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“Connie, this place is so great.” They were in Greco-Italy. How cool was that?! There were beautiful buildings and amazing canals everywhere!
“Right! We’re going to need to take so many pictures!” Connie was already snapping pictures every few seconds, beaming brightly.
Peering over the sidewalk and down towards the water, Steven grinned. “It’s so clear and blue. Connie, isn’t this amazing?”
“It’s so pretty,” Connie cooed, latching onto Steven’s arm and near curling up to him. “It reminds me of that time we first rode on Lion. When he ran over the ocean with us?”
With a quiet laugh, he bumped his head against hers. “Yeah, I remember. That was really nice.”
“That was incredible. It was the first really crazy magical thing we got wrapped up in, I think- Well, before we realized it was less magic and more advanced civilizations.”
“Yeah. I still remember how amazing it felt.” He held her hand, beaming. “The first time it was Steven and Connie against the univ-” There was… a sound. Like a warping kind of sound. Steven turned. “....erse.”
There was pink. There was a lot of pink and a bouncing grin and oh no. “Why if it isn’t Steven Universe!” Was it too late to run?
That… was only marginally better than if it had been a portal. “Spinel?” There was a warp out here?
“The one and only!” Spinel giggled, bouncing over to them and holding her arms out for a hug before… not grabbing him. “Hug? If not Amethyst taught me all about high-fives and fist bumps!”
Staring for a minute, Steven finally sighed and opened his arms. “Yes, fine, hug, but seriously, what are you doing here?”
“The Diamonds sent me here to check on you because they thought you might be hiding something.” Spinel jumped forward, wrapping him up in a tight hug along what a cheerful hum. “I just wanted a hug!”
Oh no the Diamonds knew. What if they, like, knew knew? Steven looked at Connie. “ Connie? ” She was his knight, it was time to save him!
Connie, who usually leapt to his defense, rolled her eyes, “The Diamonds always assume the worst of everything, Steven, this isn’t news.”
He pulled away from Spinel. “Do you think that they think-?”
“No, Steven, there’s no way their thoughts would go there -”
“I dunno, you’ve met them, they literally- ”
“Yeah, but this? It’s fine, Steven.”
Steven sighed. If Connie said it was fine, it was fine- Shimmer. Shimmering sound behind him. “No, no, please anything but that.”
“What’s wrong?” Spinel was going tense at once, Connie whipping her head around as she tried to see the absolute disaster they were about to be stuck with.
Steven sighed, turning around. “Connie. Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” Please let him be hallucinating.
“Depends… Am I seeing a magical, colorful portal that will probably lead into another realm?”
“Fuck.”
Spinel gasped dramatically, causing him to turn to look back at her. “Hey, uh, listen Spinel. Looks like I have to go do a thing-”
“I’ll come with! This looks like it’s gonna be so much fun! ” No. No, no, no, the very last thing - She jumped. Spinel had just jumped into the portal.
Steven looked to Connie and shit. Still holding Connie’s hand, he ran in after her. Of all the gems to have tracked him down right when a portal showed up, of course it had to be Spinel! “Wait, wait, we’re just gonna run right in?”
“Right in!” Steven called before tugging her into the portal, weightlessness wrapping them up in half a second before they were falling down. Steven could hear Connie’s scream turn from fear into delight, colors and sounds rushing by them as Steven saw a blur of pink further below — in front of? — them. Judging by the laughs, he could only assume it was Spinel-
Okay, they were coming in for a landing, hot and heavy! "Here we go!" he called to Connie.
Steven oriented them and was able to land on his feet. Connie, though, was kinda blown- Woah. While he wasn’t too surprised that Connie hadn’t been able to keep her balance, it was wild to see what she was wearing.
“Do you go through that every time?” Connie groaned, pushing herself up with a wince. “Because if so? I’m not a fan.”
"Kinda, yeah. Uh… Woah." She was gorgeous. Of course, he already knew that, she always was, she didn't need some big fancy dress to be pretty, but… Wow. It was silver. Not what he would have expected. It also had… armor?
“Whoa? Why- Oh.” Connie looked down at herself, blinking slowly for a moment. “Whoa. What- Do outfits always change like this?”
"Kinda, yeah." Wait a minute. "Spinel? Hey, Spinel, you okay?"
“That. Was. So fun! ” Spinel was a blur of pink before she was in front of them and oh, wow, yeah, that… That was a lot of pink and fluff. “And look! I’m all sparkly! ”
"Uh… Yeah, wow, you totally are." The heck kind of an outfit was that? Looking down at himself, he was in that same prince get up. But when he tried to get a feel for where he was, he didn't recognize the place. "This isn't Enchancia."
“Great, an unknown place,” Connie sighed, standing up and brushing her dress off before pausing. “Are you wearing a crown? ”
"Yep. Which means we're in some kind of a royal place." He glanced to Connie with a smirk. "My Lady."
“Oh, no. Don’t you even start,” Connie huffed, trying to scold him without laughing at the same time. “So, how does this usually go, then? Someone happens to come across us?”
"Then just kinda unofficially adopts me into the group, yeah."
"This been happening to you a lot?" Spinel was tilting her head at him, looking him over. "Hey, wait a minute." She walked over and stood directly in front of him. Steven drew back a bit from where she almost poked her own eye with his nose- "Did that portal thing make you taller?"
Steven glanced to Connie, who frowned and gave him a quick look over, “He looks the same height to me.”
Spinel put her hands on his shoulders- Okay, he was standing straight, and she practically was nose-to-nose with him, that was slightly uncomfortable- "You got bigger! How'd you do that?!"
“He did?” Connie looked between the two, surprised for a moment before grinning. “Huh. Guess you did get another growth spurt, then.”
" What! But I'm supposed to be done! " Before he could argue anymore, there was a bell ringing, causing him to jolt.
“Saved by the bell?” Connie grinned, grabbing his hand and pulling him forward. “C’mon, let’s try to figure out just what that was and maybe we can find out where we are.”
They didn't need to go far. They nearly got to the door before it was opening and… a bunch of teenagers were filing out. Okay then.
Connie was quick to tug them out of the way before they got swept up into the chaos of it all. “Jeez… it’s like high school. Only, you know, with some crazy looking students.”
"Yeah," Steven murmured. "Crazy."
"And then I said 'no Apple, I don't like lemon pie because it's sour and 'evil-'"
“Lemon pie is considered evil, now?”
"Well, you know, the whole apple thing- Oh. Uh, hi there. Are you guys… from Wonderland?"
“Not quite,” Connie said after a moment, clearing her throat. “This may sound like an odd question, but could you tell us where we are?”
"Um…" The three girls looked at each other, the one in purple and black finally speaking. "Ever After High? You know, in the Enchanted Forest?"
“Right. Of course.” Connie glanced to Steven, lowering her voice. “Any ideas on what to do from here?”
"Not one." He cleared his throat. "Uh, hi. I'm Steven. This is Connie and Spinel."
“Nice to meet you,” one of them said. “I haven’t seen you around before. Are you guys all new here?”
"You could definitely say something like that."
One of them giggled, "Well, I think you're Wonderland-iffic!" Right.
“Thank you! That’s so sweet!” Spinel beamed, cupping a hand over her mouth and ‘whispering’ towards Steven, “What’s ‘Wonderland-iffic’ mean?”
"No idea in heck," Steven whispered back. "We're gonna have to find a way to get back to our realm."
“Where are you guys visiting from, then?” The one in purple and black asked curiously. “You guys said you weren’t from Wonderland?”
"No, uh…" Shoot. "We're from… another realm?"
“Oh? Which one?” Oh, thank the stars, they knew what other realms were. That usually meant he could get home easily enough.
"Oh, shoot," he said, running a hand through his hair. "The Quantum Realm?"
The girls all shared some odd looks, one finally shaking her head, “Sorry. I can’t say I’ve heard of that realm.”
Steven gave a 'grin,' "Greeeat. Do you know anyone that might have?"
“Oh! Oh! I know who would know!” One of the girls shot her hand up in the air, waving it around. “He knows everything about the realms and Ever After High.”
"Great! Who is this guy? Where can we find him?"
“Oh, you can typically find him in the bowels of the school lurking around with all the books we’re probably not supposed to know exists.”
Steven glanced to Connie and Spinel. “Uh…”
Connie took a step forward. “I think it’s pretty obvious we’re a little clueless, here. If you wouldn’t mind helping us out?”
“Oh, yeah, of course. I’m Raven, by the way. Raven Queen.”
Connie smiled and nodded “Nice to meet you, Raven.”
“I’m Maddie Hatter,” another girl chipped in. “Daughter of the Mad Hatter!”
Connie stared for a minute. “Mad... Huh.” Okay, that meant something to Connie at least. Steven wasn’t sure what it was supposed to mean, though. Not yet, at least.
“Briar Beauty,” the last girl said, giving them a smile. “Daughter of Sleeping Beauty.”
...Now wait a minute. “Sleeping Beauty like… the story?”
“Of course,” Briar nodded with a laugh to go with it. “What about you three? What stories are you from?”
Steven frowned a bit. “Not to sound rude or anything, but back home, people aren’t really ‘from’ stories. To us, they’re all made up.”
“Really?” Raven crossed her arms, eyebrows raising. “You said you were from the… Quantum realm, right?”
“Yeah. Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White- All the old fairy tales.” He looked to Connie to confirm. “Right?”
“Same with stories about Wonderland like the Mad Hatter,” Connie said, looking at Maddie. “It’s… a lot different than this realm. At least, from what I’ve seen.”
Maddie only grinned. “Well that sounds even better!” Right. Mad. Okay. Honestly, at this point, Steven couldn’t even be that surprised.
“So, where’s this super secret place you were talking about?” Spinel asked, tilting her head to the side.
Looking around them, Maddie’s hair seemed to bounce with every movement before she looked at Spinel and gestured for her to come closer. Spinel did so at once, Steven narrowing his eyes because those two… seemed way too alike. Steven wasn’t sure if he liked the idea of dealing with more than one Spinel at a time.
“Giles Grimm lives in a secret library underneath the school!” Did… Spinel even understand any of those words?
Connie’s eyes immediately narrowed. “ Grimm? ”
“Is that important?” Steven asked, looking over to see Connie looked intent. It definitely seem important.
She turned to look at him. “Steven, you can not be serious. The Brothers’ Grimm? The two that penned down the old tales that traditionally were told among cultures orally? You know. Those Grimm?”
“Er.” Right. Okay. Yeah. Those Grimm. “Of… course?” Did he know about the Brothers’ Grimm? He was pretty sure it sounded familiar. A little bit. Maybe.
Connie groaned, putting her hands on her face. “ Steven. ”
“I’m sorry! I didn’t exactly have the average human education!” Steven defended.
“It has nothing to do with education- Oh, your father and I are going to have some words when we get back!” Oh, jeez.
Steven glanced back to the girls, who all seemed amused at whatever was going on — not that Steven was very sure what was going on. “So, er… this Grimm guy can help us get home?”
“Definitely,” Raven said with a nod. “Ever since we broke that spell, Giles has been a great help, especially for the Rebel movement.”
“Uh… awesome?” Steven would just… pretend he knew what that all meant. “Could you show us where he is, please?”
“Sure.” She looked around. “Briar, do you know where Headmaster Grimm is right now?”
“Hm… Should be in the Headmaster’s office last I knew,” Briar said, crossing her arms and thinking for a moment. “Yeah… We should be good avoiding him today.”
Raven nodded. “Great. Then we should hurry.”
“Why? What’s wrong with the Headmaster?” Connie asked.
“He just thinks Raven is always up to evil because she’s the daughter of the Evil Queen,” Maddie said cheerfully, Raven putting a hand to her face beside her.
“Ah,” was all Connie said. She didn’t seem very surprised.
Leading them into the school, Raven shook her hand out. “But, don’t worry-! I mean, I don’t really like being evil, or anything. The Headmaster wants me to be, though, so if he thinks I’m up to evil, he’s just going to encourage it.”
Steven frowned, looking back at her. “Why… would he want you to be evil?”
“Because that’s my destiny, ” Raven groaned. “I’m the daughter of the Evil Queen so I’m destined to be the next Evil Queen — not that I’m going to be. I’m writing my own story, thanks, and being evil is not a part of it.”
"Hey, good on you, writing your own story and following your own path. That's always the best way to go," Steven told her with a nod.
“You think?” Raven gave a smile, looking at him for a moment. “Not to pry, but it sounds like you know what I’m talking about pretty well.”
"Yeah. I kinda went through something like that. A bunch of people in my life wanted me to be like my mom, but… We're all better off with me being me. I'm happier than I would be trying to be someone I'm not, and they're happy to have me."
“That sounds great,” Raven said gently. “Don’t get me wrong, a lot of my friends do understand me and what it is I want, but it’s just… Kids follow their stories around here. That’s how it always used to go.”
Steven tilted his head at her. "Always used to? What's that mean?"
“Well, that’s sort of my fault,” Raven said, rubbing at the back of her neck.
“Yep! Raven started off the whole Rebel movement by refusing to follow in her mother’s footsteps!”
Steven grinned. "Hey, that sounds awesome, good for you!"
“Sounds like I can say the same right back to you,” Raven grinned. “Come on. It shouldn’t take us long to get down to where we need to go.”
And it didn't. Though it was a little confusing. Still, it definitely seemed like a secret underground library. "Headmaster Grimm?"
“Ah, if it isn’t some of my favorite students!” An older man peeked out from behind a mountain of books, looking surprised when he saw Steven, Connie, and Spinel. “And what’s this? New students… or some visitors?”
"Uh… Hi there!" Steven said, trying to sound cheerful. "Sorry for dropping in on you like this."
“No problem at all. I’m quite fond of unexpected visitors,” the man laugh, standing up. “Giles Grimm. How can I help you lot today?”
"Apparently they're from another realm," Briar said almost with a roll of her eyes. "Some place called 'The Quantum Realm.'"
"We're really just looking to get home," Connie piped in.
“The Quantum Realm, huh? Been a while since I’ve heard of that one!” Oh, thank the stars. “Give me just one moment here… I should have the perfect book!”
Right. Book. Cause it was a secret library. Raven looked to them and shrugged.
They stood there a minute or two while he looked from book to book. Steven jumped when some kind of bell started ringing- "Tea time!"
“Tea time?” Spinel perked up, looking curious. “What’s tea time?”
Maddie was running around and practically pulling things out of thin- Okay. That was a table with chairs all set for tea. Alright then. "Wow. That's… something!"
"Well thank you, I'd much rather it be something than nothing!"
“Wow! You pulled all of that out of nowhere! ” Spinel beamed, bouncing forward. “This looks like so much fun! ”
Wow. He was so not surprised Spinel was into it. He looked back at Raven and Briar. “Is this normal?”
“For her?” Raven asked, giving a firm nod. “Oh, yeah. That’s normal.”
Connie looked at him before finally shrugging. “When in Rome.” And she was sitting down too. “What kind of tea is this?”
“So glad you asked! Thistlewhip Spice tea!” Thistle what? He knew plants. That wasn’t a plant. That was not a plant.
“Sounds spicey!” Spinel chirped, sitting down herself.
Steven looked back at Raven, gesturing to Giles. “How long do you think this is gonna take?”
“Going off past experience?” Raven took a seat at the impossible table. “It’s best to just sit down and have the tea. It’ll take an hour at the least.”
He sighed, sitting down as Briar sat on Raven’s other side- Her… phone? Wait, they had phones here?! “Oh, hex! Apple wanted to meet me for lunch to talk about our group project for Princessology!”
“Yikes, Apple does not like to be a lady in waiting,” Raven snorted. “You want to go on ahead and meet up with her? We’ll probably be here for a while.”
Briar then looked to Steven, Connie, and Spinel. “If anyone asks, you don’t know me.” Then she was rushing off.
Steven frowned, tilting his head. “What was that about?”
“It’s… complicated,” Raven made a face. “She doesn’t want to really follow her story, but she also doesn’t want people to treat her like an outcast for it.”
Steven frowned. “Wait, people treat you like that because you didn’t want to follow your mom’s story?”
“Definitely,” Raven sighed. “I can sort of understand where they’re coming from. Without an Evil Queen a lot of their stories don’t end up happening the way they should.”
“But does that have to be such a bad thing?”
“I don’t think so, but not everyone thinks like I do.” Raven sighed, shaking her head. “It’s hard to deal with, but… I think it’ll turn out alright in the end.”
“It definitely will.”
In the end, Raven ended up being right. Tea time came and went, and they ended up helping to look through book piles- “Hey! I got somethin’ over here!”
“What’d you find?” Connie asked, moving to see whatever book Spinel had managed to dig up. “Something about how to get home?”
“I dunno about that, but…” Spinel held a book and turned to Steven. “I think you should look at this.”
Steven frowned. “Look at-?” But he looked down and he saw. ‘ The Tale of Pink Diamond. ’ Steven’s fingers brushed against the embossed — he knew the word embossed? — cover. “No way.”
“What’s a book about Pink Diamond doing here? ” Connie asked quietly, looking at the book with surprise herself. “I… guess everyone really does have a story.”
“Pink Diamond?” Giles came crashing out of a pile of books. “You know about the Tale of Pink Diamond-” He seemed to look at them, adjusting his glasses. “Why of course! You’re the two to end the story!” End the… So he really was a part of his mom’s story?
“Can we read this?” Connie asked after a moment, tugging the book out of Spinel’s hands gently. “If that’s alright?”
"Yes, of course," he said with a wide, beaming grin. "Take it with you, I'm certain I've another copy elsewhere! Somewhere..."
Connie took the book, carefully opening it and looking through the first few pages with a quiet hum, “It looks like it’s really talking about her.”
Steven took it into his own arms. "Pink Diamond? I've never heard of a Pink Diamond story," Raven said somewhere around him.
“I’d be surprised if you had,” Steven heard Connie explain. “Pink Diamond is… someone from our realm. I’m surprised there’s a book here about her.”
"She's my mom," Steven said, before turning to the beginning of the story and reading. “Once upon a time…”
“ Homeworld was a land far away from any other known lands. Homeworld was a land unlike any other land in that it was not a land at all. Instead, it was a world. A world ruled by the four Diamond matriarchs. White, Yellow, Blue, and the littlest Diamond, Pink.
“ The Diamonds struck fear into the inhabitants of other worlds around them, conquering these worlds and destroying them for their resources, to instead create more of their own gems. Pink Diamond, after much pleading to the other Diamonds, was finally to receive her own world to conquer.
“ Pink Diamond was eager to accomplish her task, and travelled to her new world at once. However, what she found there surprised her. She found wonder, and life, and something she hadn’t before dared to consider. Freedom.
“ Pink Diamond began to question the orders that were not only given to the gems below her, but also the orders she herself followed as a Diamond. Was she truly meant to destroy this life beneath her conquest in support of their empire?
“ Questioning the other Diamonds was for naught, and Pink Diamond was sternly told to attend to her new world as she was meant to as a Diamond. However, she knew there must be another way to save this new world from what was to be its destiny.
“ Pink Diamond, at the suggestion of her loyal Pearl, took on a new form, instead. Pink Diamond became Rose Quartz, and with her new form, she began the quiet mumblings among the lower ranks. These mumblings turned to whispers. These whispers turned to words, and these words turned themselves into a Rebellion, with Rose Quartz leading it.
“ The Rebellion pushed back against the Diamonds’ rule, and gems began to question their roles underneath their rulers. Were they truly to be birthed from the ground, their destinies placed in their laps for them to follow without a second thought towards anything else? Rose Quartz said no. That gems should be able to choose. To feel. To love.
“ White, Yellow, and Blue Diamond did not take kindly to this new uprising, however. They ordered Pink Diamond to quell the Rebellion. When she instead pretended as though it were too difficult, they ordered their own gems to fight.
“ This fighting was not what Pink Diamond had wanted in the first place. She wanted to be allowed to live among her new world, with the life it held, and the gems whom wanted to follow her new way of life as well. Finally, Pink Diamond reached a decision. This Rebellion would only stand for as long as she did. So, Pink Diamond did what she thought necessary. She faked her shattering, and permanently took the form of Rose Quartz.
“ However, this did nothing to calm the Diamonds, and they were distraught at what seemed to be the loss of their precious Pink Diamond. Their gems retreated from the world, and it seemed that the Rebellion had well and truly won. Until the Diamonds each joined their might, and threw a blast upon the world, forever altering the gems that lived upon it, save for Rose Quartz and her few friends.
“ Around her, Rose Quartz was left with destruction and wrought. Finally she came to realize this had been war, and there are no winners or losers.
“ It seemed as though the Diamonds would never truly understand the newfound freedom she’d discovered, or the love for her fellow gems, and for life that Rose Quartz held within her heart.
“ At least… ” At least? Steven couldn’t stop from reading the last couple lines. “ Not until two young heroes would finally, after years, bring the story to its happily ever after. ”
“But that is its own tale,” Steven read, turning the page, and… nothing. That was it. That was ‘The Tale of Pink Diamond.’ That was… it.
“You’re not a part of her story,” Connie said softly, so soft he barely ever heard her words.
"I…" Steven stared down at the pages. "I mean, I always knew that, but…"
“It’s different to really know, ” Connie said, tone full of understanding as she leaned against him. “Seems like a good book, doesn’t it?”
One arm clutching the book close, Steven reached around to pull Connie close with an arm around her waist. "Yeah." He looked over. "Spinel? Are you okay?" She felt… He wasn't sure what a good word was other than intense.
Spinel was quiet for a long moment before blinking and looking up at him. Finally, with a twitch of a smile, she nodded, “Yeah… I think I am.”
"Aha! I've finally found that spellbook- Oh." Oh? Oh no. That sounded bad.”Hm. Well… Not to worry, not to worry! This will just… take a little bit of time.”
Steven sighed and grimaced. "Yep. Sounds about right."
“How long is ‘a little bit of time?’” Connie asked, arms crossed as she raised her eyebrows.
He looked over the book in his hands. "I will need the assistance of some of the others, perhaps… Give me an hour or two to work this out and gather some materials!"
Great. Another hour or two.
“I want to say something here about our kind of luck, but I’m afraid that would just jinx us,” Connie said after a sigh.
"So…" He looked at Raven and Maddie. "What do we do, then?"
“Ooh! Let’s show them around the school!” Maddie beamed, clapping her hands together. “We can just say they’re visiting from Wonderland!”
Connie looked at them before shrugging. “Why not? Spinel?”
“That sounds- Hm, what’s the word- Oh, right! Wonderland-riffic!” Yeah. Spinel fit right in, didn’t she?
When they both looked at him, Steven nodded. “Yeah. That sounds cool.”
“Then let’s get going!” Maddie grabbed Spinel and was rushing off, and, yeah. Those two could be sisters.
“Huh,” Steven said quietly, watching them run off. “That was… something.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone get along with Maddie that quickly,” Raven commented, looking to Steven with a bit of a smile. “I’m almost worried for when you guys leave, now.”
“I’ve never seen someone on the same level as Spinel,” Steven told her with a laugh. “It’s nice, I guess, that she can have someone who gets it.” Digging in his pocket, Steven grinned. Hah! Phone! “Here, I can get your guys’ number.”
“Oh, yeah, sure,” Raven nodded, pulling out her own phone. “It’d be nice to keep in touch with more people who agree about the whole ‘following your destiny’ thing.”
"Yeah, definitely." The two of them exchanged numbers, Connie pulling out her phone as well.
"What… is this?"
“Phones can change between realms,” Steven said, trying not to laugh at Connie’s expression. “In Enchancia it turned into a magic mirror.”
Connie wrapped herself around them, going dead weight as he continued to walk. "Steven, sweetie, I love you, I'm so sorry for what you've been going through."
Steven couldn’t stop his laugh that time, shifting to kiss the top of Connie’s head, “I love you, too, and at least this time I have you with me.”
Connie looked to Raven. "So, where to first on this tour?"
“Well, considering Maddie already ran ahead, she’s probably taking Spinel to her family’s tea shop. It’s just down in town.”
"That sounds sweet," Connie said with a grin as Steven continued to carry the book.
“It’s a good place,” Raven nodded. “It might be busy, though, so just, uh… try not to attract too much attention, I guess.”
Steven glanced to Connie and winced. "Uh…?" Right. Okay. Easy enough.
They got back to the front doors of the school- "Oh Raven! Yoohoo!"
“Apple, hey!” Raven greeted, glancing back to Steven and Connie with a quiet, “Be cool. Apple is pretty big on the whole following your story thing.”
Steven made a face, though he didn’t say anything- Oh, there was Briar. He glanced to her, but he didn’t say anything. Hey, wait a minute, Spinel and Maddie were already there. “Raven, I was just looking for you!”
“Hey, Apple, what’s up?” Raven went over to greet her, Steven almost knocked off balance when Spinel bounced over to grab his arm.
“Steven! This place is amazing! ”
Steven couldn't help a smile. “I’m at least glad you’re enjoying yourself, Spinel.”
“Do you have the notes for Professor Rumpelstiltskin’s lecture yesterday? I forgot mine and I was hoping to compare notes.”
Apple. Right. He glanced to Connie. “Snow White?”
“Snow White,” Connie nodded, pursing her lips. “I think… At least from what Raven explained to us.” Right. Okay. He was totally getting a handle on this.
“And who are your friends?” Oh shoot that was them.
“This is Connie, Steven, and Spinel,” Raven said, glancing back at them. “They’re visiting from Wonderland.”
Apple crossed her arms. “Really?”
Spinel just beamed, wrapping her arms tight around Connie and Steven. “Yeperooni!”
“We just thought we’d drop in for a visit,” Connie said, smiling nervously. “It was a little unexpected, to be honest with you.”
“And… what’s your destiny, then?”
There was a split moment where Steven felt Connie panic before she was putting on a smile, “I’m destined to become his knight and future queen.”
Briar and Maddie’s eyes both went wide, and Apple stared at her a minute. “Really! Which one?”
“The White Queen,” Connie said at once, Steven feeling her nervous energy way too easily.
“Well, I’m ever so happily ever after to have you!” Now she was looking at Steven- Oh wait shit. “And you?”
“Oh, uh, I’m-” Okay, Connie said she was meant to be his knight, but Apple also seemed to think she was a princess and daughter of the White King, so to still be his knight that would mean he needed to be a king or some kind of royal, too, so… “I’m the son of the Pink Queen.” That would work, right? There was a White Queen, so… probably?
Maddie leapt in, thank the stars. “He is! We found a copy of his mom’s story with Giles Grimm!”
“Oh! I’m sorry, I haven’t heard of the Pink Queen, before, but I can’t wait to get to know you more!” Aha… yeah… They needed to get out of there.
“Actually, Apple,” Raven told her. “We were just about to go, I can get you my notes later-”
“Oh, I can just tag along with you, then!” Apple smiled.
Raven gave a really fake grin. "Greeeat." Oh that was so enthusiastic.
"C'mon, let's go!"
As the group started walking, Connie lowered her voice, “Just me, or do you have a bad feeling about those two being together for too long?”
"Depends on the kind of bad feeling," he mumbled back to her. "Do I think they're gonna attack us? Nah. She's too…" He gestured vaguely in Apple's direction.
“Not the kind of bad feeling I was talking about,” Connie snorted. “I mean, we’re going into town, right? She’ll probably get distracted soon.”
"Yeah, I hope so. I can barely keep up with this whole story thing."
Fortunately it didn’t take them long to start getting close to town, but, unfortunately for Steven’s patience, Apple began talking about ‘following one’s story.’ He knew she didn’t know a thing about him or his life, but it was like each word was perfectly made to dig at the whole destiny thing that he was trying to come to terms with.
"Why, tradition is where our royal lineage comes from, after all. Even if you're not a royal royal," she laughed in Ravens direction. "I know my mother will be so proud once I take over the story."
"But is that really gonna make you happy?" Steven watched as Apple startled before turning to look at him, eyes wide.
“I- What do you mean?”
Connie sighed beside him, "Here we go."
"I mean is it really worth it to have your whole life and your little 'happily ever after' planned out for you if you're not actually doing anything to earn it?"
“I- I wouldn’t say-” Apple fumbled with her words, looking to Briar and then to Raven before clearing her throat. “Following our parents’ stories and legacies is what we’re born for. Take me, for example. It’ll be an honor to be the next Snow White.”
"So being yourself takes a backseat to just doing what everyone else wants from you?" That- Had he ever sounded like that? That was so stupid.
“I mean… It’s what I’m meant to do. Of course it’s the most important thing there is.” Apple cleared her throat again. “You know, Raven, I’ll catch up with you later. I just remembered that me and Briar have a project we need to work on.”
"Good idea, Apple. I'll see ya."
Steven's eye twitched a bit as she left. Destiny and following the same stupid path. Raven was quiet before she gave a nod, “You know, I think she’s finally starting to come around a little.”
"That's good," Connie said with a nod. "That's progress."
“Maybe we should have you go off on her a couple more times,” Raven snickered. “Okay, let’s head to Maddie’s teashop. You guys’ll love it.”
Spinel walked at Steven’s side, and he knew she was staring at him. “I’m fine.”
“Hm… I’m not an expert on human emotions or nothin’, but I don’t think fine is really workin’ for ya.”
Connie squeezed his hand. “He’s working through it.”
Spinel hummed a note and drew it out for a long moment before nodding, “Alrighty!”
They got to the tea shop, and Steven stared. “Woah.”
“Oh, wow,” Connie said quietly from beside him. “This is… wow.”
“Isn’t it hat-tastic!”
Spinel giggled, bouncing around. “Posi-lutely!”
The entire shop reminded Steven of all the stories he read about magical wizards’ towers when he was growing up, everything floating around the room, jumping out of places with wild colors, and so much more. It was honestly more magical looking than some of the actual magical places he had seen. He could tell Connie was gonna go nuts any minute. She looked to him and he quickly shook his head. “Nope.” This was not like the other stuff he’d been dealing with on his little magic field trip.
“Do our phones still take pictures, do you think?” Connie asked, pulling out her phone quickly. “I need to document everything. ”
He shrugged at her. “You can try.”
“I’m going to try. Besides, Peter and Dipper would love trying to apply science to all of this.” Well… she wasn’t wrong there, at least.
Steven snorted, “I mean, you’re right there.” Grabbing out his own phone, he wrapped an arm around Connie. “Say cheese!”
“Cheese!” Connie beamed, smiling up at the camera and gosh… she was so beautiful.
Steven grinned at her as he took the picture. He was so lucky to have a Connie like her. Spinel was going here there and everywhere around the place. She really was at home, wasn’t she? It was probably good for her to explore more like this. The others were taking seats at a table, looking familiar with the place — which made sense.
“This is actually kinda really cute,” Steven said as he sat down with them. Cups of tea were all floating around their heads before settling on the table in front of them.
“It’s a great place,” Raven grinned. “And the food and tea is always great.” Steven grinned over at Connie. It was all pretty magical.
“That’s pretty cool you guys just come here whenever for tea.”
“We try to come down pretty often,” Raven said, dodging a teacup before it hit her head. “Especially since Maddie helps run the store.”
Steven grinned. “Neat! So, that Grimm guy can really get us home?”
“Of course!” Maddie nodded. “He’s mad in the best ways, of course, but he’ll get you home no-problemo lickety-split!”
“Mad?” Spinel frowned. “He didn’t seem mad. Ain’t mad a bad thing?”
“Well of course mad is a bad thing, but it’s a compliment to be called mad! ” Uh… huh. Steven glance to Connie, who looked torn between rolling her eyes and laughing.
Didn’t seem like Spinel got it either. “Huh?”
Connie waved it off. “It’s not really a gem kind of thing.”
“So. Maddie.” A voice appeared from thin air. “Who are your new not-Wonderlandian friends?” A girl appeared sitting in the empty seat at their table. “Does the Headmaster know about the new students?”
“Do you think the Headmaster wouldn’t know about new students, ” Maddie blustered, Steven feeling her spike of panic as she looked away. “Honestly, Kitty.”
“Daughter of the White Queen, ” this girl seemed to tease. “Isn’t that something.” She seemed to pull a long, twisty curly straw from nowhere and put it up to her lips- And a teapot came over towards the other end of the straw.
Raven sighed, rolling her eyes rather aggressively, “ Leave it, Kitty, unless you want to be a test case for some new spells I’ve been meaning to practice.”
“ Rowr. ” She purred, grinning at Raven. “You can put your claws away. I’m just warning you, I don’t think Apple is very fooled.”
“Cheshire,” Connie muttered beside him, and he felt her exasperation and annoyance. At least she knew what was going on, if nothing else.
“Hm,” Spinel hummed, looking lost in thought before she snapped her fingers together. “Ah! She reminds me of Yellow’s Pearl!”
When the others looked at her strangely, Steven couldn’t help a snort of a laugh. “You’re so right! I totally see it!”
“Right!” Spinel beamed, clapping her hands together. “Do you think they’d get along? Or really not get along?”
“Can’t tell.”
“What does that mean?” She seemed to ask with a huff. “What realm are they from?” And she was looking up at… the ceiling?
Maddie was quick to look up with a frown, “Don’t you tell her! She causes enough trouble as it is!” Alright. They were talking to the ceiling. Cool.
Raven waved it off. “The Wonderlandians talk to some imaginary voice, or voices, or something, that they say only they can hear.”
“The Narrators are not imaginary, Raven.”
“Steven,” Connie said quiet enough to be a whisper. “I want to go home now.”
“Oh, but Maddie. Causing trouble is my destiny, ” she said, and suddenly Steven understood the whole ‘sickeningly sweet’ thing he’d read about.
“Do you think your dad would let us ban her from the shop?” Raven asked, Maddie giving a huff.
“Like that would stop her.”
Kitty giggled, “It wouldn’t.” She disappeared, and suddenly there was a voice at Steven’s ear- “Pink Diamond? I never heard that tale before. How’s that one go?” Okay, freaky, really freaky-!
“Alright, that’s it!” Raven stood up, chair sliding against the tile before Kitty was, presumably, fleeing.
“Huh,” Steven said quietly, watching Raven. “You glow purple.”
“Huh? Oh, yeah,” Raven sighed, shaking her hand out as the purple quickly bled out of her. “It happens sometime. Nothing to worry about.”
He nodded at her. “Cool. So, you just are in a regular high school?”
“I mean, regular for us, at least,” Raven snorted. “Wonderland has their own high school and it’s, uh, a bit crazier there.”
Connie finally seemed to settle in properly beside him. “What kind of classes do you take here? I doubt they’re anything like my classes.”
“Oh, you know, the usual type of classes for us. Princessolology, Home Evilnomics, the usual classes like those.” Right. Usual.
Connie tilted her head a bit. “...Sorry? I think my hearing went out a second- Home Economics?”
“Sorry,” Raven smiled apologetically. “You heard right. Evilnomics.”
“What kind of practical use does that have past ‘your fairy tale?’”
“Hey, if you want to go find Headmaster Grimm and go off on him and Madam Yaga for the curriculum, then please do. That’s a fight I’d love to be a part of or even just watch.”
Steven set a hand on her shoulder before she could move. “Connie, focus on changing our own society first.”
Connie huffed, looking from Raven and then to Steven, “You had better get Peridot to figure out realm travel because we are not done here.”
“It’s already on my mental list.” He looked back at Raven. “So… The whole ‘evil’ thing?” There was no getting around it.
“Yeah,” Raven sighed, crossing her arms. “I mean, every story with a happily ever after needs an ‘evil villain’ to make sure that end happens, right?”
Steven frowned at that. Did it, though? “That doesn’t really sound right.”
“Trust me, I know. Everyone expects me to be the Evil Queen in their stories, though. If I’m not then presumably their stories and happily ever afters will never happen because I won’t be around to- to poison Apple!”
“Actually,” he said with a grin. “Things have a way of working out. Maybe someone else will do it.”
“You think so?” Raven looked way too cheerful before she made a face. “I probably shouldn’t be so happy at the idea of Apple being poisoned.”
“Hey,” he said with a shrug. “If that’s what she wants.”
“I mean, she turns out fine,” Raven waved off. “Presumably. Now, come on, we can probably show you guys a few more places before we have to head back.”
“Yeah, sure.”
They popped around town for a bit longer before Raven’s phone was ringing- “Hello?” She listened before nodding. “You got it. I’m on my way.” Hanging up, she turned to them. “It was Giles. He said he’s ready to send you guys home.”
“I’m almost disappointed we don’t get to stay long,” Connie said, lowering her voice for Steven only to hear her next words. “But also really glad we get to get out of here.”
“Yeah.” As they made their way back down to the Secret Library, Steven looked down to the book in his arms before finally folding it out to Raven. “Here.”
“You don’t want to take it with you?” Raven looked surprised, hesitantly holding out her hands to take the book. “It’s about your mom.”
“I think you guys might need it more than me,” he told her with a smile as they stepped into the room. “Story that was never re-told, right?”
Raven was silent for a long moment before taking the book gently, giving a determined nod, “The first one, at least.”
“A story that was never re-told? ” Wait a second. Steven looked over and… It was Apple and Briar?
“Oh, boy,” Raven muttered. “You should probably get going. This is going to take a long time.”
“Ms. Raven and Ms. Apple. This particular spell to open this portal requires your combined efforts.”
“Seriously?” Raven looked to Giles Grimm before groaning and looking back to Apple with a sigh. “Look, I’ll explain later, but help us get them home?”
Apple sighed with crossed arms, looking between them all. “What do we have to do?”
“Thankfully it’s not too complicated! Now, Raven, you come and look at this spell here, and Apple, if you could come around over here, please.”
“Um… alright. But I don’t have magic.” Apple followed him over. It seemed like there were a couple paper slips written out.
Steven felt Connie lean against him, giving him a small nudge, “You think they’ll be okay? Seems like they have a lot to learn.”
Looking back at them, Steven nodded. “Yeah. I think so.”
“I think so, too.” Right. He kinda kept forgetting Spinel was there with them. She’d been pretty quiet. “You’re better.”
Steven frowned, looking at her for a moment before his lips twitched up into a smile, “You think so?”
Spinel smiled back, wrapping her arms tight around him and Connie both. “Yeah. I do.”
“ -and return to home! ” Steven looked over at where it sounded like Apple was finishing up with saying the spell, Raven looking to be using her magic as a portal started to open in front of them. “Woah.”
“That’s your cue, guys!” Raven called over towards the three of them. “Make sure to keep in touch!”
“Bye! Make sure to use that book!”
Holding onto Connie’s and Spinel’s hands, Steven pulled them through the portals- And he was falling again. It was a tumble of limbs and the three of them hitting each other before they were on the ground, Connie groaning and Spinel giggling before calling out a loud, “Again!”
He couldn’t help laughing, brushing his hair back and making sure his phone was okay before standing. “Connie?”
“I can’t believe you’ve gone through that all summer,” Connie laughed, letting herself be pulled up before checking herself over. “You know, I didn’t hate that dress.”
“Great, cause I took lots of pictures!” He pulled her close, hugging her tight. “I also know where we should go next,” Steven told her, lowering his voice.
“Oh?” Connie grinned, relaxing into Steven’s arms and giving him a warm smile. “And where should we go next?”
“Let’s go home.”