I know mother's day was a while ago, but I just want to point out how much mother's day must suck for Steven. I mean, you've got three moms you've gotta get gifts for, all the while your actual mother is dead, or part of you. This is just something funny that I found out about myself the other day, I absolutely LOVE the word "delicious". It's just a really fun word to say. Anyway, here we go. *POKEMON AND STEVEN UNIVERSE ARE NOT OWNED BY ME*
Walking up the stairs to the main living room, Tracey Sketchit took a deep breath to collect his thoughts before he had to face the depressing sight that waited for him. Sitting on the couch was his mentor the great pokemon expert Professor Samuel Oak. Next to him was his old friend Delia Ketchum, Ash Ketchum's mother. Sitting down on the chair next to them, he saw both their gazes fixated on the news report being broadcasted.
"Experts now claim that the destruction of Mount Coronet was the result of an earthquake along a volcanic fault line." the newscaster stated. "The destruction of the Sinnoh landmark last week has left thousands of both people and pokemon without homes, electricity or running water, though no fatalities have been reported as of yet. Though that number is subject to change as recovery efforts continue."
"They're lying." the professor said angrily.
"What?" Tracy asked confused.
"They're lying about why it collapsed. True Mount Coronet was settled on a volcanic fault, but an earthquake wouldn't be able to cause such devastation unless it was at least a nine on the Richter scale. We would've been able to detect it in advance. They're lying about what's going on."
Both Tracy and Ms. Ketchum looked at each other. Ever since Gary disappeared, the once joyful Professor had fallen into a depression that hindered his work. But before either of them could say anything else, they saw both Ash and Gary's pictures appear on the screen along with a large number of other faces.
"In other news, the alarming number of missing persons across the regions still has authorities baffled. The number of missing persons across each region has risen to forty nine worldwide. This epidemic began nearly a year ago when Ash Ketchum, a sixteen year old pokemon trainer from Pallet Town in the Kanto region, disappeared in Viridian City. The list of missing persons now includes high profile pokemon trainers, including the champion of the Sinnoh Region, several gym leaders from different regions, and even a decorated member of the police force."
The three watched as the reporter looked offscreen a bit shocked as a piece of breaking news suddenly came in.
"I've just received word that an emergency press conference from the president of the pokemon league Mr. Charles Goodshow, has just commenced. We now go to live to Mr. Goodshow's announcement."
The image changed to a press conference held by a very short, elderly man wearing the attire of a six year old boy, complemented by an enormous, grey beard. The caption below him read "Charles Goodshow: Pokemon league president."
"In regards to these mass disappearances of both gym leaders and trainers alike, along with the Mount Coronet disaster, all Pokemon League activities and events are hereby suspended indefinitely. I will now turn it over to the Sinnoh Region Elite Four Flint, Aaron, Bertha, and Lucian." Mr. Goodshow explained.
The fire type member of the Elite Four Flint took the podium calmly, though in his eyes there was worry. "A state of emergency has been declared throughout the Sinnoh Region. As of eight A.M. the Sinnoh Region will be under martial law, and a nationwide curfew of seven P.M. tonight will be put into effect. Any citizen that is caught outdoors will be subject to arrest and detainment without counsel. No longer attempt to seek shelter in private residences no matter how safely protected or well stocked. All citizens are expected to retain all ownership rights and records to private property, but should not attempt to transport or defend said property. Any attempt at looting will be prosecuted with deadly force if necessary, as will any attempts at vigilantism, or secessionist political activity. Thank you and Arceus bless the Sinnoh Region."
The well read psychic type Elite Four member Lucian took the microphone as Flint stepped down. "No questions."
Hearing the news about how dire the situation in Sinnoh truly was, and suspicious that the disappearance of his grandson must have something to do with all that was happening, Professor Oak had to turn the TV off.
"Samuel," Ms. Ketchum sympathetically told her friend as he began to cry. "We know that Ash is safe in that other dimension. We need to hold out hope that Gary's safe there as well."
But her attempt to calm him was interrupted by a loud cry coming from outside. Tracey went outside to see what was wrong, and saw Ash's Bulbasaur calling out.
"Bulbasaur, what's wrong?"
Bulbasaur pointed his snout upward, and when Tracey looked up, he knew what was happening was incredibly important. "Professor, Ms. Ketchum, you're gonna want to come out here."
The two adults slowly stepped outside and gasped.
"Professor, what is that?"
All Professor Oak's worry was replaced with shock at the being that floated down from the sky.
"Do not be alarmed. I've sensed Ash Ketchum's aurora from you." Mewtwo said floating down to the ground level and pointing towards Ash's mother. "Where is Giovanni?"
"AMETHYST! JAMES!" Ash called out as he, Steven, Pikachu and Lion walked down the boardwalk looking for their missing friends.
"PERIDOT!" Steven called out as well. He then looked from his spot on Lion's back towards Ash and saw the worry on his face. "Don't worry Ash, we'll find them."
"What? No, I know they can take care of themselves just fine. I'm worried about what Mewtwo told us."
"I don't know Ash, I mean, he came to us from another dimension just to tell you something. Besides, you saw how he threw Buck into that wall without breaking a sweat. I'm sure Mewtwo can take care of himself."
"Bud it's not that, Mewtwo is one of the most powerful beings on my planet. I'm upset because he told us he's going to kill Giovanni. You remember how dark I got when Deoxys attacked, I'm scared he's gonna do something he's gonna regret."
As they turned the corner, they saw Mayor Nanefua organizing an evacuation route with her staff outside of Fishstew Pizza.
"Looks like I'm not the only one who's scared." he remarked.
"Yeah, I guess with all the abductions, everything's changing. I mean, with Lars in space and Sadie rocking out, all we've got at the Big Donut now are Serena and Clem-" Steven began to say as they passed the Big Donut.
"You might wanna rethink that thing about not that many people working at the Big Donut." Ash said pointing inside.
Both looked inside the restaurant to the sight of both Serena and Garnet working behind the front counter.
"Garnet?" Steven asked.
Leaving Pikachu and Lion outside, the two entered the restaurant.
"Hello." the tallest Gem said in a professional manner from behind the counter. "Welcome to the Big Donut."
"I have so many questions." Steven said as they both approach the counter.
"You'll have to wait your turn." she told them. Afterwards, she threw a paper bag into the air and tossed nearly a half dozen donuts into it, catching the bag before it fell and handed it to the customer in front of them. "Welcome to the Big Donut. How may I serve you?"
"Do I even wanna ask?" Ash asked Serena.
She shrugged, "I don't know, she just walked in here last night asking for a job."
"I never thought we'd see you working here. Have we fallen on hard times?" Steven then asked concerned.
Garnet cracked a smile. "Oh Steven, this isn't about making ends meet. This is about being random."
"Are you serious?" Ash asked extremely confused.
"Yes."
I, don't understand." Steven said.
"Serena, take care of the people behind them." Garnet requested pouring a cup of coffee. She then dumped it onto the counter so it would puddle into a web shape. "My future vision allows me to see down the rivers of possibility," she explained pointing to the different links in the coffee. "Granting me insight into the possible realities our actions move us towards. But that doesn't mean I can predict everything. What I'm interested in are these extremely unlikely realities." she continued pointing to several small droplets around the main puddle. "When we act in unnatural ways, we create new, unforseen paths, and arrive at these pools of improbability." she then slid her finger from the drop to the puddle creating a new stream to prove her point.
"Oh, so you just want to do stuff you usually don't do just to see what happens?" Steven asked.
She smiled and gave him a thumbs up "I didn't foresee you understanding that."
"So, you gonna clean that coffee?" Ash asked.
"That's what I'd normally do." Garnet answered. "Let's see what happens when we don't."
They stared at the coffee for a few admittedly awkward moments before it dripped from the counter to the floor.
"We are now dwelling in a totally new pool of improbability. My future vision is useless here."
Both Ash and Steven looked at each other in awe.
"I'm scared, but intrigued." Steven confessed.
"That's the spirit! Let's get even more intriguing!" Garnet exclaimed flipping herself over the counter, shifting her body to be muscular enough so with a single flex her Big Donut employee uniform was reduced to shreds. "I quit! Come on boys!"
Garnet left her post with both boys in either arm and exited the building. Lion was already gone and had left Pikachu on one of the tables, who looked clearly annoyed at the fact he was abandoned as he returned to his master's shoulder.
"So what now?" Ash asked the Gem.
Garnet thought for a second. "Instead of selling food, let's order some."
"Like what?"
"Let's do pizza."
Steven looked excited. "Now you're talking my language!" Taking out his phone, he called Fishstew. "Uh, I wanna order a pizza."
"Ten pizzas!" Garnet exclaimed.
"No, twenty pizzas!" Ash joined in.
"Yeah! Twenty pizzas!" Steven spoke into the phone. "Toppings? Surprise me!"
"Now you're both getting it!" Garnet said excitedly.
"I guess deviler it to the Temple." Steven began to say before he came to a realization. "No, that's exactly what they'll be expecting."
"Go weirder!" Garnet encouraged him.
"Deliver it to the ocean! No, no no! To Kansas! No, to the moon!" Steven demanded into the phone.
"Remember, improbable, not impossible." Garnet reminded him.
"Where's the last place they'd expect to deliver a pizza?" Steven thought.
An idea finally came to Ash, "I know, tell them to deliver to Fishstew Pizza."
Nearly thirty minutes later, the three picked up their twenty pizzas.
"Now boys, what do you typically do when you obtain pizza?"
Steven thought for a moment. "Eat it?" But Ash had beaten Steven to the punch and had devoured nearly half of one of the pizzas he carried.
"Wait, we're not gonna eat all these?"
"Nope," Garnet discouraged him, "In this timeline, we do the opposite of that." She then looked over towards a completely random guy in the street. "HEY YOU! Have a pizza!" she exclaimed throwing one of the pizzas directly at him.
The pizza flew like a frisbee into the guy with enough force to send him to the ground. Thankfully, he quickly got back up "Hey thanks!" he called to them.
With the exception of the pizza Ash had eaten, they went across Beach City handing out pizza. Towards the end of the day, they had only one left.
"One more pizza to deliver." Ash stated.
"I think Vidalia's house is around here. Let's bring her the last pie." Steven suggested.
Garnet smiled. "That would be nice. She must be so upset that her son was taken into space by those Homeworld Gems, May and Dawn."
Ash and Steven both looked at her confused. "You mean Onion? He isn't in space. He's right over there." Steven then explained pointing down the road. They all looked just in time to see Onion jump over a fence with a large sack over his shoulder.
Garnet needed a moment to collect herself. "Sorry, I must be thinking of a different timeline."
The two boys looked at each other slightly unnerved. "Okay." Ash broke the silence. "Well I'm sure she'll still like some pizza even if her son is still on Earth. Let's head out."
As they approached the house's front door, Garnet aggressively knocked on the door. "Mother Onion, open up!"
"In the garage!" they heard the voice of Sour Cream and Onion's mother call out.
Garnet threw herself through the curtain that shielded the garage from the outside world, landing with a squatting pose once on the other side, causing Vidalia to scream in fear. "Get excited for pizza!"
Steven and Ash both joined her. "We've got pepper flakes and we're not afraid to use them!"
Surrounded by paintings of Amethyst, Vidalia was still screaming while hiding behind another painting.
"Wait a minute, Steven? Ash? What are you guys doing here? Trying to scare me to death?"
"Oh sorry, we were just trying to bring you a pizza in the most unlikely way possible." Steven apologized. "Want a slice?"
"Sure, I could use a break." she said going over to a stepping stool. "I've been working on this still life of this step stool, but I just don't feel inspired."
Garnet looked at the stool excited, then walked over towards the stool striking a pose. "Paint me like one of your Amethysts."
Steven grabbed Ash by the arm and lead him to the pose "Paint us too!"
Vidalia laughed "So, you wanna be my muse eh?"
"If it's not too much trouble. We promise to be inspiring."
She thought it over and picked up a charcoal pencil. "Yeah, I think this is just what I needed. Strike a pose."
Garnet placed her arm to her side and posed. "It's struck."
Steven leapt onto Garnet's raised hand as Ash posed down by her legs.
"Ok, don't move. I need to capture your essence." she spent nearly forty five minutes sketching. While Ash had chosen a more comfortable posse, Steven had begun to wobble in Garnet's hand.
"Garnet, how long do you see me holding still?" he uncomfortably asked.
"Who knows? The odds of us being here are so slim, I can't ev-" she began to say before a crashing sound caught her attention. Ash heard it too, and looked over to see a trash can knocked over on the driveway. Rummaging through the garbage was a small kitten with black and orange colored spots along its otherwise white body, it also only had one eye. "Boys, look."
Steven followed Ash and Garnet's gaze and he gave a look of admiration just as the kitten ran off. "B-baby kitten? Is it possible that we chase that sweet cat?"
Ash looked up to Garnet and noticed how she was beginning to sweat as if she were in pain. "It's, it's up to you."
"Yes?" Ash answered her unsure.
"Don't ask me, tell me!"
"Yes!" Steven insisted.
As soon as Steven answered, Garnet threw him to the ground as he lead the others out the garage after their new furry friend. "Sorry Vidalia, maybe next time!"
"Wait! You're essence!" she called out to them as they turned the corner into the woods nearby. The kitten ducked into the nearby shrubs.
"That's one fast kitten. You think we can catch it?"
"If we don't lose sight of it." Garnet answered him. Ash took note that Garnet looked even more distressed.
"Garnet, are you alright?"
"I'm, I'm fine Ash. I'm just focused."
They followed the cat through the shrubs, but the height was so low that even Steven had to get on his knees and crawl. After they reached the opening at the end of the small maze of shrubs, the sky began to darken from the storm clouds above. Steven pushed the bushes at the other side of the clearing and finally located the kitten, only to see there were four more with them.
"Aw there's more of them. Aww, and they have no food. Aww, and they have no one to take care of them. Guys, we've got to help these kittens." he began to grab kitten after kitten and hand them over to Ash and Garnet. Because Pikachu was already on Ash's shoulder, Garnet had to take the blunt of the kittens. "Who knows what would've happened to them if we didn't find them?"
"Alright," Ash stated. "I think it's time to stop being random and find out what to do with these little , what do you think?"
But Garnet gave no answer. Looking back, he saw Garnet hunched over, on the verge of crying.
"There's so many cats. So many possibilities."
"It's too much? Okay, can you just focus on this one?" Steven asked presenting the one-eyed cat to her. The dark clouds above began to thunder as it began to rain. "What's this one's future?"
"I-I-I don't know!" she finally cried out. "I don't know anything anymore!"
"Garnet, are you alright? What's wrong?" Ash asked, now even more concerned.
"Boys, lately I've just felt so lost."
Steven, still a little naive after all that's happened, looked at her. "It's okay, I know how to get us back to town."
"No, it's not that. It's you. You've both made so many decisions I didn't expect, giving yourselves up to Homeworld, coming back through Lion's mane. The future you've both created was so improbable that I didn't see it coming at all, and now I can't understand where this timeline is going. We're on the outskirts of the possible, following trickles to who knows where. Everyone's looking to me for answers. I can't stand it! It's so hard for me to just exist in the first place, boys. I want to love being alive. I want to love that there are so many possibilities , but I'm the one with this ability, so I've got to be our guide. I thought, if I could use my future vision to jump into improbable futures, I could get ahead of the next big, unexpected change, but I don't know what I'm doing here! I can't tell what's probable anymore! Anything could happen! Anything could happen to these cats! Anything could happen to you!" she explained as she began to cry.
Ash had never seen Garnet in this state of mind before. But before he could relax her, Steven spoke up for him.
"That's true, but maybe instead of thinking of all the things that could happen, let's just pick the thing we want to happen, and do that." he reassured her with a smile. "So, what do you want to happen next?"
"I-I want to get these cats out of the rain."
Steven summoned his shield to use as an umbrella "And then what?"
One step at a time, they managed to get the cats out of the rain and back to Vidalia's house. Steven called up the local animal shelter while Ash and Garnet kept the cats calm.
"Great news, the shelter has a foster program. They said they can pick up the pets tomorrow. How are the little guys holding up?"
Garnet smiled. "I think I get it."
"What?" Ash asked confused.
"Why my future vision has been so off. I have to change the way I think about you Steven. I've been looking into probable futures when you act like a child. I keep expecting you to run from responsibility and turn to me for help, but you don't do that anymore. Those futures aren't probable at all. There's nothing wrong with this timeline or my future vision. I just need to factor in that you've grown up."
Steven laughed "I guess I have, but it's only because I'm trying to be more like you. You always know what to do."
"Not always." Garnet answered him. Almost immediately, the one-eyed cat in her lap leapt off her and tried to jump off the table. Only for Garnet to catch her in one arm with reflexes just as fast. "Okay, most of the time." she looked up to the cat. "I want to adopt this one. There's something about her."
"Is that a probable future?" Ash joked.
"It is now. Besides, I've missed having someone cute and vulnerable to take care of. I think I'll call her "Steven."
"Isn't that gonna get confusing?" Steven asked.
"Alright then. Cat Steven it is."
"You're adopting one?" Vidalia asked entering with her finished painting of the three. "Too bad I couldn't get her in your portrait, which I managed to finish by the way."
Steven gasped excitedly "Really? What about our essence?"
"Well, I fudged it, but I think I got it." she explained giving them the picture.
After wishing Vidalia a good night, the three left the house with Cat Steven and their picture in tow. Just as the rain began to stop, Ash suddenly remembered what he and Steven were doing earlier that day. "Oh sweet Arceus, we forgot to look for Amethyst, James and Peridot!"
Listening to the rain fall out of boredom because there was nothing else to do in the empty, sealed off barn, Amethyst sat in discontent. Because there neither Gem required food or water she and Peridot were perfectly fine. James however, was going insane. He sat in his own corner of their makeshift prison rocking back-and-forth.
"James," Peridot asked extremely concerned "James, are you alright?"
The former Team Rocket member looked over towards her, but his malnourishment took over him and he began to see things. Looking over towards her, James saw not his little, green buddy, but his despised former fiance of his childhood arranged marriage Jessebelle.
"James my dear, it's time for the wedding." the southern belle he saw in Peridot's place told him.
"NO!" James screamed putting his hands up in defense while muttering to himself.
Not wanting to get slapped by her delirious friend, Peridot gave up and took a seat next to Amethyst.
"You think he's gonna be alright?" Amethyst asked.
"I'm not sure." Peridot answered her in a defeated tone. They had all been stuck inside for the entire weekend, but the rain seemingly cancelled the construction crew from coming that day.
"You know, I could just bash the wall down Peri." Amethyst suggested.
Peridot groaned, "I already told you, we can't break the barn. If we do, then we'll lose our home again. And then Lapis won't come ba-" she covered her mouth as the tears began to fall.
Amethyst took a deep breath. "Peri, do you wanna talk about it?"
Peridot sighed "Ever since she left, it's been nothing but "Oh poor Ash", and "I feel so bad for Ash". Well he wasn't the only one who cared about Lapis you know! I mean, after everything we'd been through together. After how much we came to respect one another she just takes off? Bye, screw you?" she began to cry much harder now that she had finally opened up.
Amethyst clenched her fist. "I know how you feel Peri. Back when Lapis escaped from being Malachite, I grabbed her and stopped her from falling into the Earth's crust. Some days I feel like I should've just let her fall considering all the trouble she's caused us." she confessed. "Not gonna lie, it hurts to see Ash like that. He was the only person to ever seem to care what I wanted, and never judged. To see a guy so caring reduced to a blubbering mess-"
"What it sounds like," James said finally snapping out of his trance and weakly crawling over to them, "is that you two just need to find a way to cope with everything."
"And how would you suggest that?"
"I don't know, find like a hobby or something."
Both took James's advice to heart. "Maybe that's just what I need." Peridot admitted.
"Whatever you decide, we'll be there for you Peri." James told her as both he and Amethyst hugged her. "Now come on, we can last just one more day in here."
"Yeah." the two Gems enthusiastically agreed as they all waited for the sun to set.
"I CAN'T STAND IT IN HERE ANYMORE!" Peridot suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs in blind panic. "MAGNEZONE, USE ELECTROBALL!" she then screamed summoning her pokemon. The electric attack struck the wall of the barn, creating a cloud of debris and dust. And as the structure began to collapse, they made their escape.
"Oh, Greg and the construction crew are gonna be so mad." Amethyst commented at the ruins as James tried his best to calm Peridot down.
"Oh sweet Arceus, we forgot to look for Amethyst, James and Peridot!" Ash exclaimed as he, Steven and Garnet now stood in the front porch of the Temple. As soon as he said this however, a loud explosion came from where the barn used to be.
"What was that?!" Steven screamed in worry.
"Just them." Garnet revealed using her newly restored future vision. She gently handed Steven Cat Steven. "Get her comfortable please Steven, I have to take care of one more thing."
Garnet made her way across the beach until she reached the place she called her job until that morning, just in time to see Serena and Clemont closing up the store.
"Oh, good evening Garnet." Clemont politely addressed her. "Before you ask, no, that explosion was not my fault."
"I know. I just came back because I need to tell you something Serena."
She looked at Garnet concerned. "Um, okay. What is it?"
"You need to tell Ash the truth about what you know about Lapis. In fact," she said looking to Clemont. "You both should."
"How do you-" Clemont began to ask before he came to remember "oh right, future vision."
"He's still grieving though Garnet." Serena told her. "He doesn't deserve that kind of pressure on him right now."
"But doesn't he deserve to know the truth as well?"
"If I were to tell him, my future vision about what I foresee from our coming challenges will be completely changed, putting even both Lapis and the child's futures in jeopardy. It has got to be you. Just think about that." she told them as she left them to make their difficult decision about their friend.