Connie muses on the miracles in her life.
Connie would only have to do it twice more. She figured the more she practiced, the easier it would be, just like how Steven developed the use of his shield. Though Connie didn't have a gem weapon that she could summon (as opposed to the one Bismuth made for her) for now that what ever this unknown Aura was, she could utilize it for good.
She stared at Pink Steven, who continued to stare into the abyssal storm. It was only then she noted how long he'd been away from his human half. Connie didn't want to think about it, but she hoped he was okay, where ever they had him stored. She cared for both of the Stevens dearly. Even if this one had questionable ideas from time to time, she eventually accepted his strangeness for the better. Steven himself could be a goofball but that's part of what made him so lovable.
But the world could still be the cruelest ruler to the nicest person.
"You were born into this." Connie noted to him.
"There was no choice. But you make the best of who you are and who you want to be. I want to be the best of who I am too. I wonder, if you'll take comfort of not being alone anymore. Or even if you'll look at me in the same way you do now."
She didn't care that he didn't respond to her. She would appreciate it if he listened, if at all.
"You want everyone to be the best of who they are, no matter their circumstance. That's the Steven Universe I know."
She approached Pearl's Slate next, to the right of Amethyst. Hers was the next required. She took Steven with her as they stood in front of it. She held fond memories of Pearl and their training together.
Connie owed a lot to her at honing her sword play. The desire to be like a knight in her stories and the opportunities to become more was what she stood for. To be a better Connie Maheswaran.
Refocusing herself, she channeled her happy memories of Pearl into herself as took a deep breath. Pink Steven remained stoic, but still aided Connie into projecting their Aura's to create the Rift for her.
Next was Garnet. Steven always looked up to Garnet for her strength and Connie could see why. Being a fusion herself, she was indeed Stevonnie's number one fan. Her support for Stevonnie as well as Steven and Connie themselves was incredibly crucial and helped sort out their problems in ways Connie could understand.
"I owe a lot to the Crystal Gems for letting me into their crazy, magical filled lives." Connie said as she raised her hand to the Slate.
"Letting me become magical too...a miracle on its own."
Other than the magical sciences that allowed to be, more so than a miracle.
But there could be logic in miracles too.
Contriving circumstances that happened to be in the right place and the right time with the right fit and the right mind.
It's the same as luck really.
Again, the pulses of their Auras opened a rift for Garnet as well, though tiring as it was, it did become easier for Connie to master and strengthen. The cracks interlinked with one another and remained stabled, so all they could do now, was wait.
Though it wasn't long until she heard the voices of Peridot, Lapis and Jasper respectively. Though going from their constant shouting, it was clear to see that they were getting along so well.
They must have made it to where Snow was previously; the ever forbidden Storage Room Twelve. They weren't as slates like the others. They stood opposite in front of the others. Jasper in front of Amethyst, Peridot in front of Pearl and Lapis in front of Garnets.
Connie listened in on their chatter.
"I can't believe her. She pulls that stunt and expects us to do the dirty work?" Jasper chastised.
"If anything we have it easier." Said Peridot.
"I'd rather deal with the problems I'm familiar with, than parade in someones head all day long."
They were busy chatting about Snow. Peridot was keen on scrounging for more data. If anyone was good at hunting things down, it was her.
"She said the others are just in this room, but...I'm feeling awfully cold by just standing here." Lapis commented.
The last thing Connie wanted was for them to risk their lives. But they were far more capable than she was.
"Ugh. I still need Amethyst's help with our...thingy."
Thingy?
"Did you even read the book?" Lapis questioned.
"Briefly." Peridot replied.
"I had plans to study its contents with our favourite Recon Gem. I'll admit that human emotions still escape me."
Lapis rolled her eyes.
"Not always human, remember?" The blue gem called out.
Connie began to feel bad about eavesdropping.
"Greg said that humans can feel the same way we do. They just like to make it more complex that it really seems."
Human emotions were indeed...varied in expression. But using flowery words for the same meaning didn't seem all bad.
"What are you two blabbering about?" Jasper called out as she crossed her arms.
You had to admit their vagueness and what kind of point the pair were trying to get across.
"Lapis has been reading too many human philosophy books...dangerous to ones health ya know." Peridot pointed out.
Humanity has always been the center-point of many stories.
Connie looked around, trying to find the source of the whispers, feminine and slightly husky. It had to be Lilith again.
"I don't care about that. I just want this door open." Jasper demanded.
The truth is, humanity is just as infectious as any disease. It's its own curse unto others...forcing their views on other species...inflicting its morals and prejudices. Forces others to see their way.
"I'm working it on...sheesh. Why don't you try cracking encryption yourself? I'm sure you'll have a swell time." Peridot scolded.
They like to mark their territory like filthy degenerates. They think themselves as pioneers. Gems are just the same.
"Ehh that's what you pebbleheads are for." Said Jasper.
Then they dig too deep; their minds unable retain the knowledge in a nonsensical way. That's what makes your minds fragile...
"Shhh I found something. I got root access to the doors mainframe, shouldn't take long for the auto-lock to shut down. It'll give me time to see whats in there...besides the others of course." Peridot continued.
I'm sure you've heard of Pandora's box? Hope Diamond?
The young girl gasped, freezing in place as she looked at Pink Steven. The lotus flowers that once fell, turned into dark roses as the water returned as black as oils that surrounded her their feet.
"Lesse here we...wait...yes, we know that Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl are...here...but something else is in there..." The green gem said.
Connie looked to see the glowing rifts behind her glow brighter. She then heard banging noises from where the others were. They weren't all too loud and they repeated themselves in even patterns.
"I can hear them!" Lapis called out in revelation.
"Peridot, open the door, then shut it tight."
If humans were a curse, then gem kind is a parasite. Complete with the Lillim, which allows them to function as one entity...it will only be with the singularity...which starts with him...
Peridot then started to cry and mutter words under her breath. Deeper dread was felt through out like a waterfall.
"Stars...No...no, no, no, no...that's that's impossible..." She murmured, her hands hovering over the keypad and shaking violently from shock.
"PERIDOT!" Lapis yelled in desperation. But the Green Gem struggled to maintain her composure, seeing something she obviously didn't want to see.
To force all to be the same...to force all to think the same. To force all to work the same.
The slates containing the gems shattered, as Peridot finally had the nerve to force the doors open. Screeches almost deafening Connie, as she could see Snow with the Crystal Gems, disheveled and weeping jumping out as Peridot quickly closed the door. Connie was still on her own as she could see them all surrounding her and Pink Steven before the entrance.
"What happened? Did you see Black Diamond?" Asked Lapis.
Connie could already feel the trepidation in her heart. Seeing the gems like this...Peridot reached out to the three with equal amounts of tears in her eyes as he approached them as Snow pulled them all into a group hug. She wished to give her own embrace. But, what did they see that made them be this way? She had to know.
"I know who it is..." Peridot whimpered as she fell to her knees in considerable and heavy distress.
"It's Steven in there, combined with the Black Diamond gem, isn't it?"
A new beginning. A new progenitor. The Universe of Love becomes the Cosmos of Despair. Irony has never been tastier.
Hope's Realm then started to rain as Connie fell to her knees. She felt Pink Steven's hand on her shoulder, as a door of onyx in the shape of the temple door appeared where the gems slates used to be. She looked at her fingers that had become stained with the disgusting sludge like water beneath her. Never had she felt the heaviest of all feelings before, threatening to drown her as anxiety and fear clogged her throat.
But out came the tiniest whisper.
No...