Steven Universe: Marooned Together - Chapter Fifty-Four
(thanks as always to @real-fakedoors for proofreading - and fixing the intro!)
Zircon felt colder than normal. Brittle. Like she'd somehow not managed to readjust her gravity to whatever planet she found herself and was only keeping her form together by the barest of threads. The only dread she'd ever known that could compare to this was from what felt like a lifetime ago, when she'd been charged to defend Rose Quartz before the truth of her identity came to bare; even if it had been under false pretenses, the fear Zircon knew that day was very real. Tangible, like a foot slowly putting pressure against her gem, waiting and waiting and waiting, knowing she wasn't going to survive no matter what she did.
Looking over Holly Blue's camp, she felt remarkably like she had then.
On the surface, it looked idyllic. The waterfall, cascading down from a jagged cliff covered in greenery, poured into the crystal blue waters of a small lake that sparkled in the sun. Around it stood Amethysts and Jaspers, guarding about a dozen humans. Each was clad in an outfit fashioned from leaves and flowers, sunning themselves or swimming or sitting on the rocks in the water. Another half-dozen were in the trees, picking strange blue fruits from the branches. All seemed completely docile, utterly at peace - and all had the same, glassy expression.
“So, uh, where’d the humans come from?” asked Zircon.
“They were supposed to go to the Human Zoo,” replied Jay. “Holly Blue wanted to oversee the shipment personally so that nothing could go wrong. Except we got too close to this planet, and it interfered with the ship, so…”
“How did it do that?” Zircon tilted her head.
“I dunno, you’d have to ask Holly Blue.”
They walked up to a rock path that snaked behind the waterfall into a hidden cave. Jay took the lead, and Gee the rear - Zircon felt more than a little caged in.
The cave was lit by a few fluorescent lights that had certainly seen better days. There were salvaged, weathered banners depicting the symbols of Blue Diamond, but otherwise it was a fairly plain cavern of dark brown, almost black, rock. A small spring, about a metre wide, ran from the lake through the cavern, and on into a tiny crevice no human or gem could hope to fit through.
In the middle, sitting on a tall chair of wood and leaves, sat Holly Blue Agate. Next to her was a small cage; within it, hunched and covered with dirt and what Zircon suspected might be blood, was Jenny Pizza.
Carefully, Zircon adjusted her jacket ever so slightly - the hard light fabric rubbing against the communications device.
“Who is this?” barked Holly Blue, leaning forward. Jay and Gee both snapped to attention.
“A Zircon, my Agate!” Jay replied.
“Yes, I can see that,” grunted Holly Blue. “Why is she here?”
“I cr… I crash-landed, m-my Agate,” replied Zircon, shakily saluting. “Y-your guards found me.”
“Hmm… usually they couldn’t find their way out of a holographic container,” said Holly Blue. “Still, no matter, you’re here. I suppose it’s too much to ask that you’re our rescue ship, hmm?”
“I… no, nobody knows you’re here, my Agate.”
The distant sound of thunder echoed in the cave.
“Well, it might be for the best,” said Holly Blue. “The orbital storm would knock any rescuers out of the sky. No matter, I’m sure my Diamond will come to rescue her favourite Agate any decade now!”
“Orbital storm?” quizzed Zircon.
“Yes,” Holly Blue pouted. “The rain storms on this planet are mirrored by heavy electrical activity in upper orbit. They just about destroyed my ship - I had to jettison most of my cargo.”
“Cargo? What were you carrying?”
“These miserable humans,” sniffed Holly Blue, gesturing to Jenny. “Good for menial labour and nothing else. I spaced what I couldn’t take into the evacuation shuttles, and about half of the rest… do you know they need food to live? Ridiculous. Took us cycles to find sustenance that didn’t kill them.”
She slouched in her chair, rubbing her temples.
“Still, the water here is a boon,” she said. “Makes them docile, makes them dumb, makes them good workers.”
“Isn’t that… so they’re like Pearls?” asked Zircon.
“Yes,” said Holly Blue flatly. “Of course they are.”
“...oh.”
“Well,” said Holly Blue, getting to her feet. “We’ll find something for you to do, I’m sure. But for now, we need to induct this new human. Care to observe?”
“Uh-”
“Good, good!” Holly Blue clapped her hands together. “Pick up the cage, Amethysts, we’re going outside.”
Jay walked over to the cage and picked it up; Jenny spat at her, and the Amethyst recoiled, dropping the cage back onto the floor.
“Careful!” Holly Blue thundered.
“Holly, I-”
Holly Blue drew her whip from her gem and cracked it across the unfortunate Amethyst’s face. She fell to her knees, clutching her cheek.
“I will not have your incompetence damage my labourers,” snarled Holly Blue. “And you will refer to me by my proper title!”
Jay swallowed, standing back up.
“Yes, my Agate,” she said, quietly and shakily.
“I didn’t hear you,” growled Holly Blue.
“Yes, my Agate!” she repeated loudly, saluting.
“Good,” nodded Holly Blue. “The remaining humans should be returning from their work parties shortly. Once they’re here, we’ll initiate their new ‘friend…’”
---
The precipitation in the air was heavy as the other humans returned.
It was clear they were in bad shape. Covered in mud and leaves and more than a few wounds, they nonetheless smiled blankly as they took their places on the shoreline, joining their cleaner brethren as an audience for the coming display. Zircon felt uneasy as she watched them from her spot on a rock in the middle of the lake, gathered with Holly Blue, Jay, Gee and Jenny.
“Why are those ones so dirty?” she whispered.
Gee shrugged.
“They do the harder work,” she replied. “Finding materials for the shelter.”
“Shelters?”
“Holly Blue’s ‘personal quarters,’” Gee replied. “At the top of the cliff. She demands it be kept in pristine condition. Wants a stone sculpture of Blue Diamond carved by the end of-”
“No talking down there!” snapped Holly Blue.
Gee shut her mouth, averting her eyes.
Holly Blue crossed her arms.
“Alright, humans,” she said, in a slow, deliberate voice. “You have a new arrival. She will join you soon. Welcome her.”
The humans cheered - a strange, childish sound.
“I hate talking to them,” Holly Blue hissed to Zircon. “No intelligence whatsoever.”
“Uh… y-yeah, uh, they’re…” Zircon trailed off and nodded vigorously.
Holly Blue clapped once, and Gee stepped forward. She broke open the cage and grabbed Jenny by the arm, dragging her towards the water’s edge.
“Let me go!” she snapped.
Gee didn’t reply, kneeling down by the lake’s edge and grabbing the back of Jenny’s head.
“Sorry ‘bout this,” she said, “but I gotta dunk you.”
“You mean you’re feeding her the water?” asked Zircon.
Jay snorted and Holly Blue rolled her eyes, but Zircon’s apparently dumb question had served it’s purpose - thanks, of course, to her hidden communicater.
“Get ready to take cover, Zircs, we’re coming in…”
Before Gee could dunk Jenny, something burst out of the water’s crystal blue surface. It was Kiki, smiling wildly as she looked into her sister’s eyes.
“New friend!” she said, her tone bubbly and vacant. “Come join us!”
“Kiki, it’s me! It’s Jenny!”
Kiki tilted her head.
“What is ‘Jenny?’”
For a moment, Jenny was silent.
Then, with a snarled roar, she twisted out of Gee’s grip, rolling under her legs and grabbing her in a headlock.
“You’ll pay for this!”
“Restrain her!” bellowed Holly Blue.
Then, sudden as a clap of thunder, the world flickered with color, movement, noise, a million things all at once.
A round, purple blur burst out of the treeline, slamming right into Holly Blue’s face. It landed next to her as the big blue gem tumbled backwards - it was Amethyst, whip in hand.
“Fam, I don’t wanna do this, but I will if I have to!”
Jay’s eyes lightened up.
“Oh my stars! 8XM!” she exclaimed. “I-”
“You insolent, overcooked little pebble!” spat Holly Blue, jumping back to her feet and swinging her whip towards the interloper. “I’ll grind you into-”
“Nope!”
Bismuth slammed onto the rock, having literally leapt out of the trees towards them. She held up her arm, the whip harmlessly wrapping around it, and tugged - it was ripped out of Holly Blue’s hands.
“Sorry, nobody’s gettin’ ground into sand on my watch,” she said, grinning.
Holly Blue snarled, clenching her fists.
“Guards!” she bellowed. “For the love of Blue, seize-”
The ground shook, and suddenly every drop of the lake’s water was lifting upwards. For a moment, all they saw was a bizarre, upwards flowing waterfall in all directions - Kiki dropped out onto the rock, giggling.
When it cleared, Beryl hovered over an empty lake, arms outstretched, a giant bubble of water hovering above them.
She pointed up. The bubble was getting colder, it’s surface lightening as it gradually turned to ice. In mere seconds, it had turned into a giant, frozen boulder, hanging right above Holly Blue’s head.
As everyone else on the rock cleared off, Holly Blue glanced to the far side of the lake. There stood Sapphire, her face completely stoic; but the ice that froze the grass around her betrayed her true emotions.
“Ruby was hurt because of you,” she said calmly.
The boulder dropped, and all Holly Blue knew was darkness.
---
The storm was drawing closer.
On the surface, it resembled a typical monsoon, with heavy, flooding rain and strong winds. But only a hundred or so feet above was the electrical storm. Lightning danced amidst clouds so thick a person couldn’t see their hand in front of their face, as impossibly strong gusts created miniature airborne tornados. This continued as such for another several thousand feet.
Above these clouds, in the atmosphere, was the orbital storm - a deadly cloud of electrical currents, magnetic interference and crushing gravitational forces. It was a maelstrom so powerful that no ship could ever hope to survive contact with it.
This unstoppable natural force would be on top of the Crystal Avenger within the hour…
Steven Universe: Marooned Together - Chapter Fifty-Three
(with thanks to @real-fakedoors for proofreading!)
Ruby sat on one of the chairs on the bridge, looking more than a little woozy as she gazed down at the gem on her hand.
They had rushed her straight inside, and Stevonnie had immediately prepared a hefty lug of spit for the wound. It had worked as expected, the cracks closing up and leaving a perfectly healthy looking surface, but the little red gem still felt decidedly off, and Peridot had decided to run her own diagnostic to be on the safe side. Sapphire had stayed almost glued to her side, and Stevonnie had hung around to make sure one of their favourite gems was unharmed.
“Hmm,” Peridot looked up from the tablet, shaking her head.
“Hmm?” Sapphire repeated worriedly.
“There’s still fragments of the bullet in there,” explained Peridot. “The tiny traces of lead in your gem could interfere with your powers… Ruby, make a fireball.”
“Are you sure we should do that on the bridge?” asked Stevonnie.
Ruby held out her hand and focused…
...and focused…
...and focused…
“As I suspected,” nodded Peridot, glancing to Ruby (she looked almost like she was going to burst.) “Your gem is reacting to the foreign objects inside it by going into what you might call safe mode. It allows you to maintain your hard light form, but is preventing you from creating fire, shapeshifting and summoning a weapon.”
“Wh… what about fusion?” asked Ruby, shooting a furtive glance in Sapphire’s direction. “Can I do that?”
“Oh, of course not!” said Peridot, waving her hand dismissively. “If safe mode won’t let you do something as elementary as summon a weapon, what makes you think…”
She trailed off as she took in Ruby’s distraught expression.
“...b-but there’s good news!” She pointed at the ceiling. “This isn’t too hard a fix; we can flush your gem of contaminants at a proper physical maintenance station - or failing that, the New Earth Hospital. You just have to hang on until you get home!”
“But that could be ages!” whined Ruby.
“It’s fiiiine!” exclaimed Peridot. “Just use this as time to engage in mutually enjoyable mouth-to-mouth fluid exchange!”
Ruby pouted, and Sapphire put a hand on her shoulder.
“It’s okay, Ruby,” she said. “We’ll survive.”
“I know, it’s just… I can’t use my powers until we get home,” muttered Ruby. “What can I do?”
“I have a few ideas,” said Sapphire, grinning.
Ruby chuckled.
“Oh you.”
“Hey, ‘Vonnie!” Amethyst was leaning on the doorframe, arms crossed. “Kevin C. Cucumber just woke up. Want me to kick his butt?”
“No, no!” exclaimed Stevonnie, getting to their feet. “We need to question him!”
“Can we question him with the whip?” asked Amethyst, drawing it from her gem.
Stevonnie frowned.
“No,” they said flatly.
---
Beneath the fluorescent lights of the ship’s med bay (a simple white room with a hospital bed and some medical supplies), Kevin looked like hell. His skin was patchy and red with sunburn, his lips cracked and dry, and his teeth and gums looked like they’d been ridden with rot and disease over the years. There were nasty scars, some bright and fresher than the others, and a variety of spots and boils all over. Stevonnie imagined the New Earth Hospital staff looking over him, tutting their teeth and shaking their heads. Bismuth and Lapis were standing guard over him as Amethyst and Stevonnie strode in.
“Alright, Dumbledork, start talking,” spat Amethyst. “Why d’you hate gems?”
“Gems…” Kevin’s eyes seemed wild and unfocused as he spoke. “Changed water. Can… can… can not drink water.”
“Why’s he talking like that?” asked Amethyst.
“He can’t have spoken in years,” replied Bismuth. “Probably has to think about what words to use.”
“Water changes mind,” continued Kevin. “Rots. Makes people like… like…”
“Zombies?” quizzed Amethyst.
Kevin shook his head. He pondered for a moment, then moved his hands back and forth in a mechanical fashion.
“Like robots?” asked Stevonnie.
“They’re… happy,” said Kevin. “Always happy. And… dumb. Work for gem. Big. Blue. Has a whip.”
“That sounds familiar,” said Amethyst warily.
“Kevin, is this gem named Holly Blue?” asked Stevonnie.
Kevin nodded.
“Holl… Holly Blue. Uses water, controls… humans. Makes them young. Makes them slaves.”
“So it’s like the fountain of youth, but bad?”
“What’s the fountain of youth?” asked Lapis.
“I’ll tell you later, honey.”
“Huh… honey.”
Kevin frowned.
“You and the gem!” he said, pointing accusatory. “You choosened!”
Stevonnie and Lapis both blushed as Amethyst began to laugh.
“Yeah, hold up Kenan, they’re not that far yet,” said Bismuth flatly.
“Gems can’t love humans!” thundered Kevin. “Gems slave humans!”
“It doesn’t have to be that way, Kevin!” replied Stevonnie. “There’s a place far away from here called New Earth, and-”
“New Earth?”
Kevin’s eyes widened.
“The space woman came from New Earth,” he said.
“Jenny?” asked Bismuth.
“They… took her,” nodded Kevin. “To their camp. To give her the water.”
Stevonnie and the gems glanced warily at each other.
“Kevin,” said Stevonnie. “Where is their camp?”
----
“...so he said it was at a waterfall, then he tried to attack Lapis so I punched him again,” finished Bismuth.
The crew of the Crystal Avenger had gathered on the bridge to discuss the issue. Zircon was nervously pacing back and forth, while the rest of the crew either sat on the chairs or stood up. Amethyst sat in the captain’s chair, making a show of looking deep in thought.
“M-maybe we should get backup,” stammered Zircon. “Like the Titan! We could just blast it from orbit?”
“But that would kill all the humans,” replied Ruby.
“We need to infiltrate Holly Blue’s base,” mused Sapphire. “But we need the right person to send in.”
Stevonnie scratched their chin.
“It can’t be anyone Holly knows,” they said. “So that’s Amethyst, Ruby and Sapphire out.”
“And she might recognise your gem too, dude,” nodded Amethyst.
“Yeah,” Stevonnie nodded. “I might look different than Steven, but I don’t think it’s worth the risk. She definitely won’t want Esteban Univeridad back in her life. It needs to be someone who doesn’t look like they can fight.”
“I probably look too much like a threat,” added Bismuth. “Wouldn’t be good at pretending to be harmless; upper-crust agates get under my gem.”
“Maybe Lapis?” quizzed Ruby.
“A Lapis? Defenseless? Near a waterfall?” replied Lapis.
“Point taken.”
“And Peri can’t act to save her life, so she’s out,” said Amethyst bluntly.
“Hey!”
“So you need someone who can pass as a scared, defenseless traveller with no weapons and no threat,” said Zircon. “But you can all clearly fight? How can you…”
She trailed off.
“Uh… wh-why is everyone looking at me?”
----
Zircon walked through the jungle, shaking as she glanced from left to right. A tiny, concealed communication device had been slipped under her jacket, so she knew the others were listening - but still, she felt decidedly isolated.
“I hate this, I hate this, I hate this,” she whispered.
“You’ll be fine, Zircs,” Amethyst replied. “We’re gonna be watching you the whole time, okay?”
“What if they shatter me before you can get to me though?”
There was a long silence.
“You’re gonna be okay, Zircon.”
Zircon pinched the bridge of her nose.
“Okay, don’t panic, don’t panic,” she whispered to herself. “Everything is going to be just fi-”
“Halt!”
A red blur burst out of the bushes, and Zircon jumped. She backed up against a tree, sweating and eyes wild as she gazed at her assailant. Her life flashed before her eyes - ohstarsineverkissedyellow…
“Heh, nice one Carnelian.”
The Carnelian grinned as a pair of Amethyst guards stepped out of the trees, alone and unarmed. They smirked as they looked over the quivering Zircon.
“Hey, check it out, we’ve got a lawyer,” said one. “How d’you think she got here, Jay?”
“I, uh, crashed,” replied Zircon.
“Yeah, that makes sense,” ‘Jay’ replied, “I mean, a Zircon flying a ship? Get a load of that, Gee.”
“I had a pilot, bu-bu-but she, uh, died,” said Zircon.
The Amethysts glanced at each other.
“Dang,” said Gee.
“Would’ve been nice to meet a cute little Peridot,” said Jay.
“So, uh, do-do-do you have a camp?” asked Zircon. “F-for shelter? F-for a… for a defenseless Zircon?”
There was a rustling behind the guards, and they glanced behind them.
“Hold up,” said Jay. “The humans are getting curious.”
Out of the bushes, a head appeared - dark skinned and black haired, with her hair tied up in a bun. Her eyes seemed glassy and slightly unfocused, and if Zircon guessed she was perhaps in her late twenties.
“Oh! Uh, is she…”
“Oh, don’t worry about her,” said Gee. “She’s cool.”
“Yeah,” added Carnelian. “Kiki here wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
Through her communicator, Zircon heard Stevonnie silently swear.
Steven Universe: Marooned Together - Chapter Fifty-Five
(thanks as always to @real-fakedoors for proofreading!)
Ruby sighed, gazing out the bridge windows as the rain began to fall. Her foot tapped as she waited for the rest of the group to come back. She scratched her arms, eyes darting around as she counted patterns in the walls and ceiling, occasionally chewing her lip.
There was a sudden dull thud, and she jumped.
“What was that?” she asked aloud.
Quickly she jumped to her feet, sprinting from the deck and towards the med bay. She hadn’t even made it there when she saw the cause of the commotion.
Kevin was limping down the corridor, some of the rope they’d used to tie him down still hanging from his ankles. His gaze, wild and unfocused, shot towards the red gem, and for a few seconds they stared each other down.
“Uh… you wanna go back to sleep, Kevin?” asked Ruby.
Kevin screeched and bolted, ducking through another door.
“Kevin, that… that’s the kitchen!” Ruby called out. “The exit isn’t…”
She frowned as she heard the sounds of tins being opened and uncooked baked beans being wolfed down.
“Ah, forget it, I don’t care.” Ruby crossed her arms. “But if I know humans, you’re gonna regret that in about two hours and-”
“Sapphire to Ruby, come in Ruby.”
Ruby jolted at the faint sound from the bridge, and rushed back, skidding to a halt in front of the captain’s chair.
“Ruby to Sapphire, I hear you!”
“We’re coming back with the humans…”
“...and quartzes!”
“...yes, and quartzes. Fire up the ship, we’re gonna need to take off before the storm arrives.”
“Gotcha, Sapphy! I’m on it!”
Ruby ran towards the pilot’s seat and jumped in. She looked down at the holographic console, smiling - her grin slowly faltered.
“Uh… Sapphy, can you ask Amethyst where the ‘on’ button is?”
...
Holly Blue Agate’s discarded gem still lay on the rock in the lake, forgotten in the excitement as the humans and gems had begun to make their way to the Crystal Avenger. There was no-one around to see it glow and rise into the damp air, light projecting from it as it formed a very familiar, very angry form.
Holly Blue snarled as she dropped back onto the ground, finding her camp deserted.
Those miserable pebbles! They had abandoned their duty to the empire, and walked off with their own prisoners, like… like Earthling savages! Not only that, but they’d left her to the storm, while they wandered off to freedom!
She could not— would not abide it.
Drawing her whip, she took to the storm.
It seemed Amethyst and Peridot had just about been able to talk Ruby through the start-up process, as the Crystal Avenger was ready to fly when the group arrived. The ramp was lowered, and the first lot of humans were able to simply walk onto the ship to freedom - not that any seemed to understand the concept right now.
Stevonnie and Lapis took up the rear with Jenny and Kiki. The twins made an odd sight - the weathered, weary, greying scavenger and the youthful, blissful thrall were such a contrast that you’d never suspect they were the same age. Kiki still smiled serenely, no hint of recognition in her eyes as they approached safety.
“Ooh, spaceship!” she said. “Holly promised us space ship! Promised we’d go to the Zoo!”
“Yeah, well, you’re not going to the Zoo,” said Jenny. “You’re going to New Earth. You remember Earth?”
Kiki shook her head.
“It sounds nice!” she said cheerfully.
Jenny closed her eyes and nodded.
“It was nice,” she muttered.
Stevonnie put a hand on her shoulder.
“We’ll get her back, Jen,” they said. “I promise.”
Jenny swallowed.
“Yeah,” she replied. “I know we will.”
“Get me back?” Kiki tilted her head. “But I’m here!”
Jenny shook her head.
“Let’s just get outta here, okay?” she asked. “I mean, storm’s rolling in, and we need to get these people to a hospital, so…”
“You. Miserable. INGRATES!”
Stevonnie glanced back. Holly Blue was advancing through the jungle, rain dropping onto her shoulders as she trudged forward, whip in hand. In her eyes was the fury of an oncoming firestorm, almost shiny in incandescent rage. She seemed almost to shake.
“Okay, time to go,” said Lapis quickly.
She turned around, calling to the last captive humans still boarding the ship.
“Alright, everybody one, we’re, uh… we’re gonna get ice cream!” she called.
“Honey, they’re brainwashed, not children,” said Stevonnie.
“Ice cream sounds cold,” said Kiki, frowning. “The rain’s cold too. Will the Zoo be warm?”
“Oh, for God’s sake!” exclaimed Jenny. “Just get on the ship! Go! Move, move, move!”
The humans shambled forward with no sense of urgency, and Jenny pinched the bridge of her nose.
“Ship. Warm! Outside, bad! Just go!” she said, gesturing wildly towards the ship.
That seemed to have done the trick. The humans began to scurry a little faster, but behind them, Holly Blue was breaking into a run.
“Lapis! We gotta buy them some more time!”
Stevonnie drew their sword - nodding, Lapis waved her hand in the air, forming the swirling rain into a watery harpoon.
“Harpoon?” quizzed Stevonnie.
“I thought I’d experiment a bit.” Lapis smirked and shrugged.
Holly Blue attacked first, swinging her whip violently towards the water gem. Lapis braced with the harpoon, the whip wrapping around the watery surface. She had a moment to think she’d stopped her attack - then the electricity was sparking down the whip, forcing her to drop the harpoon and double back to avoid electrocution. The harpoon splashed into a harmless puddle in the mud.
Holly Blue smirked, but had little time to savour her brief victory before Stevonnie’s shield was flying into her face, hitting her right in the eyes. She stumbled back, crashing into a tree trunk, and was momentarily stunned. The shield flew back - Stevonnie grinned, raising their sword and deflecting it right back into the agate, this time hitting her in the stomach and knocking her down into the mud.
“Guys!”
They turned back. Jenny was standing on the ramp.
“Everyone’s on, let’s go!”
Stevonnie and Lapis nodded, and began their sprint back towards the ship. Lapis got there first, jumping up as the ship began to hover, and Stevonnie was almost there, leaping for the ramp, when-
“Not so fast, fusion scum.”
Their momentum stopped abruptly, and for a moment they tumbled, their arm reaching out - then Lapis had them, holding on for dear might. They looked back - Holly Blue stood in the clearing, her eyes wild as she tugged on her whip, now wrapped around Stevonnie’s lower body.
“I may not be able to stop you from taking my humans, or even my pathetic traitor crew,” she spat. “But I can maroon you forever on this wretched rock.”
She grinned, her teeth bared.
“Who knows?” she replied. “Maybe I can break you into the first of a whole new company of guards?”
“Hey, they’re mine, get your own fusion!” snapped Lapis.
“What’s going on back there?” Amethyst’s voice came through on the PA. “What’s holding us down?”
Stevonnie glanced down to Holly Blue, and then back up to Lapis.
“Lapis, you’re gonna have to-”
“No,” replied Lapis. “I’m not letting you go, not again.”
“Lapis, I…”
“We leave this planet together, or we stay here together,” said Lapis. “But I won’t lose you.”
Stevonnie swallowed and nodded.
“I…”
There was a loud yell and the sound of footsteps racing down the ramp. Before Stevonnie could process anything, Kevin was leaping off the ramp, a stolen destabiliser in his hands. As if in slow motion he fell down towards the agate, the weapon aimed downwards towards her head - Holly Blue’s mouth opened in momentary surprise…
Poof.
The whip vanished, and Stevonnie flopped inelegantly onto the ramp.
For a moment, they glanced back. Kevin was standing triumphantly over a blue agate gem, roaring and beating his chest. He threw the destabilizer to the side and looked up at the fusion and their girlfriend - he shot them a grin.
“Kevin!” Stevonnie called.
Kevin winked.
“Stevonnie!” he called. “Stevonnie!”
For a moment, he seemed to struggle for words. Was he going to say something poignant? An apology for his adolescent actions? A wish of good luck.
He shot Stevonnie a thumbs up.
“Good catch. Very hot.”
He disappeared as the ramp was raised.
...
The ship rocked and shuddered as it soared upwards, away from the planet’s surface and up towards the stars. Through the bridge windows, Ruby could see lightning beginning to streak across the dark, cloudy sky; there were only minutes left to get away. She was in the pilot’s seat - Zircon and the other gems hadn’t reached the bridge until shortly after take off.
“Okay, Roob, swap over to Zircon,” ordered Amethyst.
“No time,” replied Ruby. “I’m in the pilot’s seat - I have to do this.”
“Ruby, no offense, but you ain’t a-”
Sapphire raised her hand.
“Trust her,” she said. “She will do it.”
“You saying that because of your future vision or because she’s your main squeeze?” said Amethyst flatly.
Sapphire hesitated.
“She will do it.”
Ruby wasn’t listening. Underneath her, the ship bucketed like an angry bull, and she had to fight every second to keep a straight course. They had to make orbit - then they could warp. Everything depended on keeping the ship straight - on paper, easy, but in these conditions, less so.
But she knew she could do it. She knew she had to do it. Her whole world was on this ship; Stevonnie and Lapis, Bismuth, Amethyst and Peridot (and Zircon, she supposed.) Most importantly of all, her Sapphy was on this ship. She hadn’t been able to help her all day, but now?
She refused to let her down.
The clouds cleared, and suddenly she could see the curvature of the planet below. The instruments were fluctuating wildly, alarms were screaming, the orbital storm was upon them, but there was a window to act if she was fast enough - if she could hold her nerve to hit the right button at exactly the right moment…
There was a thud, and suddenly all she could see outside were stars streaming past at impossible speeds.
Warp. She had done it.
She didn’t really register the cheers behind her, slumping down in the pilot’s chair like she’d just run a hundred marathons. She was closed off from almost the entire world, her eyes closed and her body limp.
But she recognised the hug from Sapphire, and she certainly felt the many, many kisses.
The inimitable @cubedcoconut drew this as a commission for me - Lapis and Stevonnie from my fanfic Marooned Together. It is beautiful and I have stared at it for hours. Thanks so much, Cubed!
Steven Universe: Marooned Together - Chapter Fifty Two
(thanks to @real-fakedoors for proofreading)
Predominantly blue and green, the tropical world looked almost like Earth from a distance, a sight that brought forth nostalgia that wasn’t entirely unwelcome, but it stirred something that had been dormant for long years—something painful.
It didn’t really matter; the facade dropped as the Crystal Avenger drew closer anyway.
There were no oceans, only great lakes and wide rivers snaking across the single, giant continent. Parts of the surface were obscured by enormous clouds, and there was a small ring of snow around both poles.
Of greater concern was the old Homeworld transport ship, slowly rotting away in orbit. It was beyond salvaging; much of the hull was gone, sheared away by asteroid impacts. There were no signs of life on board, but a quick scan revealed that the escape pods had all been used - the ship had been abandoned.
“There’s no technology down there,” mused Peridot, frowning. “As far as I can tell, this is just a normal tropical planet.”
“Can’t even be used as a kindergarten?” asked Amethyst.
“No,” replied Peridot. “The mineral composition of the crust is of poor quality. It’s not even optimal for farming, not that gems need produce.”
Stevonnie gazed out the window at the planet, scratching their chin.
“And yet something down there knocked Jenny out of contact with us,” they said.
Amethyst furrowed her brow.
“I don’t like this,” she declared. “Zircon, contact Peedee. Tell him we’re here.”
Zircon nodded, pressing a button on her console. She frowned, pressing it once more, then shook her head.
“Something’s jamming our communications, Captain,” she replied.
“That can’t be right!” exclaimed Peridot. “The Crystal Avenger is a… mostly up-to-date corvette. It should have advanced anti-jamming software!”
“Maybe someone down there invented a really good jammer?” suggested Stevonnie.
“Stevonnie, there’s nothing down there that could invent one of those human ‘chicken sandwiches,’” snapped Peridot. “Never mind a state of the art… huh.”
Amethyst raised an eyebrow.
“Huh?”
“There… is a jamming signal,” said Peridot, looking over the scan on her screen. “It’s coming from the planetary core, but… that doesn’t make sense!”
She stood up, shaking her fist at the planet below.
“Stupid cloddish mystery world!” she snapped. “Make sense, damn you!”
“Well, we don’t really need to stop the jammer,” Stevonnie shrugged. “We just need to find Jenny. Do you know where she is?”
“I’m still scanning for traces of the Kofi,” replied Peridot. “So far I’ve triangulated her transponder to a two hundred square kilometer area around the south of the planet, near the river that comes out of that lake that looks like Peedee’s head.”
She pointed. Stevonnie squinted.
“No, I’m not seeing it, it looks more like Bismuth.”
“The noodle hair! It has the silhouette of the noodle hair! It’s blindingly obvious!”
“Nah, the head shape is too big, it’s definitely…”
“Okay,” interrupted Amethyst. “Let’s get down there and look around Lake Peedeebismuth until we find something, alright? We can work out who it looks like later.”
Peridot blinked.
“We’re… we’re not actually gonna call it Lake Peedeebismuth, are we?”
----
The Crystal Avenger soared over Lake Peedeebismuth, slowing to a hover as it reached a clearing just below its southernmost shore. Down below sat an old, familiar shuttle - the Kofi.
Carefully, the Crystal Avenger touched down, the cargo ramp opening. Slowly , Stevonnie advanced out, sword and shield ready, but they could hear nothing else besides the strange, shrill sounds of the planet’s birds.
It wasn’t at all dissimilar to Earth - it resembled the jungles of South America, with tall grass and thin, spindly trees. They could feel a cool precipitation in the air, and could just about smell rain on the wind, but the sky above seemed blue for now.
“I think it’s clear!” they called back.
The other gems (save Zircon, who remained on the bridge) followed them out. Peridot immediately marched over to the Kofi, planting her hand on the metal surface. She let out a long “hmmmm…” and scratched her chin.
“You sure you should be touching that?” asked Lapis, walking up behind her.
“Please, Lazuli, I’m a technician,” sniffed Peridot. “I know what I’m doing.”
“Yeah, we’ve seen a bunch of ships in our time, Laps,” added Amethyst, swaggering casually over. “We’ve ridden in ‘em, slept in ‘em, ate in ‘em, we’ve even f-”
“Yes, thank you Amethyst,” interrupted Peridot. “Hmm… no sign of damage. It’s like she landed and just walked away…”
“Maybe she was following that distress call Peedee mentioned?” asked Stevonnie.
“Possibly… but why wouldn’t she come back…”
Not far away, Garnet watched the trees for any activity, arms crossed and face impassive. She barely reacted as Bismuth walked over, looking similarly wary.
“Future Vision picking anything up?” she asked.
“A few things,” Garnet replied.
“Hmm.”
Bismuth was about to say more when she saw a glint in the grass - something metallic reflecting sunlight. Slowly and carefully, she knelt down, picking up the little object and turning it over in her hand.
Her brow shot up.
It was a bullet casing, slightly rusted and clearly spent. Did the people of this planet have guns? Hadn’t Peridot said they had no technology?
She turned it over again, looking at the bottom of the casing. The writing was old and stained, but she could just about make out bits of it.
...RSAF Enfi...303...British…
“Garnet,” she whispered, “this thing’s from Earth…”
There came a quiet series of clicks from the trees.
Garnet reacted quickly, shooting into the jungle with such ferocious speed that she resembled little more than a blur. Seconds later, she was back, clutching a large human man by his ragged collar as she slammed him into a tree trunk. An old rifle fell from his hands.
“What the-” Stevonnie turned and gasped. “A human!”
“Yeah, no kidding,” said Amethyst flatly.
The human was covered in long, grey hair; his face nearly completely obscured by a white beard that stretched down to his stomach. His nails were long and yellow, and his clothes were strips of cloth and leaves fashioned together to make a very crude shirt and pants. His eyes were sunken, and his skin was weathered. He snarled and growled, almost like an animal, as he saw himself reflected in Garnet’s visor.
“Tell me who you are,” Garnet growled.
The reply was hoarse and halting, as if the man had not used these words in a very long time.
“Back off… gem…” he spat.
“We got you six to one, Gandalf,” said Amethyst, drawing her whip. “Why don’t you…”
“Wait!”
Stevonnie stepped towards Garnet, hands up.
“Wait, let him explain himself!” they said. “He’s been here for a long time, he’s probably confused!”
The man turned to Stevonnie and stared. His jaw dropped.
“You,” he wheezed. “You… Stevonnie.”
“Honey, does everybody in the universe know you?” asked Lapis wryly.
Stevonnie stepped forward.
“Yes,” they said, slowly and kindly. “I am Stevonnie. And you are?”
The man stared further, his eyes unfocused. For a moment, Stevonnie was sure they were watering.
“Put me down,” he said. “And I talk.”
Stevonnie glanced at Garnet. Slowly and reluctantly, Garnet did as asked, gently setting the man down on his feet.
“Okay,” she said. “Your turn.”
The man licked his dry, cracked lips.
“The water,” he said.
“What?” Stevonnie tilted their head.
“Don’t… drink water.”
He turned to Garnet. For a long time, the fusion and the hermit stared at each other, neither making so much as the slightest move.
Suddenly his arm was a blur, reaching swiftly under his shirt and pulling a rusty old pistol - in the same instant, Garnet was moving too, extending her arm to grab the weapon. They met in the middle, and Stevonnie winced at the slight metallic grind as the barrel of the gun scraped the gem on her hand…
Bang. The sound was like a clap of thunder.
The man had no time to see what he had wrought - an instant later Bismuth’s fist was colliding hard with his face, sending him physically flying backwards. His head slammed hard against the tree - there was the sound of cracking wood - and he slumped down, out cold.
“Whoa, Bis, I think you killed him,” said Amethyst, impressed.
“Nah, he’s still breathing,” replied Bismuth, almost sounding disappointed.
“Garnet!”
Stevonnie ran over to Garnet, who’s form was flickering dangerously. Her visor disappeared, and she gazed at her fellow fusion - her blue eye still firm, but her red eye flickering violently, and her third eye unable to focus.
“Stev- S̸̢̡̟͎͔ţ̷̩͔̦̯͙̙é͈̻̭̭̺v͚͡͡o̴̵̴̘̱̮͇̦̠̣͉̰n̡͎̠̪̫͕̺̰̗͡n̦͍i͇̮̭̗͇e̘͔͈̲͜…̻͍̯̪̣̞” she stammered.
Then, quite literally, she came apart.
Sapphire was holding Ruby in her hands, gazing in horror at her gem - it was cracked, with an enormous hole in the middle where the bullet had struck. Ruby seemed woozy, her vision unfocused. Stevonnie knelt down next to her, putting their hand on her shoulder/
“It’s okay, it’s okay, I’ll fix it!” they said. “Let’s get you back on the ship, okay?”
By now Bismuth had raced over - she swept Ruby into her arms and made a run for the ship, Sapphire close behind. Stevonnie made to follow, but was stopped when Amethyst called out.
“Yo, ‘Von? What do we do with Tom Hanks here?”
Stevonnie walked over - Lapis, Amethyst and Peridot had gathered around the unconscious man, the latter poking him with a stick.
“We should take him inside,” replied Stevonnie. “Maybe find out who he…”
They squinted, taking a closer look at the stranger’s face - his nose, his features, the colour of his skin (distorted as it was by decades of sunburn.) Their brow shot up, and they gasped.
“It’s him,” they whispered.
“Who?” asked Lapis, putting a hand on their arm.
Stevonnie swallowed.
“Kevin.”
---
Every day, they changed up the guards in charge of looking after Lewis. It was supposed to prevent any one of them from forming a rapport with her - yet there were only so many crew aboard the Tartarus, and she had long recognised a pattern.
Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays she was guarded by humans. Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays were gem days, On Wednesday, it was a combination. (Or at least that was how she worked it out - she was no longer sure if New Earth used the old, proper working week after the Human Resistance had been overthrown.)
She’d learned particularly the roster of the guards assigned to feed her. It cycled over ten days, and she’d even come up with mental names for them. Today, for example, she’d be fed by Clumsy, a somewhat uncoordinated brute of an Amethyst. Under her rule, such incompetence would not be accepted, but these soft Home Guards seemed to like her. Likely she’d come in, drop her food, apologize about it and then leave, same as always.
Except that wasn’t the case this time.
The guard that fed her today was hard to identify - they wore a scarf over their face, and spoke to nobody. But as she dropped her tray, a note fell from her sleeve, tumbling over her porcelain white hand and onto the floor.
When she was gone, Lewis picked it up.
Thirty days.
Lewis chuckled silently and sat back. Good things came to those who waited, she thought to herself.
Steven Universe: Marooned Together - Chapter Forty-Nine
(thanks as always to @real-fakedoors for proof-reading!)
It was an uncomfortable journey home.
Lars and Sadie spent much of it in the captain’s cabin, but found it hard to find the right words to say. Where did they start? They were a barely-human cyborg and an immortal pirate with one arm, and it had been years since they’d last seen each other. Ultimately, all they could think of were quiet, mindless platitudes - ‘How’s being a space pirate treating you?’ ‘Pretty well, pretty well.’
Whenever they emerged, Lars could see Jasper leaning against the wall, gazing warily at Sadie’s mechanical augmentations. The captain could understand that - how could they really know that some kind of Homeworld kill-switch wouldn’t suddenly activate? Or that a far-off Agate might not take remote control? Still, he couldn’t help but feel perturbed; she wasn’t a monster, after all.
The Home Guard didn’t seem convinced of that. Almost all of them were on the docks when the Sun Incinerator landed on New Earth, their weapons trained warily at the newcomer. Jeff’s reassurances - “It’s just a security measure!” - felt empty. He felt more like he’d taken Sadie to a prison than a refuge.
It was only when they’d reached Lenny’s apartment that the tension seemed to even slightly deflate - replaced by a deep annoyance.
“Some welcoming committee, Fryman.”
He turned to Peedee, who was standing with his husband by the door.
“This is standard procedure, Barriga,” replied Peedee testily. “We have to keep New Earth safe. If someone overrides your girlfriend we can’t-”
“Peedee, Lars, calm down,” said Jeff. “We can argue later. Right now we-”
The door to the other room creaked open, and Lenny emerged. She offered a nervous smile.
“She-she’s asleep,” she explained. “I-I had to p-put her… to put her under for s-s-safety reasons, but there’s no-noth-nothing i-in her or anything. She… she’s free.”
Lars ran a hand over his head and exhaled.
“Thank god,” he exclaimed. “Lenny, you mind if I stay overnight? I want to be sure she’s…”
“Y-yes, that’s fine, y-y-you c-can sleep on the… the couch.”
“Thanks.”
He turned to Jeff and Peedee.
“And you two,” he continued, “you’re gonna tell them she’s safe, right?”
Jeff put a hand on Lars’ shoulder.
“Of course we will,” he replied. “It’s all good, Captain. She’s home now.”
---
Stevonnie paced in front of the couch in Jeff’s penthouse - they felt thankful that the Frymans had let them borrow it for the evening. Having to deliver this message in the Diamond’s Lament, or even on the Island, would have felt too open, e too exposed.
As it was, they found it hard to look into the eyes of the other Crystal Gems. Crystal Gems - did those words still have any meaning?
“...so, what’s the word, ‘Von?” Amethyst was leaning on the armrest, her hand on her cheek. “You found another old friend?”
“I have a lead,” replied Stevonnie. “Well, I have a sort of lead. I… White Diamond talked to me on the last mission. She, uh, I think she uses her Pearl as a puppet.”
Bismuth shook her head.
“Like, she talks through her?”
“Yeah, she doesn’t seem to have any free will,” nodded Stevonnie. “It’s… really freaky.”
Bismuth grimaced. “That’s just sick.”
“I had heard rumours about that,” said Peridot. “That when a gem in White’s court does wrong, she… overwrites them.”
“Does she ever… unoverwrite them?” asked Stevonnie nervously.
Peridot shrugged.
“Tell me what she told you,” said Garnet evenly.
“I…”
They turned to Lapis - the blue gem gave her a reassuring smile.
“I think Pearl’s still out there, somewhere.”
Amethyst perked up, her eyes widening, as Peridot and Bismuth both straightened up in their seats. Even Garnet seemed to express surprise, her jaw dropping ever so slightly.
“I… Pearl’s alive?” exclaimed Amethyst.
Bismuth grinned.
“Can’t keep a good renegade down, huh?” She pounded her palm with her fist. “So, where is she?”
“I don’t know,” replied Stevonnie. “There… there’s something you guys need to know.”
They swallowed hard, closing their eyes; they felt tears pricking behind their eyelids, and their hands began to shake.
“Stevonnie…” Garnet’s tone sounded slightly worried, yet at the same time soothing. Keep talking, she seemed to imply. Whatever you say, I’m here for you.
They breathed in through their nose and began.
“White Diamond created her,” they continued. “She… she used to be Blue’s pearl… and Yellow’s pearl.”
“But they already have Pearls,” said Bismuth flatly.
“That’s the point,” said Stevonnie. “She was created to… to test them. By… by tempting them to rebel.”
The silence that followed was long and terrible - you could have heard a pin drop. Stevonnie’s eyes flashed from Amethyst (incomprehension, confusion), to Peridot (slow, horrified realisation), to Bismuth (and it seemed like a furnace had been lit in her eyes) and finally to Garnet (themself, reflected in that visor, as if it was a mirror of judgement.)
“She… she did what?” asked Amethyst.
“Oh my stars,” whispered Peridot.
“She… she knew the motto,” Stevonnie continued. “A-and she was qu-quoting Pearl directly, and… she said the only difference between Pin-mom and the other Diamonds was that… was that she f-failed the test, and…”
They heard the sound of boots on the floor, echoing in the suite. They turned to Amethyst, standing up, fists clenched.
“You… are you saying…” She seemed to be unable to come up with the words. “Are you saying she… Pearl led Rose on? That it was… that it was all some kind of sick test?!”
“I…”
Stevonnie glanced down at their feet.
“White said that’s what she was made for,” they said, “But… you need to think…”
“Did she know she was doing it?” demanded Amethyst. “Was it all just some big lie when she said she cared about us? That stuff about admiring us, about us being able to do whatever we wanted, Opal, Sardonyx, Alexandrite, was any of it ever real, Stevonnie?”
“Amethyst!” Bismuth rose to her feet, voice raised. “Lay off them!”
“No, I want an answer!” shouted Amethyst. “Was. It. Real?”
Stevonnie shrank back.
“I… I think… I think she…”
Their voice cracked.
“I don’t know,” they admitted, “but I believe…”
Amethyst shook her head.
“You know what?” she said. “Fuck her. Fuck her. I never want to see her again.”
“Amethyst, you know she’d never-” Bismuth began.
“No I don’t! And neither do you!” exclaimed Amethyst. “She was just, like, a liar or a robot sent by White Diamond or something else to fucking manipulate us, and I…”
She clutched her hair and screamed.
“Amethyst!” shouted Bismuth. “Knock it off. She is one of our own, and I’m not gonna…”
“She isn’t one of us and she NEVER FUCKING WAS!”
As the echoes of Amethyst’s last scream faded away, she became aware of a peculiar sound.
Stevonnie was on the ground, face buried in Lapis’ arms, their sobs softly filling the air.
“I’m sorry,” they were muttering, “I never should’ve said it, I’ve ruined everything, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”
Amethyst’s jaw dropped, and she seemed to struggle for words.
“I… I…”
Lapis looked up at her, her expression so cold it burned.
“Get out,” she snapped.
“Look, I didn’t mean to make them…”
“Get. Out.”
Amethyst glanced from Stevonnie to the door and back several times, like a startled cat. Then, her expression hardening, she marched outside, slamming the door hard behind her. Peridot gazed after her - she quickly got up, sprinting after her girlfriend. What followed was dead silence, save for quiet, fading crying.
At last, Garnet spoke up.
“We’re going to find Pearl,” she said.
“Please,” wheezed Stevonnie. “Don’t… don’t hurt her, she didn’t… she didn’t mean to…”
“Garnet, we are not punishing her for…” said Bismuth.
Garnet knelt down, pulling both Stevonnie and Lapis into a hug. Bismuth trailed off.
“We’re not going to punish her,” she assured them. “We’re going to get the Crystal Gems back together.”
Bismuth grinned, pulling all three into a big hug with her powerful arms.
“And then I’m gonna find White Diamond, and I’m gonna beat the crap out of her!” added Bismuth. “Because you know what we mean, Lapis?”
Lapis blushed.
“Do… do I have to say it?”
“Yep. Otherwise I’m just gonna have to hug you until you do.”
Lapis sighed.
“We mean Bismuth.”
Stevonnie burst into giggles, and Lapis couldn’t help but smile.
---
It was dark in Lenny’s apartment, and Lars slept soundly on the couch. The only sound was the quiet background noise of the radio - Radio New Earth, the best and only music station in town. It was just about enough to mask the sound of quiet footsteps.
“...well, it’s that sort of time of night, so I thought it’d be a good time to play a classic. Here it is, enjoy.”
Sadie grimaced slightly as she heard the opening bars of the song - of course they’d play that one, wouldn’t they? She shook her head, clutching the small note in mechanical, disembodied fingers. She lay it down on the coffee table.
I can’t help it if I make a scene,
Stepping out of my hot pink limousine,
Gently, she leaned down, planting a kiss on Lars’ bubblegum-pink forehead. The pirate smiled, just for a moment, and snuggled up on the lounge. Sadie gave him a small smile and headed for the door.
Outside, she met Lenny.
“Y-you d-don’t have to…”
“I do,” replied Sadie quietly. “This place is for humans and gems, and… and I’m neither.”
Lenny bit her lip and nodded.
Out they went into the streets of New Earth - it was late, and the only signs of life were those scurrying off to night shifts, or a few destitute souls stumbling home from the Diamond’s Lament. It was only a short walk to the docks, but to Sadie it seemed to take an age. She could feel the stares of every passerby, drilling into her soul.
I’m turning heads and I’m stopping traffic,
When I pose they scream, and when I joke they—
She tried to shake Lars from her mind.
Eventually she was there, next to the only ship accepting crew - a small scavenging ship bound for the furthest edges of the galaxy.
She walked to the loading ramp, gazing up at the captain - a grizzled old woman with a scarred face. For a moment, she glanced back, towards Lenny, towards the road back to Lars.
She shook her head and boarded.
By the time Lars awoke, she was lightyears away.
---
“I loved her once.”
I hypnotize by the way I’m walking,
I’ve got ‘em dazzled like a stage magician,
Amethyst leaned over a glass in the empty Diamond’s Lament, sitting across from Peridot in the dark, almost forlorn looking establishment. The green gem held her hand, watching in concern as her girlfriend threw back another of the strongest stuff the bar had.
When I point they look,
And when I talk they listen, well—
“Nah, more than that,” she continued. “I admired her. She played me like a fucking fiddle, Peri.”
“Are you going to go back?” asked Peridot.
Everybody needs a friend,
And I’ve got you, and you, and—
Amethyst sighed.
“To Stevonnie and Garnet and all them?” she replied, her voice slurring. “I… I don’t know. I’ve been… been calling myself a Crystal Gem for so long, but that… bitch came up with the name, and…”
She closed her eyes.
Can you blame me?
I’m too famous.
“It doesn’t even fuckin’ mean anything.”
She slumped onto the table, head buried in her arms, as she quietly and miserably sang along to the tinny sound of the radio.
Haven’t you noticed I’m a star
I’m coming into view as the world is turning
Haven’t you noticed I made it this far
Now everyone can see me burning…
Trillions and trillions of miles away, a solitary, lithe figure gazed up at alien stars, and softly sung to herself as she lay on the desert sands.
Now everyone can see me burning
Now everyone can see me burning…
Steven Universe: Marooned Together - Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Eight
“You guys sure you’re gonna be alright?” asked Lars.
“I can help,” added Sadie, “I…”
“We don’t know if the Diamonds have an override for you,” said Garnet. “Until we can check back on New Earth, it’s safer if you go back to the Sun Incinerator.”
“I… okay, yeah.” Sadie nodded. “Good luck, guys.”
Stevonnie, Lapis and Garnet watched as Lars, Sadie and Lenny disappeared back down the dark corridor. Stevonnie bit their lip, turning away from them and gazing ahead - there was a set of doors ahead, open just a crack - enough to expose the total darkness within. They swallowed.
Lapis took their hand.
“You okay?” she asked.
Stevonnie nodded.
“Yeah,” they said. “I’m fine.”
Slowly, they stepped forward, heading into the unknown. Stevonnie went first, sliding gently through the crack and onto the other side.
“Okay,” they said, turning around. “Now it’s your-”
SLAM.
Stevonnie jumped back as the door slammed shut, leaving them alone in darkness. As the echo of the crashing slam slowly died away, they could hear muffled pounding on the door, and cries of their name.
“Lapis!” they cried.
They reached for the door, trying to get their fingers into the crack to pull it open. It was nearly completely useless - not even their nails fit.
“Hold on!” they shouted, “I’ll try to find a way around!”
“Hello, Rose.”
The hairs on the back of their neck prickled, and though there were about a million things they would rather do at that moment, Stevonnie turned around.
A small ray of natural light shone through the old roof, just enough to create a narrow spotlight - underneath it stood a porcelien-white pearl, her eye cracked, her mouth twisted (there was no other word) into a smile. She floated a few inches off the ground, her remaining eye almost unfocused even as it stared at them.
“White Diamond’s Pearl,” they whispered.
“Starlight,” said White Pearl. It sounded like a greeting.
“I know who you really are,” growled Stevonnie.
“As do I - even if you don’t.”
White Pearl’s smile widened ever so slightly.
“In fact, I know a lot more than you think,” she continued. “I’m very glad you’ve come here, Starlight - sometimes you have to break a gem to save her. And nothing breaks a gem quite like the truth…”
“What?” Stevonnie titled their head.
“Oh Starlight… did you really think your ‘rebellion’ was unique?”
White Pearl extended an arm and clicked her fingers. A light burst into being, brilliant and white, shining onto a mural on the wall. It was White Diamond, arms extended - but her gem looked markedly different. It was flat both on top and on the bottom, and it seemed considerably larger.
“Long ago,” she said, “White Diamond was whole.”
---
“We have to get through to them!”
Lapis pounded on the wall, both with her hands and giant, watery fists - the sturdy structure refused to budge an inch. Garnet paced behind her, looking around for an alternative way inside. She could see nothing, just the corridor stretching back the way they had come.
“We can try another floor,” she declared, “Maybe…”
“I wouldn't do that if I were you.”
A section of wall to their left shifted, undergrowth brushed aside. A pair of Chrysalis drones floated out, followed by the tiny form of Aquamarine, wand extended. Then, floating in her stasis aura behind her, came a prisoner…
“C?”
C was hurled to the ground - she already looked battered, her visor cracked and her hair ruffled.
“Your friends,” sniffed Aquamarine, “left this defect behind when they fled the foyer.”
“That's not true,” coughed C, “I… I told ‘em to go ahead… they… they're already halfway back to the Sun Incinerator, and when they get-”
Aquamarine flicked up her wand, and C was sent hurtling into the roof with a mighty crash. She flicked down again, slamming her to the floor once more.
“Now here’s how this is going to work,” declared Aquamarine. “Either you'll surrender, or I'll shatter this dumb little Peridot against the wall…”
---
“When White Diamond was young,” continued White Pearl, “she was plagued with imperfections. And so she trimmed them off. Her stubbornness and inflexibility became Yellow. Her irrationality and emotiveness became Blue. And her distracting empathy and passion became…”
Stevonnie looked down at their gem and rubbed it.
“Pink,” they said.
“No,” said White Pearl. “You.”
She snapped her fingers once more. Two more lights - yellow and blue - illuminated the images of the respective Diamonds. Each sat on a large chair, like that which had been on the moon base, leaning down - they seemed to be listening to a small figure.
“Each of them was young and inexperienced - each of them had their own ideas. Each of them needed a test of loyalty.”
“A… test?” Stevonnie tilted their head.
“Their first colony,” said White Pearl. “Always chosen to meet the right criteria - an organic civilisation in a pre-industrial state, unusual natural ‘beauty,’ production of coarse and unrefined gems like quartzes and rubies. That alone was temptation to doubt the natural order - but White Diamond knew they needed one more thing. A specially constructed factor…”
White Pearl glanced towards the small figure in Yellow Diamond’s mural.
“A temptress.”
“A… what?”
White Pearl’s smile changed - now it felt almost familiar. The voice that came next sounded vastly different, almost like a recording.
“You look so happy.”
Stevonnie shook their head.
“I… I don't understand…”
“They won't find out,” continued White Pearl, “Because you look just like a quartz… you changed you shape for a day!”
The penny dropped.
“No…” Stevonnie stepped back. “You can't… that doesn't make sense…”
“What if we took some time to explore some of Earth's other features?”
“Stop… stop!”
“Oh, but it makes sense, doesn't it Starlight?” White Pearl continued. “It was her idea to go to Earth. It was her idea for you to become Rose Quartz… or was it Lemon Quartz? Or Blue Quartz? And why was her gem on her forehead, Starlight? Why did she wear all four colours?”
“She… she wasn't…”
“She was.”
White Pearl snapped her fingers once more. A fourth mural was lit up - this one of a single, pale Pearl.
“A perfectly imperfect pearl,” she said. “Guiding you down the road to rebellion - just as I wanted her to. You're only unique in that you are the only one to have failed the test.”
Her smile, though it never shifted, seem to take on a new, sinister quality that sent shivers down the fusion’s spine.
“It destroyed her, you know. To find out.”
---
“Aquamarine,” snarled Lapis, “I’m gonna shatter you into…”
“No.”
Garnet’s gauntlets vanished as she slowly raised her hands.
“Clearly you have proven yourself superior,” she said. “We surrender unconditionally.”
“What?!”
Aquamarine’s grin could perhaps be described as the kind associated with consuming human waste.
“Very good choice, fusion,” she said condescendingly. “Perhaps now the Diamonds will show you a little undeserved mercy.”
“Garnet, you can’t-”
Garnet turned to her, and just barely through her visor, she could just about see a wink.
“-I mean, yes Aquamarine, I surrender to your…” She took in the impish form before her. “...tremendous might.”
“Oh, you flatter me,” sniffed Aquamarine. “Surrendering to save a common Peridot? Pathetic.”
“We’re… Peridot enthusiasts,” said Lapis.
“Or at least she was once,” said Garnet.
“Garnet.”
“There’s just two things I want to know,” said Garnet. “Where’s Topaz?”
“Guarding my… esteemed colleague 4DT,” replied Aquamarine, crossing her arms, “Why do you care?”
Garnet smiled.
“Buying time,” she replied. “Second question - have you ever seen the main cannon of the Sun Incinerator in use?”
“What?”
Garnet’s grin widened - she grabbed Lapis and leapt to the ground as a purple beam smashed through the wall.
---
“Destroyed…” Stevonnie’s eyes widened. “Pearl’s alive?! Where is she?”
“Pearl?” White Pearl replied. “That Pearl led you astray, Starlight. She was designed to tempt you, and to be reset when you passed your test - which you didn’t, because of her. Why would you ever trust her again?”
“Because I care about her!” replied Stevonnie.
“Like she cared about you?” White Pearl seemed almost to chuckle. “She cared about you because I wanted her to. None of it was genuine. None of it was real. She was a puppet-”
“No, she wasn’t!” thundered Stevonnie. “She’s my family! It doesn’t matter where she came from, she’s a Crystal Gem and-”
“The Crystal Gems are a lie, Starlight,” said White Pearl, “You really must stop fooling yourself. Or shall I remind you of that creed?”
“No!”
“Fight for life on the planet Earth… or was it Gourlbun or Ai’namsat?”
“Shut up!”
“Defend all human beings… or whatever other indigenous life forms… even the ones that you don't understand…”
“Stop!”
“Believe in love that is out of anyone's control…”
“I’m warning you!” Stevonnie clutched their sword.
White Pearl seemed to stare into their soul as she continued regardless.
“And then risk everything f-”
Stevonnie thrust forward. Their sword slid right into White Pearl’s chest.
For a long time, there was silence. They felt their arm shaking, tears pricking at the corner of their eyes.
“It was all a lie, Starlight,” whispered White Pearl.
“I… I don’t care.”
White Pearl disappeared into a cloud of smoke.
Stevonnie fell to their knees, feeling sick to their stomach. Their sword clattered to the ground beside them, and their hands shook uncontrollably.
They never noticed the crash from the door, and barely reacted to the blinding sunlight that suddenly streamed in. Only when they felt themself suddenly yanked up into the sky did they look up - they found themself staring into Lapis’ sapphire orbs as they flew up towards the Sun Incinerator. The gem shot them a smile.
“It’s okay,” she said. “I’ve got you.”
Stevonnie breathed in deeply through their nose. Slowly, they glanced back down at the wrecked temple, the face of White Diamond blasted away, and sighed slowly.
“It doesn’t matter,” they whispered, “I’ll find her.”
---
Lars stared at the bubble in front of him, inside which was contained Aquamarine’s gem.
“What do we do with that?” he asked.
“There’s a prison on New Earth,” replied C. “Well, it’s really a detention centre, but… it’s where they keep Commander Lewis. They’ll probably have space there.”
Lars nodded.
“Okay then,” he said, “Twins, get us home.”
“Aye Captain!”
“Yes Captain!”
Lars turned to Sadie, standing next to the captain’s chair, staring at her mechanical, detached fingers. He reached out, putting a hand on her shoulder.
“You okay?”
Sadie exhaled, long and slow.
“I’m gonna be.”
In the back of the bridge, ignored by the others, Lapis and Stevonnie sat against the wall - the fusion had just finished telling their girlfriend their story. Lapis bit her lip, looking up towards the roof.
“...it doesn’t feel fake,” she said at last.
“That’s what I'm thinking,” agreed Stevonnie. “Mom didn’t fail a test. Maybe Blue and Yellow did.”
They shook their head.
“But if everyone finds out…”
“The way I see it,” replied Lapis. “The rebellion isn’t Pink Diamond’s anymore. It’s yours. It doesn’t matter what she did, or where it came from - just where it goes.”
Stevonnie chuckled.
“You’ve come a long way, Laps.”
“I learned from the best,” replied Lapis.
She leaned in and pecked Stevonnie on the cheek. They giggled, putting an arm over her shoulder.
“Lapis,” they asked, “will you help me find Pearl? I mean, when I find out where to start looking, do you want…”
Lapis placed her index finger on Stevonnie’s mouth and smiled.
Steven Universe: Marooned Together - Chapter Fifty
(thanks as always to @real-fakedoors for proofreading!)
Time flew by once more.
Everywhere they looked, Stevonnie could see it passing. They kept what record they could in a little box under the bed - an invitation to Jenny’s sixtieth birthday party, a certificate marking the laying down of New Earth’s first large battleship, a polaroid sneakily taken of Blue and Yellow Pearl kissing in the back of the Diamond’s Lament. There was a grumpy letter to a New Earth newspaper from the Curator, lamenting that the settlement’s youth didn’t know the old ‘BCE/CE’ calendar off by heart, and a printed manifesto calling for the establishment of a New Earth Colonisation Scheme.
Yet even now, there were small joys that stayed the same. For example, there was the warmth of a bed, the feeling of their soulmate beside them, the sound of their light snores.
It was almost enough to stop them from waking up early today.
Almost.
But today was special. Today was New Earth Foundation Day, and it was a special one at that; it was the thirtieth anniversary of the city.
“Lapis…”
Stevonnie grinned as they gently poked their partner, chuckling as she grimace.
“No honey, five more minutes…”
“It's Foundation Day, Lapis,” continued Stevonnie. “We’re going to town…”
“Town sucks,” Lapis muttered sleepily. “Snuggle with me.”
Stevonnie grinned as they pulled the blankets off her, leaving her to grumble wearily as they began to freshen up for the day. Slowly, ever so slowly, she rolled out of bed, her hair still a mess. She concentrated - it glowed and marginally neatened out.
“We meeting anyone there?” she asked.
Stevonnie nodded. “Garnet and Rhodonite. I thought it'd be fun to hang out with them, you know?”
“Mhm,” said Lapis.
She walked over, wrapping her hands over Stevonnie’s shoulders.
“Not as fun as hanging out with you.”
Stevonnie chuckled, blushing, as Lapis pecked them on the cheek.
“Alright, Lappy,” they said, grinning. “Let's get moving…”
---
Lars’ hair and beard had grown over the last year - Jeff had told him that he somewhat resembled a mountain man.
It was not, as some had called it, a ‘beard of sorrow.’ Sure, sure, his heart had been broken once again, but part of him understood - better for Sadie to be happy elsewhere than happy with him, right? Yeah, that was it, they'd both be happier getting on with their lives - and if getting on with his life meant growing a Gandalf beard, then that's just what he'd do.
He'd thrown himself back into the dating scene too, with mixed success. He'd gone pretty steady for a while with Dr. West’s son, but that had fallen apart when the retired physician died the previous year. He'd been seeing a nice zircon on and off, but it didn't seem to be working. Other than that, he'd been focused on piracy - venting some of his pent up emotions on Homeworld trade ships.
It wasn't therapy, but Lars had never trusted therapists.
He'd wanted to stay away from Foundation Day, but hearing Padparadscha’s excitement about it had forced his hand. He settled for staying in bed while the crew went out, staring at the ceiling and feigning sleep.
Yep, he was fiiiiiiine.
“You really gonna stay here all day?”
Lars looked to the door. Jasper leaned on the frame, her arms crossed.
“Uh-huh,” Lars replied. “I don't like crowds, man.”
Jasper nodded.
“Sets something off, doesn't it?” she agreed. “Makes you feel trapped, vulnerable - like you're about to be in an ambush.”
Lars swallowed and nodded.
“So you staying in too, huh?” he asked.
“Someone needed to patch that hole in the hull we got last week,” Jasper replied.
There was a long silence.
“You ever feel lonely, Jasper?” asked Lars. “Like, you're surrounded by friends, but you're totally alone?”
“Yeah,” said Jasper. “I do.”
Lars swallowed and closed his eyes.
“Like, I… I know people love me, and they care about me,” he continued, “but my head just tells me I’m worthless and nobody actually means that, and it’d be better if I just…”
“Captain,” interrupted Jasper, “You can’t-”
“...and it just won’t go away!” continued Lars. “I haven’t felt like this i-in years, and… and I just try and keep it in, because I have to, but sometimes my hands start shaking and my head starts screaming and…”
He felt something firm around his hand, and slowly opened his eyes.
Jasper was clutching his hand, staring stoically down on him. Her mouth was set in a frown.
“This is how humans comfort each other, right?” she said.
Lars blinked.
“You think you’re weak,” continued Jasper, “but you’ve made it this far. She left you, but you kept going. That voice in your head tried to stop you, but you kept going.”
“But…”
“I used to think that voice was right,” she continued. “That is was how I really felt. But it isn’t. It’s a liar. It’s an enemy you have to push back against, you have to win against. And the only way you truly win is by…”
“...by learning to love yourself?”
“By learning to move on.”
Jasper shrugs.
“Although loving yourself probably helps.”
Lars snorted. He felt something pricking at the corners of his eyes, and before he knew it he was hugging close to Jasper’s arm, crying it all out.
“I’m sorry,” he wheezed. “I’m sorry, I’m supposed to be the captain, I-I shouldn’t be…”
“No,” replied Jasper. “This is just what that voice doesn’t want you to do. Defy it. Let it out.”
She stood there, like a sentry on guard, as Lars cried it all out, his sobs echoing in the near-empty ship. It took some time, but eventually, Lars lifted his head out of her arm, looking up at her with puffy red eyes.
“I… I don’t want to be in bed anymore,” he said. “I… I’m gonna go out. Is that…”
“We both will,” said Jasper. “I’ll fix the hull later, but for now…”
She thrust her index finger into Lars’ nose.
“I order you to have fun.”
---
“Museum of Earth Open Day today! Step right up! They let me get the Rolls-Royce out, see how overly rich people travelled in the Thirties!”
The Curator was positioned grandly outside the museum, literally standing on a soap box. He held up a megaphone, advertising the museum’s Foundation Day event to all who passed, the newly polished 1920’s car sitting behind him. Lapis wandered over to it, as much because it was shiny and stood out as anything - she immediately regretted it as the Curator turned to her, jamming the megaphone in her face.
“YEAH IT’S PRETTY GOOD, INNIT?!”
“Aaaagh!” Lapis winced.
“OH. SORRY. I SUPPOSE I SHOULD PUT THIS THING- OH, HEY STEVONNIE!”
Stevonnie clutched their ears as they got a blast from the megaphone.
“Maybe you should focus on getting people in.”
Blue Pearl stepped over, and Lapis raised her eyebrows. Her old Diamond-apparel was gone - she wore a pale blue dress and a darker blue blazer, with a little scarf around her neck.
“Wow, I love the new look, Bloop!” exclaimed Stevonnie?
Blue Pearl blushed slightly.
“I felt I needed an upgrade,” she replied. “After all, I’m being promoted.”
“Promoted?” Lapis tilted her head.
“The Curator is retiring next year,” continued Blue Pearl softly. “I’m taking his place.”
“YEP, I’M GONNA BE FOCUSING ON MY PASSION OF RAILWAY MODELLING FULL TI-”
“STOP DOING THAT!” thundered Lapis.
The Curator jumped and tumbled off the soap box.
“Aw, Bloop, you’re gonna do great!” said Stevonnie, pulling her into a hug. “Though it’s gonna be weird coming here without the Curator wandering about… what is his name anyway?”
“His name is L-”
“Oh my stars, it’s Stevonnie!”
Stevonnie turned. A small, somewhat chunky boy in a yellow shirt and headband was staring up at them, eyes twinkling.
“Oh, hey there kid!” said Stevonnie, kneeling down to his level. “Yep, I’m Stevonnie! What’s your name?”
The boy gulped; he evidently hadn’t expected Stevonnie to speak to him.
“I-I did a project for you f-for class, but i-it’s not that great… uh, um…” the boy scratched his head. “M-my name is H-Hunk.”
“A project on me?” Stevonnie’s eyes sparkled.
“Yeah,” Hunk said. “W-we had to do a project on a f-founder figure for Foundation Day.”
“Hunk?”
Stevonnie, Lapis and Hunk looked up. A small group of kids, centred around a teacher, were heading over to him.
“You tryin’ ta run away, Hunk?” a lanky boy in a brown jacket laughed, putting a hand on his shoulder.
He looked up, his eyes falling on Lapis.
“Oh wow!” he exclaimed. “I did my project on you!”
Lapis blushed.
“I… but-but I’m not a founder!” she replied. “I just… come around sometimes?”
“But you’re so cool!” the boy waved his arms out. “You make water stuff go, like, pow pow, and kick butt and-”
“-definitely not a founder,” interjected yet another kid, this one even smaller, bespectacled, donning a green-and-white shirt. “That’s why you got a bad grade.”
Rolling his eyes dramatically, the other one retorted, “Uuuuuugh, Piiii-iiiiidge! Don’t you have, like, a book or something you should be reading somewhere? I’m tryin’ to talk to Lapis Lazuli here!” His voice dropped, though not so low that Stevonnie couldn’t hear them whisper, “I’m tryin’ to look coo-oool!”
“Why? It’s not like Keith is even lookin’,” snorted the smaller one— Pidge, evidently. “He threw his bookbag at James and now the teacher’s mad at him.”
Lapis glanced over to who could only be the trio’s teacher, who appeared to be in the middle of a lecture that fell on the deaf-ears of a scruffy-haired boy, arms crossed and shooting glares at another boy who was crying. Despite the tears, Lapis couldn’t help but think he sort of looked like a jerk.
“...I know what James said wasn’t very nice, but we don’t throw our bookbags at people,” said the teacher. “Even if we feel like we’ve been wronged. Do you understand? ”
“Yes, Ms. Dierker,” muttered the boy, glaring at his feet.
“Good,” nodded the teacher. “Hunk! Lance! Pidge! We need to keep…”
She raised her eyebrows and walked over.
“Oh, hello!” she said. “Sorry, sorry, I hope they weren’t interrupting. Garrison Elementary did a Foundation Day project, and Lance and Hunk here each did one of you two, so I guess they wanted to say ‘hi.’”
“It’s no problem!” replied Stevonnie. “I’m happy to say ‘hi’ back! I just didn’t know I was famous!”
“I didn’t want to be famous,” added Lapis, shrugging.
“Oh, uh, Stevonnie?” Hunk raised his hand, biting his lip but waiting to be called upon before continuing. “I-uh-I couldn’t answer th-this in my project but, uh, why do you stay fused? I mean, if that’s okay and…”
Stevonnie grinned widely.
“Because Steven and Connie love each other very much,” they replied. “And they don’t want to be apart. That’s why I stay fused.”
“Plus they’ve got a girlfriend, so…” Lapis smirked, putting an arm over their shoulder.
Lance made a face.
“Yeah, okay, I’m gonna go look at the big car now,” he announced.
“We,” said the teacher, “are gonna go inside now. Alright Garrison, let’s all thank Stevonnie and Lapis for their time!”
“Thank you Stevonnie and Lapis,” they chorused.
“Yeah, cool, whatever,” said Keith, the one who’d been scolded, a bit belatedly.
Stevonnie grinned and waved as they walked away.
“Those children,” said Blue Pearl, “have never seen Earth. It’s… sad to think they’ll never know their homeworld.”
“Well, in a way… this really is their homeworld. Earth might be where a lot of the culture here comes from, but those kids had to have all been born here. This is their home. But knowing where they came from is important, too, and they will, Bloop,” replied Stevonnie. “Because they’ve got you, and this museum.”
“AND THIS ROLLS-ROYCE.”
Lapis turned and punched the Curator in the face.
---
The Titan lived up to her surly, larger-than-life name.
She dwarfed the other ships in the docks, stretching to two-hundred and fifty metres long. Painted battleship grey, her name was emblazoned on the front of the bow - she looked a lot like one of the old battleships of Earth, with three turrets of plasma cannons on either side of a towering bridge structure. The biggest difference was the hull itself, which resembled an enormous bathtub covered in portholes and piping, with the enormous thrusters taking up most of the stern.
Amethyst sighed as she stood in the crowd, listening to Jeff give his speech. Peridot had insisted they were coming to the christening of the ship - ‘it’s ninety-percent peridot designed!’ she had declared proudly. The pirate couldn’t see what all the fuss was about; it just looked oversized and easy to ambush, if she was completely honest.
“...and now it’s my great pleasure to hand over to the Titan’s first captain!” Jeff exclaimed. “Please give it up for Captain Jacob Huller!”
Amethyst raised an eyebrow. She’d met Huller - he’d been a hand on the Crystal Avenger for a time - but she hadn’t seen him in many years. She wondered when he’d grown that beard.
“Oh hey, we know him!” exclaimed Peridot.
Amethyst rolled her eyes but chuckled regardless.
“So,” said Peridot, “are we still meeting Stevonnie at the Diamond’s Lament tonight?”
Amethyst blew a hair from her face.
“Honestly?” she replied. “Thinking I might bail. I-”
“Amethyst, you’ve ‘bailed’ every time we’ve tried to meet for the past two months!” said Peridot sternly.
“I know, but…” Amethyst bit her lip. “But I know they’re gonna be looking for Pearl, right? And I… I don’t want to find her, but I don’t want to tell them that, and…”
She shrugged.
“Lapis is probably still pissed that I went off on Vonnie anyway, so-”
“It’s been nearly two years, Amethyst.”
“Yeah? You know how long that girl holds a grudge, ‘Dot.”
Peridot shook her head.
“Right,” she said. “You’ve forced my hand, Amethyst. Either you come with me to the Lament tonight, or you’re sleeping on the couch.”
“You can’t do that, I’m the captain!” snapped Amethyst.
“Yeah? Well I’m your captain.”
Amethyst sighed, but there was a hint of mirth underneath.
“Fiiiiiine,” she said, “But only because I’m not going without-”
“Um, excuse me,” a pale red pearl leaned over, her mouth set into a frown of disapproval. “Some of us are trying to listen to Captain Huller.”
Amethyst stuck out her tongue as the pearl turned away.
“See why I don’t want her back?” she muttered.
Peridot snickered quietly.
---
Garnet and Rhodonite walked through the market, looking at the new stalls set up especially for Foundation Day. It was later in the day, and the area had thinned out, but there were still a few interesting things left to be found.
“Step right up, step right up!”
A middle-aged woman in a suit and straw hat was standing next to a big display. It showed a big planet - an idealised vision of a blue and green, Earth-like orb - with models of a number of basic-looking prefab structures around it. Above the woman and her stall was a big, stark-red banner that shouted at all passersby; ‘BOLD VOLUNTEERS - STEP FORWARD!”
“Who’s that?” Rhodonite asked, tilting her head.
“Good people of New Earth, good news to you I tell!” exclaimed the woman. “Mayor Fryman has officially given assent for the Nova Terra Company, and now we’re here to offer you the chance of a lifetime! Live under a blue sky once more! Sign up as a colonist today, and…”
Rhodonite and Garnet glanced at each other.
“Honestly, I… I’d rather not,” admitted Rhodonite.
Garnet smiled and nodded.
“Then let’s go over there.”
She pointed to another stall, this one very colourful. An older, heavy-set man stood behind a counter - behind him were a set of small, vertical strips of iron, and above them were a series of large, colourful plushies. The older man grinned as Garnet approached.
“Hey there, dudes!” he exclaimed. “Do you have what it takes to win the…”
He looked up at the plushies and frowns.
“Huh, I don’t really know what these are supposed to be,” he admitted. “They look pretty cool, though.”
“Tell me which one you like, Rhodonite,” said Garnet.
Rhodonite looked up.
“Hmm… I think… that pink whale thing,” she replied, pointing to a huge pink whale plushie on top of the wall.
“Aw, dude, you might want to aim a little lower,” said the vendor. “To win that one, you have to put a hoop on all of the targets, and…”
Garnet grabbed a ring.
“Stand back, ring man.”
The vendor did so, and suddenly Garnet’s arms were a blur. One by one, each target was hit by a ring, the speed of the throws almost too fast to make out. Then, with not even five seconds having passed, the final ring found it’s target.
There was a brief silence.
“That,” said the vendor, “was pretty sweet, dude.”
Garnet grinned, adjusting her visor.
“I,” she replied, “am the master of the ring toss.”
The vendor nodded sagely as he pulled down the pink whale, handing it almost reverently to Garnet. The fusion’s grin widened as she turned around, passing it on to Rhodonite.
“Oh, Garnet!” Rhodonite’s eyes lit up. “I love her!”
Garnet gave her a thumbs up.
“Anytime.”
As they walked away, Rhodonite tucked the whale under one set of arms - with her top right hand, she gingerly took Garnet’s.
“I’m gonna call her… Garnet Junior.”
---
As might have been expected, the Diamond’s Lament was packed that evening.
Stevonnie grinned as they and Lapis walked inside, passing a few little gatherings already in progress on the other tables. The Curator, Ms. Dierker and Captain Huller were gathered at one, the former already well into one of his history tales. At another, Lenny and Carl were staring contentedly into each other’s eyes, apparently oblivious to X and C making fun of them.
They passed the counter, where Simon was in an argument with his granddaughter.
“...but granddad, you were a marine…”
“Yes, and that’s exactly why you’re not joining,” Simon replied firmly. “No good will come of it. The Titan can find other marines, Cath, but I am not letting ‘em have you…”
“Hey, Stevonnie! Lapis!”
Stevonnie grinned as they reached their table, just in front of the stage. Bismuth had called them over; Garnet and Rhodonite waved as they sat down.
“Is Amethyst here yet?” they asked.
“Not yet,” replied Garnet. “But they’re coming.”
“Oh,” said Lapis, her tone somewhat flat. “Good.”
“So, what do you reckon Jeff’s gonna say tonight?” asked Stevonnie. “It’s gotta be good, right? He always nails these speeches…”
“Where’s Jenny?” asked Lapis, glancing over to another table - Buck and Sour Cream were engaged in quiet conversation, holding hands over a wooden table.
“Couldn’t make it,” replied Bismuth. “Still scavenging. She told me to tell you she said hi, though.”
“Oh, okay,” said Stevonnie - they sounded ever-so-slightly crestfallen. “Ah well, tell her we said ‘hi’ back! I…”
“Behold! The party can begin! Peridot has arrived!”
Stevonnie turned. Peridot marched towards the table, finger pointed in the air - Amethyst trailed behind, rubbing her arm and looking at her feet.
“Peridot!” the fusion laughed and scooped her up into a hug.
When they had put her down, they turned to Amethyst, who was now staring rather intently at a nail in the floorboards.
“Are you okay, Amethyst?” they asked.
Amethyst sighed.
“I… I’m gonna be honest, I still don’t know how to feel about Pearl,” she replied. “I’m definitely still not ready to start looking for her, but… but you guys are my fri… you’re my family, and I don’t… aw man, this is awkward, I…”
She looked up, allowing them all to see her glistening eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t have gone off on you guys like that. I-I know it was hard for you too and I guess I just lost control, and I…”
She trailed off as Lapis stepped over, swallowing as the blue gem towered over her.
Then she knelt down and pulled her into a hug.
“It’s okay,” she said. “I forgive you.”
“Whoa, heh, a Lapis hug?” Amethyst chuckled, even as her voice broke slightly. “Never thought I’d get one of those, heh…”
Lapis glanced back to Stevonnie - they exchanged smiles.
“I learned from the best,” she replied.
“Alright everyone!”
Their eyes fell on the stage. Peedee stood there - somehow Jeff had managed to squeeze him into a proper suit for the occasion, and at least make an attempt at grooming his beard. He awkwardly scratched the back of his head as the room fell silent.
“Um, I don’t normally do this, so, y’know, good thing I’m not up here long,” he said, “but, uh, it is my great pleasure to introduce the Mayor of New Earth, and the best husband in the whole universe, Jeff Fryman!”
He stepped aside as Jeff walked onto the stage. Even after all these years, he looked ever-so-slightly nervous in front of a crowd, adjusting his tie as he reached the microphone. But then Peedee had shot him a reassuring smile and all that nervousness had melted away; he cleared his throat and began.
“Good evening everyone, it’s good to see you all here,” he said. “I know you came here for a party, not a speech, so I’m gonna keep this short.”
“Good,” whispered Amethyst.
“Aw, I like Jeff’s speeches,” said Stevonnie.
“Sometimes it feels like the past thirty years have been a hundred,” said Jeff. “Other times, those first, hard days seem like they were just yesterday. When we first arrived on the rock that would become New Earth, all we had were a few captured cargo pods, the Crystal Avenger and a small band of humans and gems who thought of little more than survival. Yet just two years later, we opened this place. And now look where we are.”
He extended his arms. “New Earth isn’t just a refugee camp or a hideout for pirates. It isn’t even just a city. New Earth is an idea. It’s a statement. For gems, it’s a place where they can be free; free to live, to express themselves, to fall in love…”
A few tables away, Blue and Yellow Pearl glanced at each other. Blue smiled and pecked Yellow on the cheek - the other pearl blushed furiously.
“And for humans,” Jeff continued. “It’s a shout to the entire universe; here we are! We’re still here! The Diamonds couldn’t destroy us, and they never will!”
A few people - Cath Richardson included - let out a cheer. Simon glanced warily at his granddaughter.
“But the only reason New Earth can be what it is is because we work together,” said Jeff, placing his fist in his palm. “When we turned this place from a hideout to a home, we did it together. When we stood against the Human Resistance coup, we did it together. And whatever we face in the future, we’re gonna face it together.”
He smiled.
“Here there are no outcasts; there is nobody who doesn’t belong.”
At his table, Lars smiled, putting an arm over Padparadscha’s shoulder. The Rutiles grinned at each other, and Fluorite pulled Jasper closer to her; the quartz blushed but smiled.
“So tonight, I just wanna say; Foundation Day isn’t about me, or some other nebulous group of pioneers. This isn’t even about you. This is about us. Because without us, there is nothing.”
Stevonnie stood up, applauding their friend. Before long, just about everyone else had followed suit; Jeff turned bright red, and then somehow redder soon as Peedee walked over and pulled him into a hug. He turned, kissed his husband, and returned to the microphone.
“Now, I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news,” he said. “Our first act for tonight had to cancel - something about stomach cramps. So if anyone’s got an idea to fill time, I’d-”
“I’ve got an idea!” said Stevonnie, raising their hand. “At least, I think I do…”
They turned, whispering in Lapis ear. She raised her eyebrows, blushing slightly.
“A-are you sure? I’m not… you really think I…”
She nodded.
“Okay,” she said. “I’m in.”
“Yes!” Stevonnie punched the air. “Anyone here got a ukelele or a guitar or something?”
“We’ve got a guitar out back, yeah,” Simon called back. “I’ll bring it up.”
Stevonnie grinned from ear-to-ear as they pulled Lapis up from her chair and up towards the stage. Before long, they’d been set up with an old wooden guitar, Lapis had been given the microphone, and the lights were dimming.
“O-okay, so, uh, this is an old song,” said Lapis. “I-I haven’t sung it in a long, long time, but… but I hope you like it.”
She closed her eyes as Stevonnie began to play.
“It all became so lovely,
Those bluest skies above me,
Those funny feelings I had never felt before I met you…”
Amethyst and Peridot turned to each other. Peridot smiled, winked, and pulled her girlfriend into a kiss.
“I thought I’d stay a while,
I tried to learn to smile,
So many colours I had never even known…”
“Maybe I’ll find myself sitting on that distant shore,
Maybe I’m not alone…”
Stevonnie stepped forward, still playing as they took their position in front of the mic.
“You were the one who found me,
Broke the despair around me,
Brought back the feelings that I thought I’d lost until I found you…”
“We’ve made a place for us here,
I never want to leave, dear,
Marooned together, we found love in our new home…”
Now they both sang, their voices echoing in the dead silence of the Diamond’s Lament.
“And now we’ve found ourselves smiling on that distant shore,
We’ll never be alone…”
As the lights came back on and the applause of their audience filled the air, Lapis Lazuli and Stevonnie turned to each other and pulled each other into a deep, loving kiss. For in that moment, only one thing truly mattered, and that was, as Jeff had said, ‘us’.
