We're here. I decided to publish another chapter for you guys while I'm still bedridden from my surgery, I had decided to focus more on the chapters while in bed so i could pump them out as they came to me. After a long time in Steven's Universe Ash is finally going to meet the Diamonds. Demanding answers, can he and Steven protect the people they care about while still fulfilling their interlocking destinies? The fun and games are over, now every day is a battle. *POKEMON AND STEVEN UNIVERSE ARE NOT OWNED BY ME*
Ash had torn the barn upside down trying to find the tape Mr. Gus and Uncle Grandpa told him Rose had left for him. He had spent the entire day looking for a secret box or a trap door that could possibly contain the tape she had left for him, but to no avail. Having given up his search for the elusive tape, he approached the framed picture Misty had given him and tried to collect himself.
"You're tearing yourself apart trying to find this stupid thing" Lapis told him as she wrapped her arms around him from behind, resting her head supportively on his shoulder. "You're really starting to have us worried"
"I'm sorry Lappy" he said "I just don't know. I'd kill to understand what Arceus wants me to do"
Lapis snorted "seriously? "Lappy?" I've heard Brock's pet names before for other girls, but that's got to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard you say "Ashy" she teased him before landing a peck on his cheek.
All of his problems seemed to melt away after she kissed him, Ash's worried look quickly turned into a smile as he took her hand and spun her around to face him. Both of them laughing with each other.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything" they both heard a familiar voice ask from the door, they both looked to see Serena standing awkwardly in the doorway, wearing her purple Big Donut employee uniform, holding a box of donuts.
"Oh, hey Serena, we didn't see you."
"It's alright," she somberly said approaching them, "I just thought I'd drop off some leftovers before I made it back to home to Jamie's place" she said placing a full box on the counter, "where are the others?"
"Brock's closing at Fishstew, and Peridot and James are up on the truck watching their favorite show together" Ash answered her, truthfully it had been awhile since he had even seen Serena, let alone talk to her since the big meal with Uncle Andy.
"Alright, I'll see you later Ash. See ya Lapis" Serena said as she began her journey back to the home she now shared with Jamie.
"I don't think she's over you yet" Lapis whispered to him once Serena had left.
"What, you think she's gonna steal me away from you with stale donuts?" He said taking a Boston Cream out the box and taking a bite.
"I'm just saying, she's your oldest friend, and I want to trust her as a Crystal Gem. But I don't know if she'll ever trust me" Lapis sadly said.
"She'll come around" he reassured her, "sooner or later, you two are gonna be best friends." He said snatching the box from the countertop. "I'm gonna bring these to share with Steven," he said leaving a few jelly filled donuts on the counter for Brock and James, knowing that jelly filled were Brock's favorite. "I'll see you later"
As he walked down the beach, he saw Steven on the front porch of the Temple, talking to Greg.
"Hello Universes" he said cheerfully "care for an expired bear claw?"
"Thanks Ash" Greg said accepting the crusty pastry, Steven took a glazed one from the box as Ash sat down with them, noticing Steven was a little off.
"What's wrong bud?" He asked
"The Gems are still keeping me in the dark, I've been having this weird dream, I'm in a field looking at this" he said showing Ash a page from a dusty old book with a picture of what appeared to be a thrown, left to ruin in a field of flowers, labeled "The Palanquin". "When I wake up, I'm crying. But I'm not sad about anything, it's weird".
Ash took a look at the mysterious object, "says here it's in South Korea, and you're saying the Gems are refusing to tell you, or even take you?"
Steven nodded
"Well, I'd say this is a mystery for me and my boys to solve together!" Greg said standing up, throwing what remained of his bear claw to the sand. "What do ya say boys? Let's go to South Korea!" He said taking his son and his employee into a bear hug.
"Greg I couldn't" Ash attempted to decline,
"Nonsense Ash, you're more than just my employee, I see you as the other son me and Rose never had"
"And you've been like a big brother to me the past months you've been here" Steven added "you're part of my family now, and families go on vacation to discover dark secrets with each other!"
Ash felt a tear fall down his face at the acceptance and kindness Steven and Greg gave him "alright then! How are we gonna get to Korea without a plane?"
"I know just the guy!" Greg said leading the boys to his van.
They drove for nearly two or three hours before making it into Jersey. They stopped in a shady looking apartment complex and made their way up the stairs to a door. Greg knocked and the occupant opened it.
"Universes! Ash the interdimensional hippie! The yellow rat! Great to see you clowns again!" Uncle Andy greeted them.
"Hey Andy" Greg addressed his cousin, "we need your help getting to Korea" Greg explained the whole dream situation to Andy, who eventually gave in and joined them in the van to the airfield he kept his plane.
"So Ash, how's the barn treating ya?" He asked as Greg drove
"Going great, you'll be happy to know we've fixed that hole in the roof finally"
"Thats fantastic! That holes been there since 1999, I just haven't fixed it yet, glad to know you and you're circus of roommates is taking good care of her now"
Andy finally got the plane started and they all piled on board. "Korea's about a four hours flight so get comfortable!" Andy told his passengers as he took off. Turns out Andy was wrong and the flight took around seven hours all through the night, thankfully Andy was as good a pilot as he boasted and got them to the Korean airfield safely.
"Meet us back here in three days Andy" Greg requested "thanks again Andy"
"See ya Andy!" Ash shouted to him
"Ash, I told yous we're family now!" Andy shouted back
"Sorry, see ya Uncle Andy!" Ash corrected himself as Andy flew off.
"Alright, let's find the Palanquin" Steven said excitedly
"Hold on there Stu-ball" Greg said "you said it yourself, this is a family vacation, and I kinda wanna see the sights with my boys"
"He's got a point bud" Ash said "we deserve a little break"
Steven took a few minutes to think it over before he smiled at his family. "Alright, we can be tourists for a little bit, but then we go looking for it!"
The group all began going to gift shops and restaurants, snapping pictures and buying souvenirs like there was no tomorrow, Ash even bought a manga book about a girl with water powers who looked strikingly similar to Lapis. After two or three hours of shopping, they boarded a bus for the forest described in the journal where the Palanquin was supposedly located.
Greg bowed at the bus as they got off but the driver rudely ignored him and drove off. "Geez what's the rush?" He remarked as Ash they began walking through the forest.
"Any of this look familiar?" Ash asked Steven
"Woah, Steven are you ok?" Greg asked with concern, seeing that a thick river of tears was now steaming down the boy's face, but he wasn't even remotely emotional about it.
"We're getting close" He said as he pushed forward until they reached a fence with a sign in both English and Korean that said "do not enter".
"Guys, help me jump the fence" Steven insisted
"Oh boy, we're actually doing this" Greg nervously said as he tossed Steven, Ash, Pikachu and finally himself over the gate. "Oof, your dad really can't jump fences like he used to"
"Dad, look" Steven said pointing at something far off in the distance. Ash helped Greg up and they followed him to the object. It was a massive, blue colored throne with four spider-like legs supporting it in place. It almost perfectly resembled the sketch in the book.
"This is it! But, it's different?" Steven said aloud "in my dream, it was all broken down and pink. This is in perfect condition"
"Well, maybe it got a paint job?" Greg joked trying to make light out of the situation.
"Oh Pink" they heard from behind them, it sounded like a sad woman. They followed the source of the noise to something extremely unexpected, the destroyed, pink Palanquin Steven described was now in sight, before it were two figures. One was small and around Ash and Greg's height, she had blue hair that completely covered her eyes and had a pointed nose similar to that of Pearl's. towering above her, was an enormous woman wearing a blue robe that completely covered her so Ash couldn't make out her features, but he had seen this woman before, in the mural at the Moon base. It was the one known as Blue Diamond.
They hid behind some bushes away from both Blue Diamond and Blue Pearl's view as they listened in on her conversation with the destroyed object.
"I'm so sorry, I should've done more. Yellow says it'll all be over soon. I wonder what you'd think? This is your planet after all. I still think it is"
"Steven, Ash, do you guys know her?" Greg asked in a hushed voice
"My dreams, I was seeing this through her eyes. I've been crying her tears" Steven said
"What are you doing over there?" They heard Blue Diamond suddenly ask
"I thought I heard someone" Blue Pearl said in a shy but sweet voice. "I think we're not alone My Diamond"
"Don't worry, I've got this" Greg whispered to them, but before Ash could protest, Greg popped out of the bushes causing Blue Pearl to jump back with surprise.
"Hey, nice day out huh? I didn't see you there, what's up?" he awkwardly told Blue Pearl
"Pearl?" Blue Diamond asked
"My Diamond" she said bowing "I've found a native"
"Oh yeah, I'm from here alright" he said leaving the bushes to join Blue Pearl in the open.
"Bring it here" she commanded with a compassionate tone. Blue Pearl obeyed her master's order and escorted Greg so that he was now standing directly next to her
"How curious, I'm impressed by humanity's ability to survive in the wild. What a strange planet. Where else would a being as fragile as a human survive, while a being as powerful as a Diamond perish? This is where it happened, where she was broken." She recalled to Greg about Pink Diamond's fate
"Were you close?"
"Very"
"I'm sorry, I know how hard it is to move on when you've lost someone you care about"
"You do?" She turned to face Greg now
"I lost someone I loved a long time ago, and it's difficult, I think about her all the time"
Ash looked at Steven, who was now crying the same exact way Blue Diamond was.
"But, she's never coming back, and that feeling can be so hard to be ok with" Greg continued
Blue Diamond smiled down at him with compassion "I'm surprised that a human being is capable of understanding how I feel. It's a shame, there's a geoweapon incubating in your planet that will destroy everything" she referred to the Cluster "but you don't deserve that"
"Geoweapon huh?" Greg said, remembering the Cluster
"You know I really shouldn't be here, but I'm glad I came back one last time, I can save one last piece of her legacy."
"Oh yea?" Greg said thinking Blue Diamond was about to let him go but she had other ideas, as she grabbed Greg with one of her giant hands and lifted him off the ground
"Dad!"
"Greg!"
Blue Diamond raised her free hand and a blue arm ship flew down from the clouds, she boarded her Palanquin, with Greg and Blue Pearl as they began to take off.
Ash and Steven quickly sprung into action, as they chased after the ship, Ash mounted Charizard while Steven used his newly mastered floating powers to fly, but the ship was too fast, and it flew off out of the atmosphere, knocking Steven out of his concentration, causing him to fall.
Before Ash could catch him, Garnet came out of nowhere, and rescued him.
"Steven I'm sorry! I saw you all come here! I saw Blue Diamond seeing me and finding all of us! I couldn't be here with you!"
"She took Greg!" Ash screamed
"She took him and it's all my fault! I should've listened to you! What are we going to do!?"
Garnet looked at the two distraught boys and knew exactly what to do. "We're going to space. We're gonna get him back"