Steven looked at the pair of familiar gems in front of him. Lapis Lazuli and Bismuth. It was odd for Steven to see the two gems here of all places as Peridot had told him only a few days ago that the two were visiting Homeworld to check out the new attractions there. Steven listened in as he heard the two were having some sort of argument.

"Bis, come on, we've talked about this! You can fuse with anyone else as much as you want...But, with me...it's just you know how I feel about fusion." Lapis said. She looked hurt.

"Aw, come on, Lapis. You know I don't mean to hurt you. You just gotta think about the positives. I mean, we could be our fusion in front of our friends and they would never know it was us! We can still keep what we're doing together seperate from our work lives like you want by becoming someone new." Bismuth said as she put her hand on Lapis' shoulder.

Lapis moved her shoulder, clearly upset with what Bismuth was suggesting.

"I...need to be away from you for a bit...I'll talk to you in a few hours. Bye, Bismuth." Lapis said and flew away.

Bismuth turned towards Steven and sat down in defeat and glanced up to see Steven and Lion. "Oh, boy." Bismuth mumbled.

Steven jumped over and floated down to Bismuth.

"Hey, Bismuth. Um, so are you and Lapis...I mean I saw..."

"I know, we're not necessarily supposed to be here together and I didn't want to lie to our friends about us being here, but, Lapis thought it was the best idea for now. Listen, I love being with Peridot or Pearl and stuff...but sometimes I like to just spend time with one of the gems I love. Yet, I have so many gems I love. It's strange, you know? And now Lapis hates me because I wanna fuse with her." Bismuth explained to Steven.

"Yeah, I get it. Fusion is special. Fusion really shows every part of a relationship. Like when me and Connie fuse, every part of Stevonnie is what I believe is the best parts of both of us. But, you have to realise Lapis' history with Jasper. Malachite was a prison as was the mirror she was trapped in."

"Of course. I know that. It's just when I fused with...When I fused for the first time, it was amazing. I was more than just a Bismuth. I was special. I was someone new. It's one of the many reasons I had become a Crystal Gem. If Lapis would fuse with me, if she'd ever be willing to fuse, I could show her what it means to feel the way I did." Bismuth said, staring off into the distance, glancing back towards Steven and blushing.

"Well, when was the last time you fused with someone, Bis?"

"Oh, you know...not that long. Maybe a few...thousand years." Bismuth said, not meeting Steven's eyes.

"Well, maybe we could-" Steven was interrupted as Lapis flew down.

"Bismuth! Oh and Steven...you're here too? That's great." Lapis said, although something seemed off about her. "Bismuth, I, um, I changed my mind. Let's fuse!" Lapis said, her smile not letting up as she stared at Bismuth.

"Uh, Lapis...I don't understand. What made you change your mind all the sudden?" Bismuth asked.

"Just...just listen to, uh, this song." Lapis said and began singing.

"Fuse with me, I want you to see that you and me can be the best we can be. Fuse with me, Bismuth, can't you see? You and me, it'll work wonderfully."

Steven noticed Lapis didn't have her sandals. "Huh, I wonder if she poofed since I last saw her and only changed her shoes?" Steven asked Lion who had just walked up and rubbed his head against Steven.

"Lapis, are you sure you want to fuse? I-" Bismuth began and Lapis put her finger to Bismuth's mouth.

"I like the way we'll fuse together, I like the way we'll dance, I like the way we'll combine together

We'll be so much more than this." Lapis sang, grabbing Bismuth's shoulders and dancing with her. "You're the perfect Gem. I'd be fine leaving any on a whim...For you. kind, colorful and wild, constructive, and wonderful too, Those are the perfect qualities of you. So what are waiting for? Let's fuse..." As Lapis sang these words, Bismuth and Lapis began to fuse.

Steven smiled, but, quickly changed his demeanor as Lapis and Bismuth struggled to take shape. Steven glanced towards Lapis' gem. It was moving towards the shoulder. Steven gasped. "No..."

Lapis and Bismuth eventually began taking a large, large form. The fusion took form as a two-armed, Sugilite-sized fusion, her hair having a blue streak down the middle, the rest in three ponytails on each side of her hair. She glanced down at Steven and laughed, only Lapis' voice coming through the fusion. "Say hello to Bismutite. Don't know if this is what this fusion is called...but, it's what I'm gonna call it.

"It? I can't believe you. You manipulated my friend just so you could gain power from her?" Steven yelled at the fusion, summoning his shield, his skin tone becoming pink. "You're not getting away with thi-" Steven began before stopping as he watched Bismutite summon a water axe and swing it towards him. He grew his shield and positioned it above him. Bismutite put as much force as she could, large water blasts allowing more speed, however suddenly it stopped and Bismutite was unable to get the axe to move. She glanced up and saw Lapis.

"You?!"

Lapis quickly turned the axe around and hit Bismutite with it, knocking her over by the warp pad, she then grabbed Steven and flew him over into the woods near the battlefields. "Steven, are you all right?" Lapis asked.

"Yeah, I think so." Steven said, as Lion who had just warped over to Steven was nuzzling him. "It's just...how are we gonna defeat her? She fused with Bismuth and trapped her within the fusion! Her having Bismuth's capability of fighting and easy shapeshifting powers is gonna make her even harder to beat. Not to mention the water powers." Steven buried his head into his knees.

"Steven...it's like Bismuth says. We'll find a way..." Lapis began singing reaching a hand towards Steven.

"To save the day..." Steven sang, grabbing Lapis' hand.

"That's who we are!" The two sang together and then laughed.

"You ready to do this, Steven?" Lapis asked, flying up, allowing for Steven to grab her hands to fly over to Bismutite.

"Absolutely." Steven said, jumping to grab Lapis' hands.

They headed towards her to find Ruby's group of Onion, Snowflake Obsidian, Yellow Pearl, Bixbite, and Spinel, having just warped for a history lesson. Bismutite quickly attacked them.

"Everyone, head towards the woods. Except for you Spinel. You defeated all three original Crystal Gems and almost defeated Steven. I trust you in a fusion fight." Ruby said, narrowly dodging a blast of water from Bismutite.

Spinel nodded and the group ran towards the woods.

Lapis and Steven landed next to Spinel and Ruby.

"Steven? What are you guys doing here? And who is that?" Ruby asked.

"Long story. Are any of the other Crystal Gems able to join us?" Steven asked as he hurled his shield towards Bismutite, who quickly brushed the hit off.

"I'll call Amethyst. See if you can hold her off!" Ruby said as she ran towards the woods, attempting to call Amethyst.

Spinel quickly summoned a mallet and glanced towards Steven. "What do we do, Steven?" Spinel asked.

"You heard Ruby. We stall until Amethyst gets here, until we at least have a sizable enough team to take her down." Steven said.

Lapis and Spinel nodded and went to attack.

Spinel whacked Bismutite on the head with her mallet, who in return quickly grabbed Spinel's legs and hurled her into the forest.

Bismutite than slammed her hand towards Lapis, trapping her under her hand. She then used her other hand to attack Steven, who quickly put his shield up above him. It worked, but he was slowly starting to get crushed by Bismutite.

The Warp Pad activated just as Steven felt he couldn't keep himself from being crushed anymore and Amethyst appeared and used one of her whips to pull Bismutite's fist away from Steven and her other whip to pull Bismutite's other hand off of Lapis. She then jumped over to Steven and reached her hand out.

"Let's do this." Amethyst said, Steven nodded and grabbed her hand and they dissapeared into a blast of light, fusing.

"Smoky's back, baby!"

Smoky summoned their yo-yo's and began attacking Bismutite. They used one of them to tie up her arms and the other, her legs. They then summoned their last one. preparing for a final slam on the head to destabilize the fusion and split the Lapis and Bismuth apart. However, Bismutite seemed to have other plans. Water began shooting out at all sides towards Smoky. They attempted to dodge it, but it quickly enveloped them, tying them up in water the same way Bismutite was tied in Smoky's yo-yo's.

"Nice try, Smoke. But, a small fusion like you?" Bismutite said, as she broke the constraints that were holding her. "You're nothing."

"Only...Bismuth...calls me...Smoke." Smoky sputtered out.

Bismutite rolled her four eyes as she summoned more water and the water strangled Smoky until they fell apart.

Steven and Amethyst fell to the ground, feeling weak from the attack.

Ruby sped over, flames coming from her feet and hopped up and summoned her gauntlet midair, punching Bismutite in the face.

It did nothing. Bismutite flicked Ruby away at full speed. Steven managed to bubble Ruby before she hit the ground.

The Warp Pad activated as Steven bubbled himself and Amethyst for protection. Jasper came out. "My Steven, I can take care of this for you. What do you want me to do?" Jasper asked as she kneeled at the bubbled Steven Universe.

Steven glanced towards Bismutite as she shapeshifted one of her hands into an axe, then glanced back towards Jasper. "Fine. But, just split them apart. Don't poof them." Steven said. He wanted to talk to the Lapis Lazuli. Maybe he could convince her to stop hurting him and his friends.

Jasper smirked as she walked towards Bismutite with no hesitation. Bismutite glanced down at Jasper. "Really, Universe? Another Quartz soldier? My Stars, how many Quartz do you possibly have on your side?" Bismutite said, as she laughed and began throwing her axe shaped hand towards Jasper. Jasper stood completely still as the arm came hurdling towards her. Jasper waited and just before the arm reached her, she grabbed the shapeshifted hand as it pushed Jasper back, her feet digging in the ground. Jasper reeled back and threw Bismutite over her shoulder and onto the ground, the ground shaking at the impact.

Bismutite laughed weakly. "Y-you think that's all it'll take to beat me? I'm much stron-" Bismutite was cut off however as Spinel bounced back and hit Bismutite in the stomach with her mallet. Bismutite's form slowly started dissipating, The Lapis' form already going higher and higher into the sky.

As soon as they split apart the Lapis was already out of sight, presumably headed towards Homeworld. Steven lowered the bubbles surrounding himself, Amethyst, and Ruby. Lapis flew over to Bismuth, but Bismuth wasn't moving at all. "Steven, what's wrong with Bismuth?" Lapis asked as Steven, Ruby, and Amethyst approached.

"It's like what happened with you after the whole Malachite thing. You needed rest after unfusing due to the instability. Maybe because the Lapis was in full control she was able to make it out if the fusion without needing rest." Ruby said.

Lapis nodded. "Right. Ok. I'm gonna take her back to Little Homeworld. I'll talk to guys later." Lapis said, carrying Bismuth to the Warp Pad and warping away.

Steven glanced toward Spinel and Jasper who were silent, then glancing back towards Ruby and Amethyst. "Ruby. Amethyst. Can I talk to you guys alone for a second?" Steven asked. The two gems nodded.

The three walked out of earshot of Jasper and Spinel and began talking. "Guys, I know we agreed that we didn't need Crystal Gems anymore after we taught the Diamonds to be better people and founded Little Homeschool. But, we can't overlook what happened here today. Maybe...it's time we get together a new team of Crystal Gems." Steven said.

"A new team? Who would we even get?" Amethyst asked.

"Come on, Amethyst! We got two amazing candidates right over there!" Steven said, glancing towards Spinel and Jasper who were conversing.

"...and then I was left there for six thousand years."

"Yeah, well, between you and me...I think Steven is a much better Diamond than Pink ever was. Just don't ever tell him that! But, sorry that happened to you, Spinel."

"Hmm. I think it's a good idea, Steven. But, for now me and Amethyst need to head back to Little Homeworld. You comin'?" Ruby asked, as she headed towards the woods to grab her group and Amethyst headed to ask Spinel and Jasper to head to the Warp Pad.

"I think...I think there's someone I need to go talk to. I'll catch up with you guys in a day or two and we can talk about New Crystal Gems." Steven said, hopping on Lion.

Ruby nodded and waved as she headed towards the forest.

Steven glanced at his phone. It was already evening. He'd have to talk with him tomorrow... "Lion, take me back to Empire City. I think I need to get some rest." Steven said, yawning.

Lion obliged and roared, a portal opening and Lion hopping through it.

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"So, what do you say, love? Are you in?"

"Yes. Anything to stop my worst enemy and his team."