How do you know it'll work?

It'll work. Trust me.

And if it fails?

Then it's all our faults. Not just one individual's.

There is absolutely no direct event, nor recourse, in which the rouge Rose Quartz will ever surrender.

That's what the plan is for.

Your plan is flawed!

OUR plan is good enough. All the information we have will suffice for the plan to...well, work. Rough edges are to be expected with situations as desultory as these are. It's not like we've face something like this before. In fact, I'd say the plan's almost perfect.

As perfect as can be!

Oh, hush, Aquamarine! You ALWAYS agree with him. Whether or not this concerns you people, the Diamonds will have MY head if this plan falls through! This had better work!

This WILL work. Maybe instead of throwing a fucking fit, you could have some confidence in us, Agate.

I told you thousands of times, my name is Holly Blue Agate. Gems like you never get to call me Agate.

Please, don't doubt the plan, nor us. We will complete it with your life intact.

And we all here will ensure that this meeting, as well as its alluring, yet incriminating contents, is kept from the Diamonds' records, correct?

They won't even hear a whisper.

Then it's settled. We know our positions and tasks. Let us carry them out and pray this makeshift To-Do list of a plan works.

Do trust in the plan, Agate, and the plan will trust in you. The Crystal Gems won't leave this gem to die.

Just make sure that it's a gem that Rose Quartz can't leave to die. Anything else is superfluous.

With pleasure.

Rubbing my eyes, I rise from my bed. Still kind of tired. Every time that flightless bird Pearl stares at me while I sleep, I tend to get much less fucking rest. Speak of the she-beast, there she is, with breakfast at the foot of my bed.

She's incredibly lucky that french toast sounded good today.

After drudging through the usual morning routine, I do what I always do and enter the kitchen. Amethyst, lazing around with her phone out, Pearl tidying up the house, and Garnet...not here? Hmm. Usually, Garnet's chewing out Amethyst for her idleness and carelessness by now. Maybe she's training in her room.

But just then, the door gently opened. Garnet slid through and closed the door shut, exhaling in relief.

"Garnet?" I asked.

Garnet flinched and quickly turned around towards us. With a half-stern, half-worried face, she cleared her throat.

"Y-Yes, Steven?" She said, breaking into a nervous smile.

"Where've you been?"

"Yeah, G. Aren't you gonna belittle my working habits?" Amethyst asked, not even peeking away from her phone.

"Oh, uh! Just out. Yep. I sometimes look out to sea...you know. It's peaceful, wouldn't you all agree?" Garnet answered.

"Oh, do I hear you, Garnet. A tranquil stroll really clears the mind, doesn't it?" Pearl added in.

"Sure does..."

"Hmm." I grunt to myself.

Garnet's been kinda off lately. I suppose Ruby and Sapphire are still trying to find the swing of things again.

"So, was it calming?"

"Very."

"What was on your mind?"

"N-Nothing! Uh, nothing important, that is. It-it's very irrelevant now, actually. No problem."

'No problem' huh? Well, I don't really believe that.

"Say, have you been to the barn today, Steven?" Garnet asked.

"No. Not at all today." I rubbed my neck.

"Ah, good." She muttered.

"Is there something going on with the barn?"

"What? Of course not. Same old, same old. It's the same as it has always been."

"Ok...but how do you know that?"

Garnet's smile dripped into a more mild expression.

"Uh..." Garnet tried to answer.

"Weren't you just looking at the sea, relaxing your nerves?"

"Oh, Steven. What does it matter? These questions are getting ridiculous." Pearl chuckled to herself.

"Yeah, Mr. Analytical." Amethyst said.

"Yeah, Mr. Analytical." Pearl teased.

"Y-Yeah...Mr. Analytical. Heh, heh. Soo...analyzing." Garnet said.

Inquisitively, I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms. Garnet cleared her throat and wiped some sweat off of her face.

"Anyways, on a completely unrelated note, I'll be heading into my room now. I'll be with you all again later on today." She said.

Garnet proceeded to activate her door, hastily walking into her private quarters. I turned around and stared at the oblivious gems.

"So you're just gonna ignore that she's hiding something?" I asked them.

"Oh, Steven." Pearl said sweetly as she laid her hand on my shoulder.

"Of course not! What is she keeping from us?!"

"What the hell is she hiding? It's G! What secrets does she even keep? Does she wear a wig? Does she hoard garden gnomes in a undisclosed garage? Is she even black?" Amethyst frantically blurted.

"No, probably not, and really, Amethyst? Really? You know gems don't even have an ethnicities, let alone an actual, human-labeled race." I replied.

"Yeah, but with Garnet, it could literally be anything."

"Barring Amethyst's guesses, Garnet is a gem of mystery. The most embarrassing thing I know of her involves her not liking classical music!"

"Pearl, how is that even an embarrassment?" I sighed.

"You sit there and tell me Beethoven and Verdi don't elevate your state of being to heights unknown by the savages who willingly omit of all things cultured and admirable from their primitive lives."

"W-What? Whatever. Listen, you two. I'm sure it's just something...simple. Everyone hides things from others. It's how society works. Whatever she's hiding must be nothing important." I lied, attempting ease their minds while I only tortured my own.

I knew what Garnet was hiding. Ok, well...maybe not exactly what, but I know it involves Lapis. Garnet hasn't been the same when Ruby and Sapphire fused back together. Could Ruby really be affecting their form that much? Damn it, I knew I should've intervened when Sapphire started fucking being happy. Happiness causes nothing but sadness. Proven right here, folks.

~That's horribly incorrect, Steven.~

God, not you again.

~BOY, WHO IN THE HELL ARE YOU- *ahem* ...Steven, don't start with this attitude again. I am not afraid to emerge from your gemstone, young man.~

Listen, mom, I'm sure you came for a good reason, but can you just leave for now?

"Steven?" Amethyst asked.

"Y-Yes, Amethyst?" I answered.

"I asked you if you were really sure that whatever Garnet's hiding is nothing important. Listen up, little bro."

"Oh, sorry. It's Garnet. She'd never hide anything harmful from us. Don't worry about it. Besides, it's none of our business anyways."

"Mmm...yes, Steven makes a fair point, but... I... I... Oh I can't help not knowing!" Pearl uneasily commented.

"If it's really nothing, why would Garnet have to hide it?" Amethyst asked.

"Again, embarrassment, guys. Just leave it be." I reminded them.

"Ok, if it's so embarrassing, yet unimportant, why don't you find out what it is and tell us?"

"What?"

"Just, I don't know, find out her secret and tell us?"

"Why do I have to do everything? You got two legs and sentience, don't you?"

"We can't sneak up on Garnet. You're the only one who isn't afraid to invade her personal space and take her stuff."

"Please, Steven. Just this one, insignificant, dirty deed? For us?" Pearl begged.

"Fuck it. Fine. Leave it to me, ya pussies. I'll raid her room later. But I'm gonna need some help. Hm..."

"You want me to do WHAT, Steven?" Connie asked over the phone.

"I...haven't even...asked you to help me...yet."

"I know, but every time you call me, I have to do something for you."

"Not every time."

"EVERY time."

"Come on, Connie. Don't be like that."

"Why don't you get your dad to help you? Or the gems? Or Lion? Or literally any other living being?"

"I don't think anyone else would help me raid Garnet's room."

"Wait, Garnet's room? Oh, fuck yes! When should I come and what should I bring?"

Connie tended to be disinterested with most stuff me and the gems have been up too as of late, but when it comes to anything involving Garnet directly, she doesn't hesitate to offer her support. Something about how she'd love to see what her...chocolaty goddess has hidden from her. I guess at this point in time I should mention that Connie has a thing for Garnet. Don't ask me.

"Ah, there we go. There's the enthusiasm I was looking for. We're doing this tonight. 9PM sharp. Here's how it'll go..."

Connie and I, below the steps to the front door of the house, congregated.

"You ready, Connie?" I asked.

"I was born ready. I think. I hope so." She replied.

"And, do you remember your tasks?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Alright. Let's do this."

Connie was the first to go. She peered into the screen door, making sure the others weren't round. She walked into the house and hurried along past the warp pad. She reached the door, knocking on it repeatedly, as I stuck close behind.

"Garnet! It's Connie! I need your help!" Connie yelled out.

No answer. Connie tried again and again, but still no answer. As previously discussed, Connie had to turn to Plan B. She took out actual, crystal-clear ruby and sapphire stones and her xenon flashlight. She turned the lights off and lifted both the flashlight and the stones. She beamed the flashlight directly at the stones and then tilted it to have it reflect off unto the door. Thankfully, this worked, as both the ruby and sapphire icons lit up and the door slowly opened.

Connie turned around and gave a thumbs-up. She entered the room, only to find no Garnet. She darted out the room towards me.

"Steven, she's not even there." She said.

"B-But, she should be right there." I stuttered.

"Did you really waste my afternoon with a joke? The hell! And here I thought I could unveil that thicc Hershey bar's secrets!"

"No, seriously, she's nowhere else. She has to be here. Listen-"

"Oh, what-the-fuck-ever, Steven. Call me when you're doing screwing around."

Connie pushed me out of her way and stomped down the stairs.

"Connie, wait! Damn it. She's here somewhere. Just help me."

"Help yourself, you cocksucker."

Connie walked away from the house, ignoring the rest of my pleas.

"...Grrr! Fine. I'll investigate myself." I said under my breath.

I crept along the wooden floors into Garnet's room. I looked around, feeling around for a light switch.

"Where's that friggin' switch...Half-assed searching...goddamnit...Connie would just leave before we finish the mission..." I mumbled.

Just then, a switch flips, illuminating the room.

"Oh finally. Light...Wait. I didn't flip that sw-"

Just then, I'm grabbed from behind, with one of my arms locked out behind me. I turned my head slightly to see Ruby holding me.

"Ruby?" I asked.

"You're damn right." Ruby whispered into my ear.

"Where's Sapphire? Why aren't you fused?"

"The better question's 'Why the fuck are you in my room?'"

"Let me go, already!"

"You know, I really wanted to choke out that dumbass girl you brought here. What was her name again? Connie? Yeah, that's a perfect name for a girl that needs to be choked to death."

"Look, what are you, or better yet, Garnet hiding?"

"None of your damn business."

"Just tell me and I'll go."

"No, you'll go regardless." Ruby said, pulling and then pushing me out of the room.

I grabbed her shorts and yanked them down. Her hands shot straight down to try to pull them up. Before she could, I threw her aside as I darted in the room. On her back, she pulled her pants up. She jumped up and ran towards me. I quickly shifted through some of her dressers before she wrapped her arms around my neck and hopped on my back.

"Get out, you fucktard!" She snarled.

"Tell me the secret!" I shouted at her, trying to pull her arms off of me.

I shoved my back into the dressers and walls, hoping to weaken her grip on me. She punched the side of my head a couple times before I flipped her off of me. I put her into an armlock on the floor. Several seconds afterwards, she flipped over with her arm tucked in, forcing me to lose grip. She wrapped around my back again, but instead of going into a suplex, she threw me out of her room. I landed face-first and cringed in pain. Before she could close the door, I tackled her.

I grabbed her leg, flipped her over, and used my arms to wrap around both of her legs. I sat on her back and pulled back on her legs. She grunted in discomfort as I began stretching her legs farther than intended. She used her hidden upper body strength to lift both of us up. She pushed upwards off the ground, tucked in, flipped forwards to have me on the bottom, barely holding onto her legs, and jumped using my body as a substitute for the ground.

"Ah, fuck!" I groaned.

She stomped my chest as she landed. She stretched out onto me, pinning me down as she started hitting my ribs. I hit her face with my elbow and pushed her off of me by using the same elbow on the bottom of her neck. With her beside me, I shot up and punched her dead in her jaw, dislocating it. She kicked me away from her using a windmill and got up on her two feet. She relocated her jaw into place, while it healed almost instantaneously. The perks of being a gem.

"You gonna get out of my room before I start breaking your goddamn bones, Steven?" Ruby threatened.

"What are you hiding from us?" I asked.

"Ever heard of privacy?"

I looked behind her, seeing a blue-tinged bra laying on the floor. It's design looked to match the flow of a body of water, with darker and lighter shades of blue.

"And just whose bra is that? I'm not an expert on something like this, but I don't Sapphire wears any bras that look like Lapis's dress!"

Ruby frantically turned around. She growled as she turned back to me. She charged towards me, pushing me right out of the house through the door. I dangled off the porch from Ruby's grasp.

"This doesn't concern you. You had better keep your mouth shut." She said.

"You know I have tell the others."

"Oh, we'll see about that. After I reshape your spine through your abdomen!"