Ocean Gem

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" Ruby said, pounding the floor angrily.

Connie, who had been watching the red gem do this for a few minutes, turned her attention to Sapphire and Opal.

"Are you sure you didn't hit him in the gem?" Opal asked.

"I've already told you, I'm very certain that we didn't crack his gem. We only hit close enough to make him go unconscious." Sapphire explained for the twentieth time. "And, before you say it, if I was wrong, I doubt it will break completely. We should be able to fix it at Rose's fountain as soon as we find him if it is the case."

Opal grumbled to herself, unsure about the situation.

Ruby stopped pounding the ground and looked out the window. "Uh, guys?"

"Ruby, can't you see we're in the middle of crisis!" Opal exclaimed.

Ruby narrowed her eyes at the tall gem. "Oh okay, I guess you wouldn't like to know that the entire ocean is missing!"

Ruby, Sapphire, Opal, and Connie stood at the expanse of sand that laid before them, a desert in place of what was once the ocean that they had always know.

Connie was speechless at the sight.

"Wh-who could-" Opal began.

"I'll give you one guess." Sapphire said, anger evident in the blue gem's tone.

"I was worried that the mirror was dangerous..." Connie said, snapping herself out of her stupor. "but I never could've imagined that she could...Steven..."

"Come on." Sapphire said, walking inside. "We need to get ready to look for the ocean before people begin to show up."

Connie had to fight the urge to fall asleep as she was cradled in Opal's arms, the rocking caused by Lion's movements making it all the more difficult. As Connie felt herself drifting off, Ruby popped her head out of Lion's mane.

"Hey, are we there yet?!" Ruby asked, her loud voice waking up Connie.

"No." Sapphire answered plainly.

Ruby stared at her comrades for a moment. "Alright then." She said, popping back into the pink mane.

Connie took a long look at the desert surrounding them, pitying the various sea life that was lying dead on the ground. "How could Lapis do this...doesn't she even care what she's doing?"

Opal sighed. "I...don't think she does..." She explained.

"You're a smart girl Connie, you've already figured out on your own that the monsters we fight and us are connected." Sapphire began. "But...gems that have lost their minds aren't the only threat to Earth."

As Sapphire finished, a tall tower of water came into view, Opal and Connie gasping at the sight.

"The ones that haven't...they're the true threats."

Lion stopped as they reached the towering column of water, letting his riders dismount.

"Whoa..." Ruby said as she looked at the tower. "Check out all the fish."

Connie looked at the tall column, immediately becoming mesmerized by the aquatic animals that swam about the tower.

"Connie." Sapphire said, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder, snapping her out of her trance. "Come on, we have a job to do."

Connie nodded.

"Well how are we supposed to do that?!" Ruby asked. "This thing's ginormous!"

"I could throw you to the top." Opal suggested.

"Yea, let's do it." Ruby said, a smiling growing across her face.

"As much as I'd like to see you make a fool of yourself," Sapphire said, stopping them. "Lapis would pulverize you before you-"

Sapphire was cut off as the earth began to quake. "Go away!" A booming voice commanded.

"Lapis." Connie said to herself quietly.

"Lapis Lazuli!" Sapphire called, walking forward. "We're not here to fight! We just need you to return the ocean and Steven safely! If you do that, then-"

A large water arm erupted from the column of water, grabbing Sapphire and pulling her close. "Steven safely?!" Lapis' head formed from in the water tower, a furious expression upon her face. Lapis brought the arm high in the air, throwing Sapphire into Ruby, sending the two tumbling back.

Connie rushed over to the fallen Ruby and Sapphire. "Hey, you two okay?"

"Yes, we're fine." Sapphire said, pulling herself up.

"Wish I could say that wasn't a tough throw though." Ruby said.

"You think you're some kind of protectors?! Well guess what?!" Lapis called, bringing the water limb back. "I know what you really are! You're monsters!" Lapis slapped Opal away, the tall gem flying into Lion.

"Wh-What are you talking about?!" Connie asked.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about you Crystal Gem." Lapis said. "Now leave!"

Connie felt anger burn within her at that. "We're not leaving until you give us back our ocean and our Steven!"

There was a small silence before Lapis' voice returned. "How dare you...say that...about someone like him?" Lapis asked quietly. "You...dare say someone like him belongs to a worthless bunch of freaks like you?!" Lapis' water arm shot forward and grabbed Connie by the chest, pulling her close. "Of all the vile things you've done, hurting him and saying he's yours are some of the sickest!"

The arm of water became attached to a form of water, in the shape of Connie, that emerged from the tower, walking forward.

"Now I know what you're capable of...and I'm going to make sure he's never hurt by you again!" The water Connie used its free arm to punch Connie back, Opal quickly jumping up and catching her.

Opal set Connie down. "Stay with Lion." Opal said, only to be hit back by a flying, water projectile.

Three more water figures emerged from the tower, each in the shape of a Crystal Gem. The water Opal aimed its bow at Opal.

"Leave her alone!" Ruby cried, leaping at Opal's water clone with her gauntlet raised.

Ruby's water clone jumped up and punched Ruby across the face, sending the latter flying back.

Ruby stood up, looking in time to see her water clone leap after her. "You wanna play, do ya?" Ruby made her red gauntlet larger, bringing it back. "Fine, let's play!" Ruby shouted, punching forward with all her might.

Sapphire jumped back, skillfully avoiding each of her clone's attacks. The clone made its weapons sharper and lurched forward, Sapphire ducking and jabbing the mass in the stomach. The water clone came apart for a second, coming back together around Sapphire's hand.

"Not your best move." Sapphire commented as the water around her hand began to freeze. Sapphire pulled her hand from the ice and punched her clone in the head, freezing it in an instant. Sapphire smirked before summoning her brass knuckles over her free hand, punching forward and shattering the clone.

"Just hold still you little-!" Opal cried, firing arrows rapidly at her foe.

The water Opal moved to the side to avoid one arrow and created a hole in its torso to avoid another. The water Opal came back together and fired its own water arrows at Opal. Opal jumped to the side, only for the water Opal's arrows to come back and wrap around Opal's body.

"This is cheating!" Opal complained, her water counterpart separating its weapon into a spear and whip.

Before the water Opal could strike, Sapphire leaped at Opal's bonds, freezing the water before shattering them. Opal and Sapphire faced the water Opal.

"Nice timing." Opal commented.

"I try." Sapphire responded.

As they finished talking, three water Sapphires came out of the tower.

"Uh oh."

Ruby and her water clone clashed head on, matching each others' punches perfectly.

"Not gonna lie, I'm impressed." Ruby said, pushing forward with her gauntlet. "But there's one thing you're still forgetting." Ruby's gauntlet began to give off a faint, orange glow, the water Ruby's own beginning to steam. "Water doesn't stay a liquid when it's heated enough." Ruby's gauntlet grew hotter, turning her clone's entire gauntlet into steam. Ruby grinned and brought her weapon back "And heat is my specialty!" Ruby punched into the water clone's head, the intensity of her heat turning the water to steam.

"Whoo hoo!" Ruby cheered. Her celebration was cut short as she looked forward and found three more water clones coming her way. "I hate my life." Ruby said, her three new foes jumping in the air as they prepared to strike with their own water gauntlets.

Water Connie jumped at Connie like a cat would with its prey, Connie rolling out of the way in time for the clone to fly past her. As water Connie landed, Lion roared at the enemy, water Connie stretching to avoid the attack. Lion tried again, water Connie jumping over the supersonic waves before diving at the pink cat. Water Connie's arms became long tentacles that quickly wrapped around and picked up Lion. The clone threw the beast into the air, only to hit Lion back to the ground as hard as it could, knocking him out. Water Connie landed and looked at Connie with a blank expression.

"P-Please Lapis." Connie begged shakily. "W-We just want my brother back."

Lapis spoke through Connie's water clone. "No!" Water Connie used one of its whip-like arms to try and grab Connie, the girl jumping out of the way. "You've taken everything from me!" Water Connie used its free arm to try the same trick, Connie moving to the side again. "My respect, my home, my freedom!" Water Connie slammed its long limbs together, trapping Connie's torso within the water. "...and now you want to take him..."

Connie felt the cool liquid trapping her body slowly begin to creep up her neck.

"Steven's my friend, and I'm never letting you take him!" Lapis' voice boomed from the clone.

"Guys!" Connie called before the water finally surrounded her head.

Opal and Sapphire were panting as they finally beat their enemies, the three water Sapphires and the water Opal frozen behind them. They looked over as they heard Ruby finally defeat her own enemies.

Ruby put her fist to the ground and got on one knee, panting heavily. "Hey guys." Ruby called to her comrades. "You two alright?"

"Yea." Sapphire answered.

"Barely." Opal added.

"Guys!" The trio heard Connie call out.

The three turned in the girl's direction, horrified by what they saw. "Connie!" They cried back, watching as Connie's entire body was trapped within water Connie's body.

"Don't worry, we're coming!" Opal assured.

As they began to rush to Connie's aid, three more water arms came from the tower, restraining Opal. "Where do you think you're going?" Lapis' voice boomed around them.

Five water Rubies and Sapphires came out, tackling the originals to the ground.

"We were just getting to the good part." Lapis called.

Opal grunted, trying to fight her restraints. "Lapis, you don't need to do this!" She said as she looked at Connie, the young girl struggling to get to air.

"Please, just let her go!" Ruby begged, trying to make her clones evaporate, only for more to come and tackle her.

"You think it's that easy, don't you?! Even after everything?! Well you're going to have to do better than that!" Lapis called. "You tried to take someone important to me! Now, I'm going to take someone important to you!"

Connie began to grab at the edges of the bubble surrounding her, unable to get through.

Ruby growled as more clones covered her, the temperature around her rising with her anger. Ruby leaped out from the water Rubies around her, coming straight for water Connie. As she was about to make contact, she felt something wrap around her leg. Pulling her back, was a giant water Ruby, the giant yanking and trapping Ruby inside of it.

Connie felt her consciousness fading, her strength leaving her as well. As Connie stopped struggling, her water clone changed into the shape of Lapis.

"When you four are gone, no one will ever be able to hold us prisoner again." Lapis said. "And I'll make sure he's never put in harm's way."

Connie shut her eyes and opened her mouth, a bubble of air coming out as water filled her lungs. The liquid stung as it came in, making Connie breath even more, only for more water to come in. Connie couldn't believe it, this was how she was going to die. Not from some giant monster, but from the very ocean she lived by her entire life.

Suddenly, the water surrounding Connie lost shape and fell, Connie falling with it.

"Steven?" Connie heard Lapis say, her voice almost in disbelief.

As Connie was freed from her prison and fell to the ground, she began to cough up the water in her lungs, air finally filling them. As soon as she stopped gagging, she looked around her to find that all of Lapis' water constructs, save her tower, had fallen into puddles.

Ruby looked at the water that had once been holding her and stood triumphantly. "Yea, that'll teach you to mess with me."

Sapphire and Opal groaned as they pulled themselves to their feet.

"Connie!" Opal called, immediately running over to the fallen girl. She helped Connie stand up, giving her support until she regained her balance. "Are you okay?"

"Yea." Connie answered tiredly.

Sapphire looked to the clouds hiding the top of the water tower from view. "Please let me be right about this." She prayed.

Lapis could only stare as Steven got up, all her anger towards her enemies fleeing, replaced by joy at seeing her friend was still alive. "Y-Y-...You're okay!" She said happily, jumping forward and hugging him tightly.

Steven stood there, the memories of what had come to pass slowly returning to him.

Lapis pulled away and looked into his eyes. "I was so worried about you. I didn't even know if you were alive or if you were..." Her eyes began to water. "I'm just really happy you're okay."

Steven smiled, somewhat confused. "Well I'm happy you're happy." He said. He looked down and his eyes widened. "W-Wait, wh-what the-" Steven exclaimed as his gaze fell upon the water below him.

"Don't worry, it'll hold you." Lapis assured him with a smile. "I'd never let you fall."

Steven calmed down a little, admitting to himself that it really wasn't the weirdest thing he had experienced in his life. "Wait a minute...what's going on? Why are we on top of a tower of water?" Steven looked down at it and became mesmerized by its beauty. "Not that I'm complaining; it's beautiful."

"Well thank you." Lapis beamed at the complement at her creation. "I was taking you somewhere safe. I didn't know if you were okay after what happened, so I thought that my home could help you." Lapis' expression hardened as she looked down to the earth below, the place that harbored the ones who had hurt him. "I was also making sure they couldn't hurt you again." Lapis said. Her expression softened as she faced her friend again. "I'm afraid that, with my gem cracked, this was the best I could do for you." Lapis finished, almost sounding disappointed in herself.

Steven gave her a confused look. "Help? Hurt me? I'm confused..." Steven thought back to what had happened immediately before he fell unconscious. She had...done all of this...for him? Something else that Lapis said finally caught his attention. "Wait, your gem is cracked?!" Steven asked.

Lapis looked away from his gaze, a shameful expression upon her face. She nodded sadly. "I would've just flown us there if it weren't..." Lapis offered him a weak smile. "Hey, you're okay though. That's all that matters." Lapis slowly looked to the sky. "I still...wish I could go back though..."

Steven looked at her expression and felt sad for her. He was still confused as to what was happening, but it was obvious she wanted to go back to her home...wherever it was. Besides, if she had done so much to help him, he could do the same.

Steven, slowly and softly, placed his lips on the cracked tear-shaped gemstone on Lapis' back, making his friend shudder at the cold feeling coming over her.

"Steven, what was-" Lapis stopped as her gem began to glow.

Lapis' form began to levitate, her gemstone glowing brighter with every passing second. As her gemstone began to come back together, her blue colors began to grow lighter and brighter. After her gem stopped glowing, she began to slowly descend back to the water below her. As she was about to touch the liquid, two large water wings spread out from her gemstone, flapping lightly to keep her in air. Lapis turned her head back to Steven and opened her eyes, revealing her dark blue eyes to her friend.

"Wow." Was all Steven could say.

Lapis looked at Steven with an ecstatic expression on her face. "Steven, how did you- why did you- what did you-"

Steven gave an awkward chuckle. "I have healing powers..." He explained. "So I used them to fix your gem."

"Steven..." With one flap of her wings, she zoomed towards Steven, hugging him tightly, pushing their cheeks together. Using her strength, she picked him up and spun him around in the air, laughing for the first time in centuries. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" She said.

Steven began laughing with her at the reaction, hugging her back.

As Lapis was spinning with Steven in her embrace, she forgot about the gems that had held her captive, the ones that had hurt what had become most precious to her; all that existed to her was herself and the savior she held against her. Lapis' spinning slowed down and she lowered them back to the top of the water tower, setting Steven down. "Thank you." She said once more.

Steven beamed. "It was nothing."

"No Steven, what you've just done is everything to me." She said thankfully as she levitated an inch above the water, never taking her eyes off of Steven. "You talked to me. You set me free. You healed me. You...you became my friend." Lapis slowly reached out and gently took Steven's hands in hers, gradually rising and pulling him closer to her with a light tug. "Come with me Steven." She said with a bright smile.

"Come with you?" Steven gave a confused expression. "Where?"

Lapis gave him another playful tug, chuckling as if the answer was obvious. "Home." She said with a voice of longing. "Where you don't have to worry about getting hurt again. A home away from the pain you feel here, where you don't have to feel lonely. A home...with me..."

Steven thought for a moment. What she had just offered him...it was exactly what he wanted. He didn't want to be hurt anymore, to feel like a burden, to feel lost and alone...he wanted so badly to say yes. So, when his answer finally came out, he was almost surprised about it himself. "Lapis, I want to, in fact, I'd love to...but," Steven pulled his hands out of Lapis', making the water gem's smile drop. "I can't... This is my home." He said, taking a glance below him before looking back at Lapis.

"I…I don't understand." Lapis looked disappointed, almost a little hurt, but still gave him a small smile. "But something tells me I'm not going to be able to change your mind…" She said weakly. "Then I guess this is goodbye for now." She stated as she began floating up higher.

"Yea...I guess it is..." Steven said with a frown, looking at the ground. He looked back up. "But we'll see each other again." He said with a smile.

Lapis brightened up a bit. "You better believe it!" She said, cheering up, the two sharing another laugh. After their laughter faded, she looked back to the sky. "I promise, I'll visit you as soon as I can." She told him as she rose higher, raising her wings. "Until then, I'll be thinking of you. Be safe." Lapis turned around, turning her head to look back at him. "Good bye...beach-summer-fun-buddy." With a flap of her wings, she took to the skies.

"Bye...Lapis..." Was all that Steven could muster as he watched his friend fly away. In that moment, he felt a tangle of emotions that he couldn't seem to understand. All he knew was that the sensation made him feel...happy. As Lapis flew farther and farther, Steven gave a small smile. "I'll see you soon..."

Ruby groaned as they continued to wait for something to happen at the base of the water tower. "How much longer do we have to wait?"

"Would you prefer Lapis trying to kill us?" Sapphire asked.

"Better than dying of boredom." Ruby grumbled.

"Um, guys?" Opal said, calling everyones' attention to the gigantic column of water. "The tower's falling!"

Everyone looked up at the slowly crumbling tower of liquid.

"Steven's still up there!" Connie cried.

"Don't worry." Sapphire said. "Everyone get on Lion, we'll catch him."

Everyone nodded, Connie putting Ruby into Lion's mane before hopping on his back with Opal and Sapphire.

"Alright Lion, let's go!" Connie said.

Lion roared, creating a pink portal with his roar. Lion jumped through the portal, the group find themselves back home, Mayor Dewey crying as he used his hose in a vain attempt to fill the dry beach with water.

"What?!" Connie exclaimed. "Lion, Steven's still back there! We need to save him!"

Lion let out a yawn before lying on the ground, making the group tumble off of his back.

Ruby poked her head out of Lion's mane. "Did we catch him?" She asked. Ruby took a good look at her surroundings. "We better've caught him or we're gonna learn how lions taste!" Ruby cried.

Connie was about to start complaining to her pink guardian, only for Sapphire to put a hand over her mouth.

"Shh, listen." Sapphire said, silencing the group.

As they quieted, they looked and saw the ocean begin to flood back into the beach, almost looking like nothing had happened as it settled. Yet, the sound of the roaring waters wasn't what caught the Crystal Gems' attention. Barely audible, was the faint sound of laughter and farting noises.

Ruby shielded her eyes from the sun to get a better glimpse at the source, looking out at the horizon. "Is that..."

"Steven!" Connie cried happily, knowing her brother's signature laughter anywhere.

Coming into view, cradled in a hollow bubble of water, was Steven.

The bubble vibrated as it made another of the farting sounds, Steven holding his stomach and laughing. "It never gets old." He said amongst his laughter.

Opal gave a confused expression. "Why is it-"

"No idea." Ruby answered.

As the bubble hovered over the beach, it popped, dropping him safely on the shore and giving one last fart.

Steven chuckled at the noise. "Bye bud." He said softly as water fell to the sand.

"Steven!" Connie cried happily, tackling him into a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Opal walked up next, picking Steven up. "Do you have any idea how worried we were?!" Opal asked, shaking Steven in her arms. "We were worried sick! You could've gotten yourself seriously hurt!"

"Opal, calm down. We're mad at Steven, we don't want to kill him." Ruby said.

Opal looked at Steven, a sick look on his face. "Oh..." Opal set him down gently.

Ruby took Steven into a tight hug. "I don't care how mad I am though, I'm glad my buddy's safe."

"Ruby..." Steven said, gasping for air. "You're...choking me..."

"Now you know how we felt." Ruby said lovingly before releasing him.

"Alright, I'm confused. Are you happy or mad, I can't tell? And what are you even talking about?"

"While we are upset that you disobeyed us and freed Lapis, we couldn't be happier that you're safe." Sapphire said with a sweet smile.

"Well, I'm sorry for making you guys worried." Steven said.

"It's fine Steven, what's in the past is in the past; there's no use fretting over it." Sapphire told him.

"Still, I'm really sorry."

"It's alright...and Steven?" Sapphire said with a sweet smile still upon her face.

"Yea?" Steven responded.

"You're grounded."

Author's note: Remember how Steven feels. Remember...