Connie struggles in her mental battles against the Lillim, until a figure returns to help her.

Connie couldn't get over the fact on how big this place was. So many rooms to filter through in order to get to the one room they had to get to. But the Lillim made it difficult to progress as every noise she heard almost made her jump.

Black Pearl seemed nice enough however as she lead them through the many hallways that connected the rooms, claiming that while it may take the longest, it was indeed the safest route. They remained quiet, though paranoia would flow through Connie's veins, scared for both Steven and herself. They knew they had to remain silent for the sake of not attracting the Lillim to their location. But there'd be the odd patch of temperature and peculiar noise thrown around for good measure. Just to keep them on their toes.

They were lead into yet another sample room. This one filled with instruments. Human instruments left encased in glass shelving. Three of the four were bewildered.

"I know Milky loved music...but this is kind of...obsessive?" Said Snow.

Guitars, violins, cellos, xylophones. You name it. This place was more like a museum than it was...what ever it was supposed to originally be. Steven being Steven, was amazed as he pressed his cheeks against one of the cases and placed his hands beside his head, looking at a black electric guitar.

"So cool." He muttered.

"I mean, my preference is acoustic, but this does look pretty awesome."

Not to mention far too modern. Looked brand new, like someone had only placed it in there just yesterday.

"I don't find these too important. Let's keep going." Said Black Pearl.

Connie watched Steven's face fall as he had dragged himself away from the guitars. She didn't blame him. Some of the other instruments looked ancient and well preserved too.

They left the room without much fuss, although Connie could have sworn to have heard faint music as they left. Connie looked at the others, who didn't seem to notice. Why was she the only one who was affected by this?

It was was the soft shrilling of the violin that she knew and loved. She didn't recognize the song. But it was sad enough that she didn't even see herself crying until she noticed a single drop on the floor. She stared at it for a while, then looked up.

They were gone.

She looked around as her heart raced fast enough. She ran forward as she didn't realize how much time had passed...but barely any time had passed at all. Where did they go?

"Guys?" She said weakly. Connie felt herself shrink.

Silence. Though the noise of the ducts seemed to be louder than before.

It had to be the work of the Lillim again. She was sure of it. To break out of this illusion before it was too late.

"If you're doing this to mess with me it won't work!" She yelled as her echoes reflected her words.

She pulled out her sword and looked around and continued to walk on her lonesome. This had to pass. She was sure of it. But it was like the path lasted forever. She couldn't give up however. But the further she walked, the path seemed to stretch towards the horizon. Until she almost tripped and found herself hanging off the side of the catwalk.

Whispers filled her ears again, until she saw...Steven? No. It was same one she saw before. The Steven with the Diamond eyes.

His face was neutral and it reminded her of Pink Steven. This made no sense. He pulled her back up to the catwalk.

"Thanks." She commented. Connie felt awkward as he stood there in front of her, with no emotion written on his face. Just those...diamond eyes she'd found herself falling into.

"Are you...one of the Lillim?"

Diamond Steven shook his head and said nothing. He then turned around to walk away.

"Wait! You can't just leave me here!"

"Connie?"

Next thing Connie knew was Steven standing right in front of her. His eyes were their normal colour and full of distress.

"Uh...yes?" She replied to him. She was a bit dismayed over what we saw.

Steven turned his head to see Black Pearl and Snow talking with one another.

"Are you feeling okay? This is the second time you've spaced out." He commented.

He was worried the first time but didn't say anything out of respect. The next moment was crucial for her. She didn't even know how long she had been standing there. She looked at her hands, which were shaking like mad.

"I'm...fine." She lied.

Steven furrowed his brow. He wasn't going to fall for it again.

"We were walking and you suddenly weren't behind us. You've just been standing there for five minutes. As your friend, I was okay with the first minute, then the second minute...by the third minute you were muttering to yourself..." He revealed.

"The Lillim's been messing with the human? Oh geez...we need to keep moving then! You'll have to drag yourselves along otherwise." Black Pearl suggested.

Snow frowned. She feared this would happen.

"No...they need a break. Somewhere we can hide for a bit..." She suggested.

Black Pearl rolled her eyes. Snow felt her patience with Black Pearl's abnormal attitude wear thin.

"And let the Lillim find us? No...the best thing we need to do is go forward. Not until we reach the Security Room!" She called out.

Snow grumbled in annoyance. She had to put her foot down.

"No...we're giving them a rest. Or do you want to face them alone?" The Quartz threatened.

Black Pearl backpedaled in fear and bowed before Snow.

"I'm so sorry My Clarity. If you feel it is just to give them a break then by all means.."

Break them...

Connie had to do a double take. She did not just hear that murmur.

Steven took her hand, ensuring she was grounded in reality at all times. What she saw...and who she saw. It was like it tried to tell her something. She doesn't know how Steven puts up with all these psychic ghost escapades. They confused her just as much as it confused him half the time. The next room was unusually empty compared to the last few they had visited. They both sat down while Snow looked at the perimeter to make sure they weren't being followed or tracked. Steven had Connie sit down against at a wall, as she stared at the roof for the moment, then Steven sat next to her.

She had a knot in her stomach that she couldn't shake off. A lot stronger than the ones she would have when they danced together. That was bearable however; this one was a lot more twisted and painful. There was a struggle to look him in the eyes, after knowing twice that the vision of the Diamond Steven could come back at any moment.

"What is it Connie, please talk to me." He urged.

She wanted to say so much but her throat was clogged with anxiety. How could she explain the things she's seen and heard? Her eyes went down to the floor as she sat with her arms wrapped around her knees.

"I...I don't know. I don't get it..." Said Connie.

"Don't get what?" Steven asked.

What could she say? That she had gone insane? That she had become a liability?

"The...things I've been seeing...I'm out of my mind just...thinking about it." She continued.

Connie told Steven what had been placed in front of her. She'd debated in telling him about the Pink Diamond Eyed version with him, then thought better than to try that. She trusted Steven completely. But that wasn't the problem.

"Do you think I'm crazy?" Connie questioned.

Her body heat rose as Steven hugged her. Her eyes widened at the gesture.

"No...of course not. It's those Lillim that are making you look crazy." He said. He always the one with the answers that made you feel a bit better.

"The Lillim try to divide people to make them weaker." Snow explained as she came to sit with them. Black Pearl stood in the corner on her own and waited.

"Different witness reports often project ways that can aim to make gems brittle...to make them soft enough to allow the infection through. Imagine pouring liquid through cracks in concrete. It's slow but patient."

But Connie wasn't a gem. Was she weaker because she was human? She wasn't weak on purpose. It was why she had to train with Pearl to be stronger! To be strong for Steven and to be strong for Stevonnie. Maybe they should bring out Stevonnie? To protect each other?

"I'm willing hold to those burdens as you do now." Steven said with a smile as if he read her mind.

Yes. This is what they needed. They were there for each other, thinking about the things that hurt them in order to move on. Just like Garnet taught them to. They pressed foreheads together as Connie felt her mind melt into a puddle.

There was both freedom and protection as Stevonnie. United strengths of their components. Compassion, determination, logic, hope and love. A pure Knight of the Crystal Gems.

The noises around them had faded somewhat, with the power of their minds much more forceful against the powers of darkness. Snow grinned as Black Pearl was left stunned by her first sight of their fusion. She said nothing, but approached Snow with the intent of getting them to move again.

"Well, shall we carry on now?" Black Pearl asked. She was an eager gem.

She took them around the catwalks again as Stevonnie carried confidence with themselves. They continued to talk about the next room they were about to visit. Black Pearl mentioned a Sapphire that had once roamed the halls, known as Black Star Sapphire. She once served in Whites Court as well, being assigned to Milky's team on Earth. It appeared like Milky got all this treatment like a higher clarity would as Snow had outlined her importance prior. They didn't know how important she was.

Black Star's chambers were up ahead, though Stevonnie was wary of what they could face in there as they sensed the darkness around them. Black Pearl mentioned that they won't find much, that any of the prophecies that she predicted were often given to Milky to analyze and to determine their next move.

This room had darker shades of grey and plenty of black. The flower obsession was provident, with the walls themselves holding white lillies.

"What ever happened to Black Star?" Asked Snow.

Stevonnie was busy staring at one of the large lillies. It was beautiful, as they focused on the very sight of it.

"She went missing prior to the outbreak." Black Pearl replied.

"I never got to see any of her predictions. Though, one of the other reasons I was hoping to get to Milky's Private Chambers was to see if she'd predicted any of this and a way that we could solve it."

Snow sighed. A Sapphire would have been useful in this situation. If the Lillim Outbreak could have been stopped before it started.

"I was busy in my own chamber until I was attacked by the Lillim Gem. I had no contact from Milky in some time."

Stevonnie stood up straight as they heard the whispers yet again and scanned the room. For that brief moment, they saw another version of themselves with the Pink Diamond Eyes...akin to the Steven version they had seen before. They stood before a nearby wall, face void of any emotion. Memories of encountering White Diamond flooded back to them.

It's okay. Connie thought in their mental conduit.

It's trying to help us.

They approached the figure as it stood there, but it faded away as soon as they got to it. They were confused about it for the moment, though they did see something on the wall itself. They ran their hand over it, as what appeared to be gem language started to glow blue on it. Stevonnie turned to the others.

"Hey...uhh...can anyone translate this for us?" Stevonnie questioned.

Snow squinted at it for the moment, before she walked over to look at it herself.

"HOPE/DELTA." She read.

That was ominous.

"See? I knew she knew more than what she was letting on." Black Pearl pointed out.

But what does it even mean?

"The Lillim are after something. Something specific. Black Star was afraid of them getting a hold of it. So she wrote the message down so someone could find it." Said Snow.

Prophecies and their stereotypical vagueness.