Protagonist Prep
Ch 14 Team Alien's Mission: Seeing Double
Just a few miles away from Beach City everything seemed to be peaceful and calm with nary a worry in sight. Until a massive rainbow sized portal ripped through the fabric of reality, out of the portal five figures walked out. One was gigantic nearly the size of a Jasper, one was a small boy with a strange haircut, a girl with purple hair, a insect like creature, a pudgy boy and finally a girl with long hair tied in a ponytail.
"Alright, team," the giant man said in an authoritative tone, "let's go over the mission objective one more time to make sure everyone's clear."
"Zim knows what to do!" The insect like figure exclaimed his voice filled with arrogance.
"Then please explain what we are doing?" The giant figure asked Zim who quickly clamed up, the giant figure just nodded and turned to the chubby boy.
"Steven could you explain what the mission is?" The giant asked the now known Steven.
"We're going to stop a bad guy from disrupting this dimension?" Steven suggested still new to this interdimensional work.
"Good job!" The giant figure told Steven who smiled at the praise.
"Why does this place look familiar?" The ponytail figure asked rather confused by this.
Steven agreed with her sentiment, he looked around and it looked familiar to him as well. He looked further down the beach and noticed a massive monument of a multi armed woman.
"Connie," he addressed the girl with the ponytail "This is Beach City. We're home!"
"How is this possible?!" Connie asked in bewilderment as she stared at the familiar statue.
"The multiverse is full of possibilities, so it's not out of the realm of reality for us to come upon a similar dimension." The giant figure told the young girl as he began to rub his chin in thought.
"New plan, Steven, Connie scout ahead and see if there's anything here that's unusual. Signal us if you need back up." The giant figure told the two as he tried to channel what Sir called his inner boss.
"Will do," Connie said as she and Steven ran into the town.
"So, what're we going to do?" the purple haired girl asked in an apathetic tone.
"Look around the area, if Odchodnik has operations here then it must be close somewhere." The giant figure answer, he began to walk fowards to what scent he could catch.
"Come know accolytes an adventure awaits!" The giant figure exclaimed and the three kids began to follow him. Meanwhile, in a house resting at the base of the massive stone monument.
"Come on, dad," Rose exclaimed, "why can't we come with you?"
"Because," Steven replied with crossed arms, "we're coming to be investigating a recent rash of child abductions, and we don't want to risk you getting taken too."
"Then wouldn't it make more sense for us to come with you," Vihaan asked.
"Not if the kidnappers return to the scene of the crime," Connie added, "besides, Jasper will be watching you."
"I'll watch them like hawks," Jasper reassured them.
"Steven, Connie," Garnet called to the couple, "let's go! We're burning daylight!"
Steven and Connie Hughes the kids, "We'll see you when we get back."
Steven, Connie, and the gems then ran out of the house, leaving Rose, Vihaan, and Celeste alone with Jasper.
"You guys wanna get some training done while the others aren't home," Jasper asked the youths slyly.
"Yeah," they replied enthusiastically.
They then grabbed their weapons and raced out to the beach to get some training done. As young Steven and Connie were walking through Beach City they noticed that several things were off, the Big Donut had new workers, there seemed to be no sign of the cool kids and Onion wasn't in sight doing anything anarchist.
"Wow, Beach City really changed while we were gone." Steven joked trying to make the situation light.
"Well this is different from home, I wonder what's different about it?" Connie mused as she looked around the boardwalk.
"The rides are all the same, but they look even older," Steven observed as they walked around.
Steven then accidentally walked face-first into a statue, since he wasn't paying attention. He fell backwards and Connie quickly helped him back up. "I know that wasn't there."
The pair looked at the statue curiously, it seemed familiar to them, but they just couldn't figure out why.
"Hey, Connie," Steven asked, "does that guy in the statue look familiar to you?"
Connie noticed an inscribed plaque at the base of the statue, "Aha! Maybe this'll shed some light on the subject."
She then read the inscription aloud for them both to hear. "Steven Quartz Universe: Beach City's Greatest Hero?" Connie and Steven gasped, Steven started to read the rest. "He and his Crystal Gems have not only kept Beach City safe from various threats, but have also touched the lives of many of our residents. "
Steven and Connie looked at each other. "Steven"
Connie got the attention of her friend. "I think we're in the future."
"That's impossible, how could that happen?!" Connie wondered as she pressed a hand to her forehead trying to wrap around the situation.
"Well maybe interdimensional travel sometimes accidentally sends people into the future." Steven suggested as he was surprised by this as well but that meant there was a silver lining.
"Connie if the gems are here that means they could help us!"
"Yeah," Connie agreed, "let's go to the temple."
The pair then ran back to the temple, hoping for answers and assistance. As the other members of Team Alien were transversing the area Behemoth began to pick up something on his ISO sensors.
"Children I suggest we proceed with caution there's something up ahead." Behemoth told the trio which some of them began to take out their weapons. As they went further Behemoth saw what set off his sensors, it was a tall Amber colored woman with dark orange stripes, a wild mane of white hair and burning molten eyes.
"Stay here, I'll try to talk to it." Behemoth told his acolytes and walked out of the cover.
"Greetings and good tidings, may ask what you are doing?" Behemoth asked the Cheeto woman. Jasper looked at the tall Samoan man, she was surprised to see someone as tall as her.
"Just getting some training in with the yungins' here." Jasper informed the massive man.
"Don't turn your back to the opponent Jasper," Celeste shouted as she fired a blast of magic at jasper, knocking her and Behemoth to the from farther away the kids took this as a sign of attack and quickly sprang out.
"Meteor Strike!" Gaz yelled out as she swung her meteor hammer down at the one who fired the spell. Celeste quickly jumped back, and just narrowly avoided being hit.
Rose saw her cousin being attacked and used her scythe to pole-vault herself into Gaz, knocking her away. Dib grabbed on of his bolas and swung it around as he did it began to spark and crackle, once he had enough momentum he threw straight at Rose with enough volts to stun an elephant. Somehow the bolas wrapped completely around Rose like a python around its prey. Rose screamed as the bolas sent electricity surging through her body.
"ROSE," Jasper screamed in horror. She quickly ran over to Rose, grabbed the bolas and tore them apart, freeing her.
Rose fell to her knees. "You okay, kid," Jasper asked, her voice laced with concern.
Rose used her scythe to hoist herself back up to her feet and gave Jasper a half-smile and a thumbs up. She wasn't out of the fight yet.
Jasper sighed with relief, then flared at Dib. She summoned her helmet, rolled into a spin dash, then charged at Dib with all her might. Before Dib could process the fact an alien Amazon women was charging at him something sped forward and blocked the attack with one arm, and that someone was Behemoth. As easily as one would throw a water bottle, he smacked Jasper away causing her to slide into the sand leaving a 20ft long channel in it.
"Of course you realize this means war," Jasper grumbled, her face still buried in sand. Jasper then stood up and dusted herself, Rose, Vihaan, and Celeste stood with her, each holding their weapons. The two teams stood there for a moment, glaring at each other, then charged at each other. Behemoth went with Jasper each of their blows shaking the earth; Gaz and Celeste trying to sneak in some devastating hits on each other; Dib and Rose where playing a game of cat and mouse each of them avoiding each other's attack; finally Vihan and Zim were going at it like a like two angry wildcats.
"Let's see what you've got, big guy." Jasper taunted Behemoth. He responded by punching her in the gut, knocking the air out of her. Jasper fell to her knees with a gasp.
"How's that even possible, I don't have lungs!" She then pulled out a small communicator, "Steven, Connie, we need you back at the temple. NOW!"
Meanwhile young Steven and Connie arrived at the scene of the fight with wide eyes.
"What happened while we were gone?" Connie questioned as they ran down to the fight and pulled out her khanda ready to fight. Young Steven ran over to Dib and used his shield to deflect one of Rose's attack.
Rose stopped fighting when she caught sight of Steven. "Dad," she said, utterly gob-smacked.
Vihaan threw his clackers at Zim, only for Connie to deflect them. He gasped at the sight of her, "Mom?"
Connie on the other hand was rather confused by what Vihaan told her.
"Ummm, I think I'm a bit too young to be mom yet." She Vihaan and then proceeded to side kick him away. While Steven decided to make a joke about what Rose asked.
"I guess your Dad must be pretty handsome."Jasper finally noticed the younger Steven and Connie.
"WHAT THE HECK," she shouted. That proved to be a bad time to look away as Behemoth charged towards the tiger striped gem and delivered a powerful uppercut to her face. So powerful that it caused a sonic boom and sent Jasper flying through the air until she was nothing more than a speck in the sky.
"I'LL BE BACK IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES," Jasper called out as she flew through the air. The kids looked at what happened in shock s briefly stopped fighting for a few minutes and Behemoth turned to them and said.
"May we try to talk peace now?" Before anyone could say anything, a colossal pink shield zipped through the air, and dug itself into the ground, separating the two groups. Upon further inspection, Team Alien noticed the pattern on the shield was identical to Steven's. A figure then leapt onto the beach, creating a huge cloud of dust. As the cloud dispersed, they noticed some key features about his appearance; he had dark curly hair a bulky frame, and a light red trench coat. It was Steven, the older Steven from this reality.
"Woah!" Young Steven gasped at amazement at he just saw while Connie felt something but wasn't sure what it was. Cautious Behemoth put himself in front of the kids and spoke to the future half gem.
"Be thee friend or foe, choose the answer correctly." Steven glared at them, "Depends on your explanation for attacking my kids."
While Steven was dealing with Behemoth, Connie checked on the kids.
"Are you kids alright," Connie asked worriedly.
"We're fine, mom," Rose said, "but I think there's something you and dad should see about those guys."
Connie then glared at Team Alien and began to march over to the group, intending to give them an unfiltered piece of her mind. Behemoth stood tall as he could and began to explain what had happened to cause these unwanted events.
"Well first I began to try and talk to a Jasper, was it, about this town. Unfortunately I did not realize this was a training session and one of the children casted a rather explosive spell, my acolytes took this as a sign of attack and one thing led to another I'm afraid."
"Then where's Jasper," Connie asked irritably.
"Ummm, somewhere in the upper atmosphere I fear." Behemoth told the older Connie, and oddly enough not afraid.
"WHAT THE HECK, MAN," Steven roared.
"To be fair it was a heat of was most would say." Behemoth told the older Steven with a stern voice and glare. Steven and Connie didn't back down, nothing was more important to them than their kids. They were about give him an earful, but they finally noticed the younger versions of themselves.
"And now there are younger versions of us," Steven said in shock. He then pinched the bridge of his nose, "Alright, who's been messing with time travel?"
"Don't look at us, we're innocent this time," Celeste replied.
"I can actually answer that, these two are from a Dimension not so different from yours." Behemoth told the Older Steven. Steven breathed a sigh of relief.
"That's a relief, I was worried we were all in danger for a second."
The kids joined Steven and Connie. "Since no one appears to be asking the big question, I'm just gonna come out and say it," Rose said, "who the heck are you guys?"
"My name is Behemoth and I shall let my acolytes introduce themselves." Behemoth told the future crowd, first went the insect like figure.
"I am the glorious Zim!" He yelled out at the top of his lungs, next went the girl with purple hair.
"I'm Gaz, got any food." She lazily told the group with disinterest, finally the boy with a strange haircut.
"I'm Dib." He shyly introduced himself.
"I guess you're already familiar with my wife and me," Steven said before gesturing to the young ones next to him, "these are our kids, Rose and Vihaan, and our niece, Celeste."
"So I'm guessing that you are wondering why we're here." Behemoth said as began to move slightly away from the kids feeling that they weren't in danger. Young Steven and Connie's eyes shot wide open and their jaws dropped to the ground.
"WIFE," they exclaimed in unison, "KIDS?!"
"Ok, I believe we should hold off on the potential space time continuum destroying information for now." Behemoth told his two older versions of his students with a stern serious voice.
"Why not," Rose objected, "it won't affect our timeline, and it could help you guys out a lot down the line, probably even prevent a couple of mistakes."
"Yeah, but we learned from those mistakes," Steven explained, "some of them even helped shape us to become who we are today."
"He's right telling someone an excessive amount of future information could have dire consequences." Behemoth told Rose but currently Dib was getting a little anxious.
"Ummm, don't we have a mission?" He asked his teacher.
"Why are you guys here anyway," Vihaan asked.
"We're here to arrest an interdimensional crime Lord known as Odchodnik, he's a notorious drug king pin." Behemoth informed the young boy.
Rose looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "Chokesonwhatnow? That name is going to be impossible to remember."
"Here's what really makes me mad, he takes kids from their families and forces them to work for him. All because of some stupid drug called regunitavium." Young Connie scowled as she said that but Behemoth was slightly impressed.
"Someone's has been paying attention in Villains 101." Behemoth praised proud of Connie.
"We were just investigating a recent spike in child abductions around here," Connie explained.
"Where there is smoke there is fire." Behemoth told the two groups but that just got him several looks of confusion.
"What I meant to say was that if there are child kidnappings Odchodnik might be behind this." He explained to the crowd.
"Well what are we waiting for," Rose exclaimed as she held her scythe aloft triumphantly, "let's nail this guy!"
"Ummm, actually that's going to be a bit difficult." Connie slowly told the daughter of her older self, which felt stranger than everything she's seen.
"And why's that... mom," Rose felt even stranger after stranger after saying that.
"Well Odchodnik is smart, he's able to hide in plain sight and look like a philanthropist. When he is arrested or something else a mysterious beneficiary somehow gets him off the hook." Connie explained to Rose and slightly caught off guard by the mom statement.
"She's right, he usually hides his operations quite well meaning we're going to look for a weak link." Behemoth added on to Connie's statement. They all then heard a buzzing coming out of Steven's pocket.
"What's that," young Steven asked.
"It's my communicator," Steven explained, "one of the gems must be trying to call me."
He then pulled out the device and pressed a button on it. "Steven," a woman's voice with a British accent came out of the device.
Young Steven instantly recognized the voice. "Garnet," he said softly.
"Everything okay, Garnet," Steven spoke into the device.
"We found one of the kidnappers," she exclaimed, "but we're having trouble catching him, we need you and Connie, right now!"
"Thank you, authors," Rose said softly.
Vihaan quickly shushed his older sister, "Shh, they may not know about the fourth wall."
"Actually my kind not only has knowledge of the fourth wall but we regularly break it, just look at the first few chapters." Behemoth whispered to the sibling pair.
"Ummm, even though I'm ok with some humor shouldn't we focus on getting the Gems some help?" Steven asked the future versions of his family.
"You're right, me," Steven said awkwardly, "we've got no time to lose!"
He and Connie then latched onto each other. "Let's go, hun," Connie exclaimed.
Steven leapt into town, with Connie holding onto him tightly.
The kids and Team Alien watched the couple fly through the air. "I guess we're running then."
They quickly ran towards the town, knowing fully well that time was of the essence. As they ran into down they saw the reason why the Gems were having problems catching the kidnapper he wouldn't stand still. Everytime one of the gems would make a move he would either speed out of the way or somehow it wouldn't be able to hit him. He almost got away at one point, but his path was blocked when Steven threw down his shield.
"Woah!" The perp yelled out as he began to skitter across the boardwalk and began to move in a rather discord pattern. Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl cornered him on one side, Peridot, Lapis, and Bismuth on the other. Steven and Connie landed on his only means of escape, he was surrounded on all sides. Team Alien and the kids soon arrived, standing behind the Gems.
Pearl glanced back at them, "Rose, Vihaan, what are you doing here?" She then caught a glimpse of young Steven and Connie. "WHAAA?!"
"No time to explain, right now we got to focus!" Young Steven told the gems as they began to help surround the perp. Who was trying to look for a way out but he quickly gave up when he saw Behemoth. Upon further inspection, they all saw that the kidnapper was a giant cockroach. Pearl gagged at the sight of him.
Steven grabbed the bug by his antennae, "Alright, buddy, we've got a couple of questions."
"If it's why am dealing on your turf the DJ guy told me that you guys wouldn't mind." The bug creature told Steven as he began to move his limbs nervously.
"Alright, everyone," Steven said "let's get back to the temple."
The two teams found themselves standing in the living room of the temple, with the bug villain chained to a chair. Young Steven and Connie were surprised to see not only how the house had changed, but also how the gems had changed, especially Jasper.
"So Jasper how exactly did I- I mean he help you?" Steven asked the former mad warrior Gem of Homeworld, hopefully he won't get too beat up.
"Well, he and Amethyst fused and beat me in the beta kindergarten," Jasper explained, "and good thing too, I was so desperate to win that I was willing to fuse with a Corrupted Gem. I mean, who knows what could've happened to me if I did. After that, they bubbled me and I stayed in the burning room. Soon I was unbubbled in healing fountain, though I did try to attack you and other stuff I realized something. You kept on trying to help me and heal me, somafter everything was explained I decided to join you."
"Wait me and Amethyst fused!?" The young half asked and Behemoth just internally facepalmed at what just happened.
"Another question what about Blue and Yellow Diamond?" Connie asked as she remembered the stories about them, and from when Blue Diamond was called to the school.
"I think it's best we don't spoil any of that minefield right now," Steven said. He then turned to the villain, "Now where's your boss holding the kids!"
"Hey I'm be a coward but I'm not an idiot, if I spill my guts to you no one will hire me and not to mention my head will be on a spike!" The bug creature exclaimed as he tried to wiggle out of the chains.
"Oh you're gonna tell us," Steven said aggressively.
"And why should I," the overgrown cockroach exclaimed.
"Because," Steven said as he shape shifted his mouth into that of a Predator's and hissed at him. He then turned his mouth back to normal.
Young Steven watched with a shocked look on his face. "When do I learn to do that?" he asked Amethyst.
"Ha, please a Yajuta? I've seen more than a hundred of them in a week so unless you got something else, I'd suggest you do better." The bug creature taunted the older half gem with his senses of bravado growing.
"I know a way to make him talk." Behemoth informed the group as he began to walk towards the bug.
"Okay, but if this doesn't work I'm going with plan D," Steven said as he turned his hand into a drill.
"It will but I'm going to need someone to take the children away from here." Behemoth told him but his students started to get upset.
"Come on we want to stay we're heroes too!" Steven exclaimed feeling a little angry about this.
"Yes Zim wants to see him squirm!" Zim yelled out in bloodlust.
"No, this not up for debate." He told them his eyes steely, voice strong and held fast like metal. Steven turned to the kids, "Celeste, take them up to your room."
"But we wanna stay too dad," Rose complained.
"No 'buts' young lady," Connie interjected, "except for yours going up stairs.
Rose grumbled as she and the other children walked upstairs to Celeste's room. Behemoth sighed as he got ready for what he planned to do.
"You may come out." After that sentence Behemoth's body went slump seemingly lifeless, but that would soon change. His body began to spaz out of control; his suit ripping as he grew bigger; next in some places his skin ripped showing muscle but soon metal filled in the gaps. As he rose, he opened his eyes showing nothing more than swirling metal orbs with unreadable emotions.
"Reminds me of the first time you entered Diamond Mode," Amethyst said to Steven quietly. The new Behemoth just looked at the now shivering bug creature and smiled, he stomped towards him and ripped him out of the chains.
"Fresh Meat!" Connie nudged Steven, "Don't you think you should... you know... just in case he goes overboard."
"Oh right," Steven said, "Diamond Mode." He then closed his eyes and his gem started to glow under his shirt. He reopened his eyes revealing them to have turned pink with Diamond-shaped pupils.
"Come on Shrapnel, do we have to do this?" The bug creature asked the new Behemoth in fear as he could feel his thorax being crushed.
"I haven't been out for a long so I'm going to do what I want." Shrapnel told the roach as he opened his mouth ready to eat the bug creature.
"Alright, alright I'll talk!" The bug creature screamed out.
"You can let him down now," Steven called out.
"No, I want to taste his fear!" Shrapnel yelled back as he began to lower the bug creature into his only stopped when a large hand grabbed his arm and stopped him from eating the bug. He turned to see a giant shirtless Steven with pink eyes and Diamond-shaped pupils.
"I said that's enough," Steven ordered. Then in a surprising twist Shrapnel grabbed Steven's hand and began to do something shocking to the Gems. He made the Diamond mode Steven bend to his knees in pain, Shrapnel hissed to to the half gem.
"You have no power over me all you are is vulnerable." Steven looked up at him with a pained smirk.
"So are you," he said as he turned his other hand into metal and grasped Behemoth's throat, choking him.
"Hahaha! You think I need air all I need is metal, which you gladly gave." Soon the metal fist collapsed on itself causing a scream of pain from older Steven, Shrapnel seemed to love the sound until.
"Stop!" He turned to see younger Steven with his eyes full of horror and terror, soon the metal orbs flashed a seas blue. Then Shrapnel's body began to contort and pulse as he began to turn back to normal.
"No, no, no I won't go back!" Shrapnel yelled out as he was now trapped again. The kids rushed over to Steven and Behemoth.
"Are you okay, Uncle Steven," Celeste asked worriedly.
"I'll be fine," Steven panted, "Just need a little time... and some of mom's healing tears."
Connie pulled out a bottle of healing tears and poured a drop on him.
Amethyst walked up to Behemoth, "YOU WANNA TELL US WHAT THE $& # THAT WAS?!" Behemoth gasped as he was extremely tired from the transformation.
"That was Shrapnel a being of pure evil, I had to trap him somehow so I chose my body. I only use him for more desperate situations but he's been going out of control." He explained to the purple gem.
"Ya ever think of freezing him and punching him into deep space," Vihaan asked.
"He is not the physical plane but the mental, if I did that he would just find another host. So he is my cross to bear." Behemoth explained to the young child.
Nows not the time for bickering," Steven said as he put his shirt and trench coat back on, "we have a roach here ready to spill his guts."
As the adults listened to the bug squeal on his associates, Steven had a question or two for his hypothetical children.
"Why was older me giant just now," he asked.
"I'm not sure we can tell you that," Rose explained, "because that would spoil a major revelation about grandma."
"That's kinda ominous, but what about the tattoo," he asked remembering he saw a tattoo of a rose bud on his older self's left shoulder.
Rose crossed her arms, "How are we supposed to know that, you've had it ever since I was a baby." Steven just felt like he now had more mysteries that he would experience in the future or maybe not. Anyway he turned to the bug who was so scared he didn't realize he could've just escaped a few minutes ago.
"So where are the kids?" Young Connie asked the venom in her deadly enough to kill an elephant.
"I'll tell you whatever you want," the bug screamed, "where my boss is, where the kids are, even my bank information!"
"We don't need that," Rose said annoyed, "we're filthy stinkin' rich."
"YOU GUYS ARE RICH," Young Steven and Connie exclaimed.
After learning everything about Odchodnik's operation, they made their way to his base of operations. Soon they were outside a large construction site with a sign that read 'Bright Minds School: For The Future'
"Well this couldn't be any more obvious hideout." Gaz sighed out at the disguise.
"Here's the plan," Steven said in a demanding tone, "We'll sneak into the compound and take out all the guards without alerting any of the others. After they're knocked out, you kids need to lead the kidnapped children to safety. When all the kids are out, then we can take out Odchodnik. Hopefully this'll be easier than the time I met Peter Griffin."
Peter Griffin walked up to Steven and threw a suction cup dart at him. "I'm really into suction cup darts now," Peter said without any emotion.
Steven just looked at him with an unimpressed glare, "You really have run out of ideas, haven't you?"
"YES," Peter exclaimed with eyes full of tears, "And the network just won't cancel me!" Peter then broke down and started crying on the floor.
"What was that?" Young Steven asked.
"A cutaway," Steven explained, "I was thinking maybe we could try doing them from now on."
"Ummm, I hate to say something negative but I think the cut away gave us away." Dib told the group as they began to notice the large group of thugs around them. Everybody pulled out their weapons and leapt into battle. In a few short minutes the thugs were unconscious, too injured to move or knew better than to run away; next they began to walk towards the inside of the construction site.
"Well that was easy," Pearl remarked, "maybe I will be able to join Mystery for his book club tonight."
"Who's Mystery," Young Connie asked.
"A friend of hers," Connie explained to her younger self, "he and his family moved to Beach City a while ago. If you guys end up meeting them, you're really gonna like them."
While Connie talked with her younger self, Rose walked up to Behemoth. "So why does Chodnodik want that 'reguvinatum' stuff?"
"It's a highly addictive drug similar to human stimulants, reguvinatium can make someone feel young and full of energy again. The odd thing about is the fact it can only affect adults, children or those with long lifespans are unaffected." Behemoth explained to the daughter of the older versions of his students.
"So then that means Uncle Steven and Aunt Connie are in danger," Celeste cut in.
"Yes, that is true though I theorize that Steven may be fine due to his alien half." Behemoth told the magic girl as he put a hand to his chin.
"Well I don't wanna take any chances," Celeste said as she pulled out her wand. She then said a little incantation and a pink light appeared around Steven and Connie.
"What was that, Celeste," Connie asked.
"Just s little protection spell," Celeste replied.
"Hmm, you're getting pretty good with the wand," Steven remarked.
"I have to ask a rather obvious question but are of the Butterfly line?" Behemoth asked the young girl while the other kids soon paled.
"Yeah," Celeste replied cheerfully, "I'm the daughter of King Marco Butterfly and Queen Star Butterfly."
"Well it was nice to Marco." Dib whispered to Steven who just glumly nodded about what they just heard.
"Let us focus on the mission, and hopefully Sir won't be too mad." Behemoth ordered his students while muttering the last part of his sentence.
The heroes quickly and quietly made their way through the base disabling every guard they came across.
"Well that was quick," Rose remarked.
"Alright," Steven said in a demanding tone, "now you guys need to lead the kids out of here."
"But I wanna help," Rose replied.
"No 'buts,' young lady," Connie said firmly, "except for yours running out of here with all the other kids."
"Ugh, fine," Rose sighed, "Everyone, follow us!"
All the kidnapped children followed her orders and followed the young heroes to freedom.
"Seriously the is a breeze!" Amethyst exclaimed but the universe decided to make things a bit harder.
"Amethyst, no," Steven screamed.
"Oh really lassie?" A Irish voice asked the purple gem, soon as the group turn they could see a group of ten all ranging in heights and looks giving them the death glare.
"Oh dear." Behemoth muttered out in worry.
"So I take it these guys are the big bad's closest lackeys," Steven asked Behemoth.
"Yes and whatever you do never make fun O'Riley." Behemoth whispered to the older Steven his voice dead serious.
"So how'd ya like to die?" A short red haired man wearing dark shamrock green clothing asked the group. Amethyst started laughing uproariously.
"What's so funny lass," O'Riley asked confusedly.
"It's just– I didn't expect to be fighting a leprechaun," she tried to say through her laughter. She then turned back to the others, "Hey! Ya think if I punched him in the gut he'd puke Lucky Charms?!"
Bismuth raised an eyebrow, "That's just dirty."
'Boy am I glad Rose isn't here right now,' Steven thought to himself, 'knowing her she'd add to it and make it worse.'
The red man quickly began to huff and puff, his face went red, and steam seemed to be coming out from his ears.
"Ya making fun of me ya dafty little blighter!?" The leprechaun yelled out extremely angry at what the purple gem said. Meanwhile Behemoth just faced palm at the action of the purple gem. Amethyst started to wheeze, she had laughed too hard. "You're really not helping your case dude."
"Any specific powers we need to worry about here?" Steven asked Behemoth.
"He's a leprechaun, cousins of dwarves let's just say it's going to be a mess." Behemoth answered and soon older Steven saw why, soon the man launched himself in Amethyst's gut causing her to go flying.
"He's a leprechaun, cousins of dwarves let's just say it's going to be a mess." Behemoth answered and soon older Steven saw why, soon the man launched himself in Amethyst's gut causing her to go flying.
"They're aiming for the gut guys," Jasper exclaimed, "get 'em!"
Soon the field was in chaos with everyone trying not to get squashed, impaled or possibly eaten. Garnet was facing off an octopus like creature always having a limb up on the situation. Pearl was facing what seemed to be in a fencing metal man who seemed to be disinterested in the fight.
"Yeoch!" The octopus creature yelled out and then sprayed a navy blue liquid at the fusion. Which caused the fusion to let go and try to clear her vision.
Meanwhile with Pearl and the metal man fencer was a rather strange with the metal man talking while attacking.
"I must say your style is rather unique if not crude." The metal man commented on Pearl's sword fighting.
"I may be a little rusty," Pearl said with an upturned nose, "but training isn't the first thing you think about when you're raising a child."
"Hmm, never understood why people have children to my life givers just think I'm a mistake." The metal sword fighter told the alabaster gem seemingly upset.
"I'm a general of an interdimensional crime Lord yet they still want me to be a miner." He added as he blocked a swing from Pearl. The metallic man then lunged at Pearl, but she quickly leapt back and sliced off his arm.
"And I used to be considered a living purse," Pearl replied, "we decide who we want to be."
"First I made from metal remember, and besides I chose to be a general." The metal man told her as the limb soon moved and grabbed Pearls gem. Seeing that Pearl needed help, Amethyst quickly grappled the limb with her whip and swung it around, smacking O'Riley in the face.
"Thank you, Amethyst," Pearl exclaimed.
Amethyst nodded her head ,"No problem, P."
Meanwhile Jasper was fighting a four armed creature with only three fingers on his hands and seemed to be doing good at holding the gem back. Peridot was currently having difficulty with a small creature with gravity powers. The small creature smugly chortled at Peridot.
"You won't be laughing for too long, clod," Peri roared.
She made the index finger of her right limb enhancer spin rapidly. She then pointed it at the wall behind her and fired the finger like a bullet.
The small creature laughed uproariously, "Ha! You missed!"
Peridot adjusted her visor, "Did I?"
Her finger ricocheted around the site before finding its mark in the back of the small creature. It felt like a dull drill was trying burrow it's way into his back.
"Ow, you know what no more misses nice girl!" The creature yelled out and decreased her gravity field causing Peridot and the finger to float in the air.
"A little help over here," Peridot called out. Steven quickly threw his shield at the creature, knocking her down. However that distraction caused a huge elephant like creature to try and stomp on him.
"Look out!" Behemoth yelled out as he pushed the older Steven and took the stomp. Steven growled at the creature, "Looks like I've got to teach you how I earned the nickname, 'The Forest King.'"
"I ain't interested in a long story, old man," the elephant creature said in a booming voice.
Steven smirked, "It's more of a demonstration, really."
He plunged his fists into the ground. Colossal vines then shot out of the ground and wrapped around the beast. A small bud appeared around it's face and released a cloud of spores. The elephant creature then fell to the ground, knocked out by the spores.
Steven rushed over to Behemoth, "Don't worry, I'll fix you." He quickly spat on Behemoth. Actually, surprisingly Behemoth seemed to be alright despite the fact that he was spat on.
"I'm believe that my human for might not be a spectacular choice for this fight." Soon Behemoth began to grow as his skin changed to dark greens, two arms sprouted from his sides, a huge tail sprouted from his end, and soon he was no longer human but a 40ft tall crocodile like creature.
"Oh, I see what you're getting at," Steven said with confidence. He removed his shirt and trench coat, and then a light enveloped his gem. When the light faded, his gem had shifted it's position to point upwards. He opened his eyes, revealing them to be pink with Diamond shaped pupils.
"Let's do this," he said as he grew to the size of Behemoth. Meanwhile Amethyst had O'Reilly cornered and ready to hit him in his lucky charms.
"So any last words little man?" Amethyst asked really tired of the little man, who looked up and gave her a grin.
"How do you like kebobs lassie?" The leprechaun asked the purple gem, who looked confused. Until an arrow with the shaft covered in strange runes shot through her head. Amethyst's form the dissipated, and she retreated into her gem.
"Amethyst," Garnet exclaimed. She then launched her gauntlet at O'Reilly, pinning him to a nearby wall. She then raced over to her comrade and picked up her gem, inspecting for cracks and breaks. Unfortunately that proved to be a terrible idea as she was then dropped kick by the archer. Who was a tall human like woman with long silver hair, cold icy eyes, pale snow skin and ears that ended in a slight point.
"My, my what interesting little trinkets. I wonder how you'll look in chains." The woman said as she withdrew a slender scimitar. Before she could attack Garnet, Connie threw her sandal at the elf's hand, knocking away the blade.
She quickly grasped her hand in pain, "Who throws a shoe?! Honestly?!"
"A mother who has to take care of three kids!" Older Connie yelled back as she doged a punch from a four armed red alien creature, but she just gave the elf woman an idea.
"Her nightmares sanda, her fears realitime, care- mana se dreads truth." She whispered under breath, and soon wisps of dark lilac magic flowed from her finger tips into Connie's ear. The sword fighter felt pain but ignored it but as she looked back to face her adversary the environment was different. The sky was darkened blood red, her children hollowed out and stuffed, the gems shattered, and worst of all a huge white figure was standing above her holding Steven's dead body.
"Did he honestly think I could be trapped forever?" The White figure mused as she squeezed the body to pulp. "A mother who has to take care of three kids!" Older Connie yelled back as she doged a punch from a four armed red alien creature, but she just gave the elf woman an idea.
"Her nightmares sanda, her fears realitime, care- mana se dreads truth." She whispered under breath, and soon wisps of dark lilac magic flowed from her finger tips into Connie's ear. The sword fighter felt pain but ignored it but as she looked back to face her adversary the environment was different. The sky was darkened blood red, her children hollowed out and stuffed, the gems shattered, and worst of all a huge white figure was standing above her holding Steven's dead body.
"Did he honestly think I could be trapped forever?" The White figure mused as she squeezed the body to pulp. A chill ran down Connie's spine, but she still stood tall. "You think this is the first time someone's tried to pull this stunt on me?"
She then pulled out another sword and threw it at the figure, causing her, and everything around her to vanish in a puff of smoke.
The elf stood there, stunned by Connie's indominable will. "That was your worst nightmare," she said, utterly agast, "you should be a quivering mess right now!"
Connie picked up her other sword. "It's like I said; I'm a mother with three kids to take care of, I don't have time to be scared."
She then pointed one of her blades at the elf. "Now I thinks it's time I send you back to Middle Earth... crying!"
As Connie began to rush towards the elf the ground began to shake and rumble, and the higher ups began to smile. Soon a enormous copper colored drill pierced the earth followed by a futuristic drilling vechile. The elf woman kneeled down to it and began to speak a strange language.
"Λυπάμαι το βασιλιά μου δεν θα μπορούσα να τα καλύτερα." Then something odd began to happen, the vehicle began to shift and change like it was alive. In the vehicles place was a Titan of metal, 50ft tall, shoulders wider, heavy tred like feet, red glowing eyes, and one of his arms was the drill.
"Don't worry Rania, I'll handle this." The massive machine told his Commander as he stomped towards the group. He pulled out six strange spike like devices from his shoulder and whispered.
"Seek them out." The six devices then shot out like misses impeding themselves in each of the gems.
"Ha, what was that for?!" Jasper called out hurt but not poofed yet, the robot just smiled as he pressed a few buttons on his arm. Which caused black hole like portals to open up in the gems sucking all their light into the mini black hole. Amethyst's gem then flowed and she popped out of it.
"What did I miss," she gasped as she saw the state of the other gems.
"Don't know," Steven said quickly, "and I don't really want to find out!"
He then turned to look at Connie, "You two take the others and get them to safety!"
"I'm not leaving you behind, Steven," Connie exclaimed.
"He'll be fine," Behemoth said, "he has me."
Steven looked at his wife, with sincerity and confidence in his eyes, "Trust me, I'm not going anywhere this time."
Connie didn't say anything, she just nodded, grabbed half of the gems, and retreated with Amethyst, who was carrying the other half of the Crystal Gems. "Odchodnik, surrender peacefully and no further harm shall come to you and your family." Behemoth tried to negotiate with the massive machine who just glared at the two giants.
"Ha, like I would listen to someone of your status Mangler." Odchodnik mocked the two as he walked up to the two as he signaled the others to escape.
"Oh then eat this!" Steven yelled out as he threw out an enormous version of his shield, which did nothing as Odchodnik revved up his drill arm and shattered the shield to dust. Steven pulled out two more shields,
"I've got plenty more where that came from!"
Steven and Behemoth then charged at the titan. Behemoth led first with a hand strike aimed to Odchodnik's shoulder, while it sped towards him the Cybertronian grabbed Behemoth's arm and preformed a Judo throw. Older Steven followed up with a right hook but was foiled when the robot delivered a side kick to his side. Odchodnik laughed, "You organics just don't know when to give up, do you?"
"We call it 'tenacity,'" Steven said as he spat out some blood, "it makes giving up hard for us."
"Well then it looks like I need to teach you," Odchodnik said as he cracked his metallic knuckles, "and after that, I'll take back my slaves, and add your kids to my collection!"
At that moment, something inside Steven snapped: everything went red, and the only thing he could see was the transforming robot.
In his intense rage, Steven raced over to Odchodnik and punched him in the face so hard, he created a dent that crushed his eye.
"I'LL KILL YOU," Steven roared. Odchodnik placed his regular hand in his face and felt the energon drip from his face, the crime boss just grinned at the prospect at this.
"Finally an organic that can actually fight!" He exclaimed as he began to charge towards the half gem with impressive speed and began to deliver a devastating blow. Odchodnik revved up his drill and stabbed it into Steven's upper chest.
"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Behemoth roared out as he tackled the cybertronian and the two Titans began to shake the Earth, with each punch creating shockwaves.
"Behemoth," Steven called out, "keep him busy, I have an idea!"
He then put his hands together in front of his chest, as if he were praying.
"I'll try!" Behemoth bellowed as he began to try and wrestle the giant metal man into submission, but it seemed to be like trying to grab a hold of a slimed hagfish. Odchodnik noticed Steven and tried to get out of Behemoth's grasp, but every time he got free, he was pulled back in.
"Are you really willing to risk you're life for this mudling and this planet?!" The metal man roared out as he began to try and stab Behemoth with his Drill arm. Behemoth grabbed the appendage and bent it the other way trying to hold it still.
"If it means to extinguish the flames of villainy and tyranny then so be it! Steven do it know!" Behemoth bellowed out to the half gem. Steven opened his eyes, revealing them to be glowing white. Bright light then surrounded his hand as he pointed his palms at Odchodnik.
"I call upon Butterfly's Decree," he said, voice echoing throughout the facility.
Odchodnik pushed Behemoth away and charged at Steven, but pillars of light surrounded him then engulfed him.
Meanwhile, outside the site, Connie and Amethyst dragged the gems away from the battle.
"Mom," the pair heard as they lugged their companions around.
They looked up to see the kids running towards them.
"What happened," Young Steven asked.
"The guy in charge appeared and attacked them," Connie explained.
"Well that explains that," Dib said, "but WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE?!"
They then turned to see the mine was glowing.
Celeste gasped, "Butterfly's Decree."
"What," Rose asked.
"That's Butterfly's Decree, my mom's most powerful spell," Celeste explained, "it drains an enemy's power and will to fight with magical light."
"Behemoth!" Young Steven, Young Connie and Dib yelled out and raced to the mine; fearful for what might've happened to their teacher.
Back at the mine the light faded away, revealing a still standing Odchodnik and a frozen in place Behemoth as if something was going on in his mind. Suddenly the Cybertronian took a step towards Steven it's face contorted in anger and rage. But before he could get further he fell to one knee and warned Steven.
"You may've beaten me now, but barely. Next we met and I will be free you and your family are going to be working for me for a millennia." The bot's optics then slowly faded showing that he was unconscious.
"You'll die trying," Steven said softly. Soon the kids arrived at the scene and the the students saw their frozen teacher not even moving a muscle. Young Steven zoomed to him in worry ready to spit on him to try and heal him, The reptile then shook himself awake, as if a chill ran down his spine.
"What happened," Behemoth said with his hand on his forehead.
"Sorry," Steven said apologetically, "Butterfly's Decree only hurts the enemies of the user, but for some reason it temporarily stuns anyone within a close proximity."
"Are you ok?" Steven asked hoping that there wouldn't be anything too bad.
"No, just a tad stark but nothing a good rest will fix." Behemoth answered as he began to stretch trying to loosen his muscles.
"That's good but what about tin man?" Amethyst asked staying away from the unconscious robot.
"He's down... for now," Steven said.
Celeste look at Odchodnik with a puzzled expression. "That's weird; people hit with Butterfly's Decree usually end up pale, quivering, traumatized messes. Why didn't it do that to him?"
"Maybe it's because he's a robot," Young Connie supplied.
"That is a feasible theory, magic tends to effect beings differently. Now all that is left is to take this scoundrel to jail." Behemoth added on to Young Connie's theory and told the group as he walked to Odchodnik.
"Wait what about the others?" Dib asked looking over his shoulders trying to see any other being. Behemoth was quiet for a bit thinking how to deal with this problem.
"Nothing right now, we don't know where they could've gone but without Odchodnik they won't get the operations running. We could ask for some assistance but I do not want to bother them." Behemoth answered his young student. The other gems then snapped awake. "What happened," Garnet asked, very groggy.
"We won," Rose explained, older Steven sighed a breath of relief, happy to see his family was okay. Later, the two teams stood in front of the temple, bidding each other put his hand on Behemoth's shoulder.
"You take good care of me, alright."
"Oh don't fret I'll try but you have an aptitude when it comes for finding it." Behemoth assured the older version of his student as he began to open the portal. Young Steven approached his older self.
"There's still so much I want to ask you."
Older Steven knelt down to his young counterpart. "Now I can't tell you anything major, but I can leave you with this."
He then closed and reopened his eyes, revealing that they had turned pink with Diamond-Shaped pupils. "Not everything is as it seems."
Young Steven just quietly gasped in wonder at what he just saw and began to think of the ideas that those pupils meant. Young Connie then came up to her older counterpart with her eyes looking down to the ground.
"Am I really going to be this great or this just an outlier dimension?"
"I think you're on the right track to becoming me," Older Connie said confidently, "just keep training and talking to Steven, it'll be very helpful down the line."
The young girl just gave a hopeful smile at what her older version said and quickly looked at the two children.
"I have to say you two are amazing, and I'm lucky to be one of the few people to actually meet their kids before their born." Rose and Vihaann blushed. Without saying a word, Rose hugged the younger version of her mother.
"Thanks, mom." The girl told the younger version of her Mom. Young Connie was surprised by the hug bit returned it.
"Thanks dear, I'm already proud of you." Connie then slowly let go of Rose.
Vihaan then turned to Dib, Zim, and Gaz.
"Ya know," he started, "I think I'm gonna try to find out if you guys exist here. Maybe see about meeting up with you."
"Well prepared to be amaze by this version mighty me!" Zim called out his pride echoing in his voice.
"Just try not to be disappointed too much ok." Dib informed the child, feeling like this world's version would probably be a joke.
"You probably won't find me." Gaz deadpanned as she began to pull out her game system. As the team began to walk into the portal Behemoth stopped for a bit.
"I'd feel rather discontented if we did not do anything to mark this chapter of our lives, how many of would like to partake in a picture?"
Older Steven chuckled "Sure."
Team Alien and the Crystal Gems quickly began to get into picture ready group but there were a few problems.
"Zim desist from using your arachnid legs, and stand with the children." Behemoth sternly told Zim like a parent to a child.
Zim grumbled something (most likely alien profanity) and joined the other kids.
Behemoth pressed the timer button on the camera and ran to join the others.
"Everyone say 'Future,'" older Steven said jovially.
"Future," everyone repeated as the camera flashed.
After flash died down one could see a picture of mismatched characters of various sizes, shapes, and tones. Some would be a little weird out by this but others would call it friends or family. When Team Alien received their copy of the picture they went back into the portal waving goodbye.
I would like to thank KujaroJuto/ SFSF for this crossover