. Connie was looking around up at all the Christmas light that were wrapped around the beams of the house. She stopped when she noticed a towering figure stop in front of her, get down on one knee and take her left hand into his black gauntlet.

"Oh, who are you. wait a minute, Smoky is telling me...you're a commander also. You're the one Steven told me about when he came to visit me with his dad." She told Soren.

Lapis raised an eyebrow and looked at Steven. He visited Connie and he never told her, it must have been for a really good reason he would visit her by himself.

"Commander Smoky, I can't begin to express to you the honor I'm feeling by being in your presence. You are five thousand years my senior. I have read and heard stories of your might and completely dominion and mastery over everything earth."

"Oh, the please is all mine," Connie replied, placing her right hand lightly over her chest and smiling at Soren. "My mentor Smoky says-"

"It's ok Conn...y. I can hear the Commander's voice as clearly as if you were him, which you are. I don't understand how the most legendary commander resides in you though."

"Would you like me to explain it to you? Or does Smoky have it under control?" Connie asked Soren, raising her eyebrow.

"The commander has it under control. Please feel free speak to your friends Connie, me and Soren can communicate telepathically while you do."

"Cool. Steven, hi there." Connie waved at Steven, innocently and friendly.

"Connie, hi. What are you doing here?" Steven asked her.

"What, I can't visit my ex boyfriend anymore? It's ok Lapis, that visit to my home was to break everything off. He really loves you. I'm really happy for you but also jealous of you at the same time. Oh look a kitty cat!"

Connie was referring to Whistles who came crawling over to her. He stood up on his feet, but fell back down on his bum after only several seconds of standing. Connie picked him up and held him in her arms. Bells and Citrine came over, Connie noticed them and became wide eyes when she saw Bells.

"Wow! Are you an extraterrestrial? I bet you are."

"I suppose I am. That's my child in your arms." Bells pointed out.

"Don't you mean ours." Citrine chimed, correcting her husband.

"No way, you two made this cute little ball of fuzz. Steven he's just like you. Hah hah hah. Aw look at him, tickle tickle tickle."

"Connie! What are you doing here." Steven asked her, raising the volume of his voice.

"Steven, watch your volume." Greg said.

"I'm sorry." Steven mumbled.

Connie handed Whistles to Pearl who handed him back to his parents.

"I cam here to show you my progress Steven. You told me I was always welcomed here. I made a solemn oath to the earth to protect my family, my town, friends and then boyfriend from all things evil and corrupted gems alike. I may no longer have a boyfriend, but I still have friends right. I'm asking to be let on mission if I can show you I got skills and techniques. What do you say."

Steven was taken back by this challenge proposed by Connie. Was she doing this to show him that she was better than Lapis? She was and showed excellent skills with Commander Smoky's gem powers. She managed to go somewhat toe to toe with Lapis. Or maybe she was doing this to spite him. Either way it leaned, he wasn't so sure of all of this.

"Connie, are you sure about this? I mean, I don't want you hurting my son." Greg interrupted.

"It's OK Mr Universe. This is just a sparring match. No blood will be shed, maybe."

Steven turned and looked at Lapis who gave him an assuring nod. Steven turned back over and looked over to Carlos. His mentor gave him a similar nod, with a smirk as an added addition. Carlos pulled Steven and himself outside of the house to talk to him.

"Steven, listen little buddy. I don't want to dissuade you from this sparring match with Connie. But did you know Connie was going to come over?"

"No. me and her are not really...I'm not really sure how to put it. Me and her are no longer boyfriend and girlfriend."

"And you thought that meant you two couldn't see each other anymore? Steven there's a lot you need to learn about women and girls. You two may no longer be going out, and that's fine. but you're still friends. I don't know what happened between you, bur right now you gotta show everyone here what you're made of."

"Ok. Connie wants to dance with me, I hope she's brought her best moves." Steven declared, confident in himself.

Connie vs. Steven

8:30 [Night]

Giving himself some time to gather his thoughts. Steven received some advice from Lapis about how Connie's fought and her mastery over her Smoky's gemstone. Carlos reminded Steven that this was not a battle, just a sparring match. Before Connie and Steven could spar before everyone, Soren presented his gift to Whistles. He pressed two fingers down on Whistles's gemstone and passed on a portion of his power and abilities to his 'godson.'

Everyone then gathered outside and either watched the sparring match from the front deck of the house, or from the sandy beach below. Lapis watched the match from the ground, Pearl and Carlos watched from the front deck. As did Greg, lion, Amethyst and Ruby and Sapphire. Soren hovered above them all, arms crossed over his chest. He couldn't help by smirk, he knew how this was going to turn out, he could practically see the match before it started.

Bells decided to watch the match, leaving Citrine to watch whistles from inside the beach house. He chose to sit down on one of the stairs step.

Steven and Connie stood ten feet away from each other, looking at each other. Steven noticed how Connie seemed so sure of herself, so calm and so grounded. She kept her hands unballed, her expression remained soft and focused. Steven on the other hand balled his hands into fists, they shook with uneasiness and nervousness. Steven's breathing was visibly more heavier than Connie's.

Connie smiled before vanishing in a cloud of dust. She took off to her right, leaving a faint after image of herself. Steven's eyes followed her, then he took off after her. Carlos smiled, amazed at Connie and Steven's similar speed. They ran around around each other, forming a figure '8' in the sand just from running.

Then Connie went in and tapped Steven on the side of his face. Steven stopped, and pressed a hand on the spot Connie tapped him on. Was she playing with him? If she was, he was going to play right back. Steven brought forth his pink flaming aura. He locked his sights on her and ran towards the direction she would be at. His take off kicked up a plume of sand and produced a small explosion of air.

Connie giggled as she ran away from Steven, but stopped when she felt a pair of arms wrap tightly around her waist. She felt herself falling, and fall she did. Steven and her slid to a stop on the sand. They coughed and...laughed at the same time. Carlos face palmed himself, Soren closed his eyes and shook his head, disappointed that this wasn't going to be as amazing as he thought.

Steven and Connie's laughter died down, their smiles turned into tight lips. "wait, weren't we suppose to be doing something?" Steven questioned.

"I forgot. Give me a second. Oh, a friendly sparring match."

"But I don't want to hurt you Connie, you're not my enemy." Steven told her.

"And you're not my enemy, so why do I feel like you've been treating me like one since you came to visit me."

"So what should we do?" Steven said to Connie.

Connie sat on her heels and placed a finger up to her chin. Steven stroked his chin in thought. Then they both came up with the most rational non violent solution they could think of. Both of them stood on their feet, raised their hands up in front of their faces and slapped their hands against the other.

"Oh my god. I swear to you Pearl, I did not teach him to do that." Carlos told Pearl.

"Bwahahahahahaha. This is the funniest thing Evvaaa!" Amethyst shouted.

Sapphire placed a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud like amethyst.

The only one who did not find any of this funny was Lapis. She dashed over to Steven, brought her arms under his armpits and carried him away from Connie.

"Lapis? Lapis it's ok, we weren't hurting each other. La-"

"I don't care Steven! I don't like her, you should know that by now."

Greg watched Lapis and his son's interaction and was worried. Rose was never the jealous type, and if she was, then she never expressed it or showed it. He only hoped Steven was strong enough to handle a gem like Lapis in the future.

Next, in Chapter 32, 'Jasper's Debacle.'

(!) "A New Change is in order for this story. All future chapters starting now will be 2500 words or less, 4,000 to 6,000 words takes too much on me. Shorter chapters means more time to produce them."