"Rose Quartz changed my life. When I first arrived on Earth, I just thought this would be another colony; building arenas for fighters, building spires for thinkers and so on... then, I met her. Just another quartz, made right in Earth's very own soil; but she was… different; because she chose to be. I still remember our first conversation; Rose Quartz asked me what I wanted to build, and I'd never heard that before. Gems have always been told we can't be anything other than what their Diamond made them for, but Rose opened all our eyes."

Bismuth.


++LOG DATE 7-20-8. Stevonnie video recording. August 23, 2016. Altean Deca-phoeb: 22.016++

"Hello! I'm Stevonnie, Paladin of the Blue Lion, and welcome to my vlog; but I think you already knew this was a vlog… because Amethyst and Peridot already did something similar… ... … oh, I'm already bad at this. But you can do it Stevonnie; talk to the camera like it was any other person ehehehe...

Ahem, sorry about that. So, I'm the fusion of Jam Buds themselves, Steven and Connie; yet, I'm my own person. So… things to talk about… things to talk about… well, I probably would start off by saying, I love being a Paladin of Voltron. I have a super cool lion ship that can fly, shoot ice beams, and can turn into a leg; trust me, it's way more awesome than it sounds.

Though, while being a universal defender is fun and all… we… Steven and Connie… miss our parents and our friends. But I don't think they should worry too much; Garnet and Pearl are going to tell them we're all right. Although, considering Connie's parents… Mr. and Mrs. Maheswaran… they're probably flipping out right now… and Steven's dad… Mr. Universe… might be doing the same as well. We are so grounded when we get home.

So, I think this would be the point of the vlog where I talk about the others.

Well, there's our leader, Shiro. He's a cool guy… well, I mean that information was already obvious; he's a space explorer, but I mean outside of being a space explorer. Plus, he's confident; keeping his cool no matter the situation and is great emotional support. Huh, I now realized why Amethyst refers to him as Space Dad.

Anyway, there is also Katie and Matt, who are nice too. They are smart and brave, willing to jump headfirst into danger if it means saving those they care about. Plus, Peridot seems to get along with them too… well, more so with Katie.

Then there are the not so welcoming people in our group, like Keith. Don't get me wrong; he's a good person, just not the friendliest… I can't blame him, though; he's been fighting a war his entire life after all. But when you take the time to get to know him, you can find that there is more to him under all that angst and brooding.

Oh, there are other nice people in our group, like Allura; she must be one of the nicest people I've ever met, and I would know since I'm made up of two of those nice people. She's that strong, confident Princess that Connie loves reading about in her books; the kind who isn't afraid to give her own life if it means saving others. And frankly, the Voltron Force wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her; we all owe her so much for bringing us together to protect the universe.

There is also Lance, Allura's cousin; he's a nice guy to be around; he reminds me of the Cool Kids back on Earth; now that I think about it, they seem like the kind of people he'd hang out with. He's reliable when the situation calls for it and is sweet towards people who need help, like when Pidge needed it… Pidge is Katie's nickname; if I didn't mention that already.

And I can't forget about Coran, Allura and Lance's royal advisor; or, as he likes to refer to himself as; Coran, Coran, the Gorgeous Man. The guy is a bit of a goofball, but he is one of the most reliable people on the Voltron Force; always keeping the Castle of Lion in peak condition.

Although I said I love being a part of the team, it is kind of… taxing; especially when we face off against the Galra. I know we are in a war, but they aren't Gem who can regenerate from injuries; these are flesh and blood people who can die. I wish that they wouldn't follow someone like Zarkon. However, we're still willing to fight so that all this violence can end; so that people who have suffered because of this war can finally know true peace. But thinking about the humans of the empire, the Eldar, Tau, Orks and Tyranids being causing all that destruction too, will there be peace in the universe one day? I don't know.

However, I also believe… huh… Ah! No, Lion! Drop that now…"

++End of the recording++


"No, bad lion! That's Connie's jacket!" Stevonnie scolded the pink feline, as they diffused into Steven and Connie, both trying to pull the latter's jacket out of his jaws. "Drop it!" The two teens manage to free the coat from Lion's mouth; stumbling backward for a bit but eventually regaining their balance.

"This is Connie's; not one of your chew toys." Steven reprimanded as he turned to his best friend. "I'm so sorry about…"

"It's okay, Steven." Connie assuredly said. "It may be a little soggy, but at least there aren't holes." While the two teens talked, Lion slowly crept up on them at an attempt to get the jacket back.

"No, Lion." Steven scolded the lion again as he and Connie quickly back away. "He's not going to play nice with other people's stuff; so where should we put this where he won't get it?"

"You could hide it in his mane," Connie suggested. "I won't mind."

The pink feline let out a disappointed grumble, overhearing their plan, and lays down while closing his eyes. "Thank you, boo." Steven happily said to his pet as he dives into Lion's mane with the jacket in hand.


Lion's pocket dimension, or the Pink Dimension as Steven sometimes liked to call it; he had not been in there since he discovered the videotape his mother left for him. It remained the same as last time; a vast savannah of tall, pink grass that stretches to a tall pine tree of the same color on top of a grassy hill. Beneath the tree was all of Rose Quartz's most valuable possessions; the videotape from his mother, the damaged flag of Rose's rebellion, the Mr. Universe shirt given to Rose by Greg; lying next to their photo of each other, a bubbled Gem with a pyramidal shape, and that mysterious treasure chest.

Steven couldn't stay in here long since there was no oxygen within the Pink Dimension; so, he had to place Connie's jacket somewhere and fast. Steven notices a sturdy looking branch on the tree and leaps towards it with his floatation powers. After draping the coat, Steven triumphantly stood on the branch below it; mentally declaring the jacket will be safe hang on this perfectly stable magic tree.

Steven fell as the branch broke, landing on top of the bubbled Gem beneath him; popping the bubble.

Steven gasped in surprise but forgot that there was no air in the realm; forcing him to leave.

Steven tumbles out of Lion's mane onto his back, startling Connie. "Are you okay?" The girl asked her best friend, helping him up.

"I've made a terrible mistake that I need to fix; I'll be right back." Steven hastily said after taking several breaths and hopping back into the dimension before Connie could ask what he was talking about.

Steven reaches for the recently freed gemstone so that he can bubble it again; however, it begins to glow and levitate as the Gem's physical form starts to materialize. Fully reformed, the Gem lands on her knees and stumbles back with a frightened expression and assumes a fighting stance. "Rose don't…" The Gem shouted in a panicked tone as she looked around "what…?.

This Gem had a large, bulky build with strong upper half and steel-colored skin; while also being roughly as tall as Jasper. Her face was puffy with a large jaw; with pulled back, rainbow dreadlock hair. She sported a dark-red, star-shaped tattoo on her left shoulder and was garbed in a large black apron with a hole in the chest area to expose her Gem; with burgundy pants and brown boots, all held together by a large, pink star-shaped belt.

The Gem confusedly looks around, before spotting Steven and staring at him. Steven opens his mouth to try and speak with her, but once again, forgets there is no oxygen in the Pink Dimension; forcing him to leave once more.


Steven hops out of Lion's mane once more; with Connie helping him off the ground again. "Steven, what's going on?" The Jam Bud asked.

"There's… a Gem inside of Lion's mane." Steven answered as he heavily breathes for air.

"A Gem," Connie said with disbelief. "What kind of Gem?"

"I don't know, I've never seen her before," Steven answered. "And she looks confused. I'm going to bring her out here."

"No, wait," Connie swiftly said; grabbing Steven's arm before he could do anything else. "She could be dangerous."

"Well, she didn't look dangerous to me." Steven pointed out.

"But if she's in Lion's mane, she must be in there for a reason." Connie deduced.

"That's… a fair point." Steven responded. "But I can't just leave her in there without knowing who she is."

"But I still don't think we should take the chance of her being... unfriendly," Connie stated. "Let's tell the others about what we found first; before we do anything rash."


"So, there is a Gem inside of your pet lion?" Coran asked, in disbelief as he and the rest of the Voltron Force sat in the lounge; hearing Steven's and Connie's story, while Lion lazily slept. "The pink, furry one."

"Yes, that's what we said," Connie answered.

"So, what do you want to do about?" Amethyst asked with some disinterest.

"I want to bring her out," Steven said. "But we don't know if she's dangerous or not."

"Well, what does she look like?" Peridot asked while she petted Pumpkin; who was asleep on her lap.

"Um… She's big." Steven began to list off. "With rainbow hair and tattoos and has a weird looking gem."

"That sounds a lot like a bismuth," Peridot stated.

"A bismuth?" Steven, Connie, and Amethyst curiously asked.

"Working class Gems." Peridot verified. "Master craftsmen of construction and weapons forging."

"So, an architect and/or blacksmith." Keith surmised.

"That doesn't sound too dangerous." Lance overconfidently said.

"Just because she doesn't sound dangerous, doesn't mean she isn't dangerous," Shiro stated, before turning to the two teens; particularly looking at Steven. "Are you two sure you want to bring her out?"

"Positive," Steven answered.

"If this Gem is truly an artisan; it wouldn't hurt to have her on board." Allura began, while all four of the space mice stood on her left shoulder. "She could help patch up the castle after intense battles. Gods know we'll find ourselves in one of those again."

"But I don't think we should be too cavalier about this either," Matthew added in.

"I agree," Shiro stated. "You can bring her out, but we're keeping our weapons on standby in case she turns out to be dangerous."

"Agreed," Allura said as she and the others stood up. Keith, Connie, and Pidge readied their Bayards; while Matt kept his hand near his staff, Amethyst was ready to summon her whips, Lance prepared to draw his energy bow; with Allura, Coran, Peridot and Shiro entering fighting stances, the latter having his cybernetic arm readied.

With everyone ready for the worst-case scenario; Steven took a long, deep breath before hopping back into Lion's mane with a look of determination.


Back inside Lion's mane, Steven searched around for the bismuth; losing sight of her, until she jumped right in front of and startled him. "Hey, little fella." Bismuth introduced herself in a welcoming tone. "I didn't mean to scare you; I'm lost and could use some help."

Believing her, Steven stuck his hand out to the Gem, who took it as Steven hauled her out of Lion's mane; much to Pink feline's discomfort.


"It's okay guys; she's cool," Steven informed the others as he and Bismuth emerged from Lion's mane; with the others relaxing.

"How long have I been out?" Bismuth asked; taking in her surroundings. "Because I've never seen a Crystal Gem or Homeworld base interior like this."

"That's because this isn't a Gem base," Steven answered. "You're in the Castle of Lions."

"Never heard it; is this something new on Earth?" Bismuth asked again.

"Um… we're not on Earth." Pidge interrupted, grabbing the Gems attention. "We are light years away from it; this place is a spaceship."

"How about we start from the beginning; with introductions." Steven began anew.

"Well… I'm Bismuth, a member of the Crystal Gems." The steel-grey Gem introduced. "And who are you, meatball?"

"My name is Steven. I'm a Crystal Gem too." The teenaged boy introduced. "Over there is my best friend, Connie."

"It's nice to meet you." Connie introduced.

"This is Amethyst and Peridot; they're Crystal Gems too." Steven further introduced, pointing out the two Gems.

"Sup." "Greetings." Amethyst and Peridot introduced themselves at the same time.

"We could always use more Amethysts." Bismuth stated, looking at the purple Gem; before turning her attention to the green one. "Hey, what's with the Diamond symbol on her?"

"Do not worry about that." Peridot began. "I am indeed a Crystal Gem; I just have yet to poof and form a star."

"Well, I can help you with that." Bismuth stated as she raised her right fist up, making Peridot yelp in fear; before changing it to a handshake. "Hahaha! Don't worry, I'm joking. It's nice to meet you."

"Hahaha! Aw man that look on your face was priceless." Amethyst told Peridot; trying to hold back more of her laughter. Only for an embarrassed Peridot to mock-laugh in a sarcastic manner.

"And this is the rest of us." Steven began introducing further. "Keith, Matt, Katie, Prince Lance, Coran, and our leader Shiro."

"Hello." "Greetings." "Hi." "Hey there." Shiro, Coran, Katie and Matt introduced themselves in a friendly manner; while Keith just nodded.

"Nice to meet you." Lance introduced in a sophisticated, flirty manner; making everyone roll their eyes, including Bismuth.

"And this is Princess Allura." Steven lastly introduced, as Bismuth spotted the alien woman and began to blush deeply.

"It's nice to meet you, Bismuth." Allura respectfully said.

A moment of silence passed before the flushed Bismuth finally stuttered a response. "Oh… sorry… you're beautiful... did I say that out loud… ahem… It's an honor to meet you… Princess."

The Princess lightly chuckled to herself at the Gem's unintentionally cute response. "Why thank you," Allura said with a blush, making Bismuth rub the back of her head bashfully.

"So… you're a Crystal Gem?" Amethyst asked.

"I said I was." Bismuth responded.

"Then how come Garnet or Pearl have never mentioned you?" Amethyst asked in a suspicious tone.

"Garnet and Pearl are alive!" Bismuth shouted with disbelief and excitement. "What am I saying; no way they're going to let any Homeworld scum shatter them. He-ha! So, where are they?"

"Um… they're back on Earth," Steven answered.

"Wait, but I thought we were light years away from…" A confused Bismuth began asking.

"It's complicated." Steven honestly answered. "Speaking of complicated, how did you end up in my lion's mane."

"That… I do not know." Bismuth truthfully stated. "The last thing I remember was that Rose…" Suddenly, Bismuth's expression turns to one of worry as she looks around in a panicked manner. "Wait… Where is Rose?"

"Oh… uh… she's right here." Steven said as he lifted his shirt up to reveal the rose quartz gemstone in his bellybutton. "I'm Rose's son; she gave up her physical form to give birth to me. I have her gem and powers… but none of her memories."

"Are… are you sure you don't have her memories?" Bismuth cautiously asked, while examining the gemstone.

"I'm sure; I'm sorry…" Steven answered. It was never easy for the boy to explain what happened Rose Quartz, he tried explaining it to his fellow Paladins once; while the complications of Gem physiology added some confusion to the matter, they understood that Steven had to grow without knowing his biological mother. "Pearl always said that it's not easy understanding or agreeing with Rose's choices... but the best she and Garnet could do is stand behind and respect them."

"Hahaha!" Bismuth closed her eyes as she let out a light chuckle. "Rose is something else. I mean… she made the impossible possible. For the longest time, Homeworld has labeled the idea of hybrids as taboo and unfeasible; but here you are… living proof that they are all wrong. Now that the introductions out of the way; would you mind bringing me up to speed."

A half hour went by as Steven tried to explain everything to the new Gem as clearly as possible. Explaining what happened with the Crystal Gems rebellion to the best of his knowledge, to recounting previous adventures worth mentioning, and telling her about Voltron; whom Bismuth did not know about until this very moment. This part troubled Steven; neither Garnet, Pearl, Peridot or Bismuth have heard of Voltron or the Galra before all that has previously unfolded; it made the boy wonder if this information was kept hidden from them when still served Homeworld. Steven also informed the large Gem that she'd be able to see Garnet and Pearl again soon; since the recharge time of the makeshift Galaxy Warp was almost done.

"So, let me see if I have this straight." Bismuth began, talking to Steven. "You, and some of the others on board this castle… spaceship… whatever it is, are pilots to five giant lions that can combine into an even bigger robot so that you can battle against these genocidal conquers called the Galra; who are harvesting other Gems for their life energy… Quintessence, to continue a reign that has lasted for over 10,000 years. Did I miss anything?"

"No, that's pretty much the basics of the whole thing," Steven answered.

"And just when you think there can be nothing worse than the Diamond Authority, something worse always pops its devious little head out of the shadows." Bismuth stated before she closed her eyes; as if she was trying to hold back tears. "And all those Gems lost on Earth… Augh… How many of us did those twisted Homeworld clods shatter! Crazy Lace, Biggs, Snowflake? If I was there, I… I could've tried to stop it!"

"Well, Garnet and Pearl headed back to Earth because they knew the Diamonds still have their eyes on the planet." Peridot summed up.

"We keep stopping them, but they just keep coming back," Steven added in.

"They want us bad," Amethyst concluded.

"Hm… Good." Bismuth answered with a pleased smile. "I want another chance to show those upper-crusts who's boss! I want to show them what happens when you mess with the Crystal Gems!"

"Hold on." Shiro interrupted, grabbing the new Gems attention. "I understand what you want to do; your main fight is with Homeworld… we've come across them twice now and know how dangerous they are. However, our fight is against the Galra; who are posing a far greater threat right now."

"Are you saying we shouldn't go after Diamonds?" Bismuth questioned. "Because if I remember correctly, Steven said you guys have a robot that can decimate an entire fleet in ten ticks… however long that is."

"No, what I'm saying is that the most prominent threat should be taken care of first," Shiro stated. "According to Peridot, Galra technology, despite being older, exceeds that of Homeworld's modern technology. The Empire is spread out across the galaxy, enslaving hundreds… if not thousands of civilizations."

"And they have giant monsters that can kill planets if left unchecked," Pidge added in.

"Not to mention that their Druids have access to horrifying powers," Keith added in.

"There are also other dangers along with the Galra. There are the Orks, the Tyranids and the Dark Eldar who cause a lot to damage to the people." Lance added in.

"The Diamond Authority does present a threat to the universe, that isn't being denied," Allura stated. "But even they are being threatened by this darker power."

"All right, I get it." A disappointed Bismuth stated. "Then I want in."

"In on what?" Steven asked.

"Since I can't take the fight to you know who right now; I might as well help you all with your Galra problem." Bismuth said. "I may be rusty, but I can craft a mean sword; or whatever it is you guys use."

"That's great." Coran ecstatically stepped in. "There are plenty of rooms in the castle that we could turn in to a forge for you. While we have weapons covered, we could always have a master blacksmith help with repairs when things get intense."

"Yeah, I can work with that." Bismuth answered.

"Great!" Coran exclaimed. "If you'll follow me, I know a great place where you can set up shop."

"Uh, Coran." Lance interrupted. "She still hasn't been given a tour of the castle's interiors."

"Oh, right," Coran said, slapping his forehead in realization. "So, tour first, then I'll show you where you can set up shop."


One tour of the castle later; Coran led Bismuth to where the new Gem will set up shop. It was an old room, one that hasn't been used for a long time; containing everything that a blacksmith could need. The forge had a very medieval, yet futuristic look to it; having a feeling of familiarity that brought comfort to Bismuth. "This room here is where some King Alfor's greatest craftsmen and women worked; forging all kinds of trinkets, odds-and-ends, that sort of thing for him and his people," Coran explained. "Sorry if it's dusty, it hasn't been used in a very, very long time."

"It's perfect." Bismuth said with a smile. "Give me a day, and I'll have this place looking as good as new. Then I can pick up where I left off."

"Sounds good to me. If that's all then I'll take my leave; someone needs to make sure the castle doesn't fall apart after all." Coran said as he began leaving. "But if you need anything else, don't be afraid to give us a holler."

"Hm. Fun guy." Bismuth said to herself as Coran left, and turned her attention to the room; cracking her knuckles. "All right, let's gets down to bismuth." The Gem punned as she proceeded to tidy up her new quarters.


The Next Day.

"Hey Bismuth, we were just… woah!" Steven exclaimed as he, Connie and Amethyst entered Bismuth's room; discovering her new lodging to be tidied up and hot. The large Gem had a fire burning in the furnace to heat up a slab of metal, before carefully carrying it to her anvil.

"Oh hey, you three." Bismuth greeted the group. "I didn't hear you drop in; I hope it's not too hot for you?"

"It's okay." Connie began, wiping some sweat from her forehead as she walked towards the blacksmith. "We just came to see how your…"

"Uh-uh-uh. I wouldn't come any closer. This slab of metal is hot; like melt the meat off you hot." Bismuth warned the girl, before shapeshifting her hand into a mallet and striking it; sending small sparks flying in every direction.

"Right, sorry." Connie apologized as she stepped back; urging Steven and Amethyst to do the same. "We just wanted to check on you; see how you're settling in. If what you've done to your place is anything to go by, I'd say you're doing well."

"Yep. This is bringing back some good memories." Bismuth answered as she continued hammering away. "Oh, how I've missed this. Now I'm back in bismuth!"

"Ha! She even has jokes." Steven said with a giggle.

"Upper-class Gems used us bismuths to erect spires and temples to satisfy their egos." Bismuth explained. "But Rose... Rose taught me that my life was my own, that I could to do whatever I wanted with it. So, I chose this."

"Living in an oven and slamming metal against metal?" Amethyst asked sarcastically. "Sounds like a perfect life to me."

"Yeah, joke now." Bismuth began. "But I'm the one who outfitted the entire Crystal Gem Rebellion. Every sword, spear, and shield were forged by yours truly."

"So, what are you working on?" Steven casually asked.

"Well, Lance stopped by while I was setting up shop," Bismuth answered. "And during our chat, he mentioned something about Keith destroying your training robots; so, I decided I'd make them some tougher plating. This here is just the last slab needed for your new and improved training bots."

"Neat." Steven and Connie said simultaneously, while Amethyst continued to watch the blacksmith work. She was a little suspicious of the new Gem; the fact that Garnet nor Pearl even mentioned her, or that she was found in the same lion that once belonged to Rose; she felt like there was something Bismuth was not telling them all.

"Oh hey, deep cut!" Bismuth called out, looking at Amethyst.

"Me?" The purple Gem asked.

"Yeah, you; would you mind coming over here and show me what your packing?" The metallic Gem asked.

"Okay…" Amethyst said as she summoned her whip; making Bismuth whistle in admiration. "What is it."

"Not every Gem has the skill to make a whip like this; not even rare Gems can summon these." Bismuth stated, looking the weapon over. "I've got an idea." The new Gem takes Amethysts whip with her to the anvil and scoops a handful of hot scrap metal; molding it around the weapon. "Here you go; you can do some real damage with this."

Amethyst's eyes light up with stars as she sees spiked spears attached to her whip. "Oh, this is awesome!" The purple Gem exclaimed, flinging her weapon around.

"Look, I can tell you were suspicious of me." Bismuth admitted. "I mean, I showed up out of nowhere and said I was best friends with people you know and love. I hope this shows that we're cool."

"Yeah, we're cool." Amethyst answered as she fist-bumps the bulky Gem.

"The new robots look great." Allura complimented Bismuth, as four of the newly modified training bots prepared to face off against Shiro, Keith, Connie, Steven, and Amethyst; while the rest of the Voltron Force watched from the training rooms stands.


"Well, it's a pleasure doing bismuth with you." Bismuth modestly punned; before standing up from her seat like an excited sports fan and turned to Paladins. "Show me what you got, soldiers!"

"Let's dance." The Jam Buds exclaimed at the same time as did a quick waltz and fused into Stevonnie; much to Bismuth's shock and astonishment.

The training bots charged at the Paladins and split off from each other; taking on one combatant each.

The robot assaulting Shiro swings its staff at the Black Paladin; who dodges the attack just as his cybernetic arm glows a bright purple, and uppercuts the training bot with it. Usually, a punch like that would knock the robot's head off; but whatever Bismuth did, it significantly improved their durability. However, the attack was still strong enough to deactivate it.

"Nice one, Shiro!" Keith complimented his friend as he blocked his training bot's attacks with his luxite blade and Red Bayard sword. Due to the stronger armor, Keith could not slash his opponent apart and had to go with a new strategy. After blocking and dodging several more strikes; Keith noticed that while the armor was improved, the joints were still exposed, and knew how to take full advantage of that. The robot goes in for swiping strike to the head, with the young Galra dodging by getting on his knees; using his luxite blade to stab the training bots leg joints; stunning it long enough for him to impale the machine through its neck joints with his second sword, deactivating it.

"You're going to get wrecked!" Amethyst confidently said a spin dashed through her training bot's legs and jumped into the air behind it; slamming her whips spiked balls onto its head, deactivating it. "Yeah, I am the greatest!"

Stevonnie kept on the defensive with their opponent; keeping their shield raised and dodged a multitude of attacks. The training bot goes for a leg sweep, but the human Fusion leaps into the air; unintentionally activating their floating powers. Stevonnie floated away from the robot, which charged at them as fast as it could. Stevonnie then took out their Blue Bayard and waited for the robot to get close enough; the machine delivered an overhead strike that Stevonnie managed to avoid in time while transforming their Bayard into its sword form; slashing the robot's armor with enough force to dent its plating and deactivate it.

"Well, at least they aren't in pieces this time." Lance joked as the sparring session ended.

"Whatever armoring Bismuth outfitted them with must take some skill to make it that tough," Pidge observed and was about to ask Bismuth which materials she used; when the bulky Gem rises from the stands and walks over to Stevonnie, who defused into Steven and Connie.

"That blade of yours." Bismuth began, grabbing the two teens attention. "That can't be Rose's sword. Can it? Because it looks bluer than I remember."

"Oh, this isn't Rose's sword," Connie stated. "We accidentally left it back on Earth; this is a replica made from our Blue Bayard."

"Altean magic is something, I'll tell you." Bismuth said as Connie returned the sword to its Bayard form. "It may look cool, but it pales in comparison to my finest piece of work."

"Wait, you made Rose's sword!" Steven exclaimed in surprise.

"Yep." Bismuth cheerfully responded. "A great sword deserving of a great person."

"Garnet, Pearl, and my dad always tell me how great Mom was," Steven began. "But I just don't feel like I can ever measure up to her."

Bismuth looked at the boy and let out a sigh; kneeling to his height, as Connie decided to step away and give them room to talk. "Rose Quartz changed my life. When I first arrived on Earth, I just thought this would be another colony; building arenas for fighters, building spires for thinkers and so on... then, I met her. Just another quartz, made right in Earth's very own soil; but she was… different; because she chose to be. I still remember our first conversation; Rose Quartz asked me what I wanted to build, and I'd never heard that before. Gems have always been told we can't be anything other than what their Diamond made them for, but Rose opened all our eyes. He-he. I can't believe this; I'm the one about to give a pep talk to Rose's... Rose's...?"

"Son," Steven answered.

"Right." Bismuth answered, before resuming the point she wanted to make. "You aren't Rose; that's what's so exciting. You can be someone better; you can be you."

Steven looked at the large Gem and gave her a grateful hug. "Thanks, I appreciate you saying that." Steven said as the large Gem hugged him back.

"What was that?" Bismuth asked Steven.

"Oh… that's my stomach." An embarrassed Steven answered. "Intense training can work up an appetite. He-he."

"Well in you're in luck, dude." Amethyst interrupted. "Because tonight, I'm making pizzaritos."

"Sounds tasty," Steven answered, the though already making his mouth water.

"What's a pizzarito?" Bismuth asked.

"It's a specialty of mine back on Earth," Amethyst answered. "I combine a pepperoni pizza with a burrito and some chips to add a bit of crunch."

"What's a pizza, burrito, and chips?" Bismuth asked again, even more confused.


The Paladins, and everyone else on the castle, all had a nice dinner; while she did not need to eat, Bismuth joined them and enjoyed meal Amethyst made. With everyone full, they all decided to go to bed.

Steven changed into his pajamas, and Connie into her nightgown; before having a quick talk with Shiro and Allura, who would always have a conversation with him and Connie before turning in. Both teens assured their older comrades they're fine and know to get them if something bothers them; before wishing them good night.

While walking down to their separate quarters, Steven and Connie bumped into Bismuth; who was walking down the halls herself. "Oh, sorry." Bismuth apologized. "I didn't see you two there."

"It's okay." Both humans assured the large Gem.

"I was just looking around the caste, and everyone's heading into their quarters." Bismuth stated. "What's going on?"

"Oh, right. I keep forgetting Gems don't need sleep like the rest of us." Connie said.

"Well, except Amethyst and Peridot; but they just choose to sleep," Steven added in.

"No problem, you guys get your rest." Bismuth said. "I'll ask Steven tomorrow."

"Ask me what?" Steven asked.

"I was just going to ask if you could come with me to the hangar; where the Lions are," Bismuth said. "There is just something I need to get off my chest."

"Sure, we can do it right now; I don't mind," Steven said before turning to his Jam Bud. "Well, good night Connie."

"She can come along too. If she wants." Bismuth offered. "She is your Fusion partner after all."

"Sure, why not," Connie said as she followed the two Crystal Gems.


"Wow, they are a sight." Bismuth said as she looked at the Black, Red, Green, Blue and Yellow Lions. "Which one's yours again."

"That would be Blue," Steven answered. "The Right Leg of Voltron."

"It's not that long ago when we found her on Earth," Connie added in.

"Seriously, I'd expect you to be the head." Bismuth honestly stated.

"Black Lion chose Shiro to pilot her," Connie said. "The Lion's choose their Paladins; it's only fair to have someone they trust in the driver's seat."

"And being a leg isn't that bad," Steven added. "When we first formed Voltron, the first thing Amethyst said was 'Am I a leg?"

"You know, when I first designed Rose's sword, it was made for fair fights. Rose specifically asked me for a sword that could slice through a Gem's physical form in an instant. It would destroy the body, but never the Gem." Bismuth explained in a dark tone; one Connie caught notice of, while Steven remained oblivious. "But Homeworld… Homeworld doesn't fight fair. That's why we need a different way of doing things."

"What do you mean?" Steven asked; now picking up on the dark tone.

"What I mean is that if we, the Crystal Gems, discovered the Blue Lion earlier; that would've been a game changer." Bismuth stated. "The Diamonds know how to hit us where it hurts; but with the Lions, or a Lion, we can do everything they can do far better than they ever could. This is a weapon that would've won the war."

"Bismuth…" Steven said as he and Connie looked at each other; taking two steps away from the large Gem.

"I mean, one shot from any of these would shatter any Gem in the universe in a blink of an eye; destroying them forever!" Bismuth shouted with enthusiasm. "Homeworld Gems would never be able to do to another planet what they tried to do to Earth. We'll show them that we mean bismuth!"

"No… we can't," Connie said, with her and Steven standing their ground.

"Excuse me?" Bismuth said; looking at the boy and girl.

"Voltron is the defender of the universe," Steven said. "Going to Homeworld and using a Lion to shatter Gems would make us as bad as them."

"No, it wouldn't!" Bismuth harshly responded. "We would be shattering them for the sake of our cause... giving freedom to all Gems; just like we wanted!"

"This isn't what Crystal Gems would do." Steven began. "They…"

"Don't you dare tell me what a Crystal Gem would do!" An angry Bismuth shouted as she advanced towards two teens; who boldly remained where they stood, despite being intimidated. "Nobody's more Crystal Gem than I am! If you're unwilling to do what's necessary, then I will!"

The large Crystal Gem walks towards the Lions, but Steven and Connie stand in-between her and them. "We can't let you do that," Connie said as she pulled out and clutched her Bayard.

"Get out of my way, or I'll make you move." Bismuth threatened.

"I'm sorry, Bismuth." Steven sincerely said as he summoned his shield. "But what your proposing... it isn't right."

Bismuth looks at Steven with shock; before tightly clenching her fist. "That's what she said... That's what you said. Rose Quartz!"

"Wh… what are you talking about?" Steven nervously asked.

"Don't lie to me like you've been lying to everyone here!" Bismuth screamed with anger as her right hand shapeshifts into a hammer. "I'm tired of it; all the lies you've told me, and everyone else you claimed to care about!"

Bismuth swings her hammer-hand at the two teens, but Steven shields Connie and himself just in time; however, the sheer force from the strike sent the two of them flying back, and away from each other.

"You know what happened to me!" Bismuth furiously shouted as walked over to Steven and picks him up by the throat. "You tried to make me disappear; that way I wouldn't be able to tell the others how much of a liar and coward you truly are!"

"Let him go!" Connie screamed as she leaped into the air swung her Bayard Sword down at Bismuth's arm.

The large Gem cried out in pain as she dropped Steven and backed up; examining her limb, which had a deep scar. "You little…" Before Bismuth could finish her curse; Connie charged at the metallic Gem again. Bismuth blocks the attack with her hammer fist, before upper-cutting the girl with her other hand. The attack knocked Connie away; slamming her against a nearby wall as she dropped her Bayard.

"Connie!" Steven screamed in worry, before turning to Bismuth with his shield raised. "Wait, Bismuth! This is just a big misunderstanding!"

"Liar!" Bismuth responded. "I told you time and time again on how we could achieve victory, but you refused to listen!" The metallic Gem charged at Steven, trying to smash his shield with her hands, but the boy's willpower exceeded his opponents' strength; keeping him safe for now.

"I didn't want to fight you," Bismuth emotionally said as she continued her assault. "But you leftme no choice!"

"What kind of leader refuses to give her army the best chance to win?" Bismuth desperately asked.

"How could you value the lives of our enemies more than your soldiers?" Bismuth asked again with more emotion than before. "And look what you've done without me! You... lost!" With that outburst, Bismuth broke through Steven's shield; knocking him back, just as Connie regained her senses.

Seeing the battle was still going on; she quickly got onto her feet and realized she was near a wall, with an alarm system attached. Without wasting time, Connie pulled the alarm; hoping everyone on board would wake up in time help; if the fighting hasn't already woken them.

Connie then saw Steven defenseless on the ground as Bismuth approached him. She spotted her Bayard on the ground and grabbed it. "Steven, catch!" The girl shouted as she tossed the alien device to the boy; who caught it in time and activated its sword form to block Bismuth's next attack.

"Bismuth!" Steven shouted as he activated his bubble with spikes; pushing the Crystal Gem back as he stood on his feet. "I don't know what my mom did; but, I'm sorry it happened... I'm truly sorry."

"It's too late for sorry." Bismuth said with defeat in her tone; shapeshifting her hands back to normal. "Talk. That's all your beliefs were... weren't they? Just talk! We could've taken the war to Homeworld, Rose, and shatter the Diamonds! We could've liberated... everyone! If you just listened to me!"

"Bismuth, please; this has to stop," Steven begged; walking towards the large Gem.

"So, are you going to shatter me this time?" Bismuth asked; grabbing Steven's sword and angling it at her gemstone, much to the boy's horror. "If you truly cared about any of us from the start, none of this would've happened." Steven looked into the eyes of the Gem who was surrendering her life; as his hands trembled. "Well… what are you waiting for? Do it… … … DO IT!"

"No!" Steven responded, lowering his weapon. "Nobody deserves this... nobody."

Even more enraged; Bismuth shapeshifts her hand into a sharp scythe as she prepares to cut the Demi-Gem down. "Steven!" Connie screamed as Steven closed his eyes and reacted on instinct.

Everything was quiet to the point where they could hear a needle being dropped, as Steven slowly opened his eyes. "Bismuth…" the boy gasped as he sees the Blue Bayard sword impaled just a few inches below Bismuth's gemstone.

"You should've shattered me back then... that way, I wouldn't have to know how little I mattered to you..." Bismuth said with tears in her eyes. "You locked me away and didn't ever tell them. Our friends... our family."

"I'm… I'm going to tell them everything! I promise." Steven said, starting to cry as well.

Bismuth looked at the young Half-Gem in surprise and began to laugh; uttering to him, "Then you truly are better than her." Then a poof.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Steven walks over to the gemstone and quickly places a bubble around it.

"Steven! Connie!" Allura shouted as she and the rest of the Voltron Force entered the hangar; spotting the two exhausted and injured kids as the Princess ran to Connie's aid, and Shiro to Steven's.

"What happened in here?" Takashi asked Steven, helping him up. "And what happened to Bismuth?"

"There's something... something I need to tell you," Steven said, looking at the Black Paladin with a saddened expression; before turning to the others. "All of you."


Everyone in the Castle of Lions sat in the lounge debating what they should do with Bismuth, after everything they heard from Steven and Connie; with the former still holding the bubbled Gem, while everyone else argued what they should do. One is to leave her bubbled, believing they should keep her in that current state and wait for Garnet and Pearl to take her back to Earth. The other option was to get her off the castle; feeling uncomfortable that her bubble could pop during battle and cause some internal damage out of spite. However, the most controversial option; shattering Bismuth, remained on the table as a last resort if options one and two do not work.

While they all debated, Steven looked at the gemstone; he had many feelings and thoughts going through his head before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He knew this was a risk, but he didn't want history to repeat itself... Steven knew what he needed to do. "I think we should let her out," Steven spoke up, much to everyone's surprise.

"Are you sure, dude?" Amethyst asked with concern at her exhausted Gem-brother.

"Yes, I'm sure," Steven answered. "She doesn't deserve to be bubbled away like this again."

"Steven, you said you couldn't reason with her," Shiro stated.

"And she attacked you," Lance added. "What if she keeps fighting?"

"She won't," Steven said with confidence. "Bismuth isn't violent; she's misguided… she deserves another chance."

Everyone remained silent for a drawn-out moment and looked at each other; until Shiro broke the silence. "I trust your judgment, Steven." The Black Paladin told the boy; getting unanimous, yet uncertain nods from everyone else; which was understandable.

"But we won't hesitate if she tries to hurt you," Keith warned; getting unanimous nods as well.

"I understand," Steven said as he got up and walked towards the center of the room; clapping both of his hands on the translucent, pink barrier, and popped it.

Light radiated from the colorful gemstone as it levitated away from Steven's hands; as the physical form took its shape. As soon as the energy disappeared, Bismuth was in her new attire; a backless and strapless black top with a square cutout that exposed her gemstone. She also had a long, light and dark red apron wrapped around her midriff. The only things that remained unchanged from her previous attire were her pants and boots.

"Ah… what… I'm back?" Bismuth confusedly said as she looked around, before seeing Steven. "Ro… I mean, Steven. What's going on?"

"After everything my mom did; I can't put you back into a bubble again," Steven said. "She was wrong with how she chose to… settle your disagreement. Garnet and Pearl do deserve to know what happened, and it should be you to tell them; they're your friends… your family after all."

Bismuth looked at Half-Gem, on the verge of crying; but she held her tears back long enough to gratefully smile and say one thing, "Thank you, Steven."


Away from the Castle of Lions, a long chain of portals emerged and a great multitude of terror-class Drukhari ships emerged from them, filling the empty space with their unholy presence. The Specter Marauder was there with his captain and his crew, next to them were the ships and cruisers of his sanctuary as others of different colors.

After having spoken with the council, Archon Neck managed to have the favor of leading an attack fleet along with 6 other Drukhari shrines. Things like this were a total exaggeration for their standards but they would need it for the next battle.

Syakallar was sitting in the navigation center looking at the holograms of all the ships that came. His ship: The Specter Marauder was found alongside the Mockingbird, the Day of the Worm, the Unsainted, Psychotic, and his Archon's flagship.

The Gray Chapter.

A beep sounded indicating the holo-transmitter and five other figures appeared in the navigation room which were the other captains and Neck himself.

"Greetings, my sanctuary." Archon Eldar saluted his entourage and they returned his salute with a nod. "I have already discussed with the other leaders and we have decided what the action plan will be."

The holographic map changed by order of Neck showing an asteroid field and in the center was a red dot, the castle of the Lions.

"According to our spies, the route that Voltron will take very soon will be an asteroid field in a sector that connects the Galra and Tau borders of space. We will take advantage of the asteroids to hide our presence long enough to fire breaker anchors, then we will begin a raided to take the castle and with it, his paladins. "The Archon of the Gray Splinters finished with a sadistic smile on his face.

The captains of the other ships in the sanctuary nodded, murmuring according to Neck's plan. All except Syakallar. "Sounds like a compelling plan, my lord. But why should we waste our time taking the castle when we can destroy it along with filthy Altean once and for all?"

"Oh my dear Syaka. Your youth prevents you from seeing the whole picture." Neck sneered and crossed his arms behind his back. "Realize that the only ones inside the ship are nothing more than Mon'keigh and a Galra stink plus a few space rocks. They are inferior in mind and body, they will not represent a threat to everyone at the moment that they let's isolate. "

"I would not underestimate them, even cornered will fight with a savagery to preserve their lives." Syakallar replied back to his superior.

Neck just laughed at his favorite captain's ignorance and then shot him a withering look.

"We'll see that."