Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Steven is currently somewhere called ‘Mask Island’, searching for something. He groans, clearly annoyed. “Damn, where is this damn Gem? I’ve been searching for hours.” He touches his communicator. “Graves, you sure it is here?”

From the other side of the line, Ashley sighs. “For the fifth time, Steven, yes. We detected Gem activity in there. It can’t be any other thing.”

Steven groans. “But it’s frustrating. I didn’t find anything yet.” 

Ashley huffs. “Then keep searching.”

He slowly walks and sits against a pile of leaves. “If I don’t find anything in thirty minutes I’ll go back home.”

As Steven leans against the leaves, something erupts from inside it, launching Steven away.

He quickly got up and look at the place he was. “The fuck?!”

The only thing that came was a gemstone floating in nothing, but it roars wildly.

Steven widens his eyes. “Graves, you see this?!”

The commander confirms. “Yes. This is weird. Seems to be an invisible Wild Gem. Be careful, we don’t know what—”

Before she could finish, Steven quickly pulls his axe, infusing it with his energy before slashing the Wild Gem, poofing it rather easily.

He stares at the fallen gemstone in silence, incredulous of how easy it was. “... 2 hours of searching for this…” He shakes his head and bubbles the gem. He touches the top of the bubble, making it disappear from his hands. “One more, Graves. Sending right to the base."

Ashley sighs through the communicator. “Well, that was anticlimactic.”

Steven stretches his arms with an exhausted groan. “Tell me about it. You’d think an invisible Gem would put up more of a fight.”

“Maybe it was a defective one.” Ashley’s voice carries a hint of amusement. “Either way, good job. Head back to the transport platform and go home. You’re done for today.”

Steven confirms and turn off the comm. He quickly moves back to the platform and warp back to the city of Las Nevas, stretching as he arrives.

Steven stepped into his new home, a modest yet comfortable house that G.U.N had provided as an apology. 

The walls were still mostly bare, but shelves were already filling up with traces of his past, photos of him and Fionna, frozen moments of joy and adventure. Some were from their missions together, others from more peaceful times, and others were from their fusion, Stionna. 

The house felt new, unfamiliar, but at least these memories made it feel like his own.

He goes to his room, which is full of games, plushies and some books. 

He walked past his bed and sat down on the floor, his back resting lightly against the mattress. His eyes locked onto the full-length mirror in front of him, his expression unreadable.

A long silence stretched between him and his reflection.

Then, his lips parted.

“... So… you’re going to appear, or you chickened out?”

But only silence…

He grits his teeth and clenched his fists at the lack of response. “... I know you’re there… You helped me back there, and I want to know why. Show up .”

The reflection in the mirror remains unchanged, just Steven staring at himself. 

But then, the air around the glass wavers, distorting slightly. A faint, female chuckle echoes from nowhere.

Steven’s eyes narrow. “There you are.”

A pair of glowing gray eyes emerge from the shifting surface, staring directly into his own. The laughter grows clearer, carrying a strange mix of amusement and curiosity.

"You're more persistent than I expected. " The voice finally speaks, smooth yet distant, as if carried from another plane of existence. " Most would have brushed it off as a trick of the light or a hallucination."

Steven crosses his arms. "Yeah, well, I'm not most people. Who are you?"

The voice chuckles. “Oh, my dear boy, isn’t that clear?”

Steven pauses and put his hand over the diamond on his forehead. “... So, how am I supposed to call you? ‘Diamond in my head’?”

She laughs soundly again. “Almost. I prefer to be called… Black Diamond .”

The guy stares at Black Diamond’s eyes in silence. “... Alright, Black Diamond … Why did you help me? Why did you never show up before?”

She sighs soundly and stares him in silence for a moment. “My dear boy… Would you interrupt one of those soccer matches in the middle of it for nothing? Because I wouldn’t. But I would interrupt if the ball was launched in the direction of my face, I don’t want to get hurt after all.”

Steven scoffs. "So you're saying you only helped me because you were in danger too?"

Black Diamond's eyes gleam with amusement. "Clever boy. ” She laughs soundly. “ Oh boy, it’s been five minutes and I do enjoy our little chats already."

Steven narrows his eyes. "Yeah, I'm thrilled." He says dryly. "So, what are you? A ghost? A spirit? Some kind of AI stuck in my head?"

Black Diamond hums thoughtfully. "Hmm… None of the above. I am you, and yet, I am not. A fragment, a shadow, a whisper of something greater… But more importantly, I am here, and I am watching."

Steven clenches his fists. "Yeah, well, I don’t like being watched."

Her laughter echoes softly. "Too bad, dear boy. You're stuck with me."

Steven glares at the mirror. "And if I want you gone?"

Black Diamond’s glowing eyes curve slightly, like she's smiling. "Well, you could get rid of me, just remove this big black diamond in your head that replaces your brain."

Steven scowls, his fingers instinctively tightening around the edges of his forehead gemstone. "Tch. Figures. You're one of those annoying types."

Black Diamond hums in amusement. "And yet, here we are, conversing like old friends. And you know what’s better? We ARE old friends. We know each other since your birth. How delightful."

Steven's expression darkens, his fingers twitching slightly as he processes Black Diamond's words. "Since my birth?" He echoes, skepticism lacing his tone. "You're telling me you've been here this whole time, just… lurking?"

Black Diamond chuckles, the sound smooth and knowing. "Yes, always watching. Of course, there were the boring parts like watch you brush your teeth, but it’s mostly fun to watch, and every day, my little show, aka your life, is getting more and more interesting. I’ve always been a part of you, waiting, listening, watching … And now, it seems we finally have a moment to chat."

Steven’s glare hardens. “So you were with me my whole life and only showed up that time because you felt scared and now because I discovered you?”

She looks up and back at him. “Yeah, pretty much.”

Steven stares at her. As he was about to ask any further, his phone ring. He picks it up and see it’s Colonel Andrew. He looks at her and sighs. “We’ll talk later.”

Steven gets up and picks up the call. “Andrew, what is it?”

From the other line of the call, Andrew answers slightly anxious. “Steven, come to the base as soon as possible.”

Steven sighs and rubs his forehead, the pressure of the situation beginning to settle in. "What's going on, Andrew?"

Andrew’s voice crackles through the phone, tense but controlled. “Just come over already, I’ll explain when you arrive.”

Steven sighs and hang out the call. He goes outside and get on his motorcycle and start driving.

Soon, he warps to the G.U.N HQ and hop off the motorbike.

He quickly arrives at a conference room with several high-rank agents and goes to talk with Andrew. “Heya, Colonel, have you seen Finn?”

Andrew looks at him. “Fionna is at the training sector training her aim.”

Steven grins. “Hehe, she finally decided to use guns then?”

“No, she chose a tactic bow. I must say, she’s doing very well. But that’s not why I called you here.” The colonel moves to show something on a screen.

It reveals a green giant hand on the space.

Steven steps back. “The fuck is that?”

Andrew groans. “We don’t know. We only got images because of our telescopes, but we definitely can’t reach it to discover any further. We believe it is some kind of spaceship because of the size and the appearance. It appeared a few days ago and got closer rather quickly. In a few days it will arrive in Earth.”

Steven stares at the image of the massive green hand, a mix of confusion and concern crossing his face. "A spaceship, huh? That thing looks like it’s got some serious size to it."

Andrew nods, his expression serious. "Exactly. We don't know what it is, where it came from, or who's behind it. We just know it's coming fast, and it's too large to ignore. We need to be ready."

Steven taps his fingers on his leg, thinking. "Do you have any intel on its origin? Who's on board? Any chance it's hostile?"

Andrew shakes his head. "We don't have any solid answers yet. Our sensors can't get close enough, and there's no communication coming from it. We're playing it by ear."

Steven takes a deep breath. "Alright, I’ll be ready. Let me know if you need any help prepping. But if it's as bad as it looks, we might need backup."

Andrew gives a sharp nod. "We’ll keep you in the loop, Steven. For now, I need you on standby. Anything you hear, anything you see, report it immediately."

Steven stands up, his thoughts racing. "Got it." He heads out of the room, his mind already planning ahead for the strange hand in space. As he exits the base, Black Diamond’s voice cuts through his thoughts.

"I told you your life was getting more interesting." She murmurs, her tone amused.

Steven clenches his jaw, trying to ignore her presence. "Yeah, I noticed."

[TO BE CONTINUED]

Chapter Text

At the training sector, on the shooting range, Fionna is holding a tactical bow, aiming at a target.

She takes a deep breath and shoots the arrow, hitting the center of the target with incredible precision.

She smiles to herself and hears some clapping from behind her.

Fionna turn around to see Steven smirking at her and clapping his hands. "Hohoho, how's going, pretty Legolas?"

Fionna rolls her eyes but smiles at him. "Legolas? Please, I'm way cooler than that." She spins another arrow between her fingers before smoothly nocking it onto the bowstring.

Steven chuckles, stepping closer with his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, yeah. Keep telling yourself that. But hey, I gotta admit, your aim's getting pretty damn good."

She smiles bashfully at the compliment, pulling the bowstring back again. "Oh, thanks. Since we started fusing into Stionna, I feel like I'm thinking more straightly." She aims at another target. "Almost like I could see the trajectory of the arrow, the speed it will reach, and the force it requires." With a swift release, the arrow whistles through the air and lands dead center on the target again. "I wouldn't be able to see all of this with a gun."

He grins at her. "Speed, trajectory, force… aren't these physics stuff? You think it has anything to do with your college course?"

Fionna raises an eyebrow, looking at Steven as she pulls another arrow from her quiver. "Actually, yeah. It's like everything I've learned in my physics courses is clicking in real-time. The way the arrow moves through the air, the force behind it, the angle... it's all about the principles I studied."

She nocks another arrow, adjusting her stance slightly. "It's kind of wild, really. I feel like I can visualize all the equations in my head, but now I'm seeing them play out in the real world."

Steven leans against a nearby railing, clearly impressed. "That's insane. So, you're telling me you can just… calculate the perfect shot every time now?"

Fionna grins and releases another arrow, watching it soar into the target with pinpoint precision. "Pretty much. It's like everything I've been studying is being put to use in real-time. Physics isn't just some theory anymore; it's a tool I can use." She chuckles to herself. "Guess Stionna really turned out to be an upgrade for my brain."

Steven chuckles. "Great to listen that, Finn…" He pauses. "Have the Colonel informed you the situation?"

Fionna looks at Steven, her expression shifting to a more serious one. "Yeah, I got the call. Colonel Andrew mentioned something about a giant green hand in space?" She raises an eyebrow, clearly confused but also intrigued. "Sounds like we're in for something big. I might have freaked out at first, but I'm calm now."

Steven nods, his expression serious now. "Yeah, it's weird. We don't know what it is yet, but it's headed toward Earth. We need to be ready for whatever comes next. The Colonel wants everyone on standby."

Fionna lowers her bow, glancing up at Steven. "On standby, huh? That doesn't sound like a small deal."

"Not at all," Steven replies, rubbing the back of his neck. "If it's really a spaceship, that means someone's inside. And if it's that big, there's a chance it could be dangerous."

Fionna bites her lip, looking off into the distance, lost in thought. "I don't like the idea of some random spaceship showing up and not knowing who or what's inside. Could be hostile, could be peaceful. We really don't have enough info to prepare for this."

Steven watches her, his voice quiet but serious. "Exactly. That's why we need to stay sharp, keep an eye on it, and be ready to act when we have more details."

Fionna tightens her grip on the bow. "We should start planning for both scenarios, defensive and offensive. We can't afford to be caught off guard."

Steven's face softens into a smile. "Always thinking ahead, Finn. That's rather hot, y'know?"

Fionna rolls her eyes again, but there's a playful glint in her eyes as she sets her bow down on the nearby rack. "You're insufferable, you know that?"

Steven laughs, approaching her and kissing her cheek. "And you love that."

Fionna shakes her head with a small smile, nudging him lightly. "Yeah, yeah. Now, come on, lover boy. If we're on standby, we should at least do something productive."

He chuckles and pulls her for a hug. "Oww, c'mon! We're partners now, in love, in crime, and in fusion!"

Fionna chuckles, leaning into the hug for a moment before playfully pushing Steven away. "Yeah, yeah, but let's focus on the 'in crime' part later. Right now, we need to figure out how we're supposed to handle a giant hand spaceship coming toward Earth."

Steven groans, stretching his arms. "Ugh, fine. I guess romantic moments can wait until after we make sure an alien invasion isn't happening."

Fionna smirks. "Now you're getting it."

Just as they're about to continue, a sharp beep comes from their communicators. Steven presses his, and Andrew's voice comes through, urgent and direct.

"Steven. Fionna. Report to the command room. Now."

Steven and Fionna exchange a glance before Steven sighs. "Guess our break's over."

They quickly make their way to the command room, where Colonel Andrew stands in front of a massive screen displaying a live feed of the green hand. Other agents and scientists are working frantically at their stations.

Andrew turns to them, his expression tense. "We've got a situation."

Steven crosses his arms. "Yeah, we got that much already. What's changed?"

Andrew motions to the screen, zooming in on the colossal hand. "It's accelerating. Whatever this thing is, it's going to reach Earth's orbit faster than we estimated."

Fionna furrows her brows. "How much faster?"

Andrew exhales sharply. "Instead of days… we have hours."

Steven's eyes widen. "Are you kidding me?"

Fionna straightens, her mind racing. "Have we picked up any signals from it? Any transmissions, movement, anything?"

Andrew shakes his head. "No signals, no signs of life. Just this… thing, coming straight at us."

Steven rubs his forehead, his gemstone glinting under the lights. "Alright, so what's the plan? Are we sending a team up there, or are we waiting for it to make the first move?"

Andrew's jaw tightens. "We don't have a ship capable of reaching it in time. At this rate, it'll enter our atmosphere before we even get close."

Fionna narrows her eyes. "Then what's the contingency plan? If it gets here and is hostile, we can't just sit around waiting to get crushed."

Andrew exhales. "For now, our contingency plan is you and Steven… or better, Stionna."

Steven groans. "In other words, 'We're desperate and we have no idea what to do but we got a powerful being if things fuck up'."

Andrew crosses his arms, his gaze unwavering. "That's not exactly how I'd put it, but yes. If this thing turns out to be hostile, we need you two ready to fuse and engage immediately."

Steven sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Figures. You guys always count on us when shit gets real."

Fionna, however, stays focused. "What's the worst-case scenario?"

Andrew gestures to the screen. "We have no idea what this thing is capable of, but if it enters our atmosphere at its current size, the impact alone could be catastrophic. If it's a ship, there's a chance it has weapons. If it's a life form… we have no clue what it can do."

Steven looks at the screen. "... Then let's wait. It's the best we can do for now."

Fionna and Andrew glare at Steven, but sigh. They know he's actually right and there is nothing to do for now.

So now…

They wait.

[TO BE CONTINUED]

Chapter Text

Some hours later, G.U.N is done with preparing for the giant hand.

Currently, Steven, Fionna and several high-armed agents are standing on the rooftop of the G.U.N building, looking at the hand on the sky. It is getting way too close to them.

From the command room, Colonel Andrew and Commander Graves watch in silence with the cameras. Andrew grips the table in front of him in anxiety while Ashley watches with wide eyes.

Steven exhales sharply, eyes fixed on the approaching anomaly. "Well, this is officially the weirdest thing I've ever seen."

Fionna doesn’t respond. Her grip tightens around her bow, her analytical mind racing. 

In a matter of minutes, the hand stops ahead from them and turn its palm to the sky. From the tip of the index finger, comes a green orb that retracts and reveals A tall, muscular woman with white wild hair, orange skin, and some kind of crystal where should be the nose, and a green woman with a green stone on her forehead.

The green woman looks at a screen on her hands. “It was from here where the energy pulse came.” She glances at the agents. “It seems it was this group of humans who sent the pulse.”

The tall woman narrowed her eyes. “Looks like another waste of my time.”

One of the higher-ranking agents steps forward. “Stop right there. State your business on this planet.”

The green woman barely spares the agent a glance before tapping on her screen. "We're not here to waste time with lower lifeforms." Her voice is sharp, efficient, almost dismissive.

The two of them hop off the hand and stare at the agents. The tall woman crosses her arms. “Are you sure it wasn’t a gem who made the signal? What a shame. I hoped to meet her.” She smirks. “I was looking forward to beating her into the ground.” She sighs and turns away. “But it appears to be just human activity. You don’t need me for this. Just blast them with the ship.”

The green woman sighs. “Fine.” She presses some buttons on her hand-screen, making the hand-like ship point its finger at the agents and emit a strong light.

The agents look in shock, most of them running away in fear. Fionna widens her eyes and stutters in fear.

Steven steps back and looks in shock. His eyes widened and he clenched his fists. He was about to run or hide or something… but he looked at Fionna and sighed. “Fuck…”

Steven pulls an axe and lunges towards the ship. “Fuck fuck fuck fuck!”

The ship blasts a huge energy blast, but Steve quickly parries it with awesome precision. “FUUUUUUCK!!!”

He grips his axe tight while parrying the attack, finally deflecting it to the sky and falling to his knees, breathing deeply.

The two women turn to Steven and stare at him in shock as they see his gem. 

The green one quickly pulls her screen to blast them again, but the taller one stops her and grins at Steven. “Well, this was unexpected. It seems like it weren’t simple humans, but a defective gem.”

Steven raises to his feet and settles his axe at the woman and tries to grin in the middle of his shock. “Y-Yeah, I’m not a simple human.”

“Good.” She lunges at Steven. 

He tries to attack but she quickly punches his chest with force, launching him back.

He coughs in pain, breathless. “Damn…”

Fionna watches in horror as Steven crashes onto the rooftop, skidding to a stop near her feet. He coughs, clutching his ribs, but quickly forces himself to stand. The tall woman smirks, cracking her knuckles as she steps forward.

"You're sturdy.” She says, tilting her head. "For a defective gem, that is."

Steven groans, wiping his mouth. "Y’know, this 'defective' talk… It’s getting really old way too fast."

Fionna snaps out of her shock, quickly drawing an arrow and aiming at the taller woman. "I don't know who you are, but if you think we’re just going to stand here and let you attack us, you’ve got another thing coming."

The green woman huffs, adjusting her screen. "More resistance than expected. Jasper, let me just handle this—"

The taller woman, Jasper, raises a hand to stop her. "No. I want to see what this one can do first." She gestures toward Steven, grinning. "Come on, defective gem. Show me what you’ve got."

Steven grits his teeth, gripping his axe. "Fionna, stay back!” He yells at Fionna and sets his axe to battle.

Jasper grins at the sight and summons an attacking-helmet before lunging at Steven.

Jasper charges forward with alarming speed, her helmet gleaming as she closes the distance between herself and Steven. He barely has time to brace before she swings a powerful punch straight at him. Steven manages to block with his axe, but the sheer force sends him skidding backward, his boots scraping against the rooftop.

Fionna watches with wide eyes, her grip on her bow tightening. Steven is strong, but this Jasper woman is a brute. Even with his strength, he’s struggling to keep up.

Steven clenches his teeth and lunges forward, swinging his axe in a wide arc. Jasper effortlessly ducks under the strike, her movements precise despite her bulk. With a smirk, she slams her shoulder into his gut, sending him flying backward again. He barely manages to land on his feet, coughing.

“C’mon,” Jasper taunts, rolling her shoulders. “You can do better than that, right?”

Steven spits to the side, gripping his axe tighter. "Yeah, yeah. I’m just warming up."

Fionna quickly assesses the situation. Jasper is overwhelming Steven with sheer strength, but she’s fast too, too fast for Steven to get a clean hit. That means she needs to slow Jasper down.

Fionna quickly turns to the green one and shoots an arrow at her chest.

The green one gasps in surprise as the arrow pierce her chest and stammers a bit before poofing.

Jasper notices that and turns her head to Fionna. Steven tries to use the opportunity to attack Jasper, but she manages to dodge the attack and strike his face with a powerful punch.

Jasper's punch sends Steven sprawling backward, his vision blurring for a split second before he slams into the rooftop. He grits his teeth, struggling to push himself up. His jaw aches from the impact, and he can taste blood in his mouth.

Fionna stands her ground, quickly nocking another arrow. Her heart pounds in her chest, but she forces herself to focus. She had taken down the smaller one, at least temporarily, but Jasper was still a massive threat.

Jasper turns her full attention to Fionna now, cracking her knuckles as she steps forward. "That was a mistake." She says, her voice dangerously low.

Fionna narrows her eyes, pulling her bowstring back. "Yeah? Well, you're making one too if you think I’m just going to stand here and let you win."

Jasper smirks. "You’ve got guts, human. I respect that." Then, without warning, she charges.

Fionna barely has time to release her arrow before Jasper is upon her. The shot is fast, aimed straight for Jasper’s shoulder, but the brute twists her body at the last second. The arrow grazes her arm, barely slowing her down.

Before Jasper can attack Fionna, a figure suddenly grab Jasper by her hair, throwing her back.

“TARGET SPOTTED.” A metallic voice says.

Jasper crashes onto the rooftop, skidding to a halt. She shakes her head and snarls, looking up at the new arrival.

Standing between her and Fionna is a weird robot, that resembles the appearance of Steven. Its crimson eyes glow ominously, and his voice carries a robotic edge. It towers over both Fionna and Jasper, its movements precise and methodical.

Steven, still recovering from Jasper’s last hit, blinks at the sight. “Oh, great… You.”

The robot doesn’t acknowledge him. Instead, it takes a step forward, analyzing Jasper. “THREAT LEVEL: HIGH. ENGAGING COMBAT PROTOCOL.”

Jasper eyes the robotic Steven with a mix of intrigue and irritation, rolling her shoulders as she stands back up. "Oh, great. Another one. What is this, defective gem central?" She cracks her knuckles. "No matter. I’ll shatter you just like the other one."

The robotic figure doesn't react to her taunts. Instead, his red eyes flicker as he calculates the situation. “TARGET IDENTIFIED: HOSTILE GEM ENTITY. DESIGNATION: JASPER. OBJECTIVE: NEUTRALIZATION.”

Without another word, he dashes forward with mechanical precision. His movements are eerily smooth, faster than Steven's, more calculated. Jasper barely has time to react before the robot slams his knee into her gut, sending her skidding back.

Jasper grunts, but she quickly recovers, flipping backward and landing on her feet. Her eyes narrow. "Huh. Not bad. But let’s see how well you handle a real fight!"

She charges at the robot, her fists glowing with energy. She swings a powerful punch, but the robot tilts his head slightly, dodging it with inhuman efficiency. Before Jasper can react, it counterattacks with a devastating uppercut, sending her airborne.

Steven and Fionna watch in shock as Jasper crashes into the rooftop, cracking the concrete beneath her. Steven rubs his jaw, still aching from her earlier hit. "I can’t believe it… they actually kept… this thing."

Fionna widens her eyes and goes to help Steven to get up. "Steven, what is that thing?”

Steven groans as he stands up with her help. “It is an old foe of mine. G.U.N made it when they were hunting me. Its name is ‘Serial 73 V3-Nemesis’, but I suppose its nickname is Metal Steven.”

Jasper quickly stands up, getting her fists ready. “Oh, so you’re a machine, huh? Doesn’t matter. I’ll destroy you before—”

Metal Steven lunges at her, grabbing her neck and launching her to the sky. It sets fly with a black energy that comes from its back and goes to attack Jasper.

It grabs Jasper by her hair and propels them against the floor.

As soon as they land on the ground, a big dust screen covers the site, but when the dust sets, Metal Steven is standing in front of Jasper’s gemstone. He managed to poof her. “TARGET NEUTRALIZED. OBJECTIVE COMPLETED.”

Steven glances at Metal Steven and chuckles. “Well, it seems like you’re good in other stuff but hunting me—”

It suddenly lunges at Steven, grabbing his throat. “RETURNING TO PRIMARY FUNCTION: ELIMINATE STEVEN WIMBLETON.”

Steven widens his eyes and chokes. Before Metal Steven actually hurts him, he’s deactivated and releases Steven. 

Steven falls on his back and coughs. “Dammit…”

As Steven looks up, he sees Colonel Andrew walking up to him. “Okay… sorry for this. Serial 73 still has his old, bugged programmation and we didn’t have time to fix it.” He hands the gemstones to Steven. “Now bubble them before they reform.”

He stares at Andrew but sighs. He grabs the gemstones and bubbles them with a swift move.

Steven slowly stands up and glances at Andrew. “I thought you guys had discarded this big piece of junk.”

Andrew crosses his arms, his expression unreadable. “We considered it. But in the end, we realized we might still have a use for it.” He glances at Metal Steven, now completely inactive, standing motionless like a statue. “Despite its… flaws, it’s an asset in combat.”

Steven rubs his sore throat, shaking his head. “Yeah, well, it almost asset-ed me to death.” He glares at Andrew. “You didn’t think to, I don’t know, warn me before letting your murder-bot loose? I thought the ‘Gem Understanding Nations’ wanted to understand me, not destroy me.

Andrew exhales sharply. “We had no choice. That gem woman was too strong, and you weren’t keeping up. If we hadn’t activated Serial 73, you’d be down for good.”

Steven clenches his fists, but before he can argue further, Fionna steps forward. “Okay, can we take a second to process what just happened?” She gestures at the deactivated Metal Steven and the bubbles floating in the air. “We just fought some crazy alien warrior, then this thing shows up and takes her down in seconds, just to turn on Steven right after?” She looks at Andrew. “Why the hell do you guys even have this thing if you can’t control it properly?”

Andrew sighs. “I told you, it still has its old programming. We didn’t have time to fix it before deployment.”

Ashley’s voice suddenly crackles through their earpieces. “Enough arguing. The battle is over and now we can focus on other stuff.”

Steven and Fionna exchange glances in curiosity. Andrew taps his earpiece. “What is it, Commander?”

Ashley’s voice is calm. “The Hand Spaceship is still there, y’know?”

Steven and Fionna snap their heads up to the sky. Sure enough, the massive ship hasn’t moved an inch.

“Huh… that’s curious.” Steven says in curiosity.

“Maybe there were only the two of them inside the ship?” Fionna responds.

Andrew takes a minute to think. He touches his earpiece. “Commander, call the engineers and the scientists. We’re going to disassemble it piece by piece.”

Ashley responds over the earpiece, "Understood. I’ll have them on-site within the hour."

Steven exhales, still rubbing his sore throat. "Fine by me. Just make sure that thing doesn’t start blasting again."

Fionna lowers her bow, glancing warily at the motionless Metal Steven. "And maybe make sure this thing stays deactivated, too?"

Andrew nods. "We’ll secure Serial 73 and contain the ship. Let’s move."

As the agents mobilize, Steven watches the floating bubbles holding the gems. He sighs. "I’ve got a bad feeling this isn’t over."

Fionna crosses her arms. "Yeah… me too.”

[TO BE CONTINUED]

[Seriously, if you’re reading this part, review it. It would be very appreciated :D]

Chapter Text

Jasper and the green gem, Peridot, reform inside a reinforced containment room, their gems glowing before their bodies take shape again. The sterile, metallic walls surround them, lit by bright overhead lights. Jasper cracks her knuckles as she glares at the unfamiliar surroundings.

Peridot blinks in confusion, then looks down at her hands, her small, green hands. Her bare hands.

Her eyes widen in horror. “Where are my Limb Enhancers?!” She screeches, frantically waving her tiny fingers as if that would somehow bring them back. “This is unacceptable! I require my technology to function at maximum efficiency!”

Jasper, on the other hand, doesn't care about Peridot’s tech tantrum. Her fists tighten as she processes what happened. She growls, turning sharply and punching the nearest wall. The impact leaves a deep dent in the reinforced metal, but it holds. "I can't believe I was defeated by a piece of junk!"

Peridot flinches at the sound of Jasper’s punch but quickly recovers. “Correction: We were defeated. And I was shot by some primitive projectile weapon before I could even react!” She crosses her arms and puffs out her cheeks in frustration. "This planet is insufferable !"

Jasper turns to her with a sneer. “You got taken down by a single arrow. Don’t lump me in with you.”

Before Peridot can retort, a mechanical clank echoes outside the room. A door slides open, and a group of armed G.U.N. agents steps inside the containment sector, ahead from the gems’ cell. Leading them is Colonel Andrew, his usual stern expression in place.

Behind him, Steven and Fionna enter. Steven has his arms crossed, still sore from the fight, while Fionna grips her bow, cautious but curious.

Andrew steps forward, his gaze unwavering. "Welcome to G.U.N custody."

Peridot scowls, pressing herself against the back of the containment room, her fingers twitching as if she were trying to summon a screen that no longer exists. “You— You can’t just capture us like some kind of primitive organic zoo! Do you have any idea who you’re dealing with?!”

Jasper glares at Andrew, her orange eyes burning with defiance. “Tch. You think locking us in this metal box is going to change anything?” She steps forward, cracking her knuckles. “I’ll tear my way out of here the second I get the chance.”

Andrew remains impassive. “You won’t. This room is reinforced with materials designed to withstand high-impact attacks, including yours. Besides, Steven’s energy is all infused into the glass, touch it, and you’ll poof again.” He nods toward the dent Jasper left in the wall. “Impressive. But not enough.”

Jasper bares her teeth but doesn’t attack. Not yet.

Steven steps forward, rubbing his sore jaw. “Look, I don’t want to be here either, but you two tried to blow up an entire rooftop full of people, so… yeah, you kinda brought this on yourselves.”

Jasper scoffs. “You’re lucky I didn’t bring you down with me.” Her sharp eyes lock onto him, analyzing his every move. “What kind of gem are you, anyway? You fight like an amateur but somehow managed to hold your own. A defective fusion?”

Steven sighs, already tired of the ‘defective’ comments. “I’m not a fusion. I’m just… me.”

Peridot, who has been glaring at the glass, suddenly looks at Steven. “Wait… you’re the one who sent out that energy pulse! That wavelength, it was gem-coded !” Her expression shifts from frustration to intrigue. “How is that possible? You’re not a standard gem, you’re an anomaly!”

Steven rolls his eyes. “Gee, thanks. That’s not the first time I’ve been called that.”

Fionna narrows her eyes at Peridot. “And what exactly were you two planning to do when you tracked that pulse?”

Peridot crosses her arms. “Our mission was to locate the source of the pulse and determine if it was a potential threat.” She glances at Jasper. “But somebody assumed brute force was the best course of action before we could gather proper data.”

Jasper huffs. “You were the one who said we should blast the place first.”

Peridot waves her tiny hands dramatically. “I meant a precise energy scan! Not ‘blow-up-the-building’ levels of destruction!”

Andrew clears his throat, reminding them all of his presence. “We’re more interested in why you’re here in the first place. What’s your real objective?”

Peridot hesitates. Her fingers twitch as she calculates her response. “That’s classified.”

Andrew doesn’t react. “Then you’ll stay classified inside this cell.”

Peridot tenses. “W-Wait, you’re actually keeping us here?!”

Jasper lets out a low growl. “You think I’ll sit in this cage while you organics act like you’re in control?” She takes a step forward, pressing a hand against the glowing glass. Instantly, her body flickers, and she staggers back, barely avoiding poofing again. She grits her teeth, now furious .

Steven winces. “Yeah… Told ya not to touch it.”

Jasper clenches her fists, breathing heavily through her nose, but doesn’t make another move.

Andrew turns to Peridot. “Cooperate, and maybe we’ll talk about releasing you under certain conditions.”

Peridot huffs, crossing her arms again. “Hmph. Not much of a choice, is it?”

Andrew smirks faintly. “No, it isn’t.”

Steven sighs and looks at Jasper. “You wanna stop trying to kill me now, or is that still on your to-do list?”

Jasper’s silence stretches for a long moment. Her fists clench and unclench, her muscles tense as if resisting the urge to strike the glass again. Then, finally, she scoffs. "Tch. I don’t take orders from humans. Or defective gems."

Steven crosses his arms. "Yeah, you’ve made that pretty clear. But considering you’re stuck in here, maybe you should start thinking about working with us instead of against us."

Jasper just narrows her eyes. "I don’t work with anyone."

Peridot, still fidgeting, huffs in frustration. "Well, that attitude won’t get us anywhere! Logically, if we want to escape this ridiculous predicament, we need to negotiate." She looks at Andrew with a little too much confidence for someone locked in a reinforced containment cell. "I demand to speak to your superior officer! Or whoever is in charge of this primitive operation!"

Andrew raises an eyebrow. "You’re speaking to him."

Peridot blinks. "Oh." She frowns. "That’s… disappointing."

Steven snickers, while Fionna stifles a chuckle.

Andrew doesn’t react to Peridot’s disappointment, his expression remaining as unreadable as ever. “You want to negotiate? Then start talking. Why were you two sent here, and who sent you?”

Peridot hesitates again, her gem glowing faintly as her mind races. “That’s… complex information.” She glances at Jasper, who remains silent, arms crossed, glaring at the floor as if willing it to break under her gaze.

Fionna steps closer, tilting her head. “Complex? Or something you don’t want to admit?”

Peridot huffs. “Both.” She waves her small hands in exasperation. “Look, we were sent to investigate anomalies, particularly ones involving unauthorized gem activity on this planet. And given what we’ve encountered so far, this place is crawling with them!” She gestures dramatically at Steven. “Case in point!”

Steven sighs, rubbing his temples. “Again, thanks.”

Andrew’s eyes narrow slightly. “Sent by who?”

Peridot shifts uncomfortably. “I’m… not sure if I should say.”

Jasper suddenly scoffs, finally speaking up. “Oh, just say it already. It’s not like they don’t already know we’re not from around here.” She turns her glare on Steven. “It’s the Diamonds. Who else?”

The air in the room seems to grow heavier.

Steven widens his eyes at the mention of ‘Diamond’. He side-glances at a window just to see Black Diamond’s eyes glancing at him, snickering lowly.

“Who are these ‘Diamonds’?” Andrew asks. “And where did you come from?”

Peridot stiffens at Andrew’s question, her lips pressing into a tight line. She exchanges a glance with Jasper, who remains impassive, her arms still crossed over her chest.

Before Peridot can respond, a quiet chuckle echoes in his head. “Oh, now this is interesting,” Black Diamond muses, her voice smooth and taunting. “Hearing my name must really shake you, huh? I wonder what they’d think if they knew about me?”

Steven ignores her, focusing on Peridot, who finally speaks.

“We are gems from the Gem Empire.” She says, tilting her chin up. “An advanced civilization that spans multiple star systems. The Diamonds, our supreme leaders, govern the empire and dictate the purpose of every gem in existence.”

Andrew listens intently, his hands behind his back. “And what purpose do you serve?”

Peridot huffs. “I am a peridot, a technician and a certified Kindergartener.”

Andrew raises an eyebrow. "Kindergartener?"

Peridot straightens up, attempting to look more authoritative despite her small stature. "Yes! A Kindergartener is responsible for overseeing and maintaining Kindergartens—facilities where gems are properly formed from the earth." She lifts her chin. "I am a high-ranking technician specializing in data analysis, technological enhancements, and resource management!"

Jasper snorts. "You're a glorified maintenance worker."

Peridot glares at her. "And you’re a brute with no tactical sense!"

Jasper grits her teeth but doesn’t argue.

Andrew processes this information carefully. "So, you're telling me your civilization creates gems like a production line? That you… manufacture your kind?"

Peridot nods proudly. "Precisely! Each gem is assigned a purpose upon creation, ensuring efficiency and functionality in our empire. Unlike you chaotic organics, we do not waste resources on uncertainty."

Steven frowns at that. "Yeah, well, that ‘efficiency’ doesn’t sound like it leaves much room for freedom."

Peridot waves a hand dismissively. "Freedom is an unnecessary variable. A gem’s purpose is dictated by the Diamonds to ensure order and prosperity!"

Steven’s expression darkens, but before he can argue, Andrew speaks up. "And Jasper? What’s your purpose?"

Jasper lifts her head proudly. "I’m a Quartz. A frontline soldier, made for combat. Unlike Peridot, I don’t waste time with useless talk. I fight, I conquer, and I win."

Peridot crosses her arms, still trying to maintain some form of authority in the situation. “Regardless of your primitive misunderstandings, our mission was simple: Locate the source of the energy anomaly and report back. That’s all.”

Andrew tilts his head slightly. “You already said that. But why did the Diamonds care in the first place? What’s so special about this planet?”

Peridot huffs. “Oh, please, Earth has been on the Diamond Authority’s radar for millennia! This planet is filled with compromised gem sites, defective remnants, and—” She suddenly stops, eyes widening as she clamps a hand over her mouth.

Steven immediately notices her reaction. “And… what?”

Peridot shakes her head rapidly. “Nothing! Forget I said anything! Irrelevant! Completely irrelevant!”

Jasper groans, rubbing her temples. “Ugh, you already screwed up, just say it.”

“No! I will not compromise classified information!” Peridot insists, panic creeping into her voice.

Andrew narrows his eyes. “You just said Earth is filled with ‘compromised gem sites.’ What exactly does that mean?”

Peridot stammers, trying to recover. “I-I just meant the Kindergartens! You know, old gem production sites! Perfectly ordinary! Nothing to worry about! Certainly nothing hidden deep within the planet, continuing to—” She slaps a hand over her mouth again.

Fionna’s brows knit together. “Continuing to what?”

Peridot frantically waves her tiny hands. “Did I say ‘continuing’? No, no, I misspoke! Forget that part! Forget everything! Error! Data corrupted! Disregard!”

Jasper, clearly losing patience, rolls her eyes. “She’s talking about the Cluster.”

Peridot whirls around, horrified. “JASPER! You clod!”

Andrew’s eyes sharpen. “The Cluster?”

Peridot freezes, her expression screaming regret. “I… I mean… hypothetically speaking—”

Andrew steps forward. “What is the Cluster?”

Peridot groans, dragging her hands down her face. “Okay, okay! Fine! You want the truth? Yes! The Cluster exists! It’s an experimental geo-weapon, planted deep within the Earth's mantle by the Diamond Authority.” She glares at Jasper. “Happy now?!”

Andrew’s expression hardens. “A geo-weapon?”

Peridot nods reluctantly. “Yes. The Cluster is a massive, unstable conglomeration of gem shards, left to fuse naturally deep within the Earth’s core. If it were to fully activate, it would destroy this planet. That’s why the Diamonds have been monitoring Earth for so long.”

Jasper adds with a grim smile, “And if it goes off, it’s game over for everyone. But the Diamonds don’t care, as long as they get what they want.”

Steven looks horrified. “You’re saying... they planted a bomb on Earth?!”

Peridot’s shoulders slump in frustration. “It’s not that simple. It’s not just a bomb. It’s a weapon that could potentially create an entirely new class of gems, but it’s also a ticking time bomb.”

Andrew takes a deep breath, processing the implications. “And that’s why you’re here. To stop it.”

Peridot nods, but her expression shifts into something more calculating. “No… Besides investigating the energy pulse, we’re here to make sure it woyld emerge and to know when it will emerge.”

The room falls silent as everyone absorbs the gravity of the situation. The stakes are higher than anyone imagined.

Steven lets a low nervous chuckle. “So… you don’t even know when it will emerge?”

Peridot crosses her arms, looking frustrated. “Well, no! We were going to obtain this information! But then you interfered, and now we’re stuck in this primitive prison with no access to proper data!”

Jasper scoffs. “Not like it matters. Whether it’s today, tomorrow, or a century from now, that thing will emerge.” She smirks at Steven. “And when it does, your little planet’s done for.”

They all stare at Jasper and Peridot, the room filled with a heavy silence… until Fionna breaks it. “But… You’re also stuck here. Does it mean you accept being destroyed with the planet?”

Peridot stiffens, her fingers twitching as the realization dawns on her. “W-Well, obviously, I’d prefer not to be destroyed! That would be highly inefficient!” She glares at Jasper. “And you didn’t mention that part before!”  

Jasper huffs, crossing her arms. “Doesn’t change anything. The Diamonds made their decision a long time ago. There’s no stopping it.”  

Steven steps forward, determination in his eyes. “We’ll see about that.” He turns to Andrew. “If there’s even a chance to stop this Cluster thing, we have to try.”  

Andrew nods, his expression grim. “Agreed. But first, we need more information.” He locks eyes with Peridot. “And you’re going to give it to us.”  

Peridot fidgets, looking between him, Steven, and the reinforced walls of their containment room. With no Limb Enhancers, no access to her tech, and no way out, she exhales sharply.  

“Hmph. Fine. But I expect proper working conditions.” She mutters. “And a data terminal.”  

Jasper scoffs. “You’re actually helping them?”  

Peridot groans. “I’m helping myself ! Unlike you, I don’t intend to sit around and let myself be shattered because of someone else’s mistakes.”  

Jasper’s eyes narrow, but she says nothing.  

Steven nods. “Then let’s get to work.”  

As the doors slide shut behind them, Black Diamond’s voice echoes in Steven’s head once more. “So… the game begins.”

He groans in annoyance.

[TO BE CONTINUED]

Chapter Text

The next day, Fionna slowly stirs awake by the smell of food, reaching for her glasses from her bedside table.

She stretches, reaching for her clothes and putting them on. She stands up and follows the smell of food, going straight to the kitchen just to find Steven cooking at the stove.

He grins and let a low laugh. “Hey, you’re finally awake. Honestly, I’m surprised you could sleep knowing about that ‘Cluster’ thing.”

Fionna yawns, adjusting her glasses as she takes in the scene. Steven stands at the stove, flipping pancakes with practiced ease. A plate of scrambled eggs and toast sits on the counter, along with a steaming mug of what smells like coffee.

She rubs her eyes. "Yeah, well… stressing about it all night wouldn’t have helped much either." She plops down at the table, still shaking off sleep. "Besides, I figured you’d be the one up all night worrying."

Steven chuckles, sliding a pancake onto a plate. "Oh, I did. But then I figured if I didn’t get any sleep, I’d be useless when we actually try to stop it." He hands her a plate and gestures to the syrup bottle. "You eat yet?"

Fionna blinks at the food, then shrugs. "Guess I am kinda hungry." She grabs a fork and digs in, taking a bite of the fluffy pancake. "Mmm, okay, you’re way too good at this for a thug."

Steven laughs. “Thug? Oh, you wound me, Finn.”

Fionna smirks between bites, chewing thoughtfully before pointing her fork at him. "I’m just saying, pancakes don’t exactly scream ‘bad boy with a rap sheet.’ Where’d you learn to cook like this?"

Steven grins, flipping another pancake. “A magician never reveals his secrets.”

Fionna tilts her head and leans to see his phone over the shelf. She chuckles and shrugs. “If you say so.”

Later, Steven warps to G.U.N HQ while Fionna is at her college. Steven passes by the command room, seeing Peridot discussing with Colonel Andrew and Commander Graves about something, but he keeps moving.

He arrives at the Containment Sector, passing by dozens and dozens of Wild Gems until he stops in front of Jasper’s cell.

She’s lying in the middle of the cell, arms crossed behind her head while she stares the ceiling.

Steven taps the glass a few times. “Yo. Wake up.”

Jasper doesn’t react at first, her expression unreadable as she continues staring at the ceiling. After a few moments, she slowly turns her head, her orange eyes locking onto Steven with a mixture of irritation and curiosity. “Tch. What do you want, defective ?”

Steven groans at the word and crosses his arms, leaning slightly against the reinforced glass. “Came to see how my favorite prisoner’s doing.”

Jasper scoffs. “I’m your only prisoner.”

Steven shrugs. “Not really, but you’re the only who doesn’t cooperate.”

Jasper finally sits up, rolling her shoulders with a grunt. “Cut the crap. If you’re here, you must want something.”

Steven sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. “I mean… yeah. I wanna know what your deal is.”

Jasper raises an eyebrow. “My deal?”

“You heard me.” Steven gestures vaguely. “You’re a big, tough soldier, all about fighting and winning. But now you’re stuck in a cage with no way out. So what now? What’s the great and mighty Jasper gonna do next?”

Jasper narrows her eyes at him, her jaw tightening. “You think I’m just gonna roll over and give up?”

“Nah.” Steven says, shaking his head. “I think you’re pissed. I think you hate being locked up, and you hate being beaten even more. But I also think you’re smart enough to know that punching walls isn’t gonna do jack.”

Jasper glares at him but doesn’t immediately snap back.

Steven steps closer to the glass. “Look, I’m not asking you to play nice with us, and I don’t expect some big redemption arc or whatever.” He tilts his head. “But if that Cluster thing is real, if it’s really gonna blow up this planet, then what’s your plan? Just sit here and let it happen?”

Jasper clenches her fists, her gaze dropping to the floor for a brief moment before she scowls. “I was made for war. Destruction is inevitable. That’s how it always was.”

Steven chuckles. “Really? War? Fighting till you die? I don’t think you have anyone to fight now.”

Jasper scoffs. “There's always someone to fight. There's just no one left worth fighting.”

Steven shakes his head. “Heh. Stop fighting and get a life.”

Jasper clench her fists and finally get up, walking towards the glass, towering over Steven. “Fighting IS my life. It’s what I was made for.”

But Steven doesn’t even flinch. “And you lost a fight to a defective AI that was programmed by humans to hunt me down, congrats.”

Jasper’s scowl deepens, her fists trembling at her sides. “That wasn’t a real fight,” she growls. “That was a cheap, mechanical imitation of combat.”

Steven smirks, crossing his arms. “Tell that to the bruises you got.”

Jasper lets out a low, frustrated growl before turning her back to him, pacing to the other side of her cell. “You come here just to piss me off, or do you actually have a point?”

Steven shrugs. “A little of the two.” He leans against the glass again, watching her. “Look, I don’t expect you to suddenly turn into a hero. But I know you hate sitting on your ass, waiting for something to happen. So I’m giving you a choice: Cooperate and I might pay you a drink or stay there, pretending you’re better than everyone on this planet while rotting till it explodes with you, or worse for you, we save it and lock you there forever.”

Jasper stops pacing. Her hands clench into fists, her jaw tight as she considers his words. The tension in her shoulders is obvious, she hates this, hates being caged, hates losing. But more than that, she hates feeling useless.

She turns back to Steven, her expression caught between fury and calculation. “You think something so trivial is gonna make me cooperate?”

Steven grins. “Nah. But I think the chance to do something might.” He tilts his head. “You’re a warrior, right? Warriors fight for something. What do you got left?”

Jasper glares at him, then exhales sharply through her nose. “Tch. And what, exactly, do you want from me?”

Steven pushes off the glass, standing tall. “Information. Both for me and for the planet. Anything about the Cluster, about these ‘Diamonds’, about…” He pauses. “About what Gems are. All you know” He pauses again, then smirks. “And if you play nice, maybe I get you out of this prison for a while. Supervised, of course.”

Jasper narrows her eyes. “Earth is a prison. I got out because I’m better than this place.”

Steven laughs. “Better? Well, if Earth is a prison, consider this a solitaire— No. A whole on the wall that you got stuck and can’t leave and that nobody’s gonna care to take you out.” He pauses. “But, if you tell me the stuff I want, I might take you out of the hole and let you explore this giant prison.”

Jasper pauses, staring at him. “... Why? Why protect this useless shell of a planet? You’re a gem. A defective one, but a gem. You could be a worker on Homeworld, but you choose to stay here and protect this damn planet. Why?”

Steven glances at her in silence, processing what she said. “... Miss, I don’t know half the stuff you said. I’m only half-gem, I was born 21 years ago, and I don’t even know what is a “Homeworld”. But I know something: This planet sucks, but there are stuff here that I care for. I don’t know what other planets have and I don’t care to know, because I’m happy now.”

Jasper studies him, her sharp orange eyes scanning his face for any sign of hesitation, weakness, or doubt. When she finds none, her scowl deepens. “You really don’t know anything, do you?”

He shakes his head. “No, not a thing.”

She stares into him, seeking any hint of hesitation or deception on him, but finding nothing. “... Tsk. You either emerged yesterday or were made defective enough to have no memory.” 

Jasper huffs, crossing her arms as she leans against the back wall of her cell. "Fine. You want to know what I know? The Diamonds built everything Gems are. The perfect order, the perfect structure, the perfect warriors." Her lips curl into a sneer. "And then you have this place. This pathetic, chaotic mudball full of weak, breakable lifeforms, and defective rebels."

He raises an eyebrow in curiosity. “... ‘Rebels’, huh? Tell me more.”

Jasper scoffs. “They were traitors. Gems that turned against their purpose, against the empire. Instead of being the warriors, workers, and leaders they were meant to be, they chose to fight for this —" She gestures vaguely. "This worthless mudball and the life inside it.”

Steven leans in slightly, his curiosity piqued. “So these ‘rebels’, they just ditched their whole society for Earth? Why? What’s so special about this place to them?”

Jasper’s scowl deepens. “Nothing. They named themselves ‘Crystal Gems’, and their leader, Rose Quartz , was the one to start it all. She turned against her own kind just to protect the life in this stupid planet, and that’s all.”

Steven crosses his arms, mulling over Jasper’s words. “‘Crystal Gems,’ huh?” He repeats the name, letting it settle. “And this Rose Quartz… she just decided to turn against her whole people? Just like that?”

Jasper scoffs. “Not ‘just like that.’ She manipulated others into following her. She turned perfectly good Gems against their own kind. And for what? To waste their existence defending a doomed rock?” Her fists clench at her sides. “She ruined everything.”

Steven watches her carefully. There’s more than just anger in her voice, there’s something deeper, something personal.

“Sounds like you really hate her.” 

Jasper’s glare sharpens. “Of course, I hate her. She’s the reason everything fell apart.” She exhales sharply through her nose, turning her back to him again. “She led an army of traitors and destroyed countless loyal Gems, and shattered one of our leaders, Pink Diamond .”

Steven nods, understanding the situation. “So she shattered a diamond... And what happened to her?”

Jasper pauses and slowly grins at the memory. “The three other diamonds evacuated the gems on our side from this planet and combined their powers to deliver a last, powerful attack in Earth, destroying every single of the Crystal Gems that were there.”

Steven nods. “Got it…” He pauses. “... Pink Diamond and other three, huh?” He thinks quietly. “Who would be these?”

Jasper narrows her eyes, studying Steven as if debating whether he’s even worthy of knowing. But eventually, she speaks.

“White Diamond. The highest authority, the purest, the strongest. The one who leads all Gems.” Jasper’s voice is laced with something resembling reverence.

“Then there’s Yellow Diamond, strict, disciplined, a warrior’s leader. And Blue Diamond, cold, calculating, but sentimental. After Pink Diamond was shattered, those two carried out her judgment.”

Steven nods thoughtfully. “... And… y’know… would there be, by any chance, a Black Diamond ?”

Jasper’s expression stiffens at his words. Her fists clench slightly before she scoffs, shaking her head. "Black Diamond? You don’t know the real diamonds, but you know a horror tale?"

Steven raises an eyebrow. "So that’s a no?"

Jasper glares at him, her jaw tightening. "There are three Diamonds now. There were four before Rose Quartz shattered Pink Diamond. Black Diamond is not real. She is nothing but a horror story to teach defective gems they must never betray Homeworld."

Steven crosses his arms, watching her reaction carefully. "So you won’t mind telling me this story, right?"

Jasper clicks her tongue, folding her arms. "Tch. Fine. Not like it matters."

She steps away from the glass, looking off to the side, her tone distant. "Black Diamond is an old legend. A nightmare whispered among Gems in the dark places of Homeworld. A warning of what happens when a Gem is too strong… too ambitious… too dangerous."

Steven leans against the glass, intrigued. "Go on."

Jasper exhales sharply, but she doesn’t stop. "According to the stories, she emerged at same time with White Diamond. Just like White, she was supposed to be the pinnacle of Gemkind, a force beyond perfection." Her lips curl in disgust. "But perfection doesn’t question its purpose. Perfection doesn’t rebel. And Black Diamond? She was too powerful to control."

Steven listens carefully, his expression unreadable.

"The story says she wanted more than order, more than structure. She wanted to rule everything. She saw herself as above the other Diamonds, above Homeworld itself. Some versions say she even tried to change Gems, to create something beyond what we were meant to be." Jasper sneers. "A Diamond doesn’t change. A Diamond leads. A Diamond dictates. But she? She was chaos."

Steven frowns. "So what happened to her?"

Jasper’s eyes darken. "The Diamonds put an end to her. White, Yellow, and Blue. Together, they shattered her, erased every trace of her existence." She clenches her fists. "No records. No monuments. Just a story to remind Gems what happens when you stray too far from your purpose."

Steven tilts his head. "And you believe that?"

Jasper scoffs. "I believe the Diamonds don’t tolerate imperfection. If she was real, then she was a failure, just like the rebels." Her voice hardens. "And failures don’t deserve to exist."

Steven doesn’t respond immediately. He just watches her, processing everything she said.

Then he smirks. "Funny thing about stories… they don’t usually stick around unless there’s some truth to them." 

Steven watches Jasper for a moment longer, his smirk fading into something more thoughtful. “Well, this has been fun,” he finally says, pushing off the glass. “But I got places to be.”

Jasper glares at him. “Hmph. Run along, then. Go play hero for your precious dirtball.”

Steven chuckles. “Don’t miss me too much, big guy.” He turns on his heel and walks away, shoving his hands in his pockets.

He steps into the hallway, glancing back once toward Jasper’s cell. She’s still standing there, arms crossed, watching him with that same mixture of contempt and curiosity.

Steven just smirks. “Later, Jasper.”

The doors close, making him disappear from her sight.

Steven walks to the warp pad, but before warping back home, he pulls a hand mirror from his gem and looks at himself. He turns the mirror to the spot next to him, showing Black Diamond’s eyes.

“‘Old Legend’, huh?”

Black Diamond laughs. “Oh please, my dear. You should already know she just doesn’t know I exist.”

Steven sighs. “Whatever you say…”

He hops on the transport platform and warps back to the city to take Fionna from her class.

[TO BE CONTINUED]

Chapter Text

As the night hits midnight, Steven cuddles closer to Fionna on their bed, his arms wrapped around her gently, the silence of the room only broken by Fionna’s soft snoring.

Suddenly, Steven’s phone start ringing, dragging him out of his comfort bubble. He groans loudly and answer the phone. “Yea?”

From the other side of the line, Andrew’s cold voice come through. “Steven, we need you to come here.”

Steven pinches the bridge of his nose. “Urgency level?”

Andrew doesn’t hesitate. “Serious.”

Steven sighs, glancing at Fionna, who stirs slightly but doesn’t wake. He carefully untangles himself from her, brushing a strand of hair from her face before sitting up. “Alright. I’ll be there in ten.”

He grabs his jeans from the floor, pulling them on along with his jacket. As he laces up his boots, he hears a groggy voice behind him.

“Steven…?” Fionna mumbles, rubbing her eyes as she adjusts her glasses. “Where you going…?”

“G.U.N.” He replies, standing up and grabbing his phone. “Andrew says it’s serious.”

Fionna frowns, pushing herself up on her elbows. “Want me to come?”

Steven hesitates. He wants to say yes, he always feels more grounded with her around. But it’s late, and she had classes all day. He shakes his head. “Nah, get some sleep. I’ll be back before morning.”

She studies him for a moment, then sighs. “Fine. But if you’re not back by sunrise, I’m coming after you.”

Steven smirks, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “Wouldn’t expect anything less.”

He grabs his keys and steps out, the cool night air hitting him as he makes his way to the transport platform. With a deep breath, he steps on, and in a flash of light, he vanishes.

At the G.U.N Base, Steven walks up to the command room just to find Andrew waiting for Steven next to Peridot who is pacing nervously around the room.

Steven groans. “Alright, I’m here. What do you want?”

Andrew clear his throat to say something but Peridot interrupts. “We need to go to the Moon!”

Steven blinks. “Excuse me?”

Andrew sighs. “Peridot said that we would need the coordinates of the Cluster to stop it, and our best shot is a monitoring station that lies on the Moon.”

Steven glances at them and groans. “And why are you telling me that?”

“You’re the one who most explored this world.” Andrew answers. “Peridot mentioned that it’s possible to have an abandoned gem spaceship on the ancient Gem battlefields.”

Steven stares at Andrew in silence. “... And what?”

“And we need someone to make sure Peridot won’t escape from us with the transport platforms.”

Steven sighs, rubbing his face. “Great. So I’m a glorified babysitter now.”

Peridot huffs, crossing her arms. “Excuse me? I am a highly skilled technician! If anything, I should be the one babysitting you primitive organics.”

Steven smirks. “Yeah, yeah. Just don’t run off, okay? I don’t feel like chasing you across the country.”

Andrew clears his throat. “We don’t have time for jokes. If there’s really a ship out there, we need to find it fast.” He turns to Peridot. “You’re sure about this battlefield?”

Peridot nods. “Yes! Ancient Gem battlefields are littered with discarded equipment. If we’re lucky, there might be a fully intact ship just waiting to be reactivated.”

Steven stretches his arms. “Alright, let’s get this over with.” He glances at Peridot. “Hope you’re not afraid of a little dirt.”

She scoffs. “Tch. Unlike you, I am prepared for any environment.”

Soon, Steven, Andrew and Peridot warp to a weird place in Tugunska Sea. The place is a small island with several smaller islands around. There are fifteen small transport platforms around a bigger one.

Steven steps out of the transport platform while Andrew holds his head and stumbles. Steven glances at the Colonel. “Uhm… You okay?”

Andrew nods. “Yeah… Just nausea. I’m not used to this kind of transport. Just… give me a moment.”

Steven shrugs. Peridot analyzes the place until she realizes something. “Wait… this is Galaxy Warp!”

Steven stops and glances back at her. “Whut?”

Peridot gasps. “I can’t believe you don’t know Galaxy Warp. It was the central hub on Earth for interstellar transport through the galaxy to replace the colony ships. These Warp Pads connect to places on Earth while the main Warp Pad connects to Homeworld.”

Steven looks at her in silence. “... What’s a warp pad?”

Peridot widens her eyes. “Wait, what?! You don’t know what is a warp pad?! We just used one to get here!”

“Ohhh, the transport platforms.” He chuckles. “I must admit, Warp Pads are a way better name.”

Peridot sighs and walks to the central pad, stepping on something. She looks down and sees a green, small, broken orb with a goop leaking from its inside. She widens her eyes and yells. “My Robonoids!”

Steven raises an eyebrow. “Your what-not?”

Peridot crouches, carefully picking up the broken device. The green goop oozes between her fingers as she inspects it. “Robonoids! They’re small autonomous repair drones built to fix Gem structures. I’ve been sending these here to fix the Galaxy Warp, but I think the local fauna have been breaking them.” She stands up. “Must have been one of these ‘dinosaurs’, like that ‘The RX’ you have here.”

Steven crosses his arms. “First, it’s T-Rex , not ‘The RX.’ Second, you’re telling me you’ve been trying to fix this place before we even knew about it? Third… The dinosaurs were extinct like sixty million years ago, your info is outdated.”

Peridot huffs, shaking the broken Robonoid. “Well, forgive me for relying on ancient data! But the point remains, something is interfering with my work.” She tosses the useless bot aside.

Steven sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Alright, so something’s breaking your little fix-it bots. Any ideas what it could be?”

Peridot huffs. “Well, obviously it must be some sort of aggressive wildlife. I doubt a primitive organic like yourself would understand the intricacies of Gem technology, but Robonoids are programmed to repair structures automatically. Something is actively destroying them.”

Andrew, having recovered from his nausea, steps forward. “Wildlife or not, we still need to find that ship. Where do we even start?”

Steven thinks for a while. “... Well, actually I remember seeing something like that…” He slowly walks to one of the Warp Pads and gestures to Andrew and Peridot to follow.

Andrew sighs and hops on the Warp Pad with Steven and Peridot.

Soon, they warp to a forest in the middle of somewhere. In front of them, a weird disc-shaped thing wrapped in roots and vines.

Steven chuckles. “There it is. I tried messing with the components, but I never understood the technology inside that stuff.”

Andrew widens his eyes at the sight. “I can’t believe the flying saucers are real.”

Peridot groans. “It’s not that ‘sauce thing’ , it’s an Ancient Gem Colony Ship.” She pauses and widens her eyes. “Wait, it’s an Ancient Colony Ship. If we manage to fix it we might be able to reach the moon with it.”

Steven crosses his arms. “So, can you fix it?”

Peridot scoffs. “Of course I can! Unlike you, I actually understand technology.” She frowns scanning the ship. “But it’s in horrible shape. It’ll take time.”

Andrew steps closer, inspecting the overgrown hull. “How long?”

She takes a moment to think. “With good resources, maybe a few days will be enough.”

Steven stretches and sighs. “Alright, that’s good news, I guess. Let’s head back for now. No point in standing around in the dark while Peridot geeks out over circuits.”

Peridot crosses her arms. “It’s called engineering , you clod.”

Andrew smirks slightly but keeps his focus on the ship. “We’ll send a recovery team in the morning. If it’s really fixable, we’ll need to set up a temporary base here.”

Steven steps onto the Warp Pad, gesturing for the others. “Then let’s go before some ancient robot dinosaur jumps out of the bushes and eats us.”

Andrew and Peridot follow, and in a flash of light, they reappear at the G.U.N. base.

Peridot stretches her arms. “I will need a secure workspace and materials. I expect nothing less than the highest-quality tools.”

Steven rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, we’ll get you your fancy screwdrivers.” He turns to Andrew. “So, we’re heading back first thing, right?”

Andrew nods. “Dawn. Get some rest, both of you. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”

Steven salutes lazily. “Aye aye, boss.”

With that, he turns and heads toward the exit.

As soon as he reaches his place, he steps inside quietly, slipping off his boots and jacket before climbing into bed. Fionna stirs slightly, her body instinctively moving closer to his.

“Hey.” She mumbles sleepily. “Everything okay?”

Steven kisses her forehead. “Yeah. Just a bunch of nerd talk. We found a ship, gonna check it out tomorrow.”

She hums in acknowledgment and buries her face against his chest. “Mmm. ‘Kay. Glad you’re back.”

Steven closes his eyes, letting exhaustion take over. “Me too.”

Tomorrow was another mission, another headache. But for now, he had this, warmth, peace, and her.

[TO BE CONTINUED]

Chapter Text

The next day, Jasper is staring the ceiling in boredom. She groans in annoyance, still thinking about the moment Metal Steven defeated her. Suddenly, she hears the doors opening and footsteps approaching. She looks to the door and see Steven alongside Fionna holding a bag.

He grins. “Sup, Jasp.”

Jasper scoffs, rolling her eyes as she sits up on the edge of the cot. “Oh, great. It’s you.”

Steven chuckles, stepping closer with Fionna beside him. “Yeah, yeah, love you too.” He lifts the bag in his hand. “Brought you something.”

Jasper raises an eyebrow. “If it’s another one of your human food bribes, forget it.”

Fionna chuckles gently, tossing the bag onto Jasper’s lap. “Relax, it’s not just food.”

Jasper eyes them warily before opening the bag. Inside, she finds a mix of protein bars, some spare bandages, a few small energy packs, and a small portable game.

Jasper picks up the portable game, turning it over in her hands with a frown. “What the hell is this?”

Steven smirks, crossing his arms. “It’s a handheld console. Thought you might need something to kill time instead of just staring at the ceiling all day.”

Fionna nods. “It’s got a couple of games pre-installed. Nothing crazy, but it should keep you from dying of boredom.”

Jasper scoffs, tossing it back into the bag. “Tch. I don’t need your pity gifts.”

Steven rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, whatever helps you sleep at night.” He nudges the bag toward her. “Just take it, alright? It’s not a bribe, it’s just… I dunno, something to make this whole thing a little less miserable.”

Jasper narrows her eyes at him, then lets out a low huff, grabbing a protein bar and tearing it open. She takes a bite, chewing thoughtfully before speaking. “You’re lucky I’m stuck here, or I’d be using you for combat practice.”

Steven grins. “Oh, I’m shaking in my boots.”

Fionna shakes her head, amused. “You two are ridiculous.”

Jasper swallows her bite and looks between them. “So, what’s the deal? You didn’t just come here to play delivery boy.”

Steven exhales, leaning against the wall. “Yeah, actually. I want to know more about something.”

Jasper raises an eyebrow, tossing the now-empty protein bar wrapper aside. “Oh? And what exactly do you want to know?”

Steven exchanges a glance with Fionna before pushing off the wall, stepping closer. “I want to know more about you. Your history, what you lived, etc…”

Jasper scoffs, crossing her arms. “What, you wanna hear some sob story? Sorry, I don’t do ‘sharing feelings.’”

Steven shrugs. “Didn’t ask for a sob story. Just curious.”

Fionna sits on a nearby crate, adjusting her glasses. “You act like you’re just a soldier, but nobody fights like you do without a reason. You’re strong, sure, but there’s more to you than just throwing punches.”

Jasper clicks her tongue, glancing at the handheld console before setting it aside. “Hmph. Fine. But don’t expect some touching moment.” She leans back, staring at the wall for a moment before speaking.

“I was made in the Beta Kindergarten on Earth in Facet Nine to fight against the rebellion. Plain and simple. I’m the ultimate quartz soldier. Objectively perfect in everything I should be.” She pauses and slowly grins. “I emerged already with my helmet on, and I destroyed exactly 82 Crystal Gems on that same day. I crushed enemies, led troops, and brought victory after victory for Homeworld.” She pauses. “That’s all there was. All there ever needed to be.”

Steven listens carefully, arms crossed as he leans against the wall. Fionna, sitting nearby, keeps her eyes on Jasper, adjusting her glasses as she takes in the Gem’s words. The way Jasper speaks, so full of certainty, yet laced with something else, intrigues both of them.

Steven smirks. “Sounds like you were a real terror back in the day.”

Jasper scoffs. “Still am.” She leans forward slightly, resting her elbows on her knees. “The war was everything. Fighting wasn’t just what I did, it was what I was made for. And I was damn good at it.”

Fionna tilts her head. “You say that like it was the only thing that mattered.”

Jasper narrows her eyes at her. “Because it was.” She huffs, her grip tightening slightly. “The weak were crushed, the strong stood victorious. That’s how it worked. That’s how it always worked.”

Steven studies her for a moment, noting the tension in her shoulders. He exhales. “And then what?”

Jasper blinks. “What?”

Steven shrugs. “After the war. After you won all those fights, crushed all those rebels, what came next?”

For the first time, Jasper hesitates. She looks away, her fingers tapping against the cot as she searches for an answer.

Fionna leans forward slightly. “You don’t know, do you?”

Jasper’s expression hardens. “Don’t act like you understand, human.”

Steven waves a hand. “Hey, we’re just asking. No need to start throwing punches.”

Jasper exhales sharply through her nose, glancing at the bag they brought her. Her fingers brush against the handheld console again before she clenches her fist. “…After the war, I just kept fighting. I served under Yellow Diamond, did what was expected of me.” She leans back, looking up at the ceiling. “But the battlefield wasn’t the same anymore. No more rebellion to crush. Just… meaningless missions, crushing weakling gems who stepped out of line.”

Steven and Fionna exchange a glance.

Jasper’s eyes darken slightly. “Then I heard rumors about some strange energy pulse that came from Earth and that Peridot would investigate.” She scoffs. “I thought I would find some powerful Gem weapon, maybe a powerful Crystal Gem group remaining to me to crush…” Her gaze sharpens as she looks at Steven. “But what I found was you.”

Steven raises an eyebrow. "Me? What, did you expect me to be some kind of warlord or something?"

Jasper huffs. "I didn’t know what to expect. You’re not a warrior, you’re not a leader." She clenches her fists. "You’re just some defective Gem with no purpose, no drive… no reason to exist and that isn’t even a rebel."

Steven chuckles dryly. "Yeah, well, welcome to Earth. We’re all just figuring things out as we go."

Jasper glares at him, but there’s something in her expression—something unsettled. She leans back on her cot, gripping the handheld console without really looking at it. “Tch. That’s exactly what’s wrong with this planet. No structure, no order. Just… aimless existence.”

Fionna watches her carefully. “And what’s wrong with that?”

Jasper scoffs. “Everything! Gems were made for a purpose! We serve, we fight, we conquer! That’s how it’s always been!” Her voice rises slightly before she stops herself, exhaling sharply through her nose. “Or at least… that’s how it should be.”

Steven tilts his head. “You don’t sound too sure about that.”

Jasper clicks her tongue, gripping the edge of the cot. “Shut up.”

Steven smirks. “Hit a nerve, huh?”

She glares at him, but there’s less venom in it than usual. More frustration than rage. Fionna crosses her arms. “Look, I get it. You were made for war. But the war is over, Jasper. And the Diamonds? They left you with nothing. What’s stopping you from deciding for yourself what comes next?”

Jasper stares at her, silent. Then she scoffs, looking away. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re human. You get to be weak. You get to fumble around, making mistakes, figuring out what you want.” She grips her knee. “I wasn’t made to ‘figure things out.’ I was made to be strong. And strength doesn’t hesitate.”

Steven watches her carefully. “So what do you call what you’re doing now?”

Jasper’s jaw clenches. She doesn’t answer.

Steven exhales. “Look, I don’t expect you to just change overnight. But you’re not just a soldier, Jasper. You’re a person. And maybe it’s time you start figuring out what you actually want.” He gestures to the bag. “Hell, maybe start by playing a game.”

Jasper rolls her eyes but doesn’t throw the console away this time. She stares at it in her hands, deep in thought.

“…Whatever.” She finally mutters, setting it beside her.

Steven grins. “That’s the spirit.” He steps back. “Well, we’ll leave you to it. Try not to break it in half if you get frustrated.”

Fionna smirks. “Or do. Might be funny.”

Jasper just grumbles under her breath as Steven and Fionna head for the door. As they leave, Steven glances back one last time. For the first time since meeting her, Jasper doesn’t look like a warrior or an enemy.

She just looks… lost.

Steven sighs and keeps walking.

When they’re out of Jasper’s sight, Fionna turns to Steven. “Steven… you’re insisting on her.”

He hums. “What?”

Fionna adjusts her glasses, glancing back toward Jasper’s room before looking at Steven. “I mean, you’re pushing her. Trying to get her to think differently. Why?”

Steven shoves his hands in his pockets, walking down the hall with her. “Dunno. Just feels like there’s more to her than just being a battle-hungry brute.” He exhales. “I’ve met people like her before. People who think they’re only good for one thing, ‘cause that’s all they’ve ever been told. And I know what it’s like to have no idea where you’re supposed to fit.”

Fionna watches him, curious. “You talking about yourself?”

Steven shrugs. “Maybe.” He smirks slightly. “I was a thug, remember? Not exactly the best start. I did what I thought I had to do, but… turns out, life’s more complicated than that.”

Fionna tilts her head. “You think she can change?”

Steven stops walking, looking at the floor for a moment before glancing back at her. “I don’t know. But if she can, someone’s gotta push her in the right direction.”

Fionna crosses her arms, considering his words. “You’re really giving her a chance, huh?”

Steven grins. “Hey, someone gave me one.”

Fionna scoffs but smiles slightly. “Yeah. I guess they did.”

He chuckles. “And does this person regret giving me this chance?”

Fionna chuckles softly, shaking her head. “Definitely not.”

He smiles and kisses her forehead, leading her to the exit.

They continue walking, the tension from earlier fading into the background. But in Jasper’s room, she sits in silence, staring at the handheld console in her hands.

She scoffs to herself. “Hmph. Games… what a waste of time.”

Yet, she doesn’t put it down.

[TO BE CONTINUED]

Chapter Text

The warp pad to Galaxy warp is activated and from it warps Steven and Peridot. Peridot is with her limb enhancers on.

Peridot grumbles. “I can’t believe you limited my limb enhancers this much.”

Steven rolls his eyes. “You should be grateful to even have these back. You’re going to fix that ship with them, and we’re taking it off.”

Peridot rolls her eyes and mutter unhearable words.

Steven leads her to the warp pad that leads to the ship and they warp.

As soon as they step off the warp pad, Steven and Peridot take in the sight of the temporary G.U.N. base surrounding the damaged ship. Engineers and soldiers in uniform are scattered around, some examining the ship’s exterior while others review the files Peridot had reluctantly handed over. 

Peridot clicks her tongue in annoyance. “Ugh, organic tools everywhere. They’re going to make a mess of the ship.” She crosses her arms, her enhancers whirring slightly. “And why didn’t we just use my ship? It would’ve been way easier.”

Steven chuckles. “Because the only ones who know how to drive that thing are you and Jasper. Jasper would kill all of us without Metal Steven around, and you know too much about that ship, and it means you would escape.”

Peridot opens her mouth to say something, but she pauses and grumbles realizing Steven is right. They walk towards the engineers and Peridot analyzes the current state of the ship. She taps her chin. “Huh… It seems these humans have made a good job fixing the superficial damage.” She pauses. “... Maybe this can work.”

Some hours later, Peridot is still working on the ship non-stop while the engineers have been taking pauses from time to time. Steven had been listening and enjoying a few musics on his earphones while waiting for Peridot.

She notices Steven enjoying the music and goes to talk with him. She approaches and huffs. “What are you doing instead of being productive?”

He doesn’t notice Peridot talking to him.

Peridot narrows her eyes, stepping closer and waving a hand in front of Steven’s face. When that doesn’t work, she scowls and crosses her arms. “Hey! Defective! Acknowledge me!”

Steven, still lost in his music, nods his head to the beat, completely unaware of Peridot’s irritation.

Peridot grits her teeth before reaching out and yanking one of the earbuds from his ear. “Are you even listening?!”

Steven flinches and looks up, pulling the other earbud out. “Whoa, what? Oh, sorry, Peri-angle. I was just vibing.”

Peridot groans. “You were supposed to be supervising! Instead, you’ve been sitting here, doing nothing but—” She snatches the earphones and squints at them. “—whatever this nonsense is!”

Steven chuckles, taking the earbuds back. “It’s called music, Peridot. You’d like it if you gave it a chance.”

Peridot crosses her arms. “I highly doubt that. Unlike you, I actually work instead of wasting time on pointless distractions.”

Steven smirks. “Says the one who got obsessed with the TV we had on the HQ.”

Peridot freezes for a moment, her face scrunching up in frustration. “That—That was different!” She points an accusing finger at Steven. “Television is a fascinating human invention filled with important data and narratives that require thorough analysis!”

Steven grins. “Yeah, like the ‘complex analysis’ you did of Camp Pining Hearts ?”

Peridot sputters. “It was complex! The shifting dynamics of the relationships, the underlying themes of loyalty and betrayal—” She stops mid-rant, realizing what Steven is doing. She groans loudly and throws her hands up. “Ugh! This is irrelevant! You’re distracting me from the real issue!”

Steven chuckles, slipping his earbuds back into his pocket. “Alright, alright. What’s the real issue, then?”

Peridot huffs, gesturing toward the ship. “I’ve already made significant repairs, so I suppose this will still take home days before being capable of flying.” She looks at her data. “We still need to fix the engine, the security system, the accelerators, the—”

Suddenly, a raindrop falls on Peridot’s nose, startling her completely.

As the raindrop hits Peridot’s nose, she immediately flinches, pulling back and blinking at the tiny drop of water. She raises her hand to touch the spot, her face contorting in confusion. “What… what was that?!”

Steven, who had been standing nearby, looks up at the sky as the gentle rain begins to fall, growing heavier by the second. “Oh, it's just rain,” he says casually, looking around as the clouds darken overhead.

“Rain?” Peridot repeats slowly, her voice laced with suspicion. “What is this… liquid… doing from the sky?!”

The rain continues to fall in a steady drizzle, and Peridot’s eyes widen. She looks up, instinctively raising her hand to shield herself from the downpour, though it does little to stop the water. Her limbs tense as droplets splash onto her face and clothing. “What kind of alien weather is this?!” she hisses, taking a few hesitant steps backward, looking around like she’s been surrounded by some sort of hostile force.

Steven chuckles, watching her, amused by her reaction. “It’s just water. Happens when the clouds get full. You know, like how your spaceship gets all wet when you leave it outside?”

Peridot’s expression turns from confusion to mild panic. She pulls her limb enhancers closer to her, as though they might somehow protect her from the elements. “But… it’s everywhere!” she exclaims, her voice rising in pitch. “The ground is becoming wet! I… I don’t like it! I didn’t sign up for this!”

Steven holds back his laughter, but can’t help but smile at Peridot’s over-the-top reaction. “You’re gonna be fine, Peridot. It’s just water. It’ll stop eventually.”

Peridot shoots him a glare, still not convinced. “Water… is unpredictable and… and completely unmanageable!” She shudders as another raindrop lands on her shoulder. “This is an invasion of my personal space!”

She begins to look around frantically, as though searching for some way to shield herself from the rain. Her eyes settle on the nearby ship, and she rushes toward it, holding her arms up as if the rain might attack her. “Why didn’t you tell me about this?!” she demands, her voice laced with anxiety. “I have no contingency plans for precipitation!”

Steven watches her for a moment, then shakes his head with a soft laugh. “I guess you didn’t have a chance to study Earth weather patterns, huh?”

Peridot reaches the ship and hurriedly takes shelter underneath it, looking around nervously as the rain continues to pour. She crosses her arms defensively. “I will not be exposed to these... these damp particles any longer! This is— this is barbaric!”

Steven shrugs, walking over to stand beside her. “It’s not that bad, Peridot. Actually, it’s kind of relaxing when you get used to it.”

Peridot gives him an incredulous look. “Relaxing? How can you be so calm? We’re under attack!”

Steven grins. “Oh yeah? So what if I just…” He suddenly picks her up and launches her in the middle of the rain.

Peridot lets out a yelp of surprise as she’s suddenly lifted off her feet and tossed into the downpour. She flails her limbs wildly in mid-air, her limbs enhancers whirring as she tries to grasp at something, anything to stop her from getting drenched.

“Steven! What are you doing?!” She shouts, spluttering as she lands on the wet ground with a loud splat . She scrambles to her feet immediately, shaking water off her limbs in a frantic attempt to regain control of the situation.

Steven, standing a few feet away with his hands in his pockets, looks entirely unfazed. He grins and walks closer to Peridot, entering the rain completely. "What, just trying to help you get used to it. I told you, it’s not so bad."

Peridot stands frozen in the middle of the rain, her whole body stiff as more droplets splash against her face and limbs. She scowls, wiping at her visor aggressively. "Ugh! This is—this is ridiculous! Why do humans tolerate this?!"

Steven chuckles, stepping closer, completely relaxed as the rain soaks his clothes. "Because it’s just water, Peri. It’s not gonna hurt you. You should try just… feeling it instead of fighting it."

Peridot growls, still glaring up at the sky. "Feeling it?! What possible benefit could there be in—" She stops mid-sentence as a particularly large raindrop lands on her nose again. Her scowl deepens, but this time, she doesn't wipe it away. Instead, she hesitantly raises a hand, catching a few droplets on her palm. She watches them roll across her fingers, her expression shifting from frustration to something more curious.

Steven notices and smiles. "See? It’s kind of cool, right?"

Peridot doesn’t respond right away. She rubs the water between her fingers, analyzing the sensation. "It’s… different," she admits quietly. She glances around, observing how the rain creates tiny ripples in the puddles forming on the ground, how it makes the metal of the ship gleam, how it softens the hard edges of the world around her.

A sudden breeze blows through, sending a cool chill through the air. Peridot shivers instinctively, but then she pauses. The air feels… fresh. Clean. She takes a cautious breath, the scent of damp earth and metal filling her senses. It’s unfamiliar. Strange. But not unpleasant.

Steven tilts his head. "You okay?"

Peridot hesitates before nodding slowly. "I… I think so." She extends her arms slightly, letting more raindrops hit her enhancers, watching the water bead and roll off their smooth surfaces. She tilts her head up toward the sky, letting the rain hit her visor and streak down the glass.

For once, she doesn’t immediately wipe it away.

Steven grins. "Told you it’s not so bad."

Peridot clicks her tongue, but there’s no real irritation in it this time. "It’s still wildly inefficient," she mutters, crossing her arms. But then, after a moment, she glances back at the sky and quietly adds, "…but it’s not the worst thing I’ve ever experienced."

Steven chuckles. "I’ll take that as progress."

Peridot watches the rain for a little longer, then suddenly turns to Steven with narrowed eyes. "But you’re still on my list for throwing me in it."

Steven smirks. "Worth it."

Peridot huffs but doesn’t argue. Instead, she turns her gaze back to the falling rain, watching as the storm continues, a small, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

[TO BE CONTINUED]

Chapter Text

A few time later, the ship is finally fixed.

Peridot grins at her work. “Finally, this piece of ancient technology is ready to fly again.”

Steven nods. “Yeah.” Steven walks around the repaired ship, running his hand along its hull. “Gotta admit, Peridot, you did a pretty great job.” He looks over at her with a grin. “Even with all those ‘organic tools’ slowing you down.”

Peridot huffs, crossing her arms. “Yes, well, even with their inefficiencies, they managed to follow my superior instructions adequately.” She tilts her head up smugly. “Of course, the real genius here was me.”

Steven chuckles. “Of course.”

The engineers nearby begin packing up their equipment, some of them glancing at the ship with awe and admiration. One of them, a tall woman with grease-streaked overalls, approaches. “I’ve gotta say, I’ve worked on a lot of vehicles, but this thing?” She gestures toward the ship. “It’s on another level. We couldn’t have done it without you, Peridot.”

Peridot blinks, momentarily caught off guard by the genuine praise. She straightens her posture. “Well… obviously.” But there’s a slight pause before she quickly adds, “Your assistance was… adequate.”

Steven smirks, noticing how Peridot avoids looking directly at the engineer. He nudges her playfully. “Wow, Peridot, was that almost a compliment?”

Peridot scowls. “I take it back.”

The engineer laughs, giving Peridot a thumbs-up before walking away to help with final preparations.

Steven stretches his arms, glancing at the ship’s now-glowing control panel. “So, what happens now? Are we testing it?”

Peridot’s smug expression falters slightly. “Well… it should work.” She taps her fingers together before quickly adding, “I accounted for every possible flaw, recalibrated the core functions, and ensured the propulsion system wasn’t completely compromised. Logically, it should lift off without issue.”

Steven raises an eyebrow. “But…?”

Peridot grits her teeth. “...But we won’t know for certain until we turn it on.”

Steven nods, stepping back. “Alright, then. Let’s do it.”

Peridot hesitates for a brief moment before taking a deep breath. She strides toward the ship’s entrance, her limb enhancers whirring softly as she presses her hand against the control panel. The ship lets out a deep hum as the systems reactivate, lights flickering to life along its surface. The air around them grows heavy with energy.

The ground beneath them trembles slightly as the ship’s thrusters engage, a low, pulsing rumble filling the air. Engineers step back cautiously, watching as the once-damaged vessel begins to rise a few feet off the ground.

Peridot’s eyes widen slightly before her expression shifts into a confident smirk. “Hah! I knew it! Of course, my calculations were perfect.”

Steven watches as the ship hovers steadily, its stabilizers holding firm. He grins. “Looks like you did it, Peridot.”

Peridot places her hands on her hips, beaming with pride. “Obviously. What did you expect? Failure?”

Steven shrugs playfully. “I dunno. Maybe I just wanted to see your reaction if it did fail.”

Peridot narrows her eyes at him. “You’re insufferable.”

Steven laughs before looking back at the floating ship. “So, now that it works, let’s go to the moon to get those coordinates.”

With a nod, Peridot marches toward the ship’s entrance. The hatch slides open with a soft hiss, revealing the dimly lit interior. She steps inside, scanning the control console before turning back to Steven. “Well? Are you coming or not?”

Steven follows her inside, looking around at the various screens and controls. “Whoa… this is way cooler than I thought.”

Peridot rolls her eyes. “Yes, yes, marvel at the superior technology later. I’m initiating the launch sequence.” She cracks her knuckles and starts tapping away at the controls. The ship’s interior hums as power surges through it, the lights shifting from red to green.

Outside, the ground crew watches in awe as the ship’s engines flare to life. The vessel begins to rise, breaking free from the ground with a smooth, controlled ascent. Peridot’s eyes flick between the monitors, checking for any errors.

Steven straps himself into a nearby seat as the ship tilts upward, its thrusters adjusting for the climb. “Alright, Peridot. Let’s go to the moon.”

Peridot smirks as her fingers glide over the controls. “Engaging autopilot.”

With a final command, the ship rockets skyward, leaving Earth’s atmosphere behind as they set course for the moon.

As the ship pierces through the upper atmosphere, the deep blue of Earth’s sky fades into the vast blackness of space. Stars stretch infinitely in all directions, and the Moon looms ahead, its cratered surface illuminated by distant sunlight.

Inside the ship, Steven watches in awe as the planet shrinks behind them. “Not gonna lie, this is SICK !”

As the ship glides smoothly through space, Peridot monitors the control panels with laser focus. “Of course, it is.” She responds smugly. “Even being an outdated model, this Gem technology is way more impressive than anything made on Earth.”

The ship’s systems beep as they approach the Moon, and Peridot’s demeanor shifts back to full business mode. She turns her attention to the navigation console, adjusting their trajectory. “We’re nearing our destination. I’ll initiate the landing protocols.”

Steven watches as the ship descends toward the Moon’s surface, the familiar sight of the old Moon Base coming into view. Though damaged and partially abandoned, remnants of its once-grand structure still stand. The ship touches down smoothly on the dusty terrain, its landing gear kicking up a small cloud of lunar dust.

Peridot unbuckles her seatbelt and hops up. “Perfect landing. As expected.”

Steven stands and stretches. “Alright, so where’s this data we need?”

Peridot gestures toward the looming structure ahead. “The main control hub should still have the coordinates for the Cluster.”

“Got it…” Steven touches his head, making a black bubble around his head. 

Peridot looks at him in curiosity. “What are you doing?”

“I still need air, y’know?”

Peridot rolls her eyes. “Gems don’t need oxygen, you defective.”

Steven shrugs. “But I’m half human, so give me a break.”

Peridot sighs. “Yeah, yeah, whatever…” She pauses. “You’re half-human?!”

“I’ll explain you later.” He opens the doors to outside.

The two exit the ship, stepping onto the Moon’s surface. Steven bounces slightly with each step, the low gravity making movement feel light and effortless. “Whoa… Okay, this is fun!” He jumps higher, doing a slow-motion flip before landing.

Peridot rolls her eyes. “Yes, yes, human fascination with reduced gravitational forces you developed living around humans. Can we focus ?”

Steven grins. “Alright, alright. Lead the way, Peri-angle.”

She scowls. “I tolerate you.”

The two open the door to the moon-base, and enter quickly. Steven unbubbles his head and breathes deeply. “Oh god! This sucked!” 

Peridot scoffs and rolls her eyes, turning on her gem light. Quickly she looks around and widens her eyes in excitement. “Ohhhh! We’re here! Only the Elite Gem!” She looks around and grins wider at the images on the walls. “OOOOH!”

Steven raises an eyebrow. “Who are these supposed to be again?”

“These are the diamonds!” She pauses. “Wait. Are they all here?” She looks around and gasps in happiness. “Yes! There she is!” She rushes at one of the images, the one of a yellow woman holding some big planets. “Behold, Yellow Diamond! Isn’t she magnificent?”

Steven looks at the image and raises an eyebrow. “... Am I getting insane, or she looks like a beetle?”

Peridot widens her eyes as if she heard the most horrendous thing ever. “Don’t compare a Diamond to such a filthy organic lifeform!”

Steven chuckles. “Whatever you say.”

Peridot sighs. “And why haven’t your gem light turned on yet?”

He shrugs. “I have night vision.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Night vision? That’s unusual for gems. Since our bodies are made of light we need constant exposure to light to regenerate. We’re not made for dark ambients.”

Steven pauses, pondering if he should mention something about Black Diamond. He sighs, “Not now…” He thinks to himself. “Let’s just proceed.”

She nods in agree. “I think there’s a control surface somewhere.” She looks around approaches a specific spot on the floor. “I think this is right. The material is different from the surrounding stone. I think if I just do…” She slides her hands on the ground. “This!”

And the ground begins to shine, making spiral stairs from it.

Peridot giggles in excitement and begins to climb the stairs, Steven following right behind her. 

Peridot is still amazed. “This is so incredible! Only the most elite of the elite can enter these sanctums. We are literally walking in the footsteps of the Diamonds.”

Steven scoffs. “They must love stairs.” And then his body suddenly stops moving. He feels like he can’t move a single muscle… unconsciously, his head turns to the left just to see the biggest image there: a white woman with a diamond symbol on her forehead. He takes a few moments before realizing who this was…

White Diamond .

He stares at the image in silence, wondering why his body can’t move… until he hears Black Diamond’s voice on his ear. “My dear boy… you know better than no-one that I hate to meddle on my favorite show unnecessarily… But I have to ask you to do something…”

And he nods.

Soon, Peridot hears some weird sounds and turns back, just to see Steven graffiting and vandalizing White Diamond’s image.

Peridot gasps in absolute horror, her eyes widening to the size of saucers. “S-STEVEN! WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE DIAMONDS ARE YOU DOING?!”

Steven, gripping a marker that seemingly appeared from nowhere, is furiously drawing a ridiculous cartoonish mustache and exaggerated glasses over White Diamond’s regal face. He hums casually, adding a goofy set of buck teeth for good measure.

Peridot flails her arms. “YOU—YOU ABSOLUTE MANIAC! YOU CAN’T DEFILE HER IMAGE LIKE THIS!”

Steven takes a step back to admire his work, nodding in satisfaction. “Y’know, I think this really brings out her personality.”

Peridot rushes up to him and tries to snatch the marker away. “STOP THIS AT ONCE! YOU’RE COMMITTING A GALACTIC CRIME!” She frantically rubs at the graffiti with her hands, but the ink stubbornly stays in place. “Why won’t it come off?!”

Steven smirks. “That’s because it’s made from special human ink. Permanent.”

Peridot lets out an inhuman screech. “P-PERMANENT?! I’M GOING TO BE ERASED FOR THIS! I DIDN’T EVEN DO ANYTHING!” She starts pacing in panicked circles. “Oh stars, oh stars, I’m going to get shattered—I CAN ALREADY HEAR HER JUDGMENTAL VOICE!”

Steven watches her meltdown with mild amusement before muttering under his breath, “Yeah… tell me about it.”

Black Diamond’s voice hums in his ear again, her tone as teasing as it is ominous. “Oh, my dear boy… I must say, I do love a bit of artistic expression. But really, you should have drawn something scarier …”

Steven shudders slightly. Even with his usual bravado, the way Black Diamond’s presence lingers in his mind is… unsettling. He shakes it off, focusing back on Peridot, who is now desperately trying to shield the vandalized image with her own body as if that would somehow fix things.

Steven sighs. “Alright, alright, don’t explode. Let’s just get the coordinates and go.”

Peridot glares at him, looking utterly betrayed. “That’s EASY for YOU to say! I don’t have the luxury of just ‘going’ after committing HERESY! I HAVE A REPUTATION TO MAINTAIN!”

Steven pats her on the head, which only makes her angrier. “You’ll be fine, Peri.”

Peridot lets out a whimper, her hands trembling as she reluctantly turns away from the ruined portrait. “I’m so doomed…”

[TO BE CONTINUED]

Chapter Text

As they step into the control hub, Steven is still grinning, clearly pleased with himself, while Peridot sulks, arms crossed tightly over her chest.

“I can’t believe you did that,” she mutters under her breath. “I am forever marked as an accomplice to your… your vandalous anarchy! ”

Steven snickers. “C’mon, Peri. It’s not that big of a deal.”

Peridot glares at him. “ Not that big of a deal?! You defiled the most sacred visage in all of Gem history! I’m probably on some kind of celestial blacklist now! If White Diamond ever finds out—”

Steven shrugs. “Well, it’s not like she can just walk in here and check, right? Nobody’s been here for ages.”

Peridot groans dramatically. “That’s exactly what I used to think before today. But given how the universe seems to enjoy punishing me, I wouldn’t be surprised if she materialized right now to personally obliterate me.”

Steven gives her an amused side-eye. “Well, if she does show up, you can just tell her I did it.”

Peridot gasps, offended. “What?! Absolutely not! I refuse to go down in history as the Gem who failed to stop the menace known as ‘Steven Wimbleton!’”

Steven laughs as he approaches the main console, brushing some moon dust off its surface. “Alright, alright, let’s focus. You said the coordinates should be in here?”

Peridot huffs but steps forward, pushing Steven aside. Soon as she lands her eyes on the console, her energies reinvigorate themselves and she grins. “Oh, my goodness!” She rushes to it. “This looks like it could be brand-new!” She puts a hand on her chin. “I mean, it’s a relic by today’s standards, but golly, it’s so elegant, so simple, so perfect!”

Steven watches for a second. “Cool. How do you turn it on?”

Peridot pauses. “I have no idea.”

They stand there for a while and Steven shrugs. “Well, till we discover, I’m resting.” He sits on the armchair behind the console and accommodates his arms… accidentally turning on the console. “... Well, seems like it was one of these glowy hand stuff.”

Peridot widens her eyes and freaks out. “YOU CAN’T SIT THERE!”

Steven laughs at her reaction. “Why not? It’s pretty cool. I feel like a king on a throne.”

Peridot grit her teeth. “That chair is only for the most elite Gems! You can’t go around sitting where an elite would sit!”

Steven smirks. “Well, if I’m sitting here and only the elite sit here, it must mean something. And hey! It seems it still got space for ya.” He moves a little to the side and pats the spot next to him.

Peridot freezes, her face cycling through about ten different expressions in the span of a second, horror, indignation, disbelief, and maybe just the tiniest hint of intrigue. She clenches her fists. “I—I refuse to partake in this blatant act of status falsification! ”

Steven shrugs. “Suit yourself.” He leans back in the chair, wiggling into the cushioned seat. “Man, this thing is comfy. I get why the ‘elite’ liked it so much.”

Peridot grumbles, shifting from foot to foot. She keeps glancing at the empty space Steven just made for her. Finally, with a dramatic sigh, she mutters, “Well… I am the most qualified Gem here. Technically, that makes me the highest-ranking Gem in the room.”

Steven smirks but says nothing as Peridot gingerly climbs onto the seat next to him, sitting as stiffly as a board. She keeps her arms crossed, glaring straight ahead. “This means nothing.”

“Sure.” Steven says, clearly holding back laughter. He looks to the arm on his side, seeing a weird prism-shaped thing. He grabs it. “Yo-hoho, what’s this thing for?”

Peridot widens her eyes. “Put that back!”

Steven chuckles and put it back.

Peridot huffs, quickly diverting her attention to the console. “Huh, okay, let’s see here.” She presses a few buttons, and the chair moves closer to the console. “There we go.” She starts meddling with the console. “This is a really old system.” She opens a holographic screen in front of them. “Gotta find the right file…” She changes from file to file. “AHA! She shows a map of the world. “Cluster, Cluster, where are you, Cluster?” She gets the location, somewhere beneath Nevaska. “Aha! There’s the insertion point!” She approaches the location. “Looks like the Beta Kindergarten in facet nine. It’s the smaller of the two! Not nearly as impressive as the Prime Kindergarten!”

Steven looks at her with a neutral expression. “... translation?”

Peridot huffs. “There are two Kindergartens on Earth, the Prime Kindergarten and the Beta Kindergarten, y’know, the place where Jasper emerged. The Prime Kindergarten had way more resources, infrastructure, quality at all, while the Beta Kindergarten was just a failed test, way worse than the Prime.”

Steven pauses and shivers. “You telling me that Jasper came from the worst place, and she’s the Ultimate Quartz according to herself?! Like, she said she shattered like 80 Gems on her first day…” He whistles. “Damn. I don’t even want to see what’s a good Prime Quartz.”

Peridot chuckles. “Oh please. Although Jasper came from Beta she’s the strongest quartz. Strong, powerful, resistant… practically a miracle of Gem formation.”

Steven sighs in relief. “Good to know I won’t find more Jaspers in my life. One is already enough to beat me out.” He chuckles. “Back to the relevant topic: Where’s the Cluster now?”

Peridot nods. “Hang on.” She meddles a bit more and finds the location. “There it is! It’s embedded deep in the mantle. Relative to the G.U.N HQ, it’s roughly 2500 units down. Basically 5 thousand kilometers down”

Steven widens his eyes. “Wait, 5k km down?! How the fuck are we supposed to go there?!”

Peridot rolls her eyes. “Relax. If we make a drill we will be able to get there.”

Steven laughs. “OH BOY, you better make a GREAT DRILL to go 5 THOUSAND KILOMETERS DOWN!” He grit his teeths but sighs, rubbing his temples. “Whatever… by the way, what was this thing made for anyway? Like, it’s very convenient to us, of course… but why?”

Peridot smirks. “It was used for planning the colony.” She starts to press some buttons. “Here, look!” She shows a map with several red dots. “So here’s a map of all structures that were originally built on Earth.” She passes image by image, some that Steven knows and some unknown for him. “All told, this probably only accounts for maybe five percent of what was originally planned!”

Steven hums. “Damn… Then what was the plan?”

“Well, let’s take a look.” She presses some more buttons to show a holographic image of Earth. This image quickly is disfigured, having several holes on it and made totally hollow inside, with several structures, warp pads and transporting systems on the exterior. “Taa-Daa! A finished Earth colony!”

Steven widens his eyes in shock. He can’t believe in his eyes. “This was what they planned for Earth?!?!?!” He thinks to himself.

Peridot grins, amazed. “Look at this! Eighty-nine kindergartens, sixty-seven spires, a galaxy warp in each facet, efficient use of all available materials.” She laughs. “Why did they shut this operation down?! It could have been great!”

Steven suddenly grabs her head, striking it right on the console, breaking it on a half. He stands there, puffing violently, his eyes full of anger burning with a black energy. “ ‘Could have been great’ ?! Are you serious?! So this is what your society does?! Exploit other planets till there is literally nothing there just to raise your empire?! This is worse than any prediction humanity could make for themselves!”

Peridot yelps, clutching her head as sparks fly from the cracked console. She turns to Steven, wide-eyed, her visor slightly askew. “W-What the—?! Steven, what is WRONG with you?!”

Steven is still breathing heavily, his fists clenched. His pupils are dilated, his whole body tense like a coiled spring ready to snap. Black energy flickers faintly around his form, distorting the air. “What’s wrong with me ?” His voice comes out lower, almost growling. “What’s wrong with you ?! You actually think this—” he gestures wildly to the projection of the gutted Earth “—is great ?!”

Peridot hesitates, her fingers twitching slightly as she adjusts her visor. “I-I didn’t mean—” She stops herself, frowning, trying to regain her composure. “Just think about the good it would have done! The Gems that would have been made, our empire expanded! You said you were half-human or something like that, but you’re also a Gem! You must think of your empire and your obligation as—”

Steven suddenly grips Peridot’s gem in his hand and raises her to his eye-level. “I have no obligation ! I serve no-one ! I fight for whatever I want ! I hate most things on Earth, but the few good things are way more than worth to fight for, and you obviously will never understand!” He squeezes her gem a bit. “And trust me, I really want to shatter you right now, to make you suffer, to destroy every single gem that tries to destroy the planet where the worth things live! The only thing preventing me to do it is the fact I need you to save those things.” He drops her on the ground, turning his back to her. “Now you will take us back to Earth, we’re going to build that drill, and after that I’ll decide your fate.” He walks away.

Peridot stays on the ground, clutching her gem, trembling. She looks up at Steven, who walks away without even glancing back at her. Her mind races, her entire world turned upside down in a matter of seconds. That wasn’t the playful guy who had shown nothing but fun to her. That was something else. Something terrifying.

Her hands shake as she adjusts her visor, running a diagnostic on herself. No structural damage, but… her whole body feels unstable, like the very essence of her being is questioning itself.

He was willing to shatter her. He was willing to kill her.

She swallows hard, staring at the cracked console before her. She’s seen anger before, but this? This was something deeper, something raw, like a force of nature barely restrained.

Steven’s power flared for just a moment, and it nearly consumed her.

Peridot pushes herself to her feet, wobbling slightly before steadying herself. She’s always believed in logic, in the natural order of Gem superiority over organic life. It’s what she was made for. But seeing Steven’s determination to protect something so small like Earth made her, for the first time in her existence, feel genuinely afraid.

Not of Steven. But of the possibility that… maybe she’s been wrong.

She shakes her head, trying to push the thought away. She looks at the prism-shaped object on the chair for a moment.

Once they’re back on the ship, Steven sits on his seat in silence, still breathing deeply.

Peridot sits on her seat in front of the control panel, the prism-shaped object hid inside the control panel. Peridot hesitates before speaking, carefully choosing her words. “…I can take us back to Earth, but if we’re going to build this drill, I need materials. A lot of them.”

Steven doesn’t respond at first. His fingers are tapping idly on the arm of his chair, slow and rhythmic, but there’s a tension in his shoulders that hasn’t faded. The black energy flickering around him is gone now, but the weight of what just happened still lingers between them.

Peridot clears her throat, trying again. “Ahem! I said I need materials—”

“I heard.” Steven answers, the irritation clear on his voice. “G.U.N will provide everything you need to prevent this planet to explode or whatever the Cluster is gonna do.”

Peridot chuckles in nervousness. “Yeah… Sure…” And she goes back to pilot the ship.

Back at the HQ of G.U.N, Steven goes straight to the containment sector, clenching his fists hard enough to release the dark energy through them.

Quickly he arrives at Jasper’s cell, where Jasper is playing at the hand console and eating an energy bar. Steven suddenly punches the cell, making a loud thud that surprises Jasper.

Jasper looks up sharply, her grip tightening around the energy bar mid-bite. Her amber eyes narrow as she sees Steven standing there, fists clenched, black energy faintly flickering around his arms. She raises an eyebrow, finishing her bite slowly before speaking.

"Well, well. You look like you're about to explode." She smirks, tossing the wrapper aside. "Something piss you off, defective?”

Steven grits his teeth. “... You said the Crystal Gems protected the Earth from Homeworld, right?”

Jasper scoffs, leaning back against the wall of her cell with her arms crossed. "Yeah. Rose Quartz and her little band of misfits thought they could stand against the Diamond Authority. And somehow, they actually pulled it off." Her expression darkens. "Not that it mattered in the long run. Homeworld just abandoned the planet, left it to rot."

“And you said you fought them millennia ago, right?”

Jasper's expression shifts slightly, a hint of irritation crossing her face as she pushes herself off the wall, standing tall. “I fought them. A long time ago. I was part of the army that went after Rose Quartz.”

Steven’s fists tighten even further, the black energy flaring slightly as his anger rises again. “You don’t care about anything, do you? You’re just a tool of Homeworld, willing to destroy anything and everything just because they told you to, even if it’s the planet where you came from.”

Jasper’s smirk falters for a moment, her amber eyes narrowing as she steps closer to the reinforced glass of her cell. Her voice drops, low and dangerous. “You think you know me, Steven? You think you understand what it means to be a Gem? To have a purpose?” She slams her fist against the glass, the impact reverberating through the room. “I was made to fight. To conquer. To serve the Diamonds. That’s what I am. That’s what all Gems are. We don’t get to choose.”

Steven stares at her for a big while, his eyes flaring with anger… when suddenly. “... Hah… Hah…” He starts laughing. “Hahahahaha!”

Jasper grits her teeth and punches the glass again. “What are you laughing at?!”

Steven keeps laughing, slowly stopping, shaking his head. “... You’re pathetic.”

Jasper's eyes widen for a fraction of a second before her expression hardens into a scowl. She slams her fist against the glass again, the sound echoing through the containment sector. "Pathetic?!" She growls, her voice low and dangerous. "You think you can stand there and judge me, you—”

“Shut up.” Steven interrupts with a smile. “You’re absolutely pathetic. You got so deep in a brainwashing that you don’t even try to think by yourself anymore. You’re nothing but a weapon to Homeworld. You destroy, conquer and everything just for an empire that doesn’t even care for your life, and the moment you find someone that made their own purpose to be happy and make others happy you fight them because you think they betrayed the ‘bigger purpose’ or some bullshit like that.”

He laughs again. “But look at where the ‘bigger purpose’ took you! You’re in a human cell in the planet you hate the most, going to be destroyed by a weapon your superiors you love so much made!” He shakes his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe I did believe that you could be better. That you could change. That you could be a better person like I did… It’s clear I was wrong. You’re stuck in this cycle of patheticity that you REFUSE to leave.”

Jasper’s fists tremble as she glares at Steven, her amber eyes burning with a mix of rage and something else, something she can’t quite place. “You think you’re so much better than me, don’t you? Just because you’re some… defective who thinks he can save everyone? You don’t know what it’s like to be a real Gem. You don’t know what it’s like to have a purpose forced on you from the moment you emerge.”

Steven’s laughter fades, and his expression hardens. “You’re right. I don’t know what it’s like to be a Gem. But I do know what it’s like to have a purpose forced on me. And I chose to reject it. I chose to make my own path. You could too, but you’re too scared to even try.”

Jasper’s jaw tightens, and for a moment, she looks like she’s about to retort, but no words come out. She turns away, her fists still clenched, her back to Steven. The silence between them is heavy, filled with unspoken tension.

Steven takes a deep breath, the black energy around him dissipating completely. “When the Cluster emerges, it’s not just going to destroy Earth. It’s going to destroy you too. And if you’re okay with that, then fine. But don’t expect me to feel sorry for you.”

With that, Steven turns and walks away, leaving Jasper alone in her cell. She stares at the wall, her mind racing, her fists still trembling. For the first time in her long existence, doubt creeps into her thoughts, doubt about her purpose, her loyalty, and everything she’s ever believed in.

Meanwhile, Steven heads back to the main control room, where Peridot is already working on the schematics for the drill. She glances up as he enters, her expression a mix of apprehension and curiosity. “Did you… uh, take care of whatever you needed to do?”

Steven nods, his demeanor calm but distant. “Yeah. Let’s focus on the drill. We don’t have much time.”

Peridot hesitates for a moment, then nods, turning back to her work. The two of them work in silence, the weight of their earlier confrontation still lingering in the air. But for now, they have a mission to complete, and a planet to save.

[TO BE CONTINUED]

Chapter Text

At the G.U.N HQ, Peridot and the G.U.N workers work feverously on the drill, building as fast as they can. While that, Steven, Fionna, Andrew and Ashley watch from above in an observation spot.

Steven watches in silence, his anger still visible. His mind cannot stop thinking about the sight of Homeworld’s plan to Earth and how Jasper and Peridot are so positive about it. 

His thoughts are interrupted by Fionna’s touch on his shoulder. “Steven, are you okay? You seem… tense.”

He looks at her in silence and sighs. “Yeah… I’m fine… Thanks, Finn.” He gently pulls her for a hug.

Fionna returns the hug, resting her head against his shoulder. “You don’t seem fine.” She murmurs. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this mad before.”

Steven exhales sharply. “I just… I don’t get it. How can they talk about something so horrible like it’s some grand achievement? Peridot actually called it great, the destruction of an entire planet just for their stupid empire.”

Andrew crosses his arms, leaning against the glass railing as he watches the drill construction below. “Gems don’t see things like we do. To them, it’s just how things are. They don’t think about the lives they’re erasing, just what they gain from it.”

Ashley hums in agreement, adjusting her glasses. “Still, it’s weird, isn’t it? Peridot seems to be… shaken after you snapped at her. I don’t think she expected you to react like that.”

Steven scoffs. “Of course, she didn’t. She probably thought I’d be impressed by all those plans, like I’d agree with her.”

Fionna pulls back slightly, her gaze full of concern. “But Steven… you scared her.”

Steven’s expression hardens. “Good. She should be scared.”

While they talk, Peridot keeps building with the engineers. She looks at her toolbox, the prism-shaped object is hidden inside there. She looks around and says out loud. “I need to do my business in the bathroom!” And she leaves quickly with her toolbox.

She paces towards the containment sector quickly, going straight to Jasper’s cell. Jasper is sitting there, looking at the wall in silence, thinking.

Peridot clutches her toolbox tightly as she approaches Jasper’s cell. Her steps are hurried but careful, she can’t afford to draw too much attention. As she reaches the reinforced glass, Jasper turns her head slightly, acknowledging Peridot’s presence but saying nothing.

Peridot quickly scans the hallway. No guards in sight. Good. She presses a few buttons on her limb enhancers, temporarily disabling the security feed around this sector, just a few seconds of static, enough time to talk.

“Jasper.” She whispers urgently.

The larger Gem exhales, unimpressed. “What is it now?”

Peridot takes the prism object from her toolbox. “I got a communicator to contact Homeworld! We can call a ship to rescue us!” She says in a desperate-excited tone. “We just need to leave this facility, and then we’re saved!”

Jasper narrows her eyes at the small prism device in Peridot’s hands. She studies it for a moment, then looks back at Peridot with a blank, almost tired expression.

"Rescue us?" Jasper repeats, her tone devoid of the excitement Peridot had expected. "And then what?"

Peridot blinks, confused. "And then we go back to Homeworld, of course! Report everything, get reassigned, and—"

"And then what?" Jasper cuts her off, her deep voice carrying an edge of bitterness. She leans forward slightly, her orange hands resting on her knees. "You really think they’ll just welcome us back? You think I can just walk back into Yellow Diamond’s court after failing?"

Peridot falters. "But… it wasn’t your fault!"

Jasper scoffs, standing up and stepping closer to the glass. Even in captivity, she’s an imposing figure, her broad shoulders and piercing eyes making Peridot shrink slightly. "Doesn’t matter. I lost. To him ." She spits the last word like it’s poison. "As far as Homeworld’s concerned, I’m defective now. I wouldn’t be surprised if they shatter me the moment I step off the ship."

Peridot stares, stunned into silence.

Jasper crosses her arms. "And what about you, Peridot? Think they’ll throw you a parade for getting captured and forced to work with organics? You lost your limb enhancers, your dignity, and now you’re working with them. What do you think Yellow Diamond will see when you report in?"

Peridot swallows hard. She hadn’t considered that. In her mind, contacting Homeworld had been the solution, the way to fix everything. But now, doubt creeps in. Would they really welcome her back? Or would they see her as tainted, compromised?

She looks down at the communicator, suddenly feeling its weight in her hands.

"But… But we’re loyal," she says weakly. "We’re not… We’re not traitors!"

Jasper lets out a low chuckle, shaking her head. "Doesn’t matter. We’re prisoners. We failed. And Homeworld doesn’t give second chances."

Peridot grips the device tightly, her fingers trembling. She wants to argue, to insist that Jasper is wrong, but deep down, she knows there’s truth in her words.

For the first time, she wonders if contacting Homeworld is truly the right choice.

But Peridot shakes these thoughts away and sighs. “Fine… I’m doing it alone then.” She rushes away from the containment sector.

Jasper watches as Peridot hurries away, her small form disappearing down the hallway. She exhales through her nose and turns back to the wall, her expression unreadable.

Peridot moves quickly, her grip tightening around the prism communicator as her mind races. Jasper’s wrong. She has to be wrong . If she can just get outside, just send the message, Homeworld will come. They have to.

As she turns a corner, she nearly collides with a G.U.N. soldier. “Whoa, where’s the fire, little green?” He asks, looking down at her with mild amusement.

Peridot straightens herself, forcing a nervous smile. “Just… need some fresh air. All these filthy organic molecules in here are, ugh, getting to me.”

The soldier chuckles. “Yeah, yeah. Just don’t wander too far. HQ’s on high alert with those Homeworld plans we intercepted.”

Peridot nods stiffly and continues her way. She has to make this work.

Meanwhile, in the observation area, Andrew raises an eyebrow. “Where did Peridot go?”

Ashley shrugs. “I think she said she was gonna the bathroom.”

They all pause, realizing one thing.

“... Gems are made of light, they don’t go to the bathroom.” Says Fionna.

Steven grits his teeth and quickly rushes to the warp pad to be sure Peridot won’t escape.

At the warp pad area, Peridot hops on it with a smirk. “Finally. I will leave this damn planet.”

But as she activates the warp pad, Steven rushes there, jumping inside the warping light at the last second.

He stares Peridot in the eyes. “Peridot!!”

She widens her eyes in horror, and as soon as they warp to the strawberry field, she tries to run away.

Steven draws his axe and slashes an energy pulse that she barely dodges.

Peridot stumbles as she lands, her eyes darting frantically for an escape route. The vast strawberry battlefield stretches around her, overgrown with red flowers and the remnants of Gem war technology from millennia ago. But none of that matters right now—only Steven, standing a few feet away, his axe still humming with energy.

"Peridot!" Steven’s voice is sharp, cutting through the air like his weapon. His expression is a mix of frustration and determination. "What do you think you’re doing?!"

Peridot grips the communicator tightly, her fingers twitching. "I-I told you already! I’m leaving! I’m going back to Homeworld where I belong!" She takes a step back, trying to gauge her chances of making a break for it.

Steven clenches his fists, his aura flaring slightly with pink light. "You really think they’re gonna welcome you back after everything?"

Peridot hesitates for a split second before scowling. "Of course they will! I’m still useful! I can still serve!" Her voice wavers slightly, betraying her own doubts.

Steven takes a slow step forward. "Jasper doesn’t think so. She thinks Homeworld will throw you away the second you show up."

Peridot stiffens. "Jasper doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She’s just bitter because she lost."

Steven exhales sharply, gripping his axe tighter. "And what if she’s right ?" His voice softens slightly, but the intensity in his gaze remains. "What if you go back, and they don’t want you anymore?"

Peridot falters, her eyes flicking to the communicator in her hands. The device that was supposed to be her salvation now feels unbearably heavy.

Steven steps closer. "You saw what Homeworld did to Earth. You saw what they plan to do. And you still think they’re gonna care about you?"

Peridot’s breathing quickens. "I-I don’t have a choice! I can’t stay here! I don’t belong with you organics! I can’t —!"

Suddenly, the warp pad is activated again, and from there comes Jasper, as imposing as ever and start walking towards them. Peridot smirks. “Jasper, you changed your mind!”

Steven narrows his eyes. “Yeah, you changed your mind.” he straightens up, ready for a fight.

Jasper says nothing and just passes by Steven like he wasn’t even there. She approaches Peridot and snatches the communicator from her hands. “Give me that.” She activates the communicator, which starts floating and glowing yellow. She looks back at Steven with a serious expression. “You better hide somewhere if you don’t want to be seen by her.”

Steven tenses at Jasper’s words, but he quickly hides behind a big bush.

The communicator opens a yellow screen and Peridot grins maniacally while Jasper just crosses her arms.

Then, a slender woman with a round gem on her chest stands on the screen. “This is the Yellow Diamond control room. Who authorized you to make this call?”

Peridot snaps back to her mind and stutters. “No one, b-but it's an emergency!”

“That's no excuse to use the direct Diamond communication channel.”

And then, a deep voice comes from behind the woman. “ Pearl .”

The woman jumps a bit at the voice. “Yes, my Diamond?”

Peridot widens her eyes in nervousness.

“Why is there someone on the Diamond line?” The voice asks.

“I don't know. I was just about to tell her that-”

“I'll take it from here.” A giant yellow hand takes the screen, showing a giant woman with yellow skin and a yellow gem on her chest.

Steven watches in silence, surprised. “... Yellow Diamond, huh?” He whispers to himself.

Peridot straightens up and make a diamond symbol with her arms while Jasper keeps hers crossed. “My Diamond, Peridot reporting in.”

Yellow Diamond raises a hand, looking at another screen. “ Which Peridot?”

Peridot gulps. “F-Facet 2F5L, Cut 5XG. I’m sorry to contact you this way, but all other forms of communication have been destroyed and—”

Yellow Diamond raises her hand and Peridot stops talking. “This says you’re behind schedule on your mission to…” Yellow Diamond stops as she sees the image of planet Earth. She turns to the screen. “How is the Earth?”

Peridot was about to say something, but Jasper interrupts. “It’s full of own-willing life.”

Yellow Diamond sighs. “ Organic life. And I see there is the Jasper that came with you.”

Jasper clenches her fists, but says nothing.

She continues. “But why aren’t you calling from the ship?”

Peridot gulps. “The ship was confiscated.”

Yellow Diamond raises an eyebrow. “By whom?”

Peridot takes a pause. “By… By humans.”

Yellow Diamond narrows her eyes. “You’re telling me you lost your ship for a group of inferior life-forms?”

Peridot steps back and stutters. “I— Uhm— Well—”

“Yes, that’s exactly what happened.” Jasper interrupts. 

Steven glances up from the bush in surprise.

“Although it’s still archaic, the human technology is way more advanced than we thought. They got us on surprise.”

Yellow Diamonds look back to the other screen. “I’ll inform your managers of your incompetence. And what is the status of the Cluster?”

“The Cluster… will emerge shortly.” Affirms Peridot.

“Good. We’ll finally get some use out of that miserable planet. Thank you for the report, Peridot and Jasper. There will be a ship heading to your location to take you to your next assignments.”

“Hold on.” Jasper exclaims.

Yellow Diamond pauses, her piercing gaze sharpening as she directs her full attention toward Jasper. "What is it?" 

Jasper takes a slow breath, fists clenching at her sides. "Before we return… I need to know something." Her tone is steady, but there's something beneath it, something not quite like the proud, battle-hardened Jasper Peridot has always known. "What would happen if I ask for a reassignment? If I asked to do something else but fighting?"

Peridot stiffens beside her, her small form shrinking slightly under Yellow Diamond’s scrutinizing gaze.

Yellow Diamond’s expression remains unreadable for a long moment. Then, her eyes narrow, and a single scoff escapes her lips.

"A reassignment?" she repeats, her voice dripping with disbelief. "Jasper, is this a joke?"

Jasper holds her ground, her body rigid. "No. I want to know."

Yellow Diamond straightens, looming even taller on the screen. "You are a Quartz soldier, built for battle, forged for strength. That is your purpose."

Jasper's jaw tightens. "And if I don’t want to fight anymore?"

Yellow Diamond's expression darkens. "Then you are useless."

Jasper’s breath catches for just a second, but she doesn’t flinch. Instead, she tightens her fists. “So that’s it, huh? After everything I’ve done for Homeworld, after every battle I’ve fought, every victory I’ve won, you’d just throw me away?”

Yellow Diamond’s eyes narrow, and the energy in the screen crackles with an intimidating hum. “You were made to serve, Jasper. You were made to fight. If you no longer wish to fulfill your purpose, then what use do I have for you?”

Peridot looks between Jasper and the Diamond, her fingers twitching nervously. “M-My Diamond, surely there’s a way Jasper can still be useful to Homeworld! She’s the strongest Quartzes ever produced! Maybe— maybe she could train new soldiers or—”

“Enough.” Yellow Diamond cuts her off with a cold glare. “Jasper has made her position clear.”

Jasper’s breathing is heavy, her mind racing. The truth she’s been trying to avoid, the truth she always had known, has finally been spoken aloud. Homeworld does not care about her. Homeworld does not care about any of them. It never has.

Something in her chest twists, something raw and bitter. But then, a different feeling starts creeping in, a sense of liberation.

She clenches her jaw. “I see.”

Yellow Diamond watches her in silence, waiting for Jasper to fold, to apologize, to beg for her place back.

Jasper doesn’t.

Instead, she exhales and tilts her head slightly. “Then I guess we’re done here.”

And with one swift motion, summons her helmet and smashes the communicator into the ground, shattering it into hundreds of flickering shards.

Peridot gasps. “JASPER?!”

Yellow Diamond’s image crackles and distorts, her cold, unreadable gaze the last thing visible before the screen vanishes completely.

For a moment, there is only silence, the hum of the broken device fading into nothing.

Then, Peridot lets out a strangled noise, scrambling to pick up the shattered pieces. “No, no, no, what did you do?! We needed that! That was our way out!” Her hands shake as she clutches the broken remains of the communicator, panic rising in her voice.

Jasper turns away, stepping past Peridot as if she isn’t even there.

Peridot stares at the broken device in disbelief. “Jasper… why?”

Jasper stops walking, looking out over the ruins of the battlefield. The remains of a war fought long before her time. A war she was made to continue, without question.

She exhales. “Because fighting for someone who doesn’t care makes you weak.”

Peridot stares at Jasper, mouth slightly open, unable to process what just happened. Everything she believed in, everything she thought she was supposed to do, was crumbling before her eyes.

Steven slowly steps out from behind the bush, gripping his axe but keeping his stance relaxed. “So… what now?”

Jasper doesn’t look at him, still watching the distant horizon. “Now?” She exhales. “I figure that out myself.”

Peridot clenches her fists. “You—You just doomed us! We could’ve gone home!”

Jasper finally turns to her. “ Home wouldn’t take us back.” She looks at the shattered communicator. “Maybe it never really was home in the first place.”

Peridot looks down, her mind racing with too many thoughts, too many fears. She thought she knew everything. But maybe… maybe she didn’t know anything at all.

Steven comes from behind the bushes, clapping his hands with a grin. “Holy shit, Jasper! I didn’t expect that from you! You did great! Haha!”

Jasper shoots Steven a glare. "Don't get excited, kid. I didn’t do this for you."

Steven smirks but doesn’t push further. “Still, you made the right choice.”

Peridot, still clutching the broken communicator, trembles. “But… but what do we do now?”

Jasper exhales, rolling her shoulders. “We move forward. Figure it out.” She turns to Steven. “You still want me locked up, or do I get to make my own choices?”

Steven hesitates for a second, then shakes his head. “Well… G.U.N probably want to keep you locked, especially after you broke away from your cell…” He grins. “But in my opinion, you’re free to go or do whatever you want. I suggest you to join G.U.N, to be an agent like me and Fionna, but that’s your choice.” He looks to Peridot. “Same for you, Peridot.”

Peridot stares at the broken communicator in her hands, her mind racing. Everything she thought she knew was slipping through her fingers. Jasper had made her choice. But what about her?

She looks up at Steven, then at Jasper, her expression torn. “I… I don’t know.” Her voice is small. “What else is there for me?”

Jasper crosses her arms, glancing at Steven. “The kid’s got a point. You’re smart, Peridot. Maybe it’s time to stop following orders and start thinking for yourself.”

Peridot swallows hard. Could she really do that?

Steven smiles gently. “You don’t have to decide now. Just… think about it.”

Jasper exhales, rolling her shoulders. “I’ll pass on the whole ‘joining G.U.N’ thing. But I’ll figure something out.” She turns to leave.

Steven nods. “Good luck, Jasper.”

Jasper smirks slightly. “Don’t need luck, kid.”

Peridot watches her go, then looks back at Steven. Slowly, she nods. “Maybe… Maybe I’ll try.”

Steven grins. “That’s all I ask.”

As the sun sets over the field, the three of them stepping on the Warp Pad, but one they finally get to choose for themselves.

[TO BE CONTINUED]

Chapter Text

As soon Steven, Jasper and Peridot come back, they’re quickly welcomed with armored soldiers pointing their guns at them. Andrew standing behind them with a serious face.

Peridot widens her eyes and raises her hands in fear.

Steven chuckles. “Chill, people. Everything’s solved. Apparently Jasper and Peridot decided to not be a tool for Homeworld anymore.”

Andrew keeps his stern gaze fixed on Jasper and Peridot. The soldiers don’t lower their weapons.

“Forgive me if I don’t take your word for it, Steven.” Andrew says, eyes narrowing. “How do we know this isn’t some kind of trick?”

Jasper grunts, crossing her arms. “If it were, you’d already be dead.”

“Not helping.” Steven mutters before stepping forward, raising his hands in a placating gesture. “Look, I get it. But trust me, Peridot and Jasper made their choice. They’re with us now.”

Peridot nods quickly, her hands still raised. “Yes! Absolutely! No more following Homeworld’s every command. Free will! Autonomy! Very appealing concepts!” She laughs nervously.

Andrew doesn’t look convinced. “I don’t take risks when it comes to security.” He glances at Jasper. “Especially with her kind.”

Jasper clenches her fists. “ Her kind? You got something to say, human?”

Steven glances at her and chuckles. “With all due respect, Jasper, you were determined to destroy us till like fifteen minutes ago, besides, you broke out your cell like nothing.”

Andrew doesn’t flinch under Jasper’s glare. If anything, he stands his ground even more, shoulders squared, his grip firm on the rifle hanging from his vest.

“Exactly.” He says. “Fifteen minutes ago, you were an enemy combatant. Forgive me if I don’t just roll out a welcome mat.”

Jasper snarls, taking a step forward, but Steven quickly holds out an arm in front of her.

“Okay! Everyone, let’s take a deep breath,” Steven says, flashing a nervous smile. “We don’t need this to turn into a standoff.”

Andrew doesn’t move. The soldiers don’t lower their weapons. Peridot is still frozen in place, hands up, shifting her gaze between everyone. Jasper huffs, cracking her knuckles, but stays put.

Steven exhales. “Look, I get it, Andrew. I really do. But trust is a two-way street. If we want Jasper and Peridot to actually work with us, we need to show them that we trust them, too.”

Andrew’s expression remains unreadable for a moment before he slowly tilts his head. “That’s a lot to ask.”

Steven nods. “Yeah, I know. But what’s the alternative? Keeping them locked up forever? That didn’t exactly work out.” He gestures to Jasper. “Besides, she came back willingly.”

Jasper scowls but doesn’t argue.

Andrew exhales sharply through his nose. “Whatever. But they’re on probation. No unsupervised movement, no access to critical areas, and they stay under watch at all times.” He gives Steven a pointed look. “One sign of trouble, and I shut this down. Understood?”

Steven chuckles. “Sure. You’re the boss.”

“Good. Now let’s go back to making the drill. We still need to destroy the Cluster.”

Later, the drill construction is going incredibly smooth and swift. It’s almost done, Peridot working nonstop and even Jasper helping with the heaviest materials.

Meanwhile, Steven and Fionna chat with each other, both incredibly close to each other. Peridot groans. “Steven! What are you doing with the human?! You’re supposed to be helping with the drill!”

Steven and Fionna pause for a moment and look at each other smiling.

They take each other’s hands and move in a slow dance for a moment before kissing and fusing into Stionna.

Stionna chuckles. “Damn, it’s been a while since we’ve been… Well, me.” They chuckle. “Forgot how good it feels.”

Peridot widens her eyes and stutters. “Y- Y- You just fused with a human?! Is that even possible?!”

Jasper pauses and looks with a frown. “Ugh, of course, fusing . The cheap trick that only serves to make weak gems stronger.” She scoffs. “And fusing with a human? Seriously? Disgusting.”

Stionna chuckles and appear in front of Jasper with a black flash. “C’mon, Jasp, give us a break. We’re helping, right? We’re stronger and smarter like this, hehe.”

Jasper crosses her arms, her expression twisting into one of disgust. “Tch. Whatever. Just don’t expect me to play along with your little… abomination.”

Peridot, meanwhile, is still frozen in shock, her fingers twitching as she tries to process what she just witnessed. “But—But that’s not how fusion works! Humans don’t have gems! They don’t have a stable energy matrix—How did—How is this—What?!”

Stionna smirks, spinning around effortlessly before stopping in front of the drill with a thoughtful expression. “Steel might not be able to destroy the drill…” They grin. “But I might be able to do something. After all, energy equal mass times the speed of light squared…”

Stionna grins, their eyes glowing faintly as they focus their energy. The surrounding air seems to hum with power, and the steel components of the drill begin to shimmer and vibrate. Peridot, still wide-eyed and frazzled, stumbles back a step, her hands flailing as she tries to make sense of what’s happening.

“W-Wait! What are you doing?! You can’t just—you can’t just alter the molecular structure of the steel like that! That’s not how physics works!” Peridot sputters, her voice rising in pitch.

Stionna chuckles, their voice a perfect blend of Steven’s calm warmth and Fionna’s playful confidence. “Oh, Peridot, you’re thinking too small. We just need to transform the matter to energy and back to matter, not that hard.”

With a wave of their hand, the steel begins to shift and morph, its dull gray surface transforming into a sleek, iridescent material that seems to glow faintly from within. The drill’s structure becomes denser, more compact, and yet somehow lighter. Stionna steps back, admiring their work with a satisfied smirk.

“There. Now that’s a drill. Harder than diamond, lighter than titanium, and capable of withstanding temperatures that would melt most metals. Oh, and it’s practically indestructible. Should do the trick, don’t you think?” Stionna says, crossing their arms and tilting their head at Peridot.

Peridot’s jaw drops, her hands twitching as if she wants to grab her tablet and start taking notes but is too stunned to move. “I—I—that’s impossible! You can’t just—how did you—what even is that material?!”

Stionna pauses. “... ‘Stionniten’... ?”

Peridot’s eyes narrow as she steps closer to the drill, her fingers twitching as if she’s itching to analyze the new material. “Stionniten? You just named it?!” she exclaims, her voice cracking slightly. “You can’t just create a new element and name it after yourself! That’s—that’s not how science works!”

Stionna shrugs, their smirk widening. “Why not? We made it, so we get to name it. Seems fair to me.”

Jasper, who had been watching the scene with a mix of irritation and disbelief, finally speaks up. “This is ridiculous. You’re wasting time playing around with shiny rocks when we have a mission to complete. The Cluster isn’t going to destroy itself.”

Stionna turns to Jasper, their expression softening slightly. “Relax, Jasper. We’re on it. This drill is going to be more than enough to handle the Cluster. Trust us.”

Jasper scoffs, crossing her arms. “Trust you? You’re a walking contradiction. A fusion between a gem and a human? It’s unnatural.”

Stionna’s eyes narrow, but their tone remains calm. “Unnatural or not, we’re here, and we’re helping. Isn’t that what matters?”

Before Jasper can retort, Andrew’s voice cuts through the tension. “Enough. We don’t have time for this.” He steps forward, his rifle still slung across his chest but his posture slightly less rigid. “If this… Stionniten drill is as powerful as you say, then let’s get it ready. The sooner we deal with the Cluster, the better.”

Peridot, still visibly flustered, finally snaps out of her shock and starts inspecting the drill more closely. “This… this is incredible. The molecular structure is completely stable, and the energy output is off the charts! How did you even—?”

Stionna interrupts her with a playful wink. “Who cares? Time’s ticking.”

Some hours later, Stionna, Peridot, Jasper and the rest of the engineer team look at the drill.

It’s big enough to fit a small team of people and the materials surely are strong enough to reach the Cluster.

Stionna grins. “What are we waiting for? Let’s get in!”

Jasper scoffs and turns her back at them. “Don’t count with me with that.”

Peridot groans. “Let’s get this over…”

Peridot with Stionna and a few human engineers take the drill to the excavation area, entering it and reading it to excavate to the Cluster.

Already on their positions, Peridot and Stionna sit next to each other. Peridot groans and looks to Stionna. “We’re about to initiate the drill… but before we begin, would you mind unfusing? It’s making me incredibly uncomfortable.”

Stionna frowns and stick their tongue. “No, deal with it.”

Peridot stares at them but sighs. “Are you ready to drill down into the planet to depths never reached by your species to stop the Cluster before it forms and save your world?”

Stionna smirks, stretching their arms behind their head. “Of course! Drilling deep into the Earth to stop an apocalyptic geo-weapon? Sounds like a regular Tuesday.”

Peridot nods. “Ready or not, here we go.”

She starts the engine of the drill and it begins excavating. “Increasing speed…”

She increases the speed, making it go way faster into the planet. Stionna sits on her seat, just waiting calmly. “... So, how long till we arrive there?” 

Peridot points to a map. “Approximately one hour.”

Stionna smirks. “Great. More time to be myself.”

After a while, the drill is still working properly. Stionna unfused for a while, so Steven and Fionna are cuddling in their chair peacefully.

The drill shakes a bit and they fuse back into Stionna.

“Get ready, we're about to penetrate the asthenosphere.” Warns Peridot.

And they begin to pass by amber-glowing stones. Stionna widens their eyes. “Wow. It’s all lava.”

“Actually, lava is what comes from volcanoes.” She corrects with a smile. “That’s superheated peridotite.”

Stionna raises a brow. “And what’s that supposed to be?”

“It’s made of the same stuff as Peridots.”

“Huh… nice.”

Then, the Drill begins having some turbulance. 

Stionna widens their eyes. “Uhm, is this normal?”

Then, both Peridot and Stionna hear a scream from the other engineers. They look back. “What’s going on?!”

The engineer points to a window in fear. There is a colorful arm connected to other one outside the drill… but it still seems alive.

“What the fuck is that?!”

Peridot takes a glare and widens her eyes. “Gem experiments.”

Stionna glances at her. “ WHAT?!”

Peridot sighs. “Yellow Diamond used to make experiments on shards of gems. She mixed them together to make a single gem, and in the end it’s basically…” She looks at Stionna in silence. “... Forced fusions.”

They widen their eyes, about to say something, but they stop. “... We’ll discuss that later, Peridot. Do we have any way to defend ourselves?”

Peridot nods. “Yeah. I’ve put some blast cannons here. Y’know, just in case.”

She clicks a few buttons and several cannons come from the drill, poofing the gem experiments away.

Soon, they hit some denser rock, and they finally reach The Cluster .

Stionna suddenly feels nauseous for a moment.

Peridot looks at them and raises a brow. “Are you okay?”

Stionna nods. “Yeah, yeah… it’s just… I don’t know, I feel this weird energy here. Not in the mythical way, but literally.”

Peridot groans. “We have no time for this. We’re about to pierce the cluster!”

As the drill touches the Cluster surface, Stionna feels the nausea hit stronger and they fall from their seat.

Peridot glares at them, but Stionna motions to her to keep going. They open their eyes and see something weird. They see what looks like billions of souls coming from the Cluster.

They widen their eyes. “Steven, what is this?... No idea, Finn.”

But soon, the Cluster glows at it tries to emerge.

Peridot widens her eyes. “We came too late! It is emerging!”

Stionna tries to get up, but the energy only grows stronger and stronger.

The drill shakes violently as the Cluster begins to stir. The cavern trembles, and fractures shoot through the surrounding rock, glowing with an ominous golden light. Stionna grits their teeth, clutching their head as the overwhelming energy radiating from the Cluster surges through them.

Peridot’s fingers fly across the controls, panic in her voice. “It’s destabilizing! If it fully emerges, we’re all dead!”

Stionna groans. Suddenly, they hear a voice on their head. “ Hello, my dear boy.”

They widen their eyes and look to a window, seeing Black Diamond’s eyes watching them. Stionna shivers and unfuse. 

Steven slowly gets up and looks at Black Diamond’s eyes. “You! Time to help us, now!” 

Black Diamond laughs in amusement. “ Oh, boy boy boy… I’ve been helping so much recently. It’s almost like a mother guiding her little child, isn’t it?”

Steven huffs. “Whatever you say! Just tell me what to do!”

Peridot looks at Steven in surprise. “Steven, who are you talking to?”

While Fionna just stood up in surprise. “Steven, who was this?”

But Steven doesn’t answer. He gulps and sighs as he listens Black Diamond’s guidance. He glances at Fionna and Peridot. ”... I’ll be back soon.”

He cracks his neck and get off the drill.

Steven steps out of the drill, the intense energy of the Cluster pulsing through the cavern, making his skin tingle. His heart pounds as he glances back at Fionna and Peridot, both watching him with wide, uncertain eyes.

“Steven, what are you doing?!” Peridot yells. “We need to get out of here! We can’t stop the Cluster like this!”

But Steven doesn’t answer. His mind is locked onto the deep, resounding voice of Black Diamond echoing in his thoughts.

" So, my dear boy, you’re ready for this? "

He sighs. “Not like we got other options, right?”

He clenches his fists, stepping toward the glowing, fractured mass of the Cluster. The energy of billions of gems in agony… He shudders, it's overwhelming, suffocating, like standing in the middle of a raging storm with no shelter.

"They’re all in so much pain..." Steven mutters, his voice barely above a whisper.

The Cluster writhes, a massive, amorphous hand forming from the swirling shards, clawing at the cavern walls as if trying to pull itself free. The entire place shakes violently, massive chunks of rock falling from above.

"Steven!" Fionna shouts. "Whatever you're doing, do it fast!"

" You know what to do, Steven. " Black Diamond’s voice hums in his mind.

He nods and set his hands over the Cluster surface. He takes a deep breath and start absorbing the Cluster’s energy.

As Steven presses his hands against the Cluster, a surge of energy rushes through him, nearly knocking him off his feet. It’s unlike anything he’s ever felt, pure, chaotic, and overwhelming. 

Fionna watches from the drill, fists clenched. “Steven! What’s happening?!”

Peridot frantically checks the readings. “His vitals are off the charts! He’s absorbing energy at an unsustainable rate, he can’t handle that much power!”

But Steven isn’t listening. His body glows with a dark energy as he channels every ounce of his being into reaching the Cluster. He groans and tries absorbing more and more of the energy. “I need… to… deactivate this!”

As Steven continues absorbing the Cluster’s energy, his body shakes violently, struggling to contain the sheer magnitude of power surging through him. His eyes glow, flickering between his usual warm light and an unfamiliar dark hue, like the void itself is trying to consume him.

“Steven, stop!” Fionna yells, stepping toward him, but Peridot grabs her wrist.

“No! We can’t interrupt him!” Peridot shouts, her voice panicked. “If he stops now, the Cluster could go completely unstable and erupt instantly!”

Steven groans and keep absorbing. Soon, some shards begin losing their colors and light while Steven glows in a dark-violet light. 

As Steven absorbs more and more of the Cluster’s energy, the cavern shudders violently, the once-brilliant shards dimming one by one, their colors fading into a lifeless gray. The overwhelming presence of billions of fractured gems, once screaming in agony, begins to quiet.

Peridot watches in shock as the monitors on the drill flicker wildly. “This—This is impossible! The Cluster’s energy levels are dropping exponentially! Steven is actually doing it!”

Fionna, her hands clenched into fists, watches Steven’s form glowing brighter and darker at the same time, a chaotic swirl of energy surrounding him. “But for how long?!” she shouts. “How much can he take before—”

Suddenly, the ground beneath them cracks apart. A deafening boom echoes through the cavern as Steven lets out a choked gasp, his body trembling under the sheer force of the energy within him. His form flickers, his skin crackling with violet lightning, his eyes turning pitch black.

The Cluster… is gone.

All that remains are the empty, hollow husks of its once-living shards, scattered lifelessly across the cavern floor.

Peridot steps forward in disbelief, her voice barely a whisper. “He… He actually absorbed all of it… But where did all that energy go?!”

Steven staggers, his body barely holding itself together. His veins glow like cracks in obsidian, pulsating with raw, unstable power. The air around him distorts, charged with uncontainable energy.

“I—I can’t hold it in,” Steven mutters, clutching his chest as waves of power ripple through him. “It’s… too much!”

His body flickers erratically, shifting between solid and translucent, as if reality itself is struggling to keep him in one place.

Fionna rushes toward him. “Steven!”

But in a flash of darkness, he vanishes.

A pulse of energy surges outward from the spot where he stood, knocking Fionna and Peridot off their feet and shaking the entire cavern.

Then, silence.

Fionna gasps, scrambling to her feet. “Steven?! STEVEN!!”

Peridot stares at the empty space in shock. “He’s… He’s gone.” Her hands tremble as she checks the drill’s scanners. “There’s no energy signature left. He completely disappeared…”

In the middle of the ocean, a few fishermen in a fishing boat were watching the pacific in silence… When suddenly, from a far distance, they see something that looks like a giant atomic explosion that sends a shockwave, disabling the boat's engine and rattling the men inside. They stare in disbelief at the massive shockwave, unsure of what they've just witnessed.

“What just happened?” 

“No idea!”

They keep watching until they hear someone climbing on the boat.

Steven climbs on the boat and lies on his back in exhaustion.

He pulls his phone from his gem and tries to call G.U.N.

The phone rings once, twice, and then a voice answers. “G.U.N. Headquarters, state your emergency.”

“This is Steven Wimbleton. I stopped the Cluster absorbing its energy, but I had to go somewhere to uncharge. Now I’m in the middle of the pacific.”

The operator on the other end pauses for a moment before responding. “Understood, Steven. We’re tracking your signal now. Hold tight help is on the way.”

Steven lowers the phone, his body still flickering faintly with residual energy. He looks up at the fishermen, who are now staring at him with a mix of awe and fear. “Thanks for the ride,” He says with a weak smile. “I’ll, uh… explain later.”

As the sound of helicopters approaches in the distance, Steven closes his eyes, letting the exhaustion take over. 

Finally, the Cluster was stopped, the planet was safe, and he could rest… for now.

[THE END]

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A few days after the Cluster deactivation, Fionna is sitting next to Steven on G.U.N’s medbay bed. He’s healthy, just extremely exhausted, so he needs to rest for a few days.

She sighs. At least he’s alive…

But suddenly, Andrew enters the room. “Fionna, we need to talk.”

On the hallways, Fionna tilts her head. “What do you need, Andrew?”

Andrew pauses, thinking about his words. “You want the bad or worst news first?”

Fionna raises an eyebrow, crossing her arms. “Just hit me with it, Andrew. What’s going on?”

Andrew exhales sharply. “The bad news is that we detected gem movement in the galaxy warp with the cameras we put there.” He looks at Fionna. “There are other gems in Earth. We don’t know if they’re Homeworld Gems or just newborns.”

Fionna’s eyes widen. “Other gems? On Earth? What does that mean for us?”

Andrew’s expression darkens. “It means we’re not out of the woods yet. If they’re Homeworld Gems, they could be here to finish what the Cluster started. If they’re newborns… well, we don’t know what they’re capable of.”

Fionna clenches her fists, her mind racing. “And the worst news?”

Andrew hesitates, then speaks gravely. “The worst news… Serial 73, Metal Steven… disappeared.”

Fionna’s heart skips a beat. “What do you mean, Metal Steven disappeared?!”

Andrew’s jaw tightens. “Exactly what I said. He was under heavy surveillance, but somehow, he vanished. No signs of forced entry, no alarms triggered. He’s just… gone… We have suspects, but we can’t be entirely sure of who took it…”

Fionna’s eyes narrow, her mind racing with possibilities. “If Metal Steven is gone, that means someone has access to advanced tech or powers we can’t even comprehend. This isn’t just a security breach; this is a full-blown threat.”

Andrew nods grimly. “Exactly. And with gems potentially on Earth and Metal Steven missing, we’re facing a two-front crisis. We need to act fast.”

Fionna takes a deep breath, her determination hardening. “Then we don’t have time to waste. Let’s gather the team and figure out our next move. Steven’s going to need to know about this too, but… let’s give him a little more time to recover.”

Andrew agrees. “We’ll start by investigating the galaxy warp and tracking any gem activity. As for Metal Steven… we’ll need to retrace every step and find out who could’ve taken him.”

As they walk down the hallway, Fionna glances back at Steven’s room, her heart heavy but resolute. The fight isn’t over yet, and she knows they’ll need every ounce of strength and unity to face what’s coming next.

[TO BE CONTINUED]

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Yo, if you think this is over, there is a new season. Season 3. Go read it if you liked this :D