Let's Talk Then 2 - (Steven Universe, Counselor!MC)

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"Oh, hello Ms. Amethyst-"

"It's Amethyst, dude!"

It's been just two days since I last got a visit from Amethyst, and I had been a bit surprised to find her waiting in my office after I had left briefly to get myself some coffee. She had 'big news', and she needed some 'external thought' on how to answer this unusual situation.

So, I was now working on an entirely different circumstance (as Amethyst confirmed she 'endured' the urge to not stick around Steven for hours and she managed to really make him happy by putting up such an effort for him), and this new issue was somewhat more concerning. After all, where one could easily be described as a situation that was about feelings and not about long-term repercussions stretching that, the new problem Amethyst brought to my attention was something more far-reaching.

"Let's see if I got this right: you have found a mirror, an item that your friend Pearl thought was a 'Gem Mirror', which purpose should have been to educate Steven regarding some of the Gems' history but... it was actually a tool that had banished a Gem. One that now has been broken and the imprisoned Gem is now freed from."

"Yup."

"My apologies if I sound confused but... I have two questions to ask just so that we are in the clear."

"Go on, dude." Amethyst leaned back on her chair and I tried to phrase my confusion the best way possible.

"Why did Pearl decide to... teach Steven of Gem History? Was it something planned or-"

"Nah, it was something that came up when Steven was speaking with his girlfriend."

I rolled my eyes at her childish teasing. "Connie."

"Yeah, she mentioned that school was going to end for summertime, so they coudl hang around. Turns out that Pearl didn't know what a school is so, when she got told what it was, she decided that Steven could learn like that through the Gem Mirror."

I nodded at this, and part of me wanted to really inquire about the subject for more context but... I had to be mindful of how much I could stray without touching some sore buttons with Amethyst. Hence why my next question was a concern I felt more at ease to dig deep with.

"If that's the case, wouldn't it have made more sense for that sort of subject to be taught by... Pearl? How come she wished to rely on a Gem Mirror?"

Amethyst opened her mouth and... then rapidly closed it.

"It's complicated."

That was a signal that 'it was not her trauma, but it was something trauma-related and thus she could not talk about it'. It had came up a few times already, so I was familiar with her 'subtle' phrasing in that regard.

Hence why I merely nodded, but I couldn't help but feel this was a bit odd.

"If it is complicated, and I mean this out of confusion, why would Pearl wish to teach it to Steven since he is very young?"

"Because it's important," Amethyst answered as if it was a matter of fact. "Like, don't you humans do that too? Teach history to kids?"

"Yes but... it's not exactly a primary subject early on, and we don't put out all the details of history at once since it is a complicated subject," I answered and argued back, with the Gem frowning at my words. "We have other basic stuff to teach first like Math, Literature, Geography- subjects that can be relevant on a more daily basis."

"I guess but... I don't get it. Where's the problem in Steven learning that kind of history?"

"The fact that it is something you mentioned is potentially traumatic for someone that is way older than a child?" I half-snapped, and Amethyst... paused.

"Huh, didn't... didn't think of it like that. I mean, it's Pearl that is ruffled about it and I wasn't around to know all the big stuff," The gem started to list out, mumbling her thoughts vocally because patting her cheeks. "I guess it's a bit too advanced for him. Maybe he should do some of that... Math? Wait, why Math is important?"

"Does Steven's father pay taxes?"

"Well yeah, but I don't get the fuss about it. Isn't it like just giving some money to the government and nothing else?"

"Paperwork is a little more complex," I answered curtly. "And citizens need to be careful with the right documentation or it could result in some legal issues."

"Got it, so Math is good like that- helps you with taxes."

"And other stuff."

She nodded and... facepalmed. "Man, we talked about something else than what I came here for."

I frowned at that admission. "It wasn't just the story that you wished to bring up?"

"Yeah, but also no. I was confused on the situation since Steven just... refused to give back the mirror when we asked him to," At this point, I noticed that Amethyst was shifting nervously, showing some of her usual traits whenever she was upset about something. "He just got defensive and- and he looked like we were the baddies there."

"I presume you don't get why he behaved like that."

"Yeah!" The gem remarked with some irritation. "Like, we were trying to protect him, and he just started to fight back as if we were trying to hurt him or something."

I leaned back after hearing this, taking a moment to further grasp what the full situation was in that precise instant: Steven approaches to the trio of Gems with the mirror, tells them it wasn't a 'Gem Mirror' but someone was stuck inside. The Gems panic as they realize it could be a potential bad actor, but Steven reacts protectively around the mirror which prompts some hostilities.

Now, with just that thought, I could see the confusion Amethyst was feeling on the matter, but I also knew that I couldn't just stop at a single perspective of the situation.

One thing that summary missed on was the fact that Steven introduced the Mirror as a 'friend'. Having been nurtured to be helpful and protective of friends, Steven had possibly reacted within the notion that the mirror, being harmless and defenseless, did not deserve the level of 'projected' aggression shown by the Gems. He didn't oppose them out of rebelliousness, rather he was...

Afraid a friend was going to get hurt in what he perceived as a 'misunderstanding'.

"Steven. He is a good kid, I assume we can agree on that."

Amethyst nodded. "Duh! He is the goodest kid."

"And he would protect his friends at all costs."

"...Yeah?" The gem answered and gave me a confused look. "What about it?"

"Amethyst, you said that he considered the mirror a new friend and that this Lapis was not trying to hurt anyone. I know from your point of view that you were acting in good faith but... Steven doesn't have your knowledge and he may have seen what you and the others did more like an act of unreasonable aggression."

She tensed up, yet she took a moment to think about it. "Do you believe he thought we were trying to harm the mirror just because?"

"Could you blame him if that's the case? He is quite ignorant of what this Gem History is about, and I have a feeling that, with how aggressive you three were, that it had to do with some old conflict."

I saw her freeze up and then she shifted out of the chair to leave the room. I closed my eyes and I leaned back on my seat as I knew the session was over. Admittedly, I had pushed too far in that regard, but it can get so frustrating to handle such a difficult individual like Amethyst. She expected me to help in this sort of things when I had absolutely close to no means to know what her background is and why some stuff may be too traumatic for her to discuss about.

I heard the door open but... it didn't close. Did Amethyst forget to shut it? I opened my eyes to see her hesitating by the door.

"I... I agree that Steven is too young for this but..."

She gave me a serious look as she looked over the shoulder.

"Don't ask about the war."

The door closed right as she said that, leaving me alone in that room. I felt less 'warned' and more 'intrigued' on what Amethyst had said, perhaps enticed by the 'forbidden subject' rather than pushed back by it.

I just had a feeling that I may eventually get more glimpses on this 'war' I just knew now had existed and had left quite the situation behind these three Gems nurturing young Steven Universe.

AN

Next time... Amethyst POV!