Author's Note:
Hey! Sorry for the delay, I was busy with some university stuff. I saw that you hit the 50-star goal on Wattpad and 150 power stones on Webnovel—a new record, honestly! We even reached 176 stones on Webnovel; it's truly incredible.
I'm always grateful to all of you for the support you give to this fanfic. I'll try to bring you new chapters whenever I can and keep my promises. Plus, tomorrow I'll upload the other promised chapter.
And if you want another extra chapter, we need to hit 50 stars on Wattpad and 120 power stones on Webnovel. I hope that's not asking for too much!
Let's continue:
"Steven, this isn't going to be easy," Garnet said as we sat down in the temple's war room.
Her voice carried a weight of absolute seriousness—something she rarely showed.
"I've seen multiple futures, and in some of them, you don't come back. Not all of them are the same, but none are perfect."
I leaned back slightly, trying to process what she was saying.
"I don't come back? What do you mean by that, exactly?" I asked, trying to keep my cool, even though my heart was pounding out of my chest.
Garnet sighed.
"In every possible future where Blue Diamond arrives, Earth remains in danger unless you take action. In some, your father or even I try to step in, but... your presence is what makes the difference. That's why we need you to go."
"I don't get it..." I said, raising an eyebrow. "So I'm on my own for this?"
"Yes," Garnet said firmly. "You are the only one who can withstand the direct influence of a Diamond. Nobody else possesses your specific combination of human and half-Gem biology capable of enduring it."
Peridot, who had been quiet up until now, chimed in.
"And with Bismuth on our side, we can build a ship that can withstand the trip. It won't be perfect, but it'll be enough to get in and get out. It could be ready in a month, and then we'd rescue you two months later if something goes wrong."
I looked at everyone. The gravity of the situation hit me: I was about to embark on something that could change everything, and there was zero room for error.
"Steven, we need your full commitment," Garnet added, staring intently at me. "It isn't optional. If this fails, the planet is at risk."
I took a deep breath.
"I'll do it," I finally said. "But at the very least... I need you guys to bring me food, tools—everything I can stuff into my Gem to survive for as long as this takes."
Everyone nodded, and as Garnet began detailing the logistics of the trip, Pearl lowered her head and whispered.
"I hope I can actually be useful this time... I don't want to feel useless again."
Garnet placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't blame yourself, Pearl. You do everything you can, and that is more than most could bear. This mission is different. Most of the heavy lifting falls on Steven, but all of us will do our part."
Pearl, however, kept her eyes glued to the floor. "But I feel like... like I'm just watching from the sidelines. Like I can't do anything helpful."
Amethyst gave a faint nod with a tired smile. "I'm not the most useful here either. I feel like everything I do is tiny compared to what Steven has to put up with."
Pearl closed her eyes. "It's not fair. All of this... and I'm powerless."
Garnet looked around, gauging everyone's morale. "We all contribute, even if we don't realize it. Bismuth, Lapis, and Peridot will be crucial for construction and logistics, and you and Amethyst are here to maintain balance and support. Don't underestimate what it means to be prepared."
While Garnet spoke, Bismuth had already started inspecting materials to gather for the ship.
"I'm gonna need specialized steel, some alloys from the lava forge, and reinforcements capable of absorbing Gem energy," she said, her voice steady and focused. "If we execute this right, the ship will be tough enough to slip into Homeworld and back out without getting pinged on radar."
Peridot stood beside her, tweaking holographic displays and calculating potential trajectories.
"If we mount the stabilizers at these key points, we can manipulate local gravity to evade energy sensors," she explained. "It won't be flawless since Homeworld tech is vastly superior, but we just need sheer speed for this. If we pull close enough to a Ruby ship, it'll work."
I watched it all, mentally logging every detail while Peridot and Bismuth argued over design, with Lapis watching attentively from the back—though the looks she kept throwing my way made me wonder if they meant something more.
Pearl stepped up and gently touched my arm.
"I know it's not the same as being out on the battlefield with you, but... I trust you." Her voice carried a heavy mix of dread and hope.
I turned around and gave them a smile.
"I get it, and I'll do it for everyone. But remember... I'm gonna need chargers, food, water, and... patience. A whole lot of patience. It feels like getting carted off by the Zetas or something," I said as I sank into a nearby armchair.
The air was thick with tension, yet filled with purpose. Garnet crossed her arms, and though she said nothing more, her gaze said everything: the future was upon us, and only together did we stand a chance.
Bismuth was already in motion—prepping tools, adjusting power grids for welding, and running durability tests. Peridot was refining code and coordinates on screen. Pearl and Amethyst were double-checking inventory and weaponry that was coming with me.
I took it all in, acutely aware that very soon this project would cease to be a trial run or a game. This was real. This was the thin line between an untouched planet and an invasion force we couldn't stop.
The sun began to dip, bathing the base in golden light, and I knew this was my last day of relative peace before facing the inevitable.
"Let's do this right," I said finally, looking at each of them. "If this is the only way to protect Earth... then let's make it count."
After dropping my final notes on the ship specs and making sure everyone knew their role, I stood up calmly.
"Alright, I'm heading to my room to prep a bit," I said, trying to keep my voice light.
Garnet stared straight at me, silent, with a flicker of concern behind her eyes. Pearl crossed her arms, attempting to mask her anxiety, but the subtle tremor in her fingers betrayed her. Amethyst looked off to the side, fiddling with a piece of scrap metal to distract herself from the feeling of helplessness.
Bismuth stayed quiet, eyes locked on the door, her breathing heavier than usual. Even Peridot, normally cold and analytical, ducked her head, adjusting her screens as if that could rewrite reality: Steven was going in alone, and there was nothing they could do to stop him.
"Is he gonna be okay?" Amethyst muttered under her breath, her eyes following my every step.
"This isn't just another mission—it's far more dangerous. We can only hope for the best," Pearl answered, her voice laced with an undeniable strain. "If something happens to him... we can't directly intervene. We just... have to trust."
Garnet simply nodded, her expression stoic, though her eyes tracked the silhouette moving down the hallway. Every movement felt calculated, knowing there was no room for error this time.
I walked slowly, letting the gravity of the room settle. I felt the gaze of every single Gem—the silent fear, the worry that required no words to be felt. The ship, the testing, Blue Diamond... it was all resting on my shoulders, and they knew it.
Reaching my bedroom door, I paused.
"Don't worry, guys. I'll be fine," I said with a slight grin, even though the weight of the situation was crushing me inside.
I closed the door behind me, letting a heavy silence fall over the group. The echo of my footsteps seemed to linger in the hallway, leaving each Gem alone with her thoughts.
Pearl pressed her forehead against the wall, her fingers digging in slightly.
"I can't do anything... it's so frustrating," she muttered, though nobody replied.
Garnet drew a deep breath, trying to regain her usual composure, but even she couldn't hide a faint shudder. Bismuth remained rigid, staring at the closed door, while Peridot finally looked up, anxiety flashing in her usually calculated eyes.
Amethyst crossed her arms, swaying slightly as if movement could wash away the feeling of powerlessness. We all felt it: Steven was about to face something massive, completely alone, and not one of us could step in.
The silence dragged on, suffocating, as everyone processed the reality of what was to come. The tension wasn't just fear—it was respect for what Steven was taking on, for the burden he carried on his shoulders. And though no one voiced it, we all knew that Earth's fate, for now, rested in the hands of its half-human, half-Gem defender.
From inside my room, I could hear their breathing and small movements—though it was mostly my own mind playing tricks on me. Every sigh, every shift set the tempo of the tension filling the temple. No laughter, no jokes; just the shared realization that shit was getting serious, and I had to be ready for anything.
Steven stared at the pink clouds floating lazily around him—clouds that had always been a sanctuary, a safe haven to think without interruption. This time, it failed him. Out of nowhere, his entire body turned pink—an involuntary reaction, a reflex of something he couldn't keep under control. His legs gave out and he dropped to his knees, hands trembling as frustration choked his chest.
Everything was fine. That was the absolute worst part. The Cluster was still stable. Lapis and Peridot were doing okay, each in their own way. Sure, one of them still carried trauma that wouldn't wash away easily, but she was alive, she was free. Bismuth was no longer trapped in a bubble; she was walking under the same sky she had fought for in the war, and while things weren't flawless, they were on the best terms possible. Heck, even that was thanks to his mother, whether he liked admitting it or not.
Steven grit his teeth.
In the background of the space, hovering like a constant ghost that never truly left, was his mother's hologram. Rose observed him with a mix of sorrow and concern, looking as though she knew precisely what was racing through his head.
"Don't speak to me," he said coldly. He didn't raise his voice, but every syllable was laced with venom.
Then it happened again.
The voices.
He thought they were gone—that the constant noise inside his head had been left behind after the beating, after the training, after forcing himself to grow up way too fast. But no. They returned, sharp and vicious, like finely honed blades.
"What's wrong?... You're pathetic... You can't even rest in peace."
Steven clamped a hand over his head, struggling to draw air.
"You died once and you're still useless... You should've just let another rock crush your skull; at least back then you actually saved someone."
He squeezed his eyes shut. These weren't exact memories, nor were they external voices. They were thoughts—fragments of guilt, fear, and self-loathing that snuck in the second he dropped his guard. Whenever he wasn't training, whenever he wasn't saving someone, whenever he was just Steven and nothing more.
His body shuddered as he lay on his bedroom floor, the only place he permitted himself to break down like this. He didn't want anyone seeing him this way. Not Garnet with her composure, not Pearl with her silent guilt, not Amethyst with her defensive jokes. Nobody.
He needed help—he knew that much. It wasn't denial or pride, just an uncomfortable truth weighing heavily on his chest. But explaining why was a whole different story. He didn't know how to put it into words without sounding dramatic or stupid. He didn't know how to explain that even when everything was "fine," his mind remained a active war zone.
Steven just lay there, breathing slowly, letting the pink glow fade away bit by bit. He wasn't fixed. He wasn't fine. But he was still standing—at least for now—and that had to be enough.
For the moment.
I'll just do what I can. And if that's not enough, I'll give 120%. If that still fails, I'll go 200%. And if even that doesn't cut it... well, there's always the option of stabbing White Diamond with the machete in my backpack. It's one or the other.
Steven stared into the void, letting that thought linger a few seconds longer than it should have.
"What the absolute fuck am I thinking?" he muttered to himself as he summoned a mirror in front of his face.
The reflection appeared instantly. His pink form was fully active—skin dyed that vivid shade, eyes glowing like diamonds, far too bright to be comforting.
He stared deeply at himself, searching his own eyes for something he couldn't quite name. Determination, maybe. Exhaustion. Or both at once.
Then he saw it.
In the mirror, right behind him, a figure began to take shape.
Steven didn't turn around right away. He studied the reflection, knowing full well who—or rather, what—it was. He knew this space belonged to him, that he was the one in control here. And he knew that if that figure was standing there, it was because a part of him had allowed it.
Even so, he stood up. Tears of frustration burned in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. Not yet.
"Did you ever think about your failures?" he asked coldly, looking directly at the reflection of the Diamond that now filled the entire mirror.
It was his mother. Rose. Pink Diamond. In her true, towering, flawless form. A hologram, nothing more. Only her Gem remained of her... yet her presence still pressed down as if she had never left.
"No," the figure answered, completely devoid of emotion.
Steven grit his teeth.
"The only mistake I didn't make was having you."
The hit was sharp, direct, even knowing those words weren't entirely real. Steven locked eyes with her. Eye to eye. Diamond to Diamond. For a few seconds that felt like an eternity, neither broke the stare. Finally, Steven let out a breath, feeling more exhausted than angry.
"Right," he said, turning his head slightly. "Now tell me something actually useful."
He began walking out toward the pink void surrounding the space, feeling his breathing slowly return to normal.
"Remind me what the three Diamonds are like. I want every single detail. I don't care if you have to dig through this Gem in my chest—I want everything. Their forms, their attitudes, their flaws. All of it."
The hologram of Pink Diamond followed him, floating by his side as she began to speak. Her voice was steady, almost clinical, as she described White Diamond's absolute control and distorted vision of perfection; Blue Diamond's eternal grief, her sorrow turned into absolute authority; and Yellow Diamond's rigidity, her obsession with order and efficiency, incapable of tolerating weakness.
Steven listened in silence, nodding occasionally, memorizing every word. He wasn't doing it out of curiosity. He was doing it because soon he would have to face them, one way or another. And this time, not as a confused kid, but as someone who understood precisely what he was up against.
As the explanation continued, Steven felt something settle inside him. It wasn't peace. It wasn't blind confidence. It was preparation.
And for now, that was enough.
End of Chapter 70.