SilverWolf1130: Thanks, and I'm hoping to work on this story more too. I really like working on it and I'll be sure to update it as I do it alongside my other stories.
LoamyCoffee: I'll say, and Opal doesn't really get a lot of screen time, but I'd say that she's one of my favorite fusions.
GracefulArt: That's a go idea, and I'm excited to get to when they do fuse.
RedHood001: Thank you so much for the support on the story. Yeah, I found their bickering to be annoying too. Steven Jr. is a cute character that is fun to watch. I'm working out a fusion with Steven and Isaac, but I haven't really come up with anything yet. As for Onyx and Rose, it could have happened, given that the backstory of Onyx is really broad and up for a lot of ideas and stories to fill in the blanks.
trickster3696: I know, right? I didn't get into the show at first because of how annoying he was. Yes, she was betrayed by the Diamonds. What did you think about the backstory?
Chapter 10: So Many Birthdays
They said it wasn't needed. They said it was a waste of money. They said it was going to serve no real purpose. But they were wrong to think that about the gas mask Isaac had just bought from Amazon, especially now as they walked through the piles of random junk in Amethyst's room. About an hour ago, Pearl came running out of the temple shouting about how there was a terrible and foul smell that was reeking throughout the Temple. So, the Crystal Gems launched an investigation to find it.
And they were looking through Amethyst's room because it was where the smell was strongest.
"How can you live like this?" Pearl questioned Amethyst while pinching her nose. Isaac and Steven were walking in front of them, trying to scout out where the smell was coming from. Isaac had on the gas mask he bought with a pair of blue latex glues, while Steven had to pinch his nose shut too and used a stick to move things around.
"It was fine 'til you guys started whining," said Amethyst.
While Pearl was repulsed by the smell, Garnet wasn't bothered at all. "Whining?! The whole temple reeks!"
"I told her that this place was a bio-hazard," Isaac commented, before seeing Steven stop and point to something with his stick. Isaac looked and saw it was something small and wrapped in tin foil. Steven was gently pushed to the side as Isaac kneeled down and picked up the object with his gloves on.
"We've found it!" The young boy called back to the Gems. Isaac stood up and showed them the tin foil object.
Pearl quickly covered her whole nose with her hands. Yep, that was it. "What matter of magical alloy is this," she asked. Isaac shrugged and unwraps tin foil. The result was a small cloud of gas pluming out, making Steven and Pearl cringe at the awful smell.
The cloud hits Isaac in the face, but he was protected by the gas mask. "You see? This is why we wear these things!" He said with a muffled voice, pointing to his mask. He bought it mostly for if they were to go on a dangerous mission that had toxic fuses, but this was close to being in that situation. He then looked down at the thing causing all this trouble. It looked like a burrito, only it was gross looking. Turning a tint of green with mold, fungus, and just looking plain nasty. "Amethyst, why do you have a disgusting burrito lying around?"
Amethyst took the burrito and held it up. "Oh shit! It's the Tuna Burrito from Aqua-Mexican!" she said with a fond smile.
"That place closed like five years ago!" Steven exclaimed.
But Amethyst just took a bite from the age-old breakfast taco. Isaac and Steven flinches and squirmed in disgust, while Pearl looked at her companion in horror. With that going on, Isaac looked around, before noticing something that caught his interest. And soon his face filled wonder.
It was a painting that very much similar to the Washington Crossing the Delaware painting. However, there were some key differences. It wasn't of George Washington and his troop crossing the Delaware as it was frozen over. It had the same angel and a similar size dark brown wooden boat, but in the painting were Rose Quartz, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl along with a few other humans. There were also out at sea, as indicated by Garnet punching a shark at the very back of the boat. Pearl and Amethyst were helping a human that fell into the water. Rose was standing boldly upright with an oar in her 't really looked like she was helping at all. Just trying to look heroic. Not a real confidence booster. All of them were wearing old clothing.
However, there was someone else with them, and they were the person that really caught Isaac's eyes.
It was another woman standing boldly in front of Rose, with her head turned to yell something at her. This other woman was the same height as Rose, but with a slim and toned body. She was likely another Gem, with her grey skin and jet black that was tied into a hair ponytail that was spikey and stood almost straight like, with bangs that framed the side of her head like a helmet, with two points going off to the sides, and then there was a single bang going between her eyes. Her eyes were black, but interestingly going down her right eye was a crack-like, greyish white mark that looked like a scar.
She was wearing a black, form fitting outfit with white accents and armor that made it all look like one complete outfit, instead of separate things. It had a black coattail that covers most of her calves and was white on the inside. Dark grey, elbow length gloves on her arms. The armor was an X-shaped chest armor with shoulder protectors.
However, Isaac looked to her right arm, which was stretched out, and saw she was holding a sword.
It was his sword.
Isaac took off his gas mask and looked at the painting with wide eyes. Looking at it with wonder, he picked up the painting by its dull brown frame that had golden edges. Staring at the woman, he turned towards the Crystal Gems. "Guys," he said, not taking his eyes off the painting. "Is…Is this her? Is that mom?"
Pearl, Garnet, and Steven gathered around to look at the painting. Once she saw the painting of the woman with Rose, Pearl gasped with excitement. "Oh Isaac, that is her. That's Onyx!" She said with joy.
Steven looked with stars in his eyes. The was with Isaac, only his eyes started to tear up. This was the first time he's ever looked at his mother. "She's beautiful," he whispered.
Garnet helped support the painting with him by grabbing one edge as he held the other. Isaac whipped his eyes when the tall Gem spoke. "She sure was," Garnet said with a smile, remembering their time together. Fond memories of the Gem of War. "She was the bravest of us all, and a good friend." She then looked at the shark she punched. "Getting that shark to pose was not fun."
"Why is everyone dressed like old timey people," Steven asked.
When Isaac put the painting in his armpit to carry it out of the temple, Pearl turned to Steven with a smile. "They are old timey people," she confirmed. Isaac looked at her with wide eyes. Did he hear her, right? He glanced at Steven beside him, and the two came to a realization. If that was true, then that would mean…
"How OLD are you guys," the blonde asked the Crystal Gems in a cautious way.
"Much older than any human."
That instantly got Steven excited. "Does that mean you'll live forever?!"
"No, no. We don't age, but we can still get hurt and die." Well that was morbid and killed the mood. As indicated by Steven's happy grin turning into a sad frown. Then their attention was caught by the sound of stomach noises and moans. Amethyst's skin was turning an ill green as she keeled over. Her face in pain and sickly before falling on her face. Pearl looked down at Amethyst, seeing that she got food poisoning from the burrito. Isaac pointed to the short Gem and was about to saying something about helping her, but Pearl simply said, "...but not from food poisoning."
"I just can't believe you guys are like a bazillion years old!" Steven exclaimed in amazement, while the purple Gem could only curl up her body in agony. "How do you find a cake big enough for all those candles?"
Pearl and Garnet glanced at each other. "We don't really celebrate birthdays," the brawler said.
Steven dramatically gasped heavily. "Why not?!"
She shrugged. "It's not our way."
"Well, I can't just ignore this travesty of injustice!" Steven declared with determination. "I pledge that you will have your birthdays, with all the candy, cake, and ice cream you've been denied." This caused Amethyst to vomit after she heard the food.
"Steven, I don't think that's really necessary," Isaac said, not waiting for the Gems to be forced into something that they don't want to do. "Besides, adults don't usually do birthday parties. As long as you provided the traditional breakfast in bed, you're fine."
"That wouldn't do, Isaac," the boy insisted. "We have to make up for all the lost birthdays and need to make them special."
"How?"
About a couple hours after leaving the Temple, Steven brought Isaac and the Gems out. Leading them to where he had his planned party for the girls. It honestly looked like it was put together in under an hour. There was a picnic towel with food items set up, balloons for decorations, and a large "birthday throne" where Amethyst was now sitting at, wearing a red royal cape. "And the birthday queen is, Amethyst!" Steven declared, placing the so-called part crown on the purple Gem. "I hope you like it, Dad made me this outfit and it brings me special birthday luck every year."
He then grabbed a toy microphone and started singing. Garnet and Pearl were sitting on folding chairs, while Isaac was having his own little adventure with Lion, Steven's 'pet' lion. Looking at the beast with an irk look and a party hat in his hand, while Lion sat in front of him and stared with his black eyes.
The two things that one would really notice from Lion was not only that he was huge—much bigger than any other lion on the planet—but also that he was pink. His fur was completely pink. Even his star-shaped mane and the fur at the end of his tail was a soft light pink. Other than that, he had round ears and a dark brownish-magenta heart-shaped nose.
"Come on Lion, give me a break here," Isaac asked. He then put the party hat back on Lion's head. But after that, Lion tried to take it off. Isaac sighed. One thing that Isaac's learn about the magic creature was not only was he a total mystery, but was stubborn as a mule. Baring listening to any but Steven, and even he was having a hard time getting the lion to follow his commands. "You're killing me, Smalls."
Isaac walked over to join the other Gems and sat down in his chair. Pearl leaned down and picked up a balloon with a face drawn on it. "Um, Steven? I know you put a lot of effort into...putting faces on things. But could it be that we're just a tad mature for this ritual," she asked, trying to be gentle with her words.
Amethyst came over and got close to her face. The purple Gem had another birthday hat on her nose, making it look like Pearl's nose. Amethyst then leaned closer and pokes Pearl's nose and the hat. "Boop."
"GAH!" That got a rise out of Pearl. Amethyst playfully ran away and the skinny Gem, chased after her. "You will remove that this instant!"
Isaac snickered after finding that a little funny. Steven ran over to him and gave him a piñata hanging on a stick to hold, before going to Amethyst. "Wait! Here," he said, offering the purple Gem a baseball bat with a ribbon on it.
"Awww, thanks!" Amethyst took the bat from him. "I'll use it all the time!" She then got into motion to hit Pearl with it, making the skinny Gem flinch.
Isaac immediately ran over and stopped her by getting in front of Pearl. "NO! It's for the piñata," he said. Once that was settled, Isaac handed her a blind fold and held the piñata out for Amethyst to hit. "Just wear the blind and try to break it."
With the blindfold on, Amethyst started swinging.
But she was doing it wildly, missing the piñata, and hitting Isaac!
"OW!" He was hit in the left side. Even with his durable skin able to take the blow, Amethyst was strong enough to hurt him very much. "OW!" Isaac was then hit in the leg. Amethyst swung again, but Isaac was able to stop the bat. "Hey, stop it!"
"Am I—"
"OW!"
"—getting—"
"OW!"
"—close?"
Pearl and Steven could only watch as poor Isaac was hit multiple times by the rowdy girl.
"STOP!" Isaac dropped the piñata and grab the bat when she swung it, stopping it from hitting his face. "For the love of God! Just take the blindfold off!" He yelled at Amethyst, startling her. Amethyst did take it off and saw where the piñata. She then jumped and hit it as hard as she could.
Which resulted in it flying off far into the ocean.
Isaac and Steven stared at the direction it went in with wide eyes. The blonde then frowned and said, "I'm not getting that."
Amethyst threw the aside and turned to the young boy. "Ha, what next Steven?"
Steven scratched the back of his head nervously. "Well, you were supposed to get delicious candy when you broke it open."
Amethyst gasped, before looking really sad that she wasn't going to get any of that candy. "Wait, you had candy and you didn't just GIVE it to us?"
"That's the point of a piñata. You have to work for that candy," Isaac said.
"There will be more sweet treats at Pearl's party, I promise," Steven said to the purple Gem.
For Pearl's birthday party, Steven brought them to a cliff overlooking Beach City. Having a with a similar setup to Amethyst's party, Steven was now dressed in a clown costume and Pearl with the birthday outfit. As for Isaac, Steven had him dressed like a clown too. But…
Steven looked at him with a critical look. Analyzing his costume with a look of disapproval. "And you're sure there was no other costume," he asked. Isaac went to the costume shop in town to get a clown outfit, but the only one that was available for his age and up were killer clown costumes. Isaac had to pick the less violent looking one, which had a regular clown jumpsuit with a little bit of blood splattered on it, big red boots, white gloves, and the colorful wig and big red nose.
"You wanted me to dress like a clown," Isaac said, spreading out his arms. "This was the less scary costume they had!"
"I don't know, Isaac," Amethyst said while sitting with the other Gems with two party hats on. "That does look like a brave look for you."
"Yeah, yeah, fuck you Amethyst," Isaac said.
"Language!" Guess who said that.
"Besides, it's funny!" Steven said, before giving his nose a squeeze. Making it honk.
After scolding the blonde man, Pearl looked at Rose's son in confusion. "How?"
Isaac and the Gems watched Steven as the young boy tried to explain why this was all funny. When he wasn't able to do so, he stopped. "Oh geez, I'm breaking character. Wait wait wait. I wrote some jokes—!" Steven took out one of his few pages that he used to write down jokes. He then found the perfect one, in his mind. "Why did Pearl throw butter out the window…?"
Amethyst turned to Pearl and looked at the slim Gem in confusion. "You did what," she asked as Lion walked away.
"...To see a butter fly!" Steven finished the joke.
Isaac made a small, stifled chuckle. However, Pearl didn't get the joke and was instead hurt by what Steven said. "I never did that. Steven, are you telling lies?"
"N-no." Steven wondered why she would ever think that he'd be lying. Didn't she know what a joke was. "A-Ah, Isaac, can you help me here?"
Isaac turned to Pearl with his arms crossed. "Pearl, a joke is something that you tell someone to make them laugh. The laugher comes from the funny punchline," he said before thinking. Okay, Pearl was someone that didn't know that a joke is, so what was a good one to tell her? It has to be something smart. "Okay, why did the picture go to jail?"
Pearl looked a little confused. "Why would a picture be put in jail?"
Isaac smiled and said, "because he was framed!"
There was silence, but Garnet broke it with a short chuckle. Pearl thought for a moment. But after what was about a minute, her eyes widened, and she started laughing. "I get the joke now!"
Isaac looked back at Steven and gave him a thumbs up. Steven returned the gesture and turned to Pearl. "Oh, I know! Pearl, do you like pie?"
After she laugh, Pearl gasped with a smile. "I DO like pie."
Steven ran over to the basket he brought with him. Opening the lid, he dug through it. "Well then you're in luck, I baked you a pie." Steven pulled out a pie and showed it to Pearl. He then walked over to her with it, but the face he made meant that he was up to something, as he sarcastically said, "I sure hope nothing happens to it!"
Isaac got the cue and stuck out a foot. "Oops," he said with a smile, tripping over Steven. But it didn't go as he thought it would. When the young boy fell forward, he intentionally threw the pie over his head. The goal was for it to hit Isaac in the head when it came back down.
In a split sentence, Pearl was standing and caught Steven before he hit the ground. Believing that he would've hurt himself on impact. "Woah, Steven, I've got you. Why would you do that, Isaac? He almost fell right on that—"
Splat!
"Ah!" Pearl gasped when she heard the sound and looked over to see Isaac standing with Steven's plan being a success. The pie landed on Isaac's head, covering most of the upper portion of it in the icing and cream. "Isaac!" Pearl set Steven down at ran up to her blonde friend. Isaac wiped off the pie that was covering his eyes and opened them as the Gem approach. "Are you okay," she asked.
A part of Isaac wanted to be mad at Steven for his little stunt, but that was all forgotten when Pearl showed a great deal of concern for him over getting pie landed on him. He looked away with a blush upon noticing how close she was to him. "I-I'm fine."
"See, Pearl? It's funny!" Steven exclaimed with a big grin. Isaac shook his head at him. That wasn't really funny. He then noticed that Pearl wasn't with him anymore. He looked around before seeing his friend nervously hind behind Garnet. As she clung to her arm, Pearl wished something to Garnet.
Afterwards, the wise Gem turned to look at boys. "Pearl says she's all partied out and she's ready to go home," she told them.
"I'm down with that," Isaac said. He took off his wig and fake nose before turning to walk back to the house. However, he was stopped by Steven running over and grabbing his arm.
"Isaac, wait! This isn't going at all like it should," he said, taking his wig off. Causing his real hair to poof out. "We've got to pull out the ultimate birthday."
"Steven, nothing you've done as worked," Isaac said. "What could possibly make them want to continue doing these parties?"
Now it was Garnet's turn to have a birthday. After bringing the Gems to an empty lot, Steven gave the Gem the B-day outfit. But while Garnet's was ever so hard to read, Pearl and Amethyst didn't look like they were having too much fun anymore. And for what Steven brought out, even Isaac was sure that his friend was getting desperate to give the Gems a birthday. "Okay, there's no way you're not gonna love this!" Steven shouted, gesturing with his hand at three small kiddie cars. The first was a convertible, the second was a Volkswagen, and the last one was an army jeep.
"Steven…what is this," Isaac asked.
"It's kazoo racers!" Steven shouted with a big grin, holding up a kazoo. "You get in a car, you play a kazoo—" He gave the kazoo a blow, before holding up 4 kazoos. "—what more could you want? Dad used to do this for me every year."
While looking anxious, Pearl leaned to Isaac and whispers, "Is this why aging makes humans die!?"
"Pretty much," Isaac responded. "That and people are just idiots."
Garnet walked up to Steven. "Steven, thank you for the birthday parties, but I don't think we'll need anymore," she told the young boy, making his excited face fall to a sad expression.
"Why not?" He asked.
"Our age is only an illusion," Garnet explained, and took off the crown, "and Pearl's pretty sure this ritual is more for human children."
Pearl was a little shocked that Garnet would say that, and remorsefully said to Steven, "Nothing against children."
"Children? Everyone gets to have birthdays, seriously, give it a try," Steven said and grabbed the red car. "You're never too old, right Isaac?"
Isaac sighed and looked at Steven with sad eyes. "Steven, I do celebrate my birthday, but I don't go out of throwing a birthday party," he said, making the boy stop and look at him with wide eyes. "Besides, I'm too big for the cars."
"You're not too big. Y-you just get in." Steven attempted to get into one of the small cars, wanting to show Isaac that he was wrong. But he wasn't able to get seated all the way into the car, and was sitting on the back of the chair. "And then, uh..."
The sound of a Gem shapeshifting was heard, and the Crystal Gems turned their heads towards it. Amethyst had turned into a baby, and sitting in the small war jeep. "I can fit! Which way to the baby war?" She said, having her own fun. The purple Gem then started driving around. "EAT TREAD, DIRT BAGS!"
Steven looked down at his hands. "What if birthdays are just for little kids? What if even I'm too old?" he asked, grabbing his head.
Isaac sighed and walked over to Steven. "Come on, don't be like that," he said, getting down on one knee and placing a hand on the depressed boy. "You're still only 8 years old. You're still young."
"I'm 13!" Steven proclaimed with an upset look.
Isaac's eyes widened in total shock. Seriously! Steven got out of the car and started walking away with his hands in his pockets. Looking down at the ground. "Steven, where're you going," Isaac asked.
"I just need to think," Steven said without turning to him. Still looking sad. "Kazoo Racers suddenly seems undignified." The Gems and Isaac stood where they were, watching him go. Amethyst stopped too, staring at the boy.
"Steven…" Isaac sighed as the sun went down over the horizon. As it as getting dark, a mist started rolling into the city.
When Steven left the four of them to think, Isaac and the Gems decided that it was best to pick up the party decorations. The human-Gem hybrid was rolling up the picnic towel, Pearl was folding the table's legs, and Amethyst was picking up the balloons. "You know, Steven was right, this is fun," Pearl said, setting the table down.
"Yeah," Isaac admitted with a smile. Garnet came over with a box filled with balloons, but was still wearing the birthday outfit. He gave her a raised eyebrow. "Why are you still wearing that?"
"It makes me feel... important," the tall Gem said. The Gems then turned and walked towards the house to put the stuff away.
Isaac then heard something coming towards them. He looked up and saw the silhouette of a familiar animal coming through the fog. "Hey, Lion…" His smiled faded. As Lion got closer to them on the beach, Isaac saw that he had something in his mouth. It was a person and Lion dropped the body onto the sand. The person was a very old man with a gray beard wearing a pink shirt that said, 'Professional Beach Hunk', blue pants, and one scandal on his left foot. When Isaac looked at the shirt, wondering why an old man would wear something like it, he saw that a little bit of his belly was showing.
But it was enough for the blonde to see a familiar gemstone.
Isaac's eyes widened in horror and worry. "Oh God, STEVEN!" He yelled, getting off his knees and ran towards him. When he got to his friend, he kneeled down and gently lifted him up and looked at Steven with concern. "Steven? Steven!"
Steven looked up at him and lifted up his hand. "Isaac?"
Grabbing his hand, Isaac asked the old Steven, "Steven, what the hell happened?"
"I don't know," Steven said, sounding old and weak. Seeming to have trouble staying awake.
Isaac looked up at Lion, but the big cat stared at him. What was he supposed to do? This wasn't like anything he's ever seen before. "Look, it's going to be okay. We'll fix this," he said to comfort. That's when the Gems arrived, running towards Isaac after hearing his yell. He saw them and yelled. "Guys, HELP!"
When she saw Isaac holding Steven in his arms, Pearl gasped shock and stopped in front of them. Garnet and Amethyst kneeled down next to Isaac and Steven. "What's wrong with him," asked the worried skinny Gem.
"He's still alive," Isaac told her, looking down at Steven as the boy closed his eyes. "But I'm not sure why. He's just turned really, really, really, really old."
Hearing this, Pearl started to tear up. "Gems can't die from aging, but he's half human."
"Can't we fix him," asked Amethyst.
Isaac opened and closed his mouth, but he couldn't say anything. What could he say? He's never had to deal with this. That's when Steven opened his and struggled to speak. "My birthday suit, might help," he said. Isaac and Amethyst turned to Garnet. The wise Gem grabbed the cap and took off the birthday suit in one motion. After getting the crown on his head and wrapping the cape around his body, Isaac held the boy in his arms on the ground. Lion was lying behind him.
"Steven? Are you okay?" Isaac asked with his expression getting more worried.
"Thanks guys, but I guess this suit's all out of birthday magic," Steven said, snuggling into Isaac's arms. "We had a good run, huh?" Steven glowed light pink and aged again. His white growing longer.
Isaac looked at the boy with despair. This couldn't be happening. This had to be some sort of bad joke that Steven was doing. But it wasn't. Steven was dying in his arms and there was nothing he could do for him. In front of him and the boy, Amethyst stared at the boy with sad eyes. Pearl had tears flowing extensively out of her eyes. Garnet was breathing heavily from her mouth. The maroon Gem grabbed Amethyst and Pearl. "More birthdays! NOW," she said, pulling them away.
As Isaac tried to comfort the dying boy in his arms, Amethyst called to Steven. "Check it out, B-Day Boy," she said, turning into a small car with Garnet squeezing into her. Squeezing in to sit in her chair. "I'm a tiny car!"
"Beep beep," said Garnet.
Steven, struggling to keep his eyes open, said in a strained voice, "Kid…stuff…" His gemstone aged him again. Isaac eyes widened with his right eye had a small tear leaked out. He looked up at the girls with a pleading expression.
Garnet got out of Amethyst, and the small Gem transformed into a piñata. "Ooh, piñata time!"
Steven's gem aged him even further. "Nothing's working!" Isaac shouted at them. Hating himself for feeling so helpless to save the boy.
Amethyst transformed back into herself and ran over to grab Pearl. "Pearl! Get over here."
"I can't!" Pearl yelled.
"For STEVEN!" Amethyst picked up Pearl ran back to the dying boy and placed the slender Gem in front of Steven. She was in same clown costume that Steven wore for her birthday with a pie in her hands.
Isaac had tears flowing down his cheeks and tried to keep his sobs in his throat. He watched at Pearl, also tearing up, approached the hybrid duo and stopped before them. "Oh, look, I have what, um, what appears to be a delicious pie," she said, struggling to stay in character as she watched Steven, the child of the woman she loved, breathing deep and heavy in the arms of Isaac. Getting closer and closer to dying like a human. "I sincerely hope nothing happens to—Oh Steven!" Pearl couldn't that it anymore and bawled her eyes out. Shoving the pie in her face and sobbing into it.
Amethyst looked at her indignantly. "Are you trying to kill him faster?!" Pearl looked at her with miserable eyes. She started crying again and ran to Amethyst. In her sadness, she hugged Amethyst in a strangling hug. Making the purple Gem try and break free. "Peal!"
Garnet pushed them aside and walked up to Isaac and Steven. Isaac looked up with more tears flooding out. He stared at Garnet with big, begging eyes. Hoping that their wise leader would have a way to save Steven. And that seemed to be the case when she reached down and picked up the old boy.
But then Garnet started shaking him violently!
As he watched his friend getting shook like that in a critical condition, Isaac's eyes shrunk, as Amethyst and Pearl screamed at Garnet and they rushed over to her to get her to stop. Anger and rage entered into his heart. And just like in the Lunar Sea Spire, steam started to appear from his fist. This time from both fists, and even greater than before.
"STOP!"
Time seemed to slow down, and before anyone could even react or blink, Isaac punched Garnet in the face with his super strength. Breaking her visors on contact and sent her flying back. Flying over the sands of the beach and only stopped when her back hits the broken off hand of the Temple, smashing through it and falling onto the ground. Pearl and Amethyst stared in shock at Garnet with wide eyes and jaws dropped. Garnet grunted and got up, with her body aching in pain from the punch. The Gems looked at Isaac and gasped in shock, and even fear.
With steam still flowing off his arms as he placed Steven against Lion, the latter shaking in fear, Isaac whipped around and fiercely glared at the maroon Gem with hot tears streaming down his face. "WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING!?" Isaac shouted furiously at Garnet. Not even noticing the steam coming off his arms.
Garnet was frightened, and it was clear to see without her visor. "I thought... violence... would be the answer," she answered, trying to keep herself calm. Steven and Isaac had the powers of their own mothers inside them. That's why they were training them. But that steam coming out of Isaac's arms was a power that even Garnet was afraid of.
A power that she hoped and prayed wouldn't have been passed down to him.
"He's dying!" Isaac yelled at her. As Steven heard his mournful and furious yells, Steven opened his eyes just a little. Enough to see his friend yelling at the Gems, and the steam coming off his body. But he couldn't hear what was being said. "You're only killing him!"
Seeing his friends fighting, Steven struggled to speak and get up. "Would you guys, just please…" as he weakly spoke and got up, Steven's gemstone activated, turning him into an adult that looked to be in his late 30s. "Control yourselves?!" Isaac looked at him with wide eyes, as the steam billowing from his body stopped. He and Gems pay attention to him with wide eyes and jaws hanging. Steven saw this and immediately felt guilty for snapping at them. "Ugh, oh no." His Gem then transformed him into a teenager. "Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled. But I can't stand to see you—" Steven aged back into an adult again. "—freaking out like this!"
Pearl stared at him in surprise. "Wha—?"
"Steven, you're changing!" Garnet exclaimed.
"How is this possible," Isaac asked with wide eyes.
"His age is fluctuating," Pearl stated. "I think his gemstone is reacting to his state of mind."
"Steven! Stop! Feeling! Old!" Amethyst yelled at the boy.
Steven transformed into a teen. "But I wasted your time..." As he started to become depressed, the aging boy transformed back into being an old man. "We all have such little ti-ime..."
"No, no, no! Steven none of this was a waste of time!" Isaac exclaimed in panic, trying to get the boy to stop aging. He tried to think of something that would help his friend out of his mess. That's when he thought of something. "Look, if you want… It'll be my birthday next week."
Steven quickly changed back into his adult form as he looked at Isaac with wide eyes. "Really? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't think it was important if you all knew. But then you went through all this trouble to celebrate all the Gems' birthday, I realized that it is important to you," said Isaac as he walked over to Steven and placed his hands on his shoulders. "Because that's who you are. Sweet and considerate and obnoxious!"
Steven turned back into being a teenager. "Oh my gosh, you're right," he said, before transforming back to his old self. Mostly. He still had full grown legs. "I am pretty great."
No longer able to contain themselves, Pearl and Amethyst rushed over and hugged him. "Oh Steven!" Pearl sobbed as she and Amethyst hugged him and didn't let go. Isaac sighed and fell back on the ground. Sighing in relief.
"Wait a minute!" Steven exclaimed, having Pearl and Amethyst let go of him and stared at him in confusion. "I've got to know what you what for your birthday, Isaac!" The blonde was about to answer, but then Steven interrupted him. "Don't tell me, I've got an idea on what to get you!"
Steven used his legs to run off towards the house, as the mist started to clear itself. Isaac sat up and watched as his friend ran away from him and the others. He then looked down with an expression of shame and guilt. "Garnet, I-I sorry," he said genuinely. "I just…"
A hand was placed on his shoulder, and Isaac looked up to see that it was Garnet. She stared down at him with a smile. "It's alright, Isaac. I understand that you were only worried about Steven."
"And don't worry about our present." Isaac looked and saw Pearl and Amethyst staring at him with smiles. "We've got our own little surprised."
A week has passed since the birthday incident. Today was the day of Isaac's birthday. He was going to be 19 years old as of now. The sun was out and shining down on the town of Beach City. That sunlight came through the window and shined onto Isaac's sleeping body as he slept on the couch.
Isaac felt the light shine on his eyes and groaned. He opened his and was startled so much that he quickly sat up.
Steven and the Gems were standing in front of him and said Happy Birthday. Steven held up a cake with white frosting and other colored frosting to decorate it. Pearl was holding a tray that had breakfast on it; a large stack of pancakes with syrup and bacon the side. Amethyst and with holding two presents. Finally, Garnet held the painting of Onyx and the Crystal Gems.
Staring at them for a moment in shock, Isaac laughed and thanked them for the surprise.
After having breakfast with Steven and Amethyst, as well as putting on the birthday suite, Isaac sat on the birthday throne as Pearl elegantly brought over the first present. Isaac took it and ripped off the wrappings. He was pleasantly surprised to see that it was an air mattress. Pearl said that she and the other Gems wanted for him to be more comfortable when he sleeps, so they decided to get him the mattress. Isaac looked at the box for the air mattress and smiled, thanking them for the gift.
For her gift to Isaac, Garnet hung up the painting over the kitchen, as Steven brought Isaac his present. Isaac ripped the wrapping off and was confused to see it was a box. The boy told him that it was something that Greg gave him, but he decided to add something. To make it special for Isaac.
Isaac was now more curious about what the boy got him. He opened the box and gasped. It was a black shirt with a yellow star like how Steven's shirts were. However, down the middle of the star was a white crack, splitting the star down the middle.
He took the shirt and held it up, looking at it in amazement. He looked at the crack and was immediately reminded of his mother. Turning towards the painting that was hung up, Isaac looked at his mother and saw Onyx's crack-like scar over her right eye. Steven said that he wanted Isaac to have his own star, so that he could be just like the others. He added the scar because he thought that it would be cool to have. Plus, it would be something that Isaac could wear to remember his mother.
Touched by Steven's words and gift, Isaac smiled and surprising hugged the boy. Happy to have someone like him in his life. Steven returned the hug. Garnet then interrupted the sweet moment by saying that they have a mission. Isaac and Steven nodded, and the blonde took off the birthday suit and started taking off his plaid shirt. This made Pearl look away with a blush.
Isaac then puts on his new shirt, wearing it for his mission.
The Crystal Gems stepped onto the Warp Pad, and warped to wherever they were needed.
AN: And there's another chapter of the first Act. I'll be skipping over the next two episodes of the show and go right to "Steven the Sword Fighter." That title will be changed to "Isaac the Sword Fighter."
We finally get a look at what Onyx looks like. A warrior of beauty and strength. This was just a brief showing of her, just Rose in season one. But later we'll see more of Onyx.
Nothing else really changes other that Isaac gets involved with the parties that Steven throws for the Gems and that they find Onyx's painting. And when Steven's age gets worse, Isaac is really devastated by it and could only watch as the boy dies in his arms.
And then there was the scene with Isaac's powers again. A power that even frightens Garnet! What is it and why is it so scary to the Gems?
Thank you very much for reading. "Gem of War" will return. Please be sure to Favorite and Follow if you like the story, and if you want me to keep writing this story, then please leave a REVIEW. I would really appreciate it if you do. If you any questions or discussions you'd have for me, then please PM me or write it out in the review.
Until next time, goodbye, farewell, and amen.