I don't own Steven Universe. I'm just a kid with an imagination and a computer.

-Steven POV-

I was watching the door to the mysterious gem room. So. Bored. Suddenly I heard someone approaching me. Pearl must have finally decided to admit that she didn't actually know the answer.

"Hi Pearl, do you feel better now?" No response. I turned to face Pearl. "You know, it's okay too..." This wasn't Pearl. This was my worst nightmare. Standing in front of me, was the intruder. Pearl had just gone into the next room, and if the intruder was here... then what had happened to her?

"What? Oh, were you expecting your precious protector Pearl? Sorry, she's stepped out for the moment." Under my enemy's hood on her darkened face, flashed a white eye. A glaring, soulless, merciless look that when paired with her sadistic tone of voice... shortly said, I had never felt this frightened in my short existence.

She stepped forward, and formed two daggers as I took a step backwards. Suddenly, she rushed towards me and my instincts kicked in. My pink and red bubble surrounded me just in time as the intruder quickly released three well placed swipes near my chest. After failing to hit me my attacker grunted angrily, before leaping on top of the bubble and back flipped off of it. I was sent hurdling towards the nearest wall while she landed squarely on her feet, arms crossed in an x-shape.

I bounced back towards her and she rapidly uncrossed her arms. "Vastitas", a light echo surrounded her voice. My bubble was hit with an unimaginably strong force that caused it to burst on contact with the daggers. I fell face first onto the ground. I attempted to get up, but two objects flew past my head and my shirt had been pinned to the floor. I can only describe this moment, as sheer terror covered with a wave of doom.

-Unknown POV-

Vengeance, this was the one thing on my mind as I attacked my weaker foe. All reason had melted away, after that intruder Pearl had nearly hit me. She had tried to put me off my game by scaring me, but I am a fearless warrior. Now she was to suffer the consequences. Sure it's dishonorable to attack a weaker opponent than one's self, but any of those thoughts were at the back of my mind.

This weak excuse of a gem "Steven" had hardly been a challenge. Also what kind of a name is that anyway, Steven. It made no sense! Either way, I stared down as his defeated form. Unlike the others, he didn't glare up at me. He actually looked a bit scarred. I flashed my eyes and watched his fear grow. This was honestly just too easy.

"Any last words?" My voice rang out with venom. He stared straight into my face, eyes searching for any signs of emotion. Finally, he glanced to the side.

"Lion?"

"I'm sorry, what?" With that I turned to face a set of eyes, glowing white just like mine. Our stares began to intensified with one another. Suddenly, "Lion" growled and ran at me.

I duck and rolled underneath the creature as it leapt in front of Steven. I formed a shield as the feline released an ear shattering roar. It pounced and scratched as I repeatedly blocked. Finally it just became too much, and the lion pounced on top of me as my shield and daggers dissolved from lack of energy left to give. I was lying there on the floor with a lion on top of my chest. It growled and bared its fangs as I shut my eye's tightly. I felt breathing, the lion was smelling me. It licked me. Death was approaching fast as my sense of reason had finally managed to return.

I was prepared for the worst, but not what happened next. The cat on top of me began to purr and nuzzle me. I opened my left eye cautiously, and was immediately met with a sight that I couldn't remember seeing since I'd left Crystilia, back on the thirteenth day of the Garnet month. I wasn't being attacked by a ferocious beast, I was being welcomed home by the kitten I'd left behind with my sister all those months ago.

-Flashback-

It was a cold stormy night. I was about ten years old. I was roaming the palace. I could never stay in the same place long without getting bored. Suddenly, I heard a tiny scratching and some mews at the Crystal Palace's main door. I opened the doors, to find a half drowned lion cub.

...

It was my little sister Rose's sixth birthday. I watched as she joyfully pulled a pink lion cub from a basket I'd handed her. They would spend the rest of the day playing merrily together. Just a princess and her pet.

...

I hated palace life. I hated mother always telling me I was too weak to do anything. I hated never being allowed to venture outside without supervision. I loved the days I was able to out sneak to the Guardian Gem compound. I loved it when my many mentors would teach me new skills that I could work on mastering. I loved it when I would go into Crystilia, disguised as a regular citizen and protect the people from the streets.

I had been planning to escape for a while. Now that I was officially sixteen I could survive in the wilderness on my own. I had finished packing my bags and had reviewed my plan over again. After escaping the Guardian Gems had promised to help me get to the sandstone temple. If I ever could escape. Queen Quartz had caught me enough times to have had me pushed her to the last nerve. She finally swore to me that if I could ever actually escape I'd be dead to her, and all of the Empire as well.

It was time to go. I snuck into Rose's room because, unlike my room, the window's weren't barred. I secured my rope to Rose's bed post and threw it out the window, down ten or so story's. I took one last look at my sweet sister, may her grace forever shine over this kingdom. As I prepared to go I felt something nuzzle my leg. Rose's lion was still as tiny as ever. I gave him one last hug... before leaving forever.

I was laughing and crying as I pulled my younger sister's pet into an embrace. I allowed my hood to be knocked off by the cat. My long black and pony tailed hair now visible to the world. Any and all negative feelings were gone from me. I was free of that horrible sap, I was reunited with a long lost friend, and I was in the sandstone temple. It doesn't matter how long I was out, or what had changed. I was home and nothing could change this.

-Pearl's POV-

I had finally been able to regain my body functions. I heard crying, growling and laughter in the next room. I could only imagine what kind of a nightmare Steven had been trapped in. The sight I saw before me was nothing like I had thought.

Before me was a long black haired girl. She was wearing a light purple tank top like tunic, and white pants. Her feet were in white boots set with a light purple gem. They were near identical to her gloves. But the oddest thing about this girl, was that she was cry-laughing into Steven's lion. Who was in an equal embrace!

I was about to react harshly to the intruder, who I'm sure was insane, when I saw Steven. He simply walked up to me, and gave a simple explanation. "If Lion is happy to see her, then we should be happy. Even if it doesn't seem like it." I nodded in agreement. The lion had always been remarkably accurate and helpful.

An eye glanced at us from the side of a humanoid face. Suddenly, the girl intruder had turned to face me. She looked at me timidly, then at the floor sadly. I could almost here her mumbling something along the lines of, "I... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let my rage control me."

"Who are you?" My mind was boggling. What kind of an intruder that malevolent would stop to cry because of a lion, and then shyly apologize?

"Allow me to introduce myself." The girl walked up to me and I had to fight the urge to step back and cover Steven. She extended a hand to me. " Hello Pearl, I am Crystal Quartz." I nearly fainted.

Sorry for getting this in later than promised. I had a lot of homework to do. Thanks for the support though! :)