AN: And we're back with "Gem of War!" After the first chapter of Act 0, I'm happy to get back to the main story.
And just another thing before we continue on. On Deviantart, Ciel626 has just completed his fanart of Booker Bridges from "the Seventh Son." And I've got to say that he looks pretty cool.
Then something really awesome is the fanart of Wade Walker down by Yumake.
Honestly, it makes me want to make more fanart for my stories. I'm mostly thinking about changing the cover of this story to something better, with Isaac standing in the middle and Onyx behind him. For me, I think it fits with the themes of "Gem of War" better than the current cover.
Act Two: Chapter 1: Space Race
It's been a week since the Lapis incident, and things were going back to normal. Greg's leg got healed, and the Gems got his van back up and running, which made for an amusing and awkward moment when Greg hugged Pearl. Now Isaac and Steven were going back on missions with the Gems. Even after a thousand-year war, the Galaxy Warp remained. However, they were now inactive. Destroyed after the war was over.
Except for one. One that was used by the last Gems on the planet. The Crystal Gems warped to the Galaxy Warp. When the tunnel of light lift, it treated Isaac and Steven to the sight of it.
"Woah," Steven said in awe at the location they were in. In his hand was a stack of colorful Crying Breakfast Friends stickers. "I've never seen so many Warp Pads before! I hope I have enough of these Crying Breakfast Friends stickers."
Isaac stepped off of the pad they had arrived from and walked across the floor as he scanned the area. Noticing that they were all broken except the one that they used. Walking over to one of the broken pads, Isaac stepped on it and tried to warp to a random location. But it didn't work. "This one's still busted."
"I'm on it!" Steven ran over and slapped one of his stickers on the warp pad. This one was of a crying potato.
Garnet walked over and stepped on another warp pad. "Inactive," she said. Steven proceeded to ran to paste a sticker of a crying apple on the warp pad.
Amethyst jumped onto another warp pad and tried to warp somewhere else. But just like the others, it didn't work. "Inactive!" She announced. Steven ran over and pasted another sticker on the warp pad. This time of a crying croissant.
Pearl stood on yet another pad. She looked down at it and said disappointingly, "Inactive." Steven walked over to her and pasted another sticker of a crying pear on the warp pad.
"So, why are we here?" Isaac asked, from the next pad he was on. He gave it a little kick. "None of them looks like they could be used."
"We need to make sure," Garnet answered firmly, walking away to another set of pads.
Isaac frowned when she answered him. Ever since the incident with Lapis, he was starting to question some of the Gem's actions and motives. More so than before. "It's just a security measure that we take, Isaac," Pearl explained. Being the one to try and be open when he with her vast knowledge. "We're just making sure that they're still inactive."
"Why," Isaac asked, still curious about the mystery of this place. He looked around at the other pads. "Where do all these Warp Pads go, anyway?
With a small smile, Pearl sat down on the warp pad she was standing on as Isaac walked over to her. Steven came over to, anticipating another piece of information from the Gems. "Well, Isaac, these Warp Pads were used to travel off-planet. They were our connection to the Gem Homeworld and to Gem-controlled planets all over the universe!"
The two Demigems looked up at the sky in awe. It was still hard to believe that the Gems were aliens sometimes. But to hear that they can go to other planets and even the mysterious Gem Homeworld was too incredible to believe. Steven gasped with stars in his eyes. "You mean we could go anywhere we want in outer space?" He exclaimed, excited about the idea of going on a planetary adventure to other worlds.
"Yeah..." Amethyst came over apprehensively while scratching her butt. "We could do that if they weren't all busted."
"It's true," Pearl said with a look of disappointment. Further emphasizing the hopeless circumstances. "The Galaxy Warp have all been inactive for thousands of years."
"Can't we fix them?" Steven asked, hopeful.
"...No," Garnet responded in her usual blunt tone. Her shades reflecting the sky.
"Did you guys break them?" Isaac asked her with a raised eyebrow.
"...Yes." Garnet turned back to the only available warp pad that would take them back to the Temple. Amethyst hurriedly followed her, while Pearl still lingered being. Staring up at the starry night sky with a wistful gaze. Letting out a soft sigh.
"Pearl, are you okay?" Isaac asked with concern for his crush. Steven stopped short on his way to the central pad.
"It's fine," Pearl reassured with a small, fake chuckle. "I'll always have my memories of other worlds. But now I'm here. On Earth. Forever." She finished with an expression that grew more miserable as she spoke.
"With me!" Steven attempted to cheer her up.
Pearl paused for a moment, trying her best to lighten her saddened expression for the sake of Steven. But all she could offer was a weak smile. "Right, with you," Pearl said, patting him on the head as she stood up. Isaac watched with concern as she walked up to a broken Warp Pad. He followed her as she gazed up at the distant, countless stars. "It really is incredible out there, though. I wish you could see it, Steven."
Isaac stared up at the sky as well, but he felt so conflicted. Apart from him wanted to travel across space to other words. But when he thought about the Gem Homeworld, he felt a burning resentment. It was hard for him to explain. All Isaac cared about now was Pearl, and figuring out a way to make her happy again.
After they had returned to the Temple, Garnet and Amethyst went to their separate rooms. Steven went off to spend some time with his dad. The two of them wanted to have some father and son time together, so Isaac left them alone. Meaning that the only person left to hang out with was the same one that's been on his mind; Pearl. So, he asked if the two of them could practice sword fighting, which the white Gem was more than happy to agree to.
Isaac warped with Pearl to her training arena, after changing into some gym clothes and bringing along a duffle bag. Together, they began their training with wooden swords. After what happened last time, Isaac didn't want to fight Pearl's hologram, and she didn't want to get poofed again. So the two were fighting each other.
Isaac swung at Pearl, but she parried that attack before stabbing at him. But he reacted by jumping out of the way and then attacking her again. The two started blocking each other's attacks for about five swings, before Pearl jumped back. They were going slow, as they were just doing forms.
"You remember the forms I've taught you," she remarked with an impressed smirk. Liking to see just how skilled the blonde man had become. Pearl swung at his head, and Isaac blocked it.
"Well, I happen to have a great teach," Isaac jokingly flirted with a smirk, before striking at her again. And again, she blocked his attack.
"Oh, this that right?" Pearl said with a knowing smile. Flirting back at him. "Well, this teacher has much more she can teach you." Again, they fought for about five more swings and block, before Isaac jumped back from a thrusting attack at his torso.
"Then bring it on, spaceman," Isaac said playfully. Pearl gasped light when he said that. He would have noticed the look of sadness and disappointment if he didn't hear his phone ringing.
Turning his head towards the steps of the arena, where he duffle bag was placed, Isaac saw the screen of his phone turned on as it rang. He walked over to it and saw it was Steven that was calling him.
"Hey, buddy, what's happening," he asked while panting from the workout of training with Pearl. Isaac whipped the sweat off his brow.
"Isaac, have you seen Pearl? Dad and I have something awesome to show her!" Steven said over the phone. Isaac looked behind himself and noticed the troubled look she had on her face.
"She's with me, training," Isaac said, concerned for his friend. "I think she's still thinking about space."
"Well, fear not, Isaac! I've got something that'll be sure to cheer her up. Tell her to meet me at the barn."
"Alright, we'll come together- Barn? What barn?" Isaac asked, just for Steven to hang-up on him. He sighed in slight annoyance before turning to Pearl. "Hey, Pearl!" That snapped her out of it, and she turned towards him. Isaac held up his phone and it by his wrist. "I just got a call from Steven. Said to meet him at the barn."
Pearl was a little confused. "The barn? What's he doing there?"
"Don't know, but he said that he had something that'll cheer you up," he said, handing his wooden sword to her before starting to pack up his things. "And speaking of which, Pearl, can I ask you something?"
"Oh, yes. What is it, Isaac?" Pearl said with a pleasant smile.
"Well, is there something bothering you?" he asked sheepishly. Pearl looked a little uncomfortable. "It's just that you really seem down about not being about to not being able to travel to other planets."
"I'm fine, Isaac," Pearl said, holding up her hand. "Besides, I'm here now. There's nothing else that I can do about it now."
She walked up the stairs towards the Warp Pad. "You make it sound like you didn't have a choice," Isaac said. Pearl stopped for a moment. Isaac caught up her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Look, I'm not asking you to tell me everything, but I'm saying that if you ever what talk to someone about it or do something, you know you can always come to me."
Pearl looked down at the ground, closed her eyes, and then turned and forced a smile on her face. "I do appreciate the gesture, Isaac," she said. The two then walked towards the warp pad.
After arriving via teleporting with a warp pad near the barn, Isaac and Pearl were greeted by Steven and Greg. Steven had Isaac cover-up Pearl's eyes with his hands for the surprise. He looked at her, and when she allowed him, he covered her eyes, and then they started walking towards the barn.
When they arrived at the barn, Isaac saw it for the first time. He wasn't sure what to expect. To him, it just looked like any ordinary barn. It was large and red with a black roof located uphill and across the bay from Beach City. However, surprisingly, it was filled with a large variety of scraps, including several airplane engines and parts. Some other contents were hats, bowling balls, materials, a stuffed dinosaur, paint, and much more.
As he helped guild Pearl from behind, Isaack asked the father of the happy little boy, "Greg, what is this place?"
"This was my aunt and uncle's barn. They both had a great love for aviation and each other," the former rockstar explained, holding up a portrait of his relatives. "They cherished the years they spent together and held on to every belong they ever own-Kind of like me and my storage shed...I'm starting to think our family has a problem..."
"You think?" Isaac asked, raising an eyebrow. He then stopped Pearl as they stood in front of the barn.
"Okay...now!" Steven exclaimed, throwing his hands up into the air. Isaac lifted his hands off Pearl's eyes, and the two of them looked up at a sign hanging on the doorway of the barn.
"'UUU Space Travel'?" Pearl read the sign on the barn. She and Isaac looked at Steven, both frowning. "What is this?"
"We built a spaceship!" Steven exclaimed brightly. He then ran into the barn. "Wait right here. I'll pull it out."
"A spaceship?" Pearl asked, intrigued.
"I don't know, Pearl," Isaac said with his arms crossed and a look of skepticism. They've only been back for about a few hours, and there was no way that Steven would have had the time to build a spaceship. Or even the knowledge to even make one. "Steven? Building a spaceship. I think he's bluffing."
"A spaceship!" Steven reiterated again, after pushing out his so-called 'spaceship. Pearl's intrigue quickly washed away as the boy gestured to a small little cart made of wood, a black seat, a crude windshield, and four small wheels. It has a traffic cone nailed on the front as a nose and two wings attached to the sides with tape.
Pearl looked disappointed while Isaac deadpanned. "Yeah, he was bluffing," he said at the underwhelming sight of the little cart.
Steven wasn't detoured and was eager to test out the vessel. So, the young boy got in the crudely made spaceship, as he prepares to pilot it down the hill by the barn. Pearl followed the father and son to the hilltop, skeptical about the card actually being able to fly, but she didn't show it. Isaac was there to make sure that nothing terrible happened. That was why he was standing near the rock that had a ramp on it.
That was because he had real concerns about the quality of the ramp. But, as to not hurt Steven's feelings, he looked back up the hill and gave a hesitate thumbs up.
After his son placed his helmet on his head and covered his eyes with goggles, Greg kneed down to brief Steven. "Now, remember, Steven, if you run into any trouble out there, you can always bail. There's never any shame in bailing."
"Fatherly advice-understood! Thank you, Dad." He said with a salute. "Light the engines."
"Roger that!" Greg lit a sparkler and placed it at the back of the spaceship.
"Next stop: Outer space!" Steven exclaimed, raring to go.
"Blast-off!" Greg exclaimed, pushing the spaceship with his legs. Isaac watched from the ramp as gravity took control and propelled the cart down the hill, with Steven riding in it. He begins riding towards a ramp at the bottom of the hill. At first, Isaac was starting to believe that it was going to be okay. But then he noticed that Steven wasn't slowing down. In fact, he was picking up a lot of speed.
And things started to fall apart. Literally, starting with one of the wings that was taped on to rip off in the wind. Then the wooden sides of the cart broke off, along with the back wheels coming off.
"Steven!" Isaac yelled in a panic and rushed towards the cart. "Bailout!"
"No shame!" Steven shouted, leaping out of the crumbling ship. Isaac caught him in his arms when he jumped out, and the two brotherly friends fell down onto the ground. On his back, Isaac looked back at the ramp as watched as the ship rammed it. Breaking the wooden ramp and breaking into pieces on impact with the rock.
Isaac sighed exasperatedly in relief as Steven sat up alongside him and simply laughed. Meanwhile. Pearl and Greg watched the violent crashing from on top of the hill. "I think your calculations may have been off," the white Gem remarked caustically.
"Well, they can't be off if you don't do any," Greg said.
After Isaac and Steven made it back up to the barn, the young man and Pearl stood in front of the chalkboard. While the Gem was mulling over the simple sketch of Steven in a spaceship, flying through outer space, the blonde man was still confused by what the young Demigem was trying to do. That's why Isaac asked, "So, what exactly were you trying to do?"
"Well, I figured that Pearl missed going to outer space, so I wanted to make a spaceship for her. So she could see space again," Steven admitted, somewhat bashfully as he sat in an old chair, and Greg sat on a crate.
"Steven, I love the thought behind it, but..." Pearl pointed at Steven's drawing on the chalkboard. Turning to Steven and Greg with a questioning look. "Did you really think this was gonna work?"
Steven and Greg shrugged in an 'I don't know' kind of way, and hummed, "Mnh-mnh-mnh."
Isaac shook his head and asked, "Guys, you do know that your little ship was never going to fly, right?" He pointed to the drawing. "This isn't even aerodynamic enough to glide in the air. You'll just be flying a big paperweight."
"Well, do you know how to build a spaceship?" Steven asked, genuinely curious.
"No. But I have been taking some online college classes on engineering," Isaac said to the young boy with his arms cross. "And I know a guy that's planning on working for NASA. Always learn from the experts."
"Isaac's right," Pearl said. Isaac stepped back as she stepped up to the chalkboard and turning it over on the other side. Grabbing a piece of chalk, she started drawing out a more suitable design for the rocket. "You need smooth, curving surfaces. Otherwise, you're never gonna get enough speed to break Earth's gravitational pull."
"The ship will also likely need swept-back wings for supersonic flight," Isaac said, walking over and drawing some on the design.
Pearl smiled at the man, impressed by his suggestion. "You're right. Oh, and an airtight cockpit with an ejector seat, and we'll need some serious engines, or maybe rockets would be better."
"I vote rockets!" Steven exclaimed excitedly.
"Well, that may be hard to find," Isaac said, actually invested in the project. While blushing a little by how smart Pearl was. But he was more focused on Pearl was starting to feel better. He saw how much Pearl was beginning to brighten up by the sudden aspect of being able to go into space again. It made him happy.
"Whoa, whoa. Hold on a sec." Greg interjected before this went on any further. "We're not actually talking about building something like this, right?"
Pearl looked away from her detailed diagram of an actual spaceship on the chalkboard and looked at them. "What? This?!" She gestured to the chalk drawing before laughing a little. "Of course not. That would be ridiculous."
Pearl, however, switched from going against the idea to thinking more about it. "I mean, yes, theoretically, it's not a stretch. You've got plenty of spare parts here, albeit for incredibly primitive propulsion-based space travel. The idea is ludicrous. It would never work, althoooooough... Several humans, a monkey, and a dog did make it into space."
At this point, Pearl was entirely in on the idea as her excitement levels grew more and more. "I don't know why I've never even thought of it before. This could actually work!" She exclaimed, turning around to the three human males with a giant grin on her face.
"Uh..." Steven and Greg said in unison, unsure of how to answer.
"I hear what you're saying, and I agree," Pearl said, pacing behind Greg and Steven. "It would be incredibly dangerous, a fool's errand." She stopped for a moment to pull a lob of stuffing out of Greg's love seat. "This chair is disgusting. But aren't the true fools the ones who don't seize an opportunity, despite all the inherent risks? And I'd be able to show Steven the wonders of the cosmos!"
Steven gazes excitedly at Pearl, as Isaac looked at her in amazement. He's never seen her this determined, but he can't deny that what she was prosing was the opportunity of a lifetime. Isaac himself had dreamt of leaving Earth's atmosphere and going into space. Before, it was nothing more than a fantasy. It was a dangerous dream, but now more than ever, it was with his grasp with Pearl's help.
"And you're completely sure you know what you're doing?" Isaac asked. Still having some of his doubts.
"Yes, I am!" The white Gem said with a determined looked up at the sky, clasped her hands in delight, and smiled wistfully. "And maybe just for a second, from a distance, I could see what's been going on without me...All right! Let's do it!"
"UUU Space Travel, GOOOOO!" Steven proclaimed loudly.
"Yeah, suck it, NASA!" Isaac pumped his fist.
As so began a long day of working towards their goal of making a vehicle capable of space travel. With the design drawn out and with Pearl's intellect and Isaac's knowledge to guide them, the group set to work on building a spaceship.
Greg brought out the tools from the barn, and Pearl examined how they worked, like the drill. Isaac helped Steven and the father bring out some of the parts from inside. As the father and son carried out a wing, Isaac picked up a large engine and carried it out. Placing it down with the other parts that they had brought out.
A moment later, and Isaac was on his knees and halfway inside of a washing machine. Taking it apart from the inside as Pearl stood beside him. Using his strength, he pried the part off. Getting out of the machine, he showed it to Pearl. The white Gem took a moment to look at it before smiling and nodding at the Demigem. She handed it off to Steven, who ran off to put it with the other parts. Greg was sitting on the ground, reading a book on advanced avionics, and not understanding anything about it.
Pearl had everyone get to work on building the march 2 of the ship as soon as the parts were collected, which was a glider. Isaac had explained to her that they needed to test out the engine first, and that a glider would be the best platform to do it. So, with his shirt off and headphones in, Isaac got to work on the engine. Taking it apart and then resembling it into a working machine that was capable of flight. As he was fixing up the engine, Pearl was welding the frame of the glider.
Steven had his own blowtorch and used it to cook grilled cheeses with Greg. A few minutes later, and they were on a lunch break. While Isaac, Steven, and Greg ate and drank water. Pearl sat in the love chair with a pleasant smile.
About an hour later, and Isaac's engine was complete. The four stood the engine on melt legs outside and then got behind a turned over table. With the control in her hands, Pearl turned on the engine. The machine rumbled and shook as it powered up. She then cranked up the power, and the engine's exhaust nozzle roared with a blue flame shot from it. Isaac cheered, seeing his creation coming to life. The Gem gave it more power, and the engine flew off its legs. Flying around the area, before passing over the group before going up. It flew straight up before exploding.
Pearl and Isaac looked at it for a moment with Steven and Greg. Isaac slowly looked at Pearl. She looked rather proud of his quality work on the engine, and Steven gave him a thumbs up. Greg looked a bit more startled than the others.
A few moments later, and Pearl and Isaac worked together in concocting a liquid chemical that would provide a proper accelerant fuel source to use for the new jet engine. Greg and Steven then assembled the glider as the other two team members placed the engine onto the vehicle. With two small seats for Isaac and Steven.
Finally, after a full day of hard work, the Mach 2 was done. Isaac took the pilot's seat, and Steven got the back. Together, they too the glider into the sky. The young man steered the aircraft with wide-eyed excitement as he curved through the air with grace and skill. Steven cried out in joy behind him as his brother turned right. The jet engine propelling them over the barn.
While Pearl was smiling at how well the project was coming along, Greg still was a little nervous. Holding up a walkie-talkie, he pressed the button and called them. "Ground Control to Mach 2. Come in, Mach 2. How you kids doing up there?"
While Steven continued to cheer incomprehensible in the wind, Isaac placed his hand on his helmet's headphones. "We're doing fine. The controls are operating nicely and smoothly," he said. The son of Onyx turned off the engine. "I'm going to go ahead and bring her down."
"Roger that, Isaac," Pearl said on her radio headset. Smirking as she scribbled on her clipboard.
"You think we're taking this a little far," Greg asked the white Gem apprehensively.
"We're not even close to being done," Pearl said, looking back up at the approaching glider.
"We're not?"
Using the wind, Isaac piloted the Mach 2 down towards the ground. Landing the prototype smoothly on the hill. He smiled when he came to a stop. But then it jotted forward a bit when the engine suddenly backfired behind them. The wings collapsed immediately. Luckily, the ejection worked and shot Isaac and Steven out of the seat.
The two landed on the ground before Steven raised in fists in the air. "Wooo!"
"Was it supposed to fall apart like that? Greg asked analytically. The engine suddenly exploded, destroying the glider with it.
"That wasn't supposed to happen," Isaac said with concern, walking over to Pearl and Greg.
"Don't worry," Pearl said reassuringly. "This was just to test my engine concept. I'll work out the kinks in the next one."
"Hang on. Hang on. Next one?!" Greg looked alarmed at her.
"Is there a shop in town that carries F-1 single-nozzle liquid-fueled rockets?" She asked the former rockstar nonchalantly. "Actually, I remember that there was an old boneyard that your human Air Force used that's a few miles from here. I think that we'll be about to sneak in and take some parts and use them for the final design of the ship and then make the full-scale engine."
Isaac and Greg shared a glance. More than a little concerned about what Pearl was saying. "You're actually thinking about stealing from the most powerful military in the world?"
"Oh, please, it's not like they're using them," Pearl waved him off.
Greg stared at her, startled and shocked. "You really are serious!" He exclaimed. All this time, he thought they were just doing this for fun. Not actually planning on building an actual spaceship.
"Of course!" The white Gem said as if it was apparent. "We're also going to need a spacesuit for Isaac and Steven, so the two don't freeze or explode."
"Wait. What?!" Isaac Isaac exclaimed, dropping his helmet, and throwing out his arms. Steven imitated an explosion with his hand. "Pearl, slow down a minute. I want to help you go to space too, but there's no way we're going to make the journey. There's training that needs to be done for our bodies to leave handle the g forces, and for being in zero gravity, we don't have the parts, not to mention all of the things that could wrong! Humanity's had years of trial and error to just go to the moon. One small error- One malfunction or misjudgment, and it's out in the vacuum of space for all of us."
"And who's to say that human errors would be present on this flight," Pearl said, dismissive of the species that she swore to protect.
"Isaac's right," Greg said, finally putting his foot down. "You are not taking Steven to space."
"Yes, I am," Pearl said with a smile on her face. Not at all taking into account what the men told her.
"No! I'm not allowing it!" He protested.
"But why? This is why we founded Universe & Universe," Steven said with sad sincerity. Isaac looked at him with a raised eyebrow when learning that's what the U's were for.
"Steven, you're grounded," Greg asserted.
"What?!" Steven asked in shock.
"Whoa, Greg, That seems a little harsh, don't you think?" Isaac asked. Taken aback by the father's action.
"No, no. I mean he's grounded," Greg explained, before turning back to Steven. "As in you don't get to leave Earth."
"Oh." Steven and Isaac said simultaneously, now getting what Greg meant. But then the former, even more distraught, exclaimed, "What?!"
"As C.E.O. and Supreme Space Commander, I hereby ground this astronaut and cancel this mission," Greg said firmly to his son.
Steven turned to Isaac to see if he was going against the mission. To his dismay, Isaac shook his head and walked over to stand next to Greg. "Aw, man!" The young boy complained. "Stupid company by-laws."
"Hey! Who made you C.E.O.!?" Pearl demanded, appalled by Greg's decision.
"He did." Greg tilted his head towards Steven, who smiled sheepishly.
"Fine," Pearl shouted, quite outraged. "If neither of you will help, I'll just do it by myself— Not like it'll be much different." She pushed past the boys and marched towards the barn.
Isaac walked after her. "Pearl, wait a minute," he said, running around to stand in front of her.
"Get out of my way, Isaac," Pearl bluntly said with a stern look, much to his surprise.
"Wha-? Listen, I'm sorry, but it had to be done-"
"I don't care. I'm making this ship." Pearl pushed Isaac aside and entered the barn.
"Pearl, just listen to me," Isaac said, grabbing her shoulder to stop her.
"Don't touch me!" Pearl yelled, yanking her shoulder away from his hand, and turned around to glare at him. Isaac was surprised by her. Even Steven and Greg were startled with how Pearl was treating Isaac. Having not been there for when they had their first argument when Steven was trying to get strong, they were under the impression that they got along great. "You wanted to know what's bothering me, Isaac? It's the fact that I'm still stuck on this planet after thousands of years. I'm going to finish this ship, and I'm going to see the stars again. If you're not going to help me, then get out of my way!"
She grabbed the sliding door of the barn and started to close it. She stopped when it was a foot from being shut. So that Pearl could stare at him with a glare of disappointment. "To think you could help me..."
And with that, she shut the door.
Isaac stood in front of the door of the barn for a moment. Staring at it with a disheartened look on his face. He wanted to help her. That's why her happy again. But in the end, her dream was starting to become too big. And in the end, it only isolated her even more. Isaac had to do what he thought was right, even if it meant hurting Pearl.
He sighed and slumped his shoulders as Steven walked over to him. He looked at his older brother with concern. Greg walked over and stood with the boy. Placing his hand on Steven's shoulder, he said sympathetically, "I'm sorry, bud. Sometimes you just got to know when to bail."
Night fell upon the small little town of Beach City, and so did the barn. Greg was fast asleep in his van, parked next to the barn. Steven slept on top of the van in his caterpillar sleeping bag. As for Isaac, he was sleeping in a tent on the other side of the barn. He had a hard time falling asleep, still thinking about Pearl and how he could just talk to her.
However, sleep finally got the better of him, and he closed his eyes. And that's when he had another strange dream.
He was falling through the sky. Looking around frantically for something. All around him were the scattered debris of destroyed ships. All of them falling to earth from high altitude. Isaac back slammed against one of them before he crashed into another one. As the ground drew even closed, Isaac looked around again and spotted a piece of debris and moved towards it. Right before he flew past it, he grabbed it and held it in front of himself. Using it as a shield for when he slammed into the ground.
A few moments later, Onyx would crash.
Isaac sat up with wide eyes, panting heavily as he tried to calm down. Realizing that it was just another strange dream, he sighed and rubbed his face.
That's when he heard something coming from outside. Pulling his hand away from his face, Isaac opened the front of his tent and stepped out. Looking around for anything out of the ordinary. When he turned his head to the left, Isaac jumped back behind the corner when he saw Pearl stepping out of the barn and then walking cautiously over to the other side of the building.
Curious as to what she was doing, Isaac attempted to follow her. However, when he passed by the barn's slightly open door, he glanced inside and then continued for only a step. Stopping in his tracks, his eyes widened, and he looked back at the opening.
Slipping through the door of the barn, Isaac stepped inside and looked at what he saw a glimpse of. And the son of Onyx's jaws dropped down, and his eyes widened even more. Letting out an awed gasp. Standing before him was a massive spaceship. And an awe-inspiring one at that. Looking like a Boeing airplane, it had a robust and sturdy metal body with while graceful wings that were arched and folded up. And in the back of it was one engine.
"Wow..." Isaac whispered as he approached the spaceship. Raising his hand, he placed it on the cold metal body felt it. "She did it." He suddenly heard footsteps coming from outside.
After waking up Steven and then sneaking past Greg, Pearl opened the barn door to reveal the young boy's completed spaceship. Isaac was no longer standing where he was when they saw the ship. "Presenting the brand-new, ballistic-flight-capable Universe Mach 3!" Pearl excitedly, presenting the spaceship to the boy. Isaac was hiding behind some of the things that were in the barn. Steven gasped and shouted in excitement. "Spaceship!" He ran towards the machine, laughing happily. Moving around it on all sides of it.
"Wait, Steven. Keep your voice down," Pearl said, trying to calm the excited boy down from waking up Isaac and Greg.
Steven looked all over the ship before noticing the Universe label from his father's van on the side of the ship. "Whoa! It's even got the logo from the van!" One of Isaac's eyebrows raised, wondering how she was able to get that.
"And if your dad asks, we'll say we borrowed it," Pearl said with a smile. Isaac looked doubtful of that. He then saw Steven climb up the latter of the spaceship
Climbing into the cockpit of Mach 3, Steven sat in the love chair that Pearl used as the seat. "Whoa. Look at all the buttons! I must press them all."
"If you want, Steven, we could take her out for an engine check," Pearl proposed to Steven, and with a quick flash of light, changed her outfit into a skintight spacesuit. "It'll be quick."
At first, Isaac stared at the white Gem with sparkles in his eyes when he saw the suit. Thinking about how cool she looked in it. But then his eyes widened, and looked at her with a startled and shocked expression. She's going to do what?!
Pearl went up the ladder of the ship and climbed into the cockpit. Picking up Steven, she sat down in the chair, before placing Steven in her lap. As she was pressing buttons to start the launch, Isaac climbed up the ladder. In her lap, the young boy noticed the ladder moving a little and got off the Gem's lap and peaked over the ship.
"Busted!" Isaac exclaimed, popping out of the side of the cock.
Startled as Pearl was, Steven started to scream when Isaac's tattooed hand quickly covered his mouth. Letting him cry in his hand as not to wake Greg, all while Isaac stared sternly at the two of them. When Steven finally calmed down and stopped screaming, Isaac removed his hand.
"Hey," Steven said nervously.
"Hey, kid." Isaac nodded.
"What are you doing in here?!" Pearl asked the blonde man crossly.
As he fully climbed into the cockpit and sat in it, Isaac countered mockingly. "Me? What about you!?"
Pearl placed Steven back into her lap, blushing a little. "I... just wanted to take the Mach 3 out for a test run," she said, crossing her arms in an all-knowing manner. "And it's none of your business."
"Wrong answer," Isaac said with a glare. "I heard everything. It is my business if it involves Steven's safety. Especially when it involves him being in a dangerous position."
"Well..." Pearl looked away for a moment, before turning back to him. Steven looked between the two of them. "What are you going to do about it?" She asked with snobbishly. "Force us out?"
"No. I'm going to stay right here and wait until you come to your senses, and get out," Isaac said, getting nice and comfortable inside of the cockpit with a stern look.
"Really?"
"Really."
The two of them stared at one another tensely. Waiting for the other to break and leave. All while Steven remained impassive and just glanced from one to the other.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...Okay!" Pear exclaimed with a happy smile and slammed her hand on a large red button.
"Wait, what?" Isaac asked in curious before the windshield of the cockpit closed. "Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no, no!" He shook his head nervously as the spaceship started rumbling and moving.
Despite Pearl's attempt to hide the starship from Greg, nothing could stop the loud noise it made when its engines started powering up. Causing the ground rumble from it and waking up Greg. "Wha?! What the...?" He looked around before noticing his van had been tampered with. And the former rockstar knew precisely who was responsible. "Pearl!"
Jumping out of the van, Greg ran up to the front of the barn. The ship was rolling out the barn, and inside the cockpit, he saw his son and Pearl piloting the Mach 3 away.
"Steven, what are you doing?!" He yelled up to his son. Greg chased after the Mach 3, as it unfolded its wings. But it was too late. With a loud rev of the engines, the rockets fire up, creating a blast that knocked Greg back. The ship shot forward with a powerful boom, shooting across the yard before gracefully lifting off the ground and into the air.
After watching the ship ascend into the sky, Greg quickly got up and ran towards the barn.
Pearl began to gliding the Mach 3 over the ocean. Smiling confidently and proudly as Steven looked out the window in amazement. Isaac was on the far side of the cockpit. Between the wall and the chair as he tried to hold onto whatever he could for dear life.
"Wow! Hey, Isaac, look! You can see the temple!" Steven said, pointing at the ground with a light laugh.
"Nope, I'm okay," Isaac said, looking a little started. He looked at the white Gem apprehensively. "Uh, question. What's the plan in case something goes wrong?"
"There's no reason to worry about, Isaac," Pearl reassured him, adjusting the ship controls. "Nothing's going to wrong. I've built this thing to withstand anything."
"That doesn't fill me with confidence. And please tell me you have another parachute," Isaac said.
"Well, I would if I was expecting anyone to rudely interrupt our test flight," Pearl retorted in annoyance.
"How the fuck is that my fault?!" Isaac demanded her, looking upset. Pearl snapped her head up at him with a glare was about to start arguing with the newest Crystal Gem when the ship's intercom lit up before they could.
"Hey, can you hear me!?" Greg's voice asked over the radio transmission from the ground and watching the ship through a pair of binoculars. Sounding frightened and concerned.
Isaac leaned forward and placed his hand on the console. "Greg? We hear you!"
"Isaac?! Where do you three think you're going!?
"Hey, Dad, guess where I am," Steven said lightheartedly, despite Greg freaking out.
"I know where you are! It's where you're going that concerns me!" Greg exclaimed through the radio.
"Don't worry, Dad. This is just a quick test flight," Steven told his dad.
"This will be perfectly fine, just a pop over to the nearest star system," Pearl said evenly. "I'll give them back in 50 years."
"Huh?!" Isaac yelled out in shock and surprised. She wasn't serious, right? She couldn't be. "50 years?" He, and now Steven, exclaimed at the same time. Now that the young boy realized what she was saying and doing, he looked at her in disbelief too.
"What?! I'll be dead in 50 years! Pearl, you bring the boys back right now, or I'll-" Pearl turned off her end of the transmission. Cutting off Greg and leaving the boys to start panicking, even if the white Gem was calm and collective as ever.
"Pearl, I thought this was only supposed to be a test flight!" Isaac exclaimed, now really worried.
"I'm Isaac. I'm not supposed to go. Pearl!" Steven tried getting her attention. But she ignored them, remaining determined to make the journey.
"Oh, this is so exciting! Steven, you're gonna love it." She said, before playing on a keyboard panel that she used as a makeshift console. The back of the wings opened to reveal eight small engines. As the boys heard the sounds of the engines getting ready to ignite, Steven got back into Pearl's lap, and Isaac braced himself. "Hang on tight!"
Pearl pushed the control handles forward, activating the afterburners. Isaac grunted as he was pushed back. The Mach 3 darted across the ocean before it turned sharply upward into the sky. The ship gained even more speed as it climbed up into the heaven and approached the atmosphere. Piecing through the clouds, the Mach 3 opened itself to the vastness of space it was traveling towards.
That was until Isaac glanced tentatively out the window, only to see a piece of scrap metal peel off the ship and scrape against the windshield as it fell back down to earth.
"What was that?" He asked in alarm.
"What was what? Steven asked before another piece of metal came off.
Isaac's eyes widened when a horrible realization set it for him. "Pearl, how did you finish this ship so fast?" He asked. Another piece of metal came off.
That's when the warning lights in the cockpit begin to flash on. More scrap metal pieces are seen falling off the Mach 3 as it penetrates the atmosphere. The horrible truth settled in for Isaac. She built the aircraft, yes, but to finish faster without the right materials, Pearl created a mere jet aircraft. Nothing that could withstand the gravitational pull of the earth and nothing strong enough to pierce through the atmosphere.
"Pearl, we've got to stop! This thing's going to be torn to piece!" Isaac yelled.
"We can make it," Pearl said with resolve, paying little attention to the warning signs. Pushing the ship even further. "We're almost there."
As the ship approached the atmosphere, more of the Mach 3 began to fall apart. Not just the small pieces, but important parted of the hull. Showing with visible tears in its shell. The engines were becoming unstable, and smoking poured out of them heavily.
"Pearl, the ship can't take much more!" Isaac shouted over the ship's rumbling and the alarms. "If we don't stop, we're going to die!" But Pearl didn't listen. The white Gem stared up into the night sky with dreamy eyes.
"Pearl!" Steven called to her, trying to get her attention in vain.
"I'm gonna show it to you..." Pearl said, continuing to be oblivious to the situation. Her eyes were watery and were on the verge of tears. But she remained determined to make it to the stars.
"Isaac!" Steven yelled, getting the man's attention. "What are we going to do?! She wouldn't listen!"
Isaac looked around the cockpit in panic. Trying to find a way that might help them. They had to get off this ship. But how? That's when he saw see the release mechanism from the seat ejection. Pearl had used an actual ejection system from the Air Force boneyard to make it. He looked at Steven, then at Pearl, then at the ship as it was coming apart. Isaac was at a crossroads. There was only one parachute, and it was attached to the back of the love seat. If he pulled the lever, then they would get out and parachute down to the ground. But there was nowhere for him to sit, and if he hung onto the chair, he would have been thrown off. But if he didn't, they all died.
It's a one-way trip. But he knew that everyone would make it sooner or later.
"Steven," Isaac said, moving in front of Steven and Pearl. He kneeled down and placed his hands gently on Steven's cheeks and made him look at him. "There's only one parachute. I want you to hold onto Pearl and don't let go. Listen, you, Pearl, the Crystal Gems, you've all been good to me. Time has come to return the favor."
"Wh-What are you saying?" Steven asked worriedly. Not liking how Isaac was talking to him. Like it was going to be the end.
"If I don't make it, I just want you to know that...I'm so happy to have had you in my life, brother," he said to him with tears falling from his eyes. Smiling a gentle but overly emotional. Saying what was going to be the last words he'll ever say to Steven.
Saying his final goodbyes, Isaac took his hands away and pulled the lever up. Releasing the glass hatch covering the cockpit, exposing himself, Steven, and Pearl to the atmosphere.
"ISAAC!" Steven cried when the chair ejected out of the cockpit. Taking him and Pearl with it out of the doomed ship and back down to earth. With his brother and crush out of the ship, Isaac slid down against the console and sighed. This was it. He was going to die when the spaceship finally explodes.
"I'm okay with this..." said the son of the Gem of War. Expecting his fate. "...I love you, Steven...Be a good boy..."
As he waited, Isaac heard something from outside. Looking over the edge, he saw the same sign that Pearl took from the van. It was peeling off the ship.
Remembering what he saw in his dream, Isaac had an idea. As the ship continued to fall apart, he jumped out of the cockpit, grabbed onto the sign, and ripped it off as he fell towards earth.
As for Pearl and Steven, the parachute opened from the back of the chair, and it slowly floated them down towards the ground. "What was he thinking?!" Pearl screamed, furious about Isaac ejecting them out of the ship. Denying her the chance to go to space again. "We were just about to-"
Suddenly, it exploded.
"ISAAC!" Steven screamed as Pearl's face turned to shock and then horror. Realizing that her wish to see the universe again not only was doomed from the beginning, but it just had killed Isaac. The one human she admired the most.
But this her eyes widened when she saw something falling towards her. Pearl gasped when she saw it was none other than Isaac. Falling to earth with the piece she took from the van. "Isaac!" She screamed.
Isaac fell to earth as the debris of the ship fell with him. He looked around and saw the chair. Still holding the metal piece, he straightened his body and fell towards the chair. Pearl reached out her hand for him to grab onto, and Isaac reached out his arm towards her. As he fell faster, the closer he got to Pearl and Steven...
But they missed just their finger.
"ISAAC!" Pearl screamed in terror as Isaac fell past her.
Isaac looked at the ground, and his fear grew even more. Thinking that he had made a terrible decision. But he shook his head and looked at the piece of the van he still had. With the ground drawing even closed, Isaac followed what he did in his dream, and held the metal in front of himself. Using it as a shield for when he slammed into the ground. It was the only thing he could do to protect himself.
And then his body was covered in a flash of light.
Greg was only a few meters away when Isaac's body slammed into the ground like a meteor. The impact made the ground shake a little under his feet with a bright flash of light. Greg had seen everything from his binoculars and knew that it was Isaac. Worried, he rushed to where he landed. Not wanting to think he was dead, but knew that it was impossible for a normal human being to survive a fall like that. As smoke covered the crater, Greg approached it. At first, Greg covered his eyes. Knowing that what he would see would be Isaac's body reduced to nothing more than a pile of human flesh.
As he walked closer to the crater, the former rockstar stopped at the edge of it. Finding the bravery to do so, Greg peeked between his fingers. What he saw left him absolutely amazed.
"Woah." He said in amazement, before falling onto his knees. "Ahhhh... Ohhhhh..." He gasped out breathlessly, holding his chest. Ohh, these boys are killing me..." He then laid down and cowered. Very tired from the emotional roller coaster he went through. "Ughhhh..."
"Isaac...Isaac?"
Isaac groaned a little as he started to wake up. His whole body ached and pained from the impact. However, just meant one thing. "I'm still alive?" He asked out loud, rubbing his head.
"Isaac! You're okay!" Steven yelled, followed by a sound that made it sound like glass being hit on. Isaac opened his eyes to see Steven and Pearl, looking at him with tearful eyes filled with relief. Greg was standing nearby, happy to see the young man had woken up again. But something was different.
"Uh, why is everything black and white?" Isaac asked. That's when Isaac relieved it.
He was inside of his own, grey, bubble shield.
"Isaac, you have a bubble just like me!" Steven exclaimed, running over to the bubble and, with tears of joy running down his face, jumped onto the bubble and hugged the shield as if he was hugging Isaac. But he didn't care. He was just too happy and relieved to see Isaac was safe.
Isaac stood up with wide eyes as he touched the bubble from the inside. "How is this even possible," he asked before the bubble popped. Making Steven fall onto the ground of the crater. But he quickly got up and jumped onto Isaac. Nearly knocking him down as he buried his face into his brother's stomach. "It's okay, buddy-"
Isaac didn't even have a chance to react when someone else tackled him to the ground in a bear hug.
"Oh, Isaac! I'm so sorry! I was so carried away with things...I almost got us killed! And I almost got you killed!" Pearl sobbed into Isaac's chest. Hugging him like he was the most precious thing in the world. Isaac looked at her with wide eyes as she continued to cry into his chest, while Steven let go of Isaac and wiped away his tears. Greg placed a hand on his shoulder, relieved to see everyone was safe and sound.
Isaac tried to find the right words to calm her down. He hugged her back and patted her back. "Pearl, please don't cry and look at me," Isaac said soothingly with a sweet smile. Pearl took a moment to stop sobbing before she raised her head. Her eyes were big and watery. "I'm still here, right? I'm still alive." Isaac sat up, and Pearl hesitantly lets him go. Sitting on her knees, Pearl sniffled and tried to rub the tears away from her eyes. "Yes, you nearly got us killed, but I'm not going to hold that against you," he said with a kind smile. "I'm just glad everyone's okay."
Pearl blushed when she saw that smile. That damn smile she loved so much. The white Gem looked away and rubbed her arm."Y-Yes, but I'm still ashamed for what I did. And...for the things that I'd said to you earlier. It was wrong of me to say that to you. Not to mention this whole project...I hope that you can forgive me."
Isaac looked at Greg and Steven before looking up at the sky. Where they nearly got killed. Isaac looked back down that her. "Sure thing, Pearl," he said with his warm smile. He then stood up and offered her his hand. Pearl accepted the kind gesture and took it.
About an hour later, after returning to the barn, Isaac way laying on the grass on the hill. Steven and Greg were back to sleep after the experience nearly whipped them out of it. But for Isaac, he just wanted to look up at the night sky for just a little bit. Deep in his thoughts.
"Isaac?" Isaac sat up and turned his head to see Pearl standing a few feet away. "What are you doing up here?"
"Just wanted to see the stars again," he said. Isaac then offered her a spot to sit, patting the ground next to her to sit. Pearl blushed a little but accepted his offer. Walking over to him, the white Gem laid down next to him with her hands on her stomach. Isaac then laid back down and used his arms as a pillow.
Together, the two of them stared up at the night sky. Not saying a word, but they didn't need to. After months of knowing one another, they've grown to enjoy each other's company, even if they weren't talking to one another. The night sky looked so beautiful right now. Just seeing them made Pearl's heart start to ache a little. She still really wanted to see them, but after what had transpired, she didn't think it would be right to do it.
"Hey, Pearl?" The white Gem turned her head and looked at Isaac as he looked at her. "I just want to say I'm sorry we couldn't help you go to space."
Pearl smiled sadly and placed her left hand on Isaac's right elbow. "You have nothing to apologize for, Isaac. I'm sorry that I almost killed us."
"We're used to it." The two of them laughed together at that comment. Turning back to look up at the moon, Isaac's smile faded a little. "I have to admit, I'm a little sad that we failed."
"How come," Pearl asked, confused and curious at the same time. Lowing her hand down to her side on the ground.
"You've been on earth for thousands of years, right?" Isaac asked, to which Pearl nodded. Watching the young man as he raised his right up and made a thumbs-up gesture at the sky. Using his thumb to cover the moon. "Do you have any idea how long it's been since the space race? I don't know about you, but...going into space and landing on the moon is still humanity's greatest achievement, and it's been nearly 50 years ago since then. 1972 was the last time we've ever been on another celestial body. Nowadays, people tend to focus on all the bad things going on Earth. No longer optimistic about what we could accomplish in the next century to further interplanetary travel."
Isaac smiled up at the moon. Moving his thumb out of the way. "I guess it was wishful thinking on my part, that this whole crazy idea was our chance to make history and make an accomplishment for all of mankind. And maybe give ourselves the push we needed to make that great leap forward."
Pearl stared at Isaac with wide eyes and stars in them. Completely blow by Isaac's little speech. It was true what he had said. Sure, there were times that she was afraid of NASA and humanity finding the moonbase during the Apollo missions to the moon, but it filled her with wonder at the time. She never really saw humanity in the same way as Rose did, even though she followed the former leader. On the day that the Crystal Gems learned about Apollo 11's landing, Rose was, of course, cheering and jumping around for the species she was obsessed with. But even Pearl was blown away at how we actually made it.
"Sorry," Isaac said, lowering his right arm back down to his side.
"No, it was beautiful," Pearl said.
Isaac nodded and said, "Yeah, but we'll get there someday! If not anyone else, one day, we'll make a better ship."
Pearl adverted her eyes a bit. "You know, I think I'd rather be here on Earth," she said, smiling contently.
"With Steven!" Isaac happily added while still looking up, recalling how Steven said the same thing.
"Yeah. With Steven," Pearl said with her smile widened. She didn't need to stray into the stars once again. That was a lifetime ago. Now she was beginning to realize that what she really needed and wanted was right there with her all along right here on the humble little planet called Earth.
She then looked at Isaac, and a warm feeling was birth from within her chest. Making her blush. Pearl couldn't understand why, but her left hand grabbed ahold of Isaac's hand and interlaced her fingers with his. Isaac felt this and looked at her with wide eyes. Seeing her smiling at him, he smiled back.
"And you too, Isaac," Pearl said, as their hands remained together.
AN: And we're back to "Gem of War!" After the first chapter of Act 0, I'm happy to get back to the main story. I still would like to know how you all thought about the first part of Act 0. With parts of Onyx's backstory revealed, we return to Isaac's adventure in the present. And as the story goes on and we see more of her story, we get to see what effect it has on the future. And what better way than to start the second act than with Space Race.
This was honestly one of my favorite chapters to work on. Main for the character development that Pearl is given. And especially for the moments that she and Isaac are given. I really like giving these two fluff moments together and growing their chemistry. Although, a kind of dirty thought just entered my head while I was working on this chapter. Isaac's 19 and Pearl's thousands of years old. So does that make her a milf?
Sorry I asked that. Back to the chapter. The real changes to the story come in the end with Isaac sacrificing himself for Steven and Pearl, and then jumping out of the ship and landing Halo 3 style.
And then we get to another knew ability for Isaac. His own crystal bubble shield!
Original, I was going to do something more similar to the Armor Lock from Halo Reach. But then I thought about how it wouldn't really be useful as the bubble shield. I know that Gems are capable of creating bubbles, but not on the same level of Steven's bubble shield. Which is a combination of his bubbling and shield summoning abilities. But if you think about it, it's kind of make sense for Isaac to have one himself. Sure, he has sword summoning abilities, but he and Onyx were also able to make them into any melee-based weapon that they wanted. Isaac's weapon changing abilities could have allowed him to create a shield and combine that with his bubble making to create his bubble shield.
Not to mention there's also Onyx's origins. Out of respect for the people that have not read that chapter, I wouldn't say anything. But if you did read the first part of the Reason Arc, then it's not hard to think that she would have a similar ability to Rose.
Also, I've been looking up online about the non-filler episodes of Steven Universe, so that I know which ones to skip and which ones to do. Mainly because I really want to not only build up the story, but I also want to actually get to it. Seriously, after the first few seasons, fillers kind of became annoying as it diverted the focus of the story away from the main conflict!
The next plot chapter would technically be "Fusion Cuisine" but...I don't know. It's not one of my favorite episodes of the series, mainly for how cringy it is. The one episode I actually wanted to do was "Island Adventure." Why? Because I can rewrite it, that's fucking why! I mean Lars was an absolute jackass in season 1 and this wasn't one of his best episodes in the series. And mainly it's to answer one of the big questions of the story.
So, what I'll likely do it combine the two episodes into one. With the beginning of "Fusion Cuisine" and then having the rest of the story on "Island Adventure."
I'm going to do that and then move onto the next story.
Thank you very much for reading. "Gem of War" will return. Please be sure to Favorite and Follow if you like the story, and also Review it. If you any questions or discussions you'd have for me, then please in a Review or a PM me.
Thank you for reading, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.