Wherever You Are
Steven could feel his heart thumping in his chest as he tried to remain hidden from the two gems a few yards away from him. The young gem was entirely unsure of how to proceed. He had considered trying to make a run for the warp pad to get back to Beach City and warn the others, but had decided against it. The Homeworld gem would probably outrun him, and if he was caught…
Steven shuddered as memories of his previous encounter with the Homeworld gem played through his mind, and huddled closer to the rock he was hiding behind. The young gem turned his attention to the two gems standing in the middle of the canyon, who had been conversing for the last several minutes.
"…So Rose turned into a human?" the Homeworld gem asked.
"It calls itself 'The Steven'. Though it exhibits Rose's abilities, it is immune to our gem destabilizers. I have encountered it several times, including when I was here last.
"And where can I find it?" the Homeworld gem asked impatiently, casting a disdainful look at the technician.
"The location I initially encountered 'The Steven' and the remaining rebels is not far from here. Is your ship nearby?"
Steven remained in his hiding place, greatly dismayed by the exchange he just overheard. He knew that the gems were going to go to the beach to try and find him. If the evil duo went to Beach City, they would probably raze the town again. Steven wondered grimly if the residents would be able to survive another assault from the gem warship. He had to prevent the pair from reaching Beach City!
Steven stopped to consider his options. He could try to lead the Homeworld gem and Peridot to a remote location to fight them. However, Steven doubted that he would survive a two-on-one fight against the gems. On the other hand, Steven could lead them to Beach City and get help from his friends. Still, doing so would likely cause damage to Beach City and its residents. After briefly considering both options, the worried boy decided against the latter; he wouldn't let anyone else get hurt because of him. Steven shifted his position, inadvertently causing a small rock to clatter to the stone floor. The sound echoed through the canyon, causing Steven to cringe.
At the unexpected sound, the Homeworld gem turned towards the rock concealing Steven.
"What are you…" Peridot started.
The Homeworld gem motioned for Peridot to be quiet and listened again. She had heard something moving in the canyon. They weren't alone. The Homeworld gem slowly began to approach Steven's rock.
Behind the rock, Steven was crouching, desperately hoping that the evil gems wouldn't find him. He could hear the heavy footsteps as the gem slowly came towards his hiding spot. The scared boy wasn't sure what to do. Different courses of action rapidly played through his mind as he tried to figure out how to escape. Suddenly, the Homeworld gem took hold of the rock. Without hesitating, Steven darted out from behind it and took off running back towards the warp pad.
"Huh?" the Homeworld gem exclaimed, momentarily surprised by the small spy.
"There it is!" Peridot exclaimed. "That's Rose!"
The Homeworld gem snarled and ran after the injured boy, who had gained a significant lead due to her hesitation.
Steven's chest began to hurt as he continued to run as fast as he could towards the warp pad. He could hear the evil gem gaining on him. Steven knew that he wouldn't be able to keep running for much longer. He looked over his shoulder; much to his dismay, the Homeworld gem was only a few feet away from him. The villain reached out in an attempt to grab him. Steven looked forward and noticed that the warp pad was only a few yards away. Mustering the energy he had left, Steven surged forward, narrowly avoiding his pursuer's grasp. He leapt onto the warp pad and teleported away just as the gem dived to catch him.
In the warp, Steven breathed a sigh of relief. The young gem pondered his current situation and what to do next. He had no idea where the warp would end, and whether the Homeworld gem would be able to follow him through the stream. If he ended up back at Beach City, he would have to go and warn the others. If not, Steven supposed he would have to find a safe place to rest and decide his next move.
Without warning, the warp ended, causing Steven to fall several feet to the ground. He stood up and dusted himself off, unsure of where the warp stream had taken him. In the dim light of dusk, Steven struggled to make out his surroundings. Remembering the flashlight his dad had given him, the tired boy reached into his back pocket and pulled out the small black item. Steven clicked the button on the side of the device, hoping it was still working after his recent ordeal; much to his relief, the device lit up. Steven pointed the flashlight in front of him and looked around, surveying the foliage around him.
Suddenly, the warp pad behind him came to life. Unsure of who to expect, Steven quickly dived into some foliage nearby and turned off his flashlight. Unable to see through the vegetation, Steven listened as the warp ended and someone stepped off the warp pad.
"Where could Rose have gone? When I find her, I'm going to enjoy taking her apart piece by piece! You stay here and make sure she doesn't come back."
"Fine," Peridot replied frustrated.
The Homeworld gem stopped and looked around for any sign of her target. Steven remained completely still, knowing that the slightest movement might betray his position. After what seemed like an eternity, the villain moved on. Steven waited as the sound of footsteps became more and more distant. Finally, when the coast seemed clear, he began to slowly crawl away from the warp pad. After crawling for several minutes, Steven stood up and took deep breaths. The sun had finally set, plunging his surroundings into total darkness. He turned his flashlight on again and renewed his trek through the wilderness.
After venturing through the dark forest for several minutes, Steven came to a point where the trees gave way to a large beach. The young boy stood at the edge of the clearing, gazing out at the ocean as the waves crashed against the shore. Looking around, Steven noticed an odd structure in the sand a few yards away from him. Looking around to make sure the Homeworld gem wasn't nearby, Steven slowly made his through the sand to the structure. The young adventurer pointed his flashlight at the unknown structure, and found that it was a makeshift tent. He suddenly realized where he was.
"This is the island where the gems and I looked for that invisible gem monster!" Steven whispered excitedly. "I remember when I took Lars and Sadie on vacation here. That was fun." Steven walked over to the tent and went inside, examining the condition of the structure. Shining his flashlight on the ground, he noticed the remains of several crystal necklaces he had been making before they left. Steven picked one up, examining the clear facets of the shards, before putting it into his back pocket. The necklace would be a nice gift for Connie later, assuming he escaped the Homeworld gem and made it back to Beach City.
Suddenly, Steven heard motion outside the tent. The young gem turned just in time to see a figure block the entrance to the structure. The imposing gem looked the injured boy over and grinned maliciously.
"There you are! So, Rose, you were with the other rebels the whole time. No wonder you didn't die the first time I beat you. You're not just an ordinary human. Heh heh I've been waiting a long time for this. It's time for you to pay for your treason!"
The Homeworld gem grabbed the sides of the tent, lifted it up effortlessly, and hurled it into the ocean. Steven let out a whimper and backed away from his assailant, stashing his flashlight in his pocket. The gem quickly advanced towards Steven and grabbed him by his injured arm, causing the boy to cry out in pain. The gem swung the young gem by his injured appendage, slamming him into the ground several times. Without warning, the powerful gem whirled around and threw Steven into the trunk of a tree several yards away. The young boy yelped as he hit the ground and clutched his bandaged arm in a desperate attempt to alleviate the pain. The Homeworld gem began to deliberately make her way towards the injured gem, cracking her knuckles. Fearing for his life, Steven got up and ran hurriedly into the forest. The Homeworld gem ran after him, yelling angrily at the boy.
"Get back here! Face me like a gem."
Steven continued running through the jungle, ducking and weaving between the trees as he tried to escape the Homeworld gem. Unable to make out the landscape in front of him, the terrified gem collided with several low-hanging branches, causing him to stumble briefly. Steven regained his balance and turned his head to find the Homeworld gem a few feet away from him, barreling through foliage and crushing branches recklessly. Steven let out a gasp and turned his attention forward again, narrowly missing a tree trunk. He hoped that the warp pad was somewhere nearby. Suddenly, the dense forest gave way to another beach. Steven turned just in time for the Homeworld gem to barrel into him, sending him flying backward. He landed roughly at the water's edge and sat up slowly, rubbing his head. The injured boy looked up to see his assailant towering over him, glaring down at him.
"Finally," the Homeworld gem spat, "you have nowhere to run."
The gem drew her arm back, preparing to deliver a crushing blow to the cornered boy. Steven cringed, shutting his eyes tightly and covering his face with his good arm. The Homeworld gem swung downward, only for her attack to make contact with a large pink bubble. The Homeworld gem recoiled, stumbling backwards a few feet. Steven opened his eyes to find that his attacker had retreated. Seizing the opportunity, Steven dispelled his bubble and quickly got to his feet. His aggressor, seeing this, lunged forward in an attempt to grab him. The young boy suddenly gained a second wind and deftly maneuvered past the Homeworld gem, once again escaping into the cover of the jungle. The villain roared in frustration and followed him once more into the foliage. Steven ran through the forest, his tireless assailant in pursuit. Steven briefly wondered if he should stop and face the gem head-on, but quickly dismissed the idea. None of the other Crystal Gems had been able to defeat his pursuer; he would be lucky to last a minute. Steven noticed that the forest cleared ahead of him, and he quickened his pace.
Upon reaching the clearing, Steven realized that he had made it back to the warp pad. He stopped briefly and looked at the lime-green gem standing between him and his only escape route.
"Stop!" Peridot demanded.
Knowing that he only had one option, Steven summoned his shield, lowered his head, and charged at Peridot. He collided with the technician, sending her flying to the side. Determined to escape, Steven scrambled to the warp pad, teleporting away just as the Homeworld gem reached the platform.
The warp deposited Steven on the strawberry battlefield. The dim light of the moon gave the ancient battleground an ominous feeling. He walked off the warp pad and fell to his knees, taking rapid, short breaths. Suddenly, the warp pad behind him activated. Steven turned just in time for the Homeworld gem to reach out and grab him by the collar of his shirt. The villain lifted him roughly off the ground and brought his face close to hers. Steven began to shake, utterly terrified.
"No more running, Rose!" The gem exclaimed furiously. "This time, you die!"