AN: And now we return to Little Homeworld to give some of its residents (and prisoners) some much needed therapy. A lot of these Gems have some trauma they need addressing, and others are in need of some clarification on whether they've fully gone good or still have some reservations about their current lot in life. Regardless, this is bound to be a pretty emotionally intense episode, though nowhere near as intense as what Steven had to go through. In addition, this will serve as further development for Black Rutile's character and perhaps serve as a hint towards her future in this world. Now that we got introductions out of the way, let's begin!
Synopsis: Dr. Rebecca Sucrose lends an ear to the Gems' plights.
Cast:
Noël Wells as Black Rutile
Lauren Ash as White Topaz
Estelle as Garnet
Michaela Dietz as Amethyst
Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl
Jennifer Paz as Lapis
Shelby Rabara as Peridot
Uzo Aduba as Bismuth
Kimberly Brooks as Jasper
Della Saba as Aquamarine
Charlyne Yi as Eyeball
Christine Pedi as Holly Blue Agate
Martha Higerada as Topaz
Jinkx Monsoon as Emerald
Kari Wahlgren as Pyrope
Melissa Fahn as Demantoid
Hayley Kiyoko as Morganite
Amy Sedaris as Teal Zircon
Rebecca Sugar as Dr. Rebecca Sucrose
Matthew Rhys as James Brenner
Shanelle Gray as Sally Grove
Ray Chase as George Ikari
Steven Universe Alternate Future: Little Homeworld Life
Chapter 16: Somebody To Lean On
On another bright sunny day in Little Homeworld, the residents gathered around a stage where the Crystal Gems stood alongside Steven's therapist Rebecca Sucrose because they had an announcement to make. "Good day, everyone!" Pearl greeted the Gems. "Today, we are having a special mental health day, and to celebrate, we have an equally special guest! Please welcome award-winning therapist Dr. Rebecca Sucrose!"
"Hello, everybody. Nice to meet you." Rebecca greeted to some scattered applause. "Some of you may know me as the therapist of one Steven Universe-"
"BOO, YOU STINK BY ASSOCIATION!" Eyeball abruptly jeered.
"But after some suggestions by Steven himself, I have now come here to talk with all of you." Rebecca continued, barely noticing Eyeball's insult. "I have won awards for my psychiatric breakthroughs, but I'm not so sure how I'd do with people who don't really have any physical brains to analyze, so to speak."
"Trust me; you won't find any brains here, regardless." Black Rutile rolled her eyes in disgust while turning to her cohorts. "Seriously, what's the point of her coming here anyways? And no one tell me what she just said!"
"I suggest taking on Black Rutile there first." Amethyst suggested to Rebecca. "She's a real space case, that one. I'm pretty sure you've seen her on TV before, right?"
"Oh yes, I saw her trial." Rebecca nodded in affirmation. "She's the psycho who tried to frame you guys as evil, right? I'd really like to psychoanalyze her like my old teacher did."
"Very much." Garnet stated while putting her hands on the therapist's shoulders. "I know it may seem like an arduous task, but we implore you to please find a way to get through to her, Doctor."
"I'll see what I can do." Rebecca said before turning back to her audience. "Okay, everybody, line up so I can give you all some therapy! Come on now; we haven't got all day!" However, as the Gems began forming a very long line, Black Rutile refused to join in on the action, making it easy for Rebecca to point her out. "You there, you're first!"
"Wait, me?!" Black Rutile gasped as she tried to back away. "No, I don't want any part in this!"
"Too late, you're going first!" Lapis commanded while Jasper and White Topaz dragged Black Rutile onto a couch with Rebecca sitting beside it.
"Okay, doctor, fire away!" Peridot exclaimed.
"I'd be delighted to." Rebecca smiled before turning to Black Rutile. "Now, judging by what my good friend Dr. James Brenner has told the Gems, you seem to suffer from antisocial personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder and are also self-diagnosed to be on the autism spectrum disorder. Correct?"
"Correct." Black Rutile agreed with Rebecca. "And I am not ashamed to admit I refuse to be anything else. It has been a rough past couple of months for me. I've lost everything I ever had, my forces have been arrested and are being tried for crimes they didn't commit, I'm being forced to live here as punishment for my crimes, and I've also learned that my entire status can be attributed to my former Diamond having a sense of humor. Have you ever felt like you were on top of the world only to feel like everything has been taken away from you in one fell swoop."
"I can definitely see that you're refusing to cope with change." Rebecca analyzed Black Rutile's recap of her life thus far. "Now, could this be because you're so attached to the identity you've made for yourself and everything associated with it? Are you suffering from loneliness, perhaps?"
"Very much." Black Rutile replied, now curling up into a ball on the couch as she let a more vulnerable side of her out. "Nowadays, I feel like whatever I do, I just feel like everyone will always be out to get me, and nobody will ever be on my side again. Well, aside from Aquamarine, the Rubies, Holly Blue, and Cat's Eye. I guess that's what happens when you're public enemy #1 across the entire universe."
"Have you made any new friends at all lately?" Rebecca wondered while writing everything Black Rutile said down.
"Oh yes, the most amazing friend I could ever have." Black Rutile answered eagerly. "Her name is Sally Grove, and I have never felt so connected with someone before! She despises the Crystal Gems just like me, and is also so vehemently opposed to any form of kindness and love and takes pride in how much of a horrible person she is! She's like me as a human!"
"Well, good to know you're making some progress." Rebecca said. "But please know that no matter how much you deny it, you need help, Black Rutile. Perhaps if you just listened to the Crystal Gems, your life would become so much better."
"Yeah, I think we should stop here." Black Rutile declared as she hopped off the couch, once again refusing to make any peace with the Crystal Gems. "If you think I'll ever change my ways, then you can just forget it!"
"See, we told you she'd be a tough nut to crack." Bismuth declared as Rebecca looked somewhat disappointed in both Black Rutile and herself. "Hey, don't look so down, Becky! Who knows? Maybe the others will be easier?"
"Hm, I doubt it." Jasper sneered. "I got a bad feeling Black Rutile might be starting up a new army right under our noses."
"That would explain why the Rubies have been hanging out with her lately." White Topaz muttered in reply. "Maybe we should just wait on the sidelines and see what happens."
"But what will happen when we keep waiting, and she takes us by surprise?" Pearl wondered ominously.
"I think I know what." Garnet proclaimed with her future vision giving her a glimpse of dark times to come. "And it's not pretty."
"I just feel like, so lost here!" Aquamarine complained to Rebecca. "I feel like I'm still stuck in the past and want to have something like my old life, but I want to move on with my life too!"
"Hm, a classic case of a stranger in a familiar land." Rebecca said, continuing to write in her notepad. "Now, is there anyone in that previous life you'd like to reconnect with?"
"Yeah, Topaz." Aquamarine replied, looking down in shame at how she had abandoned her old bodyguard. "As soon as Era 3 began, she up and ran off to Little Homeschool to get as far away from me as possible. Well, frankly, she definitely had the right idea."
"Well, would you care to try and talk to her?" Rebecca offered as Topaz stood right behind her, ready to make amends perhaps. "I got her right here."
"Hey, Aquamarine." Topaz said quietly as she stood face-to-face with her old boss. "How have things been?"
"Oleaginous." Aquamarine answered sourly. "Just feeling absolutely alone in a world that I just wanted to save. You understand what I'm going through, right?"
"Yeah, kind of." Topaz said. "I only wanted to follow orders, yet I wanted to do what I wanted at the same time. And, of course, you kept getting in the way of things. But in Era 3, I'm finally free to be myself. Yet at the same time, I don't want to see anyone so alone, even you." She extended a hand of compassion to Aquamarine. "So, care for a second chance?"
"Ugh, you're a little too forgiving." Aquamarine grumbled as she shook Topaz's hand. "But hey, you commit to whatever you feel like; I won't judge anymore."
"Glad to see you're willing to change." Topaz smiled before Aquamarine hopped off the couch and walked away. "Wow, that was easier than I thought."
"Oh yes, very easy." Aquamarine scowled under her breath. "You mouth-breathing fusion. You'll soon see things my way again."
"So, Cat's Eye, what's on your mind right now?" Rebecca asked her next patient.
"Losing everything because of Steven." Cat moaned, her weeping muffled by the couch cushions. "First, I had my status taken away, but since I could be whatever I wanted in Era 3, I decided to become a lawyer. But that turned out poorly, so I joined up with this Cinnabar who was Black Rutile's apprentice, but then her plans got foiled, and I was sent down to Little Homeschool as punishment for my association with Black Rutile!" She looked up at Rebecca, her makeup now running. "I feel like every time I want to make a change in my life; everything just keeps going wrong!"
"Feels like you've been through a lot." Rebecca nodded sympathetically. "And it feels like recovering might take a while for you. I think a therapy animal could be of use."
"A what?" Cat groaned.
"A therapy animal, it's exactly what it sounds like." Rebecca answered kindly. "In fact, the Gems got into contact with the animal shelter just for this occasion."
"Careful now, they might scamper off." Garnet said while carrying a box full of kittens for Cat to choose from while Cat Steven rested on her head. "Now then, choose which one you'd like."
"Oh, cats. Hardy-har-har." Cat laughed mockingly while examining the cats in front of her. Three of them seemed relatively close, a white kitten with a pink bow, a black kitten wearing a red bowtie, and a brown kitten with a blue bowtie. Another cat had a blank look on his face while playing with a stuffed frog. Another cat was licking out of a pudding cup and seemed very protective of his treat. But the cat that stood out to Cat's Eye the most was a rather shy-looking cat with all black fur, a matching-colored hairbow on her head, and a yellow dragon toy in its mouth. "I want that one."
"Oh, you mean this one?" Rebecca wondered while scooping up the kitten in her arms. "This one's a little shy, like she doesn't know where she belongs in the world. I think you could relate."
"I do, actually." Cat realized as she was handed the shy kitten. "What's her name?"
"The shelter calls her Blake." Garnet answered. "I think the name fits."
"Yes, it does." Cat's Eye smiled at her new furry friend and gave her a nuzzle. "Don't you love your new mama, Blake? Don't you?" Blake let out a meow and licked her new owner. "Aw, she likes me!"
"Looks like you have a new friend, Cat Steven." Garnet smiled at her cat while pulling Cat Steven off her head and showing him to Blake, and the two cats started gently batting at each other.
"I feel like I have no one to control anymore!" Holly Blue overdramatically yelled in exasperation. "My entire life, I happily accepted orders from whoever was above me in power, whether it was the Diamonds, Black Rutile, or Cinnabar. I reveled in how much power I held over lower-ranking Gems! But now it seems like I have nothing, and all I am anymore is a worthless punching bag! Black Rutile was my one ticket to regaining my old life and sense of identity, and look how that turned out!"
"So you feel like being controlling and harsh is the only thing that gives you joy in life, eh?" Rebecca wondered. "Well, have you ever considered trying to be a little fairer, but still stern at the same time?"
"What good will that do me?" Holly asked.
"Well, you could be a lot more likable that way." Rebecca added. "I've gathered that you prefer showing power through abuse and control, which is not a healthy mindset. Would you care to elaborate on where that came from?"
"I was always very eager to please my superiors, so if I acted like them, that would make them proud of me." Holly Blue revealed. "But maybe you're right. Maybe it's time I start thinking about me instead of them."
Meanwhile, Black Rutile had returned home to contemplate what Dr. Sucrose had said to her. Maybe she was suffering from loneliness. Maybe she was attached to the identity she formed as a servant of White Diamond. But did it really matter in the end? She had nothing, and it was all thanks to the Crystal Gems, yet they're only now showing concern for her well-being. Well, where was this sentiment before? She needed someone else to talk to about this, someone who could lend a hand in this time of need. And she knew someone who was fitting enough to do it.
"Hello again, Black Rutile!" Black Rutile's criminal psychologist James Brenner greeted his patient cheerfully. "How have things been going recently? It feels like we haven't talked in a while."
"Just got psychoanalyzed by one Rebecca Sucrose as part of a mental health day." Black Rutile answered. "She says that I'm suffering from loneliness and desperation to grasp onto what remains of my identity, or something like that. Do you see that too?"
"Yes, I believe so." Brenner nodded in reply. "Your recent behavior screams trying to get everyone's attention so you'd be hailed as the smartest in the room. And yet no matter what, you never seem to get that praise you crave so much. Instead, you are feared and hated by all. Your former allies, your enemies, and the public as well. But I believe that it's not too late to make a change, my friend."
"Yeah, you're right." Black Rutile frowned, which quickly turned into an angry grimace. "Why is it that when I do something bad, I'm the only one who's punished while Gems like Demantoid, Pyrope, Emerald, Morganite, Peridot, Lapis, Bismuth, and the Diamonds get off with a slap on the wrist despite doing far worse?! It just isn't fair!"
"Yes, the universe can sometimes have a twisted sense of humor." James sighed in reply. "But regardless, knowing you, you'd likely find a way around this."
"Oh yes." Black Rutile grinned evilly as she peered outside her window to spy on Rebecca, now serving as a shrink for Emerald. "If there's one thing the Crystal Gems haven't taken away, it's my love of manipulating people to my side. And by golly, do I have the master plan!"
"I'm actually pretty okay with the life I'm living now, but I still hold a grudge against Lars for getting away with stealing and/or destroying my ships!" Emerald vented her remaining struggles to Rebecca. "Do you think I have a problem with letting go of old grudges?"
"What do you think?" Rebecca commented. "Maybe should this Lars stop by, perhaps find a way to make amends with him."
"I'll try to give that a shot." Emerald obliged with a sigh, unaware that a black camera drone was watching her every move.
"I want to give cross-Gem fusions a chance, but I still feel so weird near them." Morganite complained to Rebecca. "I think it dates back to when my Ruby and Pearl would keep fusing behind my back, no matter how much I kept rejuvenating them."
"I see, still retaining some deep-seated prejudices." Rebecca muttered.
"And it didn't help that when I met my Ruby and Pearl's fusion for the first time in ages; I nearly got chucked out of my building!" Morganite shouted, surprising the therapist. "Don't worry, she calmed down thanks to her off-color friends, but that is not a good look for the rest of her kind."
"We lost because of her!" Pyrope childishly blamed Demantoid for their failures while sticking her tongue out at the green Gem.
"No, we lost because you were too full of yourself to consider the angles that only I could see!" Demantoid argued back while sticking her tongue out at her prissier partner.
"I've actually dealt with a few bickering couples before." Rebecca nodded as she observed the Garnets' back and forth, much to the duo's embarrassment as they began blushing like crazy. "Would you care to experiment with a few methods to improve your relationship?"
"We are not a couple!" Demantoid and Pyrope yelled in Rebecca's face in unison.
"Okay, I get your point, but trust me when I say that it will take time for you two to understand each other again."
"Like what?" Demantoid asked curiously.
"Like a trust fall, for example." Rebecca suggested. "Basically, one of you has to fall, and the other has to catch you. Now, who wants to be the catcher?"
"I think Demantoid should do it." Pyrope suggested while crossing her arms and preparing to fall.
"Wait, I think I'm a little too small for this!" Demantoid disagreed hurriedly before Pyrope tipped herself over, and since Demantoid was so small, she was crushed underneath the larger Gem.
"Oh my goodness, are you alright?!" Rebecca exclaimed as she raced over to Demantoid's side while Pyrope got up and dusted herself off.
"Why thank you, senator." A dazed Demantoid answered. "The fish was delish, and it made quite a dish. Creepy pants all the time get some. Sever your leg please sir; it's the greatest day."
"Is she going to be okay?" Pyrope asked sheepishly as she slowly backed away from her delirious partner.
"It's just a concussion; I think she'll be fine." Rebecca answered assuredly.
The day soon began winding to an end as Rebecca had just about finished therapizing the Gems. As she started packing her things and saying goodbye to the Crystal Gems, Rebecca saw Black Rutile walking up to her. "Oh, hello, Black Rutile. Care to discuss our chat earlier before I leave?"
"Why yes, I'd be happy to." Black Rutile put on a fake smile in reply. "You know, thinking about our talk has really done me a world of good. I have finally come to terms with who I am in this world."
"Oh, that's wonderful!" Rebecca cheered before Black Rutile abruptly grabbed her by the neck and began strangling her.
"Yes, I know exactly who I am." Black Rutile repeated menacingly. "I am a planet-conquering, gaslighting, opportunistic, sociopathic terrorist through and through. I have ended the lives of both Gems and organics, conquered numerous worlds in the name of my so-called superiors, and nearly succeeded in destroying the Earth multiple times. And I'd rather be shattered a thousand times over before that entitled, messiah-complexed brat forces me to be anything else."
"Hey Black Rutile, get your hands off her!" Amethyst yelled at Black Rutile as the Crystal Gems came to Doctor Sucrose's rescue.
"What is the meaning of strangling such a kind woman like her?" Pearl asked as Garnet freed Rebecca from Black Rutile's clutches.
"What? No! You're getting it all wrong!" Black Rutile lied to save face. "I was just giving her the biggest hug I could muster as thanks for helping me see the light! You were right; she is a good therapist."
"A likely story, Black Rutile." Garnet coldly replied. "We'll be keeping an eye on you. Try not to cause any trouble in the meantime."
"Oh, I promise." Black Rutile assured the Crystal Gems before walking away with an evil smile on her face. "Oh, they have no idea what's coming to them."
"See what I meant when I said she was a total space case?!" Amethyst exclaimed to Rebecca, who was busy rubbing her aching neck.
"I can definitely see your point, but I still have faith in her." Rebecca gasped in response. "I just hope she has enough faith in herself."
"And that was my day today." Black Rutile said to Sally Grove later that day. "So sure, I do suffer from loneliness, but my next plan, should the Flipso one fail, will prove to be a cure for that!"
"Indoctrinating the masses, right?" Sally wondered while filing her nails. "Who are you going to start with?"
"I think I'll start with some of my former cohorts." Black Rutile replied. "Maybe Emerald, Morganite, and the Garnets to start with. They're a little too comfortable here, and I'd be all too eager to make them come crawling back to me." Just then, she heard a knock at the door. "One second, I have to take this."
"Oh, Black Rutile, I'm respecting your privacy by knocking but asserting my authority as a good neighbor by coming in any way!" Teal Zircon cried as she burst into Black Rutile's house with a signature big smile on her face. "You would not believe what Dr. Sucrose told me today! She says I might have ADHD or something!"
"ADHD, eh?" Black Rutile smirked at the overly energetic Zircon. "Ah, a fellow neurodivergent Gem. How about we engage in a little bit of that neurodivergent solidarity by talking a little?"
"And then I was nearly strangled to death by that Rutile!" Rebecca later complained to George Ikari in a coffee shop. "I've been told she was unstable, but this is ridiculous! And after I lent a comforting ear to her too!"
"I hope you're recovering nicely." George offered his support with his fingers steepled together. "But regardless, Black Rutile is a dangerous individual, and it'll only be a matter of time before she takes advantage of the hospitality she was given."
"Oh, hello there, you two." Dr. Brenner greeted George and Rebecca as he sat down at their table with a latte in hand. "Haven't seen you two since your graduation. How have things been?"
"Oh, Professor Brenner, it's been so long!" Rebecca squealed at the sight of her old teacher before hugging him, while George just grinned at the sight.
"James, it really has been a while." George smiled. "Class of 2008, right?"
"Ah yes, you were always one of my finest students, Mr. Ikari." James replied while giving George a gentle stroke of his hair. "Now then, I heard you two were talking about Black Rutile? I've actually had a chat with her earlier."
"I was assigned to give some therapy to the Gems of Little Homeworld, and Black Rutile was one of the first." Rebecca stated as she began to tell her story.
I apologize for any inaccuracies in psychology, it was never one of my strong suits. But anyways, while my notes told to end on the scene with Black Rutile and Teal Zircon, my heart told me that a scene with Rebecca Sucrose, George Ikari and James Brenner was too good to forget about. But enough about my personal wants, next time will be a very special chapter. Next time, we'll be having a big musical episode with some very special celebrity guest stars! Be sure to stay tuned. Wow, this turned out to be a shorter chapter than I thought.