Author's Note: Hey again! Welcome to the final chapter of Steven Universe 2! Thanks so much for sticking it out until the end. Steven's grown a lot, and this won't be his last outing. More about that next time when we get into Post Credits scenes. For now, enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 10 - Ocean Gem
BOOM! DA-BOOM!
"Wah! What the-?" Steven sputtered, his eyes snapping open as the ground rumbled. Connie was up, reaching for her glasses and putting the frames on her face before remembering she didn't need them.
"What's goin' on? Did someone get in a crash?" Greg said, as he too rose from sleep.
The back door of the van was flung wide open, and Steven and Connie immediately rushed out to see what had happened. Connie made sure to sling the huge, pink sword over her shoulder as she went. Greg was seconds behind them. They had been following the coast line, and it seemed that Lapis' storm was rising once again, as the sea was churning, dark, and cold. Steven frantically looked around for Garnet and Pearl, and found neither.
BA-BOOM!
Another earthshaking rumble nearly took Connie off of her feet, but Steven swiftly grabbed her hand, and kept her steady. Then, there was a sound like a battle cry, from a trio of voices at once. Then, a thunderous smacking sound, and the treeline of the forest nearby split open, and a huge gem came flying out of it, crushing a small grey sedan.
Steven ogled at the newcomer. She was tall, like really tall. Opal tall, he thought. Her skin was an auburn hue, and she sported a quartet of slender arms. Her light clothes were an extravagant affair, a dark-to-light ensemble that was somewhere between a dancing dress and a tuxedo. In two of her four hands there were gems nestled, and then a third on her forehead, and her eyes were shielded by a semi-opaque pair of sunglasses. The huge gem winced and pulled herself to her feet.
"Woah! Giant woman! Who are you?" Steven called up to her. The gem seemed to notice him then, and made a little pouty face.
"Oh, there goes that surprise," she muttered to herself, too quietly for anyone to hear. Then, out loud, she said: "I'll give you three guesses!"
Steven scratched his head. The gem waited patiently, holding out a hand with four digits held up and making a show of cleaning her nails with another pair of hands. Realization dawned quickly on Steven, and he grinned as he solved the riddle.
"Oh, I see! Ruby, Sapphire, and Pearl," he said. The towering gem winked.
"Right-o!" She said.
There was a flash of blinding light as she reached into her gem and produced a long spear, and then a pair of hulking gauntlets. Her hands moved lightning fast as she combined the pair, and before Steven could blink, the gem had created an enormous, lopsided hammer. She promptly plopped it on the ground before her, and rested her hands, and then her chin, on the handle.
"Put them together and you get yours truly: Sardonyx!" She said. Then, she turned back to the treeline she had emerged from. "Now, you'll have to excuse me as I cut the introductions short. We've found ourselves a new friend, and she is not very happy!"
"A new friend?" Steven echoed.
Da-BOOM! Ba-BOOM!
The rumbling again, and now it was growing closer. Greg gulped, and everyone turned to the torn open treeline. The ocean was now rocking furiously, so much so that the spray seemed to be reaching its way up the shoreline, to the truck stop. Then, with a ferocious roar, the forest was trampled beneath the feet of the approaching creature.
It was something like a gem, but was larger even than Sardonyx. It was centaurian, with four limbs supporting a long flank, and a humanoid torso where a beasts neck might go. She had four dangerous, green-yellow eyes, with slit pupils that were so thin they were barely visible. Her skin was a tiger-stripped pattern of greens and teals. She sported a massive, shaggy mess of white hair, as well as a pointy, angular gem where a nose might go. As she spotted the main group, Sardonyx shifted her wait, readying her hammer and gritting her teeth.
"Greg! Take the kids in the van. Now!" She said.
"What, wait!" Steven and Connie said at the same time.
"No, its too-"
Before Sardonyx could finish her sentence, there was a flash of white-pink light, and suddenly Stevonnie was standing in front of her, fists balled up. A flame burned in their dark eyes, and that fire caught Sardonyx by surprise. Greg was also very shocked by what, to him, was an entirely new development. He took a step back, his eyes going wide, but the conversation between the two fusions went on.
"It's time. You can't take her alone. Let me help," Stevonnie said.
Sardonyx looked over to the approaching monster, and then back to Stevonnie. Then, her expression shifted from distress to acceptance. She even gave a wry smile.
"You're right," she said. "I really can't do it alone."
Stevonnie grinned up at her with determination.
"Get back, Mister UniDad!" Stevonnie shouted to Greg, who, in his utter confusion, backpedaled out. He immediately wheeled the van a safe distance away, before getting out to watch the conflict from afar. As he drove off, Stevonnie turned to face the oncoming enemy gem. "OK, Sardonyx! What's the plan?"
"Remember what you learned during your trial," she said. "She's strong. We couldn't beat her with all of us, and that was before she became… this. You had a connection with her! If we can't take her down-"
Then, it was upon them. With a mighty heave it swung its upper arms in a wide strike. Stevonnie jumped high into the air, and Sardonyx dodged deftly backwards, before using the moment to bounce off of her hammer like a springboard. Somehow, she brought the weapon with, and lifted it over her head for a downwards chop on the huge gem's face. It collided, and the gem barely budged. She just grinned, reaching forward and wrapping a huge fist around Sardonyx.
"That's right… How does it feel? Not so tough now that the playing field's leveled a bit," she said, in an eerie, two-toned voice.
High in the air, still holding the levitation by kicking their feet rapidly, Stevonnie listened in. The green gem's words rung with a hint of familiarity, and it didn't take long for the fusion to reach a eureka.
"No way," they said, "it's… it's… Jasper and Lapis fused."
To their surprise, the monstrous fusion seemed to hear them, as its yellow-green eyes swiftly darted up to look at them. Tossing Sardonyx aside like a ragdoll, she held a hand out to the side, and, with a roar, channeled a blast of sea water up towards Stevonnie. As the water travelled it morphed into a grasping hand, and grabbed them by the ankle.
"Wah!" Stevonnie shouted, as they were yanked to the ground. The watery hand slammed them down into the ground in front of the fusion, and she leered down at them. They struggled for freedom, but they were pinned beneath the pressure of the watery palm.
"I am Malachite…" the green fusion said, "and we will CRUSH-"
Thwam! Sardonyx was back with a vengeance, delivering a commanding blow to Malachite's side, sending her end over end, flying down the coast line. The tide has risen as Malachite's storm raged on. For a moment the water appendage that was holding down Stevonnie let up, allowing them to scramble free. As Sardonyx looked down to make sure they were OK, the water snaked back in, wrapping itself around her legs. With a yelp, Sardonyx was pulled along with Malachite, and they both plunged beneath the churning waves.
Stevonnie groaned, and tried once to sit up, but found the task nigh impossible. They collapsed back into the small crater they had formed upon impact, breathing heavily. The rain splattered against their face as they caught their breath for a beat, and then, they clenched their fists, gritted their teeth, and forced themself to sit up.
"Gotta… help…" they said.
Stevonnie pivoted towards the beach, squinting to get a look the battling fusions. They were just in time to see Malachite grab Sardonyx by the arms, and, like a twisted child with a spider, yank her apart. There was a blast of white light, and both Garnet and Pearl were thrown to the beach, skidding across the sand. They didn't get up.
"Gotta… do something," Stevonnie said, wincing and limping their way towards the beach. The storm was howling now, and they had to fight the pelting wind and rain to get to the beach front. As they approached, Malachite was laughing mirthfully, her head tilted back. The human-gem fusion knelt beside Garnet, and hung their head. "I'm sorry Garnet…"
Then, Stevonnie turned to Malachite.
"I'm sorry Connie. What?" They said. Their eye twitched. "What are- No… Don't!"
Their voice warped, and a faint glow began to pulse on and off in their gem.
"Let me help? This is helping! I- I-"
With a flash of light, the magic was broken, and Steven and Connie split apart. Steven had his gaze latched onto the cackling Malachite. Connie was looking at Steven, betrayed.
"She has to see me," Steven said. Then, without another word, he pushed on against the storm. Connie stayed by Garnet, holding onto the strap that held the sword over her shoulder. As she watched him go, squinting against the rain, she couldn't but realize how small he seemed, in comparison to Malachite. Once again, she was helpless. It made her furious. Her sword meant nothing against something so powerful. All she could do was watch, and hope that her friend's plan was successful.
As Steven approached, one of Malachite's four eyes popped open, and locked onto him. Her laughter ceased, and she squinted down, trying to get a better look at him. Her eyes were glazed and inhuman, but a flash of recognition crossed all four of them, and as Steven reached the edge of the beach, the was looming over him. Her breathing became slow and heavy. Steven looked up at her, his hands held at his sides.
"Lapis," he called out, "Jasper… Malachite. I don't want to fight you."
"I don't care what you want!" Malachite roared, rearing back.
The oceans mirrored her, and for a moment, Steven feared that he would be swept away by the crash waves. However, just before the water came plummeting down to crush him, it froze in the air. Steven blinked in surprise at the unmoving watery spires, and then turned his attention to Malachite's face, which was intent and locked onto him.
"I think we can heal your gem," Steven continued, after a hesitant moment. "Please, I just want to help you."
One of Malachite's teal fists clenched shut, and one of her eyes twitched. Steven gulped as she suddenly leaned in close, slamming a fist on the beach beside him and swooping her massive head in close to peer at him. Fighting his fear, Steven stood his ground, and stared directly into her tawny eyes. Then, she started to speak, but only ended up baring her teeth and making some grunts.
"C… C…"
"Lapis… I'm sorry the gems attacked you. I tried to explain, but they were scared. They've been hunted for thousands of years… but I do want to help you!" Steven said. "Jasper… I want to help you too, if you'll let me."
Something snapped inside Malachite.
With an angry growl, she swiped her hand forward, snatching Steven into her clutches with ease. He gave a little gasp as the air was pushed out of his lungs by the massive hand he was held in. He had not the strength to struggle free. He simply watched as Malachite called forth another pillar of water behind her, and turned murderously. Her eyes glowed faintly, and she snarled again, as she started to make a crushing motion at Steven.
"N-no! Wait!"
Malachite froze. Steven looked on, surprised. The words had come from her.
"He… Saved us. We- CRUSH! He is- our enemy!" The massive fusion said, her face twitching in various directions. Steven realized that Lapis and Jasper were fighting for control. He recognized it all too well. "No, he- is a traitor! He… He's our friend!"
Steven yelped as he was suddenly flung from Malachite's grasp, and sucked in a breath to quickly summon his floating powers, lighting the fall as he landed, gently on the beach. Steven ran over to him, alongside a weakened Pearl and Garnet, and the trio looked on to watch the rest of Malachite's display. She was roaring now, holding her head and shaking her massive white mane.
"What is-? What are-? You IDIOT! He's a rebel shatterer!" Malachite said, her eyes flickering closer to yellow. She spun on the group of the beach, murderously. "We're strong enough. We have the upper hand! We have to do it now!"
Malachite lunged forward. Steven tried, desperately, so summon his shield, but made only a weak, pink saucer. The group huddled in, preparing for impact. Then, Malachite stopped again.
"Huh?"
Splash! Splash! Suddenly, some of the water tendrils flew in and latched themselves onto the back limbs of the teal fusion, forming solid cuffs from hard water, and locking her in place. She roared in dismay, and scrabbled at the beach, trying to reach at Steven, a wild look in her eye that shook the boy to his core. SplashSplash! Two more water cuffs flew in, and latched onto the front wrists of the gem. She was then hauled back towards the ocean, and held up it by her watery bondage.
"You idiot… Idiot! We have them! We-"
A watery clamp suddenly closed over Malachite's mouth, and she struggled for a few moments more, before her eyes receded to faint, glassy orbs. Steven knew those eyes, and they locked onto his for a long moment, before, with a low splash, Malachite was pulled beneath the sea.
For a few long minutes, nobody said anything. Then, a warm sensation began to slowly creep its way up their backs and arms. Connie turned to peer up at the sky behind them, only to find the sun peeking out. The rain had stopped, for now. The storm was fading away. Connie looked at Steven, whose eyes were still on the ocean, which was rapidly calming. The silence was broken only when the van came rumbling up behind them. A door slammed, seeming to shake Steven back into this plane of reality, and Greg came slipping down the sandy beachside.
"Is she… gone?" He asked. Garnet nodded to him. "Is that good or bad? Oof~"
Greg lost some of his breath as Steven came barreling in, throwing his arms around his dad. Greg returned the embrace warmly, and was gently petting Steven's head when he turned to the others.
"So, what's the plan?"
"The plan is," Pearl said, "we go home."
"It's a long drive to Beach City," Garnet agreed. She looked at Steven, who's face was still buried in Greg's chest. "We could all use some rest."
"Let's go home," Steven said.
That was the end of the conversation.
