"Spinel!" Steven managed to gasp through her tight embrace. "What a, ack, surprise! What brings you, wait, did you reform?" he asked after he wiggled out of her grip to take in her new look.
Spinel spun to twirl her skirt, "Aw, you noticed! You like it?"
Amethyst snickered. "Looks like she finally got under a Diamond's foot. I'm surprised it took this long for them to poof her."
"And more hair appeared on your face!" Spinel gasped and gave his beard a tug. "Was your chin getting cold?"
"No no, nothing like that. Spinel, how did you poof?" Steven had to grab her by the shoulders to get her to stop bouncing up and down.
Spinel rolled her eyes, "Metal Man shattered me, the jerk. He attacked Lars who crashed his ship on the outer colony world where there were these six legged organics with hats and me and White met up with Lars but then Metal Man ended up coming down to attack and we went to take care of him but he was way stronger then I first thought and he blasted me-"
"Wow! Slow down Spinel," Steven interrupted before she could ramble on further. "You were shattered?"
Spinel thumped Steven on the forehead with a finger. "Yes Steven, pay attention! This big metal guy did it. It was Inconel or some other stupid name. He was giving White a hard time, so I went to deck him! But he was quicker to the draw… Now there's a war about to start or something. I don't know, Yellow was going to deal with that side of things. But that's why we're here! Surprise!" she waved her arms in the air, mouth grinning and agape as she waited for his reaction.
Steven blinked, going over every word she said and focused on the most alarming. "We're?" he echoed slowly.
The Galaxy Warp activated again, and Spinel pointed at the glow. "Yep! 'We' took the Warp this time. I forget why, something about not wanting to give away our ship's location."
There was a crash from the Warp Room. Steven rushed up the stairs to investigate with everyone on his heels. The Warp activated again and there were more chaotic sounds within. He had a sinking feeling what he was about to find, though for the sake of the house, he hoped he was wrong. The door to the Warp Room slid open just in time for him to witness White Diamond bump her head into a hanging plant and break it.
The room wasn't small by any means, but it wasn't made to contain two Diamonds. White and Blue had visibly shrunk to fit through the Warp but hadn't shrunk enough. The hanging plant, a couch and a stack of clay pots had already fallen victim to the two giants appearing in the confined space. The damage wasn't a concern to either Diamond when they saw Steven.
"Steven! Look at you!" White gasped with her hands flying to her mouth.
Blue pushed past her to get a better look at him, and another potted tree paid the price for being in her way. "You grew more hair on your face! This new form is adorable!"
Steven forced a smile, "Hey guys. What a great, surprise."
He tried not to wince when White, having to remain on her knees, cracked the glass above them when she laughed. "Oh Steven, you will have to forgive the sudden visit. You know I usually call. This is very strange circumstances. Very unconventional."
"Is, Yellow coming too?" Steven asked. He kept a hesitant eye on the Warp Pad, expecting the third Diamond to appear and have their combined weight break the floor.
"She really wanted to," Blue said with a heavy-hearted sigh.
"She'll be along later," White promised Blue and Steven. "She's with President Zircon to reform the army."
"Spinel wasn't joking about that?" Pearl demanded.
"Wait, why are we gathering the Gem army?" Steven demanded.
White gasped, a dramatic hand swing about her, which broke the rest of the glass ceiling away. "Oh of course, we haven't explained anything yet! We are getting ahead of ourselves," she spun around to address Blue, and the motion made the floor under them creak ominously. "My mind is going I swear."
"How about we talk on the beach!" Steven insisted before either of them could cause more damage. "You know, more room to catch up, and not break the house."
"Outstanding idea," Blue agreed, then looked about themselves for a larger door then the one Steven already stood in. "Hm, it's been a while since I shifted that small."
Steven sized up the entrance and saw Amethyst and Spinel almost doubled over with laughter as they watched the antics. His dad wore a wide-eyed expression as he gawked at the massive women that threatened to crush the house under them. "I'll, fix it dad, don't worry." He promised and patted his dad on the shoulder. He knew they wouldn't get them out without breaking more of the building.
The attempts to free Blue and White from the Warp room didn't end with the house crushed to rubble, and Steven considered that a victory. They sat by the moon lit water and White stretched her arms after returning to her normal size. "So much better," she said with a sigh.
Blue sat down next to Steven and Spinel in the sand, "We really don't mean to intrude like this. A lot has happened very suddenly. White was on a diplomatic mission to the outer colonies when she was attacked by this other strange entity who called himself Inconel. He attacked Lars, and shattered Spinel, and not even White could defeat him!"
"How is that possible?" Garnet was the one to question the explanation this time.
Steven looked from her to White. He caught her face twisted down, but she recovered before anyone else could notice. "He caught me off guard is all, dear Blue! I'm sure it won't happen again." Though no one else noticed her unease, Steven had. Something he had learned during his bonding time with White, was how much she obsessed in her own mind. She had a habit of radiating confidence no matter the situation. She did this now, but he could tell behind that façade, her mind was racing.
"We really don't want this to turn into a fight," Blue intoned, a hand to her Gem on her chest. "But it may be unavoidable."
"But!" Spinel interrupted and jumped down from White's shoulder into the sand. "That's why we came here. If anyone could stop a war it's you, Steven my man!"
Steven glanced at Connie, who wore the same uncertain expression. He turned back to Blue. "What else can you tell me about this Inconel?"
"Well, White has experienced him most of all," Blue explained, and motioned to the larger Diamond. "He was very focused on her for some reason."
White laughed, a little too hard, Steven noted. "Well, I suppose I can't blame him for staring. I am the brightest being in a room!"
Steven bit the inside of his cheek. 'White doesn't want to talk about it in front of everyone,' he realized. He elbowed Connie and motioned to Spinel.
Connie seemed to understand. "Spinel, you said you were going to fight this Inconel?" She prodded.
Spinel jumped up to her feet, her fists raised, "Sure was! In fact, I had a whole arsenal of moves I would have used. I would have started with an uppercut-"
Steven had quietly stood and tapped White on the foot to get her attention. He motioned down the beach, and her smile faded. He assumed she understood what he was asking. She stood and they walked away as Spinel rambled on to her audience.
The temple was behind them, and once out of ear shot White spoke. "Oh it is so good to see you again Steven. It is such a shame it is under such dark circumstances! I'm sorry again, this is such a waste of time."
Steven didn't interrupt as she carried on. Even as her usual boastful self, he could tell something was wrong. It was another plus regarding his career choice. He had a knack for reading people, even without the use of his empathic powers.
He also had given Gem's on Homeworld therapy sessions, and even offered for the Diamonds to take advantage of the offer. They had, and he was impressed with how much personal progress White had made. She had always struggled with empathy, and the more they spoke over the years, the more he realized how similar they were.
In Era One and Two, White had wanted to help Gem kind in her own twisted way. She wanted everything to be perfect. That wasn't far from what Steven strived for in his teens. But part of his own healing during those darker times of his life was to move forward from the pressure he placed on himself. He had encouraged her to do the same.
Steven had long since forgive the Diamonds for the trauma they had caused in his life. That to was part of his own healing. It wasn't as hard to forgive them as he feared, especially when he saw how hard they strived to grow for the better. He saw their resolve, and he was proud of them.
Now he was worried. White hid her insecurities deep, and even with her own progress, she retained that persona of perfection, in a forced to be selfless kind of way. The White who nervously chatted by his side now was different. Something dark threatened to bubble up from under her perfect façade. Something serious had shaken her.
White paused, and Steven took the opportunity to chime in, "So what's really going on? You don't want Blue and Spinel to worry, I get it."
White didn't respond, or even look down at him. "I don't want to burden you. That's the last thing I would want, to put too much stress on you again."
"I'm grown now White," Steven assured her. "And I want to help. Tell me what's on your mind."
White stopped and glanced back at the temple. Steven saw she was focused on Spinel, who was still talking up her would be fight. "I'm scared," White whispered. He looked up to see her jaw was clenched. "I couldn't do anything to protect her, or even protect myself when I was faced with this new threat. I know nothing about these Alloys, and yet they know me? That Inconel is going to tell his leader, Magnetar about me. I don't know who that is…But somehow, I know Magnetar finding out about me is bad. I've never gone into any situation blind. I'm always prepared or had a plan! Magnetar and these Alloys, I think they have missing pieces about me that I didn't realized I was missing."
"Missing pieces?" he asked.
White hesitated, "I've never mentioned this about myself, at least to you. I never thought it to be important. But, unlike every other Gem to ever exist, I don't know how I came to be. I had theories, but I always assumed I just appeared on Homeworld. Not from a hole in the ground, but just, awoke. I never wanted to admit that was strange. These Alloys know me by name though! I have never seen them before. I worry, there may be something more to who I am."
"These missing memories," Steven intoned. "If they have something to do with these Alloys or Magnetar, and all you have are bad feelings about them, then maybe you are choosing to not remember."
"I'm afraid I don't follow," White admitted.
"It's something I come across a lot counseling people with trauma in their past. If a memory is bad enough, some people will just block it out." Steven explained. He had a seat on the sand and encouraged her to do the same.
The distant lights of Fun Land illuminated the night. They were the only ones on this part of the beach. They sat in between the distant sounds of the boardwalk behind them and the cool ocean air beyond the waves. "There may be a way for me to help you get some of these memories back, but only if you think you're ready to remember." He explained.
White sat down in front of Steven and watched him closely. She trusted him of course. Plus, they had to do something to discover more about their new foe.
"It's called hypnosis," Steven explained. "I use it to help people sort through painful memories or things they have tried to repress. I don't know if that is what this is, but I think it's worth a try. It's sort of like sleeping, you've slept before, right?"
White fought the urge to grimace. She didn't like the human construct of sleep. Though Steven had explained the concept many times, it was one of the few human trends she was uncomfortable with. Blue had tried it a few times, relaxing in her cloud room, and had only great things to report about it. Spinel often did it when board. A great way to pass the time in a hurry. Still, White never could bring herself to try. She trusted what everyone said, but seeing Spinel sprawled out, eyes closed and unaware. It left White feeling, vulnerable. What if something of importance happened while she was asleep? What if she never awoke?
"I'm afraid I haven't found the time," she offered with a shrug.
"No worries. I'll walk you through it. With my own abilities, I'll be able to feel everything you feel. Close your eyes and focus on my voice," White did so. His tone was softer than normal. "Leave everything else behind. It will be here when you come back. Just be in the moment. Don't think to the future."
White shifted in the sand and tried hard not to open her eyes. She was already uncomfortable.
"Start to go back," Steven encouraged.
"Should I try and remember Magnetar?" White spoke up.
"No. Don't try and force anything. Just go back to Homeworld. Go back to the beginning of Era One. Do you see it?"
"I made Yellow and Blue in Era One," White said with a smile. She recalled the memory fondly. "Pink came at the beginning of Era Two."
"What about before?" Steven asked.
White's smile faded. It wasn't lonely, just very different. She had her own court of Gems. She had her own conquered colonies to manage. No other Diamonds to burden the load of leadership. There were so few Gems back then… "Go further back," he said. "What was before Era One began?"
Now she felt the isolation. Even still, she recalled it with ease. She was on Homeworld, or the world that would become Homworld. She was the only one there. No Colonies or other Gems. Only organic life she didn't understand. She was looking up at the sky, contemplating everything she could create. She could spread perfection across the stars. She could make more like her.
This was her first memory, and it wasn't anything she didn't already know. "There's nothing new about this," she admitted.
"Go further back," he said.
She was about to protest because there was nothing before this. She held her tongue and stood in the memory. She remained on that empty Homeworld, surrounded by nothing. No injector holes or high rise buildings. No order of any kind.
Light. She suddenly remembered light. A twinge of curiosity stirred in her. That was new. Was this her creation? Would she see the Star she was born from? The light was her own as her Gem glowed and her body formed.
The light was gone and in it's place was a chill. Dark metal hallways. She was hiding. What was going on? What was she hiding from? All she could recall was the fear. She felt like she had left something important behind. It still didn't make sense.
She couldn't keep him happy. He was never going to change.
The thought was jarring and White had to remind herself to remain calm. She wanted to run. If she opened her eyes, would she leave this place behind?
"What do you see?" She heard Steven ask through the darkness.
"I…I don't know? It's not Homeworld. It's dark. I've lost something important. I want to find it, but I don't want to stay here." She waited for advice from Steven, but he didn't respond. White opened her eyes, but Steven and the beach was gone.
Panicked, she scanned her surroundings. Earth was gone. The echoes of her own foot fall stalked her through the halls of what she assumed to be a ship. She was in a hurry. She had to leave.
"Where are you hiding, my light?" the voice was all around her. She spun around in search of her pursuer. She couldn't decide where it was coming from. He could be anywhere, and despite the calm tone of voice, she knew he was mad.
She picked a direction and ran. She couldn't put enough distance between them. No matter how far, she still heard him. She was sure he knew where she was. He hummed somewhere behind her in the halls. He took his time with carful steps, like a hunter stalking wounded pray.
White hide behind a metal beam. Her fear became too great to overcome and she was frozen. She listened for his approach; his humming turned to a melody.
Lost love, lost love,
Where has she gone, so far from home,
How scared she must be, lost and alone.
I'm here for you always, White Diamond, my dear,
I sense you, I hear you, I can taste your fear
Lost love, lost love,
I'm coming to find you, you don't need to fret,
For I know what is best, this choice you'll regret.
Pain shot up her arm when a hand snatch her by the wrist and drag her from her hiding spot.
White Diamond gasped and awoke back on the beach before Steven. She grasped her chest, out of breath despite having not moved. "What was…" she looked down at Steven, who's face reflected her own, though he seemed to have a better handle on the panic. He had felt everything she had.
"Was that him?" Steven asked. "The fear you have is for Magnetar."
White swallowed hard. She looked down at her hands as they trembled. She rubbed at the phantom pain in her wrist where she had been grabbed. "I don't know…I've never seen any of those memories before. I have other memories! I just don't understand, why is it all gone?"
"I have a theory," Steven said. White saw he was looking at the others down the beach. His eyes followed Spinel's shenanigans. She was dancing in front of the water's edge and was consumed by a swelling wave. Spinel and everyone laughed. "That light you saw when you were on Homeworld. I don't think that was the first time your light body formed."
White shook her head, unsure what he meant. "Shut Magnetar out for now. Let's focus on the light of your Gem on Homeworld. Let's try to figure out how you got there."
White was hesitant to recall more, but she knew she had to. Unwillingly, she closed her eyes and allowed Steven to lull her back to Homeworld's empty surface.
She watched her own formation in reverse. The light from her Gem faded to black once more. From the darkness someone spoke with a soft honey whisper. 'Stick to the plan… Forget me and be happy.' The voice wasn't her own, and it wasn't Magnetar's.
Steven was right, it hadn't been the first time White had formed. She saw the red glow of an electric blade slash through her light body. It was the familiar buzz of a rejuvenator that poofed her, devouring everything she knew before it touched her.
"Someone rejuvenated me!" White hissed and broke herself out of the trance. Her face was flushed with anger. "Who would dare? That's why everything is gone! Then I reformed alone on Homeworld, where they must have dumped me with not a memory to my name!" She felt cheated. A whole life had been stolen from her, and she had a right to get it back. If she knew her past, she would have been prepared to deal with Magnetar.
"This is promising," Steven assured her. "I have gotten other Gem's to retrieve lost memories from a Rejuvenator's affects. You already remembered so much; the rest is close behind I'm sure. This means you have met the Alloys like they say, but it was before you were rejuvenated, and you just don't remember. If we can get your memories back, I'm sure we will find a way to avoid this war with the Alloys."
Truth be told, White didn't want to know more about the Alloys or Magnetar. She had seen plenty. But, if they were a key for her to recover what was stolen from her mind, then it was unavoidable. She forced herself to nod in agreement. "Whatever it takes to get the rest of my memories and sort out this mess."