That is correct ladies and gentlemen, yet another new chapter. THIS IS A REMINDER THAT AFTER I POST THIS CHAPTER I MAY BE GOING INTO A BRIEF HIATUS BECAUSE I AM CURRENTLY SEARCHING FOR A NEW JOB. If anything I'll only be gone for two weeks, I will however, be working on other chapters whenever i do have spare time and i'll try my best to post a double chapter in the future. I will be going into greater detail to try to match the Steven Universe timeline that i am interrupting with Ash's presence. I will try my best to recap important events from the series but a lot of filler will be removed. Also i am fully aware that Mirror Gem took place in May or June, and i'm doing it in March, and i don't care *I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS IN THIS STORY, NOR DO I OWN POKEMON OR STEVEN UNIVERSE*
It had been around a week since that fateful day. Ash and his pokemon were still getting used to their new surroundings, but luckily Steven had volunteered to be his "tour guide of Beach City". He had been introduced to some of the people Steven knew and was steadily becoming more involved in the Gem's activities, including joining them on their missions from time to time.
He had declined to go on today's mission however, which meant Pearl put him on babysitting Steven.
"Don't you think you baby him a little bit?" he told her "i mean the kid's 13. I was 10 when i left home for my adventure, heck all ten year olds do it where i'm from"
But Pearl was having none of Ash's interjections "we let you live here, you listen to us."
Before he could argue with Pearl some more she was already off the warp pad.
"Thank you" he sarcastically told the empty spot Pearl was standing. Looking out the window he could see the sun just starting to rise over the ocean. He was still pretty tired from the previous night's training with Greninja, Steven couldn't get enough of seeing Ashninja in action, and decided to sleep a little bit more while Steven made breakfast. Hopping up onto his makeshift couch bed, he pulled the blanket over his face, that way the smell of the pancakes he was making wouldn't keep him up, "kid's not bad of a cook but not nearly as good as Brock or Cilan" he thought as he closed his eyes.
He had just barely closed them when he felt a hot spot on his face, as if something was breathing on him. He peaked off the covers to see a roughly five foot tall pink lion staring down at him.
"SON OF A BIDOOF!" he screamed and fell onto his face on the floor "Lion stop doing that!"
The gentle giant grunted at him and walked outside.
"He's been waking me up like that all week" Ash complained picking himself from off the floor and walked over to the kitchen. He saw that Steven wasn't paying attention and was clearly thinking of something else as he had a large smile while eating his breakfast.
"You're quite into those pancakes man"
"Huh? Oh no it's not that Ash. I just got off the phone with Connie, you remember her right?
He nodded remembering how his new friend had introduced him to Connie the 1st day he was here. She was a bookish, quiet girl, but she was still pretty nice.
"Well i asked her if she wanted to hang out, and she said she couldn't because her mom was making her take a tennis class for spring break, and i asked "what's spring break?" and she explained that it's when school's out for a whole week, the because i never went to school she detailed everything at a school, and i asked Pearl to help school me from home when she returns!"
"Wait, you don't even know what school is?" granted Ash himself was in no position to critique the situation when he only attended school until he was 9. Then when he turned 10 he was given two options: pokemon journey or continue school, guess which he chose.
"Well yeah, the Gems taught me most of what i know, so did my dad. Besides that, i never went to school, but now i can!"
Sure enough, after the mission was over, Pearl helped Steven assemble a large pile of items that would be found in a school
"So how does our school work?" she asked the overly optimistic boy
His look went from excited to worried. "I don't know. This was all Connie told me. Oh why do I never ask follow up questions."
"Well so much for your school, sorry buddy"
"Who will teach me now?"
Pearl's face went from disappointed to excited "teach you!? Oh Steven why didn't you say so?" she quickly began making weird poses and grunts until the gem in her forehead started to glow. An object was quickly released from it and began to levitate. It was a hand mirror. "We found this gem powered mirror at the galaxy warp, it naturally records everything it sees and can repeat it back to you. It will teach you everything you need to know about gem culture. Alright mirror, show us the galaxy warp."
The mirror, now lying in Steven's hands did nothing. The trio leaned closer "show us the galaxy warp" Pearl asked again. "Oh come on i know you've been there!" she shouted inspecting the mirror. "Well it is in pretty rough shape, maybe it finally just broke on its own. Such a shame", she finally handed back the mirror to Steven, and he and Ash began examining it.
"It doesn't seem broken to me" Steven said admiring his reflection
The mirror itself was really just a standard hand mirror, with the exception of a large, blue teardrop shaped stone on the back of it. There was a large crack on it.
"So Pearl", Steven asked, "would you say school's out?"
She chuckled and replied "yes Steven, school is out"
"HOORAY!" he shouted as he, with the mirror still in his hands, ran outside
"Ash, would you please keep an eye on him?" Pearl asked
"Sure, come on Pikachu let's go"
The two boys marched down the boardwalk with Steven still holding the old mirror. Steven was still running and giggling while Ash kept up. Eventually his speed got the better of them, and had, literally, run into the Big Donut employees Sadie and Lars. Ash had met them earlier in the week when Steven brought him to the Big Donut.
"Watch where you're going ya little" was what Lars started to say before he saw Ash was there to and calmed down "oh, hey Ash what's up?
It was no secret Lars tried hard to impress people he thought were cool, and apparently Ash fell into Lars's category of cool. He didn't really like Lars though, especially how he talked to Steven. Although he did enjoy Sadie's company.
"Hey Lars, doing good" was all he could think to say
"You guys excited for spring break? Steven asked them
Sadie chuckled, "I think i'm excited as i can get about setting up extra tables for the rush, but I think Lars has big plans"
They all looked at Lars who was busy picking at something in his teeth, thinking nobody was looking. He quickly stopped and tried playing it cool by pressing his back toward the tables "you bet i do! All those hot babes away from home. Maybe i'll get a few numbers. Maybe i'll even call one. They've got hottie tourists in Arkansas don't they Ash?"
Ash's cheeks blushed with embarrassment when Lars asked him that, Steven had told them that he was a distant cousin from Little Rock, who had moved in.
"I guess so, i normally don't really focus on girls appearances"
"That's really noble Ash" Sadie said trying to add to the conversation, "and you know, maybe i'll make a new friend to Lars". Ash could just tell she was trying to make him jealous.
"That's a great idea" Steven said obliviously, "maybe me and Ash should to. Maybe if I keep looking using the mirror, we'll bump into our own Beach Summer Fun Buddy!" He began to walk backwards looking into the mirror, "see yah guys, come on Ash!"
He awkwardly followed Steven further down the boardwalk from a distance. The cracked blue stone in it sparkled in the Sun's rays. He turned to admire the many sights when he heard something in the distance coming closer. He saw it was a large truck with a man's head on it. A siren blaring "Mayor Dewey" repeatedly. He also saw that it was heading straight for Steven.
"Steven look out!" He shouted but he was too far for Steven to hear. He thought the worst was about to happen, yet then something unexpected happened. He heard Lars's voice shouting "what he where you're going you little", in the exact same tone and volume as he said a few minutes ago. This time, Steven noticed, but it was too late. The truck continued towards him.
"No!" He cried as the slow moving truck came to a halt before him.
The passenger stepped out with a megaphone "car wash kid and friend" he said "go play somewhere else"
"Why don't you drive your van somewhere else?" Ash shouted back to him
"I'm the mayor I do what I need to do" he angrily scolded him "now run along I'm late for a speech". He closed the door and drove off.
"You alright bud?" He asked Steven
"I think so, but what was all that about?" He asked looking at the mirror. The mirror suddenly began laughing in Steven's voice, Ash realized it must have been the mirror warning Steven in Lars's voice from earlier to.
"You work!" They both said excitedly. "Say something else!"
"You work!" The mirror repeated them and showing themselves, well themselves.
"What's it like being a mirror?" Steven asked it. To which the mirror repeated him once again. "This is so cool!"
"Let me use it?" Ash said, but before Steven could hand it to him, they overheard a familiar voice from the beach.
"Friends! We gather today to begin the Spring Break season of Beach City!" The mayor declared from the top of his truck on the beach, a small crowd was gathered. "Yes we are all ready to hear the sounds of the Spring season"
Steven had seen his chance and took it. He cupped his hand over his mouth and made a farting sound causing a roar of laughter. The mayor ignored it and continued.
"The feel of a cool spring wind"
This time the mirror repeated the fart noise Steven had made causing even more laughter.
The mayor continued his speech and each sentence ended with the mirror farting. The crowd was in hysterics. "Ok that's enough!" The mayor shouted as he wrapped up his speech and drove off. The crowd also began to leave but Ash and Steven stayed. The mirror must have really liked the fart noise because it continued to replay it. Each time it played it Steven laughed, to Ash he found it funny at first but found it irritating after the tenth or eleventh time.
"You got a lot out of that joke didn't you? You're pretty funny for a mirror"
The mirror repeated him
"I'm not a mirror"
The mirror began to repeat "you're pretty funny for a" but then suddenly changed to saying "Steven. And. Ash"
"Hey you know our names! Say something different!"
"Steven. Ash. Is. A new friend"
"Wow that thing learns fast" Ash said
They both chuckled at their new "friend" when suddenly Steven felt an overwhelming sensation in his bladder. "Ash can you hold the mirror, I've got to pee".
"Sure" he said as Steven gently handed him the mirror
"I'll be right back" and with that it was just Ash, pikachu and the mirror sitting in the beach
"So uh, mr mirror" he began to say
"No!" The mirror repeated in Steven's voice
"Ok sorry uh, ms mirror?" He asked it
The mirror then repeated Steven laughing
"Ok then. Ms Mirror it is. You know you are pretty funny for a mirror"
"You're pretty" was all the mirror repeated to him.
He at first thought it had repeated "you're pretty funny", started to laugh, but then he realized what it really said. Pikachu began laughing hysterically and rolling around in the sand. He looked ahead and saw Steven returning from the nearest port-a-potty.
"Here, it's a girl by the way" he awkwardly said to him, he also decided, for both him and the mirror's sake, not to tell him that he thought it just tried flirting with him.
"We've got to show you to the Gems!" Steven then recommended.
"No!" The mirror repeated to him
"Don't worry they'll love you. Trust me."
The duo made it back to the house to see all three of them conveniently in the sitting room. Pearl had put the school merchandise into a neat and organized tower.
"Oh hello boys" Pearl said
"Howdy" Garnet also said, she then made a finger gun and made a "bang" noise to them.
"Guys you wanna see something hilarious?" Amethyst asked as she placed one of Steven's teddy bears onto the pile, to which Pearl stabbed it with her spear.
"You don't understand. Asymmetrical means each side must be even!" She shook the remains of the stuffed bear off into a small pile of other destroyed items causing Ash to giggle.
"Mc Bear-Bear!" He said broken-heartedly, he then sook it off for his big news "good news. We fixed the mirror!"
"Excellent work you two!"
"Yea I mean you never told us it was like a person." Ash added
"What?"
"Show them Ms. Mirror". But the mirror was silent. It showed them nothing. "Hey what's wrong? Aren't you gonna share with us? Me and Ash are your friends. Come on say something. Please?"
"Come on Ms. Mirror", Ash joined in, don't you think I'm pretty still?" He asked it hoping for a reaction.
The mirror finally replayed its favorite noise, the fart, and then laughed some more.
"Just. For. You. Steven. And. Ash."
He turned from Steven and the mirror to see the Gems reactions. They were terrified.
"Garnet do something I'm scared" he heard Amethyst say as Garnet raised herself up and mealy down to Steven "No!" The mirror cried
"Steven, I think it'd be best if you gave the mirror to me".
"No!" The mirror continued to cry
"Can't you hear it screaming though? It wants to be with me and Ash!" Steven protested, bringing the mirror behind his back
"Garnet I don't think" he began to say
"Ash I understand your attachment to it, but it's just a mirror, it can't want anything."
Ash could see he had no chance of changing Garnet's mind. So all he could do was try his best to defend Steven and the mirror, which was still screaming.
"It wants to be with me!" Steven finally shouted and to Ash's shock smacked Garnet's hand away, along with her face in the process. Knocking her glasses off her face. The look Garnet gave them was the angriest look Ash had ever seen, and he had been face to face with an angry swarm of beedrill. Before he could apologize on Steven's behalf, he saw he was already out the door screaming "I'm sorry!" Ash and Pikachu followed him.
They ran across the sand terrified of what the gems were going to do to them once they caught them. Taking refuge behind a larger rock, they stopped to catch their breath.
"What is so scary about this stupid mirror!?" Ash shouted quietly trying not to give away their position.
The mirror had become clouded, it began playing odd images and absolutely random things. "Away from home. Get. Me. Out" was the only thing it actually said. It began to flash an image of itself, and the stone behind it.
"Steven i think it wants us to remove the stone". They flipped the mirror over. Ash felt an overwhelming sense of fear, adrenaline, and suspense. Yet he also felt by removing this stone, he was doing the right thing. They both placed their hands on the stone and began to pull. Ash could feel the stone becoming loose in his hands.
"Almost there!"
With one final pull. The stone flew out, completely destroying the mirror. It levitated a few feet before it began to glow. A flash of blue light appeared before them, and a female figure appeared before them. She was around Ash's height and appeared to be his age to. Her skin and hair was a dark, navy blue, but what really stood out to Ash was her eyes. They had no pupils.
"Ms. Mirror?" Ash stupidly asked
"Thank you" she whispered before she collapsed to the sand.
They rushed over to her and helped her up to her feet.
"You actually talked to me. You helped me! It's Steven and Ash right?"
They both nodded
"I'm Lapis Lazuli. Are you really Crystal Gems?"
Before either could answer the Gems had found them. "Steven! Ash!" He heard Garnet shout at them.
"You" he then heard Lapis say from behind him, "you three knew I was in there all this time, and you did nothing. Did you even think about who I used to be!" To Ash's horror, he saw just how powerful his new friend really was. A giant hand had appeared made out of water. And smashed between the Gems and the others. Lapis then used her water powers to part the sea.
"Come with me guys" she said
"Where?"
"Home"
Ash didn't know what to do, if Lapis meant his home this could be his only way home. He felt an overwhelming urge to go with her. After he turned to Steven he decided not to.
With neither of her new friends deciding to come with her, she threw the giant water hand down "don't trust them", was all she said as she disappeared into the water. Leaving them all shocked.
"So that was another Gem?" Steven asked
"Yes yes it was" Pearl answered
"Steven you're grounded" Garnet said to him for hitting her.
A sudden thought filled Ash's head as they all looked out into the ocean
"She thought I was cute" he said out loud causing Amethyst and Pikachu to laugh