Stevonnie finds themselves in a very bizarre situation.

Water. It felt they were floating in it again. They could breath but their movements were dictated by the amount of false currents that rippled around them. It was peaceful, but it was dark. Stevonnie couldn't remain in comfort of the darkness for too long. But they felt empty, a part of them missing in this instance. A crevice left unfilled where no small increment would be able to make it whole.

It wasn't about the hows and whys, but the line of being in there and not there was blurred. A half existence, half way through a door to find out you forgot why you're there. What was your purpose again? You expected an answer from the other side. The reason it beckoned you to come through held dead words and a pair of soulless eyes watched you from the shadows. Watching, waiting. It didn't judge. It simply observed and yet it moved when they moved.

They raised an arm and noticed how pink it had gotten.

They raised both arms. That too was the same.

Images of that day in White Diamonds mecha flashed through their mind that made them feel odd emotions. Painful. Excruciating. Words, thoughts had become incomprehensible and lost sense in them in the ocean of panic.

"It's time to come out...Pink!"

She'd dug her fingernails around their gem and then they felt it.
They wanted to scream but the twister of their fear, their anxiety blocked their throat. Their body pushed against it and in the moments before pure darkness, was the cold light of her eyes.

Is this death? Was this what it was? It could have happened sooner at the Trial. Seeing Blue and Yellow, their fellow Diamonds, bickering over their fate.
It could have happened even earlier with their body rapidly aging, with the Gems arguing about what they should do.
It could have happened many times.

Why?

Why can't they control their own fate?

Why can't they stop it hurting so badly? They hated seeing others hurt. But...

They were hurting immensely. From everything. A suffering transferred to them.

No. Their mom didn't mean to. They knew this. But...

Rose...Pink...Steven...

They felt their aura fade.

It hurt so much as they felt hollow inside.

A ringing sound echoed in their ears. They heard someone call their name?

Rose?...Pink?.

No.

Steven.

They lost the vision shortly after and returned to the watery shadows. The next thing they noticed were the dark and stormy clouds in the distance. It struck fear in Stevonnie, but they felt compelled to endure it, for what ever reason. The static and the harsh noises echoed through this blackened, watery realm. The sounds were...different this time however. They could make out a muffled cry that called out over and over, intermingled with another cry. Stevonnie tried hard to hone in, but they didn't need to as the cries got louder.

GETOUTHELPMEGETOUTHELPMEGETOUTHELPMEGETOUTHELP...

They sounded like...

"STEVEN!"

They were met with a mighty thud on their back as the sight of the the grey ceiling came into vision, with the light almost blinding them. They got up off the floor and realized they were still in the hallway and left heaving deep breaths into themselves in their attempt to return to solid existence.

"This doesn't feel right." They said.

"I don't feel right..."

They found Connie's sword on the floor and picked it up and looked into their reflection. Stevonnie...but a pinker Stevonnie...with the cotton candy pink hair tied up with Connie's scrunchy. Her dads jacket remained, with her turquoise shirt cropped at the waist, showing off Steven's gem and her jeans that acted like three quarter pants, but the shoes had disappeared, like usual and continuing to hold Stevonnie's black eyes. They sighed and sheathed the blade. They had to make do with the situation at hand, having no choice but to carry forward. They still had Snow's gem on them...

"I'd give anything for your help about now." They said.

"You only knew Connie for a short while but you mean a lot to her. You mean a lot to Steven."

It was then a series of flowers appeared on the ground, popping out from themselves to down the hallway. It was the blue zinnias again. They knew they were trying to tell them something. So they followed.

They came across a door on the right hand side that was signed with the gem language, but the top of it had an odd white multifacted sphere. Stevonnie couldn't get in, until it scanned Snow's gem. It flashed green as the doors slid open for them.

The room was dark but it was very similar to the sample rooms with the large water filled tubes and all. It was mostly white with odd equipment that would match most laboratories. Stevonnie saw a single Thought Marker on one of the back benches, whom the wall it had leaned against having multiple diagrams and so forth. Stevonnie felt guilty for using Snow's gem like this, but if the sphere above the door worked on an inactive gem, it would work on the Thought Marker.

Again, Stevonnie utilized the light source to pour it into the Marker. Not before long, the Marker floated there and out appeared a projection of Milky Quartz.

"TM MQ 4453 - This marks the beginning of our newest project. I'm not sure with Black Stars apparent predictions on the time frame that this will finish, but Diga's adamant it will be in time for the Invasion. I don't understand. The Lillim we shut away in the Sealed Cores all those years ago, that Diga helped us create, are sealed deeper down in the facility. The only people who will have access to Core Storage room are myself and Pyrope. The rest of the Snow Quartzes will be the inherent guardians of this place, protecting it from outer forces, especially the humans but they won't be able to get in either. So unless that there was another Queen on another planet, I have high doubts about this. But...still. I trust Black Star. She is one of Whites Diamonds more powerful Sapphires after all. She's the reason we're here.

I know Homeworld after Pink Diamonds demise had been acting irrational as of late. Diga pointed out that Blue Diamond and Yellow Diamond had us fight off the Lillim so Blue Diamond could colonize it, but the truth? She believes that they sent us off there to die. But I don't get it. It was a Rose Quartz that shattered her. Not a Snow Quartz! All our prior problems however, could have swayed them in that direction. Blue believes in preservation and not wanting to put good functioning gems to waste, so instead put us all on a suicide mission for the sake of a single colony!

But I weep for my poor protege Snowflake. A brilliant Snow Quartz who sacrificed herself to save us. Her shattered, infected pieces lay here in this watery chassis before me. Diga claims we can try and put her back together and to try and maintain much of her personality as possible. Her faithful Labradorite sits here with me. Poor thing, misses her partner so much and barely moves. I'm not sure if we'll even be successful, but with Diga on our side and even though she's an organic, she's entirely confident that this will all work out."

The projection then disappeared as Stevonnie caught the marker. That was so much to take in. So much to consider. Heavy footsteps then rang in their ears as Stevonnie hid underneath a nearby desk. The sound of the doors opening had them to catch themselves mid gasp as they slapped their hand over their mouth. There was a tiny gap between the desk's wall base and the floor, seeing a pair of black legs with beige and black feet. They walked towards the back tube and started to tinker with it, they then punched the tube and broke it entirely as it sent glass and water everywhere.

Jasper...Stevonnie muttered.

"Stupid. First I gather the data, then she has me capture the human and that pink beast outside because SOMEHOW THE CRYSTAL GEMS HAVE GOTTEN INSIDE THE FACILITY AND NOW THEY'RE ROAMING AROUND...no doubt they'll come for me...but I'll be ready to tear them apart if they dare try." She cried out in frustration.

Greg and Lion must have been captured. Gosh, it all suddenly got worse. Jasper dug her fingers into her scalp and growled.

"Ugh...you'd think after being fooled a few times I would have learned my lesson. But now...I don't even know."

If anything else, Stevonnie felt pity. Steven, Amethyst and even Peridot tried to get her included into their activities. The Book Club Sessions were the furthest they'd ever gotten to her. Even then, she remained solitary.

"And...Pink Diamond. You were so close...yet..."

A hand rested on their stomach, as Stevonnie examined it closely.

"I don't even understand anymore."

She turned around to smash the desk they were under, which forced Stevonnie to roll out from under it as she did so. Such an act stunned Jasper as she slowly went to look at them with widened eyes. Stevonnie stood there as Jasper tried to grasp on what just happened and who exactly she was staring at.

"You..." She said with a low growl.

There was a minor bout of panic that flowed through them as Stevonnie went on the defense. But as Jasper looked at them from top to bottom several times, it made her even more confused.

"You're that...how..."

Stevonnie made the decision to pry information out of Jasper...or else they'd have to fight her for it.

"Where are they?" Stevonnie called out. They were prepared to bring out the blade and shield if necessary. But Stevonnie wanted to wait until Jasper had the chance to explain herself.

"What?" Said Jasper.

If there was anyone who needed Snow's guidance, it was Jasper. They'd hoped to get her to open up about herself to the caring Quartz.

"Where...are...they?" Stevonnie called out once more, their face turning serious.

Jasper made an annoyed grunt.

"I don't know. I'm just the gem that delivers...and she just takes them where ever she pleases. But she's...she's kept up with making broken promises, that's for sure." She said as her body language softened.

Stevonnie was still tense, but they relaxed a little as they were willing to listen to her reasons.

"What did you she promise you?" Stevonnie questioned.

It surprised Stevonnie to see Jasper blushing like she did, a type of awkwardness they'd come to know, but normally you'd see Jasper hyper aggressive. It still took some getting used to.

A bashful Jasper meant something else.

"She...she promised me that I'd see Pink Diamond again." She claimed.

What kind of cruel person promises that?

Jasper explained further on, even given the situation that had been explained to her by Amethyst, Jasper had a lot to think about regarding her actions. She'd been confused and left directionless for months, until they convinced her to join the Book Club.

"She went on and on how she held the schematics to revive gems. I believed her, but part of me, especially after what...Ro-Pin...ughhh Steven said...my doubt was still my greatest weakness."

Being corrupted like Jasper had been brought on the flurry of vivid imagery thanks to Steven's gem. It looked horrible.

"You can still do some right." Stevonnie assured her.

Jasper shook her head in disagreement.

"It's not about being right or wrong here. It's about purpose. We were made to fight..and..."

A gem like Jasper built to become the perfect warrior, from the day she popped out of the Earth. But what would happen once the fighting was over?

"We were also created to love Pink Diamond." Jasper said, her voice low.

"She was the only one who deserved it."

Then she was 'shattered'.

"I was left standing there, feeling like a total failure. What's the point of being perfect when you're only good at one thing, then you fail at that too. Another Diamond takes you in, sees you for what you're worth. I felt...important...I felt needed."

One feeling was missing.

"But you didn't feel loved." Stevonnie continued.

Jasper remained silent as she looked to the floor. It would have explained a lot, considering Pink Diamonds actions towards her subjects were the best anyone who understood hope, could indeed, hope for.

"If you want to know what the Pyrope has me doing, she has me trying to find Milky's Thought Markers." Jasper revealed.

"We can't open them without a Snow Quartz gem though."

The key was in the Markers after all. Stevonnie showed Snow's gem in her hand to Jasper.

"Oh...how convenient you should be the one to hold it." Jasper commented sarcastically.

Stevonnie smiled.

"Come on Jasper. You don't need to serve Pyrope or anyone else anymore. You serve yourself now." They told her.

Another groan. How would Steven put it? Stevonnie then donned the cutest face they could muster in an attempt to use Steven's infamous charm to persuade the poor Quartz.

"Or...if you need to feel love, I could be your friend. After all I hold a Gem of a Diamond of Love. We all would love to be your friend if you're willing."

Jasper clenched her fist as she was tempted to strike. Stevonnie held no fear of any attack that would be against them, as it was easy to see that Jasper was too busy fighting herself. Her own, millennia worth of programming. She then sighed.

"Pyrope would have me dump the goods in a predetermined room in the upper levels. I'd never see where she'd take what I'd given her, only that she'd refer them as Faraday Rooms, in which I'd have to clue what they are, what they contained and their general location." Jasper explained.

"I wasn't lying when I said I didn't know where the others were. She had me capture the human and the animal...who did put up more of a fight than I imagined...then deliver them to her. So they could be anywhere...down here, another planet who knows. This place is more like a maze than a properly built gem establishment."

That didn't help. Maybe Pyrope didn't put that much faith in Jasper after all.

"But she was so sure these labs down here contained information about the project Milky was working on. I did find this Thought Marker in another room, if you wanted to give it a try."

Of course. They were glad Jasper had started to see the light. But Stevonnie couldn't help but think about Steven as their face fell briefly. They didn't have time to find small, insignificant balls. Steven was out there...possibly dying without his gem. They felt conflicted as they stared at Snow's gem. They took a deep breath.

"Sure. Let's do it!" They said as they forced out an air of confidence from their lips.

Jasper held the marker in her hand, as Stevonnie sprayed light from Snow's gem. Again, the feeling of taking advantage of her limbo state weighed heavily on them and they hoped they'd get the chance to regenerate very soon so Snow could do this on her own terms.

"TM MQ 5426 - Diga's helped me reform Snowflake by using the remainder of her shards mixed with in with a new gem creation that went awry. Its horrible but she says it was a blessing in disguise. Only problem is stablizing the gems form into something that wasn't going to go crazy or fall apart straight away. I've never done this before in all honesty. I'd rather Pyrope handle this but Diga tells me to keep it away from her. Does she worry that the Garnet will tell Homeworld on what we're really doing? I don't know. Pyrope's always been the odd one but she's a Kindergartner by design! She could prove useful. I bring the topic up constantly and Diga outright says no every time.

What surprised me was...Diga's contribution to it all. She's got this power about her she said she'll impart to Snowflake and warned me that she might not come out the same way but twice as stronger. She'll be able to preserve a large drive of her memories but not necessarily her personality. I love Snowflake with all my gem, but...what's the point of having the memories if the personality isn't there to back it up? But that's the case with Personality Purges. Not to mention the other Quartz gems who popped out stillborn from the Alpha Kindergarten. They contained power but no sentience by default.

I feel like I was out of my mind when I gave her...well, her own room to work in. She claims she's not a homo sapien, but a homo magia, a kind of offshoot relative. Maybe...for someone who's observed the humans for a while, I've never known anyone like Diga before. She told me I'm the only one allowed in her room to check on Snowflake's progress once we get the shards into her quarters. I don't know what technology or magic Diga uses to do this, but it must be known to them. Black Star trusts her. In fact, the Sapphire was the first one to mention that Diga was the one to pull out us out into the fold and help us out with our future. Black Pearl remained indifferent as usual.

But progress on our current, main project is doing well. The experiences with the other Kindergartens has given us a well inclined understanding of gem construction overall. I'm new to the construction process but I'm not sure why White Diamond of all people picked me to do this. What else did Black Star see?"

Stevonnie could immediately see by the strained looked on Jaspers face that she was not at all comfortable with this on the whole as she went to go sit down, as if trying to absorb what Milky was saying. Stevonnie did understand some of the terminology and it made them absolutely disturbed by the notation of it. But they'd never heard of any Homo Magia species before. So many questions, so little answers. They sat by Jasper whom just couldn't wrap her head around it.

"Jasper?" Said Stevonnie.

The Quartz ran her fingers over her scalp.

"What...what they did was wrong...resurrecting a dead gem..." She said.

"A Gem who gets shattered...stays shattered."

That surprised Stevonnie. Jasper would have known about the...cluster and the fused experiments too.

"Yet, you want Pink Diamond back..." They pointed out.

Jasper slammed the floor, sending off a minor shake in the ground.

"They get shattered because they're weak or they're a rebel. That's final for us." The gem continued.

"But..."

Stevonnie shifted as they heard whispers nearby. The Lillim were close.

"Jasper..." Stevonnie muttered.

"You know the darkness that lies down here. If left unchecked, it'll reek havoc on the surface. Milky was preparing for this and she helped create something to fight it. What she did was immoral, but I've heard tales of the Lillim from this Snow Quartz. They infect gems...then...nothing of that gem remains, only leaving behind a thoughtless monster. You don't want that."

Again...

Corruption was well known to Jasper, so she looked at the green patch on her left hand. She did not want to return to such a state. Stevonnie could sense her ire and the copious amounts of inflamed conflicts that raged within her and rested their hand on hers.

"You are a strong gem and I need your help to solve this and look..."

Stevonnie then took it and rested Jaspers hand on their gem. Jasper was shocked as her fingers ran around it, who then blushed in response to touching it.

"Your Diamond is right here. Safe as us. I know she's not what you expected but I'm a hundred percent sure she would want you to fight this. We want you to fight this."

In reality, yes...she would. But she was gone and only Steven remained...even if his human side wasn't with them, Stevonnie knew Steven would want this for Jasper too.

They noted Jaspers stare as she looked at Stevonnie. Her eyes widened as Stevonnie noted their own diamond designs as they looked into the reflection of Jaspers.

"You...you're right." Jasper admitted with her body relaxing, as if letting go of her hate.

"We have no time to be confused. Pyrope only told me two things. One, the Delta Kindergarten is to the north of here, but there isn't any current way to access it...and two, she has her own chambers in the south eastern parts of the Delta Strut. If...Steven was anywhere...alongside the other human and that beast thing, I have a suspicion that they're there."

Finally. Though they had to debate on how they would even get to either of them.

"There are locked entrances that I've not be been able to get into without Pyrope being with me. I'd planned on smashing the doors, but they're too sturdy and tough. They didn't skimp on their security down here."

Which was why Jasper needed the Snow Quartz gem. Stevonnie looked it in her hand.

"She's apparently got other more important duti- WOAH."

Another hellish growl echoed as the room shook from its force. Jasper embraced Stevonnie, wrapping her arms and pushing their bodies together to protect them from oncoming objects that fell from above, then swirled themselves around as Jasper used her body as a shield while they laid on the floor and waited for the tremors to cease. They stopped after a moment, as Jasper lifted her head to look at the fusion. Suffice to say, Stevonnie was too stunned to move.

"You alright?" Jasper asked.

"My Diamond?"

It was a strange feeling to be called that. Steven's memories told Stevonnie that they'd preferred to be called their normal name by default, but given how fragile Jaspers mental state was, it was better for her to be what Jasper needed and depended on for a source of strength, if that's what made her comfortable and able to be functional to an extent.

"I umm...I'm fine...if you could get off me. Please." They told her.

Jasper swallowed as she jumped off them, then bashfully gave her hand and remained quiet as Stevonnie took it and got on their feet.

"According to Pyrope, that's our...salvation as she calls it." Jasper commented with ire.

Nothing in existence would call something that comes out of hell, salvation. Quite the contrary. If they had to do anything, it had to be now. The pair ran outside as Jasper lead them towards Pyrope's Chambers.