(Beach City)

Jarek (clone), and Jasper appeared through a warp pad.

"Finally! We're back in the city!" Jarek said.

Aquamarine looked up at him, wiping away some snot from her nose.

Jasper looked at her.

"Jasper? Jarek, what'd you do to get to her to join you?" Aquamarine said.

"I promised her a bunch of weed." Jarek said.

"What?" Jasper said.

"What?" Aquamarine said.

"What? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Jarek laughed. "No no, I convinced her to come back here, and make things right with Steven."

"About that, I don't smoke." Jasper said, a little weirded out his statement.

"Yeah, no. That was a joke. Calm down." Jarek said.

"Yeah, great." Aquamarine said, also weirded out.

"So what are you doing these days?" Jarek asked.

"I'm on the run, hiding from those filthy humans." Aquamarine said.

"Go to space, it's easier to hide there." Jarek suggested.

"In what? My ship is broken!" Aquamarine said.

Jarek tossed a shiplink to her.

"Take mine. It's just gathering dust." Jarek said.

"Wait.. why are you doing this for me? I tried to kill you." She said.

"Yeah why?" Jasper said. "She's up to no good."

"Shut it, you!" Aquamarine said.

"(To Jasper) Because she can get away from here, and when she comes back to lose against me again, it can be funnier than it was last time." Jarek said.

"Ha! Lose against you? How would I lose against you?" She said.

"Well we would have to wait and see, now wouldn't we? You don't deserve to be stuck here, you should find a home to live in, replenish yourself, and then come back and challenge me when you're ready." Jarek said. "Go."

He walked ahead, Jasper following.

"Ookay?" Aquamarine said.


(Streets)

"I heard she kidnapped you, and Steven. Brought you to the diamonds. And yet you would still help her?" Jasper said.

"It was because I warned her of what would happen. And had she any sense, she'd try to avert her fate. She's still here, so she still has a chance. She ain't coming back here, that's for sure." Jarek said.

"How can you be so sure?" Jasper said.

"Because she knows better than to challenge me again. Her wand can help her only so much as far as damage output." Jarek said.

"Yeah.." Jasper said. "After we're done with Steven, what are you going to do?"

"Go back to my aunt, help her out for a bit, then go and find a place for me." Jarek said. "What about you?"

"If all goes well, I'll stick around him." Jasper said.

"That sounds like a good idea. And if it does, then you can probably build a home around that area." Jarek said.

"Nno." Jasper said.

"Alright. Just a suggestion." Jarek said.

His stomach grumbled.

"Was that your stomach?" She said.

"Eh, got a little hungry. Let's get a burger." Jarek said.

"HEY!" Eyeball suddenly said from behind.

Jarek, and Jasper turned around.

Eyeball flew with her jump kick.

Jarek caught her foot, and punched her crotch.

"OHH!" Eyeball exclaimed, clutching her crotch, falling on her right arm.

"What the fuck was that about?" Jarek said.

Jasper pinned her down.

"Hey! Let go of me you, [Realizes] OMG, it's really you, Jasper! Oh my goodness!" Eyeball said. There were hearts in her eyes.

"Ew, freak." Jasper said.

"(At Eyeball) Yeah, no. She's mine." Jarek said before shooting her with his laser gun.

"AH!" Eyeball screamed before poofing.

(POOF!)

Jasper picked up her gem.

"What do I do with this now?" She said to him.

"Use your own judgement. I'm getting some food." Jarek said, walking ahead.

Jasper looked back at the gem, and stared at it for a few seconds.

Then she frowned, and squeezed.

(SHATTER!)

She opened her hand, and let the shards fall.

"Fool." Jasper said. And with that, she followed Jarek.

A minute passed.

"You know, you did the right thing. I never trusted her, and she did try and get Steven killed." Jarek said.

"I had a ruby once, she was just as stubborn as her." Jasper said.

"Childish gems, aren't they?" Jarek asked.

"They're like children." She said.

"Yeah. I had three rubies myself. They were all fugitives, like me. Only to get eaten by a shark. I still don't know how Steve let that happen." Jarek said.

"Steve?" Jasper said. "You mean that fish with the one eye?"

"Yes. He's Yellow Diamond's husband." Jarek said.

"... What?" Jasper said.

"Yeah, and he's also my best friend." Jarek said.

"He's your best friend?" She said.

"Yeah, that's what I said, bob." Jarek said.

"It's Jasper." She said.

"Geez louise, it's a joke." Jarek said. "Chill."

Jasper looked away with her arms crossed.


(Ronny's Burger Hut)

"What'll it be, bro?" Ronny said.

"Get me a double cheese burger. (At Jasper) Whatcha want?" Jarek asked.

"The bacon burger." Jasper said with lowered eyelids.

"13.48." Ronny said.

...

Jarek was munching on his cheese burger, while Jasper was eating her bacon burger.

"Yup, I never get tired of this place." Jarek said.

"You eat here often?" She said.

"Yeah. Why not?" Jarek asked.

"I've never been here before." She said.

"Do you like it?" Jarek asked.

"Bleh." Jasper said, pushing her burger aside.

"Well it's not for everyone. Just thought we'd sit and eat something." Jarek said.

"I'm going to Steven's base. I don't have time to waste, sitting with you." She said, getting off.

Jarek shrugged.

He saw a cat crawling on the sidewalk.

"Ts Ts ts ts." He said, bringing the cat to him.

The cat meowed, like he was hungry.

Jarek tossed Jasper's half eaten burger to the cat who started eating it right away.

"Hey! You can't feed cats here!" Ronny said, coming out of the restaurant.

"And why not?" Jarek said.

"Because it is not allowed here! Now you must leave! Those cats bring ticks!" Ronny said.

"Alright alright, ese. Chill." Jarek said, taking the cat and walking away.

"And don't come back with that thing!" Ronny said.

Jarek snapped his fingers.

Suddenly the guy's head went up in flames!

"Aaawh!" He said, patting his head.

"Hmph." Jarek said. "He always was a hot head."

Jarek walked away from the scene.


(Netherrealm)

Shinnok was resting on his chair, gathering darkness energy with his amulet.

"Now do you see why it's a bad idea to go to Earthrealm?" Ibarra said.

"Whether or not that's true, I won't leave Jarek behind." Shinnok said.

"He's going to get you killed one day." She said.

"That day is nowhere near." Shinnok said.

"But it can be. If you continue to risk your life for him, you may not come back. Please, please.. stop going out there, my love." She said.

"I do what I will, and no one will change that. Not even you. And you are wrong, I cannot die. It is impossible to kill an elder god." Shinnok said.

"What about when you were blasted by Atheon?" She said.

"I was still alive. In pieces." Shinnok said. "Do not worry. I went in unprepared when I went into the vault, but the past is the past. It will not happen again." She said.

"You promise?" She said.

"I don't make those. This will be the only one I will make with you." She said.


(Earth ; Jarek's House)

Jarek was sleeping on his couch, still healing from the fight he had just had.

Marco was watching the TV, sitting in front of the couch, while Robo was nearly finished, adding modifications to his endoskeleton.

"Alright, with this arc mod, I can channel my power, and share it with you guys, acting as a fast regeneration field.

"You mean well of radiance? I thought Jarek was the well here." Marco said.

"Well, now he won't be the only one who can anymore. With my light back in the game, I can make you guys even stronger." Robo said, typing on his keyboard.

"But how many more of these missions must we go on? There aren't that many corrupted gems to fight anymore." Marco said.

"Yeah that's true. Well, Jarek says the diamonds are coming to invade Beach City soon, it's best we're ready for them, when they show up." Robo said.

"Make your armor mods, but leave me out. I don't want to look silly with those chest plates you got there." Marco said.

"Eh, alrighty then." Robo said. "Let me know if you change your mind." Robo said.

"Kay." Marco said. He continued staring into the TV screen as a commercial ad for sopranos came on.

Jarek snored again, louder than normal.

Then a cat crawled by, Marco looked at, and grabbed it, rubbing his soft fur.

It meowed, and purred.

They stayed this way for a good while, at least 2 hours, until Jarek awoke, and saw Marco sleeping while holding the cat on his lap, with the cat also sleeping.

"What time is it?" Jarek said, rubbing his eyes.

"It's 6:09 P.M right now. How are you feeling? Did you see well?" Robo said.

"Yeah, I dreamt of Blue Diamond. Another one, ever since I left her mansion." Jarek said.

"She's Orange Diamond's mother, yes? Maybe it's her dreaming these dreams?" Robo said.

"No, Orange told me she didn't make the dream this time. It was really me." Jarek said.

"Well. [Turns to face Jarek] What was it about?" Robo asked, curious.

"She was making me pancakes with sausage links, and some hash browns. Just like hoe Rosa used to make them." Jarek said.

"Your mother." Robo guessed.

"Yes, her. And she's humming a song.. one of those nights by the weekend." Jarek said, recalling his dream.

"She hates rap songs. She doesn't like the Weeknd." Orange Diamond said.

"Weird combination, she's making you breakfast while humming one of your favorite songs. Maybe you wish she liked the song you liked?" Robo said.

"I don't know. I really don't know. It's so weird sometimes." Jarek said.

"It was just a dream. Oh, I got this from the Severnaya Outpost. From your friend The Drifter." Robo said, handing him a fat envelope. "There's a note on it."

Jarek took the package, and read the note.

"Hey kid, how you livin'? Me? Oh, I'm fine, brother. Been keeping an eye out for any remaining golden age tech I could use to up the game a bit. I reminded you to come and get your cut from your last Gambit match. You wiped out that whole team, AND their ghosts. You're nuts, brother! Don't worry I dig it. I wanted to make sure you got your cut from that match before it gets.. got. Yeah. Take care, brother. Come visit me again soon."

Jarek shook his head, and opened the envelope. There was $250,000 inside.

"Fucking hell. That's how much I made for killing an entire team. Now that I look back on it, I don't feel good about it anymore." Jarek said.

"Why what happened to that team?" Robo said.

"Another terrible thing I did : when I wiped out those guardians during that match of Gambit, I killed their ghosts as they tried to get away, thus rendering them dead dead." Jarek said.

"Jesus. How brutal can you be?" Robo said.

"Like Nathan explosion." Jarek said.

"Well, let that be a reminder not to play anymore of that." Robo said.

"My thirst to kill was almost unquenchable at times. That's why I would participate in it, but I would go too far, and I felt bad because I could never take it all back. They're dead when it was just a fool's game for a quick buck." Jarek said.

"Yo, just don't play it anymore." Robo said.

"I know, that was the reason I stopped. That's also why I stopped using darkness. It made it worse during those times." Jarek said.

"Look, whatever you did is all in the past. You've learned from it. Let it all go. You're doing something better : you're being there for that little boy in his time of need. Right?" Robo said.

"Yeah. I've been there, here and there, when I was able to." Jarek said.

Magma came into the living room, with sleepy eyes.

"Hey guys." Magma said. She was wearing shorts, and a black tank top, she had messy hair.

"Welcome back, Magma." Jarek said, giving her a hug.

"Hey kiddo." Robo said.

"Do we have any pizza?" Magma said.

"Pizza? No, but I can order some." Jarek said.

"Please order some. I'm so hungry." Magma said.

"But you ate before you went to bed." Jarek said.

"I'm hungry again. Soooo hungry." Magma said.

"Alright alright." Jarek said.

"So why is your name Magma?" Robo asked.

"Because I can shoot lava from my hands, and make flames." Magma said.

"Oooh! How interesting! May I get some lava in this container?" Magma said, opening a fuel cell capsule.

"That's a fuel cell." Magma said.

"Yeah, a lava-powered fuel cell. It can repower my lab." Robo said.

"Your lab?" Jarek said.

"Yeah, it's still there, isn't it?" Robo asked.

".. It's been locked down, and I threw the key code in a tub of acid." Jarek said.

"AWW! Seriously?!" Robo said. "How could you?!"

"Hey, it was the last thing I could do for you. In my defense, you were DEAD, and I couldn't let your secrets, or your creations be taken over, or stolen by someone!" Jarek said. "I really thought you were dead, and if I had known you could come back this way you have, I wouldn't have thrown it away."

Robo nodded in acknowledgement.

"I guess that's fair. You protected my inventions from the public." Robo said.

"Yes. Look, we can break in, and reset the entire security system." Jarek said.

"And how do you propose we do that?" Robo said.

"Well.." Jarek started.


(VAULT RECLUSE)

Suddenly the front gate was blown open by dynamite.

"Ha-hoh! That totally worked! Feels good to break open vaults again!" Wu said.

"Yeah yeah, here." Jarek said, handing him a sidearm.

"Thanks. Wait, what's this?" Wu said, looking at the sidearm.

"It's a boneshaper-damage-based pp7." Jarek said.

"Ooh! What does it do?" Wu said.

"Every kill you get, gives you a surge of boneshaper magic." Jarek said. "And it turns you into a skeleton if you die, so let this be last life, huh?"

"I'll use this. Thanks." Wu said. He turned, and walked away.

The three entered the vault.

"Aww, home sweet home!" Robo said, looking at the collection of weapons, gadgets, and inventions he made during his time with Jarek, and Marco from before.

"Yes yes, now I have to go, and wait for my pizza." Jarek said, leaving.

"Wait, you're leaving already?" Robo said.

"Yeah, I just came here to break open your vault so you could shut up about it." Jarek said.

A vein throbbed on his forehead.

"WHY-WHY YOU!" Robo said as he ran to him.

Jarek dodged his jump kick, and watched him land into a barrel of sand.

"OI!" Robo said, getting out of the sand. "You can't trick me like that!"

"Silly Robo, tricks are for kids." Jarek started laughing after telling the pun.

"Wow, dude. You need to contain yourself." Marco said.

"Oh shut up!" Robo said.

"I'm going to go give Steven his potion. See youse later." Jarek said.


(Crystal Temple)

Jarek approached the house with a lava potion contained in a glass bottle, protected in a crate.

"Yo Steven!" Jarek called out.

Steven came out.

"Oh, hey Jarek. What's that you got there?" Steven asked.

"Your lava potion. It will harden your skin cells so that you'll become resistant to damages above even a million degrees!" Jarek said.

"Cool!" Steven said.

Jarek opened the crate, and handed the glass bottle to him.

Steven pulled the cork out of the bottle, and smelled it.

"Ew! It stinks!" Steven said.

"Well it ain't gonna smell good." Jarek said. "Just chug it."

Steven took a minute before chugging it in one swig.

Suddenly Steven shook.

"Ohh! What this?" Steven said.

Then a steam emitted from his body.

"Whoa!" Steven said.

"Well now you can undergo insane temperatures. Including lava. A deal's a deal." Jarek said, shaking his hand.

Steven saw Holly approaching the two from behind Jarek. She did the shh gesture to him.

"So are you going to come to the wedding?" Steven asked him.

"Well sure. I mean, I'd have to tell Black Diamond about it, see if the other gems are going to come or not." Jarek said.

"I put up fliers all over the city earlier." Steven said.

"Well, did you give her one?" Jarek asked.

"Yes, I just called her a few minutes ago. She said she will be coming." Steven said.

"Good good." Jarek said. "What about Holly?"

"She knows." Steven said.

"Good. How's she treating ya?" Jarek asked.

"A bit over protective since I came back to earth. But she been very busy lately. She just took over Roxanne's restaurant." Steven said.

Suddenly a bucket of sand landed on Jarek.

Holly laughed at him.

Jarek turned around, and faced her. He lifted the bucket from his head, his entire head now composed of sand.

"RAAWHHR!" Jarek shouted, startling Holly by surprise, as he chased her.

The two were running on the beach.

"Jarek, it was just a joke! Stop chasing me!" Holly said.

Jarek spit out the sand from his mouth, as the rest of the sand was blown away by the wind.

Jarek tackled her down, and pinned her down.

Holly was panting with a smile on her face.

"This is so unlike you. What the hell?" Jarek said.

"You told me I needed to lighten up. Isn't this what you wanted?" She said.

"Yeah, but don't dump a tub of sand on me!" Jarek said, freaking out and twitching in disgust.

A crab tapped his leg.

Jarek looked down at it.

"You got any sea shells?" It spoke in a innocent voice.

Jarek grabbed a sea shell, and handed it to him.

"Thanks." The crab said. It crawled away.

Jarek looked at his position with Holly, and blushed a little.

"How long are you going to hover over me?" Holly said.

Jarek let go of her arms.

"I didn't say to stop either." She said, sitting up.

"So you're going to the wedding?" Jarek said.

"Sure. Only if you were going." Holly said.

"Yeah, I am." Jarek said. He helped her up. "Let me take you back home."

"I came here to see you. You've been distant." She said.

"Well, I just got my friends back, and I have a daughter to look after. She's still got a lot to learn." Jarek said.

"I know, you don't have to tell me." Holly said, looking away.

"No, but you took Roxanne's restaurant?" Jarek said, slightly shocked, and appalled.

"She said she was planning on retiring, and I was doing good as a supervisor." Holly said. "She wanted me to take over."

"Take over? Great, now I have to make another phone call." Jarek said, taking out his phone.

Holly grabbed his phone. "You don't need to. This is what she wanted."

"Do you know what this means? She's retired, she's not at the castle anymore." Jarek said.

"Duh." Holly said.

"How are you going to run a restaurant? You ran a zoo." Jarek said.

"My experience as the ward got me this position. It's pretty easy for me. The employees there are more obedient than those amethysts." Holly said.

"I bet they are. They're good people." Jarek said.

"Yes. Here." Holly said, handing him his phone.

"I'm having pizza at my house, want come over?" Jarek asked.

"Sure." Holly said.

"We'll be leaving now." Jarek said to Steven.

"Okay. Bye guys." Steven said.

"Also, here. On me." Jarek said, tossing him a card.

Steven looked at it. It was a gift card for spacey's. $100 on it.

"Thanks" He said.


(Jarek's House)

Marco was chuckling at the TV.

(TV) - -

"So what are we doing now?" Tim asked.

"Your mom! I mean-"

Marco chuckled.

"Oh you fucking prick, I knew you were going to say that." Elden said.

"No but what are we doing now?" Tim said.

"I was thinking of taking a nap for a bit and then I'll jump back on." Elden said.

"Yeah, I gotta go too. But I'll be back on later if you still are." Alan said.

"Alright. See ya lads later." Tim said before turning off his xbox.

"Hoah, man. I'm beat." Tim said before flopping down on his bed like fish.

Then a ton landed on him.

"OHH!" Tim exclaimed.

(Reality)

Marco laughed.

Jarek, and Holly came in.

"What are you watching?" Jarek asked.

"A show of three Xbox gamers doing the weekly destiny nightfall. It's pretty funny. Tim kept getting one-tapped by the overload champion." Marco said.

"Yeah, it was pretty hard to avoid getting hit by a hobogoblin. That's me." Jarek said.

"Wait, what?" Marco said.

"Yeah,it is. Look at the bond on his arm." Jarek said, showing him his right bicep, which looked exactly like the on Tim, who was now asleep. Except Jarek's was more tattered than the one on the TV screen.

"Shoot." Marco said.

"Did the pizza man arrive yet?" Jarek said.

"Nah yet, man." Marco said. "Hello, Holly."

"Do I know you?" Holly said.

"No, but I heard a lot about you. You were a Warden before you came to earth." Marco said.

"Yes. What are you?" Holly asked.

"I'm part Chrysoberyl, part Onyx, part human. It's a long story." Marco said.

"His name's Marco. He's been with me, and our friend Robo, since the day I made friends with them." Jarek said.

"Fascinating." Holly said. She sat down at the couch.

Jarek sat next to her.

Then Marco got a phone notification.

"Oh, that's Robo. Gotta go." Marco said, as he got up and left the house.

"So what do you want to watch?" Jarek asked.

"Now that's he's gone, I think I can tell you what's been on my mind." She said.

"Is it the kiss we shared?" Jarek asked.

She paused.

"What?" Jarek asked.

"We really did that?" She said.

"Well yeah. You fell asleep after our second one, after I put my hand in the blanket." Jarek said.

Holly was shocked.

"You want to do that again?" Jarek asked.

She nodded.

"Alright." He said.

The two leaned in, and kissed once.

"Oh you dirty cheater!"

The two looked at the TV screen.

On the screen, Tim was tapping his phone repeatedly. "Come on, I got it! I got it!"

Jarek grabbed the remote, and shut the TV off.

He kissed her again, this time, a long one.

"That was nice." She said.

"Yup. Now let's go to my room." He said simply.

"Okay." She said, not questioning him.

He grabbed her hand, and walked to his bedroom. The door closed.

Magma came back into the house, and holding three pizza boxes.

"Hello! I'm home!" She said.

Jarek's eyes widened.

"Don't say a word!" Jarek whispered to Holly.

"Whispering don't say a word is saying a word." Magma said.

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Jarek whispered, opening the door, and coming out with Holly following.

"Oh lord. You're here?" Magma said, seeing Holly.

"She was just visiting me. What's wrong with that?" Jarek said.

"I know what you two were about to do. If you're going to go do that, then you have to let me be with Steven!" Magma said, angry.

"Okay okay, just no funny business. Gee." Jarek said, holding his hands up. "It's better now, since I made him resistant to lava.

"Good. Even better." Magma said. She grabbed three slices of pizza, and put them in her mouth. She left the house.

"Well that worked." Jarek said.

"Where were we?" Holly said.

The door closed.

Yeah, I'm not writing that.


(Orange Diamond's Crystal)

The crystal was generating energy at a fast rate.


(Europa)

Orange Lepidolite-1 was charging the crystal in a similar chamber.

"(Robotic reverb) Come on, Jarek. We can do this." She said.

The Crystal started to glow a bright white, then it turned into particles, and traveled into her body.

She flexed her arms, feeling tremendous energy surging through her.

"What will you do now?" Lentix (Captain) said.

"I want you to retreat. Tell no one of what you saw today. I must return to earth. Thank you for your help." Orange Lepidolite-1 said.

"It was an honor, assisting a diamond. Run!" Lentix said, running away.

Orange Lepidolite-1 ran away as well.


(Earth ; Beach City)

"Jarek and Holly what now?" Steven said.

"Yeah. It's gross. I mean, she's been nice to me and all, but I don't want her to be a.. how do you say? Stepmom to me?" Magma said.

"That won't even happen." Steven said.

"You sure? He gave me permission to be with you so he could do his business with her. That's pretty gross." Magma said.

"Whether he did or jot doesn't mean she's instantly gonna be your step-mother. I know myself. I'm not that stupid." Jarek (Clone) said. He took out a cigarette, and looked at the two. "Do you mind?"

"No." Steven said.

Jarek lit his cigarette, and took a puff. "And even if my counterpart is in love with her, he gave you what you wanted : to be with the star child here."

"Star child?" Steven said.

"And not only that, but this gives you some space between him, and you." Jarek said.

"I guess, other dad." Magma said.

"No, don't guess. You're free from for now." Jarek said.


(Jarek's House) - - Jarek's bedroom

Jarek, and Holly were panting.

"I wonder if Magma is mad at me for doing this." He said.

"She shouldn't be. You let her be with Steven." Holly said.

"Yeah, but if I were her, I'd think my dad is trying to give me a step-mother." Jarek said.

"I don't plan on being that for her." Holly said.

"So what do you plan on being, with us, I mean?" Jarek asked.

"Just your girlfriend." She said.

"Good good. I was gonna ask you if you were gonna be, but you just said it, so.." Jarek said, chuckling.

"What did you think I was going to say?" She asked.

"Well I was going to have to ask you. I didn't want to seem rude." Jarek said.

""You weren't. Go to sleep." She said, giving him a kiss.

Jarek nodded, and closed his eyes.


...