Chapter Text
Steven stood still, listening intently past the sound of the rain. He felt Connie shiver as she clung to his arm, not sure if she was cold or scared. Both, probably. They didn't plan this out very well. Neither of them had a coat and they were soaked through. This was the sort of thing he would do, but Connie? That's how bad things had become.
Connie pointed abruptly in the same direction that he'd heard the sound, her grip on his arm tightening. He looked and saw what she saw - a figure darting about between the statue debris on the beach. Amethyst. It had to be. Hopefully the others weren't nearby. One corrupted gem was enough. He didn't want to tangle with Ruby or Sapphire just yet. And god help them if Pearl showed up. He shivered at the thought. He didn't know how he knew, but he did. Pearl was dangerous now. Deadly.
It was just a week ago when the Diamonds unleashed their terrible weapon for the second time. There was no warning, no sense of danger. The gems were at the house, going over their battle plans when the light appeared, glowing, pulsating, spreading its web of madness. It was just dumb luck he was at the barn at the time. They all heard it. A song that engulfed them, its siren call seducing them. It was Lapis who reacted first, grabbing them to her and surrounding them with a bubble of water. "Steven! Your bubble!" she cried out as the water rushed in to protect them.
He was confused at first. The sound was captivating like nothing he'd ever heard. Only now it was muted by the ball of water around him. His body jolted, as if trying to escape from a nightmare, and his bubble quickly appeared, surrounding the trio. Peridot cried out at the sudden silence as if in pain. Lapis seem frantic as well. She lost control of the water and collapsed next to Peridot, her eyes wide with fear and longing.
The bubble began to reverberate, creating a counter resonance to the song that was reaching in trying to take their minds. It was eerily silent inside the bubble and Steven was tempted to lower it. Somehow he knew he mustn't so long as he could see that terrible light. Peridot fell still, sobbing quietly into Lapis' embrace. Steven was suddenly struck by the tenderness of her caress as she shushed at Peridot and held her close. That's right - she was around the last time this happened. That's why she reacted so quickly - that's how she save them.
This time however, the others were caught in the madness of the song. Ruby and Sapphire came apart, looking towards the light, forgetting each other for the first time in millennia. Amethyst stood spellbound, mesmerized by the sound that echoed through her body. Pearl alone cried out. "Rose! Your shield!" she exclaimed then began to float upwards in a slow spiral. She suddenly stiffened and cried out a second time, "My Diamond!" then crashed to the floor, her body rigid and her eyes glowing blue, yellow, green.
The brilliant light glowed like a small, second sun for what seemed an eternity but in reality was mere moments. Then as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone. Steven cautiously lowered the bubble and listened. Nothing but the sound of the wind greeted them. The Gems! he thought suddenly. They weren't protected by mom's bubble this time! I have to reach them! He looked around for Lion, but the beast was no where to be found. Steven grimaced as he wondered fearfully how the song could have affected his loyal friend.
He turned to his companions, just starting to stand. "Lapis!" he cried. "You have to help! I need to go to the gems! You need to fly me there!"
Lapis looked at Steven in confusion then fear. "No, Steven, you can't! They're corrupted now! You can't help them. Nobody can." She turned back to Peridot who was gripping her tightly as if afraid she might disappear like the light.
"I have to, Lapis! They need me!" he exclaimed. She looked at him for an eternity of several seconds then turned her back to him.
"No, Steven. I won't help you in this. You must understand there's nothing you can do. It's too late for them." Spreading her wings, she lifted Peridot into her arms. She looked back at Steven for a second - were those tears in her eyes? - then turned and flew off.
Greg was sitting out front of It's a Wash, playing his guitar and working on a particularly tricky lyric when the light erupted in the sky. He knew right away this was bad news - the worst kind. Rose told him what happened that day and this looked like what she described - a sudden flash of multi-color light, spreading out across the sky followed by a sound - a song of sorts. Steven! He bolted up right, his guitar clattering on the concrete. Steven! Where was he? What was happening to him!
He climbed into his van and struggled to start the engine. He nearly flooded it but it finally roared to life as if it too feared for the worst. He sped off down the road, turning hard left as he passed the Big Donut. Lars and Sadie were staring at the light and Lars jumped back, startled as the van flew by. The rear doors of the van flew open, his gear falling out onto the beach. Greg was barely aware of any of this as he sped up the beach and turned the corner towards the bay.
He stopped at the bottom of the ramp leading to the house. He stepped out and listened. The light was gone now and the sound with it. All he could hear were seagulls in the distance, fighting over some fry bits no doubt. He reached in and grabbed a microphone. He had no idea what he thought he was going to do with it but it felt vaguely like a weapon in his hand. It was reassuring to have something he could defend himself with no matter the absurdity of it.
He started to climb towards the house when he heard something on the beach. A small red figure scurried around the far side of the cliff and out of sight. The thought of who that could be terrified him. Who would he find inside? Mindlessly gripping his microphone-weapon, he ascended further. There - a sound! He stopped, frozen in his tracks. A figure appeared on the deck and looked out with eyes that shimmered in the sunlight.
Pearl. It was Pearl, right? But no, she was different somehow. She stood there, looking out over the ocean towards something only she could see. This wasn't what he was expecting. She started to scan the horizon, staring intently. "My diamond!" she called out, plaintive and pleading, like someone calling out for a lost lover.
He called out to her: "Pearl!" then immediately realized he'd made a serious blunder. She turned her fierce eyes on him. "You!" she cried out and lunged towards him. He dropped his makeshift weapon, turned, ran and jumped back into the van. He had no idea why, but he never shut it down, probably saving his life. He spun the van around and escaped the way he came in. Pearl - no, this thing that only looked like Pearl - chased after him until she reached the beach. She watched him drive away then returned to the deck and continued her search.
Greg drove in a panic. He knew without understanding why that Steven wasn't at the house. That would have gone much differently if that had been the case. So where? The barn? With Connie? Where? He took a few breaths and forced himself to think. The barn. He'd check there first.
The memory of what he just saw came rushing in with terrifying impact, his thoughts jumbled and stumbling over each other. Was that, ... Ruby? Then does that mean Garnet...? He shook his head as if trying to expel the notion. No, not Garnet! But then who...? He picked up speed, almost tipping the van around corners. And Pearl! What was that! Who was she looking for! And how could she speak! Weren't corrupted gems mindless? That was that weapon that corrupted gems, right? And where's Amethyst?
The one fear he dared not voice lest he give it life rumbled in the back of his mind, growing more urgent with each passing moment. What happened to Steven! He crested a familiar hill and saw the silo in the distance. The driveway appeared and he turned the van into it, hard. He lost control and this time really did come close to tipping over. The van veered into the pasture and finally stopped. Greg looked around confused, then turned back to the dirt road and back to the barn.
He arrived a few seconds later and slid to a stop. He stepped out and listened. It was so quiet, so still. He walked around the barn, stepping carefully not to make any noise. What if Lapis or Peridot were still about? But he saw nothing. Sticking his head in the barn door, he looked around then took a chance: "Steven?" He hid behind a stack - of toilets? What? Shaking his head to bring himself back on focus, he listened. Then he heard it - a small whimper, like a frightened child.
He followed the sound until he found him. A small child, curled up in a fetal position in a corner beneath the hay loft cried softly. He'd seen this before. He collected the child in his arms and took him to the van. He couldn't return to Steven's house, so where should he go?
He knocked on the door, cradling the infant Steven in his arms. Dr. Maheswaran opened the door and started to greet him but stopped when she saw who he had in his arms. "Greg?" she asked. "Are,... are you okay? Who is that?"
"Priyanka? Can we come in? I didn't know where else to go."
Dr. Maheswaran stepped in and gestured. "Yes, of course. Come in. How can we help you? What happened?"
Greg stepped in and sat on the couch. "It's Steven. He's, ..., reverted again."
"Reverted?" Doug walked in and Connie came bounding down the stairs. She continued. "What to you mean reverted? Is that really Steven?"
Connie's eyes widened and she backed against wall. "Steven? What happened!"
Greg took a breath and told them what he knew. When he was finished, he looked into their stricken faces. "I think that light was the weapon used in the old war," he continued. "It looked and sounded a lot like what Rose described. I think Steven was somehow protected from it and he changed into an infant form. He did that once before - one of those monsters the gems were always fighting gave him a fright and he did this then as well."
Connie took Steven from Greg's arms. "How long do you think he'll stay this way?" she asked, looking at the unfamiliar form.
"I don't know. It took a couple of weeks last time. It didn't help that Amethyst kept poking him." Greg collapsed his shoulders and seemed to shrink in on himself. Emotionally drained, he began to shut down. Doug made up the couch and between him and Priyanka they managed to get him to lie down. Connie looked down at Steven then back to Greg. What do we do now, she wondered.
It only took a few days for Steven to return to his familiar self. Greg was convinced it was Connie who made the difference this time. She never left him and cooed into his ears whenever he stirred. That was what he needed and one morning when she awoke, he was sitting on the floor talking to Greg.
"So Pearl is okay then?" he asked?
"I don't know. She looked and sounded like Pearl, but her eyes were all weird and stuff. Besides, I thought corrupted gems can't talk."
"No, they can't. None of ones I met could anyway," Steven answered, lost in thought. "I think something is different this time." He saw Connie standing at the bottom of the stairs and ran to embrace her. "Connie," he cried holding her close. "The gems are all gone now. That song took them!"
Connie and Steven stayed together for the next few days, talking. They always went silent when any of the adults came into the room with them and they were finally left to themselves. It seemed this is what they needed. Greg returned to his van and Steven was allowed to stay as long as he wanted. Their friends from Beach City stopped by to visit and talk and brought the rumors with them.
It seems strange creatures had been spotted wandering the beach. There were three of them - blue, red and purple. They seemed to be drawn to the old temple, coming and going at odd times. No one dared approach them and all tourism had ground to a halt. Everyone was convinced they were dangerous, but no one could think of a time when they ever tried to hurt anybody. Still this was clearly gem stuff and that was enough for most people.
Steven came to a decision. He and Connie approached Jenny and she agreed to help. They sneaked out with her as she left and hid in the back of her car. Connie had Rose's sword and Steven had his shield. They would see what was prowling the beach and ... well, then they would see.
Now they stood in the rain, looking at something that had to be Amethyst. Steven and Connie held hands and danced. Stevonnie stepped forward into the darkness and approached an uncertain future.