A/N: Hello everyone, I am back with chapter thirty two of this story. Here, the search for Sapphire, Emerald and Aquamarine is on.
Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe
The Crystal Gems where up early on the day after the wedding. Sapphire had been taken hostage by Aquamarine and Emerald now they where going to get her back. They Crystal Gems left and reached the woods. A little while later, Connie arrived.
"We're all here." said Steven relieved.
"I've done a bit of planning ahead of time." noted Connie.
"Let's hear it." replied Steven.
"We;ll split into teams of three. First; Bismuth, Peridot and Lapis as they have good chemistry." said Connie.
"Wonderful!" declared Peridot.
"That works for me." agreed Lapis.
"If we run into those two we'll kick their butts." said Bismuth.
"Next with Steven, Amethyst and Ruby." continued Connie.
"Smoky Quartz time to shine!" declared Amethyst.
Amethyst held out her hand for Steven so they could fuse.
"We'll wait on breaking out Smoky." said Steven.
"Why?" asked Amethyst confused.
"Surprise." answered Steven.
Amethyst laughed.
"I gotcha." said Amethyst.
Steven looked at Ruby.
"I'll make sure she's okay." thought Steven.
"That leaves you, Topaz and I." said Pearl.
"You are my teacher and I Topaz make it a trio." shrugged Connie.
"Topaz is fine with this." said Topaz.
"Remember, we have two goals: stopping those two and saving Sapphire. If you're attacked, make noise and let us know. We'll group up and battle them using our superior numbers." said Connie.
The others exploded in cheers.
"Let's do this." said Steven.
The group split up. Bismuth, Peridot and Lapis began walking around the woods. Lapis flew ahead with her wings acting as somewhat of a scout. The three soon got lost and began to wander through the woods.
"I'm starting to think we have lost our way." said Peridot concerned.
"It's not like we knew where we where going to start with." shrugged Lapis.
Lapis landed on the ground.
"I've...never been here before." confessed Bismuth.
"Neither have I." said Peridot.
"I did when Steven brought me here after Malachite." noted Lapis.
"So which way do we go?" asked Peridot confident.
"I don't remember." answered Lapis flatly.
Peridot groaned.
"It's fine. We'll just find our bearings about us." said Bismuth.
Bismuth noticed moss on a tree trunk.
"Moss grows on the north side." said Bismuth.
"How do you know that?" Peridot.
"It was something Rose found out during the war." answered Bismuth sheepishly.
"What was the war like exactly?" asked Peridot curious.
"Brutal. Scary. Every day you didn't know if you where going to be attacked." answered Lapis uneasy.
"I'm so sorry!" cried Peridot guilty.
"It's fine. And Bismuth...remember that we're all set now." said Lapis.
"Thanks." said Bismuth grateful.
"I just hope I can be helpful." mused Peridot concerned.
"What do you mean?" asked Lapis.
"If you haven't noticed there isn't much metal around here." answered Peridot.
"That is true." admitted Bismuth.
"Plus, there's not a lot of water around here." added Lapis.
Bismuth was getting a bit worried.
"Okay, so we've got a bit of a problem." mused Bismuth concerned.
"Hey, you've been fighting for thousands for years." said Lapis.
"Well, I spent most of that in a bubble." noted Bismuth.
"We're doomed." groaned Peridot.
Bismuth balled her fists.
"Just 'cause we aren't Pearl, Amethyst and Garnet doesn't mean we can't fight!" declared Bismuth.
Peridot and Lapis where caught off guard by this.
"Peridot, you might be small, but you're smart. If we need a plan I know you can whip one out." said Bismuth.
"I do have a decent intellect." said Peridot.
"Lapis, you're one of the toughest gems I know going trough all the things you've been through." said Bismuth.
"I've dealt with a lot." shrugged Lapis.
"And I bring brute force! Together we make an awesome team!" declared Bismuth.
"There is sound logic in that reasoning." said Peridot.
"Yeah." agreed Lapis.
Bismuth turned her hands into hammers.
"Then let's kick some butt!" declared Bismuth.
"Let's do it!" cried Peridot.
Lapis got back into the air and flew ahead.
"Hey guys!" called Lapis.
Peridot and Bismuth followed Lapis leading to a creek.
"It's not much, but it'll do." said Lapis.
Peridot saw an abandoned shopping cart in the water which she brought out using her metal power.
"This will be an optimal projectile." said Peridot.
"See, things have picked up." said Bismuth.
"Thanks for the pep talk." said Lapis.
Bismuth smiled happily.
"It was nothing." said Bismuth.
"Well, we're ready for whatever comes out way!" declared Peridot.
Bismuth nodded.
"Let's get down to bismuth!" declared Bismuth.
Meanwhile, Pearl, Topaz Connie where looking. They had also yet to find any sign of Aquamarine, Emerald or Sapphire. They reached a clearing with a log, but no sign of the three gems. Connie sat down on the log and hung her head. Pearl noticed how worried the human girl was. Knowing Connie was upset, Pearl sat next to her.
"Connie..." began Pearl.
"Can we talk?" asked Connie worried.
"I was going to ask the same thing." answered Pearl relieved.
"I'm worried about Steven." confessed Connie.
"He seems to be doing fine." noted Pearl.
"For now, but this quest to find those two before the wedding, the freak out on the beach and his running away right after it happened. He might be fine right now, but we don't know long it will stay that way." explained Connie.
"I'm no expert on humans so I am afraid I don't know what to do." sighed Pearl.
"Sometimes I feel so helpless. I wish I could just stop this before it began." said Connie flatly.
"This seems to be taking a toll on you as well." mused Pearl.
"It is. But, talking about like this is the healthy way to cope." replied Connie.
"I'm glad to listen." said Pearl happily.
"What do I do?" asked Connie.
"I feel the same way when Steven has these problems. I wish it where happening to me instead." began Pearl.
Pearl felt really uneasy.
"But we have to be there for Steven since that's all we can do." said Pearl.
"What do I do when I feel like this?" asked Connie.
"Like you said, talking about is healthy and I'm always here." answered Pearl.
Connie hugged Pearl.
"Thanks. You're awesome." said Connie.
Pearl blushed and returned the hug.
"Come on..." began Connie.
Connie jumped up to her feet.
"We've got a mission to carry out." said Connie determined.
Pearl got up.
"Right." agreed Pearl.
Amethyst, Ruby and Steven where searching their section of woods. Amethyst held her whip and Steven held his shield. Ruby was behind them and growing more impatient by the second. Steven and Amethyst had to make sure she didn't start a forest fire by accident. As they came across another section of trees, Ruby couldn't take it. She began to wildly call out for Sapphire.
"Ruby, you need to chill!" exclaimed Amethyst.
"The love of your life isn't missing!" screamed Ruby, holding back tears.
"I know that sucks, but you're gonna give us away." warned Amethyst.
"I...but...Sapphire..." stammered Ruby.
Ruby fell onto rear.
"Sapphire!' cried Ruby.
Amethyst and Steven went to console her.
"I know this hard, but we'll find her." said Amethyst.
"When I think of what those two might be doing to Sapphire..." began Ruby.
"Sapphire can handle herself." said Steven.
"She isn't a pushover." said Ruby.
"See, I'm sure things are fine." said Steven.
Ruby looked up at the sky.
"I honestly think this is the hardest thing we've ever been through." mused Ruby.
"having Sapphire getting captured must be really difficult." noted Steven.
"Not just that." revealed Ruby.
"You're talking about Rose Quartz being Pink Diamond." realized Amethyst.
"Yeah." confirmed Ruby.
Ruby shook her head.
"We're over it, but that still an earth shattering thing to learn." said Ruby.
Steven shuttered.
"Please don't use the 's' word." requested Steven.
"What are you..." began Ruby.
It then hit Ruby.
"I'm so sorry!" declared Ruby regretful.
"It's fine." shrugged Steven.
"Times have been tough for everyone." mused Ruby.
Ruby sighed.
"I guess I shouldn't lose it when I'm not the only one." said Ruby.
"Hey, you have every right to be upset." replied Amethyst.
"Amethyst is right. Just, remember we need to be stealthy." added Steven.
"Speaking of, how are you doing Steven?" asked Amethyst.
"I'm okay." answered Steven.
"We can go back if you need to." offered Ruby.
"After the freak out you just had." said Amethyst surprised.
"I can't forget about Steven and his well being." said Ruby.
"You really are Garnet." chuckled Amethyst.
"Only half of her." noted Ruby.
"Ruby!" called a faint voice.
"Did you hear that?!" asked Ruby.
'What?" asked Amethyst.
"I didn't hear anything." answered Steven.
"Ruby!" called the voice.
"There it is again." said Ruby.
"I heard it this time." said Steven.
"It's Sapphire!" exclaimed Amethyst.
The trio quickly began following the voice.
"Ruby!" called Sapphire.
"Keep calling!" cried Ruby.
'Ruby!" called Sapphire.
Amethyst point northeast.
"This way!" declared Amethyst.
"Ruby!" called Sapphire.
"We're coming!" declared Ruby.
The followed the sound out of the woods. They found a cave and inside was Sapphire.
"Sapphire!" cried Ruby.
Ruby raced to her love, but Emerald appeared and out her de - stabilizer right to Sapphire.
"One step closer and she gets it." warned Emerald.
Ruby froze as Steven and Amethyst caught up.
"We've all been poofed before." shrugged Amethyst.
"But, what about shattered?" asked Emerald.
Steven flinched.
"There's three of us and one of you." noted Amethyst.
Amethyst, Ruby and Steven found themselves trapped in a blue light.
"Oh, did you forget about me?" asked Aquamarine.
Aquamarine appeared from her hiding place still using her wand to trap the three.
"You dullards actually found us...and walked right into our trap. How peachy." cooed Aquamarine.
"Now there's no escape." added Emerald ominously.
A/N: That's where we'll end things for now. So, we got a bit of character insight and have reached out climax. Next time, the climatic battle with Aquamarine and Emerald. Please review.