Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The golden summer sun began to creep through the window of Steven’s bedroom. As its fingers cut through the dark, a sound pierced the quiet. A gentle, “Beep beep!”

Steven Universe reached out to his bedside table with a waking murmur. Pressing the button to shut off his phone’s alarm. He didn’t check his daily reminders; he already knew how free this day was.

His hand moved across the table, caressing knickknacks and souvenirs from Earth, other planets, and even other dimensions, that was the benefit of being apprenticed to the Pilot as he and Connie were. Soon he felt what he was looking for, a flattened conical grey shell with the transmitter for nearby set of wireless earbuds jacked into it. Steven slipped in one of the earbuds before taking the shell. He depressed the shell’s apex and the voice of Soul King Brook, another world’s pirate, turned rock star, turned pirate again, played in his ear.

Oh Yeah! Take it home now!

Steven rolled out of bed, collected his clothes; underwear, jeans, and a black shirt emblazoned with a star; and made his way downstairs to the bathroom. This song was great for maintaining his confidence and hope in tomorrow.

Some people may call my friend a weirdo

And it may be true that he started from zero.

But even though he doesn’t walk the straight and narrow,

He’s got a heart of gold just like a hero.

Oh yeah! Come on baby!

Steven took out his earbuds and removed the jack from the shell to let the music play aloud while he showered.

Men like him can’t help themselves from dreaming.

He gazes towards tomorrow, eyes are gleaming.

But everyday your dream fights against reality, it seems:

A struggle to be freeeeeeee!

Steven knew the need for a confidence booster was real. His life up until recently had been what he had referred to as a ‘bad few months’. Unresolved childhood trauma, coddling from the gems, and quite a few of his own bad decisions had driven Steven to the brink. He stepped out of the bathroom clothed and sighed.

If I were alone, I might surrender.

Weights too heavy for meeeeee.

But when I hear him say “Yeah!”, even I can believe.

Steven shook his head with a smile, taking his pink jacket off its hook and put it on. Steven wandered who Brook was referring to when he said ‘him’. He also wondered who took that place in his own life. Connie? Pilot? His father? The gems perhaps? He looked to his front door with a grin.

Today is the day! We’ll bury all our sorrow.

Time to raise the sails, they’ll tell our tales

Through every tomorrow.

Today is the day! We’re aiming towards a new dawn.

All our doubts are gone, let’s move along.

Cuz it’s time to sail away

Steven stepped onto his balcony to watch the sunrise, smell the crisp sea air, and hear the gulls with his unblocked ear. His time to ‘sail away’ was coming soon, in a matter of weeks perhaps. Now he just needed a way to tell the gems.

For the New world! For the New world! For the New world,

Where our dreams will all come true!

From the view of the nearby shore, Steven craned his neck to look up at his house and the ancient statue of Obsidian behind it. As his eyes passed the fusion’s head, he saw a speck of blue, more visible against the yellow morning sky than it would be later in the day. The young man squinted to confirm the growing speck’s identity before opening his front door and cheerfully calling. “Pearl! Axia’s here!” He knew Pearl could hear him from her room, though he wasn’t sure how. Half of him chalked it up to the almost mystical technology of the temple, the other half suspected something more mundane and slightly aggravating, like a baby monitor.

His consideration was cut short as the visitor came to a stop a few feet above Steven’s decking, a crime novel tucked under her arm. As an aquamarine, Axia was a small gem, Steven knew she was by no means unassuming for it. Most gems, especially those who knew her in the gem war knew her as Aquamarine. Steven however called her Axia, since that was who she had been for most of his time knowing her. Until about two years ago, Axia had been the AI on Pilot’s ship, and eventually adoptive mother of Pilot himself. When the corrupted gems were cured, Pilot had dropped his mother’s CPU into the water along with them, healing the gem inside. Axia still bore some marks of her corruption, most notably in her bangs reminiscent of beetle jaws and her upper wings morphed into opaque wing cases.

“Good morning Steven.” Axia smiled softly. “You are up early.”

“Good morning Axia!” He replied. “Yeah, I’ve started getting up to watch the sunrise.” He leant on the railing and gazed out to the horizon. “It’s one of those little things, you know?”

Axia rested her dainty feet on the railing to watch with him. “Indeed.” A motherly smirk crossed her face. “Then again the sun is 865,370 miles in diameter, so maybe not.” Centuries of communication with Pilots had given Axia a much better grip on turns of phrase and metaphors than other gems, thus giving her the ability to be correct in joking tones.

Steven chuckled as he took out his remaining earbud and put it away with the shell. “How about you? You’re here early. I thought the book club didn’t meet until two.”

“Pearl and I are going shopping.”

“Shopping?” Steven quired. He knew Pearl didn’t want for much in the way of material goods, and they had just stocked up on groceries. “What are you getting?”

Axia shrugged. “Can’t two gems take a break from their adolescent boys for a girl’s day?” She teased gently.

“Yeah…” Steven scratched the back of his neck with a laugh. “Pilot and I can be quite a handful.” The joke had come out more self-deprecating than he meant it to.

Axia was about to assure him that wasn’t what she meant, when the temple door opened. Pearl came out in a rush holding a book identical to the one held by the smaller gem. “Sorry that took so long Aquamarine! I misplaced my book!”

“It’s fine Pearl.” Her fellow gem assured her. “Steven’s been keeping me company. Haven’t you, Steven?”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “Axia just told me about your girl’s day. Hope you have fun!”

“Thank you, Steven.” She replied. “How about you though?”

Steven already knew the question before his guardian could finish it, it was an almost daily query. As hard as she tried not to smother him, Steven knew Pearl feared he would become a depressed shut in ever since the ‘bad few months’.

“Are you keeping yourself busy today?”

Steven didn’t have any particular plans that day. On days such as this he would usually tell Pearl the truth and shrug off her mountain of suggestions with noncommittal responses. Not wanting to have that conversation in front of Axia however, he chose a different answer. “Well, I’m seeing my therapist in the afternoon. As for this morning…” he saw Pearl’s mouth open so answered quickly, “I think I’ll take a walk. After breakfast.”

 “That sounds like a good idea.” Pearl agreed, though she would have truthfully been glad to hear any plan that involved interacting with other people.

“Perhaps you’ll meet Pilot on his run with Kiki.” Axia added.

“They’re out already?” Steven asked. “Isn’t it slightly early for them?”

“Pilot has some important business today.” She explained.

“Really? What kind of business?”

Axia gave a little shrug. “Your guess is as good as mine. You know how he can be.”

Steven most certainly knew how Pilot could be. The kelmep had a history of secret projects which he was evasive about while they were underway. Steven knew he would probably tell them once his project was over and that the project was likely either benevolent or benign. Pilot often displayed a need to hide activities he did for his own enjoyment, as if taking time for himself was an insult to his legacy. It was a feeling Steven understood well.

“As long as he isn’t making bombs under my house again.” Steven joked as he went back inside with the two gems. Pearl and Axia headed for the warp pad as Steven left them for the kitchenette. “Have fun guys!” He called.

“You too Steven!” Pearl replied. “I want to hear all about it this evening!”

“My walk?” He questioned, reaching for an oatmeal packet from the cupboard.

“Yes! I want to hear about where you went, who you saw, and that you had a nice day.”

“I’m sure I will! Bye Pearl! Bye Axia!”

“Goodbye!” The warp pad activated, and the gems were gone.

Steven set about preparing his breakfast, microwaved oatmeal, truly the breakfast of adults and those trying to convince themselves of adulthood. Once the microwave beeped Steven took the bowl, using a dishcloth to protect from the bowl’s heat. He placed it on the table and added some berries.

As Steven sat at the table and ate his breakfast, he gave his day proper consideration, now he didn’t have pressure from Pearl. It was true that he had a notable gap in his day before seeing his therapist. Connie wasn’t available however; she was spending the day studying.

In the end, Steven decided he didn’t have many other options except to do as he had told Pearl he would do. Steven resisted the urge to be pessimistic about his day, walking through Beach City without responsibility or tight schedule had been a luxury he had been long deprived of until recently. Perhaps he would run into Pilot as Axia had suggested. Their time together had diminished as of late; Pilot was spending much more time in space and other dimensions. Steven worried about how few of those adventures had come with an invitation for him.

Steven clenched his fist with determination. He wouldn’t go out for a walk, hoping to run into his mentor, he was going out to look for Pilot, and he wasn’t letting him go without answers.

Steven took his phone, picked up his keys and left for the day.

Chapter Text

As Steven entered Beach City, waving to Mr. Dewey as the former mayor opened the Big Doughnut, he began to wonder how he would find Pilot on his run with Kiki. Steven was familiar with the run the pair took, it was a six-and-a-half-mile circuit that left Beach City, went up to Brooding Hill and came back.  Steven knew that Pilot was a faster runner than himself and that Kiki was no slouch either, trying to catch up with them was a losing prospect. Steven realised that if he walked the route in reverse, he would run into the Pilot eventually. Commending himself on his cunning plan, Steven headed for the run’s start and end point, Fish Stew Pizza.

As Steven approached the establishment, he saw that his cunning plan was unneeded. Standing outside were Pilot and Kiki, apparently back from their run already if their perspiration was to be believed. In the restaurant’s doorframe lent Jenny. “I still can’t believe you don’t have running clothes!” She laughed. “How long have you guys been doing this together? Two years?”

Pilot puffed out his chest in mock offence. “These are my running clothes.” He wore his normal clothing, jeans, black trainers, and a grey hooded jacket overtop his neon blue t-shirt emblazoned with the Pilot’s wavy line in black. “I’ve ran from all sorts in these;” a grin stretched across his grey face, from ear to long, pointed ear, “gems, killer robots, goblins, you name it!” He snickered.

“Wait, goblins?” Kiki questioned.

Pilot ran his hand through his almost black hair embarrassedly. “I kinda crashed a steam powered bike they had invented.”

“You tryna to tell me goblins are real?” Kiki’s twin asked suspiciously.

“Well, not in this world, but yeah.”

“Really?” Jenny interrogated further. “Sounds like made up fantasy nerd stuff to me.”

“I’m not lying, Steven and Connie were there, you can ask the-” Pilot’s eyes locked with Steven’s. “Steven! Hey Steven! Come tell these ladies about Eberron!”

With a smile and a roll of his eyes, Steven approached. “The goblins are real, they shot at us with fireworks and crossbows.”

“And guns!” Pilot added, slightly too enthusiastically.

“They shot at you with guns.” Steven corrected. “But anyway, you two are back early.”

“We had an early start.” Kiki explained, surprised by how easily the young man brushed off being shot at.

“We made good time too.” Pilot noted.

“Well I’m glad you’re here.” Steven replied. “We haven’t seen each other all week.”

“Yeah.” Pilot agreed.

“And when was the last time we went on an adventure in another world?” Steven's questioning tone was reminiscent, but the question clove close to a nagging concern of his. “I don’t think we’ve trained together since…”

“Jasper.” Pilot replied.

Guilt hit Steven right in the gut.

Sensing his emotional pain, Kiki reached out. “Are you alright Steven.”

“Y-Yeah…”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Pilot nodded toward the beach in a suggestion of privacy.

“Alright.” Steven nodded. He headed in that direction.

“We’ll be right back.” Pilot assured the twins before following his apprentice.

Steven was the first to speak when they got far enough that quiet speech would not be heard by the Pizza twins. “Of course, we can’t train together after what I did to Jasper, you could get hurt. I don’t know why I didn’t realise until now.”

“Hang on kid!” Pilot exclaimed. “That’s why you think I stopped sparing with you?”

“Uh? Yes?” Steven responded, suddenly confused. “I mean I have all the power of a diamond. It’s not safe for us to fight.”

“Sure it is!” Pilot retorted with a smile. He remembered when he would kneel to give Steven his assurances. Now they were roughly the same hight, he put a hand on his shoulder instead. “I fight people stronger than myself all the time, plus I know you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I know that you fight better with a clear head.” Pilot explained. “What happened with Jasper wasn’t your fault, she was a terrible teacher, she made fighting all about smashing stuff, there’s more to it than that.”

“Then why did you stop training me?” Steven questioned.

Pilot took a deep breath. “Am I any better than her? Than Jasper?”

“What?” Steven replied. “Of course you are!”

“I was worried that you only trained with me because you thought you had to. Do you like my training?”

“Of course I do!” Steven exclaimed. “It’s like you said, Jasper just made me break things and throw my weight around, you actually teach me. Fighting with you is fun.”

Pilot’s eyes widened with surprise before a somewhat wicked grin crossed his face. “Fun? The incorruptible Steven Universe thinks fist fighting is fun?” He teased.

“His mentor is a terrible influence.” Steven teased back.

Pilot’s wicked grin devolved into a warm smile. “So, we’re good to start training again?”

“Yeah.”

Pilot lifted his head and gave a thumbs up to the twins. “We’re all good!” He called.

“So, you’ve sorted out whatever that was about?” Jenny asked as she came over with her sister.

“Pretty much!” Pilot answered. “Nothing a good scrap won’t solve.” He raised his fists toward Steven.

Kiki stopped. “Wait, what?”

Pilot cocked his head with a smile. “No hits to the neck or crotch, otherwise all powers are legal. What do you say Multiverse?”

Steven considered for a moment before raising his arms to block. “You’re on.” He grinned back. It was a grin Kiki and Jenny hadn’t seen on Steven before. It was rare that Steven Universe ever wanted to fight somebody. The grin was oddly familiar, however.

Pilot moved first with a punch to the face. Steven lifted his arm to block, taking a punch to the side instead.

Steven shrugged off the blow with ease but hesitated to counter. Pilot took the opportunity to kick the side of his knee. Though still nowhere near as powerful as some of Jasper’s blows, a combination of better aim and Pilot’s modest power increase was enough to bring the young diamond to a knee. “You… you’ve gotten stronger.”

“Thank you.” Pilot helped his friend up. “You gotta fight back here man.” He jerked his head towards the twins. “Your making me look like a jerk for beating you up.”

“You aren’t beating me up. It’s just that… I’m worried about hurting you.”

“Steven,” Pilot stood up with his hands on his hips, “hit me.”

“What!?” Steven exclaimed.

“Hit me!” He grinned.

Steven raised a fist. “Are you sure?”

“This is a bad idea.” Kiki objected.

“It’s a great idea!” Pilot retorted.

“Alright!” Steven relented. He swung his fist.

Pilot didn’t budge as Steven’s knuckles met his cheek. “Isn’t one of your powers super strength?”

“I don’t want to punch your head off!” Steven complained, starting to second guess his decision.

“Then don’t.” Pilot instructed, his sagely nod disrupted only slightly by the fist in his face. “Imagine I’m some human mugger, you don’t want to kill me but you do want to knock me into the dumpster a few feet behind me.”

Steven nodded, pulled back his arm and punched again.

Pilot flew about twenty feet backwards, about three times as far as Steven had intended.

“Pilot!?” He called worriedly.

“Yes Steven?” Pilot asked nonchalantly as he sat up.

Steven smiled with relief. “Are you hurt.”

“If I get hit it’s my fault.” He stood up. He raised his fists. “We ready to start for real?”

Seeing that his mentor wasn’t nearly as fragile as he believed filled Steven with determination. He grinned again. “You know it!”

This time Steven got the drop Pilot, charging with a right lariat. Pilot ducked the arm and attempted to repeat his leg sweep. Steven was ready however and leapt out the way, up into the air.

Pilot craned his neck to watch his opponent float. “I hope you don’t think you’ve gotten away!” He leaped high, though not nearly as high as Steven. Pilot bent his leg and kicked. “Moonwalk!” There was a pop as Pilot shot up into the air. He took a second step and was above Steven.

“You can fly!?” Steven asked incredulously.

“Not quite.” Pilot threw a punch.

Pilot found his fist hit against a pink hexagonal pane, cracked by the blow. He saw that Steven stood on a similar structure. “These hexes are cool and all, but whatever happened to your shield? It’s more durable than this.”

Steven briefly looked uncomfortable. “I… can’t summon it.”

“Since when?” Pilot questioned, hanging from the damaged hexagon.

“Since Jasper.”

“I see.” Pilot nodded sympathetically. “I’m sure it’ll come back with your confidence.”

“Yeah. Speaking of.” Steven rotated the hexagon so it pointed downward. Suddenly, it shot towards the beach.

Pilot leapt off just in time, rolling across the sand onto his feet. He glanced to Kiki and Jenny. “You guys might want to stand back. This is about to get interesting.”

Looking at Pilot’s face, Kiki realised she knew where she had seen Steven’s combative grin before. It was Pilot’s.

As the twins fled the field, Steven held out his arms and let his tension release. Hexagons appeared around him. He swept his arms forward.

The pink structures hailed onto the beach as the blue light of Pilot’s warp suit wove around them. “I guess I’ll have to bring out the big guns now Steven.” Pilot leapt away from a projectile before righting himself. “Moonwalk!”  Pilot used both of his steps but wasn’t even close to Steven’s altitude. He leapt from hex to falling hex. He threw out his hand, a black and blue paper ribbon flew out, Pilot’s ribbon of traversal. It caught the edge of the hex Steven stood upon and Pilot reeled himself up.

Steven expanded the hex to prevent Pilot from climbing up.

Pilot drew back his free arm and clenched his fist. “Pistol…”

Steven bent down with his arms ready to grab or counter on the off-chance Pilot got through his platform.

“Fist!” Instantaneously, Pilot’s arm was extended, smashing through the platform and uppercutting the young man who had stood upon it. Pilot grabbed his dazed opponent and drove him toward the ground.

Steven came back to his senses and began to wrestle the kelmep in mid-air, grabbing for a solid hold. “Wow, that one actually hurt a bit.”

As the explosion of sand settled the grappling pair were interrupted. “You guys alright?” Called Bismuth.

“We’re fine!” Pilot called ducking a punch.

“Alright!” Bismuth smiled, being fond of sparing herself. “Sorry I’m late!”

“Late?” Steven questioned, shrugging Pilot off him. “Late for what?”

The pair agreed a truce through glances.

“Oh, right!” Pilot slapped his forehead in recollection. “Lapis is probably waiting for us.”

“We probably shouldn’t keep her waiting?” Bismuth agreed. “Lapis doesn’t want to be anywhere near J-”

“Of course!” Pilot interrupted. “Let’s not keep her waiting!”

“What are you three up to?” Asked Steven.

Bismuth looked to Pilot.

“Well, we’re building me an apartment in Little Homeworld!”

“Really!? But don’t you live on your ship?”

“It’ll be your ship one day!” Pilot grinned. “You don’t want your mentor sleeping in your engine room, do you? But all this will take ages. For now…” He started to leave with Bismuth. “Your training resumes tomorrow, alright?”

“Yep!” Steven agreed merrily. “See you later Pilot!”

“Bye kid!” He waved as he left with the full gem.

Pilot and Bismuth passed Little Homeword on their way. Bismuth glanced at the settlement as they made no deviation in their course to enter. “Do you want an apartment?”

Pilot scoffed. “I’d go crazy in a week.” He shook his head more seriously. “We’ll just tell Steven it’s not an urgent project.”

“Are we ever going to tell Steven about this?”

“Once our real project has succeeded.”

“What if it doesn’t?”

Pilot scowled slightly. “Then he’ll never know.”

“We can’t hide this forever!”

“Yes we can.” He replied, firmly but without anger. “You promised.”

“Garnet will tell him.” Bismuth reasoned.

“Garnet won’t be able to see it, it was my idea.”

“I don’t like it.” The gem admitted. “Going behind everyone’s back like this.”

“Me neither.” Pilot agreed. “But I dislike the alternative more. Don’t you?”

Bismuth thought for a moment. “Steven won’t hear about it from me.”

“I know.”

Chapter Text

Lapis lay back on the branch of a tree. Though her eyes were closed, her scowl showed she wasn’t having much success napping. Paranoia kept her awake, she felt as though she could be snuck up on at any moment. She mentally chided herself, the gem she dreaded the sight of was far too brash to sneak up on her, she would hear her a mile off. But she was at the edge of Beach City Woods, Jasper’s woods, Lapis hadn’t knowingly been so close to the quartz for a very long time and frankly she would have preferred that trend to have continued. Then again, she had insisted on coming, Pilot wasn’t discussing anything with Jasper behind her back.

She was roused by Bismuth’s call. “Hey Lapis!”

Lapis cracked open an eye to aim her wave.

“Are you ready for this?” The larger gem asked as she and Pilot got to Lapis’ tree.

“Not really.” Lapis rolled off the branch, briefly spreading her wings to land softly on her feet. “Let’s go.”

As the trio walked through the forest, Pilot noticed the drowned rustling behind them. “Feeling a bit on edge Lapis?”

Following its controller’s footsteps, a column of water snaked almost silently through the undergrowth. “Just to be safe.” There was no way Lapis was going to visit Jasper without ammunition.

“Alright.” Pilot acquiesced. “Let’s not rush to violence though. If we can’t convince Jasper to work with us, it won’t be safe to build here.”

“Why are we building here?” Bismuth questioned. “I can think of a million better places.”

“Such as?” Pilot requested.

“Little Homeworld?” She offered, somewhat taken off guard by the request, having expected an explanation. “Easy access, plenty of battle-ready gems in case of escape.”

“Plenty of gems to wonder what the mysterious building only us lot are allowed into is.” Pilot added. “Somebody is bound to draw Steven’s attention to it.”

“We could disguise it, say it’s that apartment you wanted built.”

“Steven would be outside the door with a housewarming gift in days.”

“How about Jersey?” Lapis suggested.

The other two turned with cocked eyebrows at her suggestion.

“Steven would never look there!” She elaborated defensively.

Pilot shook his head. “Beach City is in a unique legal position. Gem stuff stays in and around this area and the government politely ignores it. If we build anywhere else, we’ll have cops knocking on our door.”

The two gems considered in silence for a while. “The police can’t get to the bottom of the sea.” Lapis posited.

“Or to mars!” Bismuth added, confident Pilot couldn’t reject this plan and they could thus turn around and leave Jasper alone.

“We’d have to guard the place. We’d be missed.” Pilot objected. “Besides, we’d go crazy, isolated with nobody to talk to but her.”

“Then how about Homeworld?” Asked Bismuth. “Lapis and I can go there and back in seconds thanks to the Galaxy Warp, there are plenty of places Steven won’t think of going too, and there are plenty of gems to talk to.”

Pilot gave Bismuth a slightly frustrated glare. “Yes, let’s put Roxillan right on the Diamond’s doorstep!” He exclaimed sarcastically. “There’s no way that could bite us in the ass!”

Bismuth sighed patiently. “You could have just said no.”

He sighed and nodded apologetically. “I know. But we’ve seen how easily Roxillan can put the Diamonds under her power.”

“What makes Jasper any different?” Lapis asked somewhat venomously.

“She’s desperate. Jasper has repeatedly failed to do right by her diamond and now Steven’s pushing her away. She’ dying for a way to protect him, she won’t let Roxy’s words trick her into failing again.”

“That’s kind of messed up.” Bismuth pointed out.

“Yes.” Pilot agreed. “But Jasper isn’t going to change any time soon so we might as well take advantage while giving her what she wants. Everybody wins.”

Lapis realised there was no other argument she could make to turn Pilot from his destination. “Why did you tell us about your plan, Pilot?”

“Because I trust you guys.” He suddenly smiled. “You’re close enough to Steven to care about keeping him and Connie safe, but you’re not so close that it would be hard to keep a secret from him, like it would be for Amethyst and Pearl.”

“There aren’t any other gems you trust?” Bismuth questioned. “Not Peridot or Topaz or the Off Colours?”

Pilot brushed the back of his neck. “It’s not that I don’t trust them, it’s just that the more people are involved, the more likely it will be that somebody talks. I wanted to only involve as many people as necessary.”

“So, us two are necessary?” Lapis crooned.

“Well, I’ll need Bismuth’s help to build the facility.”

“And why do you need me?” The blue gem flitted in front of him, eyeing him suspiciously.

“Jasper respect’s your power.”

“That’s one way of putting it.” She scowled.

“Your presence should make her listen to me instead of trying to chase me off.”

“I still don’t understand why we need Jasper.” Bismuth interjected. “Us three could guard Roxillan.”

“We’d be missed. Nobody would be surprised if Jasper didn’t leave her forest for months.”

Bismuth nodded.

“Even with me around,” Lapis considered, “Jasper will probably start a fight eventually.”

“Then it will be us against her.” Pilot replied. “What’s more, the pair of us have beaten her before, ay Lapis?”

“Wait?” Bismuth looked the small man up and down. “I’ve heard of all the times when Lapis beat Jasper, but when did you fight her?”

Pilot chuckled nostalgically. “Oh, it was so long ago… I don’t think it had even been a month since I had first arrived in your universe! Garnet was already putting me to work of course…”

…

From his ship Pilot scanned the sea of green below him, searching for a break in the trees where he could safely land. “Well, this is the place.” He smiled.

“You should have taken the gems’ offer to come with you instead of flying off by yourself.” Axia reprimanded.

Pilot chuckled with a shake of his head. “You heard Garnet; this corrupted gem isn’t too tough. Besides time is of the essence, it would have cost us to detour and pick them up.”

“But time is of the essence because Jasper is after it too and they don’t have a warp pad close enough to get here in time.”

“Jasper’s just another meathead. All muscle, no brains.” Pilot replied cockily. “Too easy.”

“You should still take the threat she poses seriously!” His future mother cautioned.

“I will Axi.” Pilot promised. “But I fight people like this all the time. There’s nothing to it. Ah! Here we go!” Pilot saw an outcropping of earth and rock that had been stripped of trees by recent tropic storms. He slowed his ship to a stop and parked on the cliff edge. Pilot took up his opaque helmet and put it on, completing his tight-fitting black space suit before leaving the craft.

As Pilot picked through the forest floor, he focused his senses to find signs of his quarry, a moderately sized, bipedal, ground-living corrupted gem if Garnet’s future vision could be trusted. Pilot’s pointed ears picked out the chorus of birds and chatter of monkeys in the canopy far above him. “The Ie-bae Jungle is far too humid for a space suit. Still, it keeps the mosquitos out.” His iron-coloured eyes scanned the floor, spotting tracks, identifying them just as quickly, and dismissing them with barely a pause in his step. Thus, he stepped over the marks of peccaries, capybara, and at one time the pawprint of a jaguar.

Finally, he stopped, for he came across a most unusual trail. The footprint was somewhat avian, but it was almost wide enough to span a dinnerplate. The distance between the left and right foot, for bipedal the feet’s owner seemed to be, and the depth of their print suggested to Pilot a creature half again the height and weight of a human, large, but nowhere near as large as some corrupted gems could be. Most alien, however, were the geometric imprints made by creature’s wicked claws. Pilot could think of no terrestrial beast capable of making such a track, clearly so freshly laid. He followed its path.

It did not take long for Pilot to catch up with his quarry, even with the stealthy pace he went at. At the first sign of the monster’s purplish-red form, Pilot ducked behind a tree. He listened for the sounds of an agitated sprint through the underbrush or a cry of alarm. Hearing none, Pilot peeked around the tree.

The corrupted gem’s bodily shape was akin to an ostrich or moa with a long, feathered tail, it bore a feathered crest from head to tail and a bolus bill, both tipped with crimson. Combined with its beady black eyes its appearance was humorous, so long as one ignored the long, puncturing claws on its toes and the fingers of its spindly arms, also tipped with red. It seemed nervous, its head twisting this way and that on its long neck, at the base of which sat its oval shaped gem, coloured like wine.

Pilot dipped back behind the tree. He couldn’t be sure if the corrupted gem was aware of his presence, it hadn’t looked his way any more than the other directions. Either way, it would be a cleaner and less dangerous fight if he caught it by surprise. He silently scrambled up the tree.

In the jungle’s understory, Pilot gazed down at his target and considered his next move. The corrupted gem was too far away to leap upon it and there were no branches that could support Pilot’s weight that could bring him closer. He considered descending and attempting to approach through the undergrowth when he spied a length of creeper hanging beside him. Looking up, he saw the vine had come undone at some point, causing it to droop downward with a still strong anchorage above. Under his helmet, Pilot’s eyes gleamed with boyish delight at the plan forming in his head.

Suddenly a streak of orange cut through the undergrowth like a ground-hugging meteor. It slammed into the corrupted gem before it or its other hunter could react, there, on the creature’s throat, stood Jasper.

Chapter Text

Jasper looked down at the corrupted gem beneath her, her hair springing back into a wild mane as her helmet dissipated. Her eyebrow cocked. “You’re hardly even worth my time.” She growled. Her fist caved in its chest, poofing it effortlessly. Jasper picked up the stone and held it up to the light. “Still, I can deprive Rose of-” She turned her head to a sudden undulating yell.

On a vine, Pilot swung in. He reached out for the poofed gem. “I’ll take tha-”

Jasper’s grip on the stone was stronger than it appeared. Pilot hung in mid-air, one arm hanging onto the vine, the other holding onto the gem still firmly between Jasper’s fingers.

“Uh… This is awkward. Would you consider surrendering? I do have the high ground.”

Jasper looked up at the scrawny, spacesuited creature that had so flagrantly tried to steal her prize. It clearly wasn’t a gem. “Earthling?”

“Finally!” Pilot sighed. “You know how many humans mistake me for an alien? I’m just as much an earthling as anyone…”

Jasper stopped listening; earthlings were not worth her time. With a flick of her wrist, the quartz flung Pilot off the stone and into a tree on the other side of the clearing. She turned and walked away.

Pilot gripped the trunk as he landed, turning himself to call out to the gem. “Yeah, you better run! You coward!”

Jasper kept walking.

“Pilot, this is unwise!” Axia warned him. “We should pull out and report to Garnet.”

“I’m not losing this gem.” Pilot replied quietly. “No wonder Homeworld lost the Gem War with soldiers like you!” He shouted.

Jasper stopped.

“You can’t fight her by yourself!” Axia argued.

“Who says I’m going to fight her?” He murmured to the AI. “Come back here and fight me!” He called to Jasper. “Unless you like failing your diamond!”

Jasper turned with a furious grimace. Pilot had succeeded in hitting a nerve, it was a nerve far more sensitive than he realised. “What do you know about the Gem War earthling?” She stomped in his direction.

“I know Homeworld lost, and now I know it was because their armies were full of cowards like you!”

Jasper stood at the base of Pilot’s tree. “You call me a coward while hiding up there!?”

“I’m not hiding!” Pilot shouted back, still clinging to the bark. “I’m waiting for you to put on your big girl pants and fight me!”

Jasper balled her free hand and threw an uppercut, stripping the tree of its bark and blowing Pilot back to ground level. “Get up.” The gem ordered.

Pilot got to his feet. He and Jasper started to circle each other.

“I’m surprised a weakling like you didn’t run at the first sign of my power.”

“It’s nothing to write home about.” Pilot shrugged.

Jasper snarled. “Since you’re such a fool, I’ll let you have the first strike.”

“How do I know you won’t hold that gem hostage when you start to lose?”

“I’m not a coward.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Fine!” Jasper held out her arm and dropped the stone.

Like a bolt of lightning Pilot sped forwards, grabbed the poofed gem, slid through his opponent’s legs and ran into the underbrush laughing manically. As Pilot ran, he contacted Axia. “There you go, nothing to it.”

“Fine. Just get back to the ship before she catches up to you!” Axia commanded.

A roar ripped through the forest behind him. “Get back here!” Jasper sprinted after the kelmep, hot on his heels.

Pilot knew that while Jasper was fast, he was faster. He had to gain lead enough for the ship to take off however. He heard a revving noise and threw himself into the undergrowth.

Jasper rolled through where Pilot had stood in an instant, crashing into a tree some ten feet ahead with force enough to topple it. She stood up, unconcerned with her destructive impact, turning to where her foe had dived. Jasper uprooted plants as she searched for him. “Stop hiding and fight!” Jasper was by no means as intelligent as Pilot, but she knew how to spot signs of her prey. As she pulled up a bromeliad, she saw the marks of Pilot’s arms and legs, crawling away. Angrily ripping up the foliage in her path, Jasper perused. “I’ll find you earthling! Even if it takes-” She stopped as she heard his voice.

“You know, I owe you an apology.”

Jasper stopped tracking and headed straight for his voice.

“I was wrong to call you a coward. Your bravery cannot be questioned.”

“It’s too late!” Barked Jasper. She plunged her hand into the undergrowth. It came up, not with Pilot, but a small statue in his likeness, its head oversized and wobbling.

“Your intelligence on the other hand,” the bobble head stated, “I have cause to doubt.”

Suddenly, something leapt upon Jasper’s back. Its powerful spotted paws sought purchase on her striped body, its deadly canines tried to pierce the helmet she had summoned on reflex.

“Get off of me!” Jasper bellowed. “Get off!”

Some distance away, but still able to hear the roars of gem and jaguar, Pilot stood up and observed the reddish-purple gem in his hand. “As I said,” he panted, “nothing to it.” Soon, he saw the bare cliff he had parked his ship on. The chaos behind him ceased.  He gave a glance back. “She’ll be fine.” He assured himself. “Jaguars don’t eat rocks.”

Suddenly two trees fell. Between them stood Jasper, staring Pilot down and shaking with fury. “You…”

“Fuck.” Pilot responded. “Axi, start the engine.”

“You!” Jasper revved up to charge.

Pilot turned and ran to his ship. “Fuck fuck fuck fuck shit fuck fucking Chorus, fuck oh fuck!” His profanity didn’t cease as he boarded his ship, pushed buttons, pulled levers, and turned dials to take off. Only when he was in the air did he take a breath. “There we go. Nothing to i-” He felt his ship was slightly unbalanced to the left. “Axi, left external camera?”

“Oh my goodness!” Axia’s exclamation was explained by the viewscreen. Jasper stood on the ship’s outer rim, attempting to tear her way inside, screaming with rage.

Pilot screamed back as he rolled the ship furiously. After a few minutes of spinning, Jasper lost her grip and was flung into the green sea below.

 Pilot only breathed heavily as he straightened his ship out. “Damage?” He managed eventually.

“Minimal.” Axia replied.

“And you wanted to bring back up!” He chuckled. “I told you there was nothing to i-”

“Don’t you dare!” Axia interrupted.   

Chapter Text

As the trio approached their destination, Pilot wound his story to a close. “So that’s how I beat Jasper.”

“It sounds more like you ran away.” Bismuth said doubtfully.

“I got the corrupted gem.” He countered jovially. “That means I wo-”

He was cut off as a boulder landed at his feet. They had reached the border of Jasper’s clearing. The delineation was clear for the space’s owner permitted no earthly life to enter, even grass and insects stood to face her wrath for such disturbances. The barren area was equipped with stacks of boulders much like the one that had just landed, and a primitive shelter made from rocks and tarpaulin in the centre. From behind the structure stepped its builder, holding a new boulder.

Jasper was not the confidant beast whom Pilot had escaped all those years ago. Paranoia, not bravado, had prompted her isolation, she bore too many scars from her previous mistakes to be careless. Her skin was marred by patches of green, remnants of her ill-fated obsession with fusion, her distinctive stripes were broken up, the sign of the recent failure to help her diamond. She bore no diamond crest on her appearance modifier, while some gems found such an absence to be a mark of freedom, the loss of any certainty of place made the quartz a prisoner of her own loyalties.

She wore a dirty sheet over her shoulders as a hooded cloak, covering her horns in a show of an emotion new to her, shame.

Even with her devastating fall from grace, Jasper had pride enough to defend her territory. Her hood blew back as her horned helmet appeared. She locked eyes with the intruder, just tall enough to look over her warning rock. “You…”

Sensing impending violence, Bismuth formed her hands into hammers. Lapis took to her wings and raised her hand, the snake of water behind her reared up, forming a fist at its head.

“L-Lapis!?” The quartz stammered before quickly regaining her angry confidence. “What are you doing here!? With her!?” She pointed at Pilot.

“Him!” Lapis corrected just as crossly.

“Thank you, Lapis.” Pilot raised a hand to signal for his compatriots to hold back for a moment. “We come in peace Jasper, we’re all on the same side here.”

“No, we’re not.” Jasper rebuffed. “I have made a truce with you diamond traitors, but I will never be your ally!”

“We are all friends of Steven at least.” Pilot reasoned.

Jasper gave no objection.

Pilot stepped to the side of the boulder and went to step from grass to bare earth. He saw Jasper’s fist clench. He stopped. “May we come in?”

“No.” Jasper growled.

“Alright.”

Jasper stared very hard at Pilot, weak as he was, she knew he wasn’t one to give up so easily, especially with two powerful gem bodyguards. Pilot stood, silent and motionless, Jasper didn’t like it. “You can go now.” She suggested firmly.

“Of course.” He replied, not moving.

After a few more seconds of staring, Jasper turned back to her shelter.

“I suppose we’ll have to come to terms with the fact Steven is going to be kidnapped then.” Pilot stated matter-of-factly.

Jasper turned instantly. “What did you say!?”

“Kidnapped.” Pilot repeated. “Followed by torture and then either brainwashing or death. But I suppose you don’t really care.”

As he expected, Pilot was wrong. Jasper barrelled towards him, lifting him by the shirt and pulling his face close to hers. “What are you talking about!? How dare you threaten my diamond in front of me!” She screamed.

“Do I sound like I want any of this to happen?” Pilot raised his hands to hold off his allies. “If this happens, it will be because of you.”

Hurt twinged Jasper’s face. “I would never-”

“You have a history.” Pilot countered. “Besides, that’s not what I’m talking about. If you don’t work with us, she’ll keep coming and coming for him until she succeeds.”

“Who!? Where is she?” The quartz demanded. “Tell me so I can break her gem down to dust!”

“Well, your latter question is the one on everyone’s lips, or more accurately on the lips of only a few people. It’s probably best to keep quiet on this, the more gems know, the more of them will join her side. We both know Steven’s approval rating is less than perfect.”

Jasper nodded at Pilot’s words. “Who is she?”

“Ah.” Pilot smiled. “It seems we’ve reached the part of the conversation where you put me down. It feels like you’re about to kiss me and that’s uncomfortable.”

Jasper dropped him in disgust and took a step back. “Who is she?” Jasper repeated.

“Roxillan.”

“The Silver Duchess.” Jasper hadn’t been on Homeworld during Roxillan’s brief reign, but she had heard accounts, first from Steven and then from random gems she had demanded details from. A kelmep, the same species as Pilot, with the power to subvert the mind of White Diamond. “I will destroy her!”

“No, you won’t.”

“You can’t stop me, kelmep.”

“You can’t succeed, quartz.”

“I’ll shatter trying.”

“And a fat lot of good you’ll do!” Pilot snapped harshly.

“Why did you even come if you don’t think I can do anything!” Jasper shouted back.

“You can listen to our plan and help us.” He replied with a calmness that made no apology.

Jasper screwed her hand into a fist and, with a frustrated yell, slammed it into her boulder, cracking it in half. “What’s your plan?”

“First, you must swear to secrecy.”

“You already know I wouldn’t betray my diamond.”

Pilot shook his head. “No one can know, not even Steven.”

Jasper tensed, suspecting a coup. “You’re doing this behind our diamond’s back?”

“If he knew what we were doing with Roxillan, he’d try to redeem her. You know how he is.”

 Jasper had to nod. Back when she mistook him for Rose Quartz, Steven repeatedly tried to reason with her, no matter how much of a threat she was.

“He’ll play right into Roxillan’s hands.” Pilot explained. “So, do you swear?”

Jasper clenched her jaw before answering. “I swear.”

“On Steven’s life?”

“On Steven’s life.”

Pilot’s face became much more genuinely friendly as he nodded to Bismuth. “Go ahead.” He sat on one half of the boulder.

Bismuth cleared her throat. “We want to build a prison, here.”

“Why?” The quartz questioned.

“Pilot thinks this is the best location.” Bismuth answered. “My design is made to prevent Roxillan from using her powers to escape. However, she needs to be guarded and cared for while Pilot finds a cure for her affliction.”

“Why?” Jasper repeated.

“So she doesn’t escape?” Bismuth replied. “What are you asking?”

“Why don’t we just destroy her!?” Jasper elaborated, furious that such an obvious solution was so hard for the others to grasp.

“It doesn’t work.” Lapis explained. “Every time we beat her, she comes back.”

“Clearly, all of you are too weak to put her down properly!”

“You think!?” Lapis shouted, water column rising again.

Pilot’s knowing chuckle took everyone off guard. “So, that’s what’s wrong.”

“What do you mean Pilot?” Bismuth queried, still ready to fight.

“Stand down friends.”

As Bismuth and Lapis grudgingly took a step back, Pilot took a step forward into Jasper’s domain. The quartz’s eyes flashed with murder. “Get out.”

Paying her warning no heed, Pilot recounted his deduction. “The moment you heard that this plan was mine, as opposed to Steven’s or another gem’s, you stopped listening. I had tried so hard to come across as strong by my words alone, but I see you’ve already formed an opinion of me.”

“You mocked me and ran away. I would never follow such a weakling.”

“People change Jasper. I’m stronger than I was back then. Pistol Fist!” Pilot’s fist was suddenly in Jasper’s chest.

With a grunt, Jasper scraped a couple of feet backwards on her ankles.

“What happened to ‘we come in peace’?” Lapis asked, somewhat glad for an opportunity to beat on Jasper.

“Just proving my strength.” Pilot nodded. “You guys take a break.”

“You proved nothing.” Jasper growled. “You’re stronger than I thought, but you are still a weakling!”

“Then fight me.” Pilot grinned with grim determination.

Jasper didn’t give him a moment to run as she swung her fists down at him.

Pilot flexed out of the way. “Paper Art.” Under the hail of fists his body fluttered like a flag in the wind, bending at angles which should have been impossible.

Jasper stopped swinging for an instant to observe her handiwork.

The unharmed kelmep swung back. “Pistol Fist: Spots!” Pilot’s right arm moved so quickly it seemed to divide into four to six blurred appendages, battering Jasper’s head, arms, and torso.

Jasper couldn’t raise her arms to attack or defend from the onslaught of punches only slightly weaker than the single strike. She was strong enough to swing down her head. Her helmet didn’t touch her opponent, he was gone. “Where!? Where have you run to!?”

A pebble hit the back of her head, prompting her to turn and see Pilot standing outside her shelter. “I haven’t run anywhere.” He rubbed his arm. “Spots still hurts.” He muttered to himself.

“You should have!” Jasper revved up into a ball and charged.

As the quartz launched herself, Pilot seemed to disappear. Less than an instant later, Jasper was stopped mid-roll, Pilot stood directly beside her, unmoving, with a fist in her gut. “Iron Barricade.”

Jasper let out a low whine as the air inside her was forced out. She staggered backwards, noiselessly as she tried to keep herself from falling apart from the full force of her charge being redirected into her stomach. She fell to one knee.

She looked up to see Pilot’s index finger, pointed at her forehead as if he was mimicking a gun. “I could poof you right now.” He stated grimly.

“With your finger?” She managed.

Pilot raised his finger from her before jabbing it into a nearby boulder at blinding speed. “Finger Pistol!” He withdrew his unharmed finger from the hole it had bored into the rock, before pointing it back at his foe. “No fusion, no tricks, just you versus me. Am I still weak Jasper?”

“I’ll guard your prison.” She answered quietly.

Instantly, Pilot’s usual friendly demeanour returned. “Excellent!” He held out a hand to help her up.

Jasper stood up by herself.

Pilot lowered his hand. “Well, Bismuth will tell you about all the details of the prison itself, I’ll try and find some other trustworthy gems to watch the prison with you.”

Jasper stopped on her way to the builder gem. “You said more gems knowing about this could endanger Steven.”

“Yes, but I can’t expect you to want to watch her all the time, can I?”

“Yes, you can.” The quartz stated. “For Steven.”

“If you say so.”

Jasper barely gave a nod as she went to Bismuth. “What sort of prison will I be guarding? How many prisoners besides the Duchess?”

“None.” Bismuth replied. “This prison is just for her, made to counteract her powers.”

Jasper nodded. “I’ll clear the area.”  She turned on her shelter with destructive intent.

“Wait!” Bismuth called. “That needs to stay standing.”

“Why?”

“Steven might come visit you. He’s nice like that.” Pilot explained. “We need to give the impression that nothing’s changed.”

“We’ll be building underground.” Bismuth unfurled a blueprint. “The station will be entirely self-sufficient with three backup generators to power the rooms lighting. She can use shadows so the cell will be lit from all angles.”

Jasper pointed to chains attached to the walls. “Primitive restraints.”

Bismuth looked uncomfortable.

“If her legs can move, she can teleport.” Pilot explained. “If her arms are free, she can use her spear.”

“She will be restrained at all times?”

“Yes.”

Jasper looked at the restraints dispassionately. “Steven wouldn’t like this.”

“That’s why he can’t know.”

Jasper nodded. “Is she dangerous in a fight?”

“If she dies, she’ll reform in another dimension. She’ll have escaped.”

As the three went into finer detail, Lapis watched them like a hawk. She knew that her role in Pilot’s little plan was now complete, her presence had given him enough time to talk to Jasper before the meeting devolved into a fight. She knew Pilot well enough to know he wouldn’t throw her away or turn on her, but she wasn’t about to let this new working relationship he had with Jasper develop behind her back.

Suddenly, Pilot perked up. He slipped on his sunglasses and, after a few seconds, turned to the winged gem. “Peridot’s looking for you.”

“What for?” She asked, inwardly suspicious that he was trying to be rid of her.

“Apparently you are late for, and I quote, ‘Our totally garbage Camp Pining Hearts reboot marathon and fanmorp day’.”

Lapis realised Pilot wasn’t making things up. “That was today!?”

“Apparently.”

“Son of a bitch!” She exclaimed.

“Lapis!” Bismuth chided.

“I really wish I hadn’t taught you to say that.” Pilot sighed. “But anyway, you ought to go. We don’t want Peridot to get suspicious.”

“Right.” Lapis spread her wings and darted above the treetops. Another flap and she left her allies and Jasper behind her. She flew in the direction of Little Homeworld, she flew towards home.

Chapter Text

As Lapis saw the wind tower in the centre of Little Homeworld, she swooped low. She didn’t want any other gem to grow suspicious of the direction she had come from. She soared around the outer wall before gliding up and over.

Many gems waved at her as she flew overhead, and she did her best to wave back. The freckled lapis lazuli she had met on a distant planet spotted her and changed her course to fly alongside her. “Hey Lapis!”

“Hi Lapis.” She replied.

“Your Peridot was looking for you. She seemed kinda freaked out.”

“Thanks.” Lapis flapped her wings to bolt ahead as her informant peeled away.

Lapis pointed her feet downwards and landed on her balcony. She, Peridot, and Pumpkin lived together in a small apartment just beside the greenhouse Peridot taught horticulture in. Despite her and Peridot’s powers of flight, they only lived one floor up so as to always be withing shouting distance of Bismuth’s and Meygareath’s homes. Used far more often than their actual front door, the balcony’s French doors showed Peridot’s lid leant against it on the inside, with her railpistols laid on a nearby shelf. It was a sign that Peridot was in, back from looking for her. She let herself in.

While their home was never perfectly tidy, the apartment was in a far worse state than Lapis had left it in that morning. The comfy chairs in front of the old-fashioned television had been tipped over, their wardrobe had been gutted, her hammock had been ransacked, and in the middle of all of this was Peridot in a state of extreme agitation. “Lapis!”

“Peridot!” She rushed over to her, putting hands on her shoulders. “What happened? Who did this?”

Peridot didn’t seem to register the questions. “Have you seen Pumpkin!?”

Lapis’ eyes widened as she started to panic too. “Not since I left this morning. I’ve been out.”

“Out where?”

Lapis looked away for a second. “Just out.” She looked back to Peridot. “When did you last see her?”

“About an hour ago.” She recounted. “I went out to look for you and when I came back, she was gone!”

“Gone?”

“Gone!” Peridot confirmed. “I’ve looked all over the apartment!”

A terrible thought struck Lapis. “Could she have gotten outside?”

Peridot paled with horror. “What do we do!?”

“We should ask around!” Lapis decided. “Maybe somebody’s seen her.”

So, in less than a minute, the pair were on street level calling for their pet. “Pumpkin!”

“Pumpkin!” Peridot yelled. She ran up to a group of quartzes, booting up her tablet. She held it up magnetically, showing a picture of herself and Lapis with Pumpkin laid across their laps. “Have you seen this pumpkin?” She asked.

“No, sorry.” Cherry Quartz replied.

“Your pumpkin’s missing?” Biggs enquired earnestly.

“Yes!” Peridot cried, teary-eyed. “She’s nowhere at home and Lapis thinks she might have gotten outside!”

“We’ll help you look!” Crazy Lace offered. That was the nice thing about Little Homeworld, problems like this were shared.

While the quartzes went off in one direction looking for Pumpkin, Lapis and Peridot wracked their metaphorical brains for where she might have gone. “Pumpkin’s a smart girl, I taught her everything she knows.” Peridot thought aloud. “If she found herself alone outside, she’d go to a gem she knows.” She saw the forge out of the corner of her eye. “Like Bismuth!” She cried, running to the building.

“I don’t think Bismuth is in!” Lapis called chasing after her.

“What makes you say that?”

“Um, no reason. Let’s check!”

As Lapis had known, Bismuth wasn’t in. The forge was dim and no hammers rungs. They searched the forge for Pumpkin, leaving it in much the same state as their home before leaving empty handed.

They looked around. “Who else would Pumpkin go to?” Lapis wondered.

“How about Black Opal?”

Black Opal was in her lab, the place she or her components most often were when they weren’t on the beach. Black Opal wasn’t a permafusion but her constituents fused often enough that it was never a surprise to see her. She was a slender fusion, dark indigo skin flecked with neon green freckles on her cheeks, shoulders, and four arms. Her violet hair seemed straight until one reached the tightly bound ponytail, where it exploded into a bouquet of curls tipped with green. She wore a darker green knee length dress and a pair of green-tinted half-moon spectacles balanced on her pointed nose without limbs. She was sat at her work surface, carefully weighing a live crab. The round gem on her shoulder pointed towards the door, the triangular one on her chest catching the light as she turned to face her visitors. “Lapis! Peridot!” Her smile fell as she saw their faces.

“Have you seen Pumpkin?” Asked Peridot. “She’s missing!”

“Oh dear!” The fusion exclaimed nervously. “Ow!” She gently picked up the crab that had just pinched her and placed it in a large container ladled ‘For Release’ in gem glyph. “Perhaps she’s on my wildlife camera traps.”

The fusion split apart, with the pigtailed peridot running off to check the tapes and the purple pearl staying to get more details. “What time did she disappear?”

“About an hour ago.” Lapis answered.

Pearl’s fellow constituent returned. In lieu directly answering, she took Pearl’s hands and swung her around until they disappeared lin light. “She’s not on the cameras.” Black Opal reported.

Peridot’s face fell.

“Maybe she’s with the Papersmith?” The fusion offered.

Peridot perked up. “You’re right!” She exclaimed. “Meygareath petsits for us all the time!”

“Well there you go!” Black Opal grinned. “I’ll go and collect the latest footage while you’re there.” She picked up her container of crabs for release and dashed out the door.

“Black Opal is such a nice fusion for helping us.” Peridot considered on the way to their next destination.

“Yeah.” Lapis agreed. “I wonder what it’s like to fuse with somebody you care about…”

Peridot was about to reply, when she came to fully comprehend what the blue gem’s uncharacteristic interest in fusion. “Oh, Lapis, I didn’t mean to make you feel-”

Lapis shook her head. “You didn’t. I was just thinking about it is all.”

“Oh.” Fusion as a topic had always been one Peridot had skirted around with Lapis. To begin with the only accounts, they had was Peridot’s failed attempt with Garnet and Malachite, the less said about her the better. When Warp Peridot, Peridot’s fusion with Pilot, had been born, Peridot had been hesitant to even let Lapis know. When she had found out, the open discussion had dwindled as soon as Lapis knew Peridot wasn’t being hurt. “Thinking about fusion?”

“Yeah.”

“You fusing?” Peridot held out a hand.

Lapis instinctively flinched away from the silent offer. “Oh look! We’re here!”

Meygareath’s home was a small bungalow, for Meygareath’s time on ships had made her averse to sleeping above ground floor. It was perhaps one of the most normal looking buildings in Little Homeworld. The walls were red brick and the roof was tiled with slate, to match her red and black conceptual alignment. Hung from the eaves of her house were paper chains and ribbons, some baring conceptual power, others hung for religious reasons.

Peridot’s sense of rejection was immediately erased as Peridot recalled the present situation. She ran up and banged on the wooden door. “Meygareath! Meygareath! Papersmith!” Meygareath’s was one of the few doors in Little Homeworld to be kept locked most of the time.

“Nuak! I’m coming!” After a few moments, Meygareath, the half kelmepi papersmith, opened her door. She wore a rose-coloured summer dress, an apron, and sandals, she had a red paper bone folder in the place of a hairpin to keep her brown hair out of her grey face, she had clearly been painting when she was interrupted. “Woman-Peridot? What is wrong?”

“Pumpkin’s missing!” Peridot exclaimed.

“Koras ah rinner touva!” The half kelmep responded. “How terrible!”

“Have you seen her?” Asked Lapis.

“Let me see...” She thought for a bit. “I think I saw her playing with Lion an hour or so ago.”

“Lion!” Peridot exclaimed. “Where is he?”

“He was playing with her behind my house, but he left a while ago.”

“Did you see where Pumpkin went after?” Lapis queried.

“No, sorry.”

“Maybe Lion knows where Pumpkin is?” Lapis considered.

“How are we meant to find Lion!?” Peridot bemoaned. “He could be anywhere!”

“Steven and Connie never seem to have trouble finding him.” Lapis noted morosely.

“I have Steven’s home number!” Meygareath pulled out her mobile triumphantly. She opened her contacts, selecting the number before putting the device to her ear. “Ah, answerphone.” She shook her head. Seeing how disappointed the pair of gems were, she thought again. “I believe Pilot has Steven’s mobile number. I’ll call him!” She tapped her half-brother’s contact on her phone. When he picked up, she instantly switched to Conceptual. “Yosaigen istkelmvir! Yeva le saium. Pilot, ah guatepman laba Steven? Ye-ep ah yerok eh touvir mirselodelm. Touvir ah hurrok eh kelmva-Lapis laba kelmva-Peridot lon rovtuwafelm uku.” She stopped to let Pilot respond. “Servir len mirmosst!?” She exclaimed. “Opp- A. A. Yosaigen. Yeva len guatepman laba servir.” She put her phone away disappointedly.

“What did he say?” Asked Peridot.

“He’ll call him later.”

“Later!? But this is urgent!”

“I told him.” Meygareath agreed. “He said he was very busy.”

Lapis looked down to hide her guilt.

“No matter!” Meygareath declared. “I’ll help you look until he calls back.”

Thus, the search continued. Searchers would ask other gems if they had seen Pumpkin, when they answered in the negative, they would then offer to help look. Eventually, the entirety of Little Homeworld had been brought to bear, with gems lifting up increasingly improbable hiding places, all while calling both for Pumpkin and for Lion.

“Maybe they aren’t in Little Homeworld anymore.” Topaz considered.

Peridot whimpered at the thought.

“You’re right!” Zebra Jasper agreed. “We need to search the surrounding area.”

With a nod, Snowflake Obsidian created an ice pillar to stand on and drew everyone’s attention. “Alright everybody! We’re going to split up into three groups to look for Pumpkin. Topaz?”

“Yes snowflake?”

“You and your group will keep looking here in case we’ve missed something, or she comes back. Is that alright?”

“Sure!” The fusion smiled.

“Good!” Snowflake nodded. “Peridot, Lapis, since you’ve had the longest to get to know the local humans, you’ll lead the second group into Beach City to look there!”

“Yes!” Peridot almost saluted.

“As for my group,” the gem on the ice pillar continued, “we will search the woods! Jasper might give us some trouble, so only join my group if you think you are ready for that!”

There was some nervous murmuring at the mention of Jasper, but a few particularly large quartzes did step forward to join Snowflake, along with little Larimar. The other gems split roughly in half, with those more familiar with humans joining Lapis and Peridot’s group while Meygareath and the remaining gems congregated around Topaz.

Suddenly, just as Snowflake was about to jump down and lead her militia away, Lapis flew up to stand on the pillar. “Wait!”

The crowd fixed their attention on her.

“I’ll go to the forest, by myself.” She declared. “Jasper knows better than to bother me.”

“I guess.” Snowflake conceded. “But still, it’s a lot of ground to cover by yourself. You should take some gems with you.”

“No!” The blue gem replied, slightly too quickly. “I’ll be faster flying by myself.”

Peridot stared up at her friend, wondering why she was so vehemently against assistance. An alert on her tablet distracted her. After a few moments of reading, her face lit up. She called her metal lid and rose above Lapis and Snowflake. “Hey everybody! I just got an email from Connie! She’s found Pumpkin!”

The audience erupted into cheers as they, the entirety of Little Homeworld’s population, prepared to march to Connie’s house.

Sensing what was happening around her, Meygareath tried to get the crowd’s attention. “My friends!”

She was drowned out by the noise.

“Excuse me!” She shouted.

Still, none noticed her.

With a frustrated exhale, the papersmith slipped on a red paper choker, lined with black parabolas. “YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!!” Her voice boomed supernaturally.

The mob fell silent.

She slipped off the choker. “Thank you.” She paused long enough for the non-existent ears of the nearest gems to stop ringing. “I know everybody is excited that Pet-Pumpkin has been found,”

Some quartzes started cheering again before her look silenced them.

“but Connie’s mother would probably be upset if we all arrived uninvited at once.”

There was some apologetic murmuring as the crowd came back. Being half human, and thus the most human resident of Little Homeworld, Meygareath was a trusted source of human etiquette, despite most of her knowledge being outdated by a few centuries.

“Woman-Peridot, Woman-Lapis, she’s your pet.” Meygareath advised. “Why don’t the pair of you go and collect her?”

“Right!” Peridot agreed, flying away on her lid with Lapis right behind her.

Chapter Text

Connie sat on the doorstep to her house. On her lap lay an animate pumpkin, to her side dozed a teleporting pink lion. She stroked the gourd with a hand wrapped in silver and teal paper ribbons, capable at her silent command of becoming any one of six swords. She looked up to see two aliens in the sky, flying towards her. Part of her wondered how things had gotten to the point where none of this was strange.

Her day had truly turned from the ordinary only a little while ago. Like many of her recent days, Connie had decided to dedicate this day to study. She smiled at the “100%” on her computer screen. It was only a practice test, but it boded well for real ones.

Her eye was drawn to the beep of her phone. Connie knew that to study authentically, her phone should have been off, she however kept it on in case of important calls and callers, such as the person who had just texted her, her mother. She checked the message.

“How are you doing honey?”

Connie smiled. “Good.” She texted back. “I just aced my second test in a row.”

“Well done!” Her mother sent with a bunch of emojis, clearly trying to be supportive and relatable to her teenage daughter but ultimately succeeding only in making her cringe. “What in?”

“English Lit and World History.” Connie replied. “I also did algebra but I only got 97%.”

“That’s still an A+!” Priyanka reminded her. “Good job! What are you going to do now?”

Connie thought for a moment. “I’m taking a study break. I’ll do biology after.”

There was a brief pause before the reply came. “Why don’t you take the rest of the day off?”

Connie blinked at her phone in disbelief. “Mom?”

“You could take Lion or the bus into town, find Steven or your school friends.”

“Are you telling me to skip my studies and hang out with my boyfriend?”

Another pause. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Most moms would be telling their daughters to stop doing that LOL.”

“Most of mothers don’t have daughters as intelligent as you.” She posted a cat emoji, quickly replaced by a smug one. “You are doing very well, and I don’t want you to burn out. You deserve some time off.”

Connie looked out of the window. It was a beautiful summer’s day, for most kids her age, studying was the farthest thing from their minds. “I guess you right.” Connie texted. She stood up from her desk, feeling slightly lost.

Her mother had given her some suggestions, but she knew that her friends from school would be busy with their own revision.

Steven was a strong contender, she knew, he was never busy nowadays. Connie paused; she didn’t like that description of her boyfriend. She didn’t like the thought that he did nothing with his life. As she thought about it however, she realised that Steven had never held a paying job.

“So what?” She chastised herself aloud, walking downstairs. “It’s not like I rely on him for money or anything.” She took out her phone to call him but stopped. Steven didn’t have much in the way of hobbies either. Sure, he was preparing for his big tour of the states, but that wasn’t for a couple months, most of his days were filled with cursory glances at maps and reviews of tourist spots followed by not much when he wasn’t seeing his therapist. “I gotta find him a hobby.” She admitted. “Maybe I can get Pilot to start training him again?” She moved her phone to her non dominant hand and reached into her pocket, it had been a while since she had trained with Pilot as well, so it was probable that a meeting with him would only end one way, not that she minded.

From her pocket leapt a long strip of teal and silver paper, her ribbon of memory with her swords stored within it. It wrapped snugly around her palm and wrist, fitting like a fingerless glove.

She was about to text Pilot, when a pink light flashed briefly outside her window. She snatched up her house keys and strode over to her front door. If Steven was visiting her, Pilot could wait.

On opening the door, she saw Lion, as she had expected, but no sign of a rider. It wasn’t that strange, Lion visited Connie just as often as his supposed master, truly belonging to neither household.

“Hey buddy!” Connie grinned, coming up to pet the beast. “What are you doing here?”

Lion chuffed slightly as he allowed himself to be pet.

As Connie scratched behind the pink beast’s ear, she noticed a flash of orange as he shifted his mane. “Huh?” Curious, she took a deep breath before sticking her head into Lion’s mane.

She looked around the airless dimension. There was no unusual sign of orange.

Taking her head out, she went slightly behind Lion’s head and lifted his mane gently. There, nestled in a nest of pink fur, slept Pumpkin.

“Why did you bring Pumpkin?” Connie questioned.

Lion’s eyes widened as he realised that he had a stow away. He shook his great back just enough to wake the gourd.

Pumpkin’s eyes opened and she jumped down. She looked around. Where was she? She thought she might remember it vaguely. Where was her mommies? She started barking.

Connie reached out her hands gently. “Hey, hey…”

Pumpkin calmed down to a whimper as she let Connie scoop her up into her arms.

Connie walked the pet back to her porch, Lion following beside her. “You seem pretty stressed out. I guess that means you aren’t as much of an outside pet as Lion. Lapis and Peridot are probably worried about you then.” She sat down and pulled out her mobile again.

Despite an interest in Earth culture, human friends, and many otherwise untouched incomes, very few gems had mobile phones, Pearl was the only full gem Connie had on her contact list. Peridot did have a tablet, however, and Connie knew her email address. She sent a short email to her explaining Pumpkin’s sudden arrival and enquiring to how much of a concern the arrival was.

In less than a minute, Connie received Peridot’s response, a long rambling thing that extoled Connie as “an exemplar of her species” and “the joint-second-best friend ever”. Connie’s eyes skimmed over the praise and picked out the details of import; Pumpkin had gone missing and Peridot and Lapis were on their way to Connie’s house to collect her.

Thus, Connie found herself; sitting on her porch, pink lion to her right, animate pumpkin on her lap, waiting for the gourd’s alien guardians to come and collect her.

As she saw the gems in the sky, Connie started waving, unsure if they would be able to make her out from so far away. If Peridot didn’t remember the way to Connie’s house, then hopefully the sight of Lion and their fellow Crystal Temp outside would clue them in.

The gems homed in and were shortly coming in to land on Connie’s driveway. Connie gave Pumpkin a little nudge awake before turning her to face the newest arrivals.

Pumpkin’s eyes locked with Peridot’s and widened.

“Pumpkin!” The green gem happily cried, jumping off her lid. She fell on her face but looked up entirely unfazed, so happy she was.

Pumpkin leapt from Connie’s lap, barking and whining with excitement as she scampered to her owners. She overshot in her excitement and as she tried to come to a stop. She rolled, bumping into Peridot’s visor. Quickly regaining her bearings, Pumpkin nuzzled the Peridot’s face.

Peridot scrabbled to her feet, picking up Pumpkin in the process and holding her close. “Where have you been?”

“We were so worried!” Lapis added, placing a hand on their pet.

“I think it was an accident.” Connie explained. She got up to join the reunited trio. “It seems she fell asleep on Lion’s back and he forgot she was there.”

“What!?” Peridot exclaimed. She handed Pumpkin to Lapis and took a couple of steps towards Lion. “You big clod! Bad Lion! Bad!”

Lion looked up from his nap with his usual impassive look, not the least bit intimidated. Connie’s more intimate familiarity with the beast, however, hinted at some sheepishness to her, at least a little.

“He didn’t mean to take her.” Connie assured Peridot.

“Well…” Peridot stopped as the pair caught what Lapis was saying behind them.

“Oh, Pumpkin, mommy’s been so worried about you. Mommy’s so sorry for leaving you alone this morning.” She held her pet close.

“Mommy?” Connie turned with a smirk.

Lapis lowered Pumpkin with darkening cheeks. “Well… yeah… Peridot and I sometimes call ourselves that.” Connie was the first person to have discovered this facet of their lives that Lapis found so embarrassing.

Though she knew her friend’s feelings, Peridot felt no such shame. She ran over, scooping Pumpkin up from Lapis. “Ah! Pumpkin! Mommy’s so happy you’re safe! When we get home, you can pick any season of CPH you want! Mommy Lapis will even let you watch from her hammock! Er, right Lapis?”

“Y-Yeah.” She replied, aghast with humiliation.

“So, both of you are Pumpkin’s moms?” Connie questioned.

“Yeah!” Peridot exclaimed proudly.

“Oh.” Connie glanced from gem to gem. “Are you guys… you know?”

“Huh?” Peridot raised an eyebrow.

Less oblivious than her fellow gem, Lapis’ eyes widened. She gave a subtle glance over Peridot. She bit her lip. “We should get back home. The others will want to know that Pumpkin’s alright.”

“Oh right!” Peridot exclaimed. She passed Pumpkin back to Lapis and turned to her lid. Suddenly, she turned back to Connie. “Hey Connie! We’re watching the Camp Pining Hearts reboot back home, you wanna join us?”

Connie thought for a moment. She had never been a huge fan of Camp Pining Hearts; it was before her time. What’s more, what she had heard of the reboot was far from a glowing recommendation. “You guys go ahead. I’m kinda busy.”

“Ok then!” Peridot shrugged, boarding her lid. The gems, with Pumpkin in Lapis’ arms, flew back the way they had come.

Connie watched them go, with Lion wandering up beside her. A few moments after they left her vision, Connie remembered her own plans. “So Lion, do you know where Pilot is?”

Lion stood firm, with certainty, inviting the young woman to climb on his back.

Connie took the beast’s invitation. Once his passenger was aboard, Lion was possessed with sudden energy. He bounded out of the Maheswaran’s driveway and down the street. He gave a mighty roar which tore open a great portal before him. He leapt through, leaving the street silent once more.

Chapter Text

Beach City Woods were quiet. The forest had a remarkable ability to return to its natural stillness in short order. One would not be able to tell how close they were to the clearing of the rampaging quartz who claimed herself this land’s mistress. The emerald glow of sunlight through leaves met a sudden pink light. Lion’s portal ripped through as he bounded out with Connie on his back.

As Lion came to a stop, Connie disembarked. She took a few steps forward. “The woods? Are you sure Pilot is-” She felt something. She saw a figure fall upon her with a heavy strike. She stepped aside.

Her prediction came true an instant later as Pilot dropped from above where she had stood. He landed perfectly balanced to look at her. “You’re gaining awareness.”

“You let me predict you.” She countered.

“I wanted to see how you were doing.” He smiled. “Hello Connie!”

Connie relaxed slightly and smiled back. “It’s been a while Pilot!”

“You’ve grown so much!” He exclaimed, mock emotionally. “I used to be taller than you!”

“It’s been like a week Pilot.” Connie responded.

Still playing his melodrama, he put one hand on her shoulder and another on his chest. “And what a woman you have become!”

Connie gave a slightly annoyed look at his teasing. “Are we going to fight each other now?”

“Absolutely.” Pilot’s melancholy mask instantly became a wicked grin. Pilot threw a punch.

Connie stepped away just in time, the ribbon on her hand reforming into a pink, blue, and silver longsword she held in both hands. Though this blade was one of the three made for Stevonnie, Connie had since grown tall and strong enough to wield all the ribbon’s blades bar the oversized greatsword perhaps.

Connie swung the sword sideways. Pilot blocked the blade with his arm. His hand was black. It wasn’t a new ability of his, he’d had it for a year at least, but he had yet to explain it.

Connie unleashed a flurry of slashes as her sword slimmed into a rapier. “Purple Quartz Whip!” She danced around her opponent, looping the blade this way and that, the air cut in its wake turning an amethyst hue.

“Paper Art!” As he flexed away from the slashes, Pilot knew the purple trail did more than look pretty. Each vasha stained line could cut like steel. “Moonwalk!” He lunched himself out of the cage she was building for him, returning to the canopy.

With a flick of the wrist, Connie’s lines collapsed on each other, forming an instantaneous tornado which vanished just as quickly. Connie looked up into the branches. Connie was by no means helpless above ground level, but Pilot was a master of concealment and without a weapon, he could move around up there like a monkey.

Suddenly flashbang pellets rained down. Connie dodged and deflected the bombs until she heard Pilot’s voice.

“Tempest Kick!” A crescent of compressed air sliced into the ground, blowing dirt, rocks and leaf litter into Connie’s face. As Connie regained her sight Pilot’s feet hitting her chest as he swung into her on his ribbon before disappearing into the safety of the high foliage.

She had to keep better track of him. “How do you do all this stuff?”

“Learnt it in another world!” Pilot replied.

“What other world?” Connie called, following the sound of his voice.

“Wouldn’t you like to- Oops.” He realised what she was doing.

Before he could get away. Connie swung her sword upwards, turning it into a longsword as she did. “Pearly Gate!” The momentum of the weightier blade, combined with a small conceptual wind, lifted Connie into the air. She made eye contact with Pilot as he reeled out the way of her extended slash. She threw herself into a summersault, building momentum. “Bismuth’s Hammer!”

The sword hit Pilot’s blackened crossed arms. Though it didn’t cut, the titanic force broke the branch beneath him and shot him into the ground.

Pilot got up as Connie landed. “Pistol Fist!” His fist clashed onto the flat of Connie’s blade. The fact that the sword did not break was proof to Pilot that his apprentice’s power of armament was growing just as strongly as her power of observation, even if she didn’t realise it. Suddenly, he felt a shockwave emanate from her. It must have caught her by surprise too, for she flinched in response.

Around them, birds and squirrels fell out of the trees like hammers.

Connie backed off in astonishment. “Pilot?”

“It’s ok Connie.” He assured her.

“Are they dead?” Connie tried to keep Pilot’s cool head, but she had never frightened herself with her abilities like this. What if she had killed every animal in who knows how large a radius? That created a second dreadful thought. She looked over her shoulder.

Lion was very much alive. He was on his feet, staring at her with uncharacteristic alertness.

Piot shook his head. “They’re unconscious.”

“You didn’t look.” Connie knew Pilot would lie to protect her innocence.

“I don’t have to.” Despite his words, Pilot turned around and scooped up a squirrel. It didn’t move, but it was breathing. “See.”

“So, you know what that was?” She asked.

“Conqueror’s haki.”

“What?”

“You extended your vasha out to everything around you. Everything whose fighting spirit wasn’t strong enough was overwhelmed.” He explained. “It wasn’t a particularly strong wave; they should wake up soon.”

As he spoke birds lifted off from the bushes and flew away, a little woozy, but otherwise no worse for wear. The squirrel in Pilot’s hand also awoke. Being a wild animal, it turned on him.

“Ah! Ow! Get off!” Suddenly he stood up straight and fixed the rodent with a menacing gaze. “I said get off.”

Connie felt a deathly cold breeze emanate from her mentor.

The poor creature froze in terror, allowing Pilot to pick it up and put it on a nearby tree, where it scampered away as fast as it could go.

“You can do it too?” Connie questioned.

“Yeah.” Pilot nodded, not looking at her as he answered.

She was about to ask further questions about her new gift when she heard heavy footfalls behind her. She turned to see Jasper.

“What was that!? You…” The quartz growled at the swordswoman.

“Her!?” Pilot exclaimed. “I thought what we had was special!”

Jasper glanced over to Pilot. “Is she allowed here?”

“Allowed?” Connie questioned.

“What do you mean by that?” Pilot asked in support of his apprentice. “These woods are a public space! No one can ‘own’ them! Not even you! Who do you think you are accosting innocent walkers?” Despite his words, Pilot shook his head behind his apprentice’s back to signal that, no, she was not permitted here.

Jasper caught on to the message and summoned her helmet. “Get out!”

“Make me.” Connie shifted her blade into a gladius, the smallest of her swords, but the one best equipped to pierce a gem’s hard-light body.

Pilot put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s not worth it. Let’s go.”

“But-”

“Be the bigger woman!” Pilot called over his shoulder, already walking away. “Let’s go Lion!”

Lion made no move to obey Pilot’s command until Connie reluctantly turned from the looming gem and followed her mentor. As they went, Connie glanced over her shoulder and watched Jasper slink back the way she had come.

They were deeper in the woods than Connie had expected them to be so the walk was longer.

“What were you thinking about?” Pilot asked her suddenly.

“When?”

“When you unleashed your haki. It’s often linked to high emotions.”

“I was thinking about Steven.” She told him.

“Ew! Not those high emotions!” He teased.

Connie thumped him on the arm. “Not like that!” She took a breath. “I thought you could start training him again. I’m worried he’s scared of his own strength.”

“Well, I have good news for you. I started training him again this morning.”

“Really?”

“Yeah!” He replied. “Great minds ey?” He ruffled her hair, a ridiculous move considering they were now the same hight.  

Connie chuckled as she batted his hand away. As her mind settled, she came across another question. “What were you doing out in the woods Pilot?”

Pilot stopped at a tree and rested a hand on it. Lodged in the trunks bark was a piece of metal, the broken off blade of some kind of knife. The rust and how the tree had grown around it suggested it had been there at more than a couple of years. “I was doing some thinking. About the past.”

Connie put a hand on his back. “Are you ok.”

He cheered up unconvincingly fast. “All the better for seeing my apprentice!”

He led Connie out of the woods, they headed towards Little Homeworld. “Should we keep training here?” She asked.

“No, sorry.” He replied. “I promised to see my sister.”

“Oh, ok.” Connie nodded, slightly at a loss for what to do with herself.

Pilot noticed her lost look. “Connie? Could you go check on Steven for me?”

“Sure. Why?”

“Eh, He’s been out of training for a while and I don’t think he expected me to be as strong as I am. I just want to make sure he’s ok.”

“Ok, will do!”

“He should still be in town.” He nodded in the direction of beach City.

“Thanks!” She hopped up on Lion’s back. “Say hi to Meygareath for me!”

“Got it!” Pilot waved her off as she rode away into a portal. “That was a close one.” He sighed to himself.

Chapter Text

Pilot knew the way to the papersmith’s house easily, he went there often enough. The streets of Little Homeworld however were choked by merry crowds. “Pumpkin! Pumpkin! Pumpkin!” The gangs of gems chanted in celebration. One large mob had in the centre the very gourd they were celebrating, held aloft and surfing the crowd. Above hovered Pumpkin’s owners, Peridot and Lapis, both hovering their hands around their pet in case she should fall. Pilot tried to catch Lapis’ eye in search of an explanation, but she was too preoccupied with her charge.

Pilot shook his head as he took to the rooftops to bypass the odd celebration.

He swung down to the doorstep of Meygareath, his half-sister. He rapped the door. “Meygareath?”

A few moments later Meygareath got to the door and opened for him. “Brother!” She smiled. “You came! Come in.”

Pilot stepped inside. Meygareath’s furnishings were many, creating a closeness that one who had grown up on a ship found comfortable. She had three comfy chairs around a coffee table and a currently unlit fireplace, the half kelmep was only moderately social and rarely found need for any more seats. She had shelves, easels, and desks, many with her papersmith works lay upon, bringing the room in closer. To one side of the room was a doorless doorframe through which one could see her kitchen, home to her only three electric devices, a fridge, an oven, and a charger for the phone Pilot had bought her. Of course, her house was fitted with electric lights, but Meygareath kept them shut off when sunlight was available, she was still somewhat technophobic. On the rooms other side was a closed wooden door which led to her bedroom, Pilot knew.

“You thought I wouldn’t come?” Pilot questioned, moving to sit in one of the chairs.

“You sounded busy when we spoke on the phone.” Meygareath folded her arms. “Too busy to help find your friends’ pet?”

“Yes.” He agreed apologetically. He finally sat down. “I see Pumpkin has been found though.”

“Yes, by your apprentice, Connie.”

“Really? I just saw her! She told me to say hi to you for her!” Pilot grinned.

“Oh? What a small world!” Meygareath smiled before remembering her manners. “Can I get you some tea, brother?”

“I might come back for that.” He chuckled with a shake of the head. “Your tea may be the best on the continent, but I can’t stay long. I have promised to visit someone else too today.”  

“I see.” His sister nodded. She sat in her own seat. “Then what did you want to talk with me about?”

“I’m here on business.” He leant back and tapped his fingers together behind his head, he always hated talking business with family, but his half-sister was the only papersmith he knew.

“You want something made? It need not be business. I wouldn’t dream of charging my baby brother.”

Pilot shook his head. “It is urgent, Meygareath. I wouldn’t have you put your paying commissions aside to make me a gift.” Pilot knew that his sister had a demanding market for what she made. Gems, having lived in a society based on pure physics and the reason that came thusly from it, saw the crafts she made as almost magical. Many gems would take what money they earned in Beach City and hand it over to her in exchange for some paper tool or art piece.

“If you insist.” Meygareath relented. “What is it you need made?”

“I need something that can supress the power of conceptual manipulations.” Pilot stated. “Can you make something like that?”

“No.”

“It is better to keep secrets than tell lies.” Pilot recited.

“That is a hill kelmep phrase.” Meygareath pointed out distastefully. “Did you get it from him?” Even when she was unhappy with Pilot, she cared enough to skirt around the name of Ulndae, Pilot’s abusive grandfather.

“From Roxillan.” Pilot replied, half realising it himself. “But you can make it?”

“Yes, it is within my capabilities to make.” She admitted. “But such a thing could be used against you.”

“It is worth the risk.”

“But why?” She asked. “I cannot imagine any use for it that doesn’t harm you.”

“Or Roxillan.” Pilot suggested.

Meygareath gulped. She understood the threat Roxillan posed, but Roxillan had been a dear friend in the past. “I do not know if what I can propose would be as effective as you imagine. It would be a ritual tag. I can think of no way of preventing her from removing it that would be simpler than killing her.”

“Define simple.” Pilot raised his hand and shook his head. “I meant more in terms of deactivating conceptual traps, making black spindles safe to handle, freeing people from her control without hurting them.”

“Oh! Of course.” Despite what she said, Meygareath looked over her brother with suspicion. “I can do that for you.”

“Thank you. How much would I owe you?”

“Not much.” Meygareath replied.

Pilot placed the exact amount requested on the table. If humans and gems could be as concise in their measurements instead on relying on their mathematical fiction, then all transactions would be this easy.

“Be careful with it.” Meygareath told him, not reaching for the money. “As well as limiting conceptual power, it will hurt you if your skin touches it.”

“Could extended exposure kill me?” His eyes locked her with concern, but not for his life.

“You’re going to use it on her.” She accused breathily. “It wont work, I can’t conceive of a way to stop her from taking it off.”

“I can.”

“What are you doing Pilot?” Meygareath asked, frightened.

Despite his awareness of its origins, Pilot repeated the hill kelmepi phrase. “It is better to keep secrets than tell-”

“Your father’s side, the river kelmep, have sayings about secrets too.” Meygareath interrupted, a hint of mounting anger in her voice. “As poison kills a man, secrets kill a family.”

“Then why did he keep them from me!” Pilot yelled suddenly, rising from his seat. “Why wouldn’t he tell me we were family!?”

Tears appeared in Meygareath’s eyes. “I… He…”

Pilot’s face fell. “I don’t know where that came from.” He turned so his tears would not be visible. “I’m sorry.” He went for the door.

Meygareath dashed from her chair to block him. “He loved you!”

“He barely spoke to me.” He wasn’t angry anymore; he didn’t have it in him to raise his voice to his only biological family.

“It hurt him to even look at you. To see you and not tell you.” She wept. “Roxillan told us that your grandfather would have you killed if you found out. She forbade us from telling until we knew you were out of his reach. It killed us, all of us.”

Pilot fell into Meygareath’s arms. “Why? Why did you let her leave then? She took me back to him!”

“We were taking you to a creche in Ireland. Roxillan had wanted to take you further away, to France Spain, Morocco, but we found those creches attacked by humans. We stopped in England on the way back to resupply. One moment you were there…” She choked up. “Then, you and Roxillan, you were gone. Our father went looking for you. The world ended before he came back.”

“Apart from you and Barnaborus, which members of the crew were my family?” Pilot asked.

“By blood or by marriage, all of us.”

“And now it’s just us.” He clung to her and cried as if at any moment she would vanish from his arms.

“They might be alive.” Meygareath insisted. “We found each other.”

“Finding you is more than enough of a miracle for me.” Pilot squeezed her. “But I’ll never stop looking, I promise.” Pilot unknowingly repeated the last words Barnaborus ever uttered to his daughter.

Meygareath bit her lip. “What are you planning to do with your mother?”

“I’m going to find what changed her and fix it.”

“Why do you need the item you asked of me for that?”

“I can’t let her be free to kill while I search for a cure.” He came clean. “I’m going to hold her prisoner, and I can’t let her use conceptual power on her guard.”

“You have a guard?” Meygareath questioned.

“Yes. Jasper.”

Meygareath stepped back in shock. “As in the Woman-Jasper who lives in the woods? You trust that beast before your own sister?”

“I had to. I need the prison built on her land.”

“Who else knows?”

“Bismuth and Lapis, no one else.” Pilot fixed her with a suddenly stern look. “And no one else can know, it would endanger everything.”

“You should have told me everything from the beginning.” Meygareath gave a betrayed scowl for a moment. “I won’t tell anyone.”

Pilot glanced to the money he had put on the table.

“I will also help you in any way I can.” She confirmed.

“Thank you,” Pilot bowed, “And I’m sorry.” Suddenly, the moment was broken by a beeping from his clothes. “Crap. I’ve got to go.”

“Where are you going?” She questioned.

“To see a friend.”

Meygareath gave her brother one last suspicious gaze.

“I’m not lying.” He insisted. “I promised to spend time with someone this afternoon.”

Unable to find a lie on his face, Meygareath nodded. “Alright. Goodbye brother!”

As Meygareath saw him from her house, Pilot looked up and down the street. He turned his attention upward to a nearby tower. The top of the tower had a landing pad, marked with his symbol. On this pad rested his saucer shaped spaceship. “See you later sister.” He smiled before casting his ribbon to the tower’s top and drawing himself upward.

Meygareath re-entered her home. Once she had closed her door, she put her back into it, pressing her palms into her forehead. “Chorus preserve you Pilot! I hope you know what you’re doing.”

Her eyes found the money Pilot had left, payment for the accursed sigil. She could start working on it right away, but she was in no state of mind. She crossed the room. Arriving at an easel with a canvas, covered in case her guest had been its intended recipient. She the uncovered the barely started gift, a painting of Lapis, Peridot, and Pumpkin.

Chapter Text

It seemed that Little Homeworld could celebrate Pumpkin’s safe return indefinitely. Blue Pearl was drawing posters of the gourd and they were being hung up as decoration all over the settlement. Pumpkin statues were being carved out of ice by Snowflake Obsidian and Little Larimar. In addition, every gem wanted to hold Pumpkin of course and hear the tale of how they had eventually been found by Connie.

Though grateful to her fellow gems for their aid in searching for her pet, Lapis could see that all the passing around was starting to tire Pumpkin. She glided over to Bixbite, the current holder of Pumpkin. “Alright! Pumpkin needs her rest! She’s had a long day.”

“But I’ve only gotten to hold her twice!” Nephrite, who was next, complained.

“Maybe you can hold her again when she’s had some rest.” Lapis scooped up her pet from Bixbite’s arms.

Peridot, who had never allowed herself to be far from Pumpkin since her return, nodded to Lapis as the three of them flew up to their apartment.

Peridot hopped off her lid and opened their balcony door for Lapis to carry pumpkin through. As Peridot placed the lid beside the door and closed it, Lapis set Pumpkin down in her own hammock. “There you go baby.” She set the hammock to swing gently. “Hey Peridot, I’m not really in the mood for so bad it’s good stuff, why don’t we watch some classic CPH toda-”

Lapis turned to see Peridot watching her, arms folded, not with anger but with a great deal of discomfort and concern. “Malachite doesn’t work.” It was almost a whisper.

“W-What?” Lapis knew she couldn’t have heard her friend right. Her mind must have been playing tricks on her after the stress of having to deal with Jasper and search for Pumpkin all in one day.

“You know what I said. Please don’t make me say it again.” Peridot looked down, deeply uncomfortable. “You and Jasper don’t work together.”

“I know that!” She took in a sharp breath, hating how her words made her friend flinch. “Why are you saying this now?”

Peridot took a step back. “I-I know it’s upsetting to hear, but you’re my friend, my best friend! I can’t just stand by and ignore you sneaking into the woods to fuse with Jasper!”

“Oh.” Lapis thought. “Oh no. Son of a bitch.”

Tears appeared in the smaller gem’s eyes. “She’s going to hurt you! What if Malachite takes the pair of you back into the sea and we can’t find you? What is Pumpkin going to do without you? What am I going to do without you!?” Peridot started to cry under the burden of a day’s imagined tragedies.

This was horrible. The pit of Lapis’ being gave a lurch, so sickened she was that her actions had made her best friend feel this way. Pilot’s secret was not worth this. She had to come clean. She reached over and held Peridot’s shoulders, crying herself. “I’m not leaving you! I’m not trying to fuse with Jasper, I never will!”

“Then what are you hiding in the forest?”

Lapis was about to tell the truth when she stopped. As much as she cared for Peridot, she could not be trusted with a secret. Roxillan was dangerous and needed to be contained, her agents had targeted Peridot in the past. ‘Almost cut my gem in half’ was a phrase Lapis never wanted to hear pass the green gem’s lips again. Additionally, Peridot was almost as likely as Steven to naïvely try to save Roxillan, to put herself in the position where the kelmep would be free to- She didn’t want to think about it. “I’m spying on her.”

“Spying? Why?”

“Well,” lying was nowhere near as easy as Pilot made it out to be, “you know how all that bad stuff with Steven happened after he went to Jasper?”

“Yeah?”

“Well I want to make sure that something like that doesn’t happen again. So I’m watching her every now and then.” Lapis was relieved to find herself at the end of her lie, so long as Peridot didn’t ask any difficult follow up questions.

“Can I come with you from now on?”

Son of a bitch. “What? No, it’s too dangerous! What if Jasper sees you?”

Peridot stood up a little taller. “You’re looking at the first and only full gem to have poofed Jasper.”

Lapis gave Peridot a hug. “Please, just let me keep you safe.”

Peridot thought for a moment. “Ok. But you promise you aren’t fusing with her?”

“Of course. I want to fuse with somebody who’s good for me and Jasper really, really isn’t.” She let go of her companion and started for the television. “Let’s watch some Camp Pining Hearts.”

Peridot turned on the spot to follow her. “Lapis?”

“Yeah?”

“You want to fuse with someone?”

Lapis stopped, VHS tape in hand. She ran through what she had just said and found the implication. She had been against fusion for so long that she hadn’t given it proper introspective thought. She looked at Peridot’s face. She saw comfort, interest, and possibly hope? “Sure, why not?” She made herself smile.

“Really? That’s great!” Peridot grinned back. Though she kept quiet about it, Peridot kept track of Lapis’ road to recovery from her time as Malachite. The green gem considered a desire to fuse again a huge, but not necessary, step for her friend’s overall happiness. “We should celebrate!”

“Yeah!” Lying was getting easier, Lapis didn’t like it, though she thought it was to do with her friend’s smile returning. She put down the tape.

“We don’t have to do anything big if you don’t want to. Maybe a commemorative meep morp?”

Lapis took a deep breath and switched on a radio playing soft music. “Peridot, fuse with me.”

Peridot’s jaw dropped. “You want to fuse with me?”

“If you’d like to.” Lapis comforted herself in knowing that what she had said was less of a lie. At that moment, she would have done anything to make her friend happy, it was the least she could do after making her so sad. She held out her hand.

Peridot took it and pulled her inward.

Lapis gasped slightly, having not expected the smaller gem to lead.

Peridot paused until her friend regained composure. She span with Lapis before coming to a stop and stepping her back.

They stepped forward again and came together. This was it, their motion and minds synchronised and fusion was imminent. Lapis flinched as if a bomb were about to go off between them.

Peridot let go. “I can’t do it. I’m sorry Lazuli.”

“What? Of course you can! You fuse with Pilot all the time!”

“We don’t do it all the time,” Peridot responded, “Only when we both want to, you don’t want to do this Lapis.”

“But I want to be able to fuse with you.”

“Then we can try again when you’re ready. We can try tomorrow if you wanted or wait one thousand years. I’ll be ready. But for now, let’s just watch some Camp Pining Hearts.”

“Ok.” She replied, ashamed of herself.

As Lapis shut off the radio, Peridot started off one of the many tapes. She chose an episode from season 2, Lapis’ favourite. The pair sat down in their comfy seats and Pumpkin hopped off Lapis’ hammock to lay on Lapis’ lap.

As the opening credits started, Lapis glanced over to her friend. “Hey Peridot?”

“Yes Lazuli?”

“What do you think our fusion will be like?”

Peridot thought until the last episode flashback was almost over. “I think they will be cool like you, maybe with green wings and lightning powers. What do you think?”

Lapis shrugged. “I don’t know, that’s why I asked.” In truth, Lapis didn’t care what their fusion looked like or what it could do, if they were half as good as Peridot that would be more than enough for her.

The show opened on a star filled sky.

Chapter Text

The stars on screen elongated as Pilot’s ship accelerated to faster than light speeds. On the foundation of the alliance between Earth and Homeworld, the Galaxy Warp had been repaired and Pilot had understandably been given an immediate lifetime ban, considering how destructive instantaneous travel could be when he was involved. For Pilot, the only way to visit distant planets was the old-fashioned way, in a spaceship a thousand times more advanced than anything humanity could offer in this dimension.

Pilot sighed as he made slight adjustments to the wooden ships wheel and shook a spontaneously appearing magic 8 ball, giving a small smile to the good fortunes it promised. He missed having his mother on board all the time, she could wire herself in remotely at any time, so bonded was she to the ship, but Pilot didn’t want to bother her on her girl’s day.

There was something else to. The main reason Pilot was making this trip was to leave his Earth problems on Earth, but they followed him. As good as he was at it, Pilot didn’t like lying to his friends and family. Part of him thought that maybe if he came clean, all of them could find a better solution together. Was that worth risking Steven and Connie for though?

“No.” He replied aloud. “I’ve got this.”

He wasn’t dealing with it entirely alone, he reminded himself mentally, Bismuth and Lapis were in on the secret too. Though he hadn’t told them, their roles were more than just his builder and Jasper’s handler, they were there to make sure he was still doing right by the ones he was lying to, to keep him from going too far into his own head or from overstepping the bounds of morality out of desperation or vengefulness. As the inventor of the breaking point and the thief of Earth’s oceans respectively, the pair were admittedly odd choices for the task, he trusted it to them though regardless.

Feeling slightly freer from his worries, Pilot let his mind drift to other things as he flew to Homeworld. While Pilot wasn’t allowed on the Galaxy Warp, he could still make use of it. The link of warp energy between Earth and Homeworld, restored by the Galaxy Warp’s reconstruction, made a two way “tide” of warp energy. By riding this “tide”, a journey that once took hours now only took minutes.

Soon, Pilot approached his destination, he wrote some rude words on an artist’s tablet to bring himself back into physics abiding speeds. He pressed a piano key to communicate with Homeworld. “This is Pilot, requesting permission to dock in the Palatial Facet.”

A gem answered him. “Pilot, your ship is of a non-standard code, please provide your name, designation, and reason for visit.”

“Every time.” He thought to himself. “Pilot, Pilot, fun!” He stated.

“Please give genuine information, I’m just doing my job.”

“I am.” He replied. “I’m probably on a sign near your desk, name on top, the words ‘will park unhelpfully out of spite’ underneath.”

There was a pause.

“Palatial Dock Alpha, Bay Twelve. A gem will be there to guide you in.”

“Thank you.” Pilot hung up and flew to the requested dock, a large structure branching above the nearby buildings like a metal tree. He set the ship down on the landing pad he was directed to by a quartz with glowing sticks.

As he got off his ship and tossed the quartz a gold coin, he looked towards his destination. “If this is Dock Alpha, why are we so far from the damn palace?”

“There’s a hover rail that goes straight there if you want.” The quartz offered, taking a break from deciphering what she was meant to do with the bit of yellow metal. “The station is just below us on floor-” She stopped when she saw Pilot’s smile.

“Nah.” With that, Pilot leapt off the edge of the docks.

As Pilot fell, he cast out his ribbon and pulled himself into a wall to run along. At the buildings far edge, he leapt to pneumatic tube and grinded along it, jumping to swing from a communications dish. For all its remaining problems, Pilot had to admit, Homeworld’s extreme verticality made it fun as hell to free run through.

He had gotten the same kick two years ago too, though muted in his rush to save his friends from Roxillan. Now, instead of drawing weapons or raising the alarm, gems waved to him as he dashed past. He flew over a small bridge as a gaggle of sapphires crossed. As he continued on his way Pilot pondered for a moment. “Gotta make the old man proud, don’t I?” He cast back his ribbon with a chuckle, drawing himself in so as to hang from a light post installed on the bridge. “Hello ladies.” He saluted.

A few giggled and waved back as he launched himself back on course for the palace.

“Nice!” Pilot caught another light fixture with his ribbon, swinging from it to give himself the hight needed to nail a flip followed by a three-point landing in the Diamond Palace’s courtyard.

“You know there’s a hover rail, right?”

Pilot looked up in surprise. “Dad!? What are you doing here?”

There, beaming down on him, was Mighty Spark, the large metahuman, the previous Pilot and the current one’s adoptive father. “What do you think?” He grinned.

He stood upon the shoulder of Blue Diamond. “Oh, hello Pilot! What are you doing here?”

“Oh, just visiting.” Pilot replied.

“Just like me!” Mighty Spark exclaimed. “I’m just here telling Bluebell here about the glory days, inviting her on an adventure or two now Yellow can shrink her down for a while.”

Blue giggled a little. “Well, I suppose I could…”

“And you guys aren’t dating?” Pilot asked doubtfully.

“Of course not.” Blue chuckled. “A diamond with a human? Can you imagine the scandal?”

“I can.” Mighty Spark purred suggestively to her.

As Blue started laughing again, Pilot made a quiet exclamation of disgust. “See you later dad! Have fun with your giantess girlfriend!” He made his way into the palace.

The palace was a complicated maze of rooms, all with doors and ceilings built for diamonds. Pilot had little trouble navigating however, since the door panels had been built to be operated by pearls and he was familiar with the building. As the architecture became more and more dominated by pink, he entered the room he was looking for, a room slightly smaller than many others.

It was a previously ornate room, with pink crystalline walls and columns. It had since gained many other decorations, mostly gifted by Pilot himself. Skateboards, a radio playing punk music, a record from a band called Star Destroyers with a matching jacket all lay on the back wall with a succulent from Steven.

“Spinel?” He took a step into the room.

“Pilot!” From above the doorframe, Spinel dropped on her guest.

The pair crumpled into a pile on the floor, both laughing. “You got me!” Pilot admitted.

“Now you gotta tell me everything you’ve done since you last came!” She demanded, beaming.

“Alright, alright! Where should I start? How about my race with the so-called Speed Demon?”

Spinel’s eyes widened as she helped Pilot up. “Yes!”

“Ok. Pearl and I were making a delivery in this city, Midgar I think it was. I ‘borrowed’ a motorcycle from the local law enforcement to speed things up. I drove while Pearl sat behind me, dealing with the automated security and such.  We’re making headway when this leatherpunk hipster rides out of nowhere on the most beautiful machine I’ve ever seen on a pair of wheels.”

“What was it like?”

“It was like a bullet with engines. They sang like the Chorus! Paint it blue and it would have been a goddess! He didn’t deserve it!” Pilot shook his head. “I could tell from how he acted. He saw us, looked straight past me and started calling at Pearl.”

“What did he say.”

Pilot did a very unflattering impression. “Hey baby! Why don’t you dump that shrimp and ride with the Speed Demon!” Pilot rolled his eyes. “And he didn’t shut up! Pearl told him no repeatedly, but he kept following us. Eventually Pearl got sick of him and gave him a piece of her mind. Now I usually let Pearl stand up for herself with losers like him, don’t help unless she want’s help. But this guy was an ass! I told him if he didn’t shut the hell up, he wouldn’t have anything to ride but his hand that night!”

“What?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Pilot shrugged. “He challenged me to a duel. What he didn’t know was that I wasn’t duelling him, I was mugging him for his ride!” Pilot gave an excited cackle. “Anyway, I was riding alongside him, he’d pulled out a sword, so Pearl was dealing with that. I would have been riding circles around him if the police bikes in that city weren’t total crap, he kept using his better speed to run away and throw lightning at us. Pearl was getting sick of him and was about to just shoot the bike out from under him. I couldn’t let that sexy thing get hurt in his place.”

“What did you do?” Spinel asked, at the edge of her metaphorical seat.

“I told him exactly what I thought of him, made him so angry he rode right at us! I hopped the curb and sent us flying over him, the back wheel caught him right in the face.” He punched his hand for emphasis. “I took Pearl, we got on his bike and we rode off before he was even back on his feet.”

“Wow!” Spinel exclaimed. “I wish I could have been there! I’d love to see a motorcycle, and lightning, and cities with humans in them.”

“There’s plenty of that on Earth.” Pilot offered.

Spinel backed off from him. “You know I can’t go back there.”

“Sure you can.” Pilot smiled supportively. “You can’t just wait for me to come back and tell you about my adventures, you gotta make some of them yourself.”

“I know, but-”

“You managed that concert I took you to pretty well.”

“That wasn’t on this dimension’s Earth. I never tried to destroy that one.” She looked away sadly.

“So that’s it. Spinel, a lot of people have forgiven you, I think you should be one of them.”

“Can I come with you?” Spinel asked.

“To Earth?”

“No!” She replied suddenly. “To other places, where we can help people.”

Pilot smiled.

“I want to do a few more good things before I go to where my bad thing happened.”

“Alright.” Pilot nodded. “But for now, can I show you something?”

“Sure!” Spinel grinned. “Where is it?”

Pilot took a step for the door. “Grab you coat babe, we’re hitting the town!”

A few minutes later Pilot and Spinel, in her Star Destroyer’s jacket, were on a hover rail back to Dock Alpha. Spinel feared that Pilot would try to coerce her onto his ship and whisk her away to Earth but her fears were allayed when he stopped her at the road level entrance. “I’ll be right back.” He promised. “And if I’m not right back you can go and do whatever you want.” He hastily added. Pilot knew, Spinel still had fears of abandonment, so in addition to his specifying words, he placed her with a group of friendly gems to show off her jacket to while he was gone.

Spinel was getting relaxed in her conversation. “Yeah the human who gave us our jackets was really excited, I think she knew I wasn’t a human, kind of.”

She was distracted by a voice behind her. “Hey Spinny!” Out of the elevator to the docks came Pilot. He had swapped his usual jacket for one that matched Spinel’s. He wheeled out a heavy-duty motorcycle, its blue paint glistening. “What do you think?”

Spinel leapt over to circle the vehicle. “Is this the bike you took from that guy?”

Pilot nodded proudly. “Peridot, mum, and I have made some improvements. I was going to tell you how I won an anti-grav rally on this, but why don’t we take her for a spin, Spinny?”

“Heck yeah!” Spinel exclaimed.

As Pilot mounted his bike he handed his friend a pink helmet. “Put this on. Mum will kill me otherwise.”

“It’s in my colour.” Spinel recognised.

“It’s Steven’s.” Pilot explained, donning a black one with a blue tinted visor. “You can borrow it though.”

With helmet on, Spinel climbed on behind Pilot.

“Hang on.”

Her inverted gem pressed into his back. “Let’s go!”

With a chuckle, Pilot turned the throttle. The bike shot off like a bullet.

Homeworld had never seen such a vehicle tear up their streets.

Spinel cackled with delight. “Woo! This thing is crazy! I can’t even hear myself! This thing’s so fast!”

“You think it’s fast now!?” Pilot boasted. He pressed a button and the tyres burst into blue flame.

Gems that day reported a distant drone, followed by a loud roar that vanished in an instant, replaced by a rapidly fading streak of blue.

On the bike, Spinel was hysterical with excitement. “Oh my stars! This is the best thing ever!”

“Glad to hear it!” Pilot grinned madly. He was possessed by the machine. He was speed.

“Pilot!? Pilot!? There’s a building ahead! Aren’t we gonna turn!?”

“Didn’t you hear me say ‘anti-grav’ rally?” Pilot popped a wheelie and made no shift in course. As the front tire touched the wall, the bike shot up the tower.

“What the heck!?” Spinel exclaimed.

Pilot only smiled as he turned just over halfway up the tower, shooting the pair off the building’s side. Before gravity could reassert itself, they landed on the side of another building, riding its outer wall. They accelerated as they hopped again and again, from building to building like a sone across a sideways lake.

“We’re flying! We’re flying!” Spinel declared.

“Kind of!” Pilot shouted back. “There’s the palace!”

“But we’re running out of buildings! We aren’t gonna make it!”

“Sure we are!” He assured her as they flew off the last building. Pilot pulled a lever and two paper ribbons, thicker and stronger than the one around his wrist, shot forwards, wrapped around one of the palace’s spires and pulled itself in. As the bike was above the courtyard, the ribbons let go and the bike landed in a meteor of warp energy. “The suspension’s alright too.” Pilot added.

“Pilot, you’re incredible!” Spinel hopped off the bike and squeezed him.

Pilot looked away embarrassedly. “Oh, I don’t know about th- Mum!? Pearl!?”

Chapter Text

There, with a hand on her hip, was Axia. “Picking up chicks on your motorcycle already Pilot?” His mother gently teased before turning to an astonished Pearl. “He gets it straight from his father you know.”

“I-I see.” Pearl shook her head before coming to her senses. “Pilot! You kept Roche’s bike?” She demanded critically.

“Well, yeah.” Pilot deployed the bike’s stabilisers, dismounted, and removed his helmet. “I warned him. I told him if he kept harassing you, I’d steal his bike. He has no one but himself to blame.” Seeing Pearl was not satisfied with the answer, he changed the topic. “So, what are you guys doing here? How’s your girl’s day going?”

“Oh, it was a lot of fun!” Pearl replied. “Humans have such fascinating material goods to distract themselves with!”

Pilot glanced over the pair’s lack of bags. “Did you buy anything?”

“Yes!” Pearl beamed, pridefully retrieving her day’s shopping from her gem. “It’s an ornament for your pen that resembles a ladybug!”

“Wow.” Pilot nodded supportively.

“We’ll have to go shopping again some time, Aquamarine wanted to check on you though.”

“Really mum?” Asked Pilot. “How come?”

“I…” Axia shrugged. “It’s silly really. I saw a young man shopping for a binder and thought of you.”

“What’s a binder?” Asked Spinel, taking off her helmet with an elastic bounce of her head.

“This.” Pilot pulled his shirt down a bit to show her his.

“It looks kinda tight.” She pointed out.

“It’s to give me a more masculine figure.”

“Give you a what?”

“It makes me look like a guy.”

“But you are a guy!” Spinel retorted.

“I wasn’t born with a guy’s body Spinel.” Pilot explained.

“If you weren’t born with a guy’s body,” Spinel questioned, “How do you know you’re a guy?”

“Spinel!” Pearl suddenly chided. “That is a very inappropriate question!”

“It’s fine, thank you Pearl.” Pilot assured her. “I figured out who I was a few years before becoming the Pilot actually.”

“How?” Spinel leant towards him, as she often did when expecting a story.

Pilot leant back on his motorcycle. “I suppose I could tell you about this…”

…

The Pilot opened a hidden door half buried in the snow of the frigid fifth floor of the prison Impel Down. Though the snow was ankle deep, he did not shiver in his sleeveless black top, cargo shorts, and flip flops, even with his muscular arms and lower legs exposed to the hostile atmosphere.

Though wrapped up tightly in several layers and a black towel, the kelmepi girl beside him, an estimated 10 years old, shivered. She put on a brave face as he turned to check on her, though she wore an opera mask that covered her face’s upper half. “Your friends live here?” She asked.

“It’s warmer inside.” He nodded back to her. He scooped her up and leapt into the hatch.

As the Pilot had promised, the hallway was much warmer than the floor above. Pilot put the girl down and took the now stuffy layers from her as she removed them, seemingly never running out of space in his shorts’ pockets. He smiled at how tough the child had become in the two years he had known her, she had walked through the blazing hot third and fourth floors without complaint bar frequent requests for water, part of him wondered if he should continue to fight her battles for her or teach her to defend herself. That wasn’t a task for today though, they were on business.

In her floral dress, mask, sunhat, and canvas shoes, all picked out by Axia on the assumption she would be happy in them, the kelmep twitched her long ears. “There’s a party down the hall.”

“We’re lucky none of the jailers have ears as sharp as you.” Pilot grinned, closing the hatch behind them. He led them down the hall to a soundproof door the sound came through.

As soon as the pair got to the door, a small shutter opened. The eyes on the other side were screened by a pair of white framed sunglasses with mismatched lenses, white on the right, orange on the left. “Pilot, you have arrived.” The stoic voice paused as his focus seemed to shift to the little girl, who had ducked behind the Pilot’s legs. An uncomfortable moment later, the man behind the door returned his attention to Pilot. “Come in.”

The door opened revealing the owner of the sunglasses to be dressed in clothes that continued that accessory’s theme. The floor length fur coat he wore over his slender, angular body was split directly down the middle, orange on one side, white on the other. Even his clover shaped hairdo maintained his colour split. One hand held a glass of wine, the other was held parallel to the ground with the arm pointed straight down. A scar marred his stern face, crossing his right eye. The little girl who had come with the Pilot stared at that scar, how did this man stand so unashamed. Perhaps it was because he was a man?

“Inazuma!” Pilot grinned. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been well. Emporio Ivankov is waiting for you, but…” Inazuma nodded questioningly to the child.

“She won’t be any trouble.” Pilot assured. “Will you kid?”

The child only shook her head silently, she got very nervous around strangers, never would she risk being a source of embarrassment or aggravation.

Inazuma nodded. “Very well, follow me.” He turned on his heel and led the way.

The three soon arrived in a very lively area, a room that looked like a hybrid of a café and discotheque. The room was filled with all sorts of men and women, their clothes varied widely with no true division of gender. The centrepiece of this raucous display was a stage.

The dancers onstage were led by an extraordinary looking person. He was tall, double even the Pilot’s exceptional height. A third of this height was in his oversized head, covered in an amount of makeup conservative people would call excessive on a woman. He wore fishnet stockings on his legs and purple elbow length gloves to match his open-chested leotard, revealing a horned skull tattoo on his chest. Atop his purple afro sat a crown befitting a queen, for a queen he was. As a heavily lashed eye caught the new arrivals, he leapt to meet them. He crossed the room in a single bound. “Pilot!” He exclaimed flamboyantly. “You’ve finally arrived! Don’t you know it is rude to keep a queen waiting!?” He sank to a knee on landing. “But who’s this?”

The little girl hadn’t been told she would be meeting royalty. She took a step out of Pilot’s shadow. “H-Hello, my name is-” She swallowed up her words again with a squeak. “That was wrong! I’m sorry!” She stood straighter and curtseyed with poise as if her life depended on it, in the past it had. “I am honoured to make your majesty’s acquain- No! That was wrong too! I’m so sorry!” She darted back behind the safety of her guardian’s legs.

“It’s alright sweety.” The large man assured. “You are not the first made to stutter by…” He stood dramatically. “Emporio Ivankov!”

The crowd behind him cheered.

“And what did you want us to deliver for you?” Asked Pilot with a small roll of the eyes.

“Oh Pilot!” Ivankov lay back across a nearby table. “Why is it always business with you?” He asked mournfully. A second later, he sat up with his hand outstretched as if offering some invisible item to the man. “Perhaps you’ll relax if I make you more comfortable.” He grinned. Points like hypodermic needles sprang from his fingertips.

The little girl looked fearfully to the one person she trusted.

Pilot began to laugh. He was joined by Ivankov, who was joined one by one by his subjects. The hall filled with hoots of laughter. The only ones not to laugh were the ever-stoic Inazuma and the confused girl at Pilot’s heel. “I’m quite comfortable as I am.” Pilot replied as the laughter died down.

“Oh well,” Ivankov shrugged, “on to business I suppose.” Ivankov gave the child a concerned glance before saying the first serious words she heard from him. “It’s not the kind of thing to talk about with kiddies around. Would you join me backstage?”

Pilot put a protective hand on his charge. “A lot of your friends don’t know their own strength. Is it safe for her to stay here alone?”

Ivankov caught his lieutenant’s eye. “Ina darling? Keep Pilot’s little girl safe for him?”

“Yes Ivankov.” Inazuma nodded but fixed his superior’s gaze before he could leave. “Before you go, I do not feel I’m in my best state to do as you command. Would you mind?”

“Not at all.” Ivankov stabbed his friend in the side with his finger needles.

Instantly, Inazuma’s angular body rounded slightly, his square jaw slimmed, and their lips gained a small amount of pronunciation. “Thank you.” She smiled warmly. She turned to the kelmepi child and held out her hand. “Let’s get you a snack.”

Perturbed by the transformation, the girl backed into Pilot’s leg.

Pilot knelt down and held her shoulders. “I’ll be right back. These are good people, they’ll look after you.”

With a cautious nod, the girl followed Inazuma, though didn’t touch her still.

She tried to sit quietly and not be noticed. It was easier said than done however, a grey skinned child in a mask was too much of a mystery for the crowds to ignore.

“So what’s up with the mask?” A man in a dress asked.

“I-I’m ugly.” The child murmured, instantly put off the potato chips and apple put before her.

“I’m sure that’s not true!” A woman in a sailor’s outfit remarked. “Who says that?”

The child looked down. “You don’t know what I look like. I’m wrong.”

A womanly intuition stung Inazuma at those words.

“Well show us then!” A ginormous man with gaudy earrings reached for the mask.

“No!”

“That’s enough!” Inazuma bared the giant’s hand. “You’re scaring them!” She scolded. She turned with a gentle smile to the child she had been given responsibility for. “Would you like me to take you somewhere more quiet?”

The child nodded.

Inazuma took them by the hand and led them away.

The pair entered an otherwise uninhabited chamber. It resembled a hair salon. “What is this place?”

“Ivankov’s dressing room.” Inazuma explained.

“What is he like?” The child hazarded, in want of conversation.

“Ivankov? They are a miracle worker.” She smiled.

“A miracle worker?”

“Yes.” The human nodded. “People would come from across the world to see him when he wasn’t locked up here. Now he is locked up, he does his miracles for us prisoners.”

“Really?”

“Yes. He even has a book of requests. Would you like to see it?”

“Ok.”

Inazuma opened a closet and brought out a ledger and a pencil. “Here it is, all the hopes and dreams of the newkama.” She placed it on a desk in front of a salon chair, open to two blank pages. She offered the kelmep a pencil. “Why don’t you write one?”

“Alright.” They took the pencil and sat at the seat. They stared at the paper. “I can’t think of anything.”

“Wishes aren’t something you think, you feel them.” The adult told them. “What does your heart want to write?” she stepped back to give some space.

The child put pencil to paper and wrote a short sentence. They looked down and recoiled in horror. They leapt onto the ledger, covering the words with her body. “No, I was wrong, I’m sorry! Don’t look! I need an eraser!”

Trying not to look heartbroken, Inazuma held out the requested stationary. “Here.”

The kelmep reached for it.

Inazuma lifted it away. “But before I give it to you, I need you to do something.”

“What?”

“Turn to the previous page.” She stated. “I won’t look at what you wrote.” She turned her head.

The child got off the book and did as requested. They gasped.

“Is this along the lines of what you wrote?” Inazuma placed a finger on the message.

I want to be a guy!

“How about this one?” She flipped a couple of pages to another quote.

I wish I was born a man!

“Or this?”

I don’t want to be seen as a woman!

“You aren’t alone. I promise.”

The child flipped the page back to their own writing, curling up into a ball.

Why can’t I be a boy?

Inazuma touched the child’s cheek. “No reason I can think of.” She opened a wardrobe. “Let’s make a start before Iva comes back.”

“I can think of some.” The child said.

“Pardon?” The woman stopped searching.

“Reasons.” They put a hand through their long hair, it was how it had always been styled for them, first by Roxillan, now by Axia’s drones. “I know what I want but I have to think of everybody else too.”

“No you don’t.” Inazuma stated firmly. “Not with this.”

“But… But…” Like human children, kelmepi children lack the more nuanced understanding of the world’s concepts. Kelmepi children often underscored the concepts they understood to get their message across. They often, as in this moment, did so by singing.

Perhaps you are right, but no, then again,

For Pilot I should be easy, I don’t want to be a pain.

He took me in, I owe him my life.

How can I ask more of he who spared me the knife?

Surprised by the burst into song, Inazuma had listened quietly. “I know Pilot, he cares about your happiness, he brought you here because he thinks being shut in is hurting you. Besides, we both know Pilot doesn’t let others hurt so he can take the easy way out.”

“He isn’t the only person.”

“Who else?” Inazuma asked, digging through the wardrobe again.

Axi wants a girl, this I know,

She buys me dolls, and dresses, and other girl’s clothes.

And Axi’s my home, one I fear I’ll lose!

Her or myself? How can I choose?

“It sounds more like she loves you.” Inazuma argued. Coming out of the wardrobe with a black cowboy costume. “What do you think?”

“It’s pretty cool.” The child admitted. “But what makes you think that they love me?”

“They took you in.”

“I would have died otherwise.”

“They let you stay.”

“I kept sneaking back until they let me.”

“And now they have, they’re trying to make you smile.”

“Wha?”

“They want you to be happy so badly.” Inazuma explained. “Let’s give them that. Let’s show them how happy you can be now you know what you are.”

“Alright, yeah. Thank you.” The kelmep hopped off the seat and took the costume, changing into it with Inazuma’s back turned. “Thank you.”

“We aren’t done yet.” Inazuma patted the salon chair.

The boy returned to the seat.

Inazuma removed the Stetson hat, unveiling the long, dark grey hair underneath. Her index and middle fingers morphed into scissor blades. She saw the child flinch in the mirror. “May I cut your hair?”

I’m frightened but I want this,

I need this to pass.

The change feels like a lie

But then so does my past.

Chorus, if you listen to this lost child’s song

You have these last moments to tell me I’m wrong!

The child looked for a sign, anything, any divine intervention. Nothing, the Chorus either supported this change or didn’t care. “Do it.”

Inazuma worked like lighting, years of practice let her trim the boy’s hair into a short, handsome cut in seconds. “What do you think?”

The boy reached for his mask. His hand froze on touching it.

“Do you want to take it off?”

He nodded.

Inazuma placed her fingers on either side of the mask and gently removed it. “I was expecting worse.”

The boy smiled for a few seconds before noticing the reflection of his scar. He started to pale and hyperventilate.

I see my uncle, though he’s dead and he’s gone,

He lives under my eye and he says that I’m wrong!

Chorus preserve me, I feel it again, I feel his spear, the blunt end and the pain!

I see a knife-

Suddenly, Inazuma slapped a hand across the boy’s eyes. When the hand was removed, he saw she had added a bandit mask, covering the area immediately around his eyes. He could still see some of his scaring.

“His opinion doesn’t matter!” Inazuma shouted.

“He was a viscount.”

“I don’t give a crap if he was a god!” Inazuma exclaimed in anguish. Her voice softened. “And one day you’ll be strong enough to not care either. Until then, you don’t have to look at him.”

Suddenly, the boy hugged her. “Thank you, Ina.”

When the Pilot returned with Ivankov, he was surprised by what he saw. The shy, withdrawn, child he had left, had changed clothes, had a haircut, and was playing with the newkama, a smile the Pilot had sought for so long on their face.

The child had just successfully climbed up one of the giant crewmembers when he saw the Pilot and paled.

“Girl?”

If the giant hadn’t caught him, the kelmep would have had a nasty fall. The giant brought him carefully to the floor.

“Try again.” Inazuma stated. She approached Pilot with a book under her arm. She opened it to the kelmep’s message. “I didn’t even mention the idea to him to begin with.”

Mighty Spark walked past Inazuma.

Ivankov took a glance at the book. “I thought so.”

Mighty Spark was not smiling. Two newkama blocked him from getting closer to the boy, as strong as they knew him to be, they weren’t going to let their new friend get hurt. He stopped. “Is anyone making you do this?”

“No, I’m sorry.” The child whimpered.

In a flash of blue, he was past the newkama, on his knee, hugging the boy. “No, I’m sorry for not noticing sooner.”

The child started to cry, as did many others, including Ivankov. “How touching.” The queen stated. “I suppose I should add the finishing touch before my mascara runs.” He drew his needle claws.

Seeing this over the Pilot’s shoulder, the boy flinched away. Sensing his fear, the Pilot stood defensively.

Inazuma put a hand on her commander’s wrist. “Perhaps we should see how he settles first.”

“I suppose.” Ivankov shrugged, retracting his claws.

“Thank you.” Pilot nodded, more to the lieutenant than the commander. He began to head to the door. “Well, we’ve got a delivery to make. Let’s go boy!” He grinned.

The word made the child’s face light up. “Yes Pilot!”

…

“And when we got back, the old man and I told Axi.” The now roughly nineteen-year-old kelmep explained. “When it was all explained she…”

“I ordered your first set of boy’s clothes.” His mother finished.

“And I thought you’d be angry.” Pilot chuckled.

“Never.” She put a hand on his cheek.

Spinel raised a hand. “You used to wear a mask?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, “I grew out of it a couple of years ago.”

“How come?”

“It was about the same time I found Meygareath and my parents adopted me. I finally had a family that loved me.”

Suddenly, Spinel ran in and wrapped her arms around Pilot. “And now you have a friend to take cool places! You promised! Don’t you forget it nerd!”

“I won’t!” Pilot grinned.

Pearl raised her eyebrows in some small offence. “Who taught you that word?”

“This guy!” Spinel laughed, giving Pilot a spin. “We crank called Connie’s mom last week!”

Pearl’s admonishing eyes turned to Pilot.

“That reminds me!” He rapidly changed the subject. “I wonder if Connie’s found Steven yet?”

Chapter Text

“Hello?”

“Hey Steven!” Connie replied down the phone.

“Connie!” The young man sounded happy to hear her. “Is this a study break?”

“I’m actually taking the rest of the day off.” She explained. It was late afternoon when Lion brought the young woman into Beach City. The beast slowed from an all out run to a leisurely padding walk. “I wanted to see you. Are you in town?”

“Just coming back from therapy.”

“You aren’t on the phone while driving, are you?” She mock chided, already knowing the answer.

“I’ve pulled over.” He assured her, the quieter engine in the background supporting his claim. “But yeah, I should be back in fifteen, twenty minutes. You want to meet by the lighthouse?”

“Sure!” Connie smiled. “See you there babe!”

“Bye!” Steven responded before hanging up.

As she rode him towards the boardwalk, Connie could feel Lion start to get testy, after all, Lion was not a pack mule. “I get you boy.” Connie slipped off the beast’s back.

As soon as she was off, Lion sprinted ahead, opening a portal and leaping through alone.

“Oh, bye then.” Connie stated, surprised. “I guess I’m walking from here.”

Due to her studying, Connie hadn’t walked the streets of Beach City for ages. In a way she was thankful to Lion for abandoning her, it let her explore at her own pace. The buildings and stands were as she remembered them. There were some changes of course, new sales and the like, the Crab Shack now offered a “Crab Queen’s Crab Stack”, the general store had finally dropped guacola in favour of a new drink, “Marty’s Quasoade”. Still, the major difference was the abundance of gems. Flexible and resilient as they were, the humans of Beach City had adapted to their new neighbours in minutes. To Connie, the arrangement still looked like the beginnings of a utopia, she knew that as future Pilot and the politician of tomorrow, it would be her responsibility to keep this union flourishing and fair for all.

As she got to the boardwalk, her ears picked up a familiar tune, the caned voices of children singing a jingle that had been silent for years.

Oohhhhh!

He's a frozen treat with an all new taste!

'cause he came to this planet from outer space!

A refugee of an interstellar war!

But now he's at your local grocery store!

Cookie Cat!

He's a pet for your tummy!

Cookie Cat!

He's super duper yummy!

Cookie Cat!

He left his family behind!

Cookie Caaaaat!

Connie followed the music with curiosity until suddenly seeing the source. There, in the middle of the small green area by Fish Stew Pizza was a stand, pink and white with a chocolate brown roof, the words “Cookie Cat” were emblazoned across the top along with an image of the confection.

Trying to pick the lock of the back door was Onion. Connie walked up behind the child and cleared her throat.

“Leave him be!” A jovial voice called from within the stand. “Boys will be boys!”

Connie made her way to the front of the stand. “I think you should know he-” Connie wasn’t often left speechless by an attractive guy, especially one older than her, the salesman gave her pause, however.

He wasn’t stereotypically handsome. While he wasn’t ugly, Connie felt that the buttons his appearance pushed were uniquely hers. He was big, not obese, or ripped with muscles, or even especially tall but he had a chest like a barn door and arms like tree trunks, lined with hair. His fair face was manly but retained some of his inner child. He had thick curly hair, brown like chocolate, the intended style was hard to tell as it struggled against a hairnet. Connie’s keen observation told her that the man had shaved his face recently. His eyes sparkled like there were stars within them, that was what had so taken her with him. “May I help you ma’am?” He asked with a broad smile.

“You’re selling cookie cats?”

“Yes ma’am.” He tipped his hairnet slightly.

“I thought they were discontinued years ago!”

“They were.” He nodded sadly. He smiled again. “But they’re being re-released for a limited time to promote Aqua Park.”

“Aqua Park?” Connie questioned.

“Yeah.” The ice cream seller turned to the blank wall behind him and gave a start. “Oh jeez! It’s fallen again!” He quickly turned to put up a poster. “There we go, Aqua Park! It’s a new indoor waterpark up near Empire that’ll be opening soon.”

“Cool!”

“Yeah, one of these cookie cats contains a party pass that lets you and your friends get into the park for free!”

“Wow.” Though Connie smiled, she wasn’t taken in by the offered prize. She was smart enough to know that the likelihood of winning was astronomically low. “You know, my boyfriend loved cookie cats.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, he was really bummed out when they stopped selling them. Can I buy a couple?”

“Sure, that’ll be three ninety-eight.”

Connie handed the man four dollars and put the two pennies in a charity pot for ICRM research. Though she had suffered from it at birth, Connie had never seen a charity that collected specifically to fight ICRM before, research was mostly funded by heart disease and paediatric charities. The oddity distracted Connie from the server’s charming smile and sparkling eyes long enough for her to notice something else. “That’s the original cover of Unfamiliar Familiar!” She pointed to the man’s shirt.

The salesman stopped and closed his freezer again. “Yeah, it was a gift from a while back. My… girlfriend loved the Spirit Morph Saga when she was younger, got me into reading it.”

“Oh, I loved that series too!” Connie agreed. “Then they had to rush everything for mass audience appeal.”

The man folded his arms with a smirk. “Are you my girlfriend’s little sister or something?” He laughed.

Connie found herself laughing too. She sighed with a contented smile. “So, do you live in Beach City?”

“I used to. I live a little way inland nowadays with my girlfriend. Lots of gems here though, aren’t there?”

“Yeah.” Connie agreed. “You know, most people from out of town would freak out if they saw this many.”

“Eh, a customer’s a customer.” He shrugged.

“Do a lot of gems buy ice cream?”

“A few quartzes.” He replied. “At least, that’s what they call each other. It’s not like I’m a gem expert who can tell aliens apart on sight.” Suddenly, he remembered his job, opened the freezer, and took out a couple of cookie cats. “Here you go!”

“Thanks.”

Suddenly, Lion leapt out of a portal nearby.

“Woah!” The salesman exclaimed with mild surprise. “He isn’t going to eat us, is he?” He chuckled.

Connie shook her head. “No, he’s friendly. Hey Lion!”

The beast gave a cursory glance to the surrounding area before trotting up to Connie. A few feet away, he stopped and sniffed the air. He scanned the area more thoroughly with is eyes while putting his nose in the air to sniff. He took a step closer to the stand, lifting his lip to gather pheromones.

“Can I help you sir.” The man asked good humouredly.

 Lion glanced from Connie to the man in a great deal of confusion. Lion suddenly pounced at the man, trying to climb into the stand with him.

“Lion!” Connie exclaimed trying ineffectively to pull him back. “Down! I’m so sorry! He’s never like this usually!”

The man was doing surprisingly well at keeping the four-hundred-and-twenty-pound magical apex predator out of his stand, non-violently holding him back one handed. “Don’t worry about it! He probably smelt this!” he pulled a lion licker from his freezer. He tossed the treat away. “Go get it boy!”

Lion ran after his favourite food, leaving the man to straighten out his attire. “You have a really cool pet.”

“I… How did you know that would work?”

“Lions like lion lickers, right?” The man shrugged. He nodded to the cookie cats in Connie’s hands. “You better get those to where you’re going before they melt ma’am.”

“Thanks!” Connie ran over to Lion as he finished his treat. “Let’s go Lion.” She got back onto his back as she waved back at the stall. “Bye!”

“See you later!” The man waved back, beaming as her mount carried her away. As Lion and his rider disappeared around the corner, the man frowned with a mutter. “See you later Connie Maheswaran.”

Chapter Text

Lion padded up the hill to the lighthouse. On his back, Connie looked ahead. The lighthouse was quiet, the sky was just starting to redden as evening approached, the breeze blew softly. Suddenly, she saw Steven, leaning on the side of the lighthouse, where he could both see out to sea and down the hill. As he turned his head inland, he spotted them and waved excitedly. Lion sped up to meet him.

As the beast bounded up to him, Steven caught them in a hug around the mane. “Hey Lion! I haven’t seen you all day!”

“I haven’t seen you all week!” The lady on Lion’s back declared, pretending to be offended.

Steven smiled up at his girlfriend before teasing. “Well how couldn’t I say hi to this cutie first?”

Connie leapt over Lion and Steven’s heads, summersaulting before landing on the grass, arms folded and back turned. “And to think I brought you a present!” She huffed.

“You did?” Steven questioned, letting Lion go find somewhere to nap.

Connie flashed a smile before flashing one of the pink packages.

“Cookie Cat!?” Steven’s jaw dropped.

“A pet for your tummy.” Connie confirmed knowingly.

“H-How?” He took step toward her.

With a smirk, Connie drew her rapier, planted it in the ground, and stood gracefully on its pommel in one fluid motion. She held the cookie cats aloft, out of his reach.

“Come on! They’ll melt!”

Connie made a very subtle kissy face at him.

Taking the signal, Steven jumped to line up his face with his girlfriend’s. As he hung in the air, he planted a kiss and snatched a cookie cat. “I know all your weaknesses Miss Maheswaran.”

“Really now?” She purred back, landing elegantly as the sword she stood on collapsed into ribbons and leapt back onto her wrist. She placed a hand on his chest and pushed him into the lighthouse’s wall.

Almost rolling his eyes, Lion turned around and left the youth’s to it.

Steven blushed, unable to speak.

Connie blushed back, losing her words to. She suddenly burst into hysterics.

He joined her. As much as they wanted to be the unabashedly flirtatious couple, the pair were still too young and awkward. Two years had afforded them familiarity and no small amount of closeness, but their relationship was a wild and changeable thing that the pair could barely wrangle between them, that however was part of the fun.

The pair walked each other to the other side of the lighthouse, where they could overlook the temple and the glittering sea without glare from the low western sun.

The pair held their pink packages, leant against the lighthouse.

“So where did you get these?” Steven asked.

“There’s a guy selling them near Fish Stew Pizza.” Connie revealed. “Apparently it’s to advertise a new water park. Aqua Park.”

“Is it cookie cat themed?”

“It didn’t look like it from the poster.” Connie considered. “There’s a free party ticket in one though.”

“Maybe it’ll be in one of ours!” Steven exclaimed.

Connie shook her head with a smile. “There are probably thousands of cookie cats being sold Steven.”

“But what if the ticket’s in one of ours?” He insisted.

She shrugged at the tiny possibility. “Well I guess that would be… cool.” She shook her ice cream to highlight her pun.

Steven laughed until he saw Connie go to open hers. “Wait!”

She stopped and eyed her boyfriend curiously.

“Lets open them together!”

“Alright Steven.” She smiled. She gripped the wrapper in preparation. “Three.”

“Two!”

“One!”

“Now!”

Both teens opened their treats simultaneously.

Steven looked inside. “No ticket.” He stated slightly disappointedly. “But at least I can have a cookie cat again!” He declared with untarnished joy.  He removed the sandwich from its packaging. “Hello cookie cat! Oh, I’ve missed you!”

Connie smirked at him as she took out her own. “Do you two need a room?”

Steven chuckled as he took a bite into his cookie cat’s ear. “It’s just like I remember it!”

 “I hardly ever had these when I was little.” Connie remarked, taking a bite of hers. “Refined sugar and all.”

“Your parents were monsters.” Steven responded, slightly more seriously than he intended. “But look at them now!” He added hastily. “Letting you go out on study days!”

“My mom practically insisted I take this afternoon off. She didn’t want me to burn out.”

“You’ve been out all afternoon?” Steven questioned. “What have you been up to?”

Connie gave a slight smile. “Well first of all, I had to fix your lion’s mess after he kidnapped Pumpkin.”

“He did?” Steven leant back in surprise.

There was a dignified huff from behind the lighthouse.

“It all fine now.” Connie assured him. “After that I went to find Pilot. He told me to check on you. Said you had started training again.” She squeezed his free hand happily.

“Yeah!” He confirmed. “I was worried about hurting him, but he’s a lot tougher than he used to be.”

“Did you think it was just you getting stronger?” Connie squeezed his hand again, leaning into him.

“Kind of.” He admitted, looking away.

“Well it isn’t.” She nudged him to make him look back. “Speaking of, something happened today when I spared with Pilot.”

“What?”

“I used some sort of power.”

As the child of a supernatural mother, Steven knew how both exciting and frightening the discovery of a superhuman ability could be. He turned fully on his girlfriend as his hand slipped from her hand to her arm. “What kind of power?”

“Pilot called it conqueror’s haki.” Connie explained. She made a quick look around to ensure there was no nearby wildlife to injure. “I’ll show you.” She took a step back from Steven and tried to bring forth the force she had summoned when fighting Pilot. She strained her mind, furrowing her brow.

Steven stood patently until the exertion looked as if it were paining her. “It’s ok, don’t hurt yourself for me.”

“Why can’t I do it?”

“These things take a while to figure out, don’t worry.” Steven assured her.

The pair ate their cookie cats quietly as they watched the sea.

When his was gone, Steven looked at the wrapper in his hand. With no trash can nearby, he screwed it up into a ball and pocketed it.

Connie went to follow his example but stopped. She felt an unusual resistance from inside. She checked the packaging’s interior. “Steven!” She exclaimed.

“What is it!?”

Out from her wrapper, Connie pulled a piece of blue laminated card, the words “Aqua Park” and a bar code printed upon it, a pink ice cream stain on the corner.

“I won!” Connie yelled. “I got a party ticket to Aqua Park!”

“That’s so cool!” Steven shouted supportively. “Who are you going to take with you?”

“Well you to start, you big dummy!” She kissed him excitedly.

Down in the city, the man who had sold the ice cream to Connie was closing down his stand. He turned for the back door, he could still hear the almost silent scrabbling of lock picks in the dummy lock. The door was not locked, it had tension springs that required an incredibly strong arm to turn the handle. The man opened the door easily.

Being caught, Onion went to run.

“You aren’t in trouble Onion.” The man stated. “None of you are.” He looked over to a nearby bush. “Garbanzo, Pinto, Squash, Soup, I have an offer for you.”

Cautiously, Onion’s friends came out of hiding. “Garbanzo?” The largest asked.

“It’s a job.” The ice cream man explained. “Just a quick one.” He stepped out of the stall, letting Onion step back towards his friends. He lifted the roof from the stand and the whole thing fell to pieces, leaving planks of coloured wood, a cash register, a deceptively small freezer with no visible power source, and a pallet jack. “I need all this gotten rid of.” The man explained. “The ice cream, the building, none of it can ever be seen again.”

Garbanzo’s younger sister stepped forwards with a suspicious glare. Although the youngest of the bunch, she was a shrewd representative, making sure outsiders treated her outfit fairly. “Pinto?”

“You can keep the pallet jack, eat as much of the ice cream as you want, and all the money in the register is yours.” He held up the register and opened the draw to show no small amount had been put in.

The children looked to each other. There were small shakes of the head, the deal was too good to be true, the kids prepared to scatter.

“Wait!” The man exclaimed. “I know this will only appeal to one of you but,” he reached into his pocket reticently, “Onion, I’ll give you this.” He took out a plastic ball containing a very old looking action figure, Ranger Guy.

Onion took a step forward as the man opened the capsule. He gasped at the soles of the toy’s feet.

“I need you Onion. Help me save the woman I love.”

Onion put a hand to the toy, pressing it back into the man’s hands with a nod. He invited his allies into a huddle where he murmured insistently. As they disbanded, Onion gave the man a tearful thumbs up.

The man touched his face to realise he had tears too. “Thank you.” He put his smile back on and pulled off his hairnet to reveal a mane of brown, curly hair. “Alright, I’ll help you with the freezer, it’s the heaviest.” He singlehandedly hefted the device onto the pallet jack. “You can make several trips but I’ve gotta get out of here before Pilot sees me.” He turned to go before turning back with a true smile. “You don’t mind if I take a couple cookie cats for the road, do you?”

Onion shook his head and shrugged with a smile.

“Pinto!” Pinto admonished him.

“Thanks bud!” The man took the confections from the freezer and left the gang to it.

The man walked until his eye was caught by a woman. She was slightly taller than him, but slender with darker skin and athletic poise as she leant on the side of a building. She stood by the road that boxed in the town’s eastern side, she could well see the lighthouse above the temple and a carwash owned by one Greg Universe.

“I haven’t kept you waiting long, have I babe?” The man called to her as he approached. “Anything interesting happen while I was at work?”

“Not much.” She smiled sweetly. “Oh. A boy almost crashed his Dondai Supremo to ogle me. You gonna go kick his butt for me?”

The man blushed. “Well, I, I’m sure I- he was only admiring you. I-”

The woman placed a finger on his lip. “He was a cutie though…” She stated thoughtfully. “If I didn’t have it on good authority that he has a very attractive girlfriend, I may have called him over for a little ‘fusion’.”

It was the man’s turn to act superior. He folded his arms and turned his head away. “Your cheating hearts!” He accused. “And after I got you a gift!” 

“A gift?”

The man took a step back and unveiled what he had taken from his disassembled stand.

“Cookie cats.” The woman smiled nostalgically.

“A pet for your tummy,” the man nodded, “if I recall correctly.” As the woman stepped forwards, he tossed the packet onto the roof of the nearby building, its edge peaking over. “Now how did this go again?”

As the woman kissed him, she cast out to black and blue paper ribbon that wrapped itself around her left hand and wrist. It caught the wrapper and pulled it into her hand. As she stepped back from the man, she looked down at the confection. “Cookie cat left his family behind.”

“If the song I’ve been hearing on loop for the past two and a half hours is to be believed.” The man agreed, beholding his own.

“How appropriate for what we’re planning.” She stated sadly.

“Yes.” He agreed, unwrapping his cookie cat.

The woman lifted her own ice cream sandwich to him. “A toast then.”

The man touched his frozen snack to hers. “Cheers.”

“To the beginning of the end.”