Three days had passed since Steven had barely spoken to the Gems. The atmosphere in the house was so heavy that even the air seemed to have a shape. He walked along the beach, his feet sinking into the hot sand, staring at the horizon with a mixture of guilt and curiosity. He felt like everything was under control, but remembering the explosion, he couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if he had been there.
If I had been standing right there, would I have exploded too? he thought aloud. Or would I have just been injured? It could heal, yes, but that didn't take away the pain. The wounds were closing, but the burning sensation remained. He turned to Connie, who was silently with him.
She was staring at the beach with a strange expression, as if something didn't fit.
Steven, why is the beach... dry? Connie asked, tilting her head.
He looked at her and then back at the sea, or at least, at the place where the sea used to be.
Steven sighed, raising his hands to the sky.
Ah, yes, the beach. Well, I guess it was Lapis, he shrugged. I mean, I could have avoided all this, but then again, I'm a kid, I don't understand anything, right? "Ugh!" he yelled, ruffling his hair in frustration.
Connie just watched him, with that look of patience mixed with sadness that she used when she didn't know how to help him. Finally, she gently stroked his head, trying to calm him down. Steven let out a resigned sigh and allowed himself to be pampered, noticing that, although Connie didn't have much experience with the Gems, she knew exactly when he needed silence.
Then Steven raised his voice.
"Lion!"
From the house, the pink lion raised his head with a snort. He was watching the Gems argue for the umpteenth time over the mirror, but upon hearing Steven's call, he simply twirled his mane and advanced toward the door.
"Hey, Lion," Pearl said, a bead of sweat forming on her forehead. "I don't know if you understand me, but Steven's out there."
Leon stared at her, as if he understood every word, and without saying anything, he walked to the door.
"I'll open it now," Amethyst murmured, pushing the door open with a tired smile.
The lion let out a low roar of affirmation and left, leaving the three Gems behind, who remained silent for a moment. Garnet crossed her arms.
"She's going with Steven," she said simply, and although it sounded like a calm statement, there was a slight tension in her voice.
Meanwhile, on the beach, Steven smiled as he watched the pink silhouette of his faithful companion approach.
"I knew you'd come, big pink cat," he said dramatically. "Now come on, let's go save the day... or at least get some chips, I'm already hungry."
Connie let out a light laugh, while the lion roared softly, almost as if he approved of the idea. Steven rode it, and as the wind whipped against his face, he couldn't help but think that even if things were upside down, there was always some humor in the chaos.
Connie looked at him with some concern, crossing her arms as the wind ruffled her hair. She asked if he was serious about going alone, and Steven, with that confident smile he usually put on when he had no idea what he was doing, replied that he obviously was.
Connie sighed and told him it might be better to wait for the Gems, since they had more experience with such things. Steven remained silent for a few seconds, staring at the ground with an expression that mixed resignation and stubbornness. Then he looked up with a half-smile and asked if she really thought it was necessary. Connie nodded without hesitation, completely convinced.
Steven sighed theatrically, slumped his shoulders, and said it was fine, but that he would at least send Leon to do something productive. He climbed off the back of the enormous feline and petted him behind the ear. He asked him to go get some fish and come back in an hour, patting him like an obedient dog.
Leon let out a low, powerful roar, opened a pink portal in the air, and simply disappeared. Connie watched him with wide eyes, still not understanding how such things worked.
She asked where he had gone, as she had always been curious about it. Steven shrugged, a bead of sweat trickling down his temple. He admitted he had no idea, but as long as he got back to the fish, there was no reason to worry.
Connie looked at him silently, somewhere between confused and amused. She didn't know whether to admire his calmness or worry about his complete lack of planning. Steven, for his part, just smiled, as if it were all part of a normal day in his life, and flopped back onto the dry sand, staring up at the sky with no intention of changing his way of doing things.
Are you going to stay there alone, waiting for the sea to disappear into space? Steven would look at her from his comfortable floor. Definitely, if they want me to help them, which is most likely the case, they'll have to apologize. I mean, I'm still angry, you know? Treating me with condescension, not telling me anything, and wanting me to act normal? It doesn't even seem like they've lived on Earth for millennia. I mean, it's the most basic thing for humans.
Connie: ...
You're right, but anyway, come on, I'd say, pulling Steven by the hand. Steven would be pulled by Connie to the house. Leon would be at the front of it eating fish of dubious origin, but neither of them would pay attention.
Why are you taking me? I asked, sweating heavily, watching Connie try to lift me up the stairs.
Come on, Steven, you have to talk to them, solve your problems. Ugh, I'd say, trying to force myself to get up. Why? I'd ask with an eyebrow. Raised
The sea is disappearing, any other points?
Steve: ...
You have a great point. Do you think it'll make stusamis if that falls?
Totally, I'd say seriously, Connie. Well, I'll have to convince her to carefully let the water fall, so she'd get up to walk toward the house.
Upon entering, they would look at the gems, which, by the way, were completely out of control. Garnet seemed to be in a damaged corner, Amethyst would be starving, something very worrying, and Pearl would be on a blackboard with a drawing of an underground spaceship.
The silence in the room was broken by a timid greeting. "Hello," I said, a drop of sweat running down my forehead. Pearl and Amethyst were looking at me with shining eyes, as if they had just discovered the meaning of life. "I'd better not ask," I murmured as I looked away from the blackboard. "But... why do you have an underground spaceship?" And more importantly, how would that work if we go to sea?
"Shall we go?" the three of them repeated simultaneously. Garnet watched me from her corner, completely dejected. "Of course," I replied, shrugging my shoulders. "There's no way you're the only ones going. From what I saw, that gem controls the sea, and the only one she had any decent contact with was me. Well... if we consider it decent that she wanted to take me to space, to the... mother campus."
"School?" Pearl asked, visibly confused.
"Tablecloth, planet... it's the same thing," I said with complete seriousness.
Connie looked at me silently. Everyone looked at me silently.
"So, are we going or what?" "Honestly, I do want to go swimming at the beach," I commented as I looked out the window at the enormous column of water rising to the sky. "What kind of broken mentality must someone have to believe that with only sea water they can reach another planet?"
The girls remained silent, but someone broke the somber atmosphere. "Adventure," Connie exclaimed, her eyes shining like two stars.
"Weren't you nervous about the water column?" I asked her dryly.
"I mean, yes, but... it's my second adventure, so let's go," she said as she took my hand and pulled me out. The others looked at each other, shrugged, and ran after us.
"Let's think big," Pearl announced with a smile that betrayed she'd been waiting for this moment for a while. "You could tell your dad to bring the truck."
I stared at her, saying nothing.
"What's wrong?" she asked, flustered by my expression.
"My dad's not going, period," I replied seriously. "I have a much better idea than taking a truck to the ocean."
"Which one?" Garnet asked, breaking her deathly silence.
I just raised my head and yelled loudly. "Leon!"
The aforementioned appeared immediately, with a fish in his mouth, as if he'd been waiting for it all day. I bent down a little and whispered in his ear. "I'm sorry, Leon. After this, I'll buy you a cahuama."
Leon didn't reply, but lay down patiently so we could all get on.
Get on quickly, I said as I helped them settle in. Connie and I held onto his mane, half submerged, to keep from falling.
Okay, I shouted with a smile. "Let's go, Leon! Off to One Piece!"
The lion looked at me sideways with an expression of pure existential regret, as if wondering what sin he'd committed to end up with a master like me. Then he roared softly and opened a portal in front of us. In a flash, we appeared right in front of the gigantic column of water.
We got out one by one, watching in awe. Up close, the structure was even more majestic, a liquid tower that reflected the sky.
I handed my sword to Connie, who took it with shining eyes.
"You must have a weapon, in case the police come," I told her with complete seriousness.
"Why would the police come?" she asked, visibly confused.
"You never know," I replied, observing the tower with a strategic eye.
The five of us advanced toward the base. The sea wind hit our faces, and the sound of the water echoed with an almost mystical tone.
"Hey, Pencil," I shouted. "Can you hear me? I've come to talk to you."
Several seconds passed without a response. The tower remained motionless, completely ignoring us.
"It left us on read," Amethyst murmured between laughs, though her smile quickly faded when four figures began to materialize in front of us.
"It was them." The four members of the Crystal Gems.
Awesome, I thought, watching the scene with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. If this were an anime, there would surely be epic background music playing right now.
Why not? Heist music, I mused excitedly in my head.
Hey, did you send us here just to talk? Amethyst asked with a nervous smile, interrupting my thoughts.
Of course, that wasn't the plan. Before she could say anything, her water figure leaped forward, unleashing her whip with almost imperceptible speed, straight at her.
Amethyst's smile faded in an instant, and with feline reflexes, she activated her own whip, blocking the attack with a crack that shook the air. The other Gems were quick to react: each one launched itself at its liquid counterpart.
Pearl fought side by side with her aquatic counterpart. She wasn't as strong as her, but her ability to regenerate gave her a frustrating advantage. Every time she managed to hit her, the other regrouped as if nothing had happened. Garnet had the same problem. Her strength was colossal, but each impact dissolved into jets of water that reformed again and again.
As she threw blows, Garnet felt a different kind of pressure, not physical but emotional. Sometimes she forgot that Steven was human... well, partially, but enough to not bear the same kind of burden as a thousand-year-old Gem. And yet, she treated him as an equal, a two-thousand-year-old Gem who had to bear it all. That's why they were at this point.
Steven had been upset, not just with them, but with her especially. Garnet knew it. She was the leader, and she should acknowledge when her mistakes affected others. But she hadn't. And now she felt like Steven hated her, even though deep down she knew it wasn't true... or at least she wanted to believe that.
For days she waited for him, sitting in the same corner, like a punished child. Waiting for him to return, to talk to her. And when he finally did, the encounter was cold. Steven got straight to the point, talking only about the mission. Not a greeting, not a warm look. It broke her inside. Even Ruby and Sapphire, her two halves, were sad. Ruby was rarely seen like this, and Sapphire... well, she always kept her composure. But seeing him, they both shuddered. When they saw Connie drag him away, they almost lost the merge.
Still, she kept control. She walked toward Steven, noticing that he already had a plan. One that was nothing like the one Pearl had planned, and one that she, as leader, should have spearheaded. But she'd let herself be consumed by guilt, so she didn't.
That's when she saw him appear, riding Lion, Rose's animal. She was surprised to see how obedient he was. And although she didn't want to admit it, she felt a pang of pride. After all, if that lion had once been Rose's, it was now serving her son.
We all climbed in, and the ride took us straight toward the water tower. It was imposing, almost intimidating. But to Steven and Connie, it seemed like something beautiful, majestic... as sublime as anything a merge represents. Garnet couldn't help but remember the moment she'd helped them achieve it. She'd done it with love, trying to convey the meaning of love and unity. But Steven, grateful, had told her with complete sincerity that the steps were ridiculous and that he wasn't interested in merging again.
Those words had hurt her more than she cared to admit. It was that pain that had driven her to act impulsively with the mirror, just like before. And now, seeing the results, she understood that all of it had led them to this moment.
Steven's scream echoed in the air, but he didn't take it seriously until he saw it. In front of them, four figures began to emerge from the water. They were themselves, identical copies, but made of shimmering liquid.
The Amethysts clashed first, clashing whip against whip. Each blow was a burst of energy and splash. However, Garnet noticed something: these versions weren't simple imitations. They had strength, coordination... and were regenerating every moment.
Pearl noticed it too, and the two shared a brief glance before launching into combat again. Garnet clenched her fists, her gloves flashing with energy. She struck with a series of swift movements, each impact echoing like thunder. But the water simply re-formed itself.
A first-generation Lazuli Pencil, she thought. She remembered them from Homeworld: not made for fighting, but when they wanted to, they could be devastating.
She shook her head, pushing the thoughts aside. She grabbed her water clone and lifted it into the air with monumental strength, then slammed it to the ground in a ground-shaking suplex. The liquid body dissolved, but quickly reformed. The two launched themselves again, running in opposite directions, colliding with punches, kicks, and headbutts that shook the air.
Garnet ended up leaning against a rock, gathering power in her arms. She delivered a blow so powerful that the impact raised a wave, nearly dissolving her opponent instantly. The droplets scattered through the air, glittering in the sunlight like tiny crystals.
The battle was just beginning, and Garnet knew this time it wasn't just about defeating a clone. It was about redeeming herself, fighting for what she had lost, and proving she could still be the leader Steven needed.
The fights raged like a wild dance between water and light. Every blow, every flash, was reflected on the salty surface of the sea that surrounded them. The girls fought with determination, but deep down, their thoughts were similar. They were all exhausted, emotionally broken, and yet determined to protect what was left.
Only Amethyst seemed relaxed, almost amused. Amid the chaos, she laughed, dodged, and struck with a confident smile. She had always been like that, carefree, lighthearted... and above all, the only one who still treated Steven like a friend. And that, although he never said it out loud, was something she liked.
Connie stood behind him, sword in hand, tensely observing the scene. "Stay still," Steven told her gently as he extended an arm to protect her. She nodded wordlessly, her eyes steady, though her breathing betrayed her nerves.
Then, the last water creature took shape before them. His silhouette was identical to Steven's, with his hair floating as if beneath the ocean, and a blank yet powerful gaze. They stared at each other for several seconds, in a strange silence, as if the world had stopped to see what would happen.
Steven tilted his head in genuine surprise. "I'm so handsome," he murmured with such sincere disbelief that the silence deepened.
Even the water figures still fighting stopped. They all looked at him with the same expression, a mix of bewilderment and resignation. "Really? Right now?"
"What?" he said matter-of-factly, pretending he hadn't said anything out of place. "I'm handsome and strong," he added, attempting to flex his triceps.
Connie blushed helplessly, looking away, and the other Gems simply stood still, processing the scene. Garnet sighed, Pearl rolled her eyes, and Amethyst laughed out loud.
Of course, Steven ignored all of that, completely focused on his living reflection. "Okay," he said, looking at himself seriously. "Let's talk or whatever. You know perfectly well you won't get anywhere with the water here. You're just fooling yourself."
The water figures still fighting began to stop one by one. It was as if those words had weight, as if something inside them had broken. In a matter of seconds, the copies dissolved, unraveling in the wind.
Wow, I thought, watching an arrow of water form in front of me, pointing toward the great column rising on the horizon. It seemed as if it were waiting for me.
I took a step forward, but Connie grabbed my arm.
"What's wrong?" I asked, seeing her with a mixture of nerves and concern.
"I know I can't stop you, you're too stubborn," she replied with a small smile that soon turned serious. "But be careful, okay?" Remember, your pa—, I mean, your father is waiting for you.
I looked at her for a few seconds and, without saying anything, reached up to stroke her head. "Come on, Connie, you talk like you're about to die," I said with a tired smile. "If she wanted us dead, believe me, she would have done it already."
The water arrow seemed to stiffen for a moment, as if it had heard my words, but then it returned to its normal shape, silently aiming for its destination.
"Be careful, Stevo," Amethyst said, her voice sounding more concerned than joking for the first time.
"Take care," Garnet added, her expression serious, the reflection of the water tinting her glasses blue. It seemed the battle hadn't been to her liking.
Pearl, on the other hand, couldn't hold back her tears. She wept openly, as if it were a farewell.
I sighed, feeling a mixture of nerves, tenderness, and something else even harder to describe. With a drop of sweat sliding down my forehead and a different emotion pounding in my chest, I took the first step into the water. The surface rippled, and the world distorted in front of me, as if I were swallowed by a liquid door to another universe.
Steven ascended silently, supported by a giant hand made of water that lifted him to the top of the column. The wind gently hit his face, and for a moment he thought about something he'd wanted to try for a long time.
An oxygen bubble formed around his head, clear and bright. He smiled with satisfaction that it was working. You never knew when you might end up floating in the vacuum of space or trapped at the bottom of the sea. He was strong, yes, but not immortal.
You're clever, Justin, he thought proudly. Then he stopped. Justin, huh? It had been a long time since he'd called himself that, as if the name belonged to another version of himself, one that existed before all this. With a small laugh, he shook his head and continued climbing.
The hand of water gently deposited him at the top. In front of him stood Pencil Lazuli. She was more imposing than he remembered, but also sadder. Her eyes... Steven realized they weren't like theirs before. They were like mirrors.
Hello, she said with a relaxed smile.
Pencil looked at him, somewhat confused, as if she hadn't expected him to speak so naturally.
You have beautiful eyes, you know that? he added to break the tension.
"Uh..." was all she managed to say, a drop of sweat trickling down her cheek.
"Well," Steven shrugged, "since you haven't sent me to the moon yet with the water currently holding me prisoner, I thought we could talk."
The word "prisoner" made her tense for a moment, but when she saw he was only joking, she relaxed her shoulders and broke the water bubble that kept him afloat.
"Pencil" sat to one side, staring up at the vastness of the sky. The surface of the ocean shimmered so far below it seemed like another world.
"You know," she said softly, "I want to go back home. I've been on this planet too long... and not in a pretty way. I was locked in a mirror for centuries, mistaken for a rebel. I couldn't speak, move, or even think straight. All was silent. Until I heard your voice."
Her gaze lifted slightly, meeting his again.
When you spoke to me, I felt free. Even though I was still trapped, I felt outside, like now. You made me feel... loved. Like a gem. Or like a person. I don't know how to explain it.
The smile that accompanied those words was weak, as if she struggled to maintain it.
You're unique, Steven. In these millennia, no one had taken the time to speak to me. And that... I liked that.
Her hands rested on her knees, trembling. Steven said nothing. Sometimes words didn't help much. He just leaned closer and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, to let her know he was there. Lápiz didn't tense; she simply looked at him with those mirror-like eyes that seemed to reflect everything and nothing at once.
I'm still trapped, she murmured. It's as if I'm still in that mirror. I feel empty... I miss home.
A few seconds of silence passed.
"And what's stopping you?" he asked calmly.
My gem," she replied sadly. "It's been broken since the war. It's a miracle it's still almost the same, with only a few cracks. It should have died a long time ago."
Steven looked thoughtful, looking at the marks on his chest. Then he smiled with that expression that mixed ingenuity with absolute trust.
You know, I can heal your gem."
She looked at him immediately, with a mixture of surprise and hope. Her eyes shone, reflecting the light from the water.
"Really?" she said, almost breathless.
"Sure," he replied with a warm smile. "But I need you to do something before that."
"Oh, sure... you want something in return," Pencil murmured, lowering his gaze, a hint of sadness already in his voice.
"Well, it's just a small thing," Steven said, scratching the back of his neck and shifting his gaze to the ground.
"Ah..." she understood instantly, realizing what it was about.
"I want you to leave the sea as it was. If you just release it, it could cause tremendous catastrophes. And I don't want deaths on my conscience because of that."
Pencil looked at him with genuine confusion, almost surprised by the simplicity of the request.
"That's all?" she finally asked.
Steven watched as Lapis nodded with a mixture of nervousness and resignation. He looked at her with that smile of his that seemed to say, "Does that seem easy to you?" She coughed a little, trying to regain her composure, and then responded with a defeated sigh. "Sure," she finally said, "Now what do we do?" she added, leaving her gem exposed.
This is going to seem weird to you, Steven muttered as he stuck out his tongue. She managed to say a "What do you mean, ra-?" before she was completely paralyzed by what happened next. Steven's saliva landed on her gem, and a shudder ran through her body. "Hey," she exclaimed with an immediate blush, not fully understanding what had just happened, although she soon realized something strange. She felt no pain. Her gem, her essence, was healed.
Lapis looked at her reflection in the water, surprised, tears forming in her eyes. Steven, with a calm expression, watched her as his own eyes returned to normal; they were no longer crystals, but human eyes with a black pupil that highlighted her face. "Thank you so much," she said between sobs. "I didn't think I'd ever stop feeling that pain." Tears streamed down her face as she ran to Steven and hugged him tightly. He simply hugged her back, gently patting her head, thinking she clearly needed it.
A few minutes passed as she silently vented, until she finally murmured a soft thank you before slowly pulling away. She looked out at the sea, and her gem began to glow brightly. From her back, transparent wings made of pure water emerged, shimmering in the sunlight. Lapis gazed at them excitedly, turned to Steven with a lively smile, and said she would keep her end of the bargain.
"Do you want me to bring you down, or would you prefer to do it on your own?" she asked amusedly.
Steven looked down and, with a drop of sweat sliding down his cheek, replied that if I could bring him down, that would be perfect. She nodded, suppressing a laugh, and extended a hand of water, much firmer than before, which had been released from the large column rising from the ocean. Steven approached, looked at her for a few seconds, and before stepping up, gave her a quick hug. "Take care," he whispered with a smile, "Go with God, that crazy old man."
Lapis blinked, confused by that last part, but returned the hug with a small laugh. "See you," she said before slowly rising. The sea began to slowly recede as her figure disappeared into the sky, enveloped in a blue glow that faded toward the horizon.
Steven settled himself on the large hand of water, which gently descended toward the girls. As soon as they saw him, they ran toward him and welcomed him with hugs and tears. The water barely reached their hips, but no one cared. The relief felt greater than any wave.
Connie broke the silence with a question everyone wanted to ask. Steven, what happened? What did the gem want?
He looked up at the sky, taking in a sight so magnificent that he couldn't resist taking out his phone, snapping a few pictures, and putting it away again. She... she just needed someone to listen to her, he replied with a serene smile as the sun reflected its light on the now calm sea.
Thus, the Crystal Gems learned that even an enemy could carry a pain that only asked to be understood. Perhaps they had gained a new ally... or maybe a future rival. Only time will tell.
End of Chapter 18.