[ARC 2]

Weeks after the whole thing with Robotnik, Steven and Fionna have been living together happily, officially as a couple. Fionna is still on her physics course while Steven is now working in G.U.N to capture 'Gem Creatures' (a better name he chose for them) and to understand his own nature… besides, they pay well.

Fionna is at the podium of the lecture hall about to make a lecture. She glances out at the sea of students in the lecture hall, each pair of eyes locked onto her. Her mind is racing, and despite all her preparation, the nerves are starting to take over. The room feels overwhelming, too large, too quiet, and her thoughts scatter like the particles she's studied in class.

She clears her throat, her voice trembling slightly as she begins. "Um… Hi, everyone… Today, I'm here to show some discoveries I made that can completely change how we see the world and the universe." She looks back and sees Steven on the stage with her. He smiles in reassurance and she smiles back before looking back at the students. "I have found this man, Steven, who has powers that go beyond any human limit and even change how we see the laws of physics."

The students murmur, intrigued, as Fionna glances at Steven, drawing strength from his encouraging smile. With a deep breath, she steadies herself, her voice growing more confident.

"Steven's abilities come from a diamond that replaces his brain and fills 80% of his skull." She presses a button on a remote and the projector shows an X-ray image of Steven's head, showing the diamond on his head.

The image of Steven's head with the diamond sparks a wave of astonished murmurs and even a few gasps. Fionna takes a deep breath, encouraged by the students' reactions, and continues.

"This diamond doesn't just serve as a simple energy source. It acts as a neural network, controlling his body and, possibly, granting him the remarkable abilities we've witnessed." She clicks to the next slide, displaying a graphic that shows Steven's diamond-brain interconnected with a network of energy pathways flowing throughout his body.

"Through these pathways, Steven is able to access various powers, including generating energy shields, summoning weapons, and even, on rare occasions, fusing with others." She pauses, looking at Steven with a small smile. "Some of you may have heard about the recent… incident in the city with Dr. Ivo Robotnik. That was a demonstration of a fusion between Steven and myself, forming an entity we called 'Stionna.' It was a temporary state, but it was unlike anything we'd ever experienced."

One of the evaluators raises their hand. "How can we be sure of what you're saying? It's indeed a medical miracle that this man is able to breath and think without problems, even with a diamond replacing his brain, but how are we supposed to believe that this guy has powers? And two people fusing into one? It sounds like a fantasy from a storybook."

Steven grins and leans closer to her, whispering in her ear. "Wanna demonstrate to them?"

Fionna's eyes glint with a mischievous spark as she looks back at Steven. She whispers, "You think they're ready for that?"

Steven chuckles softly, nodding. "Let's blow their minds a little."

Fionna turns back to the audience, facing the skeptical evaluator directly. "We anticipated some doubts, so we prepared a demonstration."

Steven takes her in his arms and with a quick spin, their bodies glow in light and merge. As the light fades, Stionna stands tall before the stunned audience. The fusion of Steven and Fionna is an overwhelming sight, familiar and yet entirely new. The room falls into stunned silence, with every student and evaluator holding their breath as they take in the sight of this powerful being.

Stionna moves with a fluid grace that seems almost unnatural, every motion a blend of Steven's steadiness and Fionna's agility. They look around at the audience, their expression a mixture of calm and confidence. Stionna's voice is a harmonious blend of Steven's and Fionna's tones, but it's distinctly more powerful, carrying an undeniable force.

"Is this… satisfactory?" Stionna asks, their voice reverberating through the room. The evaluator who questioned them earlier looks like they've been struck speechless, their mouth opening and closing as they try to find words.

Stionna clears their throat and proceeds. "What you're seeing here is not just a miraculous coincidence. It's the result of combining two minds, two people, into one. The connection, the power, everything you see comes from the unique synergy of our abilities. A new personality who is born from the blend of Steven and Fionna. We believe it's because of their/our relationship and closeness."

The room remains frozen in awe, every single eye trained on Stionna as they stand, glowing with an otherworldly aura. The evaluator who had questioned Fionna earlier stands up from his chair, shaking his head in disbelief.

"You… you're telling me that this is real? That this fusion is not just an illusion?" he asks, his voice shaking. He takes a hesitant step forward, clearly caught between awe and skepticism.

Stionna, still towering before the audience, nods slowly. "What you see is real. The fusion of minds, two individuals coming together to form something new, is a product of our connection. It's not simply a combination of physical attributes or energy; it's a merging of identities, personalities, and experiences. This is science, not fantasy."

Another evaluator, more composed but equally intrigued, raises their hand. "This is unlike anything we've seen before… But, could this fusion be replicated with others? Is there a specific set of conditions, or is this a random occurrence?"

Stionna shakes their head. "We're not sure if it can be replicated, but we know that it can't occur between other people than Steven."

Another evaluator, a woman with short glasses and a serious expression, steps forward. "So, you're suggesting that only Steven can merge with others like this, and that your connection is the key to this fusion?" she asks, her tone calm but filled with curiosity.

Stionna nods once, their voice calm but firm. "Yes, the fusion appears to be a result of the unique connection Steven and I share, both emotional and physical. Our minds and bodies are attuned in a way that allows us to merge, but this bond doesn't extend to other people. So far, there have been no signs that this fusion can be replicated outside of our partnership."

They glow again and unfuse. Fionna looks to the audience to proceed to the lecture.

Later, Steven and Fionna are in the cafeteria, surrounded by curious students making questions.

While they answer some, Steven receives a text message.

'G.U.N': "Steven, come to the base now! Take Fionna with you."

He raises an eyebrow but shrugs. He looks to Fionna. "Finn, we gotta go."

Fionna nods, understanding the urgency in Steven's voice. She quickly gathers her things, placing her notes back in her bag.

"Hey, you go ahead. I'll meet you at the door." Fionna says, giving him a reassuring smile.

"Alright then." He kisses her. "See ya later, Number 95."

She looks surprised. "'Number 95'?"

He looks at her with a grin. "Well, that's the number from that car from Cars. Called you like that because you're 'McQueen'."

Fionna chuckles at the playful nickname and kisses his cheek. "Alright. See you later."

Steven nods and jumps towards the G.U.N base.

Arriving there, Steven sets himself in a G.U.N uniform and goes to talk to the leader. "So, Andy, what's going on?"

Colonel Andrew sighs and shows an image on the screens. "Our satellites detected an UFO approaching the planet. We tried to stop it from getting closer, but our attempts were futile." He looks straight to Steven. "We will need your help to take care of… that when it lands here."

Steven looks at the images and widens his eyes. It is a giant green hand approaching earth. "... How much time until it arrive Earth?"

"Considering how fast it moved in the last week, tomorrow."

"... got it. Where will it land?"

"... It seems to have been following a single point, even with Earth's rotation…" Andrew pauses. "It is coming here, for this city."

Steven looks at Andrew carefully. "... We'll be ready for it."

[TO BE CONTINUED]