Steven slept that night but it was anything but good. In his dream he was lying on his back. He opened his eyes to a thick gray smoke coming from the fires that surrounded him. His body sat up and looked side to side, analyzing the situation. Steven recognized what Pearl referred to as "an ancient interplanetary gem vessel" about one hundred feet in front of him. It looked different from when he last saw it, though. The ground below it was newly disturbed and the fire seemed to originate from around it. The gem ship had just crashed. As his vision adjusted to the smoke around him he noticed dozens of shattered gems in the dirt. Lying ten feet to his left he saw Pearl's limp tattered body covered in bruises and scratches. He knew that the dreams were just memories- not even his memories -but that didn't make it any better to see his mother figure so hurt. To Steven's surprise his body did exactly what he wanted it to do. He leapt up and ran to Pearl's side. His body reached forward with a pale pink hand and gently caressed Pearl's gem. Steven figured Rose was checking for scratching or cracks and, to Steven's relief, Rose found none.
Steven's dream body (Rose) began looking side to side quickly like she was looking for something, or someone. Rose stopped looking and she focused on some movement in the distance. Steven squinted to see what it was. He saw a blurred blue gem with a red blur being dragged close behind. These gems were coming right for Rose and Pearl. Why didn't Rose pick up Pearl and run?! As the blurs got closer Steven realized that these gems were no strangers. They were Ruby and Sapphire! Sapphire was holding Ruby's hand and pulling her along at an alarming speed. Steven couldn't tell what Sapphire was thinking but Ruby's expression gave her emotions away. Ruby was determined, angry, and... scared? Steven looked on from them, just like Rose did, and noticed the crowd of four gems chasing them, each holding a threatening weapon. Sapphire ran up to Rose and stopped to catch her breath. Ruby stood and saw Pearl lying on the ground, unconscious. A look of worry flashed across Ruby's firm expression.
"Damn, is she alright?" Ruby asked.
"Yes, her gem is unscathed." Steven felt his mouth move without his command
Steven saw Sapphire and Ruby look at each other with relief in their eyes.
"Who are those delightful gems?" Rose spoke sarcastically.
Ruby let a small grin creep onto her face. "Oh, just some uninvited friends that decided to join the party."
"They're rather unpleasant." Rose smiled at Sapphire's comment.
As the attacking gems drew closer Rose summoned her shield and drew her sword from the pink scabbard on her waist. Ruby and Sapphire turned to face the impending attack. When the gems grew frighteningly close Ruby and Sapphire both took battle stances. Steven examined the hostile gems. Two of them were slightly taller than Sapphire, both holding long narrow shafted spears. The other two were as tall as Rose, one was holding a heavily built sword and the other was holding an enormous warhammer. The seven gems quickly went into a chaotic battle. Ruby and Sapphire were fighting side by side against the two smaller gems with spears. Rose was in a sword fight with the gem that held the heavily built sword. The large gem with the warhammer stood back waiting for the perfect moment to attack.
Ruby and Sapphire easily poofed and shattered the two small gems. The gem with the hammer saw her opportunity promptly after Ruby and Sapphire defeated the second small gem. She approached quickly and raised her hammer above her head. She was prepared to killed Ruby and Sapphire at the same time with one blow. Steven saw this through Rose's peripheral vision and he panicked. He knew Ruby and Sapphire both had to make it through the war alive but that didn't stop the worry that flooded over him. The hammer swung down hard and fast as it hit its intended target with a loud clang. The hammer was intended to hit Ruby and Sapphire, and it did, just not the way it was supposed to. As the small cloud of dust around Ruby and Sapphire dissipated Steven saw Garnet with her gauntlets raised in front of her face upon which was the warhammer. The gem holding the warhammer had a surprised look on her face. Before the gem with the warhammer could make another move Garnet quickly disarmed her, poofed her, and hesitantly crushed her gem. Rose had already defeated the gem she was fighting.
Garnet sighed,"Do we really have to do that?"
"What?" Rose asked.
"Crush them." Garnet said sounding crestfallen.
"I-I'm afraid so." Rose replied. She, Ruby, and Sapphire all hated crushing gems."I would much rather bubble them but there is no place to keep their bubbled gems." Steven knew lots of gems died in the war but the realization just struck him. Every single gem that poofed was most likely crushed! How many gems had to die before Homeworld left Earth? Thinking about the answer made him nauseous.
Garnet defused and Ruby and Sapphire approached Rose. They noticed Rose was standing protectively over Pearl's tattered body. "We should get her to a safer place before you heal her." Sapphire said knowingly.
"I agree." Rose said as she looked down at Pearl. Pearl had a black eye, her arm was bent in the wrong direction, and scratches and bruises ran up and down her legs and arms. It was a horrible sight.
Steven sat up in his bed. He felt the that the collar of his shirt was wet along with his pillow. He'd been crying. He thought he could wait but these dreams are getting longer and more realistic. He had to ask Garnet about them the second she came out of her room in the temple. Steven sighed and let his face droop when he realized he wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep. He looked at the clock on his nightstand and it read 3:17 a.m. He dropped his head "this is going to be a long night," he mumbled to himself.
A/N: Thanks for reading chapter three of Unintentional Return. This chapter is a little shorter than the others but we get to ask Garnet what the dreams are in the next chapter! I think the story is moving along nicely, it may be moving slow but that keeps all of you guys in suspense and mystery :). I hope you enjoyed, please review. Stay fabulous. Until the next chapter, bye!