"Craig!" Steven called out, whilst running in the Creek." Craig!" He then witnessed Jessica and Craig's friends sitting alone at the Trading Tree. "Jessica!" He walked up to her. "Where's Craig?"
"When me and my brother arrived in the creek, Ruby and Aquamarine captured him and I don't know where they are." Jessica answered.
"She told us what happened and we decided to stay here." Kelsey filled in.
"We just don't want to get hurt." J.P. added.
Steven couldn't believe his enemies took advantage the moment Craig didn't escape. "Unbelievable." He placed his hand on his face. "It's probably been almost five hours."
"At least you haven't spent all day alone."
"I was making a friend close to my age, Craig's mom ordered me to."
"That's what I've been telling them." Jessica replied. "At least most of the kids you met yesterday understood and moved on when I talked to them about it."
"It's hard to go through a day with Steven okay!?" Kelsey reacted.
Steven took a deep breath while trying to stay on topic. He still remembers that Kenneth is Xavier's brother, but he doesn't have enough time to save Craig before heading home. Then Maya and her group walked down in the Trading Tree, after telling them her time meeting Steven yesterday. "Steven?" Maya walked up to him from behind.
"Maya?" Steven turned around.
"You're here, this is perfect!"
"We know where Craig is!" Aggie smiled.
"Really!?" Steven smiled.
"Yes, we'll take you where he's right now." Keun Sup commented.
"But…" Maya stopped herself with the biggest downside of it all.
"It's Bluebird, isn't it?" Steven guessed.
"Yes. Are Connie and Lion coming back?"
"Sorry, I texted Connie and she's still busy in college." Steven then looked at the champions of the other side of the creek. This gave him an idea but it's a risky one to save Craig. "Are you willing to do me a favor?"
"We'll do what we can." Aggie responded.
"Can I get my bat, if I can make a run for it?" Maya asked.
"You're probably gonna be late, but it'll be worth a shot." Steven smiled.
"We wanna help too!" Kelsey offered.
"Craig is our friend too." J.P. added.
"Even if I get my foot hit against another brick wall, I'm doing it for my brother." Jessica putting her foot down, only to have her foot throb in pain again, with a tear falling from her eye. "But I do need an ice pack."
Steven closed his eyes, rethinking about the safety of Craig's friends and sister. But he can't deny that if he had friends at Craig's age, especially living a normal life, would do the same thing if he was captured. "Just be careful and whatever you do, follow my lead."
"No problem." Kelsey replied. Steven put together his plan with Craig's friends, sister, Maya and the champions joining in his aid. They rushed to their destination, whilst Maya ran back to get her bat from her place.
Back at the cave, Craig remained seated, still waiting for the future he saw before he woke up. But he didn't move to make Bluebird feel suspicious, even if she's not looking at him. He doesn't know when Steven's coming but he wouldn't leave him in lockdown when the day's over. Outside of the cave, Steven and the others witness the cave.
"He's in there with Bluebird." Aggie pointed. "Bluebird will come out if anyone comes in."
"Okay." Steven replied. "We just need to set up a diversion for Craig to escape."
"Can we rescue Craig from the cave?" J.P. asked.
"Yes, but make it quick. Run as fast as you can while we stop Bluebird."
"Such a blurbed out plan." Bluebird flew out of her cave, landing on the ground. "Ever heard of whispering Steven?"
"You know this was bound to happen. I can stay here all day if I have to."
"With this as your rescue party?" Bluebird pointed at his group. "You're making this way too easy for me."
Steven crossed his arms, giving Bluebird a serious look. "You're not the only one who can make strategies ahead of time."
"Then where's Maya? Did she run away like a coward? I can give you the benefit of the doubt to come here but not her."
This caused Steven to smirk, with ego getting the better of Bluebird. "We can't beat you, but that doesn't mean we have to."
Then Keun Sup ran out from the left, throwing small rocks at Bluebird, catching her off guard. "Ahh!"
Then Aggie threw a bigger rock at her, causing her to hit the ground. "Okay you three, go now!" Steven demanded as Jessica, J.P. and Kelsey rushed inside the cave. Steven summoned his shield to keep an eye on Bluebird when she comes back up.
"Craig!" Kelsey called as she and the others appeared.
"Guys." Craig smiled while picking up his bag.
"Steven, the champions and us are getting you out of here." Kelsey grabbing his arm. "But we have to go to either my or J.P.'s house!"
"Wait!" Craig stood in place while Jessica pushed him.
"Craig, we could get trapped if we stay here!" She shouted.
"I know." He turned around. "But I've got a better plan. Trust me on this."
His friends stood in place, while still looking out the entrance with Steven and the others stopping Bluebird after she burst out of her boulder. "This either could be really good or really bad." J.P. commented.
Outside of the cave, Steven threw his shield at Bluebird to keep her occupied, but it wasn't enough until Bluebird fought back. "What are you doing in there? Come out!" Aggie shouted.
When Craig and the others got out of the cave, Bluebird took notice as she summoned her cutlass. "I don't think so!" Just when she's about to attack, Craig rolls out of the way while his friends and sister stopped by Bluebird, preventing them from getting cut. Craig rushed out of the scene as Aggie threw another boulder but Bluebird moved out of the way. She flew towards Aggie, allowing J.P., Kelsey and Jessica to follow Craig.
"Just keep running, I'll catch up!" Steven called.
Craig and his group ran as fast as they could to get away from the diversion. "So we're gonna wait until Steven comes to you!?" Kelsey called. "She's gonna fly towards us!"
"It's the only way to stop Bluebird. I just need Steven!"
They ran further enough to hide behind the brushes in the creek, camouflaged from Bluebird's sight. "You're really going to do this?" J.P. wondered. "What if someone interrupts like what Connie and Lion did?"
"It won't."
"How do you know?" Jessica replied.
"Because I saw it in my dream when my eyes were pink."
His friends and sister catched on but at the same time, they thought there wasn't anything more whenever his eyes turned pink. "Are you sure your dream will happen?" Kelsey said.
"Yes. He may help me out but I'm also helping him out, and mostly all of us."
Back on the trail, Steven ran to find Craig after the Champions kept Bluebird occupied. He looked around, but there was no sign of Craig around, slowing down in the process. Then Craig came out of the bushes, getting up behind Steven while poking his back. "Craig?" He turned around to witness Craig. "Craig!? What are you doing? Run!"
"No, Trust me on this."
"She won't harm you if you're not at your place, J.P.'s place-"
"Steven!" Craig shouted. "Please, I promise you it's gonna get rid of Bluebird."
"Then please make it quick."
Craig took a deep breath to let out the truth. "I had a dream where Garnet kissed my forehead where I saw the future of us fusing."
"You mean…for real?"
"It felt real in my dream, just not outside of it, but this will work."
"You think this is a good time for it?"
"It's the only way, I'll remind you later about my dream."
"Craig!" Bluebird flew up in the sky. "I'm coming after you! Same goes to your friends who interfered!" When she saw Steven and Craig out in the open, she immediately flew down over the trail, launching her attack with her cutlass in her hand.
Craig took Steven's hand as he closed his eyes. He hoped his eyes would turn pink, but it's not working. Steven also closed his eyes to make the fusion work; however in the state he's in now, he couldn't control it unlike yesterday. "It's not working, Craig!" He reacted.
"Come on, eyes do your thing!" Craig stumped. Bluebird is in full target of Steven and Craig but Craig didn't move. Steven needed to move, but his trust in Craig is put to the test. Then thankfully, Craig's eyes turned pink just in time as he opened them with Bluebird coming close. Thus, Steven and Craig's bodies glowed, catching Bluebird by notice as she stopped. Craig's friends and sister witness the glow upon getting up.
Bluebird slightly flew back from the fusion in front of her. "They're really doing it!?" She flinched.
The height of the fusion got taller as the glow died down. Steven and Craig opened their eyes, with their eyes glowing pink. Their hairdo is just like Steven's but their skin is black, just like Craig's. Their clothes were fused with a hoodie and coat combined while Craig's bag got bigger and pinker.
"Oh…my…stars!" Bluebird reacted.
The fusion looked at Bluebird while making a grin. "You think you're gonna put this buddy in lockdown?" He taunted.
"Uhhh…"
"My name is Straig Williverse." Straig leaned down. "I'm giving you a chance to forfeit, or we're doing it the hard way."
Bluebird groaned with the disadvantage she's in against the new fusion. "I'm not a coward! You don't even know what powers you have!"
"Like you for the first time?"
"Ohhh, burn!" J.P. taunted.
"Then show it to me! Fusion up! Williverse!"
Straig unzipped his bag, revealing a shield in the same shape Steven used, but it was a lot more powerful and much bigger. Then he took out a staff that Craig uses in the creek, but it's not made out of wood. It's made out of ancient stone while the diamond Craig placed on it. But thanks to the fusion, it's solid proof with sparkles coming out.
He then put the two together with the bottom of the shield inserted with the diamond. The weapon sparked thanks to the diamond as Straig pointed it at Bluebird. He held onto the staff tightly while the magic of the shield charged.
His shield launched from the staff, colliding with Bluebird at full force and speed. "Woow." Jessica commented.
"How am I gonna get Connie to fuse with me?" Kelsey added.
"I have no idea." J.P. added.
Bluebird flew past the champions, who tried to stop her when she flew up earlier. She impacted the tree as the shield magic dissolved, thus causing Ruby and Aquamarine to de-fuse.
"Ugh!" Ruby landed on the grass.
"Ugh!" Aquamarine added. "He's stronger than us!"
"Xavier's not gonna be happy when we tell him about this."
Then Maya appeared with a steel baseball bat. "I got this!" She picked up Ruby, lifted her up in the air and hit her with her bat. Ruby got launched in the air, farther enough to be out of the creek. Maya picked up Aquamarine and did the same thing as the threats are no longer in sight. "Out of the creek!" She cheered. "A bit late, but still struck the final blow." She took out her water bottle to take a drink. Little did she know, Straig walked up to her from behind with his shadow blocking her sunlight.
When she turned around, her eyes shot open while spitting out water in the process. "Oh my gosh!" She reacted.
"Calm down, I'm not gonna hurt you." He responded.
"Who the heck are you!?" She lifted her baseball bat up.
"He's Steven and Craig in a fusion of Straig Williverse." Kelsey walked up next to Straig. "But I'm still surprised you two pulled it off."
Aggie walked up to him face to face with her being shorter and weaker than him. "This looks way better than I imagined."
"I would be killed if I got into a fight with you." Maya walked up to the fusion.
"You didn't even see what he's really capable of." Jessica commented. "I saw the whole thing."
"You're too late to see it, but I'm not doing a demonstration." Straig responded. "So let's keep it that way."
"Yeah, I'm fine with it." Maya lowered her bat.
"And honestly, I need to get home now."
"So how are you going to de-fuse?" Kelsey wondered.
"I don't know. There are ways to de-fuse so-" Then Straig glowed, catching everyone's attention as Steven and Craig landed on the ground.
"What happened?" Jessica wondered.
Craig blinked while getting a headache. "My pink eyes stopped working." He responded. "I guess that must be why."
Steven got on his feet while straightening his coat. "It's a work in progress, just like when I fused with Connie for the first time."
"Well at least whenever my eyes turn pink, we can fuse when we get the chance."
"That's something we're gonna have to work on."
"At least everything worked out." Jessica replied. "Should we keep this to ourselves from our parents?"
"Big time. I still need to let Nicole know about the friend I made today."
"Well, since I have my bat, I'm gonna do some baseball practice." Maya commented. "You're gonna be here tomorrow?"
"I don't know about that. I'm gonna have a meeting with my friend tonight at his place. I might do something with him tomorrow."
The kids were disappointed that they might miss another day with Steven. Craig may have had a dreadful day being in lockdown, but if Steven's willing to spend another day with his new friend, it's best to stay at his place or at J.P. or Kelsey's place. "Do your own thing with your friend." Craig smiled. "I'll make sure I don't get captured again if Ruby and Aquamarine come back."
"Actually Craig," Steven looked down at him. "I want you to join in my meeting."
"Okay, it'll be nice to meet your friend."
Steven bit his lip, knowing Craig's not gonna like the truth. "We should focus on the dream you had after I'm done with your mom, okay?"
Craig nearly forgot about the dream he wanted to tell Steven. "Oh…yeah." Craig scratched on the back of his head. "I'm just gonna say-"
Steven gave Craig a stop signal with his hand. "Not here, okay? I'm still thinking about how Garnet did that in a dream."
Craig kept his words to himself as he, Steven and Jessica headed back to their place. They're thankful they reunited before it was too late but they have a lot to catch up on with each other. But once Steven gets the full story of Craig's dream, he doesn't know how to explain it if the Gems in the real world hear about it.