Fallen Petals

 “You always manage to beat Garnet.”

 “She always lets me win, because she wants to build up my confidence.”

 Pearl couldn’t help but smirk. “Well, that’s the reason you never manage to defeat me.” Abruptly, she stood when the warp pad activated.

 The light beam evaporated, revealing one Amethyst and the Garnet under scrutiny. Amethyst was coated in mud and stormed off the pad. Steven and Pearl beheld, wide eyed. “Uhh….”

 “I hate that FOREST!”

 “You’re tracking over my freshly waxed floor!” Pearl cringed when Amethyst zipped upward and crashed to her backside. “Why do I bother!”

 “‘Coz your picky as plucky,” Amethyst grumbled. Only her narrowed eyes were visible.

 “What happened!” Steven sprang over. “Are you hurt?”

 “She’s annoyed, but otherwise unharmed,” Garnet spoke. She adjusted her shades, out of habit.

 “A certain someone set a BOOBY TRAP!”

 “Ah.” Steven croaked.

 Garnet sighed. “I tried to warn you.”

 “She insulted my honor!”

 “You shapeshift into Pearl all the time. What’s the difference?” Garnet went over and plucked Amethyst up. She shook the smaller gem up and down, casting off the thicker folds of gunk.

 “Yeah,” Amethyst gruffed, “but she hit a cord. Uncool.”

 “You want me to hose you off? We can go to the carwash.” Steven offered. “I bet Dad wouldn’t mind the company.”

 “Someone has to stay here, and I need Pearl to accompany me.” Garnet dropped Amethyst. Promptly, the small gem raced over to the couch – much to Pearl’s protest.

 “At least let her hose off outside! Not on the furniture!” Pearl grabbed Amethyst by the boot, but Amethyst held onto the couch really digging her fingers in.

 “It’s just mud! I’m not diseased!”

 “On a good day, you’re a plague!”

 Steven turned to Garnet, while the other two persisted to bicker and hiss. “Can’t I watch the pad? You just wanna know if she comes by, riiight?”

 “Not quite. The warp pads connect across the globe, and that’s not the problem. The problem is, we don’t want her coming here for you.”

 “Aw, guys. Can’t you lay off?”

 “Steven,” Garnet chided, but gently.

 “I think it’s impossible to find her, anyway,” Steven muttered, slyly. “She’s a master at hide-and-seek.” The argument shut down abruptly, and Pearl uttered,

 “Have you gone back to the forest? Steven!”

 Oops. Steven began sweating, looking from the stoic gem back to the ruffled Pearl, her arms stained in mud. “Er, uh… no! That would be irresponsible. Heh-heh.”

 Pearl shook her hands of the muck and hurried to Steven. But Garnet stepped forward and raised a hand.

 “We’ll discuss this later,” Garnet grated. “For now, Steven.” She looked to the child. “Please stay put.” Those orders delivered, she motioned to Pearl and moved to the warp pad. Pearl followed. In a blinding zip of light, the two vanished.

 In the meantime, Amethyst still loafed on the couch, or, sat on the cushions leaning forward. She waited for Steven to join, swaying her boots in the air. Steven climbed onto the seat beside her and sat, deflated and glum.

 “She used her ‘you’re so grounded’ tone.”

 “How are you even able to sneak onto the warp pad?” Amethyst queried.

 Steven clamped his lips together. It took some effort to draw forth a lie. “I haven’t then, have I? Case closed!”

 “Or did she manage to get through?” Amethyst stroked her chin – it was hard to tell, due to all the muck. “You haven’t by chance seen her lurking around? Plotting something di’bolical?”

 “No!” Steven burst. “I couldn’t ge—” Amethyst gawked at him.

 “What have you been—” Amethyst didn’t finish. Steven sprang off the couch and raced to the doorway, screaming his head off. A go to solution, when things overwhelmed him. “Wait! Steve!” Amethyst made an effort to follow and drag him back, but Steven was much faster than she gave credit for. He was already stumbling down the steps and sprinting across the beach.

 Amethyst would have gone after him and hauled him back, but the warp pad. It was typical of her to ignore orders, but this was different. In the case of Spinel, she wouldn’t risk it.

 Out across the fields, Steven was still screaming as he raced across the border of Beach City, until he reached the It’s a Wash.

 “Hey, sorry!” Greg called, from within the inner chamber of the carwash, “gimmie a sec, and I’ll grab the trusty bucket’o suds.”

 “Dad! It’s me!” Steven hurried to the entrance of the carwash scrub chamber, and cautiously peered inside. It still gave him the creeps since his experience with the cat final form. Eek.

 “Shtuball? Eeh!” Greg wobbled on the ladder. He worked with a wrench, adjusting the screw on one of the large brushes. “Come all the way over yonder to see your old man? I appreciate that.”

 “Yeah. Kinda needed a break and some space.” Steven managed to catch his breath. He glanced back toward the rising gradient of the beach point, and the remaining arms of the temple guardian. “Not much going on, aside from a lot of board games. Oh, and Amethyst might come by for a deep scrub.”

 “Eek,” Greg groaned. “Have her hose off first. It took ages to flush the grates after the blood blorp, whatever that was, yuck!”

 “It won’t be that bad. She just fell into some mud.” He debated, twiddling his thumbs. “Some thick, magic mud.”

 Greg gave Steven a no-nonsense look. “Yep. Have her hose off before I slot her in. Not gonna fool with that.” He banged around a bit, and wrestled around with the tool box set on the platform of the ladder. “Anything else on your mind? The Fryman mentioned you’ve missed swinging by for your daily quota of them bits.”

 “I have, haven’t I?” He loved the bits. They were one of the best parts of his daily routine. “Homes been a lil weird with the gems. They’ve been ultra-protective, and I think I’ve messed things up again.”

 “Uh-oh.” Greg ceased his work and carefully stepped off the ladder. He took a rag from the tool box and wiped some of the soap goo from his hands. “You need to spend the night with me? If you need space, I can sack it up in the office.”

 “I don’t think so. They get a tiny bit upset if I’m out of sight for too long.”

 Now Greg looked anxious. He tossed the rag aside and approached his son. “This sounds a little more serious than the usual, Sthu. You sure everything’s all right?”

 Steven nodded. “Um… yeah. Pretty sure.” He looked up at his father, and the somewhat expectant but patient gaze offered. “Er, would you by chance know a gem called Spinel?” Now that look of adoration and apprehension flipped to utter panic. Oh, so he did know Spinel. She wasn’t lying.

 “WHAT! Spinel’s loose? I thought they caught her! What gives?”

 Steven blinked, alarmed but more upset by his father’s cold terror. “No…?” Greg hoisted Steven under arm and sprinted to the van, he leapt inside and slammed the doors. Shoot. “Are you okay?

 “I should ask you that!” Greg stammered. “What happened? Did she hurt you? Talk to me, Steven! Why the heck would they get you involved with her?”

 “They didn’t know!” Steven spat. He shrugged out of Greg’s grip and stood back. “They had no idea she was there!”

 “But how could they not know?” Greg rebuked. “How’d she get out? They told me she was dealt with! That’s what they do with those monsters, they bubble them and lock ‘em away! Who let her out! Why?”

 “She’s. Not! A. MONSTER!” Greg gawked, stunned and a little misty. Steven felt the same way. All these secrets, all the precaution. No one told him why. They said they were protecting him, but he was also scared. They made him scared of something he didn’t understand.

 “They keep saying she’s horrible, and that she’s dangerous! She hasn’t done anything. Really!” Steven rubbed his eyes. “All I did was fall asleep. I was bored! But they won’t leave her alone, and I think… being lonely and chased around the forest is really messing with her. Dad! She said the knew me! She knew you! You knew her, right! What’s going on?!” He threw his arms high, panting. “Please.”

 Greg softened and deflated a bit on his seat. “Aw, Steven. I’m sorry for wigging out on you. I… it’s just, she’s bad news. You gotta believe me.”

 “Why? Garnet said, she was hurt and broken! Why can’t we try and help her! If we can, we should! She’s not all bad.” He clenched his fists and began quaking. “You were once friends. Why did that stop?”

 “Ah… uh,” Greg dawdled, scratching the back of his neck. Steven got his directness and confidence from Rose, for certain. Sometimes, it ached a bit to see how much he was like her. “Did Garnet mention how bad losing Rose was, for all them?”

 “Yes!”

 “Okay.” Greg picked up a crumpled shirt, and used it to dry Steven’s eyes. “The truth is, they’re afraid of her.”

 “That’s not a good reason!” Steven barked. “Why?”

 “Let me finish. Blow.” Steven blew his nose, and Greg tossed the shirt. “They’re afraid of her, because when— well. Let me see. She was badly upset, let’s start there. Badly upset, okay. For a while, the gems lost track of her. She’s good at hiding, getting around, that sort. And when she did come back, she kinda… she came for me, and… well, she uh… she didn’t come for a visit.” He fumbled, looking anywhere but at Steven. “She was upset, and wound up… hurting me. Physically. All around, I was… it wasn’t good. Not good at all.”

 Steven felt everything click into place. The distrust, the anger. Betrayal. Everyone believed and trusted his mother, but they were losing her. They accepted it. This crushed Spinel.

 “Did she hurt you bad? Did you have to wear a full body cast!?” Steven sniffled.

 “No-no,” Greg was quick to assure. “Mostly scared the pi— pants, off me.” He chuckled, but it was uneasy and dejected. “But, I could tell she was hurting something bad too. I don’t know why she did it, and I doubt she really knew either. They endured a lot, while Rose and I were waiting for you. And that’s why they’re afraid of her. I’m guessin’ they don’t know what she might do, or if it is safe to let this be. I’m sure they don’t want to fight Spinel, and to be honest, I don’t want her hurt either. I think it was worse seeing her that way… after all,eh….” Greg let his words escape.

 “They could leave her alone,” Steven asserted. “She seemed… sad. I don’t know. I think she really wants to be left alone. If she’s really sorry, that means she doesn’t want to come back.” That meant, maybe she didn’t want to see him either.

 Greg nodded. “The gems tried that. Once. Gave her space, gave her distance.” He took a deep breath and let it out. “Look, I don’t get involved with their business, unless that business involves you.” He pulled Steven up onto his lap and gave him a tight hug. “Leave the danger and life-threatening missions to the pros. They know what they’re doing. They’re trying their best, for your sake.”

 “I know,” Steven grumbled. “But Spinel seemed really nice.”

 “Nice?” Greg squawked.

 “And she must’ve really loved mom.” He returned Greg’s hug. “It wasn’t her fault she broke. It happens, right? People break. It made her do something bad, and that made everything worse. Now she’s all alone, with no friends. No home. It shouldn’t be that way.”

 “I know, Sthuball. I know.” He pulled Steven back and looked him in the face. “If you want, I can tell you some stuff about her. She was… actually really on board with Rose and I. Totally shipped us.”

 Steven mumbled, still gloomy but it felt good to talk. And cry. “Yeah. I think I’d like that.”

 “On one condition.” Greg held up a finger. “You leave the nope rope to the Crystal Gems. It sounds like she got ahold of you, somehow.” Steven nodded. “I’m glad she’s sort of cooled off. I wish they’d come here and given me a warning. At least, an update on how you’re holding together.”

 “They’re freaked out, too.”

 Greg grumbled something, which Steven didn’t catch. After a while, they opened the doors and let in some fresh air. Greg remained somewhat skittish, glancing around the roof buildings and patches of grass. For Steven, it felt good to know the reasons behind the Crystal Gems behavior, yet all along, he was hoping they’d been blowing the encounter out of proportion. Occasionally, they were known for that. It brought on new feelings of conflict for the gem, and her ill-begotten history with his family. He wanted to ask his dad more about this encounter, but recognized the uneasiness in Greg’s quick glances around the nearby field. It was kind of the same way he looked at Amethyst, but more on edge and spooked.

 “Yep.” Steven was writing out some notes. It was easier to get through gemglyph if he did some note taking, otherwise, he’d go nuts with all the repetition revolving with the intricate symbols. He still wasn’t much good at it.

 Another day, Garnet was sitting on the couch. Not doing anything, not watching television, just sitting there. That’s when Steven began putting the pieces together. Garnet wasn’t subtle, or didn’t care that he could tell she was watching the warp pad.

 “Pearl and Amethyst are scouting for Spinel’s whereabouts,” she spoke, while Steven stood on the stairs observing. He nearly fell. “She’s too dangerous to confront directly, without the full team.”

 “Are you waiting for them?” Steven stepped down to the couch, and climbed up to join Garnet.

 “No. I’m just waiting.” A pause followed. “I have a feeling she’ll stay in the forest.”

 “Why do you think that?”

 Garnet hummed. “She feels safe there. Her abilities and skill are optimized, and she knows the area well.”

 “She’s scared too,” Steven presumed.

 “That’s obvious.”

 “Maybe more of you, than you are of her,” he suggested, with a mild smile. Garnet remained silent and stoic. “We could just leave her a—”

 “No.”

 The warp pad gleamed, and off stepped Pearl and Amethyst. Promptly, Amethyst dropped to her face, while Pearl staggered away. Garnet remained seated on the couch, but Steven sprang off and ran to the smaller gem.

 “Amethyst! Are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt?” He grabbed Amethyst by the shoulder and shook.

 “Naawwwww,” Amethyst groaned, muffled. “So boring! I hate that forest! Even if we find her, we can’t have our rematch!”

 “There’s so much terrain to cover,” Pearl carried on. She still held a spear, and leaned on it. “We can only go so far, the trees are towering, and we don’t have an efficient means of scouring the distance.”

 It was a shame they couldn’t use Spinel to look for Spinel. That would make it so much easier. But if they had Spinel as a friend, then they wouldn’t need to search for her. None of this was said aloud.

 “Take a break, then.” Garnet stood and crossed to the group. “Perhaps some quiet will bring her guard down.”

 “Yay.” Amethyst stood and relocated to the kitchen, where she began poking through cabinets. “Seriously, how can we be out of condiments?”

 “There’s some blue cheese ranch in the fridge,” Steven called. Pearl grimaced.

 “Awesome!”

 “What if we… forgot about her? Forever?” Steven posed. “There are other places to explore, and what about my training?”

 “We’re working on where our next task should be,” Pearl admitted. The spear blipped out, and she adjusted her ribbon. “We’ll take you for another session at the arena, and decide where to go from there. I do agree, this delays your progress.”

 “You understand now why we can’t let her alone,” Garnet expanded on. “It’s not likely, but there exists a probability that we may encounter her at some other gemsite. She knows every location we’ve have access to, and surprising her would jeopardize future missions.”

 “Which is why someone is always guarding this warp pad.”

 Deadpanned, Garnet muttered, “Don’t scare him.” Pearl stuttered, trying to recover and cover up simultaneously. Steven frowned, it was pretty obvious, though they assumed they were being crafty.

 Amethyst hooted. “Nice going. You really know how to keep a secret!”

 Pearl blushed. “Oh, don’t worry Steven. I’m sure she wouldn’t recognize the place if she came through.”

 “Was it that big of a secret?” Steven inquired, a little mystified. Amethyst choked on the blue cheese ranch.

 The days carried on, someone stayed in the house while the others retired to their individual rooms. Steven didn’t mind the refreshed exercises and new locations, likely inspired by his abduction. Using the shield was still iffy, if ever the darn thing would cooperate. It was likewise irritating going off and having to leave someone behind, the team was always incomplete and imbalanced. As of yet, no news about the forest or Spinel’s whereabouts; at least, nothing Steven was made aware of.

 One evening, Amethyst’s dry snores kept Steven awake. The days activities him Steven out and thus he retired early, but didn’t doze long before Amethyst followed his example and dove into dreamland. Now he was awake and couldn’t conclude his night. On the couch, the only gem that appreciated sleeping, fell asleep while stationed to watch.

 Steven turned on his night table lamp, and peered down. His eyes roved from Amethyst, to the inactive warp pad glittering under the moons envious stare. Garnet’s words stayed with him, as did the forest and all its beauty. That place was massive, and he hardly saw any of it.

 After some debate, he came to a decision. Steven got out of bed and went to his drawers. The hamburger backpack came out, and he stuffed it with some supplies. Just in case. He crept down the steps, and went to the kitchen, carefully going through cabinets. Once he couldn’t cram anything more into his pack, he tiptoed across the floor, edging up to the warp pad. He shifted his eyes from the couch and Amethyst, then to the door of the Crystal Temple. This was the most suspenseful moment in his life, and with every breath he took, he expected someone to come through the doorway. Though, no one – except maybe Pearl – came out following his bedtime hours. He was still on edge.

 Steven hesitated, thumbing the flashlight in his hand. At once, the light engulfed him and he zipped through the beam..

 In a cascade of light, the Chalcedony Forest sprouted around the crooked warp pad. Steven hopped off, clicked on his flashlight and began walking. This time, he was dressed warmly and snug in his hoodie. Above, the sky was rose swept colors and deep purples, but the forest lay in dense shadows. As before, the region was bizarre and unknown. Intimidating in its endless expanse, which promised unending wandering to those who became mislid within.  

 It would work best to walk in a straight line, in no way could he get lost. No matter what, he wouldn’t avert his direction. With that in mind, he set off.

 And walked for the next thirty minutes. “Spinel!” he called, hand cupped beside his mouth. “Hello! Spinel? Are you there?” He slipped the flashlight beam across the trees and through the deep weaves among the shrubbery. Crystal spires glistened as he aimed the light at them, fallen chunks of chalcedony blazed like ice sculptures as the light dazzled through their surface. Yet, nothing came of the search. No wonder Amethyst was going bonkers.

 Above, in a clump of leaves he thought there was a set of eyes. The light revealed—

 A glittering moth. It flew away, its wings flashing as it swept through the stream of light. “Cool. Oh, sorry! I was looking for someone else.” He continued, still calling, and receiving no answer.

 Every shadow or flicker that shifted in the gloom, startled Steven. Why was he afraid? There was nothing to be frightened of, no monsters or eerie beast. He was only nervous, but he didn’t need to feel that way.

 “Did ya leave?” he hollered. If he kept on, he might stumble across the temple. Did the Crystal Gems search the temple, or was that too obvious? “If you’re there, you can give me a sign! I won’t tell the others! It can be a secret sign.”

 Low to the ground in a murky patch of shrubs, a slit eye creaked open and peered after Steven. The spooky sensation ran up Steven’s neck, but when he looked back, nothing was visible. He shrugged and continued.

 “I’m here on my own! They don’t know,” Steven tried. “I snuck out. I shouldn’t have done that, but I wanted to see if you were still here. It looks like you—”

 “AREN’T—!”

 A set of arms extended from above and gripped Steven by the shoulders. Steven eeped, as he was drawn upward several feet.

 “Shh!” Spinel stretched down by her legs, her torso twisting over as she faced the youth. “You should watch where you’re going.”

 Steven stifled the scream in his throat. “Put me down! This is too high!”

 “Nah-uh. The floors lava.” One hand gripped Steven by the collar, while the other stole the flashlight. Steven protested, until he spied where the beam cast down. A steep slope, hidden by glittering roots. “Or a bottomless void. Your pick.”

 Steven was on the verge of a thank you, when an arm looped around his middle. The gem recalled her body into its usual shape, and she slinked down to the ground. In the pool of shadows, Steven’s feet connected with stable soil, and he promptly lost his footing and dropped backwards. Spinel towered over him, arching her limbs and peered onto the lad with an accusatory eye. The flashlight held beneath her chin, accented the hard lines bent under her constricted pupils.

 “Didnit I tell you to stay out of my forest?”

 “Uh, you might’ve mentioned that?” he stammered, a smidgen intimidated. “But I might’ve forgotten.”

 “Where are they?” Spinel recoiled and snapped her head around, scanning the perimeter. “You couldn’t have snuck out that easily.”

 “You’d be surprised.” He winced when the light was aimed at him. It was very bright. Spinel took interest in it, turning the device over in her hands, the light sputtered and flashed. Before it cut off entirely. A loud crack emitted, and Steve presumed his flashlight would shine no longer. This was a bad idea. He should’ve listened.

 “I’m sorry. I wanted to see you, I didn’t think it’d hurt anything!” Silence. He could make out the silhouette, the pigtails, and her eyes narrowing.

 “You wanted… to see. Me?”

 “Yeah—”

 “Why!”

 Steven scooted back. “Why… not?” A long and painful stall followed. He wished the light was still on, or the sun would rise.

 “That’s not good enough! Why would you come here? I want a reason! You have something to gain if you decided to come out here! What do you want?!”

 Steven retreated further, until his back hit a rock or root, or something. “Don’t be upset! I didn’t know you were against visitors! I thought— I thought, you,” Steven continued to fumble with words and get a sentence put together, “You were lonely!” Spinel bristled. Wrong thing to say.

 “I DON’T get—” She cut off, and a giggle trilled through. The shadow manifest slacked and unwound, by a margin.   “I see, that makes sense. You don’t know.”

 Steven shivered. “I—”

 “If your other friends see you gone, they’ll make a connection,” Spinel murmured. “It doesn’t matter why you came here. I’m the bad guy. See how that works? It’s funny, when you think about it.” The laugh didn’t sound amused.

 Uh…. Oh. Oh!

 “But, what if we talked to them?” Steven raised a hand to his eyes, when Spinel lit up her gem. “You can come back to the temple with me, and we’ll show them you’re okay.” Spinel raised a brow. It was neat the way her hairline was a part of her brow, or whatever. “What about that? You wanna see what they’ve done… I mean, what my dad did to the temple?”

 Spinel crouched down, and gave a crooked grin. “What did Greg do to the temple, now?”

 There was a house now, where Steven lived. Greg built it. So now, the Crystal Temple was a big home for everyone.

 “Do you have a room there?”

 “The coolest room,” Spinel boasted.

 The sun came out enough and made the trail clear. Despite that, she carried Steven atop her shoulders.

 “Who started the fight? At the Chaldony Temple?”

 “Chalcedony,” Spinel corrected. “That’s not the actual name, but I like it.”

 “What was the name supposed to be?” Steven leaned between the pigtails, trying in vain to see Spinel’s face.

 “Dunno. Unnamed Temple. Big Tree Crystal Temple? Who came up with Chalcedony? That’s the terraforming sub-stuff used ‘round here.”

 “Pearl.”

 Spinel cackled. “She likes to name things. If she doesn’t know what something is, she’s gotta name it! Good thing she didn’t name you.”

 “Hmm? Who named me?”

 Spinel shrugged. “Greg? Rose was… not great with names. Either.”

 “You didn’t answer my question. Who started the fight?”

 “Oh look!” Spinel took three long steps, and cleared the remaining few feet to the warp pad. “You can get off now and leave me to my exile.”

 “No! Not until you answer me!” Steven tightened his grip. Even when Spinel reached up and tugged at his sides, he held tight.

 “Leggo.”

 “Nope.”

 “I’ll go up into the trees,” she threatened, extending her arms.

 “More reason to batten down the hatches,” Steven grumbled. He tightened his eyes shut and reinforced his hold on Spinel’s pigtails. He would not be intimidated this time, and prepared fully for the worst.

 “By chance ol’sport, are ye still ticklish?”

 Steven didn’t get a chance to reply, Spinel jabbed at his sides and got him where he was most vulnerable. “No! NO! Unfair!” he squealed, unable to hold on any longer. “Foul! That’s a foul!”

 Spinel pried him loose with no effort and set Steven down. “You need to go back to the temple.” Steven wouldn’t release her hand.

 “C’mon. You didn’t stop being friends, did you?” Spinel gave him a look, and turned her eyes away. “Did you start the fight? Just tell me, I won’t be mad.”

 “I didn’t… end it, either.” Spinel slung her free arm behind her back. For a long time she was quiet, staring off into the thicket. Something more was on her mind. “I don’t want to see them, yet. I want nothin’ to do with them. This is best.”

 “If I’m there, I won’t let them hurt you, or bubble you!” he proclaimed. “Sometimes my shield doesn’t work like I want it to, but when I really-really need it, it does. Er, usually when I don’t expect it.”

 “How practical,” Spinel sighed. “That’s sweet. You really are just the cootest.”

 “I promise,” Steven insisted, tugging her arm. “I’m sure we can make them list—”

 “It doesn’t matter what you do or say,” Spinel grated, but softly. “It changes nothing. Nothing… changes. I don’t… it’s hard to explain. I don’t want to be around them.” She put her other hand on Steven, and pried him off her arm. She staggered back, glaring at the warp pad. “I don’t want to be around that.”

 “What’s wrong?” Steven followed her line of sight, at a loss. “What if we went somewhere else? We can go any—”

 “NO!” Spinel regained her composure, somewhat. “No. I’m staying here.” She backed away. “I like this place.”

 Steven stepped after her. “But, you’re all alone. There’s no—”

 “It’s fine. This is what I want!” Spinel grimaced and clenched her fists. “Just… go. If you come back, I won’t help you out of my forest.” With that last declaration, she tossed her arm into the trees and swung off.

 “Wait! Spinel!” Steven tried to follow, weaving among the shrubs and trying with all his might to catch up. Within moments, however, the lanky gem vanished entirely and he was again alone. For a bit longer Steven tried in vain to give chase, but he also didn’t want to get lost. Reluctantly, he returned to the warp pad, mood down and one less flashlight. The glossy pad remained inactive, no one came searching for him, or, if they were looking for him, they thought he ventured elsewhere.

 The whole endeavor came to nothing, and despite getting the chance to talk with Spinel for a bit, Steven felt like a failure. If only he could get the Crystal Gems and her to interact, without the fighting, the bitter feelings might slip away. Staying in the forest all alone wasn’t good for her, even if it was an upgrade from a bubble or whatever. It was apparent more of the picture lay scattered about, but if he located a few key pieces it might be enough to give him the insight he needed.

 “She misses mom, too. Doesn’t she?”

 Garnet hesitated at the stove, before twisting the dial. “It has been years,” she began, before rotating. “It affected each of us differently, when Rose explained to us what she wanted, her intent. We didn’t fully grasp what would happen, and who you would be. It hurt.” She had to look away. “In time, we grew to accept it. Rose wanted to do something incredible, something never before envisioned. It wasn’t that she intended to leave us, but to bring you into existence, it was inevitable. She wanted you to exist, Steven. That’s what she desired, more than anything else in our long existence.”

 Steven roused a bit and gazed at Garnet, eyes dazzled. But….

 “What happened to her? Why doesn’t Spinel live here, with us?”

 The glass bowl Pearl carefully moved from the cabinet, shattered on the floor. Utter silence for the longest time, the seconds dragged on as the Crystal Gems gazed. “I’ll get a broom,” Pearl mumbled, and walked away.

 It took even longer before Garnet would resume. She assisted Pearl, by first plucking up the larger pieces – with her gauntlets.

 “We sort of thought—” Amethyst began.

 “I found a broom!” Pearl announced. She began sweeping. “We sort of thought she left. We haven’t seen her in years! And if that’s the way she wanted it to be—” She stopped, when Garnet set a hand on her shoulder. Pearl’s erratic sweeping had likewise scattered shards of glass over the floor. “Oh dear.”

 “Spinel didn’t – couldn’t heal,” Garnet explained, to the best of her capacity. “She refused to accept Rose’s decision. The Spinel you saw, is not the Spinel we knew. She is a bent and corrupt caricature of who we once knew, and trusted.”

 “A real jerk,” Amethyst concluded. “Which is why we don’t get along. Got it?”

 Steven laid his head on his arms. And tried to stifle the yawn. He felt so grubby, how much sleep did he get? Not enough. “But she didn’t hurt me.” He had to say that. “She really wanted to talk – to me – and asked a lot of questions about… my interests. And what my powers were like. She knew about mom, and….” They were close. Spinel was broken. That’s what Garnet meant.

 “How much did she tell you?” Pearl set aside the broom and leaned over the bar. “What did she say about Rose?”

 Steven leaned back. “Not a lot. It’s a tender subject. I just, y’know, we talked about stuff. On the way to the temple. I got tired so she carried me, and that’s when I fell asleep.” Pearl looked really intense, and angry. He was a little more afraid of her than he was of Spinel.

 “Okay,” Pearl uttered, in a sigh. She backed off, and sent her gaze over to the warp pad. Steven followed the stare, almost expecting someone to arrive. Nothing happened.

 “Regardless,” Garnet resumed, “she’ll be contained, for her own safety. Mostly for yours, Steven.”

 “What?” Steven yelped. “No, that’s not fair! You started the fight!” Then, tentatively, “Didn’t you?” Honest, that’s the impression he got. He wasn’t an actual witness, so maybe Spinel did refuse to give him up, or leave. That would’ve been bad. But she promised!

 Amethyst nudged him. “You looked so dead! What do’ya expect? She peeved us off, and we weren’t about to strike up a conversation with how crummy you looked. Nah-uh, kidnapping is a direct invitation to getting socked in the face!”

 “But she’s not dangerous! You’re making a big deal out of this, and I don’t see why. I was the one kidnapped,” Steven shot back. “I have a say in this!”

 “Steven,” Pearl warned.

 “She was nice, and we talked about… stuff, like Tapioca Ninjas and Crying Breakfast friends. I sang her a song, and she said it was beautiful!” He was slicing his hands through the air, accenting each topic. “At first, I was kind of scared, and it was messed up to snatch me, but she’s just weird and lonely. Kind of like Onion!”

 “Trust us on this, Steven.” Garnet poured noodles into the boiling water and set the timer. “We don’t want to fight Spinel—”

 “She’s kind of, eh, mean,” Amethyst grumbled.

 “—And, least of all hurt her, or risk her hurting you or any one of us. The bottom line is, she’s unpredictable and beyond reasoning.”

 Steven slammed his fists on the bar. “You let me keep centi, and she spit acid!”

 Amethyst snorted. “Spine does worse than spit acid. Have you heard her jokes?”

 “They’re an acquired taste,” Steven defended. “Just listen to me and what I’m tellin’ you! She promised there wouldn’t be any fighting. She didn’t want to fight, at all.” Amethyst laughed.

 “Could’ve fooled me!”

 “You’re not helping!” Pearl spat. She finished cleaning up the glass, and went around to Steven’s side. “I know this is hard to understand, and perhaps you caught a glimpse of the gem we… came to be close confidants with. But you don’t know the Spinel we’ve had to fight. Who she was, and who she… became. The person she….” Her voice trailed off and Pearl stammered.

 Steven looked over, when a gentle hand laid over his. “It hurt to lose your mother,” Garnet accented, gently. “We loved her dearly, and she loved each one of us. For such a long time, we only had each other.” Pearl departed from the comforting circle. “Spinel was no different. But, I believe the ache she felt ran so deep, it altered the light refracted in her gem. Once, we were very close to Spinel, too, but we overlooked how badly she was fractured.”

 “She can’t help the way she is,” Pearl croaked. Her back was to the others, despite that, it was apparent she was crying. “That’s why, we must do this for her, before someone is really hurt!”

 “That’s enough for now, Pearl.”

 Amethyst popped off the stool and raced away. The door of the inner temple melted apart, and the smaller gem disappeared.

 “I’m sorry,” Steven squeaked. Distressed, he turned back to Garnet. “I-I, I didn’t mean—”

 “This isn’t your fault.” Garnet stood back, and moved to check the noodles. “This is Spinel’s doing. She’s a variable we shouldn’t have to deal with, but it can’t be helped. Dinner will be ready in five.”

 The conflict still twisted in Steven’s mind, but he barred another argument in Spinel’s defense. It shook the gems badly, and something in their faces gave hints that something more was at work. They could be right as well, getting poofed didn’t hurt gems; it was the way they began healing. At least, that was how Pearl explained it. At the same time, he didn’t want Spinel bubbled and locked away for… who knew how long. She wasn’t a monster, and aside for her ‘dislike’ (Steven was going with this word) for the Crystal Gems, she was nice.

 “Would you guys stop it!” Steven burst. He tugged off his hoodie and threw it aside. They weren’t listening, and hastened to judge ever sentence that popped out of his mouth. All throughout the hike back, they boggled him with interrogation of what happened, how he felt. The trio was uncharacteristically clingy, more so than if he had fallen into actual peril. “That’s how it happened. We were sneaking around, well, she was sneaking. I stopped paying attention, and… yeah, it was really boring.”

 Amethyst shrugged. “No, that doesn’t sound like Spine. Try again.”

 Pearl disregarded the coat on the floor (very unusual) and knelt on her knee, to examine Steven once more. “You must’ve suffered a concussion. You shouldn’t have been sleeping, in fact, you should stay awake for the next few hours. To be safe.”

 Steven was at his wits end. “I didn’t FALL! The complete opposite of interesting happ—”

 “I could use some doughnuts,” Garnet blurted. She put a hand on Pearl’s shoulder, stole her away from Steven, and set a hand on Amethyst’s head. The two gems went along with the gesture, grasping a hidden meaning. “Steven, you’re the best at catching doughnuts. Do you mind running a quick errand?”

 This was a universal request to excuse them for a short spell. Steven toed the floor with his sandal and pouted. “Sure. Any special requests?”

 Pearl raised a finger. “Two bakers dozen.”

 Amethyst piped up next. “Filling. And coating. Lots of sprinkles. BACON!”

 “Red and blue,” Garnet wished, clasping her hands together. “You better take the wagon.”

 It hurt a little more than it should have, despite knowing it was gem business. The topic always spooked his dad, but it fascinated the pants off Steven. He should have been a part of it; he was the one kidnapped, but he also wanted to help Spinel. The time he spent in her company (or captivity?) felt like days, though it was only a few hours. The sun was rising on the tranquil shores of Beach City, the denizens emerging from storefronts or meandered their way along the boardwalk to begin opening shop. The Crystal Gems spent a whole day and night out in the forest.

 The wagon was easy to haul off from the beach and to the road. He ventured to the front of the Big Doughnut and hurried inside.

 “I need a bakers dozen! ASOP!” He whooped.

 “Whoa-whoa!” Sadie, opening shop today, struggled with two large boxes of merch. “I barely got the displays set. Can ya kinda give me a sec?”

 Steven immediately chilled. “Oh. Sorry! Forgot what time it was. What time is it, by the way?”

 “Barely got in, if that’s a good ref,” she offered. She set the boxes on the counter and began opening, pulling out pre-packaged pastries. “You’re up early for a Saturday.”

 “So, time doesn’t flow differently in the magical petrify forest. Huh?” Steven tried to sound clever, stroking his chin as he crossed to the counter. “In-teer-esting.”

 Sadie smirked as she rose up from behind the display case. “Magical forest? Time flow? Is this more of that gem stuff?” If Lars was here he would be groaning at her, to not get Steven started. But it was nice to have some positive company while she was setting up, and Steven was always getting into some wild adventures. It kept him out of trouble.

 “It was cool,” Steven enthused, eyes starry. “We – the gems and me – went out to check on this rock forest, where this temple was bein’ built. There were crystal trees, bigger than the city, bigger than the temple and the city combined!” He swung his arms up, exaggerating details. “It was sunset there, while here it was middle of the day! Oh-oh! And there was a gem there! A real gem, like Garnet, Pearl, or Amethyst!”

 “A gem person? Y’mean, other than those gem monsters….”

 Steven broke from his whirlwind showman and gawked. “Why does everyone keep hating on her? She’s not a monster!”

 A loud thump resounded from the counter, likely from Sadie bumping her head. “Hold up, take it easy.” She straightened, rubbing her crown. “I’m going off on all those stories you tell, and the fact the other gems are always fighting these… monsters.” She cast her eyes away, hesitant. “And, aside from you, your friends, and… your mom – I had no idea there were other gems, gem people, around. So….”

 “A bakers dozen! Make that two!” Steven announced. “I have to get back, so I can ask them about her.”

 “I gotcha the first time, kiddo.” Sadie resumed ripping packages and lining up the inventory. “That’s like twenty-six doughnuts, and we’re not officially opened yet. What sort of doughnuts you want? I can go through the boxes and get started.”

 “My dad!”

 Thump!

 “Maybe he knows something about her!” Steven did an about-face and raced to the door. But halted. “Wait, Amethyst might be upset if she doesn’t get her doughnuts.” He did a little dance at the door, indecisive about what he should do and fighting the urge to blast out to the carwash. Even worse, what if his dad didn’t know anything?

 “Yes, do that!” he harped.

 Sadie sighed and dropped her forehead to the countertop. Adorable as Steven was, he sure was a mess.

 “So,” she said, after hauling out the third box from storage. “Did you catch the name of this new gem?”

 Steven sat at one of the tables, swinging his feet under the chair. “Spinel.” He was twiddling his thumbs on the tabletop, focused intently. The crash of the box snapped his attention back to Sadie.

 “Spindle?”

 “Spinel,” Steven repeated. Sadie gazed at him, expression perplexed. “Hmm?”

 “Sorry. I’m sure I’ve heard that name before.” She shook her head. “No idea where.”

 “My dad?”

 “Nope.” Sadie collected up the boxes and made progress on filling up the order. “That’s half my stock. Anyway, I think it was… Sour Cream? Certainly not Lars. I think it was around Halloween, we were sharing creepy stories about stuff that frightened us, y’know, when we were kids. That guy Sour Cream told us about this imaginary friend that was a kind of variant of this crooked man, and he called it Spindle—”

 Outside the Big Doughnut, Steven burst from the doors screaming, “SOUR CREAM!”

 Sadie was not close behind, didn’t catch Steven, and stood at the threshold. “Steven! YOUR DOUGHNUTS!”

 For the better part of the day, Steven raced across Beach City checking every nook and cranny he laid eyes on, every shady alleyway seeking the ‘Cool Kids’. He ventured to the abandoned warehouse, but the nights activities ended hours before dawn. In desperation, he tried hammering away at Lars door, but the father of Lars answered and spoke on behalf of his son that “that boy is still sleeping.” Steven raced off, exploring all the likely cool places the Cool Kids would meetup. He had no idea where Sour Cream lived, let alone other go to hangouts. He didn’t want to race out to the cliff.

 At long last, Steven began a desperate patrol of the shoreline. And there, near the pier of Funland he spied the Cool Kids in the midst of a round of hacky sack. And there was Sour Cream, balancing the lumpy satchel on his knee.

 “Sour Cream!”

 “Huh?” He balanced the sack on his elbow, right before Steven nearly bowled him over. “Brah! What gives—” He passed the orb, and Jenny managed to nab it on her ankle. “I guess I’m taking two!”

 “I have questions! Questions! And you have answers I need! Please!”

 Reluctantly, Sour Cream let his arm get tugged by Steven, and went along with the pre-teen. “I was in the middle of something. Do you get bad reception at your house? Texting is a thing.”

 Steven stalled. Above, the noises from screaming ride goers spilled down as the coaster careened through its track. “That’s… true. I’m used to talking face-to-face though. Heh.”

 Once Sour Cream liberated his arm, he jammed his hands in his pockets. “That’s more direct. I see the appeal.” He nodded. “I can’t help but catch those vibes of tension radiating off you. You got something you think I’ll help you with?”

 “I don’t know.” Steven was beginning to second guess. He was in such a hurry to locate Sour Cream, a task deemed all but possible, he didn’t gather up a good question. Or beginning. “Uh… did you ever know a gem?”

 “Amethyst? Yeah. Forever a long—”

 “No-no-no.” Steven took a breath. And stalled. Amethyst? He shook his head. “A gem named Spinel?” The bafflement that met him was disheartening.

 “Sorry lil dude. Aside from Amy, I don’t know any gems.”

 “Well,” Steven cupped his chin and considered. “What about the crooked creature? Spindle?” At first Sour Cream shook his head, but then, recognition lit up in his eyes.

 “Ooh, yeah. That thing.” He turned his gaze up thoughtfully. “This critter used to hang around the city, I’d see it lurking in the shadows sometimes. Kinda spooked me, but I didn’t get the ambiance it was dangerous.” He stooped on the sand, and began sketching out a face, grin, bent body, and tall ears. “It was sort of like a rabbit, made of ramen. Say, who’s been telling you my stories?”

 Steven didn’t answer. He was mesmerized by the crude picture, and could see how Spinel could be mistaken for a rabbit. Minus the fluffy tail. “Spindle?”

 “Yeah! Er, don’t know where the name came from.” Sour Cream weaved his arm in the air, fish like. “It did this deal, sort of slithered up and down walls. I’d see it, but no one else could. Meh. As I got older, I stopped seeing it. One day, I guess.” He shrugged and stood. “I grew up.”

 The story was very strange, but there was no mistaking what was staring at Steven from the sand. “Thanks Sour Cream. That really helped.”

 “Really? I didn’t do much.” He wiped the sand from his hands.

 Steven waved, as he took off. “That was all I needed. Sorry for stealing you from the game!”

 “No prob. Don’t do anything I would!”

 It was a long hike back to the Big Doughnut. Long, because Steven was halfway to the Crystal Temple, before he realized he’d forgotten the goods. He hurried back to the shop and raced inside.

 “Where’d you go?” Sadie asked, upon coming from the back storage.

 “No time to explain! I hope I’m not too late!” He grabbed the doughnuts, nearly forgot to pay, and went back to the cash register.

 “Too late for what?” she was getting panicked. Steven was sweaty and red, from running around too much in the sun. “Are you okay?”

 “Thanks for the doughnuts! I’ll see you tomorrow!” Steven blew out of the store, nearly plowing into Lars.

 “Crud, what is it now?” Lars barked, scuttling aside. “Don’t they feed you?”

 “I was just leaving!” Steven threw the boxes onto the wagon and took off, leaving a cloud of dust.

 Lars scratched his head. “Weird. Usually he tries to hug me… or something else weird. Sadie!” He entered the shop. “Did you give him caffeine again?”

 “Again!?”

 Racing a second time back to temple winded Steven. He managed to not lose a single doughnut or box on the uneven, and soft surface of the sand. Local seagulls took an interest in his cargo, and a few brash winged beasts pursued prepared to tear apart the precious goods if the boy stopped for the barest of moments. It raised the stakes for Steven’s skirmish back to the home, but he managed.

 “Shoo! Rawr!” He swung his arms at the seagulls, as he unloaded the boxes. They were still following him, gracefully gliding on wind current, while Steven ascended the steps. “AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

 Steven plowed through the screen door. Boxes went flying, a few doughnuts scattered, and seagulls poured in through the gaping portal. “Hey guys!” More seagulls swooped in, settling on the confectionary treats slain in the madness.

 The Crystal Gems gawked with varied stages of horror. Except Garnet. This was not the scenario she anticipated, but it was no less what she would’ve expected.

 “My DOUGNUTS!” Amethyst roared. She shifted form mid leap, and a large liger pounced on the crushed boxes, hissing and swiping at the laughing gulls. One bit her on the nose. “OW!”

 Steven rolled away before he got stepped on. He still had a lone box in his hands. “Salvaged one!” He scampered up and held it out to Pearl.

 “Aw, uh, thank you… Steven.” She took the box and handed it to Garnet, whom just held it. “It took you longer than we expected.”

 “RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRR!” Liger Amethyst shook her mane. Seagulls had overrun her, while she competed with them for eating the doughnuts. The birds were stealing the crumbs from beneath her jagged teeth. “THAT’S MINE YOU SEA RATS!”

 Pearl grimaced and clasped a hand over her mouth. Garnet sighed.

 “I think that’s enough of that.” Garnet handed the box back to Steven. “Cover your ears.” Pearl did that for him, but Steven was concerned, and dropped the doughnut container to set his hands over Pearl’s.

 Garnet formed the gauntlets and walked over to the doorway, where Ligerthyst combated the bold avians. She raised her hands over her head.

 “OUT OF OUR HOUSE OF SUFFER MY WRATH!” She screamed. That was it. She was loud, and commanding, and terrifying when needed.

 The seagulls screeched and flapped, vacating the premises in a white cloud. In their wake, feathers covered everything, including a scratched and scuffed up Liger. “ooOow.” Amethyst pawed at the boxes, tears formed in her eyes.

 Steven shifted his head to view Pearl. Her hands went tense, and were uncomfortable on his head. He couldn’t hear, but Pearl looked super upset and paler than usual. He pulled away from her grip.

 Amethyst sniffled. “Nothings left. It’s all gone. Everything. Gone.”

 “Look! We still have one box here! TADA!” Pearl snatched the box off the floor. She barely got the lid off, before Ligerthyst lay siege to the contents. She sighed, relieved.

 Steven almost expected vultures to descend, it looked like one of those nature documentaries in the veldt. Anything would be more pleasant than those seagulls. “Um, so… did Spinel live in Beach City, too?”

 “Do you see anything?” Pearl directed to Garnet. Aside from the half moon hovering in the sky, it was dark. They didn’t need their gems to define surroundings, and much of the glossy material abundant refracted illumination. They navigated the broken passages, creeping among and beneath breaches in walls and debris.

 Garnet, as she had been since they started, was silent. Something hot and irritated was brewing, an unspoken argument and plotting. She looked at Pearl briefly, before turning to resume the lead. Pearl and Amethyst exchanged a look.

 “Stay close,” Garnet reminded. “Spinel will likely already be here, which gives her the element of surprise. We’ll approach with the utmost caution.” She held out her hand before Amethyst could scamper away. “There’s no telling what she might do with Steven.”

 Pearl shivered. She took the liberty to draw one spear form her gem, and sided in close with Amethyst.

 “This place is ginormous,” Amethyst grumbled. She climbed atop a cracked wall and gave their surroundings a sharp examination. “We’re never gonna find’em unless we splint.”

 “No,” Pearl hissed. “One of us can barely handle Spinel. If we stand a chance, it will be a taunt collaboration leaving her no opportunity to recover.” Amethyst opened her mouth to retort, but Pearl anticipated her next argument. “For Steven’s sake. We can manage this.”

 “I can’t believe we’re doing this again,” Amethyst huffed. “Why couldn’t she have stayed gone?”

 “You don’t know what you’re saying,” Pearl murmured. “She should’ve—” As Amethyst said, Spinel should have been gone. At least, after all these years it was what they presumed. They felt safe in the complacency. How wrong they were. How it haunted them now.

 For several excruciating hours, they explored the exterior province of the pillar. Numerous entrances presented themselves dotting the base and low level of the tower, some fitted with incomplete ramps or disintegrating staircases. Many sustained extensive damage and folded inward, misshapen entirely. Several entries held gem sensitive lamps, which activated upon their fleeting exploration. This indicated to Pearl that nothing had passed within for a while. Likewise, all inhabitants present would be alerted to intrusion.

 Through the brief scouting, Amethyst ooed and awed at the interior architect polished by time. “Steven’s gonna love this place. Y’think?”

 Garnet didn’t reply, but continued. Amethyst and Pearl followed, forgoing commentary. At one point, Garnet thought it wise to hand the cheeseburger backpack to Pearl, for safe storage. The items inside would be useful to Steven, once they liberated him from Spinel. There was no telling what would happen, but they knew for certain an altercation with Spinel would be unavoidable. But they would take him back, it was only a matter of locating him.

 A dipping pathway wound its way into a low space beneath the pillar, among splint petri-wood. When they breached the yawning entrance – many times their size – Garnet put her arms out.

 Throughout the wall and ceiling, roots knotted and twisted. The illuminars was active within the chamber, glittering across the mineral laced plant life. Aside from the lamps, it was not immediately apparent if something still lurked within. The chamber was expansive, walls and ceiling eroded.

 Pearl gripped the spear sloped beside her leg. “This must be where she came through. Amethyst,” she grated, struggling to keep her voice low. “Stay down.”

 Amethyst bounced between crumbling wall intermixed with the reformed tree. “We want her to show herself, don’t we—”

 Garnet lashed out her arm and snared Amethyst, she hoisted the small gem backwards. “No. We need to find Steven first. I see a passage, over there.” She indicated, and began on that direction.

 The opening lay behind a massive, and shattered crystal. Each scaled the obstacle laying directly on the slope, which would bring them to the suspended level. Lamps didn’t activate in the corridor, a benefit for them. Extending from the minor strip, they exited into another open expanse which resembled a stoney courtyard. Vague structures erupted from the floor and ceiling, calcified vine-knots hovered beneath the ceiling. Trees bent or stood choppy and gnarled, formed partially into structures like pillars or statues.

 Stealthy and silent, the trio wove through the ruble. They picked their way down a series of steps, but jarred to a halt when Garnet went tense. Pearl spied immediately what gripped her attention, and she brought a hand to her face.

 The movement was foremost noteworthy, dipping behind crushed chalcedony. Those pigtails were incriminating, and belonged to no other.

 Garnet launched from beside the others and landed heavily atop a collapsed twine of roots. It was worse than she suspected, and every fiber of her existence sparked. “Steven!”

 “Oh-ho, look who’s here.” Spinel sneered. In the gloom, her eyes and grin glittered in traditional cutouts. Sinister and spiteful. “You’ve gotten better at hide-and-seek. Too easy for you, I see.”

 Beneath her on the ground, lay Steven. He was curled up in a tight ball and trembling.

 For the first time in hours, Garnet radiated with unrefined emotion. Her fists clenched and her shoulders quivered. “I won’t let you get away with this.” She threw herself at Spinel, arms outstretched and gauntlets formed. In response, Spinel retreated within tight backward flips, entire body a slinky which slipped through narrow crevices. Garnet pursued, crushing rock and tossing obstacles. Up until a last clump of crystal revealed the illusive gem, but Spinel was coiled and waiting; she swung her body around and bowled Garnet down with an oversized fist.

 Garnet hit the floor and tumbled. She came to a halt and momentarily, checked that Steven was still moving and reassure that Spinel hadn’t followed with a counter. It took a brief glance, then she rebounded, gauntlets connecting with a slate Spinel ducked behind. Chalcedony burst into fragments and powder, but there was no sign of the lanky nuisance.

 A barrage of cackles lashed downward, while Spinel came sloping hard on her extended arms. Outstretched legs collided with Garnet, and sent her flying.

 “Pearl! Check Steven!” Garnet slammed into the underside of a suspended platform.

 Pearl didn’t need a second prompt. She was already crouched beside the boy, Amethyst on the other side. “Oh my stars! Steven!” She dismissed her spear and collected the small child in her arms, holding him close.

 “Is he all right?” Amethyst choked. Her gem alit, to give them a better view. And for comfort. “Is he… breathing?” They winced. Pearl clutched Steven tighter.

 Garnet burst from the rock, and managed to collide with Spinel. The two clashed hand-to-hand, or hand and coil; Spinel pinned one of Garnet’s arms in a tight bind, while her other hand grappled with the wrist of the taller gem. Both crashed, forming a thick plum of dust and sparkles.

 “Ugh! She needs help,” Amethyst barked. But Steven…. “Is he okay? What happened to him?”

 “I don’t know! He’s unconscious! He—” Pearl squeaked. she pressed her head to Steven chest. “H-he’s…. Y-yes. He’s doing that thing. The breathing!” She could almost poof, most of Steven was intact. “His heart is beating, but it’s so slow! If she’s done anything—” Another collision, she shrank over Steven. Garnet hurtled through a clump of stoney roots. “Don’t just sit there! Go help!”

 “Why should I?” Amethyst countered, more puzzled than annoyed. “Someone has to stay by Stevey!” She didn’t want to admit why Pearl should go.

 Reluctantly, Pearl gave Steven a hug. “Please be okay.” She set the child on Amethyst knees and stood, summoning duel spears.

 In this time, Spinel was swinging up and through the suspended chunks of rock, using the near and long range to its fullest. It had been so-so long since she was allowed to move. She was competent in repelling a rock thrown her way, or sling a chunk of chalcedony back at Garnet – whom leapt after, using the obstacles to keep sharp on Spinel’s movements. The other was fueled by rage and, and something more personal.

 But under no circumstance could she allow Garnet to get a good solid grip of her body.

 It did happen that Garnet snagged a firm hold of one leg and attempted to heave Spinel through the air, like a lasso. Spinel’s reaction to getting swept aside, was coil her remaining leg and both arms against her side before impacting a wall; cushioning her form. She hooked Garnet with the ensnared boot and recalled the leg, hauling the tall gem at herself with devastating speed. With one arm still coiled, Spinel’s fist inflated, and she reared back for a punch to shame all punches.

 If not for Pearl skipping across hovering platforms, both spears aimed. Spinel caught view of the pearl gem glinting and rebounded, before the bolts could land a hit. This meant she had to release Garnet and regroup her limbs. She hoisted into a clump of roots, tangled in the ceiling.

 “Boo-hoo!” she hailed down. “Feared the worst, didja? Felicitations! You saved your precious lil grub! You’re the heroes of today! HAH! Beating the ever-gleaming silt out of me won’t make any a one of you a better protector!” She grinned ear-to-ear (so to speak).

 Garnet recovered midfall. She landed on a detached mass of crystal, an estimated meter from Pearl racing across the structure. “Up you go.” She extended her arms, allowing the feathery Pearl to leap onto her wrist and race across her shoulders. Garnet swung back and launched Pearl with force.

 “I’m always game for a good trouncing.” Spinel harked. She twisted her body against the natty teethers and sprung, whirling like a top. She aimed directly for Pearl, and if she could blast through to smite Garnet, plus two—

 Out of nowhere, a rock smashed into the side of Spinel’s unprotected head and she plunged. Pearl was so taken she nearly missed her opening. The spear thrusted and connected, but barely.

 “WHOOOO!” Amethyst shot her arms high. “How does that taste, getting socked for a change? Chalk one up for the Army-thest! I still owe you!” She shut up when Steven groaned. “Shoot, sorry.”

 “Am’thest….”

 “Can you hear me? Don’t move,” she whispered, leaning closer. “You’re safe. I got you.”

 “Wha…?”

 How many years since she fell? A decade. A thousand. What was one thousand? She could wait an eternity, and then some. It felt like an eternity, being lost and forgotten. Discarded. Just like when she was left in the garden. The years departed, stars faded, and the world continued moving onward without her.

 Spinel fell void of control and orientation. Pearl had gotten very close. VERY-VERY CLOSE. All and undone, body a tangled mess, she couldn’t summon back her limbs, and felt disconnected from them. This left no brace for the fall, and no recollection of where solid surface would begin. She did the next best thing, looped arms and knees in bundles over her chest. If anything, she must protect her gemstone. She saw what happened to—

 It worked mostly. Spinel barely secured her torso, before she crashed into a slope and skidded. Luckily, her unrestrained spin-cycle eased out fast. No damage, she didn’t think, aside from her physical form getting shaken and her body still a knotted mess. She managed to flip herself over, and over again; she wouldn’t be surprised if she was inside out.

 A primal battle cry tore through the chamber, announcing – drat! – Garnet descending, gauntlets clasped tight into a gigantic club.

 Drat-drat-DOUBLE DRAT!

 Garnet missed by a breath, when Spinel flopped over. The Spinel was a withering mass, twisting and slithering over and around. This was it. This was the prime opportunity they had been seeking, when Spinel would be at her weakest.

 “I’ll hold her!” Pearl dashed forward, racing in from the side to recover the scant opportune moment.

 It was apparent Spinel realized what was happening, given how fast the gem scuttled behind a chunk of crystal embedded in chalcedony. Pearl landed adjacent and rushed in, a spear primed. The crystal barrier erupted, chalcedony chunks disintegrated under Garnet’s reckless pursuit. On the fringe, Pearl kept in check scouting for the bright colors of the wily gem. There came more natural barricades of stone and more chalcedony, a boot scuttling on the cusp of their peripheral. At long last, Spinel was revealed, still unraveled. Garnet chucked a sizable piece of crystal, but Spinel blocked it with one of her own – the two pieces collided midair and burst.

 From the dust hurtled Spinel, and she locked arms with Garnet, despite her limbs being a jangly mess. Something in Spinel’s expression nearly made Garnet stutter. Almost.

 “Always need to get the last word in. Doutcha?” Spinel accused.

 An opening laid out and backside exposed fully, Pearl shot in swinging one spear for the anticipated proximity of Spinel’s chest. Spinel narrowly evaded, whipped around and smashed Garnet into Pearl. The force sent Pearl pinwheeling, more unfortunately, Spinel was unable to loosen her hold off Garnet.

 “Couldn’t leave me alone!” Spinel spat. “No loose ends! No unfinished business!” She got her legs mostly recalled, and bucked Garnet in the chest. “No untidy, unorganized packages!”

 “You know perfectly well why we couldn’t let you off on your own!” Garnet thundered back. Spinel untangled her arms and abruptly kicked Garnet away. But the taller, and stronger gem, recovered instantly and barreled forward. She snared Spinel around the torso and tugged her close. “Not one of us wanted to do you this way. You deserved BETTER! But you left no alternatives!”

 “Could’ve… fooled me.” Garnet squeezed, and Spinel’s physical form shimmed under the strain. In a panic, Spinel’s limbs bent and arched in exaggerated patterns. Until at last, Spinel looped one arm around her waist, over and over.

 At first Garnet thought nothing of it, and only expected Spinel to protect her gem out of instinct. Yet, the coil tightened, and Spinel’s other arm found a solid hold, elsewhere. Pearl called a warning, but Garnet dismissed it, as Spinel’s projected light form glittered. Any moment.

 A wide grin met her, and then she knew something had gone wrong.

 Spinel wrenched free, a zipping tornado. Flung aside, Garnet careened across the wreckage strewn across the courtyard.

 During this, Pearl moved in deftly. She leapt high and fired a bolt from her spear, aiming for the unguarded top of Spinel’s head. This time, when the distinguishing bark of the bolt went off, Spinel wretched aside.

 Pearl alit on a high platform a distance above Spinel and observed, calculating the next move. Spinel was looking exhausted and perplexed by now. She no longer held homefield advantage, and the Crystal Gems would not relent until they dealt with her properly. There would be—

 “Guys! Stop!” Steven ducked and wove around the ruble rooted to the floor, and waved his arms. Amethyst was close on his heels, eyes massive and laced with panic. “Stop fighting! Wait!”

 Spinel went loose bodily, arms flopping to the ground as she threw back her head. She began laughing.

 “Steven! Find cover!” Garnet barked. She reacted and moved, rather define the most beneficial scenario. Steven was their priority, his safety above all could not be jeopardized. She sprang to him, but was immediately barred by Spinel’s stretched arms, extended like duel clothesline.

 “Don’t! Steven! You’re gonna get in their way!” Amethyst caught him in her arms and tried to haul him back. However, Steven was putting up a massive fight for his stature.

 “Spinel! Please! Stop! You promised!”

 Spinel dove off her perch, catching Pearl within midleap. She caught the staff, and heaved Pearl against her extending legs. “Nothing mentioned about not defending MYSELF!” Pearl lost her grip on the weapon, and the two dropped; Pearl stunned by the blow, while Spinel did a skillful twirl with the staff, winding up with the stolen weapon. Spinel concluded by whirling the spear toward Amethyst. And Steven.

 The barbed lashes of a whip snagged on the staff, halting its intent.

 At the last moment, Garnet skid out and caught Pearl before she hit the ground. Beside her, Spinel got her arms nestled below herself quick enough to cushion the impact; her legs swung up, spinning, and knocked Garnet aside.

 Spinel sprang out of the maneuver, somersaulting her retreat by several paces. She came to set herself upon a splint pillar, arms jagged at her sides. No opening left for an attack. She took survey of the Crystal Gems – Amethyst poised on top of Steven, holding him down with a foot, with duel whips at hand – Pearl was recovered, barely – and Garnet—

 “Give it up! We don’t want to fight you!” She was closing in, gauntlets at the ready. The gem stalked steady and rigid, up the incline primed to conclude this conflict.

 “You think you have the right, to lock me away!” Spinel screeched. “Like I’m some sort of… of… MONSTER!” She cackled. “That’s what you think of me! All along! No one ever said it, but ya’ll thought it. Didn’t you?” More laughter ensued, hard and grating. “Hilarious. I always thought you were different! I actually thought YOU saw me different. It really puts things into perspective, doughn’t?”

 “GAR-NIT!” Steven was trying to crawl out from under Amethyst’s foot. The lilac gem gave up, and had to restrain Steven with her arms and brute force. “Don’t hurt her!”

 “Are you kidding me?” Amethyst hissed. “You’re worried about that hostile hula-hoop!”

 “But she’s not a monster,” Steven whined, trying to shove Amethyst off. “You guys are just mean!” This caused Amethyst to gasp.

 “You brought this on yourself!” Garnet proclaimed, before sprinting through the last meter. She drew back a fist and took the swing. Unexpectedly, Spinel didn’t budge. Garnet hit with full force, plowing them off the pillar and through a slate of grafting tree roots with crystal brackets. The unstoppable drive met and unmovable force, and somewhere in the wreckage the dust cleared out.

 Spinel only survived her form poofing, by using her knees as a brace and coiling her arms over Garnet’s shoulders and wrists, robbing the battle laced gem of intensity. Garnet could not move.

 “I am so tired of hearing you say THAT!” Spinel snarled, baring her teeth. “Everyone can make mistakes, anyone can change. BUT NOT ME! Never! I’m not—” Her tirade cut off. And Garnet had an idea why.

 Pearl swooped in, directly above the alcove formed in the assault. Spinel looked directly into Garnet’s shades, and the reaction was instantaneous. The coils unraveled from Garnet, allowing Spinel freedom to whip around and snag Pearl by her waist. This time Pearl shot the bolt, dismissing the fact that Garnet was too close. Spinel coiled her limbs up and made to leap, but withdrew attention from Garnet for five milli-seconds too long.

 Garnet hauled Spinel back down, and the lithe gem took the bolt right in the shoulder. Still, the recoil knocked the gem from Garnet’s grip, and the unraveled gem skidded across the floor.

 A few feet from Garnet’s poise, Pearl landed and regrouped. “That wasn’t enough?” she posed, summoning a replacement staff.

 “A direct hit would be effective,” Garnet proclaimed. “This time, we won’t relent.”

 Spinel got to her feet and shook the glitter from her body. A chunk was missing from her angular shoulder. She looked from Garnet, to Pearl, and scowled. The region of the courtyard was all but flattened, utterly ruined. They wouldn’t leave. She shouldn’t be surprised. She slammed her fists against the ground:

 “I don’t want to play anymore.”

 While Garnet and Pearl rallied up for the oncoming assault, Spinel pivoted and sprang away. She was thrown near enough a back passage, which led deeper into the temple structure. They could search for her, play hide-and-seek all they liked, but she already knew the pathway out. She cast a look back over her shoulder, before straightening her shape and zipping out of view.

 “After her!” Garnet bellowed. She was about to initiate the chase, but a light grip trounced the thought. She turned to Pearl, but couldn’t meet the gems eyes.

 “I think… we’ve done enough.” Pearl’s spears were already dismissed, and after some surface examination Garnet could grasp why. Pearl was ragged, her superficial style in tatters. It wasn’t overlooked that Pearl had pushed herself to limits, and would continue to expend herself. If it meant protecting Steven. Speaking of which….

 Steven scurried to them, climbing over the demolished shards of chalcedony and stone. “Why did you hurt her? Why were you fighting!” He demanded. Promptly slipping and falling face flat before he crested the steep incline.

 “Oh cheeze whiz, be careful,” Amethyst huffed. She didn’t appear overtly concerned, and only nudged Steven with her foot while he tried to get up.

 “Why?” Pearl squawked. “WHY? Because she hurt you. Oh no!” She sprang to Steven and crouched down. “Are you all right? Any breaks? Do you have a fever? A scraped knee?”

 “No-no-no— Stop!” Steven pushed Pearl away. She relented the probing, but held his shoulders. “Nothing happened!”

 “You were dead,” Amethyst rebuked. She raised her arms and crinkled her fingers. “And she was hovering over you, like a vulture. It was seriously creepy.”

 “I wasn’t dead!” Steven insisted, stamping his foot. He looked to Garnet, silent and observing. Or eternally screaming. “I just… uh. I guess I fell asleep.” He rubbed his eye with a fist and yawned. The whole ordeal and then walking took its toll. Then, there was getting awoke suddenly in the midst of a brawl, with his favorite people fighting what he considered to be a new friend.

 “Asleep?” Pearl yelped. “How is it possible that you fell asleep. No-no, Steven. You must be mistaken, she must’ve—”

 “I fell asleep,” again he stated, but with force. “She told me to be quiet, but I was telling her about Tapioca Ninjas, then it got a lil fuzzy. Does she have a power that puts people to sleep? Or gems?”

 “Naw, that woul’da had made her real useful if she did,” Amethyst grumbled. “You might be right, though. All this walking, getting kidnapped, mugged. You had a full day on the clock. Ready for another?”

 “Uhh….” For the first time, Steven cast his eyes around, taking in the far spaced segments left intact, despite the rumble. Much of the walls and apparent sculpted fortifications crumbled, dried plants vaporized, and ash dusted the floor. “What is this place?”

 Pearl shook a bit from her accusatory stance, and alit her gem so that Steven could have a better view of the area. “The Chalcedony Temple, sculpted by the forest, with the forest.”

 “Ooh,” Steven ooed. “Yeah! We reached the temple, I remember! But she was super skittish about getting too close.” He wandered away from the others, onto more stable ground – Pearl kept close, just in case. He wasn’t really watching where he was going. “She was gonna leave me, but—” He cut off, and looked to the group.

 At last, Garnet became animate. “It’s time we return to the Crystal Temple. You’ve had an exciting day, and we don’t want to wait around for Spinel to recover. Now we know what damaged the warp pad, and what caused this temple to become active. Spinel is a problem we must work toward fixing.” She looked to Pearl, who could’ve been intermixed by disappointment and relief. “But at a later time.”

 “After all that?” Amethyst griped. “We’re gonna leave? We can’t just not fix this, and let her do whatever! This isn’t a good idea.”

 “This will have to wait,” Garnet admitted. “That’s all for now, we can discuss this later once we’re safe, and Steven is secure. We have a long walk back to the functioning warp pad.”

 Amethyst audibly groaned and departed the group. “That was the nearest wardpad. This will take forever, and it’s her fault!”

 “Wait! Amethyst! Stay with the group.” Pearl hurried after her, and immediately the two began a bicker.

 When they were out of range, Garnet spoke up. “Steven. Are you really okay?” He looked up at Garnet.

 “Um. Yes?”

 “Don’t lie. If you need anything, Pearl has your back… pack. Don’t hesitate. We’ll always be there for you.”

 “I know,” Steven uttered. “I’m telling the truth, she didn’t hurt me or anything.”

 “I do not disbelieve you. C’mon.” Garnet shook off the gauntlets and plucked up Steven. While springing down the incline and ruble, she mentioned, “We’re glad you’re okay. And, I’m sorry we were so careless.”

 “Hmm? I don’t think you were careless.” And with vigor, “You weren’t. I mean, she didn’t go easy on you.” He was quiet, until Garnet set him down. For a moment they stood, Garnet waiting on him to say something and Steven uncertain if he could ask. He looked back the way they came, and the gaping passage from the chamber. He had so many questions.

 “Will you tell me about her?”

 At first, Garnet was silent. She glanced back the way Steven did. “Let’s get out of this forest first. I think… she is done, for the time, but I don’t want to take the chances.”

With some time his vision began to clear, though he almost wished it hadn’t. The person, or gem he supposed was accurate, kept up in the high branches of the trees. She raced the length of branches and leapt off, or swung arm and foot. One arm kept coiled tightly around his shoulders and waist, and tucked beside her chest – like a football or something – still, the strong vertigo gave Steven the impression that any moment he would plummet like a sack. All around branches and leafy clumps swept by, sometimes the ground zoomed within mere inches. This was worse than any ride at Funland, at least he could go on those a couple dozens times and get desensitized to the g-forces. He felt very near dying. The gem cackled, rambling about a thing or other that he didn’t quite understand.

 “Oh boy! Gee, that—” A whirlwind of laughter burst from her, as she flipped between another set of branches. She landed among a cluster of limbs and bounced, legs coiled, “—I haven’t had that much fun in, oh, how long? Decades! The look on their faces.” More laughter.

 The shades went spiraling from Steven’s face, lost somewhere far below. He crushed his eyes shut, only comforted by the strange hold looped about his body. At least his arms were free, and this allowed him to hold on as tight as he could to the coils. In some agonizing long time, the reckless slinging came to a halt. He dared not open his eyes, but could tell by the sensation of blood rushing to his head, that he was upside down. How high up would they be now? Please, don’t drop him! She hurt the others. Did she plan to hurt him?

 “Lemme get a good look at you. Wowwie, how you’ve grown!” The strange gem snickered. “You’re a proper handful now. And a star of your very own. Look’t that, must’ve gottan Greg’s hair!” She continued turning him over, laughing. “Have you poofed yet? Or is this a glowup?”

 “E-excuse me,” Steven stammered. He dared creep an eye open. “Do I... know you?” The expression the gem gave him, was not what he wanted. He shut his eye again. They were falling—

 “AHHH!”

 Their plummet braked gradually, and the odd gem flipped over. She landed on her feet, still holding Steven aloft, examining, tilting him side-to-side. “You don’t remember me?”

 “Um, should I?”

 “Should you?” she echoed back. Her eyes narrowed, the lines on her cheeks arching. “Should you!”

 That was probably not the best response. Steven tried to get a better grip of the twists wound over his chest, but the loops were unwinding. “Don’t drop me! Don’t drop me!”

 “I’m not gonna drop you. Think I’m like the others, careless and aloof.” She scoffed. “Did they, uh, mention anything about me?”

 “Er, no. Why wou—” His better sense of self-preservation ended that trail of thought. “Are you a… Crystal Gem?” She tossed her head back and laughed.

 “Don’t lump me with the grit.” She set Steven down on the branch. Abruptly, he dropped to his tummy and wrapped his arms over the tree limb. The gem crouched, leaning close. “You really don’t remember, do you? Your best friend?”

 “I just told you! I’m sorry! I have no idea who you are! I’ve never ever heard about you, until…” How long had he been kidnapped? “Just now!”

 “Not even a snide comment, vague annoyance? No ambiguous so-so, about dear, pitiful, discarded Spinel?” She clasped her hands in front of her chest.

 “Spinel?” That was what Garnet said. Shouted, actually. “Is that your name?” The gem deflated, melting over the branch. “Sorry.”

 “No honorable mentions or a wee cameo? Gee, that’s depressing. Hah.” From where her body hung over the tree branch, she peered up into Steven’s face. He locked his eyes tight and tried to shuffle away. “Pfff, I shouldn’t be surprised. Yee… left an impression, I did. Not the best, I guess. One little….” The voice faded out, and the invading presence dissipated.

 Steven chanced a glance. The Spinel moved off and was seated a few feet from him. The dark markings under her eyes resembled warpaint, and the ratty pigtails drooped down her back. He had absolutely no recollection of where or when she might’ve appeared in his life, but she insisted. And she knew his friends, and they really knew her. Knew enough to clash and fight it out, try and get him out of there ASAP.

 Steven cast his eyes over the branch side, and immediately regretted. THEY WERE SO HIGH UP! Not only were they in a giant tree, it was a giant tree growing out from the side of a cliff. Below them was nothing but fog and birds. BIRDS FLYING BELOW THEM.

 He smothered the scream in his throat and whined. “Hey! hello!” he groaned.

 “Hmm?”

 “Are you… do you plan to hurt me?” His shoulders and knees ached from how hard he was locked to that tree.

 “N..oooo.” A sly grin split her face as she turned to him. “What gave you that idea?”

 “You kidnapped me!” And the inquiry about if he poofed or not. Steven internally screamed. “Can we please go to the ground. Nice and gentle, like a feather. Please!”

 “You afraid of heights, or sumthin’?”

 “No!” Steven felt like he might just slip through the solid tree. Or slip off the side, the trees surface was slick and glossy. “I’m just uncomfortable about being a million feet in the air above jagged rocks!”

 “We’re not that high up. And if anything, we’re above water. Or more trees.”

 “This is high up!” he yelped. “And I bruise easily.” He tried glaring at her, but Spinel didn’t look near ready to do anything other than be pleased by his fear.

 “I’ll take you to the ground, on the condition you answer a few questions.”

 “Okay,” Steven hissed. “But can we do that once I’m on solid, stable ground? Wait!” Spinel rose, but dallied to approach. “Take me to actual ground. I don’t wanna be stuck in a bottomless chasm.”

 “Aw, no fun,” she sniggered. She strolled over casual as could be and gripped his shoulders. “Leggo. I’m not prying you loose, ya lil grub.”

 It took a few seconds and some mental coaxing, but Steven allowed his joints to unclamp. A little. The gem’s arms snaked around his body and she hefted him up; Steven did NOT like the sensation of open air around his feet, and the recollection there was absolutely nothing but open abyss. He poured every ounce of self-control into not thrashing, and settled for grabbing the gem by the shoulder-pad thing.

 “I’m not gunna drop you,” muttered Spinel. She began a janky ascent, bouncing branch to branch, headed to the precipice high above. She did tug Steven close to her side, and he in turn wrapped arms and legs around her neck and torso. Tight like a koala.

 “I don’t have very good control of my gem powers,” he blurted.

 “So you have gem powers?”

 “I don’t know! Don’t fall.”

 Spinel unlatched an arm, and used it like a grappling line. “You need to learn some trust.”

 “You kidnapped me!” He buried his face into her neck. Quite abruptly, they dropped. He howled, even after Spinel regained control. “What was that?!”

 “Slipped.”

 “Don’t do that!” They were going to die.

 What felt like days gone by, Spinel stopped moving. Steven refused to open his eyes expecting a trick or something worse. The arm came undone from his chest, prompting him to reinforce his grip. “Check it out. Solid ground. Or would you prefer I remove you by force, and if I do, I’ll hang you in the highest tree.”

 That got Steven to look. The forest floor, as promised. He sprang off Spinel and landed, undertaking a tense stance fully prepared to run. Though no doubt if he fled at his best speed, she’d catch up. He looked around, hoping for some familiarity to their surroundings. With any luck, the others wouldn’t be far away, or he could make a break and catch up with them in short time.

 Everything looked foreign, and the thicket was dense. The final coup de grâce was it getting dark.

 “Why are you in my forest?” The question brought him back. Steven didn’t have great vigor, and the gem looked like a sprinter. A rubber band, even.

 “You’re forest? Doesn’t it—”

 “I’ll ask the questions!” she snapped, stamping a foot. “Why are you here? Did they come for me? Are they here, to take me away? Put me someplace? Bubble me!”

 Steven took a step back. “N-no. Uh, something about a temple, and a warp pad breaking? I kind of forgot?” He tried smiling and looking innocent, but the gem glowered, expression ominous. Today would be the day he would die. Farewell, Cookie Cats.

 “Fine,” she exhaled. And began walking away. When Steven remained rooted (pun intended), she looked back. “What? You wanna stay here? Or, would you rather I carry you? Through the trees? It was such fun the first time, ya think?” Steven hurried forward, in no great hurry despite the threat. The shadows among the trees began to thicken, but some of the crystals dotting the soil and tree trunks shimmered with an inner light. “This is going to take forever,” she grumbled.

 “Um, can I ask a question?”

 “Ya just did.”

 “Okay. Can I ask one more question, after this one?”

 “I can’t promise I’ll answer, but shoot. What’s on your mind?”

 Steven climbed over a shattered chunk of chalcedony and hurried, already huffing with the effort. The gem had long strides, and any obstacles she need only step over. “Where are we going?”

 “The temple. That’s where you and the others were going, wasn’t it? I have a hunch they’ll head there, first.”

 “Oh. Really?”

 She looked over her shoulder. “You don’t have much of a choice, d’ya?”

 Well, he lived a good life. It wasn’t long, but, mostly good. “Can I ask… more questions? And maybe get answers.” Spinel shrugged. She did stop at the top of a steep incline and waited for him to catch up. Steven struggled, with his rasping breath and the stiffness in his joints. Likely from holding to the tree so tightly.

 “How do you know, the others? Aren’t you a Crystal Gem?” The gem choked and laughed. It was abrupt and startled him, but the thick guffaws bled off and the gem was looking at him. A smile repelled by her dark eyes graced her face.

 “What makes you think I’mma Crystal Gem?” She reached behind her back and touched the area where her shoulder blades would be. “No star.”

 “You knew about the stars,” Steven tentatively added. He didn’t want to get abandoned out here. Or, hung from a high tree branch.

 “Hmm. Clever. Good catch.” She nodded. “Pretty remarkable the others remembered me at all. Or, maybe they tried to forget me, and couldn’t do that right. I don’t know which is worse.” Her shoulders sagged. “Tried to erase me, did they? Heh-heh. I hoped they would’ve… kept the better parts of me. There were good times. I remember the good times.” She shook her head.

 “Um, so, you were a Crystal Gem?” That brought some hope to Steven. He might be safe around her, and perhaps wasn’t in immediate danger. That left only the question, why the fighting? The anger.

 “A while back. C’mon. I’m pretty sure Garnet will go with the scenario where I leave you at the temple. Unless… something goes wrong.”

 “What could go wrong?” Steven had to haul himself over a log. Sure, it might’ve been easier to go around, it wasn’t a long log. But he wanted to go over, like she did.

 “Not too sure. Anything, I guess. I’ve lived here for a while. I mean, pfft, I don’t keep track. How old are you?”

 “Thir…teen.” He stopped when she did.

 Spinel was gazing off, at clusters of crystals jutting from the roots breaching the soil. “Thirteen. Thiiiirteeen? You sure you’re not, five or somethin’?”

 “Nope. Pretty sure. Thirteen birthdays. Thirteen birthday cakes. Thir— er, are you okay?”

 “Nothing! It’s nothing!” She cackled, holding her side. “What’s a decade to me? Nothin’, that’s what. I’ve stood around waiting longer. No biggie. Hurry those legs!” She swiped a tear from her eye and resumed, down an incline. Steven was eager to catch up. A downward slope, at last!

 __

 “She won’t… hurt him. She can’t!” Pearl insisted. She leaned on a tree, eyes downcast and shoulders shaking.

 Garnet struggled and sought, but couldn’t focus on browsing through the scenarios and keeping the team together. Even Amethyst for the most part was quiet, and her light jests came dry, void of mirth. To top it all off, the sun was descending beyond the distant mountains. The hamburger backpack she carried, as it should be, sat nestled against her back.

 A purplish owl descended from the canopy, as it careened for the floor, the shape flashed and suddenly Amethyst was coming in for a landing.

 “Jerk jock hawk!” she screamed, skyward.

 “No luck?” Pearl presumed. She gripped Amethyst by the shoulder’s and looked her in the face. “Anything? Please tell me you saw something!”

 “Naw. Got halfway to the temple, and nada.”

 “Is it wise to try and head her off at the temple?” Pearl directed to Garnet. “She’ll reason that’s the first place we would look. That’s what she does!”

 “Precisely.” Garnet stepped by the others, encouraging them to continue. “He’s bait. The temple is the trap.” She dithered, while squeezing through a tight knit of bent trunks. “We will stay vigilant and cautious. Though she can’t preset traps, she seems firmly established in this area.”

 “Like she stands a chance against all of us?” Amethyst tucked her hands behind her head and followed. Garnet gave her a stoic stare.

 “Last I checked, we were caught by surprise. Let’s not have that repeated.”

 “Still, she ran away,” Amethyst insisted. “That’s what she does.”

 “We don’t want her to run away, again!” Pearl harped. “Why now? Why suddenly reappear? I was certain the warp…” she trailed off. It was too awful to think, too awful to speculate. One time, Spinel was their friend. But when Rose… they all took it hard, but Spinel was impossible. Inconsolable. They needed to find the two and fast. Rose had warned her, made her promise to keep Spinel away from Steven at all costs.

 “Even if it means bubbling her,” Rose spoke, calm and refined. “Someday, we can try releasing her. But she’s too wild and unpredictable. And if I’m honest, I’m frightened of what she could do. She’s not the Spinel I used to adore.”

 What she could do was take outdated gem tech, risk blowing them all up, Steven included, and drag the child off into the forest where, who knows what lurked.

 Pearl hastened after the others, the three charging through the undergrowth pursuing the general direction of the destination. She dreaded what danger Steven could be in, and what his chances for survival would be. Time was running against them, escaping like it always did.

 __

 “Are all gems stretchy? I’ve seen Garnet stretch, but not like you. You’re like, a melty twizzler.” Steven yawned.

 “I’m unique.” Spinel set Steven down on the other side of a massive cluster of crystal, and recalled her arm. The shimmering light of her gem gave distinction to their surroundings, while turning everything a crimson-rose hue. It made Spinel’s face eerie, but Steven liked seeing where his feet were going better. Still, he stumbled periodically on uneven lumps that looked like harmless shadows.

 Throughout the trek, he came up with a variety of questions to quench his curiosity. Most revolved around why he never saw or heard of her, which topics the Spinel danced around effortlessly. Time and again, Steven edged towards her history with the other Crystal Gems. But same as her reason for being in the forest, she skittered aside. A few inquiries about herself the would humor, such as the flashes she utilized to blind the gems – and himself. She was much the same as the other gems, but that was the most of the information she would offer.

 “Why won’t you tell me why you and the others were fighting?”

 “That’s confidential. And I told you, we have our… differences.”

 “That’s no reason,” Steven countered. He had his hands jammed in his pockets and his arms pressed to his sides. There was a coat in his backpack. Alas. “There has to be a reason.”

 “Nah-uh. They don’t like me, and that’s the facts.” She looked very creepy when she cast a grin back, eyes wily and swirly. How did she do that? More importantly, why? “That’s all there is. Leave it alone.”

 Dissatisfied but unwilling to pursue the topic further, Steven did as asked, “How much further to the temple?” Simultaneously, losing his footing and stumbling over a shallow pit. “Ow.” He stopped momentarily to knock a few stones out of his flipflops.

 “Another two miles, I think.” Spinel came to a halt and cast her gaze to the canopy. “We would’ve been there forever ago if we’d taken the treetops. Heh. Old game.”

 “WHAT? We we’ve been walking for years.”

 “Don’t be so dramatic, you pitiful lil grub, it’s only been five.” She paused. “Years.”

 “Are you really taking me to the temple, or are we going in circles? Be honest!” Steven was bruised, sore, and hungry. He wanted a snack more than finding the temple, or reuniting with the Crystal Gems. And if he looked deep in himself, he knew he was scared too. But he didn’t want to acknowledge that. To believe he was frightened, would mean he was in real danger.

 “We’re going to the temple,” the gem rasped. “If I really wanted, I could just leave you here and go on by myself. Why should I bother leading you astray? You do it so slowly, anyway.”

 Steven inched back, entertaining the idea that he might’ve been better off on his own. “If you left me, I might just be able to find my way to the temple all on my own. I am a pretty capable person.”

 Spinel blinked slowly, looking bored. “No. You couldn’t. You’re hopeless on your own. More so, when you got your other friends with you,” she sneered, none too kindly. “Four minds, and nothing between them.”

 “Oh yeah!” He barked. “I got you now, which means we’re both hopeless!” He jarred, realizing – by the shot expression the gem wore – that was an insult. He clasped his hands over his mouth and retreated a step, losing his footing all at once and tumbled to his butt.

 Spinel broke down with laughter. “Whew! You got me there. No argument!” The chuckles faded as she observed Steven, gawking at her like he was ready for the grave. “You look a tad trail weary, pardner.” Steven scooted backwards when she approached. She held out her hand. “C’mon. You’re eager to get back with… them.”

 Hesitant, Steven took the offered hand. He gave a yelp when Spinel hefted him off the ground completely and plopped him onto her back. He wrapped his arms around her neck, fully expecting her to shoot skyward like before.

 “No heights! No heights!”

 “Relax,” she sighed, exasperation apparent. “We’ll stay grounded. Or do you wanna walk. I’m just tired of all this waiting on you.”

 Steven loosened his hold by a margin and watched the grassy soil fly by. She was moving fast, and his legs – he couldn’t imagine taking one more step. “Okay. If you stay out of the tree, then that’s fine,” he mumbled. “Um, do you think the others will already be there?”

 Spinel laughed. “Not likely. This place is… pretty not safe. Er, I’ve been here a while, so I would know that.”

 Steven frowned. He didn’t like the sound of that lie. “Did… you set boobytraps?”

 “Ooh, I wish. Honest to stars, I did not expect company.” She cackled, while skidding down a grassy slope. “I have bigger things in the works, and I don’t need the setbacks. I admit, prying you out of Garnet’s gauntlets was not my brightest scheme, but how else was I going to get to see you.” Spinel grumbled something under her breath, which he didn’t catch.

 “You did this… ‘coz you wanted to see me?”

 “Doi. They went on the immediate evacuate of lil Stev-o, right? And fighting! Always solving problems with the fighting!” Spinel was back to hiking uphill, weaving around trees and splintered chalcedony.

 “You did attack them… first,” he was hesitant, to say. But he needed to say it.

 Spinel stopped atop a fallen log and laughed. “I merely announced my presence. With flair!”

 “Okay.” In the distance, through the towering tree tops, Steven spied something glittering under the night sky. A sort of building or structure, but it looked embedded with tree limbs. They must really be headed for the temple. That was a relief.

 “Gem powers,” she suddenly announced. Spinel cast off, pouncing between spikes of crystal and petrified timber. “You have them, then?”

 “Uh… not very well.”

 “A shield? Like your mom?”

 Steven was shook. This person, gem, he never met before, knew about his mother. And her shield. Not even Lars knew. “Yeah?”

 “Perfect,” grinned Spinel.

 “You knew my mom? Really?” He leaned his head a little more over Spinel’s shoulder, trying to see her face. She leaned away, like, stretched her neck. It was weird, but he’d seen Amethyst do weirder antics with her shapeshifting, and he was once a cat abomination thing.

 “Yup-yup. I was her bestest friend, after all. Very…” Spinel stalled, as she crept through a hallowed tree log. It was a blanket of black, aside from the haze of pink encircling the two, “close. For many years. We go, I guess… went, far back. Eh, that’s enough about Rose.”

 “But I wanna hear more about my mom. You knew her! Tell me more! C’mon, you kidnapped me and everything, I deserve to know more. Lot’s more.”

 “That’s a story for another day.” Spinel curved her arm over her shoulder and patted his head. “And I’m still irritated… about stuff. How ‘bout you? What did the others tell you, about great, flawless, Rose?”

 Steven cast his eyes down, hurt with a side of bitterness. The Crystal Gems gave him the same treatment, in regards to topics about his mom. Here and there, a little story, a piece of the puzzle he lacked in his life.

 “They don’t like to talk much about her, either,” he admitted. “Not my dad, though, he’s told me more. And, I don’t think he knew her as long.” He exhaled. He understood that they hurt, but he couldn’t help it. He wanted to know, he wanted to understand.

 “They’re still sad.” he continued, softly. “But there’s so much I want to know. The people that knew her best, the longest, don’t want to share her with me.” He braced himself for another of those sneering jabs he was becoming accustomed to, but Spinel retained silence. Her pace had slowed, too. They exited the dark hollow and moved up and steep incline.

 “Kiddo,” she uttered, at last. “Y’know, it wasn’t— you’re not— Oh! Would ya snag a view of that.” She inclined her head forward. “The temple. Piece of old gem junk. Be awed dazzled.”

 Steven was very nearly floored. The trees nearest to the structure, splint vertically and the mineral layers up the outer fortitude of the castle. Though clearly in a state of disrepair, or incomplete, the vague cylinder assembly was apparent. The forest was twisting inward, spiraling and jagged, to construct the layers of the temple, while some layers splint backwards. Steven was awed dazzled.

 “Are they here?” he demanded. “Can we go inside?” He tried climbing onto Spinel’s shoulders, but lost his footing. She didn’t let him fall.

 “Quiet, and listen,” she whispered, while holding a finger to her grin. “I’ll sneak in, stealthy like. And if we find your friends – and we will find them first, that’s a promise – I’ll let you go back to them. No holds, no bars. You can reunite, be all happy and sappy, and get the dickens out of my forest. Capiche?”

 “What does that mean?”

 “It means, ‘get out of my forest, or I’ll chuck ya into the nearest star.’ Fair trade?”

 Steven dangled by his arms. She let go of him so he could slip off her back, but he wasn’t ready to walk yet. His arms were getting tired though. “You promise? You’re not trying to trick me, are you? You’ll let us leave?”

 “I said so. Promise.” Spinel made a motion across her gem. “Cross my heart and hope to, eh, shatter.” She adjusted Steven on her back and began a methodical and cautious approach down the clear path, towards the towering edifice.

 Steven was uncertain if he could trust her unconditionally, but he had faith in his friends. They arrived at the temple, at least she was true to her word in some area. And if she did try anything, he could always impede her by… covering her eyes or pulling her pigtails. He could do something. He was more capable than what she gave him credit for.

 The task of bubble wrangler was best left to Garnet, who made the accurate and nice predictions of where it was best to leave which bubbles. Though it didn’t really matter, the bubbles would go nowhere, and absolutely no event would incur to disturb the slumbering denizens within the Burning Room. As such, no other gem was permitted access, unless for a prespecified reason.

 A thin line oozed from the ceiling and dropped, forming a zigzagging shape on the ground. The flattened figure reformed into a three-dimensional silhouette, and crept up on Garnet, rising taller and gaining more distinction the closer it neared the stoic gem. Meanwhile, the aforementioned gem examined two bubbles set very close together.

 Sensing a presence, Garnet rotated. Nothing and no one was there. Quickly, she performed a tight rotation, scanning the area, scrutinizing nooks and crannies, and shadows adjoining her vicinity. Aside from her and the bubbled gems, nothing stood out. She spun back—

 “Surprise!” Spinel bounced onto her hands, boots clapping. “Admit it! You were surprised. C’mon, say it!”

 Garnet was unmoved. “No.” She stepped by Spinel and resumed the task, shapeshifting her arm to claim another sphere up high.

 “Objection. You can’t deny, I caught you fair and square.” Spinel righted herself. And, sprang up among the cords curving through the ceiling.

 “I don’t deny my feelings,” Garnet responded. “I merely conceal them very well. Nonetheless, you did not surprise me. It’s become an expectation.”

 “Had to think on your own, didja? ‘Who could possibly intrude while I’m very busy? Who would dare.’” Spinel hung from her legs, boots wrapped about the tube she descended from. “I still got it in me.” She used her knuckles to polish the surface of her gem, like the way she saw done in the movies.

 “I am very busy,” Garnet replied. “And I need concentration. I thought you and Rose were going to explore the east coast of the green continent.”

 Spinel lounged across a bent tube. “Shirked duties for Greg. Probably doing more of that … eugh, kissy thing.” She puckered her lips and did smooching sounds.

 “And taking the Gem Sleuth to the inverted whirlpools with Amethyst?”

 Spinel lay on her stomach, arms uncoiled. “Off with Vidalia and the Sour One.”

 “Pearl?” Garnet set a Rose Quartz bubble aloft, among other similarly shaped stones.

 “Still hasn’t reformed.” Spinel slipped off a large tube and landed beside the fire pit. Arms outstretched, she balanced and walked around the edge. “Also, couldn’t get the permanent marker off.”

 “Spinel….”

 “It’s her own fault for taking so long!”

 “It takes you time to reform, as well.” Garnet examined the contents of a bubble, not looking the way the other gem paced.

 “Yeh… but that’s a condition.” She gestured her hands. “She’s indecisive, ‘should I do this dress. Or a new ribbon? Does this lace make me look know-it-all enough?’” She snickered.

 “Have you asked a human what works best to remove permanent marker?”

 “I think it’s an improvement.”

 The Saphire in her was curious to how long it would take before Pearl noticed. That is, if everyone could keep a straight face.

 “Oh-oh! Almost forgot.” Spinel bounced over to Garnet. “I have the best joke. You wanna hear it?”

 “Not now.” Garnet didn’t try to hide the sigh in her voice. She worked to tenderly pry bubbles down from among the ceiling’s winding cords, and make sense of the different colors through the tinted surface. “Some other time.”

 “It’s not long. Promise.” Spinel bounced in place, swinging her fists. “I start with rock-rock, and you go ‘who’s there’. Ready? Rock-rock.”

 Garnet redirected her cool focus to Spinel, disregarding the task at hand for the barest spell. Spinel made a shooing motion with her hands.

 “C’mon, rock-rock! Now say who…?”

 “Who is there?”

 “Garnet!”

 This does not compute. “I’m Garnet.”

 Spinel facepalmed. “Yeh. But when you say ‘who’s there?’ and I say ‘Garnet,’ you have to say ‘Garnet who?’ That’s the way the joke works. Lemme start again.” She cleared her throat. “Rock-rock.”

 “Who is there?”

 “Garnet!”

 Still not getting it, she inquired anyway, “Garnet… who?”

 Spinel posed, arms outstretched in her show gal stance. “G’Arenet you glad to see me?”

 The Garnet is unmoved. “…No.”

 Spinel unraveled. “Lika ya said, good at hiding the feels. That was hilarious.”

 “So share it with Amethyst. I’m very busy, as you’ve made a point.” Garnet resumed sifting through the suspended bubbles, dispersing the clusters and preparing to relocate the accumulated spheres brought low. For a while it was tranquil, and Spinel was placid in watching her work.

 Until the spindly gem sprang up among the pipes and snared one of the bubbles. She perched, holding the lilac sphere between her palms and turned it, concentration palpable.

 “Spinel,” Garnet warned, in her no-nonsense tone. “I have those organized already.”

 “You think they dream?”

 “I don’t think she or any of them are aware of anything. It’s stasis. For them, time stands still.” She continued sifting through the bubbles, disregarding Spinel’s interest.

 “But maybe they dream,” Spinel insisted. “About Home. About their friends. About… not ever coming here. Maybe they dream, life has resumed where they wanted it. They’re someplace they want to be, and nothing is broken. They’re not broken.”

 “The gems are whole and undamaged,” she reminded. “Perhaps someday, they will be recovered. And they will have that true life, wherever it may take them. If that means serving Home World, or, the freedom to go and be who they wish to be.” Garnet extended a hand, and set a gem among a collection of similar stones. “You’ve been sent off before.”

 “Yeah. But never bubbled this long. Some have been here.” She rolled backwards, flopping to recline on the curve of the pipe. The sphere she kept above, while she continued to turn it over. “Ages. Sometimes, I wonder how long they’ll have to stay.”

 “Not all the gems corrupted must be contained. You know this. There are gems that exist out there, that need no care or attention. But for those that become hostile and roam, endanger the humans or other passive gems, this is the safest solution. We don’t want others to pay for our failings.”

 “Yeh,” Spinel mumbled. “Keep everyone separate and protected. Heh. S’nice not being able to tell friend from enemy. Frenemy.” The term amused her into giggles.

 “As the way it should be,” Garnet supplied. “We didn’t want the war. We simply wanted to exist as we are, and to be left alone. We did everything we could.” She let a bubble alit among a collection of similar stones. A family, all together.

 “Do you ever dream?” Spinel left the bubble suspended and bounded among the bent piping across the ceiling.

 “Gems don’t sleep.” Came the matter-o-fact response.

 “When you’re unfused.” Spinel hung by her arms, legs crossed in front of her middle. “Do you dream, when Ruby and Saphire separate?”

 Garnet did halt her work and inclined her head enough to peer at the Spinel, eyes fixed with curiosity, but likewise concerned. “When Ruby and Saphire do separate,” though nonexistent in these days, “I cease to be.” She plucked a bubble from above and relocated it to the far side of the room. Spinel followed, loping through the winding architect above. “I know of nothing in that time, during that time. It can be defined as a form of stasis, I suppose, though I am neither here nor anywhere. I am not the one or the other, and I can’t describe it as being divided.’

 “But,” Garnet went on. She accepted a bubble, which Spinel handed down. “When they reunite, I have the collected experiences that Ruby and Saphire undertook, and share in that knowledge. It’s not the same as sharing in the events, I guess, it is like learning a story from someone you trust. I was not there to take from the proceedings, yet I am aware that these events took place.”

 “Oh,” was all Spinel said. Garnet directed a finger, and Spinel scaled up a few feet to collect bubbles – two or three at a time – and delivered them down. It was evident by Spinel’s eyes – not so much the silence that followed – that she gave this direction a great deal of thought. Such topics made Spinel contemplative, if not wary, and Garnet could always measure the cagey strategist that gave guidance during the war.

 After some work, Garnet broke the meditative hush, “The offer is still open. But, don’t feel forced to try something you’re not ready for.” Spinel tugged a bubble close to her chest and crouched, staring down on her. “I understand your sentiments, and respect your reluctance. But I am always open to sharing insight with you. Never forget that.”

 “No. Uh… thank you. I remember.” She descended and handed off the bubble, much to Garnet’s relief. For a moment, the fusion thought she might accidentally pop it.

 “Sometimes, I miss them,” Spinel admitted. She plopped to the floor, and assisted in collecting a few of the spheres hovering low. “But when they splint, I find myself missing Garnet too. When you exist, they cease to be. It’s hard to be without someone you appreciate, y’know? Pfft, I know they’re not really gone, but you are not them. And they, them, she and she, are not you. If that makes sense.” She rocked back on her heels, balanced perfectly.

 Garnet nodded. She led the way, to the exact point where she wanted these bubbles. Spinel handed a few to her, and she placed them securely among the coiled cords above, safe and shielded. “This paradox of not existing. This fixation has bothered you, since the song.”

 “Am I that transparent?”

 “Not at all.” Garnet moved to the other side of the wall. “I trust each of you to come forward at your own pace, when you’re ready to talk. Your privacy is important to me, as it is to you. That said, I would appreciate if you knocked first.”

 Spinel let her arms hang and rolled her eyes. “But then you’d be expecting. And the whole surprise would get ruined.”

 Garnet set a hand on Spinel’s head and ruffled her pigtails. “I would still act surprised. More so, than when you invade this room. Try it some time.”

 “Kay.” Spinel sauntered aside, arms coiling over into springs. “I guess I’ll… catch ya later. I might head up North, or somethin’. If anyone asks….”

 “When I’m done here,” Garnet began, halting the gem. “I was going to check on the Winding Glacial Plains. Would you mind accompanying me?”

 “Would I?” Spinel gushed. “No. Yes. I’ll go with. Er, no gem monsters? Right?”

 “Pure scouting,” Garnet assured. She already resumed adjusting spheres, diffusing a few rowdy clusters. “A bit dull, but the auroras are stunning.”

 “Then it’s a date,” Spinel hummed, through a crooked grin. “Come by my place, where you’re up to it.” She bounded out of the chamber, leaving Garnet to conclude the finer details of her work.