It was raining outside and Connie sat in her father's warm house that was in town.

Her dad played the gutair and Connie grinned. "Go Dad!" She laughed.

"Hm. I can't believe I still have the music talent in me." Her father smiled wistfully. He lifted up his drink but a picture was stuck to the bottom. It floated over to Connie and she tilted her head. It was a picture of a young Doug
without glasses or a slight beard, next to him was a man with white hair and light blue eyes that was pointing at Doug while the teen smiled. "Dad? Who's with you in this old photo?"

Doug glanced over her shoulder and smiled. "Well, pumpkin, that's my pal Marty."

"You've never told me about him." Connie whispered.

"Yeah he's just an old friend from way back when…" Doug smiled and paused then said with the smile still on, "He's dead to me."

Connie blinked. "Who was he?"

"He was my manager back when I first met your mom. I've told that whole story haven't I?"

"Not the version with Marty…" Connie said.

"Oh, well then it's story time. Sit back - get comfy!"

Connie grinned. Her dad was an amazinf storyteller. She got up on the living room couch under a blanket, eyes shining.

"I didn't mean that comfy…" Doug said.

"Story for Connie!" Connie laughed.

"Okay, okay…" Doug said. He picked up his guitar and said, "This is the tale of how your father met your mother… now including Marty." He started to strum a up-beat tempo…

A young Doug Universe happily played the electric guitar. "Some... say I have no direction, that I'm a light-speed distraction, but that's a knee-jerk reaction. Still... this is the final frontier. Everything is so clear. To my destiny I steer…."
The teen looked up at the beautiful sky. "This life in the stars is all I've ever known…. Stars and stardust in infinite space is my only home." He slid across the stage, his name lighting up behind him. "But the moment that I hit the
stage, thousands of voices are calling my name. And I know in my heart it's been worth it all of the while… And as my albums fly off of the shelves, handing out autographed pics of myself. This life I chose isn't easy but sure is one heck of a ride…"
He played the guitar harder, getting into the song. "At the moment that I hit the stage, I hear the universe calling my name, and I know deep down in my heart I have nothing to fear. And as the solar wind blows through my hair, knowing I have
so much more left to share. A wandering spirit who's tearing its way through the cold atmosphere. I'll fly like a comet…. Soar like a comet….. Crash like a comet…. I'm just a comet…."

He heard a slow clap and looked up to see a tall woman watching him. She had a yellow battle suit and helmet on. She seemed to be slightly impressed with a sly smile on her face.

"Thanks for coming everybody, I'm Mr. Universe. If you like what you just heard go check out our merch table!" He said, pointing at the merch table. "My manager Marty can hook you up with CDs, and t-shirts - Oh, wait, he's not there...
I guess I'm going over there now…"

Doug leapt off the stage, running to the table. The mysterious woman walked up. There seemed to be diamonds shinning in her eyes. She at a CD. "Now then, what is this… Space Train to the Cosmos?" She frowned.

"U-Uh, correct! I mean, right!" Doug stuttered lost in her glory.

The tall lady narrowed her eyes. "Why do you want to go there, human? You must have a plan to get back immediately." She said, warning him of something he didn't know about. Doug felt slightly threatened and stuttered.

"But… why? Space is so beautiful…" Doug smiled.

"Not really."

Doug blinked as she picked up a CD.

"Uhh... D-do you want that? You can have it…"
Doug murmered.

"What?" She asked, showing the first exsprisson that wasn't anger, disgust, or skepticism.

"Oh, and it comes with a free t-shirt!" He pulled out one and looked at the woman. "You'll probably need a bigger one…"

"Heh, you have no idea." The woman smiled.

"I've got an extra extra large in my van! Stay right there!" Doug ran to his car that he didn't know he would sell in the future.

Suddenly, Marty and a teenager got out of it. Doug fell back.

"Star child! Meet Vidalia." Marty grinned.

The blond girl gave a nod. "Nice van. Really livin' the high life."

The manager walked up. "So, how was the show?"

"Oh, it was great! One person showed up…" He ran in and got a extra large T-shirt. "Oh! I have to give her this free…" He turned and saw she was gone.. "t-shirt…"

"Doug! You can't give stuff away for free! What about my 75 percent? 75 percent of nothing is nothing. Are YOU worth nothing?" Marty asked, getting in the teen's face.

"No…" Doug sighed.

"That's right. I'm going to make us both rich." he leaned in Doug's ear. "And as far as these saltwater saps know, we already are." He backed away and put a arm around Vidalia. "So let's live it up before we hit the road,
alright? Next stop, Empire City!" He and Vidalia walked away.

"Um, I'll catch up with you…" Doug said, sneaking away. He was walking down the boardwalk, looking for the woman. He ran up to a fence that said, "KEEP OFF THE BEACH" Under that was a smaller sign that said, "please"

"Maybe she's over there?" Doug whispered. "I wonder where that giant mysterious lady with the enormous yellow helmet went…"

"Yellow?"

He glanced up and was surprised to see a little girl sitting on top of the fence. She had a blue short pigtails and poofy dress, her bare feet dangling off.

"Little girl, get down from there! You could get hurt!" Doug gasped.

The girl looked at him and smiled. "Who are you, pretty stranger?"

"Uh… Well, I'm looking for-"

"Yellow!"

"That's what she wore but-"

She gave a giggle. "What a idea, her going to see humans…" She looked down at Doug and grinned. "I don't want drown you… but I'd better go ask Peridot."

"What?"

The girl smirked and stood straight up on the fence. Doug felt that he had to warn her before she fell but she interrupted him before he could say anything.

"I wonder..." She whispered, looking him up and down. "Yellow might like you…. She doesn't really like humans that much but you… seem different." The girl suddenly started to wobble and she put her arms out for balance… But
she fell. Doug gave a cry but wings made of water appeared on her back. She laughed as she flew away.

"Wait! Little girl, wait! Stop!" Doug climbed over the fence, chasing after the little thing when he came to a cave. It was full of light and he saw the girl had ran up to another small person, but the blue one was taller. She was green
and had green pants and a yellow no-sleeve shirt. She frowned.

"A human spoke to me!" The blue one cried. "Over the fence! He thought I was a little human child, isn't that odd?"

"A human? Well, did you destroy it?" The green asked, as if it was the most chill question in the world.

"But I like this-"

Doug made noise while walking up and the girls both turned.

"It's you!" The taller one cried, using her wings to bolt up to him. She attempted to touch him but the green one grabbed her arm.

Suddenly, a beam of blue light appeared in the room. Out of it came a hulking orange figure with a white mane of hair. "Lapis! Peridot! You're with a human!" The orange woman growled. She ran up and immediately grabbed Doug by his
collar. "What are you doing here bub, who sent you?!"

"No one did, Jasper. He followed me over the fence!" Lapis said happily.

The orange woman frowned and slowly put him down.

"I-I'm looking for a yellow lady, I-"

"He's looking for Yello-!" Jasper covered Lapis' entire face with her massive hand.

"I said we should destroy him, if he's a spy, but Lazuli-" Peridot started.

"I'll knock him out and then force the info out of him." Jasper said, cracking her knuckles.

"Yes, that shall do." Peridot said smugly.

Lapis gave a cry when Jasper was about to knock Doug out but Jasper was suddenly filled with yellow lines and poofed.

The yellow woman frowned. "I told you not to harm the little weaklings."

Jasper soon reformed, blushing.

"Sorry, my Diamond." Peridot said, making her hands into a diamond shape. Jasper did as well while Lapis looked embarrassed between them trying to do it with her hands, clearly not have been used to making it.

"Mr. Universe, right?" Yellow asked, raising a eyebrow as she walked up. She waved away the gestures by her clearly loyal friends.

Doug accepted her help up but Peridot popped in between them. "Don't you touch my Diamond, you clod!"

"Peridot, please." Yellow sighed. Peridot slowly moved aside, glaring at Doug. "He was playing a isturment other than his voice… We have nothing on Homeworld but our songs to make music…"

"No one can ignore the Universe…." Doug said, blushing sheepishly. "Oh! I brought you this. It's the free t-shirt that came with the free CD!" He gave her the T-shirt and she glanced at it.

"Oh… uh, thank you…" Yellow Diamond said. She seemed to be trying to smile. The younger gems gathered around and she whispered, "His gimmick is space."

Peridot started laughing wildly.

"You play music?" Lapis gasped, practically jumping up and down. "Will you play for us? Please, please, please?!"

"Don't make it sappy." Jasper grunted, a helmet appeared on her head.

"Oh, uh, well, I'm working on this new set, I thinks it's pretty good… I'm playing it at my next show… Next show… Oh dear, what time is it?"

"Please tell me it's time for you to leave." Peridot moaned, still clearly mad at him.

"I guess, Marty's probably looking for me. We're supposed to hit the road... Big show in a big city…"

"Leave!" Peridot yelled while Yellow covered her mouth. "I suggest you hurry. You don't wanna miss your space train to the cosmos, now do you."

"Nope!" Doug blushed. He began to run off. "I'll see you later, I hope." He stopped and glanced back at Yellow, Peridot, Jasper, and Lapis. "Uh, I hope the stars will align for us to meet again!"

Yellow only nodded.

"Bye!" Lapis called, waving and blushing.

Doug waved back and ran away.

Yellow Diamond looked down at the shirt and cracked the tiniest of smiles.

"I can sing, my Diamond!" Peridot insisted. Yellow gave a small chuckle and Jasper and Lapis joined in. "What?"

Marty was driving the car through the rain and Doug sat in the passenger seat. "Man, Doug, you really missed out. Vidalia's friends were wild and crazy. Glad that town wasn't a total waste."

"I met some wild girls too. They could fly and appeared out of beams of light…"

"Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, save the poetry for Empire City, Star Child. We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow." Marty laughed. Doug glanced up, "I'm serious, Marty. Something's going on back there."

"Are you nuts? Just wait 'till you see what's ahead of us. It's FAME!" Marty pressed play on the radio but it did. "Hey, what's jammed in your tape deck? You been putting pennies in here, you weirdo? Play something for me, Star Child."

As always, Doug obeyed him and started to play and sing, "Do you believe in destiny? Close your eyes and leave the rest to me-"

"Snore!" Marty yelled, making Doug flinch. "You're gonna put people to sleep with that. Where's the schlock coming from?"

Doug blushed. "I-I just can't stop thinking about that woman at the show, sorry."

"Oh, here we go, how big was she?"

"Eight feet tall... massive helmet…"

"See, Doug, this is your problem. You want one huge woman, when you could have multiple small ones."

Doug gave a groan. "You show no respect for women,Marty…"

"Just follow my lead. I'm gonna get you everything you want."

Doug hestinted before speaking again, "What if I want to go back?"

"WHAT?!"

"W-What if I want to go back and be with her?"

Marty suddenly let go off the steering wheel, angry. "No one cares about your feelings, Doug! They're making you lose sight of what's really important!"

Doug noticed the wheel and yelled, "WATCH THE ROAD!"

A truck was coming straight to them, honking and Marty swerved away.

Doug was breathing deeply. "Why do you always decide what's important?"

"Because I'm your manager, and you're just some spaced out kid. I'm taking you to the city, and you're gonna play, and you're gonna like it. Maybe you'll even make me some money for once."

Doug started to get angry, stood and whispered, "Get out of my car."

"Sit down, Doug."

"I said GET OUT OF MY CAR!"

Later, Marty was kicked out and Doug turned the car around. "What are you doing? You're making a HUGE mistake!"

Doug drove away, carefully as always, but as fast as he could manage. He slammed past the fence, knowing he wanted to come back here many times. He ran to the gave and knocked on the Temple Gate.

"Um, hello? I can play for you now!" Doug blushed. He hopped on the warp pad, putting on the acoustic gutair. "This one's for you, mystery woman!" He started to sing. "Do you believe in destiny? Close your eyes and leave
the rest to me…. Do you believe in fantasy?" He looked around at the strange place. "I have to when it's right in front of me…. Oh, what are you doing here, in the real world? What are you doing here? So close I could touch you. What are
you doing here?" He knelt down. "And what are you doing to me?"

The door glowed and Yellow stepped out, looking sad, for the first time. She was wearing the shirt.

"Ah! You're wearing the... shirt…." Doug whispered, noticing her face.

"Go away." She whispered.

"I'm sorry. Did I-?"

Yellow Diamond sighed. "You're awfully cute... and I really wanna play with you, but your life is short and you have dreams. I won't let you give up on everything you want."

"That's gonna be a problem." Doug sighed. He bowed his head.

"Huh?"

He looked up and smiled. "You're everything I want!"

Yellow's eyes turned to big diamonds, that Connie was to inherit. She gave a small smile, and a tear rolled down her face...

Doug finished with a wistful smile and saw Connie blushing and smiling with happy tears in her eyes.

"What are you smiling about?"

"You loved her.." Connie said happily.

"Come here, you!" Doug laughed, ruffling her hair.

Connie picked up the picture of Marty and her father. "Man, Marty was like a villian!"

"Oh, yeah, he was awful. But I guess I owe him a lot. He made it easy for me to stay…"

"I'm glad he did." Connie yawned. Her father put the picture on the mantle, next to a picture of him and Yellow, and that was next to a picture of Connie looking beautiful peeking up from a book past her sunhat. "Yeah, me too."