Steven Universe Of The Creek Chapter 48 Wiseful Blade Novelty
Kelsey and Connie made their way to the Herkleton Library as Connie witnessed the building for the first time. “This looks bigger than the library me and Steven used to go to.” Connie commented.
“You mean Buddywick Public Library?” Kelsey asked.
“Yes. The college library felt smaller with all the campuses bigger around.”
“It does seem disappointing but what people say like us, the inside is bigger than the outside.” Kelsey walked up to the door, opening the library door for her friend. Connie smiled as she entered inside with Kelsey following from behind. In one of the aisles, Alexis took out a book as her attention was now glued to Connie, after coming out of the aisle.
“Stacks are by the computers which are down that hall.” Kelsey pointed.
“Huh.” Connie looked closely. “Seems Herkleton barely uses computers here.”
“Grown ups barely come here that much.”
“Even the Elders Of The Creek?”
“They’re the only ones who do come here.”
“Hello Kelsey and Connie.” Alexis walked up to them, getting their attention.
“Hi Alexis.” Connie waved. “You must be one of the grown ups who do come here.”
“It’s one of the things I do when I’m not with Bernard. What are you here for?”
“Kelsey wants me to read her book she made, especially meeting her best friend Stacks.”
“I’ve been waiting for this moment all day.” Kelsey smiled. “My dream has to come true!”
“Quiet!” Harold said while checking out someone’s book. “Please save your enjoyment by reading a book for Robyn’s sake.”
“Yeah, let’s get going right now.” Connie took Kelsey’s hand, taking her down the hall with Alexis from behind. Upon entering the aisle, Kelsey walked up to the book shelf with an open shelf displayed.
“Stacks.” Kelsey whispered through the shelf. “I’m here.”
As Connie looked through the open shelf, Stacks immediately appeared with her headlamp on, blinding Connie’s eyes. “Kelsey.” She backed away. “You didn’t tell me she has a headlamp.”
“Sorry, didn’t think she would still have it on.”
Stacks then noticed Connie in person. “You have a guest?” She spoked.
“More of a guest.” Kelsey smiled. “It’s Steven’s girlfriend. And she loves books.”
“Oh…” Stacks blinked. “...Steven himself who saw the progress of Fire & Ice.”
“So…did you manage to finish it?” Kelsey asked.
“You bet. I have two other guests reading it after coming here.” As Stacks backed away from the shelf, Kelsey, Connie and Alexis went around the book shelf with the lights turned off from above the computers.
“Kelsey.” Sun Chun smiled while holding onto the fan made novel.
“Connie.” Wildernessa took notice.
“You’re part of the book club?” Connie wondered.
“Yes, just about a week ago.”
As the three sat down on the rolling stools, Kelsey looked at the novel her best friend finished. “Fire & Ice.” She showed Connie the novel.
“Wow.” Connie took the novel from her. “That’s an amazing cover.” She witnessed the sword that the main characters are holding. “And a great sword.”
“It took us a long time to draw the perfect sword.” Stacks smiled. “A lot of inspiration from our favorite books.”
“I can tell. You’ve read more books to find the perfect inspiration.” Connie opened the novel as she looked at the pages. “Even not through words, Fire & Ice do match together really well.”
“Really?” Alexis said as she looked at the pages. “Oh, they do match together.”
Kelsey picked up her own copy novel as she opened the first page. “Then let’s read the first page.”
Connie turned to the first page. “Should I read it?”
“It’ll be cooler to hear you reading it.” Sun Chun added.
“It’ll make the story really something else after hearing about it.” Wildernessa added.
“Wait just a minute!” Stacks went underneath the computer decks to bring out a special light of blue and red. “If only the rest of our book club is here, this would be more than perfect.” She placed it in the middle as she turned it on. Glows of blue and red came out, impressing Connie herself.
“That’s beautiful.” She smiled.
“Fits the Fire & Ice setting does it?” Kelsey added.
“Yeah it does.” Connie then turned her attention back to the first page, so did everyone as she began reading Kelsey’s novel. “Fire & Ice made it through the ice cavern temple after going through the blizzarding wastelands.”
In the story, Fire & Ice arrived at the temple’s entrance, getting out of the storming blizzard. “We made it!” Fire cheered while still covering herself with a hold. “I thought we would never make it.”
“I told you we would make it.” Ice placed her hands on Fire. “With this map outside of our home, we can make it through anything.”
“But are you sure this blade would get rid of the blizzard?”
“Fire & Ice walked inside the temple’s hall with blue fire on the torches.” Connie read. “Soon the two reached the end, witnessing the Ice blade attached to its ice stone. Legends say only the ones who came from fire can pull it out.”
Fire & Ice witnessed the Ice blade as Ice walked up to it. “After all my years of researching the Ice blade itself, I’ve finally found it.”
“But are you sure I’ll be able to pull it out?” Fire wondered.
“I hope. I don’t want all that traveling to go to waste.”
“Fire walked up to the ice stone, held both of her hands on the hilt of the blade as she used all of her strength to pull it out.” Connie said. “But the harder she attempted, the blue fires from the torches continued to light up.”
“Ice!” Fire reacted. “The temple is getting colder!”
“Fire looked around as the whole temple turned blue as a result from the torches.”
“But I’m not giving up! I have to get this blade for you!”
“As Fire pulled the blade more, the temple inside got colder by the second. Ice refused to see her best friend freeze to death after making it this far. She went behind Fire, grabbing the hilt to pull the blade out.”
“That’s really great story narration.” Alexis smiled. “You should take library classes of reading these stories to children from where you live.”
“You mean at my college if kids have a field trip there?”
“It can happen if they enjoy college films.”
“Yeah, you should.” Wildernessa smiled. “They would love listening to your voice when you read about animals.”
“Especially with hamsters.” Sun Chun added.
“Well…” Connie looked at the novel again. “I’m still gonna go back to college work tomorrow but I’ll still think about it.”
Kelsey nearly forgot that after today, she won’t spend time with Connie with all of her free time gone tomorrow. “Yeah…I don’t think we'll be able to read this whole novel today.” She looked straight at her book. “Me and Stacks have been working on this story for so long, it’ll take days until we reach the end.”
“That’s what makes our story perfect.” Stacks replied. “You said that without rushing the story, not only can you fit the development for our characters, but we can also make them feel real by doing so.”
“It’s true.” Connie replied. “Even though all the books I’ve read aren’t the best, those characters come to life from my imagination without rushed art and literature.”
“Libaries wouldn’t sell rushed books.” Alexis commented.
“Yeah…” Kelsey said while sighing. “I think maybe we should wrap up in a few more pages.”
“Why? Don’t you want to read more pages with the time we have?” Connie turned to Kelsey.
“It’s okay.” Connie placed her hand on her back. “We can read more pages as long as we reach the point where it’s a good place to stop.”
“Okay.” Kelsey closed her eyes, opening them again as she paid her attention back to her novel.
“Due to their combining strength, the whole temple reached its lowest temperature, even worse than how it was outside. But Ice refused to have Fire die after bringing her.”
“Come on!” Ice pulling as hard as she can. “We almost got it!”
“I think I’m about to freeze!” Fire feeling her hands from the freezing temperatures. The blue fires continued to glow hard as Fire’s hands turned into blocks of ice from the blade’s powers. “This blade is really dangerous!”
“We have to pull it out! It’ll all stop when we do!”
Ice then placed her hands on the blocks of ice, using her powers to warm up Fire’s hands. “A spell came out of Ice’s hands, absorbing in the blade’s crystal as Fire managed to pull the blade out of the ice stone.” Connie turned to the next page, so did everyone else. “With the blade out of its stone, the whole temple turned pitch blue while the temple glowed from the outside. And once it all stopped, the blizzard faded and so did the clouds.”
Ice backed away while Fire landed on the ground with the blade in her hands. “My…hands…” Fire shook her arms. “I can’t…feel them…”
“I’m really sorry, Fire.” Ice leaned down. “But you were the only one who can pull it out.”
“But out of all the blades we found, this was the one I feared the most.” Fire slowly got on her feet, while still keeping the blade in her hand. “I thought I was a goner.”
“I wanted to tell you before but…let me show you outside.” Ice slowly took Fire down the hall as Fire couldn’t move due to her freezing state, but Ice still managed to take Fire outside the temple.
“The moment they step foot outside. Fire’s hands were warming up. As Fire & Ice looked outside, the wasteland turned into mother nature with the grass and flowers growing from the ground. And Wow…” Connie stared at the drawing with mini figures of Fire & Ice from the temple.
“We saved the land…” Fire standing out of the temple’s shadow.
“Thanks to your fire abilities, we manage to end the blizzard and save the land that was once, was.” Ice smiled. “If anyone took your place, not only would the blade still stay in the ice stone, but…he or she would’ve died.”
“Fire looked at her hands as the warmed temperature melted her insides from hypothermia.” Connie said.
“You’re right, Ice.” Fire smiled as she turned back to the blade. “Elements of fire and ice can coexist to save lands.”
“I had to do more research before we reached the land you would dread the most.” Ice replied. “With you and the blade together with the right spell, we’ve prevented the disaster.”
Fire then wrapped her arms around Ice. “This is why I always love teaming up with you! You being unpredictable with your spells, we can make it through anything!”
“Especially with the kinds of swords we have now.” Ice wrapped her arms around Fire. “Now let’s begin our biggest quest after getting our last sword!”
“After leaving the Ice Temple.” Connie said after turning to the next page. “Fire & Ice returned to their village, not only adding their blade to their collection, but also preparing their biggest quest to save their…to save their…”
Connie cut herself off when she heard Kelsey tearing up, catching her attention. “Kelsey?” Stacks walked up to her. “Is there something wrong with the story?”
“No!” Kelsey sighed. “Nothing wrong at all.” She then placed her book on the ground, leaving the area from the location.
“Kelsey?” Connie got up, following her from behind. “Kelsey.” From the other side of the small aisle of books, Connie got in front of Kelsey, stopping her while getting on her knees. “What’s wrong?”
“Yeah, what gives?” Wildernessa walked up to them along with the rest of the group.
Kelsey attempted to pay attention to Connie with her honestly. “After Fire & Ice leave their village.” She teared up. “They came across a knight they summoned thanks to all of the swords they’ve collected. Who looks like…looks like…”
Connie placed her hands on Kelsey’s cheeks. “Who is the knight?”
“Me?” With the book still in Alexis’s hand, she turned to the page who Kelsey’s referring to. Reaching to the page itself, she took a moment until showing it to Connie herself. Connie took the book from her, witnessing the character design herself. “Oh…” She stared at it. “It…is me.”
“She has amazing armor and a sword.” Alexis pointed at her golden and silver armor, along with her pink sword. “And she’s black with the same hair style you have.”
“Yeah…” Connie lifted the book down, with Kelsey standing still. “...You only knew me two days ago and you have a character based on me?”
“Yes but…that’s not the reason.” Kelsey answered. “I remembered after getting into a few pages in, that knight who appeared was the ultimate knight who saved the land centuries before Fire & Ice was bored.”
“Oh…” Stacks catched on. “...Now I remember it.”
“And near the end of our quest…” Kelsey teared up. “...she disappeared, no longer to return after her time was up…I’ve remembered how much time I tried to make her the best knight with her backstory…to the point…she reminds me…” She turned back to Connie. “...of you.”
Connie nearly lost grip of the book, feeling shocked that Kelsey came to that conclusion. “I…got nothing to say.” She commented. “Just…really proud.”
“It wasn’t really why I wanted Craig to draw her like that but I kept remembering you with your sword, your loyalty, and even your face, it all just came together out of nowhere.”
“If Sparkle Cadet didn’t give us ideas from one of our last book clubs weeks ago, she would’ve been someone else.” Stacks added.
Stacks sat on the ground, sighing again. “So…do you get about her no longer returning?”
Connie looked at the ground, barely needing a minute to catch on. “Yes, I do.” She sat next to her. “But you know Craig needs help unlike you.”
“But meeting Pearl face to face, training with her is becoming a dream that’s bigger when your fantasy is just close to coming true.”
“Kelsey, you do know it was out of luck for Steven to call The Crystal Gems. I was happy about it, but he still didn’t show Craig’s eyes to them because they would panic.”
Kelsey looked at her hands, with her vision barely as close as Craig’s without Steven’s powers. “A knight shouldn’t be jealous but I still wonder what it would feel like if Steven put saliva in my ear.”
“You would probably have a different side effect.” Wildernessa chimed in. “And really, if the Crystal Gems don’t take care of real animals, I wouldn’t do much with them.”
“But you still want to hang out with them, right?” Sun Chun asked. “I still think it’ll still be a great opportunity.”
“Steven just didn’t want to get pressured.” Connie replied. “Craig’s having his chance with Steven and whatever’s happening with them right now, it’s all what Steven’s focusing on.”
Stacks remembered the rainstorm between Steven and Bluebird. “And him focusing on his enemies is the last thing he wants on his mind.”
Kelsey then got up from the ground, admitting everything Connie just said is true. “I know full well that even if we tried to take down Bluebird together, we would still lose.”
“You just need to know that I’ve come across other gems with Steven two years ago and it’s not the same as how you wrote the enemies in your novel.” Connie replied. “Also…as much as Pearl would love to train you, you would have nothing to use your skills.”
Kelsey closed her eyes, only for Mortimer to fly in front of her. Kelsey opened her eyes, seeing her pet as she slowly held onto him with her hands. “Yeah…taking care of Mortimer feels more important than gaining sword training.”
“I’m sorry Kelsey.” Connie walked up to her. “I’m just doing what I can to support Steven. I wouldn’t be here if Garnet didn’t call me on what’s wrong with him.”
“And…I guess Lion wouldn’t be here without you.” Wildernessa catched on. “And I wouldn’t see what’s inside of Lion’s mane.”
Connie then turned her attention to Stacks, after experiencing her character in the novel. “But to tell you the truth.” She walked up to her. “Your character does feel like Pearl in a way if she was born from a snow village.”
“But, doesn’t Pearl have a spear?” Stacks asked.
“Yes and she doesn’t do spells, but she would love being your character if she was interested in fantasy.”
“Like, guiding Fire or working together?” Kelsey wondered.
“Yeah.” Stacks said. “It’s always what I’ve been thinking of when me and Kelsey wrote our story. I really wanted Ice to be supportive of Fire.”
“With how I read it, it shows everything, so much.”
“And…don’t get bothered, but thinking about Pearl also makes me wanna meet her.”
“No offense but…all of this isn’t gonna go away on its own.” Wildernessa commented.
“Would you at least text Steven by requesting one of the gems to come over?”
Connie bites her lip, unsure about the idea of itself. “I don’t know about that. I still need Lion to bring them here and he’s still in Craig’s backyard.”
“Oh, I guess that is true.” Kelsey remembered.
“But at the very least.” Connie turned back to Alexis’s novel copy “I can send pictures of your book to my friends, Patricia and Daniel. They’re not gems but they would give you nice feedback.”
“That seems fair enough.”
“Why don’t we just finish up our story so you two can get back to Steven’s group?” Stacks offered. “There are still secrets in the book, especially the ending.”
“I won’t be able to finish the story today, but I’ll take my copy to read it during my free time in college.”
“Okay, we can stop when you’re ready.” Stacks made their way back to their area in the library.
“Well, at least she’ll read the story to us more.” Sun Chun followed next to Stacks.
“Yeah, even though I do want her to read every single word from beginning to end.”
Wildernessa crossed her arms, watching Stacks and Sun Chun heading to the library section. She turned back to Kelsey as Mortimer flew back on her head. “Craig would go through anything, just to get his eyes back to normal.” She replied. “If he was fantasizing with Steven like me to you.”
“From knowing Craig myself, he isn’t like you Kelsey.” Connie placed her hand on her hip. “He was shy meeting The Crystal Gems so…you probably wouldn’t waste one second getting to know them, including Pearl.”
“Well, if he wasn’t shy, he would’ve thought about moving to Beach City even after his eyes turned back to normal.”
“Will you please don’t over think it?”
“Yeah, Craig still has his limits.” Alexis commented.
“It’s just gonna be harder to get over you and Steven leaving when the day comes.” Kelsey crossed her arms while heading back to the computer area.
“Wait.” Connie called while still lowering her tone in the library, getting Kelsey’s attention. “Just to be nice, we can do something together, on our way back to Steven’s group when we leave. We can think of something.”
Kelsey looked down at the ground again. “I just wish I was in my fantasy mood more to think of it.” She made her way back to the computer area. Mortimer then flew off of Kelsey’s head, flying next to Wildernessa.
“Seems Mortimer wants to come to Beach City.” Wildernessa replied, turning her attention to Connie and Alexis. “And he doesn’t want to go alone.”
“Would you rather want to spend time with Steven before this day is over?” Connie wondered. “You know it’ll be another chance.”
“I do. But you know me and Kelsey aren’t the only ones talking about him.” Wildernessa walked up to Connie, looking up with Mortimer flying next to Connie. “Even with you and him gone, they will never ever forget about what they saw. His presents, his powers and what happened between him and Bluebird.”
Connie remembered Steven’s beef won’t go away anytime soon. “Kenneth has it under control with his brother which Aquamarine and Ruby’s with. But…” She closed her eyes. “...You’re right.”
“It’ll take two generations for kids to let go of you and Steven.” Alexis added.
“But it’s still Steven’s choice, not Craig. He still has to talk to Nicole tonight and help her tomorrow the whole day.”
“At the end of the day, he has a reason to be with Craig. And I’m sure you have a reason to be with Kelsey no matter how little it is.” Wildernessa replied. “Like me having another opportunity with Steven like every other kid in the Creek.” She made her way back to the computer area.
Connie turned to Alexis while processing everything. “I can’t deny that Kelsey did make me feel a little happy after coming here, I doubt Craig would do it on his own.”
“His thing with Steven is also his thing.” Alexis replied. “Maybe it would be better if you make Kelsey’s fantasy come true like from her own book.”
“Yeah.” Connie smiled. “If we have costumes which don’t exist from Fire & Ice.”
“I can go to the mall to rent some outfits. Just for you, Kelsey and Stacks.” Alexis smiled. “Since Bernard’s checking up on his brother in the Creek, I’ll meet up with him on the way.”
“Well…” Connie placed her hand on her shoulder. “Wanna join with us if you can find a costume for yourself?”
“That’ll be fun. Even if she’s not part of Fire & Ice’s world.”
As Alexis gave Connie her book of Fire & Ice, she made her way outside the library entrance. As for Connie, she placed the book on top of the shelf, taking out her phone to take pictures from the pages. After snapping some pictures of Fire & Ice, she also took a picture of the knight similar to her. Upon closing the book, she took a picture of the front, sending all the pics to Patricia and Daniel.
From above their names, she sees Pearl’s name as Mortimer blinked at it. “I still don’t know if I should send it though.” She turns to Morimer as Mortimer chirps at her. “I just wish Pearl meant it earlier when she showed her spear to Kelsey.” Mortimer chirps again, liking Pearl after seeing her. “I mean, she doesn’t have a pet like Kelsey, nothing personal, she really isn’t a bird person.”
Mortimer lands onto Ice’s face from the Fire & Ice book as she chirps again. “I have to read the whole story myself to see it myself. I’m just thinking that-” Her phone rang, cutting herself off as her two friends answered her at the same time. She immediately answered it as both Patricia and Daniel appeared on her screen.
“Connie.” Patricia smiled. “That’s a great fanmade book cover.”
“Did one of our classmates’ youngest siblings show you that?” Daniel added.
“No, and that classmate isn’t from a different college.” Connie answered. “But it was still from a kid with the help of her friend.”
“I got to say, they’re really talented at drawing an amazing sword.”
“Pearl would really love reading Fire & Ice if she had a copy.” Patricia said.
“She’s been enjoying so many fantasy books after you send her your old books to save room for your shelves.”
Connie couldn't disagree but was still unsure to agree with them. “Sending her this copy would make her occupied, but do you think she would enjoy hanging out with her? Especially who wants to meet her face to face?”
“Honestly, it should also be up to Pearl.” Daniel replied. “Granted it's a one in a million chance for the kids, but Pearl had been working so hard helping Gems in Little Homeworld, the others took the job of helping kids.”
“Should you consider talking to Pearl about this?” Patricia asked.
“I’m only sending Pearl the pics I just sent you.” Connie said. “Plus, I have to read this story with their friends so…I’ll most likely get her message after I leave the library.”
Mortimer flew in front of Connie’s camera, chirping while catching Connie’s friends’ attention, “Is that bird as a pet of one of the kid’s?”
“Yes.” Connie turned to Montimer. “And that kid is Kelsey. He…also wants to meet Pearl.” He chirped at her while Connie turned back to her screen. “Kelsey would do anything to hang out with Pearl, even…with…sword training.”
“Just send her the pics and maybe you and her will work it out.” Daniel said.
“Yeah, I shouldn’t keep Kelsey and the others waiting any longer.” Connie looked down the hall.
“I say, have a selfie with you and Kelsey and send it to Pearl. Just to see if Pearl’s that interested with the kid who makes the book.”
“Bye!” Both Patricia and Daniel called as they hung up.
“Okay.” Connie sends the same pics to Pearl from her phone while also typing a sentence about them, then finally heading back to Kelsey’s group while Montimer chirps next to her again. “Can you please have me keep my mind normally, even swordswomen need to be off when they’re still calm.”
Meanwhile, on the park benches of Little Homeward, Pearl received a message from her phone. “Oh, it’s from Connie.” She smiled. The moment she looked at the pics of Kelsey and Stack’s book, Fire & Ice, she stood still, only with her thumb to switch to the next pic.
“Pearl?” Garnet called. “Can you help me out for the next session with the students?” Just before she entered one of the buildings, she stopped without getting Pearl’s answer. “Pearl?” She walked up to the park bench, sitting next to Pearl while looking at the pics. “Who sent you those?”
“Connie.” Pearl answered. “But it was actually Kelsey.”
“That kid we talked to an hour ago?”
“Yeah.” Pearl smiled as she saw the Ice blade’s design. “Craig’s really good at this sword, I expected an amateur artist to draw that.”
“I’m impressed too.” Garnet looking at the design. “Craig brought Kelsey’s imagination to life.”
Pearl then received another message from Connie as she taped it on her phone, receiving a pic of Connie, Kelsey and Montimer together. “Kelsey…doesn’t look too happy as she was.”
As Garnet looked at the pic itself, she knew something’s off. “Her passion must be off despite still in her.”
Pearl stared at Kelsey in the pic itself. “Fire & Ice…feels like what Steven would do if he did write a book. From his imagination.” She then turned to the page of Connie’s grown knight look alike. “And…” Pearl placed her hand on her chest. “...I’m more proud of her own world.”
“Kids like Kelsey really embrace imagination. Like Craig himself who Steven showed us.” Garnet sat closer to Pearl, smiling at the pic. “What do you feel about Kelsey?”
“I…really feel like she’s another one in a million…like Connie.” She immediately went to Steven’s name from her phone, texting as fast as she could. “I really want Steven to bring her here if it’s possible!”
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