Author's note: I've decided to upload this early to make up for the slow updates in the past and because of the general bad material you're all forced to read. Now, the next couple chapters are meant to dig deeper into Steven and Lapis' characters, and bring to light a dimension of Steven that plays an important roll in a lot of the actions he takes.
Mirror Gem
"But why can't you come over?" Connie whined into the phone.
"Because now that school's out, I'm going to be working at Beach Citywalk Fries full-time." Peedee answered back. "You'll just have to wait for the weekend, when the restaurant's closed."
"Fine." Connie told her friend, failing miserably at hiding the disappointment in her tone.
"Until then, why don't you just come and visit me and we can hang out there?" He suggested hopefully, trying his best not to sound just as desperate.
Connie brightened up. "Sure!" She answered. "Maybe I can even help you out!" Connie suggested.
Peedee chuckled. "Alright, but what have I always told you about my job?" He asked jokingly.
"…What?" Connie said.
Peedee stumbling could be heard on the other end, earning a chuckle from Connie. "How can you not remember?! We've been saying it since school began!"
"I'm just messing with you." She admitted playfully.
"Well thank goodness." He said, giving a large exhale in relief. "I was afraid I'd have to spend another break from school teaching you."
Connie chuckled. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask you, what's school?"
"Ah, never been?" Peedee asked, his tone hinting he already knew the answer.
"Yea..." Connie answered, somewhat embarrassed.
"I figured." Peedee admitted. "I'm also guessing you want me to tell you about it."
Connie sat down with a serious expression. "Teach me."
"Why do we need this..."chalk board" again?" Ruby asked nonchalantly as Steven happily set a stack of books next to her.
"Just something Peedee told me about." Connie explained. "What was it called?" She asked herself.
"Is it that same thing Sour Cream's always complaining about?" Steven asked, peeking his head from behind a pile of boxes. "Something called..."school"?"
"What's a school?" Ruby asked.
With a large grunt, Steven set down the boxes next to Lion. "Sour Cream said that school is an unending prison of corrupting, soul sucking darkness where free will and happiness go to die... So I looked it up and found out it's a place where you can learn about different things. Sounds fun, but I don't think we know too many people with enough time to teach us." Steven said, groaning in frustration as a few boxes fell over.
A loud gasp sounded from behind them, everyone turning to see Opal with an excited expression across her face. "Teach you?!"
"Uh-oh. Y-you know what, I just remembered that I have to do...a thing." Ruby said, slipping out of the room and running through the temple door. "YOUR SACRIFICE WILL BE REMEMBERED!" She shouted as she continued to run away.
"Why didn't you just come to me? I can help you!" Opal said enthusiastically, scooping Steven and Connie into her arms. The twins glanced at each other uncertainly. Putting her two free arms to the gem on her forehead, she closed her eyes and took a calm breath. As the gem began to glow, a decorative mirror slowly emerged from it.
Steven and Connie forgot about Ruby's previous reaction, each looking at the mirror in awe as it slowly twirled in the air.
"Wow...what is it?" Steven asked, eyes filled with stars.
"Excellent question!" Opal told him. "This is a gem-powered mirror. They were used to record important events in Gem history and play them back."
"Really?!" Connie exclaimed. "What kinds of things?!"
"Oh lots of things. They've recorded messages, animal behaviors, treaties, even wars." Opal enthusiastically.
"Wow!" Connie grabbed the mirror from the air, looking it over. After inspecting it, she turned to Opal. "How does it work?"
Opal crouched down. "All you have to do is tell it to show you something that it's seen. Here, let me show you." She told them, taking the device in her hands, face showing excitement equal to the children. "Oh, it's been so long since I've used one of these things." She said nostalgically, making sure to clear her throat. "Show us the Galaxy Warp." She commanded.
The mirror simply sat there, no change made.
Opal and Connie's faces fell.
"Come on, show us the Galaxy Warp." Opal commanded again, shaking the device.
Still nothing.
"Here, let me try." Connie said, taking the mirror in her hands. "Show us the Galaxy Warp." Connie commanded, speaking carefully.
"Huh," Opal said after the other failed attempt. "I guess it's broken."
"Aww." Connie whined, tossing the mirror away from her, Steven catching it before it could fall to the ground. Connie crossed her arms and began pouting.
"Don't worry Connie." Opal assured, picking her up and putting the girl in her lap. "We'll find some other way to teach you later."
Connie laughed as Opal ruffled her hair. "Okay."
"Good." Opal said, putting Connie back on the ground. "Now, if you excuse me, I need to go look for an evil painting." Opal stated, walking over to the warp pad. "I love you." She said before warping away.
Connie flopped onto the couch. "Evil painting? That doesn't sound fake at all." Connie said sarcastically. After staring at the roof in silence for awhile, wondering how she was going to learn now, she looked over to find Steven staring at the mirror.
"Come on. Pleeeeeeeease?" Steven begged.
"Steven, you heard Opal." Connie said from her spot on the couch. "It's probably busted. We may as well just throw it away."
"Don't say things like that!" Steven defended, putting his hand to the glass defensively. "It'll never work if you say things like that. Besides, you'll hurt its feelings." He said, stroking the glass gingerly.
"It's inanimate. It doesn't have feeling." Connie explained, amazed at her twin brother's childishness.
Steven looked at the mirror once again, stroking the glass again. "Don't worry. I know you work. I still believe in you."
Connie rolled her eyes and smiled. "Whatever... Hey, I'm gonna go up and help Peedee at Beach Citywalk Fries, you wanna come?" She said as she sat up.
"No thanks." Steven answered, still staring at the mirror.
"Okay then..." Connie said as she made her way to the door. Taking a final worried glance at her brother, she said, "See ya." Before leaving the house.
"...Don't worry, I believe in you. I know you're not broken," Steven said after a small pause. "...because I know how it feels."
Steven had been staring at the mirror for a couple hours, waiting for it to do something.
Steven's focus was stolen away from the mirror as a loud grumbling sound came from his stomach. He looked down and chuckled. "I guess that means I'm hungry. Maybe I'll get a doughnut? I don't know... You want anything?" Steven asked, looking at the mirror he held in his hand. He gave a sad sigh as there came no response. "I guess you couldn't eat anyway..."
Steven shook it off and ran to the Big Doughnut with the mirror still in hand. Making it there, he saw Lars and Sadie setting up table outside.
"Hey Lars, hey Sadie!" He called as he came closer.
Sadie looked at the approaching Steven and visibly brightened up. "Hey Steven!" She called back.
Lars made no attempt to respond until he looked at Sadie and saw her giving him a death glare. "H- hey Steven!" He stuttered out, looking to see Sadie now giving him a smile.
"Could you give us a little hand over here?" Sadie asked as Steven made it.
"Sure." He said, putting the mirror in his pocket and helping the two teens lift the table.
"Easy does it." Sadie grunted as they set it down in the desired location, everyone taking tired breaths of air.
Whew...that was tuff." Steven said between huffs.
"Not for me." Lars said with an prideful smile. He flexed his muscles to prove his point, only for him to hold it in pain. "Ow, sore!"
Steven and Sadie stifled a laugh, earning an embarrassed blush from Lars.
"It's not funny!" He defended childishly, his pride bruised. "Besides...I had a rough workout this morning!"
Sadie rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She turned to Steven, the young boy taking out the mirror again. "So Steven, what brings you up here?" She asked with a smile.
"Just comin' up to get some doughnuts." He said cheerfully.
Sadie's smile dropped. "Oh...sorry Steven, we're actually closed today. We're getting ready for the big summer crowd." She said, gesturing to the tables.
"And I'm getting ready to go talk to all of the out-of-town girls!" Lars declared, pointing his thumb to his chest.
"Cough! delusional! Cough cough!" Sadie said between fake coughs, smiling innocently as Lars gave her a glare.
"Okay." Steven said, hiding his disappointment at his favorite establishment being closed.
"But don't worry bud, we'll be open tomorrow." Sadie said to her friend.
Steven gave a half smile. "Promise?"
"Does Lars need me to open a jar of pickles?"
"Hey!" Lars responded, ego further bruised by the comment.
"Yea." Steven answered.
"Then you've got nothing to worry about." Sadie told Steven, patting him on the head.
"You know I can hear you two, right?!" Lars continued.
Steven chuckled, ignoring Lars' comment. "Okay then." Steven took off running, giving them a final wave. "I'll see you around!" Hmm, maybe I can get some pizza on the way to Vidalia's.
"Vidalia, hey Vidalia!" Steven shouted as he approached Vidalia's house, the woman loading some things into her own car.
"Huh- oof." She was caught off guard as Steven tackled her into a hug. "Oh, Steven!" Vidalia smiled. "Well what brings you here this fine summer day?"
"Ah nothing, just wanted to see if you-" Steven began, only to be cut off by Vidalia.
"Hold that thought." Vidalia said as she rushed to aid Yellowtail, the latter of whom was carrying a few large suitcases in his arms.
The two carried them all the way from the house to their car, Vidalia giving a loud grunt as they threw them into the car's trunk.
"Whew, gets heavier every time." She said, wiping her forehead as Yellowtail went back inside.
"...You know that those have wheels for a reason, right?" Steven asked.
"Wheels?!" Vidalia's mouth dropped. "Well I guess I would be the one who doesn't notice that for three years."
Steven looked in the car's trunk, finding it to be nearly filled with four suitcases. "What're these for?" He asked.
"Huh?" Vidalia gave Steven a confused look. "I told you two weeks ago."
"Told me what?" Steven asked, not remembering.
"About our little family vacation. Yellowtail planned the whole thing for us. Even if I didn't tell you about it, I'm surprised Onion didn't spill the beans. Little kid won't shut up about it." Vidalia looked over to Steven, the boy clearly upset. "You were wondering if we could hang out today...weren't you?"
Steven tried to hide his disappointment better. "Yea, b-but it's fine. I'll find somebody to play with." He said, secretly looking into the mirror to make sure that he didn't look sad.
Vidalia gave him a sympathetic smile. "Don't worry Ste-bone! How's about when we get back, I dominate you and Onion at Galaga?"
Steven's face brightened. "...You betcha!"
Steven looked at the sky and let out a huge sigh as he began making the trek back to his house. "Man...I have no idea what's so exciting about summer..." He said. "It actually seems worse than every other day. Everyone's so excited about it, but there's no one to play with right now. Connie's over with Peedee, Peedee can't come over here because of work, Ronaldo has some weird convention to go to. Vidalia, Yellowtail, Onion, and Sour Cream are going to some amusement park for a week or two." Steven let out a sigh. "I guess I shouldn't really be complaining. Connie and Peedee actually invited me over and Vidalia's spending time with her family.
"I guess everyone not being around right now is making me think about how everyone's a part of something. Connie with her gem powers and Peedee, Peedee with Beach Citywalk Fries, Ronaldo with his blog, Vidalia with her family, the cool kids with...being cool, the Gems with their missions. I could join most of them, but I've always felt like I'm intruding, like I shouldn't be there. Yet, when I don't join in, I feel lonely...
"Maybe I just need a new friend. Someone who could help me learn what's so fun about summer...we could be...beach-summer-fun-buddies..." Steven sighed, looking put towards the sky with a sad, longing look.
"Beach-summer-fun-buddies." Steven heard his own voice say.
"Huh?" Steven responded, looking down to the mirror.
Something miraculous happened in that moment. The image on the mirror's glass began to glow, stunning Steven. It quickly changed to the shape of Steven's face looking the background the sky. "Beach-summer-fun-buddies." Steven' voice came out.
Steven stared at it for a moment, shocked. "O-oh my gosh!... Y-you work!" He cheered, hugging the object close to him. "Yes, I knew it!" He pulled away from it. "Oh man, I have so many questions! Okay ummmm, what's it like being a mirror?"
"Y-you work!" The mirror responded, Steven's image flashing up.
"Oh, so you repeat stuff that other people say." Steven said conclusively.
"You betcha!" The mirror answered.
"Hm, doesn't make conversation easy..." Steven said.
The sound of speaking below caught Steven's attention. He peeked down to see Mayor Dewey driving on the beach in his weird car.
"Hey, wanna go have some fun?" Steven asked, looking at the mirror.
The mirror's reflection shifted. "You betcha!"
Steven let out a laugh, holding his stomach. "S-s-s-stop heheheh I-I-I'm gonna p-pull something." He said among fits his laughter.
Despite his pleading, the mirror repeated the farting sound that Steven had made earlier in the day, making Steven roll on his back and laugh even harder.
The mirror joined, mimicking Steven's laughter until the hybrid's finally died down.
Steven took a deep breath of air. "You sure are fun." Steven told it, looking away from the gray sky to look at his new friend.
The mirror's reflection became Steven's face. "You sure are fun-" The mirror's image shifted to Sadie's. "Steven!" It said, replaying it from earlier.
Steven let out a small gasp. "Cool, you made something new! What else can you say?!"
Sadie's image appeared again. "Steven-" The reflection changed to Steven's again. "- is - beach-summer-fun-buddies."
"Really?" Steven asked, a small blush covering his face.
"You betcha!" The mirror told him.
"Well...you're mine too." Steven said.
The mirror replayed Steven's laughter, Steven laughing along with it.
As their laughter faded, Steven asked, "Hey...do you like being a mirror?"
The mirror sat quietly for a second, making Steven feel worried. He was about to say something else when the device turned to different images of him from earlier. "No - I - don't -" It told him.
"Oh...I guess it is pretty difficult. Not able to talk to anyone unless you're talked to, nowhere you can go, no-"
"-friend-" The mirror finished his sentence.
Steven looked at it sadly. "Yeah...well I'm your friend now." He said, hugging it.
"Thank - you - Steven." It said after another pause.
"Don't mention it." He said, earning a chuckle from his new friend. "Oo, I should go tell the Gems!" He declared cheerfully. "They'd love you!"
"No - Pleeeeeeeease?" The mirror pieced together quickly in objection. "Don't mention - me - to - the gems!"
"Awww, don't you want to meet Opal, Ruby, and Sapphire?" Steven said in disappointment. "I'm sure you'd love them."
"Sorry Steven - I - don't - want to meet - the Gems! They - are - not - friend." The mirror responded. The mirror turned to the image of Steven laughing and then to a few different things it had seen with him. "You - are - my - friend." It said, some kind of joy in the mirror's replays that wasn't present originally.
"Okay." Steven looked disappointed, but decided to respect its wishes. "...Can I at least introduce you to Connie? I'm sure you'd love her! She's really funny and smart and...well I'm sure you're smart." Steven said to his friend.
The mirror stayed silent for a few seconds before changing once more. "Sorry Steven - I - can't - I'm - really - really -"
"Hey, it's okay." Steven said, interrupting the mirror's apology. "I'd never want to make you feel uncomfortable or scared, so you don't have to feel bad." He said, hugging it close.
"Thank - you." The mirror told him.
"And if you're ever ready to meet them, all you have to do is ask. Okay?" Steven told it.
The mirror gave a small pause. "You betcha!" It answered.
"Good." Steven said with a friendly smile. "It'll be weird keeping you a secret from them, but it shouldn't be too hard." Steven assured.
"What shouldn't be too hard to keep a secret?"
Steven froze. He turned his head to see Connie with a confused expression on her face. "C- Connie!" He said shakily, standing up and hiding the mirror behind his back. "Y- You're home early."
"Yea...I was actually coming home to check on you; when I left, you were talking to a mirror." Connie said, inching closer to him
Steven took a step back. "W-well I'm good now. I've just been hanging out on the beach." He said.
"Hanging out on the beach...talking...to yourself..." Connie said, suspicious.
"Yep!" Steven said a little too loudly.
Connie just stared at him for a few seconds. "Steven, what are you keeping behind your back?" She asked, taking another step forward.
"N-nothing!" Steven said, stepping back.
"Come on Steven, we're twins. You can tell me whatever kind of secret you have." Connie assured with a smile.
Steven took a few worried glances from behind his back to Connie, eventually giving a defeated sigh. He pulled the mirror from behind his and held it up for Connie to see.
"That's your secret, that busted up old thing?" Connie asked in shock.
"I wanted to tell you, but the mirror acted like it didn't want me to." He said.
Connie's expression turned to worry. "What?"
"I think it's shy... Please don't tell the Gems! It really doesn't want to meet them yet!" Steven said, not noticing Connie's expression turn to worry.
"...Steven...it's a mirror, it can't want anything." Connie told her brother, growing more worried by the minute.
"Yes it can, right buddy?" Steven asked the mirror merrily.
A few seconds flew by in silence, Steven waiting for the mirror to respond while Connie became more and more convinced that something was definitely not right.
The mirror's reflection slowly began to warp into an image of Steven. "Hey - Connie." The mirror said.
Connie's worry faded, replaced by confusion.
Steven turned the mirror to face him. "See, that wasn't so bad, right?" Steven asked, looking into the glass.
Connie heard Steven's laughter come from the device. "I guess - it - wasn't so bad -." The mirror answered.
Connie looked at the mirror's back carefully, trying to guess at what was appearing on the screen, only to notice the cracked, blue, tear-shaped gemstone on its back. Connie's eyes widened. "Steven, we need to take that to the Gems!" Connie told him.
Steven looked at his sister with a confused expression. "Why?"
"Look at its back!" Connie called, pointing at the mirror. "It has a gemstone on it!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Steven asked with a hint of worry, clutching the mirror tighter to his chest in a protective manner.
"I don't know! That's why we need to take it to the Gems! It has a gem on it! It could mean it's dangerous! It could try to kill us!"
Steven looked down at the mirror, the device silent, before looking back at his twin with a small glare. "Something having a gem on it doesn't mean anything! The Gems have gemstones too!" Steven pointed out.
"And we both know what they can do. What if that mirror's like them, only bad?" Connie asked, taking a step forward. "It'll be safer where the gems can take care of it."
"It isn't bad, it's my friend!" Steven defended. "And for some reason it doesn't want to let them know about it, so I'm not going to make it meet them!"
"Don't you think there's probably a reason for that?" Connie asked, beginning to back away.
"Yea, but it's not that it's bad!"
Connie sighed. "I'm sorry about this..." With that, Connie turned around and made a mad dash towards the their house.
"Connie, wait!" Steven called, taking a few steps forward. As she opened the door, he froze. Steven didn't wait to see if they would listen to Connie, turning around and running up the hill towards the lighthouse.
Steven was out of breath by the time he reached the top of the hill, stopping near the lighthouse. "Oh man, oh man, oh man, oh man!" Steven said, falling to the ground and taking quick breaths of air. He looked at the mirror in his hands, looking at the glass. "What should I do? I want to help you...but I don't know how!" Steven told it.
"Please - help - me - I don't - want - to go - back - I don't - want - to be - a-lone-" The mirror pleaded.
"Steven!" Ruby's voice rang through the air angrily, scaring Steven even more.
"Well what do I-" Steven stopped, thinking back to what Opal had said and Connie had just stated.
"Wow...what is it?" Steven asked, eyes filled with stars.
"Excellent question!" Opal stated. "This is a gem-powered mirror. They were usedto record important events in Gem history and play them back."
"Look at its back!" Connie called, pointing at the mirror. "It has a gemstone on it!"
"...You're not a mirror." He turned the device around in his hand, looking at the blue gemstone. "You really are like the Gems," He put his fingers against the gemstone and gripped it tightly. "and I know," Steven shut his eyes, giving the gem a hard pull. "you're my friend!" The tear shaped gemstone quickly gave way to the hybrid's pulling, coming loose from the mirror.
Steven opened his eyes, looking at the gemstone he now held in his hands. It began to glow, levitating away from him and glowing ever brighter. Eventually, the light gained a physical form and became a humanoid shape before dimming, the gem falling to the ground.
The gem before Steven left him in awe. She looked to be around his age, only a couple inches taller. She had a thin form and grayish-blue skin. Her hair, navy blue in color, was worn in a pixie cut. She wore a blue sundress with a triangle, slightly darker in color than her hair, on the top and bottom, forming a diamond shape.
The blue gem turned her head to face Steven. "Thank you." She told Steven with an exhausted tone. When she was finally facing Steven, something that caught him off guard about the new gem were her eyes...or lack of them. Instead, her eyes were like the mirror she had just been freed from, reflecting Steven's awestruck expression.
She tried to stand up, trembling as if she wasn't used to her form. "You...talked to me." She said happily, a smile growing across her face as she tried to stumble towards him, only for Steven to catch her and give her support. "Y-you actually talked to me! You helped me!" Lapis continued, Eventually regaining her composure, she stood up straight and looked her friend in the eyes, a sweet smile on her face. "I'm Lapis. Lapis Lazuli."
Steven simply stared, unable to make himself say anything.
Her smile dropped slightly. "Are you really a Crystal Gem?" She asked.
Steven took a moment before he nodded, a small smile crossing his face.
"But...you set me free..." She said, a small smile reappearing.
"Huh?" Steven eventually managed. "What does that-"
"Steven, come out this instant!" Opal called out.
"Oh no!" He exclaimed, holding his head in worry. "Ooooh, we're still trapped." He said pacing back and forth. He stopped and looked at Lapis. "Can you shape shift?" He quickly asked.
"Yea, why?"
"I have an idea...but first I need to know...do you trust me?"
Lapis stared at his determined expression and nodded without hesitation. "Of course."
"Steven, come on out!" Sapphire called out, worry etched in her normally emotionless tone. "Connie told us everything. If you just come out now, we promise you won't get in trouble!"
"Come on Steven!" Ruby called out loudly, all kinds of thoughts racing through her head, every single one ending with Steven getting hurt. "We're doing this for your own good, bud! You have no idea how dangerous this thing could be!"
"Fine!" Steven shouted, silencing the group. After a few seconds, Steven slowly walked from behind the lighthouse, clutching the mirror tightly in his hands. He had a sad, defeated expression across his face, head held low in defeat. "F- Fine…I...I give up..." He said softly.
Connie let out a sigh of relief at seeing her brother safe. "Steven." She ran towards him, hugging him tightly, quickly followed by Ruby and Sapphire doing the same. After accepting the fact that it wasn't going to be returned, they pulled away and looked at his eyes, the hybrid refusing to look at them in his shame.
Opal walked up next, taking a few fearful glances at the mirror, unable to believe she had actually given Steven and Connie something like what Connie described.
Steven looked up at Opal, seeing the fusion looking at the device. "Here you go." He said quietly, quickly handing the mirror over to her. "Just take it back and get it over with."
Opal accepted the mirror, looking at her brother the whole time. "You know that we don't want to do this." She gave him a sympathetic smile. "We just want to keep you safe."
"I know..." Steven answered, still refusing to make eye contact.
Opal looked away from him, the group staring down at their reflections in the mirror's glass. After staring at it in silence, Opal's smile became more genuine. "If it makes you feel any better, we won't break it, okay?" No response came from the hybrid. "Steven?"
Connie was the first to look away from the mirror, finding Steven to be missing. Hearing someone taking deep breaths of air, she turned around to see Steven sprinting down the hill. "What the..."
Opal looked down and turned the mirror around in her hand, finding the area where the blue gemstone once was to be empty. "STEVEN!" She shouted at the top of her lungs.
Steven jumped at the volume of Opal's voice, but still refused to slow down, not even for a second. He didn't turn as he reached the bottom of the slope, beginning to run towards the temple.
Sapphire jumped between Steven and the path towards the temple, an almost apologetic look on her face. Steven turned towards Beach City, the path blocked by Ruby.
"Come on Steven."
Steven jumped, barely moving out of the way as Opal tried to grab him. He faced the tall gem and began to pant. He couldn't believe it; they were actually going to catch and bubble an innocent gem.
Opal grabbed at him again, this time picking him up with her arms.
"Wh-why are you doing this? She's a gem, just like us." Steven asked as Opal reached into his pocket to retrieve Lapis' gemstone.
"Steven...you wouldn't understand. Just know that this is for your own good bud." Opal felt her hand hit something. "Some day you'll thank me for this." Opal told Steven with a solemn expression.
As Opal began to pull the gemstone out of his pocket, Steven quickly kicked the tall gem in her chest, making her lose her grip on him and Lapis. Steven fell to the ground, a light blue crab with a cracked, tear-shaped gemstone on its back landing far in front of him.
The crab quickly morphed into a human appearance, letting the group take their first look at the true form of Lapis Lazuli. Lapis was on her knees, the strain of staying transformed while her gem was damaged finally getting to her.
"Ruby, now's our chance!" Sapphire called, summoning her brass knuckles before running at the fallen gem.
Ruby summoned her gauntlet and followed suit. "Don't worry, we'll make this quick!" Ruby said, jumping into the air with Sapphire, the duo aiming their weapons at Lapis.
Lapis looked up and shut her eyes, preparing to be a prisoner once more.
A loud crack sounded across the beach.
"Steven!" Lapis heard the group cry out.
Lapis opened her eyes quickly, seeing Steven standing in front of her, Ruby and Sapphire looking at him with expressions of pure terror. Steven stood there in silence for a few moments before falling backwards, Lapis' eyes widening in horror at the sight. "S-...Steven?"
Steven gave her no response, the hybrid lying unconscious.
Lapis looked back at Ruby and Sapphire and her eyes narrowed. "You!" Lapis cried.
The ocean began to stir violently behind Lapis, a large arm of water erupting from the sea.
"You've hurt so many gems!" Lapis slammed the water arm down on Ruby and Sapphire, keeping the two pinned underneath. "All for this worthless rock!" Lapis walked between her captives and Steven. "Now...now you've gone too far!" Lapis glared over at Opal, another water arm coming out and grabbing hold of the tall gem. "My name is Lapis Lazuli, and you will finally receive the punishment you deserve!" Lapis' eyes fell upon Connie, the young girl shaking in fear as Lapis willed another water arm to rise from the ocean, the limb casting a shadow over her. Lapis slammed the water hand down towards Connie, the female hybrid rolling out of the way as it came crashing down.
Lapis heard the arm holding Ruby and Sapphire down begin to sizzle. She looked over to find Ruby using her heating abilities to make the water hand evaporate, freeing the two. As Ruby and Sapphire became free, Ruby fired her gauntlet at the water arm holding Opal, the weapon exploding and freeing their comrade.
"Get back, Connie." Sapphire said, Ruby and Opal forming a semicircle around Lapis.
Lapis glared at the group, but looked at her unconscious friend and her expression softened. It hardened once more as she looked back at the Crystal Gems. "Fine, I'll spare you, you worthless band of traitors!" Lapis turned around and, using her strength, picked up Steven with ease. "But I'm taking him. You're never hurting him again! You four won't hold us here anymore!"
Lapis walked towards the sea, the water parting around her to provide air for Steven.
"Steven!" Ruby and Connie cried, the two of them running after her.
As Lapis was finally submerged under the water, a gigantic wave rose and batted the two back violently, sending them airborne. As Connie was about to make contact with the ground, Sapphire jumped up, catching the hybrid.
"Are you okay?" Sapphire asked Connie as she slowly floated to the ground.
"Yea," Connie winced. "she got me pretty good though." Connie looked at the sea. "So...I guess I was right about the mirror..."