Chapter 7

Part I: Connie

Connie hadn't known what had happened till she realized she hadn't seen Steven in over a week. She decided to drop by and see how he was doing. As she headed up the steps, she noticed that the house was unusually quiet.

Maybe no one was home. She knocked anyway, just to see, thinking if Steven wasn't home she'd come back later. Then an all-too-familiar voice rang out from within. "Oh, hey Connie!" Steven called through the door. He pulled it open and let her in. "Um... There's a couple things I should probably catch you up on." He took awhile to explain all of what had happened.

(Some minutes later)

"Wait, her gem was shattered?" Connie asked.

"Yeah... She can't come back." Steven looked down and sighed sadly as he thought back to that final moment Pearl's physical form disappeared from their sight for possibly forever.

"So, would that mean that's the Gem equivalent of... death?"

"Technically, yeah. We've all been taking time off to recover from the loss... It's been hard for all of us."

Connie couldn't believe it at first. Pearl was not only her instructor, her mentor, but also her friend. The last time she'd talked to Pearl, they'd run into each other on the beach and had a pleasant but brief conversation that had concluded with little more than a simple "see you later".

That couldn't be Connie's last words to Pearl forever! She wished she could go back, she had so much more to say. If only she had known they would end up in such an intense battle...

Steven's voice brought her back from her thoughts just before she began to tear up. "I've been working on something that could bring her back."

"Really?" That changed everything. Maybe there was hope. "Do you think it'll really work?"

"I don't know, but it can't hurt to try, can it?"

"That's right. I like the way you think, Steven," Connie smiled. "Oh, what time is it?! I have a violin lesson today..." She jumped up suddenly, glancing at the clock and picking up her things. "I need to go. Sorry I couldn't stay longer, Steven. Let me know if your gem-healing thing works!"

"Will do! Thanks, Connie!" Steven called, closing the door behind her.

Part II: Greg

It wasn't quite the same as when they lost Rose. When Rose died, it was so that they could have Steven. Greg missed Rose, of course, but he was happy to have his son.

This was different, though. Pearl's gem was shattered - she was killed by Homeworld. Greg didn't really understand a lot of it, but he knew that Homeworld was still angry with the Crystal Gems for continuing to stop their plans. And sure, he admitted that he and Pearl weren't as close as, say, he and Rose were, but he still thought of her as a friend.

He visited Steven a couple of days after the battle, and was shocked and saddened to see the usually so cheerful boy absolutely depressed. Greg knew how close Steven had gotten to the Gems, and understood that Steven's reaction to this loss would be much deeper, much stronger, much more painful than his own. He felt sorry that the boy had to go through such a loss at such a young age.

A few days later, though, Steven visited Greg and showed him what he had been working on-a device to heal broken gems. "I'm not sure if it will work," Steven admitted, "but I'm going to try anyway."

"Should I... come with you and watch, or stay out of the way?" Greg wasn't quite sure whether he would get in the way of Steven's magic Gem business, or if he should be there if Pearl was revived.

"I think you should come," Steven said. "In case she does come back..."

"Okay, yeah! I'll come and watch this happen. I'm really proud of you, Steven. You've come so far already." Steven smiled, and they were on their way back to the temple.

AN: im making you wait. I didn't intend to make you wait that long but I quite like the suspense I'm building here.

I've planned out the next two chapters and an epilogue. Then we will be done.

Hmm, this chapter's kind of short. I may add onto it later, but really I'm just saying that to trick myself. We all know I won't, at leSt not soon.

Anyway, get really excited (or scared. Actually, be scared) for the next chapter. Yeah.

~Pikminsanity