Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Pearl was confused one moment she was in the temple and the next she was standing in the temple’s kitchen looking at her past self, when suddenly Steven's gem started to glow. Her child was confused and had anxiety plastered across his face. She had to calm him down or the shield would not form, or he’d hurt himself.

"Steven!" Pearl put her hands on his so much smaller shoulders, "Deep breaths. come on, you got this."

"But I can't it- it's- so hard to breathe." Steven struggles, hyperventilating as he struggles to concentrate.

"In," she breathes in and holds it, she slowly exhales "and out. You are the master of you Steven, concentrate on your shield and breathing."

Determination sets in on Steven as he slowly catches his breath, his shield forms and slowly lowers into his hands.

"I- I did it thank you," Steven realizes that there were to Pearls in the room, a new confusion arises, "Huh? Why are there two Pearls?"

His shield dissipates when he asks, glitching out of existence. The past crystal gems gathered themselves after the brief confusion, suspicion spreads across their faces. They summon their weapons and charge at Pearl. Amethyst always attacks first, she dodges a quick whiplash from Amethyst, I will move in and try to distract me until Garnet can land the final blow. I have to get more distance between us. Pearl twirls past herself and jumps out into the beach below the house.

"Wait!" She cries to the past versions of her companions, "It's me, Pearl. I don't know how I got here but please believe me."

Amethyst and Garnet are first out of the house, quickly followed by her past self. Garnet charges her. Garnet presses her, her fists are to fast for her to dodge them all, she must speak again.

In between the barrages she manages, "Garnet," a solid blow knocks her yards back into the surf. Her form shakes from the hit, "Please, let me prove it."

Garnet is slowly walking towards her, "Fine, tell me something only Pearl would know about me."

Something only Garnet would know? Her gem was racing, what should I say, "Ruby loves dresses and Sapphire's favorite animals are dolphins."

Garnet stops, it was Pearl, first she knew he was a fusion and then she knew her components favorite things.

Past Pearl is unconvinced, "She could have just guessed that," Her spear is still poised at her, "Tell me something else."

This time Pearl doesn't have to even think about what to say, "You watch Steven sleep."

Her past self stutters, blushing and still angry, "I-I uh guess you are me."

Steven finally gets out on the beach, panting he pushes himself in between the gems and her, "Guys stop fighting she's definitely Pearl from the future or something!"

She chuckles, happy to see him helping, "Thank you Steven, but I think we've settled the matter."

Steven grins at Pearl, "Hahaha, that's great Pearl. Oh, this is confusing, I can't call you Pearl when Pearl is right there."

The younger Pearl tries to dissuade the young teen, "Steven I don't think Pearl would enjoy being called a nickname, I think Pearl will do just fine. Hmm we will need an identification system still, how about we just use our facet name."

Pearl looks at Steven, "I'd love a nickname Steven, how about you pick one out for me."

Pearl slightly taken aback and Steven jumping up and down was a great contrast to see, Pearl thought. Steven put on his thinking face, arm folded and a hand resting on his face with a fierce look of determination. Well fierce in the way cat Steven was fierce (cute).

"How about," Steven scans the beach, "Coral."

"Haha," Stevens ability to name things hadn't changed a bit since he was younger, she notes, "That's perfect Steven."

...

After the gems decided that Coral was of no harm they went back to a more pressing matter, Steven summoning his shield. In Coral's timeline he had failed to fully form his shield after eating the cookie cat, but this time Coral had walked him through it so he could. Pearl was the first to try to help Steven summon his weapon again, they went to a beautiful blooming cherry tree, and under that tree Pearl began by explaining how she summons her weapon.

Standing at the tree with Steven Pearl begins, "Pay attention to these petals, Steven. The petals' dance seems improvised, but it is being calculated in real time based on the physical properties of this planet. With hard work and dedication, you can master the magical properties of your gem and perform your own dance!"

She summons her spear from her gem, twirling the staff and stamping it on the ground, "Like so."

Coral watched as he stood there absolutely befuddled by her explanation, knowing that that her past self forgot to explain that each gem summons theirs differently in her excitement.

Coral walks next to Steven and tries to explain, "What she is trying to explain is that all gems summon their weapons differently, but each one takes hard work and the dedication to find the emotion or symbol of your will to fight and protect."

Steven stares at Coral still slightly confused, "So I'm not supposed to dance like a tree?"

Coral chuckles, "No," She ruffles his hair, "You must find your own way, a Steven way."

Pearl interjects, "Of course Steven, each gem is unique in ability." She stops for a moment, "You may summon your shield in a similar way to Rose, through her compassion and determination."

Coral slightly concerned for Steven that he was yet again compared to Rose, she knew how much that hurt him in his younger years, "While yes, Steven powers come from a source of compassion and determination, they are a different kind of compassion than her, it is very uniquely Steven and not like Rose."

Pearl was a little taken aback from Coral's statement, she saw the micro-argument in her words, 'Stop comparing him to Rose, he doesn't like it.' She knew because she had done the same thing to Amethyst many a time.

Pearl fake coughs, “Ahem, anyway maybe you show talk to Amethyst and Garnet too, just to get a better idea of weapon summoning.”

Steven nods, “Okay.”

...

The gems are back in the beach house, waiting to hear what Steven has learned.

“Well, I think my best bet is to recreate what happened last time.” Steven instructs the gems on how to sit or stand like they did last time, “There, now I took a bite of this cookie cat. Oh, wait! I did the song first. Uh, he's a frozen treat, all new taste, interstellar war, now available at Gurgen’s.” He takes a bite and, nothing happens.

Disappointed he says, “Awe, it was funnier last time.” He looks at his gem, “Maybe it was only an accident last time, maybe I’m not a real Crystal Gem”

Pearl bends down to Steven, “Of course you’re a real crystal gem.”

Coral puts a hand on his shoulder, “It wasn’t an accident Steven, that was your own power.”

“And you're fun to have around, even if your gem is mostly useless.” Pearl and Coral glare at Amethyst, “I mean... you're one of us, Steven. We're not the Crystal Gems without you!”

Garnet nods in approval.

Steven looks up, “Yeah, even if I don't have powers, I've still got... Cookie Cat!” Steven takes a bite of the half-eaten cookie cat, “Mmm, so good.”

After Steven swallows the bite his gem glows again, this time more stably and his shield manifests right away. The Gems gasp.

Coral smiles, “You did it, Steven!”

Steven gleams, jumping up in the air, “Heck yeah! I did it guys!”

The shield launches into the TV from his excitement. Amethyst bursts out laughing while Pearl groans, Coral quietly congratulates him again and hugs him.

Steven, still ecstatic, says, “I get now, I summon my weapon through happiness.”

Coral look kind of shocked, he actually understood it this time, maybe me being here to encourage him, to help him is a good thing. Maybe I shouldn’t look for a way back and stay instead. The house shakes snapping her out of her train of thought.

Garnet shouts while rushing out of the house, “it’s the mother!”

Amethyst runs out with Garnet and Pearl says to Steven, “Stay in the house Steven! Coral protect him.”

Steven whines, “Awe, I want to fight.”

Out on the beach the gems fight. Garnet begins her assault at the Centipeetle Mother. The battle descends towards the beach, as the Crystal Gems brace themselves for battle. The Centipeetle Mother sprays a stream of acid towards them, which they dodge out of the way and take refuge behind a broken hand statue of the temple on the beach. The Centipeetle Mother continues spraying acid, dealing considerable damage to the hand statue as it begins to melt.

Amethyst shouts from her cover behind the rock, “We could use Steven and Coral right about now!”

Coral leaps from the house and Steven follows.

“Remember Steven if you feel any danger or can’t summon your shield you go back right inside.”

Steven with his serious face on, “Yeah Coral.”

Steven, after a few tries, summons his shield in front of the half-melted statue hand just in time as an acid spray hits it. Coral shoots a beam from her spear to get the Centipeetle Mother’s attention. Coral battling the Centipeetle distracts it from the other gems just enough time to attack it once again. The gems finally defeat it and Garnet bubbles it away.

“Yo, Stev-o good job with the shield that was quite the save there, man.” Amethyst bear hugs Steven.

Garnet nods her head and Pearl says, “I’m so proud of you Steven.”

Steven faints from the stress of summoning his shield, the gems gasp in worry.

“Whoa dude, are you okay?” Amethyst says anxiously.

Coral picks him up into a piggyback, “He just needs rest. His powers, even when he’s older, take a toll on him. He’s still far to inexperienced to do three shields in one day.”

There is still much he must learn before going on a proper mission. I shouldn’t have let him fight, maybe some training is in order. And he needs to learn more than basic math (his language comprehension is almost college level thankfully), and he needs I.D. I can forge that though. Oh, and a proper diet, so much to do. I must make all of this fun to him to get any of this through.

Chapter Text

Lost Cannon

Coral was forging Steven’s social security and faking his birth and citizenship records when Pearl bursts in, she looks worried and slightly scarred.

“Coral! A Redeye has appeared, what did we do in the past?” She almost screams this at her.

Coral steady’s Pearls shoulders with her hands, “Pearl, Pearl, look at me. Find Steven, tell him to find Greg, get Greg to tell him to go to the garage. The Laser Light Cannon is there, get them to transport it to the beach.”

Pearl looking lost, “What? Why would Greg have it? Why would she give it to him?”

Coral slaps her hands on her shoulders, “Never mind that, go to the beach and wait for Steven. Oh, and the password is ‘If every porkchop was perfect we wouldn’t have hotdogs.’”

Coral the ushers her out the house door and get back to her forgery, I’m so glad that they kept the same system for at least the next five years. It’s so much easier to fake documents when you know the system. 15 minutes later she heard cannon fire from the Laser Light Cannon and multiple cheers.

Statue Remembered

Coral heard the warp pad activate and saw the gems; Garnet was covered in feathers while Amethyst was holding a large egg. They fought a corrupted bird gem if she recalled correctly.

Suddenly, Coral remembered something very important about today, “Amethyst! Don’t put the egg in the fridge! It’ll be a mess in there, I don’t want to clean it.”

Amethyst who just started walking toward the fridge answers back, slightly annoyed, “Fine, whatevs.”

She places the egg on the counter and Steven walks in with a large package. Oh! the cheeseburger backpack, he used to carry that thing everywhere. I wonder where it went.

Garnet glances at Steven, “Hello Steven.”

Amethyst also noticing Steven now calls to him, “Hey Steven, look at this egg! Oh man, we can make a big omelet, or a quiche, or big sunny side ups!”

“We fought a giant bird.” Pearl tells Steven, unamused by Amethyst, “We're only here for a second, we've got to go back out.”

Steven disappointed, moans, “What! Why?”

Pearl shows Steven the small statue she was holding, “We have to place this Moon Goddess Statue on the top of the Lunar Sea Spire before midnight. Without it, the whole place will fall apart! Oh, Steven, you should have seen the spire in its heyday.”

Pearls gem glows, projecting an image of the tower’s interior. Columns and drapes adorned the walls, fountains spouted water, and gems of different classes intermingled.

“It was quite beautiful.” Coral recalls aloud.

Pearl nods her head, “Indeed, it was an oasis for gems on Earth.” Pearl looks at Steven with regret, “It's abandoned now, but we can still save it with this statue!”

Steven now with stars in his eyes, “Wha? That’s perfect!”

Pearl, shocked by the implication of his word, squeaks, “What? Why?”

“Because I can help carry it for you, in this!” Steven opens the package and lifts the cheeseburger backpack over his head, “Dah nah  na nana Na!”

“A hamburger?” Pearl answers skeptically.

Coral corrects her, “Well, it’s a cheeseburger actually, but yes.”

“Yeah what Coral said, it’s a novelty backpack! Aww I blew it.” He looks down and put the straps over his right shoulder, “I was just going to wear it one day, and you guys would be like, ‘Dang, Steven, that's so cool.’ But Coral already knew, and this is obviously important gem stuff.”

Pearl looks at him, “Of course, so you should let us take care of it.”

“What? I'm a Gem!” Steven lifts his shirt and points at his gem with determination.

Pearl sighs, “You’ve got to have a bit more training before I’m comfortable letting you go on missions. I know Pearl is helping you get a hold of them but it’s still too early.”

Amethyst opens her mouth but before she can respond Coral says, “As a training exercise the tower won’t be too much, what do you want Steven?”

Steven puts on a puppy dog face and looks at Pearl, “I wanna come!”

Pearl gives in and hands him the statue, “Fine, you can carry the statue in your hamburger.”

“Hmm!” Steven opens the backpack, “Check this out! Everything's a pocket! Even the cheese is a pocket! I could fit a lot more stuff in here. Give me a minute. I'll pack extra supplies.”

Steven bustle around the house he packs many things, sweaters, a kite, bagel sandwiches, a raft, more clothes, anything he can fit. And just before he leaves to step on the platform Coral stops him.

“Don’t forget to give me hug for you first mission Steven.” Pearl stretches her arms to embrace him.

Steven blushes, “Okay Coral.”

He rushes into her arms, as he tries to make his way out of the hug Pearl traps him in a tighter one, “One second Steven, I’ll just really miss you if I don’t get a good hug.” A couple more seconds go by, “Okay all done and hugged, good luck.”

Steven rushes to the gems and Amethyst comments, “Dang Pearl, never took you as such a long huger.”

Pearl looks at Coral, “I’m not really.”

Coral waves goodbye and warp pad activates, good thing I found where he left the Moon Goddess Statue in the house before he left. I wouldn’t want him to be sad about the Spire again. Good luck my son.

“I should make some quiches with that egg.” Coral says looking at the huge egg sitting on the counter.

Chapter Text

Amethyst had been shapeshifting all morning and Coral could tell that Pearl was getting annoyed.

“Hey Pearl check it out!” Amethyst calls to Pearl as she morphs into a seal, “Arp arp!”

“Hahaha, Do more.” Steven chuckles.

Amethyst then proceeds to change into several things in a row, A waste of energy, Coral thinks.

Pearl walks over to Amethyst who is now on Steven’s head, “You’re overdoing it Amethyst.”

Amethyst jumps off of Steven’s head and returns to her original form, “Chill it, Pearl.”

Pearl exasperated by Amethyst, Well, she is being wasteful and rude, but she is having fun, she can do what she likes, “Just because you can shapeshift, doesn't mean you should.”

“Can you shapeshift?” Steven asks, excited at the prospect of Pearl changing into several different animals like Amethyst.

Amethyst interrupts Pearl before she can answer by shapeshifting into Pearl, “Why of course I can, I’m perfect!” Amethyst smacks her own butt, “WOMP! WOMP!”

Coral, without intending to, chuckles, “hehe, Amethyst. That’s inappropriate!”

Pearl pushes Amethyst aside, while the purple gem roles away laughing, “Hahaha! At least you have a sense humor in the future!”

Pearl now even more frustrated pinches her nose and answers Steven, “All gems have shapeshifting powers, Steven. We can turn into objects, we can change parts of our bodies,” Holograms from her gem appear show different object or body modifications to gem body parts, “or… we could do that.”

Pearl gestures towards Amethyst who is continually smacking her butt in the shape of Pearl in an effort to mock Pearl and try to make Coral laugh again. Coral seemingly in disapproval, who is in reality barely holding in her laughter, scolds her, “Amethyst you can’t mock other’s - hehe - forms like this.”

Still smacking her shapeshifted butt, “WOMP! WOMP!”

Raising his fists up into the air excitedly Steven says, “I want to try it all!”

Pearl concerned for Steven’s health and safety warns him, “Don’t bite off more than you can chew Steven.” Pearl walks out the door, “Ugh, Coral watch over him for me.”

Coral nods to Pearl, “With my life.”

After Pearl fully walks out Steven runs to Amethyst and Coral, “Alright! Show me how to change into uh, a huge loin!”

Amethyst somewhat surprised by her own words, “Actually, for once Pearl is right. If you're gonna do this, you've gotta start with something easy.”

Coral slightly offended, “Uhh, Amethyst I’ve been right on more than one occasion.” Even though I am much less susceptible to her pranks and can even find enjoyment in some, I take my credibility very seriously.

Steven, sensing that an argument might approach jumps in, “Like that cat you turned into?”

Amethyst thinking on it a little, “That sounds good-

Coral interjects, remembering his fear of shapeshifting after the cat incident “While that is easier than some other animals, most gems start learning how to change the length of their limbs.” Coral demonstrates elongating her right arm, “Like so.”

Amethyst actually considering her words, “Yeah I guess, but I learned just by lookin’ at the animals that came by. Why couldn’t Steven learn like that?”

“Well, first of all, not to sound rude or anything (I love the way you are) but, your form is more unstable than most gems. Second of all, how long did it take to learn that way?”

Amethyst blushing, “I dunno like uh three or four years. Ugh, I hate it when you’re right.”

I hope that she really heard the I love you part, I really do, “Anyway, Steven visualize your arm the length you want it.”

Amethyst pushes Coral aside, “Relax C, I got this. Now follow my lead.”

She stands a few feet away from Steven she instructs him, “First, think of what you wanna be, and then, just shake it out.” She, quite literally, shakes her arms into long noddle like appendages. “See? Haha! Now your turn.”

Steven focuses with all his strength, so much so that he begins getting red in the face, “ARRRRMMMMSS!”

“Nah, you're too tense.” Amethyst opens a bag of chips, and eats a chip from it, “Just relax and feel it. Bio-rhythms, yo.”

“As much as I also hate to admit it,” Coral playfully smiles at Amethyst, “She is right. For me it helps to know how your form changes as it does, and for animals and objects knowing their biology or chemistry greatly helps.” She grabs Stevens arm, “Here, since you want your arm to change picture your bones elongating your muscles growing and skin stretching.”

Steven slightly apprehensive, “Is that gonna hurt?”

“Of course not, you gem protects you when you transform.” Coral reassures him.

“Okay.” Steven closes his eyes and wiggles his arms, “Feeeeeeellll tthhee floooow.”

To Coral’s and Amethyst’s surprise Steven’s arm started to glow and grew until it hit the floor.

“Haha! Way to go Steven!” Amethyst cries.

Coral claps, “Yes, well done Steven.”

“I-I did it!” Steven gasps, waving his newly elongated arm around, “It didn’t even hurt! Amethyst! Coral! You were right, I just had to feel it and picture my arm growing. We gotta show this off!”

Coral tugs his collar before he could leave the door, “Wait a minute, remember what I told you about gem powers.”

“Don’t show them to people and freak them out?” Steven said.

“No, I don’t care about that, control before practical use Steven.” Coral corrects him.

“Oh right, what does that even mean?” Steven asks.

Coral pats Steven’s head, “In this case I just want to make sure you can change it back before the other gems and I leave for a mission.”

“That’s it?” Steven says relieved.

“Yep that’s it.” Coral answers still worried, she turns to the shorter gem, “Since he is your student this time, do you have any advice for him to change back?”

“Huh? Me, what do you mean you’re the one told him about feeling the change.” Amethyst tells her slightly embarrassed and proud, “Well I do have one, remember what it’s like in your own body and shake it out to the outside.”

“So, like changing but the opposite?” Steven asks.

“Kinda, but a little easier or harder depending on how new you are to shapeshifting, how comfortable you are and, like, ya mind and junk. It’s a hard to explain to someone who’s never felt it. Just find your center I guess.”

“Find my center hmm.” Steven closes his eyes again in concentration, “I AM COMFORTABLE!” Steven starts to sweat with the effort. “I can do this! I can- I-I can’t do it.”

“Yo chill dude, you’re freaking yourself out.” Amethyst puts a hand on his shoulder, “Ste-man, when I said get comfortable, I didn’t mean wack out.”

Steven still a little skittish and breathing heavily, “Yeah, I know but, it’s so scarry. I was just picturing if my arm just stayed like this. I was afraid of what would happen if it did, I messed up. I’m sorry.”

Coral and Amethyst hug him, “Oh Steven, these are just thoughts don’t let them harm you. You can do this, just breathe.”

Released from their double hug, Steven tries anew, “Find…” Steven takes a big breath in and exhales, “My center.”

Steven gem and arm glow, and his arm transforms back into its original size.

Steven relieved and ecstatic exclaims, “Hahaha! I did it! Now I can go show my dad and the town!”

“Have fun Steven!” Amethyst shouts to him as she exits the door.

“Enjoy yourself Steven, we will be back later tonight we have to stop a living island.” Coral tells him as she leaves the temple.

“Okay! Bye!” Steven waves at the crystal gems on the beach, transforming his hand to be as twice as big as his head.

Coral calls back, “Remember to breathe when changing back! Love you!”

Pearl looks at Coral Amethyst, “You taught him to change his hand size?”

“No, he figured it out.” Coral answers in a worried voice.

“Yeah P, we only showed him how to grow and shrink his arm, kid’s good.” Amethyst says much more confidentially.

…

When the gems got back, they heard from Steven that he actually got stuck with a giant hand most of the day and had to get Greg to help him calm down.

Well, I guess it was inevitable that he gets stuck at some point but at least it wasn’t as some sort of cat monster this time.

“Yeah I gotta hand it to myself I really messed up.”

The gems groan and walk off the pier.

“Wait up guys, I single-hand-edly came up with all these puns I have to use them.” Steven chase after them shouting hand pun after hand pun.