(Takes place throughout "The Zoo" arc and during "The New Crystal Gems"; a week after "Three Gems and a Baby"; a week and three days after "Gem Harvest")
Another slow day.
No problem, Amber never minded slow days. Relaxation had its own significance.
Besides, she'd already crossed off all work from college off her list, and the flower shop wasn't seeing much action today either. Unlike Uma and Marcus who were content to stay at home, however, the aureate rock felt cooped up. Maybe she could go see Greg since today should've been a day off for him too. In fact, now would be a good chance for them to get some progress done on their anti-corruption project, which if she remembered right had been a decent size last time she checked.
After leaving a note on the fridge, she wandered off in her dog form for Greg's van. Once there, she tapped her furry knuckles against the backdoors and hung back to wait. Greg answered without hesitation, bearing his usual smile. "Oh hey, Amber! How's it hanging?"
Other than the sky, nothing much. How's our salvation music looking?
"Innocuous as ever," Greg rubbed the back of his head. "Feels like we're just building one big playlist at one point. Sorry, I only got as far as adding a couple more inspiring-sounding songs to it the other day."
Amber shook her head and gave her human friend an assuring smile. It's still progress. Besides, it's not like Steven and the others are keeping us on a strict schedule. In fact, it seems like they've been putting this on the backburner.
Now that she said it aloud, Amber couldn't help but fixate on the lack check-ups. Not that the golden rock couldn't understand why since she was the closest anyone had to a real expert. Still, she couldn't help but feel as though the group were being a little too lackadaisical about fixing the Corruption. Even Steven had stopped bringing it up at some point, let alone Centipeedle.
One would almost think all of them had stopped caring. Given up.
Greg caught on to her downward-spiraling thoughts quick. "Hey there, I'm sure the others still appreciate what we're doing! And I'm also sure they've been wracking their brains thinking up another way to help all those Gems."
That's…possible. Amber never initiated conversation on the topic because she figured the others trusted her and Greg enough, so maybe the others had assumed the same of the pair in turn? Either way, the molehog made a mental note to be more forthright concerning this matter. Even if she wasn't a main member of the Crystal Gems anymore, she made herself part of the fold the moment she made this arrangement with Greg.
Speaking of whom, she looked up at him in curiosity.
How big is our playlist?
Greg pulled out his new laptop and booted it up. It didn't take long for him to find the proper Microsoft Work document. He scrolled down and let off a whistle. "I'd say we're about to 150. Why?"
I think it's high time we move onto the next phase.
"And that would be…?" the brunet asked in a wary tone, as though he could already see the direction of this conversation.
Testing this on the real deals.
As she expected, Greg didn't take too long to catch on. The widening of his eyes and paling of his skin said enough.
Don't worry! We're doing this under the group's supervision in case anything goes awry. Which knowing their luck most likely will happen but after the semi-success with Centipeedle, Amber had a good feeling about this plan.
Greg relaxed in turn, relieved to know his friend was enacting her usual sensibility. "When you put it that way, then I guess there's no reason to back out, huh? I doubt the others have anything on their plate at the moment anyway."
XXX
Or the others had too much to fit on their plate at once.
Case in point, when the Universe van neared the beach house, voices caught the hearing of its passengers – loud, angry voices. The concern they elicited only furthered once Greg and Amber, after sharing a look, went up the steps and approached the righthand window. Gingerly the golden dog rose up on her tiptoes and peeked over the windowsill, Greg looking over her head.
The centerpiece turned out to be Steven and Garnet having a heated argument in the middle of the living room, the tension in the boy's shoulders and back palpable even without his face visible. Connie and Amethyst stood behind Steven, Pearl behind Garnet, the slender Gem holding her own hands to her mouth.
"I. DON'T. CARE! I wanna go there NOW!" he shouted.
"Steven!" Garnet shouted back. The pleading was barely audible beneath her outrage.
"I'm sorry," Connie amended in a meek tone. "I- I shouldn't have brought the book."
"Yes, you should've brought it," Steven retorted in a heated tone without tearing his eyes from Garnet. "It's lucky something has some information that I don't have to GET OUT OF THEM!"
Amber and Greg hurried away from the window the moment they saw Steven turn and stomp towards the door, his face the definition of rage. What the heck just happened in there?
The questions only mounted when Garnet emerged soon after, calling after Steven, moving too fast to even notice the pair's presence. On the bright side, it made sneaking into the house even easier. Amber had to go into bear-badger form to physically keep Greg from following after his son, though, as the yellow Gem had a feeling his presence would only complicate an already volatile situation.
If anything, some serious context needed clarification first, even if it required walking straight into the tension.
When Amber and her reluctant companion entered, they found Pearl and Amethyst in the middle of a fierce whispering match and Connie leaning against the table with a downcast face and frown, hands clasped before her.
The young girl quickly noticed the new arrivals and managed a halfhearted smile. "O-Oh, hey Amber! Hey Mr. Universe!"
Greg managed an awkward smile and wave back. "Hey kiddo. I take it we walked into something…delicate?"
Connie glanced the front door where her best friend had marched out. "I'd say more like mishandled."
"Not Steven's fault if ya ask me," Amethyst grumbled with crossed arms and an averted face.
"Amethyst!" Pearl chided at a more regular volume seeing as they were no longer the only adults here. "That's not how Garnet meant it!"
The purple Quartz rolled her eyes. "Really, dude? 'Please, you're making Pearl very upset,'" she retorted the latter part in a mock deep copy of Garnet's voice, hands held up at right angles, "no offense but I'm pretty sure him being upset is way more important!"
Pearl looked as though she might continue the argument, only to surprise everyone when she crossed her arms and put a hand to her face with a tired sigh. "You're right. This isn't being fair to him." If anything, this felt like an encore performance of how they handled his feelings during the mess with Peridot's robonoids. "But I'm sure he and Garnet will come to an understanding."
As the slamming door that revealed a still fuming Steven and despondent Garnet attested, no.
"Connie, I need to borrow your book," the boy asked point-blank.
"O-Okay," Connie responded in surprise, "just be careful. I need to return it to the library by next week."
"Thanks." Steven took the piece of literature from the coffee table and turned to his father next. "Dad, I need to go to Korea! Could we get Uncle Andy to fly us?"
Greg held both his hands out in haste. "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! Could someone explain to us what the heck's going—"
The Warp Pad sounded, cutting the man's full question off, as did the appearance of a certain cool-hued duo, both bearing perturbed expressions.
Lapis blushed at not only the prominent gathering but the various levels of tension and concern adorning everyone's faces. "Um, I take it we're interrupting something?"
Greg blushed back, rubbing his nape. "Join the club. You guys seem to be in the middle of something yourselves. What's up?"
Peridot cleared her throat. "Well, I was busy calibrating the signaling on our newly upgraded television when my device caught an extremely disturbing transmission. Here." She held out the tablet on her arm and pressed play.
A lightly staticky voice twinged with an unclear accent followed suit immediately.
Facet O4M, this is Facet O5K. Do you copy?
O5K, this is O4M. Copy.
Have you and O3J reached the Prime Kindergarten Facility yet?
Negative but luckily our scouting pod landed not too far from the main entrance. It shouldn't be long before we get a status on the Cluster.
Good. Make sure to incapacitate any Gems you come across so we can take them to Blue Diamond later on for questioning. Over.
Acknowledged. Over.
The transmission ended, leaving everyone in stunned, terrified silence.
Steven found his rage and frustration plummeting into sheer horror. This couldn't be happening, it couldn't.
"Yo," Amethyst quipped in a shaken tone, "you can't be serious?!"
Pearl cradled herself in fearful disbelief, in no emotional state to comment.
"B-But the Cluster's all bubbled now!" Steven squeaked out. "Whoever these Gems are, it should be safe from them!" He shot a desperate look to Peridot. "Right?"
"Theoretically yes," the green Gem rushed to answer, seeing Steven's clear distress, "especially given all those shards are capable of synchronizing now thanks to you!"
Connie cast her eyes on everyone else, wary. "But…what if Homeworld sent these Gems with something that can set the Cluster free?"
None of the Gems, never mind Steven, had a proper answer.
That is until Amber lightly slapped a paw against the tabletop and pulled out her phone. OK, before anyone does anything else, could someone please catch me and Greg up on what you guys were arguing over?
Steven gave a solemn gaze at the book in his hands before sighing. "I've been having dreams about this pink palanquin surrounded by flowers. It's not a nightmare but I always wake up crying from it even though I don't feel sad." He lifted his gaze to Amber. "I think it might have something to do with Mom."
Pink palanquin. Pink. Already Amber could see her own mind connecting the dots, let alone where the boy intended to go about this matter.
"But"— Steven continued with a brief yet very pointed glare at Garnet – "apparently no one else wants to tell me what's going on and expect me to stop caring about it instead." A fluffy tap on his shoulder drew the boy's attention back to Amber, who'd heard enough.
The dog took a deep breath and growled out, "I…can…take…you."
To say this offer took Steven off guard would be an understatement. He blinked and gaped in surprise, only to smile in gratitude straight after.
Greg, however, cocked his head. "You sure? Not that I've got a problem with you tagging along, but you were really set on testing our little project on the other Corrupted Gems."
Amber shook her head and held her phone back. It's fine. A big part of it requires Steven anyway, so I see no harm in postponing this for his sake.
The surprise flipped when Steven tackled the golden stone with a hug. "Thanks, Amber. This really means a lot." He pulled back to give a determined smile. "We'll come right back the moment we figure out what my dream is about – and then we're helping all those Gems! I promise!"
This kid. Amber smiled in pride, feeling like she often did with Kurtis. In that case, it looks like we're splitting up! She turned to the other Gems. The rest of you can tail these Homeworld Gems while I make sure these two have a safe trip.
"Amber, wait!" Garnet cried with one hand raised, only to withdraw it upon catching Amber's nonchalant expression. Right away, the brawler found herself floundering. "I…I can't see much of what these Gems are or what they can do. We might need your skills."
A plausible point, although Amber could plainly see the fusion fishing for excuses at this point. I'm pretty sure between you and the others, my absence won't make much of a difference. Besides, my form still has those glitch-outs so I'm more likely to be a liability for you. I'll come in handier on the off-chance Steven and Greg do need to make themselves scarce.
"But—"
It's not like anyone other than us will be there.
"YES, THERE WILL!"
Heavy silence dominated the room, all eyes now on the crimson fusion – Amber's in particular. Garnet, in a rare moment, hunched in on herself as though wishing to disappear this moment.
The very sight would usually leave Steven concerned as Garnet rarely if ever got scared like this. After how much she and Pearl had been dancing around the truth, however, all he could care about was the why. He looked down for a moment in thought before redirecting his stare to Amber. "Garnet told me she 'can't get near her'. Who did she mean?"
The one person who could scare Garnet. Amber's dark eyes narrowed at the fusion in turn. Blue Diamond is coming, isn't she?
Garnet's sudden stiffen said everything. It hadn't occurred to the fusion until now that Amber had been fishing for hints.
Steven gawked. Why would Blue Diamond come to Earth? Wouldn't she still be worried about the Cluster?
Garnet's next words set the future, however. "You're. Not. Going."
Steven turned on her in an instant, teeth almost bared. "Garnet—"
"I meant Amber. If you insist on going, I won't stop you but I'm not losing any more of my friends to her!"
The next objection came from someone she hadn't anticipated.
"What about me though?" Greg spoke up. "Not to sound self-centered but you're worried about Steven going and I can get behind that." He gestured to Connie and the other Gems. "You're worried about all the others going and I can understand that too, but you're not raising any complaints about me going."
When Garnet cringed, Greg sighed in disappointment. "I thought we were past this. Yeah, I've backed away from Gem business plenty times before, but this is really important to Steven. Me being human's no reason to think I can't handle this with him. It's not like I'm going up against Homeworld!"
Connie set her jaw at Mr. Universe's words. Not because she disagreed but rather because she couldn't help wondering if this conversation would have been much different if she'd been in his shoes.
Amber narrowed her eyes even further at a sudden realization, one that made her sick to her shapeshifted stomach. Except that's what you're banking on, isn't it? You're expecting Blue Diamond to be there when Steven and Greg and I find the palanquin.
"Amber…," Garnet attempted to state in a commanding tone to no avail.
Steven and I have powers; Greg doesn't. Are you hoping it'll go wrong, like maybe Greg will get kidnapped so you and the others can fix it without having to face Blue Diamond at all?
No black hole could hope to match the increased heaviness in the room.
The Crystal Gem leader couldn't find the words to rebuke her friend's accusation.
"Garnet…," Steven murmured in shock and disappointment, not sure what else to say to the fusion. A tap on his back drew his attention to a somber Amber, who merely jerked her head to the front door. The boy hesitated with one last look at Garnet before sighing and nodding, ready to start this journey already. They had places to be.
"Wait!" Lapis called out in a tone desperately struggling not to descend into panic, causing the trio to pause and look over at her. "You're not really going after Blue Diamond, right?"
"Of course not!" Greg assured her in his usual chipper tone, already pulling his phone out so he could call Andy. "We just gotta get to some place she inconveniently happens be at."
That statement did not do Lapis and her anxiety wonders. Greg realized the same and gulped at his poor choice of words.
Amber turned her eyesight away for a moment and then teleported all the way to Lapis, where she gently took the blue Gem's slender hands in her claws. Nothing will happen to me, and I won't let anything happen to Steven and Greg either.
"I only need to get close enough to hear Blue Diamond," Steven added, "see if she has anything to say about Mom and Pink Diamond. We'll be in and out before she can even notice us!"
Lapis alternated her uncertain gaze between Steven and Amber for some time until she sighed at last in reluctant complacency. "Just…don't let her see you, OK?"
Steven dashed up and hugged his Beach Summer Fun Buddy in gratitude. "We'll be super-duper careful, I promise!"
XXX
Luckily, Andy been doing a personal tour around the East Coast, meaning Steven, Amber (as Sparky), and Greg hadn't needed to wait long on the beach.
The Warp Pad had gone off not long after the three of them had exited the house. Good, Greg doubted anyone could handle any further awkward looks.
Well, save for Connie who'd come outside immediately after the Gems left, arms crossed and a steamed look similar to Steven's earlier. Now that he'd had time to cool down, Steven couldn't help feeling guilty for not asking her to join them earlier, not to mention addressing her so roughly, so lost in his fury at the time. He'd sprinted after her to apologize and offer a spot on the plane.
"It's fine, Steven. Korea's a long way from here anyway." Connie had observed. With all the recent homework piled on top of her, long-distance traveling on a school night would be out of the question. Thank goodness tomorrow was Saturday so she could come back here for surveillance. "Besides, someone needs to keep an eye on the town and temple anyway. That's why I'm going to ask the Flores and my mom if I can hang around at the flower shop for a while. Speaking of eyes, shouldn't there be Warp Pads over in Korea?"
Her friend shook his head. "Amber says it'd be safer not to; we don't know if these Gems from Homeworld can track anyone using those."
Made sense to Connie, who nodded back. Good to know her best friend had taken her warning to heart. Still, she couldn't help but worry for the safety of her friend and his travel companions, especially Mr. Universe. "Just don't charge in, OK? There's no telling if it'll only be Blue Diamond there."
Her warning made Steven avert his eyes with a worried frown. Garnet never said anything about foreseeing those Homeworld Gems coming for the Cluster. What if one of them stayed behind with Blue Diamond as a bodyguard?
The young hybrid shook his head. No, he had no intention of backing down from this, not now that he had a chance for answers. He almost jumped, jolted out of his thoughts, when someone tapped his back, and swirled around to see…no one? A whoosh and shimmer revealed Amber, the yellow dog wagging her tail.
Steven brightened. "I forgot you can turn invisible!"
Connie slapped a hand against her head. Duh, this Gem can manipulate light; why wouldn't she be able to do this? "Me too! You use it so little around us! Why is that?"
On cue, the girl felt her bag vibrate from her ringing phone, which she pulled out and turned on. Steven joined her side to read alongside her.
I don't want to startle anyone. Now let me show you something else.
She reached out both forepaws to the children, who shared a look and then each grabbed one. Instantly, a tingle passed over their bodies. Steven and Connie looked down at themselves and then each other to discover the effect now applied to them, only the refractions of their shadows remaining proof of their presence. What's more, though the effects were evident to them, they could still see one another, albeit only as transparent 3D outlines.
The two wowed in awed unison.
"Uh, guys?" Greg called in concern, startled at seeing the kids and Amber disappear right before his eyes. "You're all still there, right?"
Amber shut off her powers, returning herself and the kids to sight. Steven shot his father a quick assurance and apology.
Connie chuckled. "Well, that's all I need to know." She hiked up the bag strap up her shoulder. "You guys watch each other's backs."
Steven gave a smiling nod, feeling more confident of this personal mission's success. He hugged and waved Connie goodbye before the girl walked off towards the town. Right on time, the whirring of propellors signaled the approach of Andy's plane, coming into the view from the south.
The reunion had been short and sweet, Andy giving both his cousin and nephew bear hugs. Neither an eye batted nor question asked about Steven's request either, likely because the pilot considered it wasn't his place to ask. He only hesitated at the sight of the yellow dog at Greg's feet.
"Any particular reason you're bringing Marcus' dog with you by the way?" he asked, pointing down at the unassuming canine.
Greg and Steven blushed at this obvious detail. Excuse time.
Right way, the hybrid delved into his mind for the story he and his traveling companions had been practicing. "The Flores are busy with…family stuff, so they needed someone to watch Sparky. Don't worry, they bring her on trips all the time. This is just a little further out than she's used to." Steven tried his best not to sweat as he said all this, well remembering how epically he failed to lie to Connie's mother right before the hospital debacle.
For a moment, Andy only stared. Thankfully, he shrugged off the explanation. "Eh, as long as you got her leash and don't lose sight of her, I ain't gonna judge."
The moment their family member turned his back, Steven and Greg let off silent sighs of relief before following him to the plane alongside Amber, who trailed behind them.
"Your aunts are cool with this, right?" Andy asked as their little group boarded the plane. "Just wanna be sure."
Steven hunched his shoulders, averting eye contact. "Things got a little tense today. I need a little space from them right now."
Andy's face contorted in sympathy. "Yeesh. Sounds rough. But hey if me and your goofball dad could work things out, I don't see why you guys can't."
Steven managed a thankful smile at his uncle's words of comfort. As much as he didn't feel ready to forgive Garnet yet, he didn't fancy staying mad at her forever. In fact, as the plane took off, he had to wonder if he and Amber and Greg had been too hasty in assuming the worst about Garnet's attitude about this whole Blue Diamond business. Garnet was stoic, not heartless (figuratively speaking).
Hopefully everyone will have cooled down enough by the time they all got back together to talk things out better.
XXX
Garnet had always been a Gem of few words.
Whether out of shyness during her early days of the Rebellion or nowadays out of her need to seem cool and in control, she never saw a point in filling empty space with words she didn't mean or need. Her teammates did more than enough talking to make the difference.
Nobody was talking this time and she hated it.
Ironic considering that they were supposed to be stealthy right now as they slid down the Prime Kindergarten's elevator shaft into the Control Room. As of now the group's plan consisted of sneaking in and staying out of sight to overhear whatever these Homeworld Gems would have to say. Whatever happened next depended on whether or not they could manage to stay covert.
Luckily, this plan had gone without a hitch so far. There were enough risks letting Steven and Amber and Greg do what they were doing, so Garnet tried her best to restrict her future visions to this matter instead.
So far, nothing definite; without a better visual on who Homeworld sent, only the immediate future turned up – and by 'immediate' we mean only seconds ahead. Fortunately for Garnet, the team reached the room's floor before long. Right away, everyone noticed the two Gems –one kneeling and fiddling at the control panel while another stood by with crossed arms—and scattered among the massive cables circulating among the room.
Due to the current darkness as well as them having their backs to the others, no one could get a good look at their appearance.
"Sheesh, at least those rebels got a Peridot on their side," the Homeworld Gem at the panel murmured in loud annoyance. "Sure as slit saves us half the trouble of fixing this thing."
"Let's not question good fortune, O3J," a similar yet calmer voice answered. "Let's just focus on getting the Cluster's status for now."
"Yeah, yeah. Speaking of the Cluster, how's the Golden Queen planning on kickstarting that big thing back into action?"
The other Gem shrugged her angular shoulders. "No clue, it's possible she might send an extraction crew to retrieve it. Like I said, let's focus on finding out what's up so we can leave as soon as possible. This place gives me the –"
Her companion jumped and double fist-pumped while giving a triumphant whoop. "Hah! Got it!"
Instantaneously, the pentagonal back of the control room filled with a bright green holographic screen that illuminated everything within reach in an eerie matching glow, including the two Gems who chose then to face each other.
Peridot, hidden next to Amethyst, held back a yelp. The purple Quartz noticed and eyed the technician with concern and then the two interlopers in wonder.
Both Gems seemed between Pearl and Garnet in terms of height yet possessed slightly thicker limbs than the former. Speaking of Pearl, their noses were pointed but nowhere near as long as hers. Their violet-blue skin and irises contrasted well against their short, deep blue punk-style mohawk-undercuts, which sported white streaks that Amethyst couldn't help comparing to toothpaste. More specifically, the one at the panel's mohawk flared forward like a rocker's while the other one's flowed backwards, tamer and shorter by comparison.
Their sleeveless uniforms were white, marked by thick black linings that ran over the shoulders and collar like Jasper's only instead they met in a downward triangle sporting the current Diamond Authority symbol. Matching white elbow-length gloves with circuitry at the back hands glimmered in the green dimness, wires meeting into the gloves' black tips, while matching knee-length boots ended at black soles. The top half of their uniforms flared down from their black belts to their knees like jackets, also marked by thick black at the bottom edges.
The gem of the one closest to the panel could be seen on her right deltoid, a deep blue baguette cut. Amethyst couldn't make out the location of the other one's stone.
"Whoa, are you seeing these readings, O4M?!" O3J exclaimed. Right now, she and her companion were examining a model of the Earth.
"I am. They're saying the Cluster has already achieved union…but then how is this planet still whole?"
"Maybe it decided not to? It is supposed to comprise of Crystal Gems."
"Not by itself according to Yellow Diamond. In fact, if I'm reading this right, the lack of brainwave activity indicates that it's been bubbled."
O3J gawked at her teammate. "That big thing?! Wait, wait, wait, does that mean someone messed with it? Humans maybe."
O4M scoffed at the suggestion. "Yellow Diamond made sure to have this thing planted in a way that none of the native species would stumble across it. Besides, on the off chance any of them did, that would've either unleashed a swarm of reanimated Gem shards or, if late enough, a colossal beast on the planet."
A moment of silence passed before O3J regarded her fellow Gem again. "What about the Spectral? Mosaic?"
Amethyst narrowed her eyes in confusion at the unfamiliar names. Who were they talking about?
The eyeroll O4M gave could not be any louder. "Were you not paying attention during the debriefing? Yellow Diamond explicitly stated that she took deliberate steps to keep those organic trash in the dark about this. It had to have been the Peridot that she warned us about. That twerp was one of the few privileged with knowledge of this project."
"And the little shrimp just changed her mind all of a sudden and found a way to stop it all by herself?" O3J released a derisive snort. Unbeknownst to her, said little shrimp gritted her teeth nearby, struggling not to leap out and strangle her. "No way."
"My thoughts exactly. Someone on this planet got to her and managed to sway her loyalties."
"Well, it couldn't have been the humans. They've got no reason to come near this place."
"But Gems would. To be more exact…" O4M let that statement trail off, allowing her companion to fill in the rest.
O3J didn't take long. "HO-LY FRACK!"
O4M proved quick to cover her fellow Benitoite's mouth for the sake of both her hearing and maintaining secrecy. "Yes. Yellow Diamond's suspicions were correct." She cast a withering gaze at the holographic Earth. "The Crystal Gems are still alive." The blue and white Gem shut down the panel and gestured her companion to follow her towards the exit. "Let's get back to the ship so we can notify the others."
As the two Benitoites departed down the pathway, the Crystal Gems remained stock still, not hard considering their shell-shocked mental states.
Only when the Homeworld Gems disappeared up the shaft via what one could only describe as 'ninja flips' did the others emerge from hiding.
Peridot got up and proceeded to walk in a circle, voice rising in volume as she gripped her head and hair in an odd mix of distress and fascination. "Benitoites, Benitoites, Benitoites! Of all the Gems for Yellow Diamond to send after us, why Benitoites?! And the Spectral…THE SPECTRAL ARE REAL! All this time I only thought them to be some horror story my coworkers cooked up but holy smokes, the mere implications are—!"
Amethyst threw her hands out. "Whoa Peri, easy there! First off, what's so special about those guys we just saw?"
Despite not needing to, Pearl took a deep breath to gather her nerves. It barely worked. "Benitoites are a Gem class specialized in reconnaissance and espionage."
"Wait, Gem spies?" Amethyst awed with wide eyes at the taller Gem, taken for a loop by the concept at first before reality came crashing back. "Well, they didn't look that tough! We coulda taken them."
Garnet shook her head. "Benitoites possess technokinesis. We would've been outmatched down here."
"Not to mention they can render themselves invisible on top of that," Pearl added. The slender Gem cupped her chin in urgent thought before shooting around to face Garnet. "We need to let the others know, especially Steven. There's no telling where the rest of the squadron are."
The maroon fusion did not answer at first, too busy looking away as her future vision kicked in to high gear. This time, results came pouring in – and she liked absolutely none of them. Well, almost none of them.
"I may have an idea." The maroon fusion faced her team. "Everyone, head back to the temple and Lapis without me."
Pearl shared a brief worried look with Amethyst. "What about you?"
Garnet had already begun walking away. "I'm heading to Korea."
"Whoa, whoa, hang on!" Amethyst cried out, hands now thrown up, before their leader could go out of earshot. "You didn't say jack about these Spectral and Mosaic guys yet! Are they gonna be trouble too?"
The fusion paused and, after a moment's deliberation, sighed and then turned her face halfway to share a consulting look with Pearl. Her lean comrade nodded back right away before regarding the others with a resigned frown.
"Your guess is as good as ours on who the Spectral are. As for Mosaic…perhaps it'd be best if I explained. After all, it was one of the few secrets Rose didn't keep from me."
XXX
They arrived sometime near noon.
Andy promised to wait up for them, intent to drink in the sights himself until the others called him up as he had no desire to 'get caught in all this magical hullabaloo'. Greg could relate.
Based on what Steven managed to get out of Garnet before departure, the sun had been somewhere in the 4:00 position in her vision of Blue Diamond, which left the little group some free time. As such, they'd agreed to spend some time as tourists before heading to Blue Diamond's location.
Or at least Amber intended Greg and Steven to. Her original plan had been to go ahead by herself and keep watch of the area in case Blue Diamond showed up early and the yellow Gem needed to phone the boys to hurry her way.
"But we promised we'd check the sights out together!" Steven pleaded as the three of them approached the city proper.
Steven, you know Garnet's future vision isn't perfect. If we miss Blue Diamond, you'll have come all the way here for nothing.
"I know, but…it doesn't seem fair that Dad and I get to have fun while you get stuck with all the work."
It's not like I'd be welcome in any stores or restaurants in this getup. She gestured to her heavy black getup, particularly the scarf and glasses. If anything, I'll be expected to have some form of ID on me. She raised a hand to stop Steven, who started to retort. And aside from maybe the parks, my dog form wouldn't do me much good either.
Steven pouted in reluctant defeat, racking his brain for a workaround.
"What about that invisibility bit you can do?" Greg asked. "Between that and your size, you could follow us around without anyone being the wiser."
Except someone would notice my refraction.
"The part of your shadow where the light gets bended around you instead of blocked?" Steven asked, receiving a confirmative nod from Amber.
Greg rubbed the back of his neck. Truth be told, he'd rather not have his little golden friend head out by herself either, not only because he'd love to have her company but also because the idea of her being alone to watch out for a space monarch unsettled him.
Seeing the two males' expressions, Amber started to wilt. Of course…I could hide near the places you visit while invisible. I'd have to keep some distance and keep track of the time, but as long as I stick to the shadows and don't make noise…
That was all Steven needed to hear, as his bear hug attested.
To Amber's surprise, the arrangement didn't pan out as awkwardly as she feared. In fact, other than needing to stay clear of passersby, sneaking after the Universes turned out smooth as silk. Things got a little complicated in the more cramped spaces, namely that one animation studio when Greg and Steven strolled past all the artists.
Overall, the tour went smoothly. Amber even got front-row seats to quality entertainment, such as Greg and Steven attempting the Fire Noodles. Poor goobers probably wished they'd brought Lapis along. Or when the two adorable goofs went through their own little fashion montage in one of the shops, trying out all sorts of outfit combos.
Only near the end, when the time to leave for the designation vision-spot dawned on them, did the yellow Gem get the sudden feeling of someone following them, which said a lot since this was her first time getting this feeling today. Tons of people were still around at this time of day, leaving little room for any other Gem to peek without Amber noticing them.
Maybe my nerves are getting to me?
The yellow Gem shook her head and continued scaling the rooftops in close pursuit of Greg and Steven, opting to leave this feeling for later. She couldn't afford to lose track of them in the crowd. Fortunately, Greg and Steven didn't take long to take the next bus to their intended destination, making it a simple matter for Amber to hop up and latch onto the vehicle's top for the whole ride.
Only after they got there – Steven had asked the driver to drop him and his father off on account of 'a hunch' — and climbed over the fence (Greg needed a little help from the other two to get down safely) did Amber's senses go on full alert.
Energy shifts. Someone cloaked was nearby.
Steven, to her relief, noticed too though not in the same way, the young boy pausing and tensing as he scanned their forested surroundings with a wary expression.
"Hey," Greg asked upon noticing his son's sudden reaction, "is something wrong?"
For a hot second, Steven considered lying to his father but considering their goal and who might stand in the way, he realized doing so would add needless complication. "I don't know. Just a gut feeling someone's watching us."
Greg had half a mind to joke about Steven forgetting Amber but thought better. As much as he didn't like having to deal with this much tension, the older man knew what he'd signed up for upon agreeing to accompany his son all the way here. The best he could do was support his child while adapting to the situation as best as possible.
He gingerly patted his son on the shoulder. "Then I guess we better watch our step from here on out." Lowering his voice, he regarding their surroundings and called out as audibly as he could without shouting, "Hey Amber, if you're still here, twinkle twice or something."
Up to this point, the molehog had been gazing around, coming up short. Whoever or whatever the source of those shifts, they either left or were smart enough to contain themselves. At Greg's call, she prattled around the two Universe men close enough so they could see and hear the grass and leaves crunching beneath her feet.
Greg shared a look with his son and chuckled. "That works. Lead the way, kiddo."
The group moved through the trees with only their only guidance being Steven's tears, which had sprung up the moment they stepped foot into the forest. Aside from the sound of the humans' footsteps and Amber's soft thuds as she leapt between tree bases and roots, avoiding leaves and grass, everything lay in silence.
In a couple of minutes, the group emerged outside the treeline where a massive field full of flowers, hibiscus in particular, awaited them. Nearby, a blue palanquin stood amongst the bloom.
"Is this it?" Greg asked as he began to approach, only to pause at the feel of his son's hands pulling at the back of his shirt. They needed to practice caution. Thankfully the ex-musician got the message and nodded. "This the one that belongs to that Blue Diamond person?"
"Seems like it," Steven replied, his tears running harder now and forcing him to wipe his eyes. Amber silently scampered to Steven, grass barely rustling beside the boy while brushing off her own increased tears. With a faint whoosh, she returned to sight.
Surprise took over Steven's face once he noticed Amber's face. "Hey, have…you been crying this whole time too?"
Oh right, she'd been invisible up until now. Amber would have preferred to scamper from trunk to trunk for a higher vantage point from which to scout ahead, but that would have risked her slipping and hurting herself due to obscured vision, hence her recent mode of movement.
Nodding, the molehog got out her cellphone. Against my will, yes. Each of the Diamonds have a special ability that can affect other Gems, although not organic life. Blue Diamond, for example, can force her emotions onto anyone nearby, be it physically or as you've proven mentally. Amber paused to wipe off a rather profuse stream from her face. Which can only mean she's here and going through quite a time at that.
As if on cue with the yellow Gem's words, a morose feminine voice sounded out.
"Oh Pink…"
Greg, Steven, and Amber snapped to attention and gingerly followed the voice as its owner continued to lament, eventually reaching a thick line of bushes where Amber cloaked them all once more. Together, they peeked over the foliage to discover a massive blue hooded figure kneeled before a dilapidated pink palanquin, the very one from Steven's dreams. A smaller figure, a powder blue Pearl decked out in a leotard and sheer, stood dutifully at her side.
"I should've done more," Blue Diamond continued. "Yellow says it may still be time before this world ends. No doubt this would have relieved you. This is your planet, after all. I still think it is."
The matriarch raised her head. "She also said those wretched Crystal Gems may survive still on this planet. The thought of them, still alive, still flaunting their existence." Dark venomous fury bubbled beneath the softness of her voice, almost making Steven and Amber gulp from the sheer intensity. "Whatever I feel towards your planet, I won't let them disrespect what is yours."
By this point, Steven collapsed back behind the bushes, rubbing away in vain at the saltwater practically raining down his face.
Greg wasted no time joining his son's side in concern. "You O – MMPH!"
Just as Steven wasted no time exclaiming. "Am—MMPH!"
Both Universe men now had a clawed paw clamping their mouths shut.
Sweet stars, do these two not know the meaning of quiet?! Amber, after making sure the two could see her commanding glare, shot a glance through the leaves. To her immense relief, neither Diamond nor Pearl had noticed. Releasing a quiet sigh, the golden Gem released their mouths at last.
"That's her," Steven asserted in a (thankfully) low tone, "I've been seeing through her eyes." He wiped off the tears from his face. "I've been crying her tears!"
Amber nodded and then thumbed back the way they came. It was time they left.
Steven, however, shook his head. "Not yet. I wanna hear her a little longer. She might say something important!"
Oh, for Earth's sake. As much as she empathized with the boy's obsession to confirm truths that had personal stakes, this felt too much like tempting fate. They were lucky enough not to have run into any of those other Gems supposedly on Earth.
Steven only stomped his foot. "No, I need to know what she knows about Pink Diamond!"
"Then why don't you ask Her Luminescence yourself, human?"
All three eavesdroppers froze and slowly looked up to discover one of the Gems from Peridot's forewarning – a Benitoite much to Amber's dread – standing over them with a stoic glare, arms crossed. The Blue Pearl stood beside her, hands clasped upfront, and face unreadable behind her long bangs.
Crap, Amber cursed, I forgot Benitoites can sense nearby energies too! She knows where we are!
"Better yet, allow us to introduce you."
When the blue spy started to reach a hand towards the now glowing gemstone on her left shoulder while the Pearl turned to call for her Diamond, the molehog wasted no time twisting around to expel electrified quills from her back, taking the taller Gems by surprise and forcing them to reel back, giving herself and the humans a chance to escape.
Amber dropped to all fours and shapeshifted into bear-badger form. Steven and Greg wasted no time getting on, although the former wound up struggling a little due to the constant tears obscuring his vision.
The Benitoite by then had recovered from the shock and took the chance to pull out a whip from her gem and lash it at Steven, the young hybrid forced to jerk back to avoid getting struck in the head. Amber likewise jumped back, Greg clinging to her neck.
"Steven!" the father cried out.
Amber narrowed her eyes and willed energy into her back feet, ready to kick out a wave, only to stiffen at the sight of two more Benitoites materializing out of thin air on the other side of her, one sporting throwing knives between their fingers while the other cocked a sniper rifle over her shoulder. The golden Gem inwardly cussed at letting themselves get surrounded like this.
Steven meanwhile regarded the Benitoite closest to him cautiously and tried to back up towards his companions, only to leap sideways to avoid another lash. That Gem had no intentions of letting any of them go. Biting his lip, the boy noticed Blue Pearl had left and thus cursed himself for not listening to Amber, especially when thunderous steps started to near their location.
They needed to get out of here now.
So stuck in panic, Steven never noticed Amber close her eyes. He did, however, notice when everything went blinding white from two different directions to the point of forcing everyone to cover their eyes. A strong pair of jaws clamped on the back of his shirt and hoisted him into the air. Before he could think, Steven landed atop a broad furry back where a strong arm held him close right away.
From there on, everything passed in a chaotic blur.
For a few minutes at first, it seemed as though the trio had gotten away as Amber charged through the flowers for the nearest treeline, especially since the badger-bear had turned on her invisibility. Then came shouts and shots, feet stomping straight after them. The fact they hadn't yet left Blue Diamond's range did not help either, meaning Amber had to contend with running forward semi-blind thanks to her forced tears.
And the misses, so many near misses. Then one managed to graze Greg's left arm.
"ARGH!" the elder Universe shouted as he gripped his limb in pain.
"DAD!" Steven put an arm to his glowing gemstone.
Greg shook his head in haste. "NO! Steven, the last time you got taken away, it's because they recognized your shield." His son had told him so after the boy's confrontation and reconciliation with Connie in the wake of Malachite's first disappearance. "It might be the same with your bubble and healing too!"
Steven gritted his teeth. That hadn't occurred to him but now that his father brought this valid point up, the boy couldn't stop realizing all the ways he couldn't help in this situation. Something, something, he had to think of something! Otherwise, he might as well be—
Out of nowhere an explosion went off behind them, causing their pursuers and the barrage to halt. Amber had no idea what just happened (though she could hazard a guess) but she did not dare look back to find out lest she wind up headfirst into a tree for at this point she and her passengers finally reached the forest.
Steven did it for her anyway.
When the boy looked back, he realized what happened back there hadn't been an explosion but rather an impact by something falling from the sky. Better yet, someone for out of the cloud of dust rose a familiar afroed brawler, her back to them as she summoned her gauntlets in preparation for the upcoming battle.
Despite everything so far, Steven could not help a thankful smile.
In a few minutes' time, Amber managed to clear the forest and onto the side of the main road, eyes dry now that they escaped the reach of Blue Diamond's powers.
"Please tell me we lost 'em," Greg begged in a strained tone. Once Amber nodded yes and undid the invisibility upon affirming no one else could see them, the ex-musician sighed in relief while his son spat some healing saliva onto his wound, the injury disappearing instantly. He gave his arm a helicopter stretch, other hand on the corresponding shoulder. "Thanks kiddo. Phew, that's one way to add spice to an overseas trip, huh?"
When his son gave no response, Greg noticed Steven hopping off of Amber with a morose expression, eyes groundward.
"Schtu-ball?"
"I'm sorry, guys."
Greg shared a worried gaze with Amber and dismounted. "What do you mean?"
Steven's shoulders hunched up. "I wanted answers so bad, I dragged you guys all this way from home, only to put you all in danger. The worst part is you guys risked your lives for nothing. We're no closer to finding out about Pink Diamond than when we started. Maybe…maybe I should have just listened to Garnet and dropped it all."
At this point, Amber had shapeshifted back to default and placed a clawed hand on Steven's shoulder. She tapped on the boy's hip, drawing his attention, and then mimicked writing into her palm, urging him to pull out his cellphone so they could talk. Steven obliged.
Maybe you didn't learn what you wanted, but at least you got a taste of what the Diamonds can do. She frowned in regret. If anyone should apologize, it's me. I'm sorry for not warning you about her powers beforehand. I hadn't seen hide or photon of her since my creation, so I never experienced her powers firsthand up until now, only heard snippets and horror tales about it.
Steven shuffled a sandaled foot in response as he mulled over Amber's explanation. It sounded reasonable enough since he never got to meet any of the Diamonds face-to-face himself. Besides, it wasn't as if Amber gave the heads up right after the chase started, although some earlier forewarning would have been nice.
"Did you not tell us earlier because you wanted us to have fun on the trip first?"
The molehog paused for a moment, thinking, and then shrugged. Sort of. I didn't say anything until we reached her location because I figured knowing the nature of her powers would disquiet you. After all, you treasure choice as much as you do emotion. The thought of being able to force how you feel onto others – Amber turned her face away, grimacing — it's shameful in its own way. I didn't want any of that hanging over your head and ruining your spirits, especially after the day you already had.
Steven stared back, blank, then drifted his eyes to empty space. "When you put it that way, yeah, I don't think I like her powers either. It's still hard not to feel bad for her, but it's kinda hard to keep feeling bad when she's making you feel the same." The boy could get wanting to share your emotions, but how the azure matriarch's powers operated struck him something akin to selfish or even spoiled, as if she expected everyone nearby to drop everything and share in her pain at a moment's notice.
Come to think of it…
"Garnet and Pearl probably know about that power too." Pearl especially. She had said she once worked for Homeworld. "They just didn't say anything because they'd think they're protecting me from stuff I can't handle." Which only caused the realization of his inadequacy to sucker-punch him yet again. "You basically did the same thing."
Amber wilted at hearing this. She hadn't considered the chance her choice might come across like that. Steven—
When Steven returned his view to her, though, his face held not frustration but instead defeat and resignation underscored by increasingly teary eyes of his own volition. "Well, maybe I'm done deciding what I can't handle." He put a hand to his chest. "Dad got hurt because of me, you guys could have been taken away because of me! No answer should have to be worth losing any of you."
At this point the tears started to dominate as his voice began to warble, the boy having to swipe his forearms against his wet face. "I'm so sorry for acting like a brat."
Greg and Amber gaped with faces in between shock and concern, taken off guard by all these heartbreaking words. They'd underestimated how deeply this whole ordeal had affected their young ward.
"Steven…," the father murmured as he started to approach his son with intent to comfort him.
"That's not true."
Everyone turned towards the forest in time to see a familiar Gem emerge from the brush, a tad scuffed up but otherwise unharmed.
"G-Garnet!" Steven cried out before running up to trap her legs in a bear hug. He shot his head skyward, tears still running hard. "I'm so sorry for yelling at you!"
A gentle hand atop his mass of black burls hushed him, as did the matching smile.
"Don't be. You had every right to be upset at us, at me. You only wanted answers about your mother," Garnet's face saddened into a frown, "but I chose to take the coward's way out by trying to dissuade you. I put my own emotions over your own, even using the others as an excuse. That's never something a leader should do."
The fusion turned her attention to Amber and Greg next. "I owe you both an apology as well. Greg, though it wasn't my intention to let you get into harm's way, I chose not to accompany you out of self-preservation. That was gross negligence on my part."
Greg managed a wry half-smile and chuckle, shrugging. "Hey, don't sweat it! This isn't exactly the first getaway I've been in, ya know."
Garnet nodded, baring a brief thankful smile for the man's understanding nature, and switched her attention to the other Gem present. "And Amber…"
The molehog, bearing a stern expression, held up a hand to silence her friend and then lowered it. Everyone else watched Amber with bated breath, unsure what response to expect. Her face softened to a pensive mien, hands akimbo and face angled away for a moment before she shot a meaningful look to Steven, who caught on and raised his cellphone so Garnet could see the other Gem's response.
Been some time since I last saw a Diamond in the flesh. I forgot how much they tower over us.
Garnet kept her silence, anticipating her friend had more to say.
Amber did not disappoint. No doubt those Benitoites have already told her about us. She gazed up at the fusion. Unless you managed to poof and bubble all of them? Any of them?
When the taller Gem shook her head, Amber rubbed her own nape, feeling like a fool for asking. Perfect, now they had Homeworld surveillance running around the planet, fully aware of their team's existence.
"I should have been here with you," the fusion admitted.
You should have.
"I could have come clean about Blue Diamond."
You could have.
"That would have made things easier for everyone."
It would have – Amber paused to let off a silent sigh – but now what's past is past. Nothing left to do but acknowledge we all made bad calls and strive not to repeat them. A wry grin crossed her snout as her eyes angled up to Garnet. That and getting our butts back home.
Garnet shared the grin right back, relieved to know her friend had no qualms moving beyond today.
"Lucky for us Amber pulled off that flashy trick of hers back there," Greg quipped upon seeing the tension between everyone easing up, "I thought our gooses were cooked!"
And like that, the tension returned as both Garnet and Amber regarded the brunet with serious yet hesitant expressions. Greg held back the sudden urge to gulp. Why were their stares giving him a bad feeling?
Amber's brows furrowed further. That wasn't only me.
Steven blinked in confusion. "But…who else could it have been?"
Don't know. All I do know is that I'm not the only one who pulled that move. The molehog turned to her maroon friend. Unless you've been holding back on us.
Garnet shook her head this time. She had some electrical powers of her own, sure, but never to that extent. Besides, she hadn't shown up until well after the chase had already started.
Speaking of whom, only now did Steven notice one of her hands had been balled up this whole time, almost as if hiding something within it. "Garnet, is there something you wanna show us?"
The fusion's lips parted in surprise at the perceptive question, only to nod. Getting to her knees so she and Steven were more level, she opened her hand to reveal a heart-shaped badge, comprised of various angular shapes that formed together into an iridescent swirl against a black backdrop.
Steven, Greg, and Amber gathered to peer down at the article.
"What is that?" Greg asked.
"An invitation. Someone else has it in for Homeworld…and they'd like a word with us."