Heart and Mind - Mister_Rat (2024)

Chapter 1: Prelude

Chapter Text

This tale is a work of fiction.

Any similarities between characters and events to people in the living world are purely coincidental.

None of the players here belong to each other’s world

Nor did fate ever intend for them to meet

Yet they meet regardless, bound by events unforeseeable to all parties.

Distortion has clouded history, the future lies in uncertainty

And identity itself hangs in the balance.

XXX

Music like ballroom only mechanic and dull.

Walls full of geometric designs depicting towering stately figures.

High-rise ceilings complete with dazzling intricate chandeliers and skylights revealing the starry night sky.

Scores of technicolor people, fashioned with appearances that reeked of high class and power, haughtiness and privilege.

Perfectly inorganic, perfectly in place, perfectly in order.

Time to fix that.

Like thunder on a silent night, an explosion went off in the far back, rocking the room and causing many fixtures to tremble and either rattle or even fall and shatter in turn. Every patron broke into panic instantly, some dashing for the exit on the other end of the room while others froze in place out of confusion, fear, or even outrage.

High above all this bedlam, a lone figure in black and a fanciful white mask crouched atop a support beam, coolly surveying the scene below.

Heh-heh, worked like a charm, chirped a high-pitched voice from the small device in his ear.

I still can’t believe they fell for it, followed a deeper yet more mellow voice, their tone full of surprise.

I can’t believe they actually left the thing in the open like that, a husky-sounding female voice murmured.

That’s a superiority complex for ya, another female voice, younger sounding and nerdy, commented. Alright, Joker, you know what to do!

The dark-haired intruder nodded with a visible smirk before leaping off towards a nearby chandelier, making sure to stand on the edge where all could see him.

He didn’t have to wait long.

“Up there!” shouted a short yet stocky red feminine being with a squarish afro and dressed in formal wear, her raspy voice somehow audible over the din of the guests’ bedlam.

Flawless timing.

With a confident grin, Joker jumped off from the chandelier and onto the next and then the next, playing a game of chase with the pursuing rainbow personnel below in a manner that felt like old times. He only hoped no capture by the authorities would follow this time around. Otherwise, the gang better be ready to cook up another complicated escape plan.

Fortunately, he managed to reach the final chandelier no problem and easily vaulted himself through the adjacent glass window, sending shards flying as he soared into the starlit night. Tucking into a roll midair, he scored a perfect landing on the roof where a gorgeous view of the luminous cityscape awaited him.

As did a massive swarm of masked security guards, batons at the ready. God damnit.

Ah well, at least these guys he could use lethal force on. He needed the practice anyway.

sh*t, griped a male voice rougher than the one from before, they’re really going all-out, ain’t they?!

Joker, I still need time to break through! Keep these creeps busy until the others catch up, OK?

Sounded simple enough.

With a silent nod, the young man in black pulled out his dagger and pointed it straight at the horde. Behind him, his pursuers had caught up. The moment they paused a few feet away from him, they started to twitch and then convulse before becoming engulfed in red and black liquid. Once the liquid subsided, in their places stood four hulking beings decked in armor, two red and the others blue.

Joker tossed a challenging smirk over his shoulder at the newcomers. Good, he’d been worried this would be easy.

Blue flames lit around him as his white mask lit up the same way, dissipating to join the swirling inferno.

He raised a hand at the ready.

It was showtime.

“MARDUK!”

Chapter 2: Here Comes A Thought

Chapter Text

Books. Books as far as the eye could see.

Though she could not make out their titles from where she stood in the dim cavernous library, their thickness hinted enough at their reading level. She knew in her gut however that something more important lay hidden here, even if she could not fathom what.

Slow and cautious, she stepped further into the library’s depths, footsteps echoing. As a matter of fact, she found the echoes disturbing. Same with the silence.

Seriously, she could not be the only person here, right? Where was everybody?

Another oddity caught her attention when she turned the corner around a particular shelf out of a whim and happened to glance the shelves. The titles on the books’ spines were missing letters – no, she realized upon closer inspection, the titles themselves were disappearing letter by letter, each one slowly losing opacity over time.

Kor a

Un ed St es

J pa

Afg a is an

Ind a

So h Afr ca

Br z l

G rm ny

V et am

E gl nd

H mew r d

And what did any of this mean?

As if on cue, a white glimmer of light flashed in her peripheral, drawing her attention to the very end of the library aisle in which she stood.

There in the far distance, before a colorful stain-glass window depicting a tall white castle and sticking out of a large dark stone atop a circular carpet of red felt, stood a gleaming sword, its guard and pommel etched with intricate designs too distant from here to make out.

For reasons beyond her, she found herself gravitating towards the weapon, transfixed. Somehow in the space of a few moments, her feet had traversed the lengthy hallway of nameless books all the way to her destination. Then there she stood before the sword, its heavenly glow reflecting in her eyes.

Her hand, slow yet wanting, reached for the hilt.

Unworthy.

She jerked her hand back in shock and alarm, startled by the deep yet smooth (and oddly metallic) voice that seemed to reverberate from nowhere yet everywhere at once. Whoever had just spoken to her, their tone carried undeniable authority yet at the same time clear derision as well, like a king sneering down at an impudent peasant.

The girl stood her ground, daring the source to show themselves.

Though such did not happen, she did receive a reaction for her troubles.

Lowly at first, a rumbling start to sound around the library…then louder and louder until it had become harsh enough to make the girl cover her ears. What’s more, the rumbling started to affect the ground like an earthquake, rendering the effort to stand a struggle while causing the towering shelves start to tremble, their books spilling out one by one.

And every book that reached the ground shattered like glass, the sounds almost inaudible in the cacophony.

Once more, the disembodied spoke…only this time with fathoms more disgust.

Thou art unworthy.

But why though? And unworthy of what: to wield the blade, or for something much grander?

Before the girl could demand an explanation, the floor gave away beneath her, giving way to black.

As she fell deep into the soundless void, the last sight her eyes caught would be the sword, now free of the stone and glowing in the void like an apathic star.

All. Unworthy.

XXX

“THOU ART UNWORTHY!”

Connie jerked awake with a yelp, eyes flying open from shock, the left side of her head feeling faintly numb from resting on her up until now folded arms.

“Whoa, you OK there?”

The young woman shot her head to the right, where the concerned voice came from, and discovered her friend Danny looking back with a perplexed expression.

“Sorry!” another voice called out. Connie shifted her view forward to discover her other friend Patricia tapping a pointer finger against the face of her cellphone, lowering the volume on a video. The Indian girl barely registered what sounded like combat and hardcore rock music emanating from the device. “I really wanted to see the next Death Battle and since we’ve gotten a lull in studying, I figured why not?”

Looking around, Connie realized she and her friends had been sitting around one of the desks in their school library. How appropriate.

Still, the fact she actually nodded off in the middle of studying elicited a blush on Connie’s cheeks. Thank goodness her parents weren’t around to lecture her about this.

Danny rolled his eyes with a smirk. “Well, lucky for you the librarian on duty doesn’t seem to mind.” Thumbing over his shoulder, he drew the girls’ attention to the lanky man sleeping behind the desk near the library entrance, head in his arms not unlike Connie had been.

Patricia pulled back her long sleeve to check her watch. “Well, it’s about time we wrap this session up anyway. My parents are expecting me home soon.”

“Ditto,” Danny seconded as he stood up and gathered his belongings into his backpack. Then with a huff after zipping the bag closed, he hoisted it onto his back in an exaggerated fashion. “Oof, can’t wait for these stupid tests to be done already! These spring classes are killing me!”

“Oh c’mon, it hasn’t been all that bad,” Patricia assured in an amused tone as she too stood up, “the anthropology class has been pretty cool!”

“Only because you got stuck with a cool teacher. I happened to get the ex-military instructor for world history.”

Despite her lingering daze, Connie managed a genuine smile. “Pretty sure Mr. Martinez is just really strict.”

Once again, Danny rolled his eyes, though this time with a dramatic groan. “And so once again I stand alone upon my convictions. Will my trials of lone suffering ever cease?”

“Ah, come off it with the exaggerations already, Othello,” Patricia huffed as she lightly bopped her friend upside the head, “worry about passing your tests and then you’ll have most of March to laze around. Be thankful our high school’s one of the few that observes a two-week spring break!”

As her two friends continued to joke back and forth, Connie proceeded to gather her own belongings into her backpack. As she did, however, her mind could not help but usher back to that strange dream. Not that it wouldn’t have been her first one ever yet something about it in particular had struck her as significant, as if hinting towards something.

Something serious.

Connie shook her head immediately at the thought. For all the craziness she had faced in the past, a mere dream should pale in comparison. Besides, given her current surroundings and how she could recall reading a fantasy novel last night, the thought of anything abnormal being behind it warranted no more than a chuckle.

‘Yeah, it’s all probably nothing,’ she assured herself before following her friends, intent to get home and relax in preparation for the last day of tests before vacation.

Miles away in Japan, a young man with messy raven hair wakes up from the same dream.

Chapter 3: First Impressions

Chapter Text

That familiar sensation of drifting in.

Coming down gently like a feather.

All senses slowly coalescing.

Until that all too familiar feel of a cot finally met his back.

…

Um, had his cot always been this soft?

Akira Kurusu jolted his eyes open with a light gasp.

His jail cell looked…different. No, not just different, it didn’t even look like a cell anymore.

And there’s definitely no way his cot ever felt this soft before.

In fact, as he sat up, the young man found himself laying on the middle one of five long blue lounge couches, their semi-circular shapes lending well to layout as they were all spaced out enough to nearly form a circle while providing just enough space in between for walking room.

The differences did not cease when he tilted his gaze up and panned his eyes around either for gone was the tight cramped prism of living space surrounded by stone, along with the circular room lined by identical cells.

Rather Akira found himself in a huge hotel lobby, its floor decked in a pattern of checkered blue and white tiles. Towering arched windows stood at attention along the right wall of the room, rimmed with gold, their sides draped by elegantly tied and silky-looking curtains of deepest sapphire, left drawn open to reveal a cloudy and starry nighttime sky, a huge sterling-white moon hanging above as the celestial centerpiece. A high flat ceiling painted (surprise, surprise) a deep blue tiled by gold reams, supported by hexagonal-prismatic pillars that shimmered in the ethereal light streaming from outside, the pillars scattered in a hexagonal formation around the room.

In short, damn. As much as Akira had come to appreciate the ‘rustic’ charm of his usual accommodations, he couldn’t deny the sheer swank of this place.

“Welcome, our dear Trickster,” suddenly spoke a calm yet eerie voice, “I trust you find these trimmings more to your liking?”

Right away, Akira turned to face the source and discovered three more details to the room: a small fancy black table standing on round curly legs, situated in the between-in space directly across from where the teen sat; two, a large curved chair behind said table sporting the same material and color as the couches, it’s top edge fanned out; and three, the balding, long-nosed, and sharply dressed old gentleman seated in that chair, staring back with wide unyielding eyes and an unsettling grin.

Akira didn’t bat a single lash as he took a more comfortable seating position. “Fits me well,” he supplied with a half-smile.

“As it should,” replied an airy feminine voice from behind. When Akira turned his head, he discovered a huge and black grand piano in the left corner beside an ornate door sided by white blooming roses set in tall intricately designed white vases. Before the piano stood a rather short, girl with long platinum hair and in a formal blue uniform carrying a comically huge book beneath her left arm, her quietly intense golden eyes unflinching in their stare. “Gone are your days as prisoner, your freedom yours alone to command, even at the risk of running ashore against future trials…”

The way the girl’s voice trailed off as she approached him at a steady pace, let alone how her eyes flickered downward for a moment. Akira draped his arm along the back of the couch. He had a feeling he’d best get comfortable for this visit.

“Long time, no see, Lavenza.”

As he hoped, the casual greeting scored a light smile and giggle from the much shorter girl. “Yes, it has been some time since your last visit.” Unfortunately, that downward gaze became realized soon after, her voice adopting a saddened tone. “If only the circ*mstances behind your return were as pleasant. It would seem another threat to humanity looms.”

Again? Akira had to hold back a tired sigh. What, did humanity whip up another false god bent on global enslavement?

Curiously, Lavenza pulled a pensive face as she put a finger to her chin. “Although, it may appear humanity does not stand alone in this upcoming crisis.”

Wait, what? Akira narrowed his eyes at the Velvet Room Attendant in confusion.

Another chuckle from Igor drew the attention of both visitor and assistant to him. The old master co*cked his head. “Quite the mystery you have on your hands. Not only a new calamity, but one that seeks to seize and uproot other worlds besides this one.”

Akira hummed in thought. Even considering the period of time Yaldaboath posed as him, Igor always seemed like someone who knew more than he let on. Something told Akira, though, he’d best not waste his breath hounding the man for answers about the nature of this threat.

Instead, the messy-haired teen co*cked his head and asked, “Other worlds?”

“Admittedly,” Igor continued, “even I am not wholly certain as to the meaning of this. What say you, esteemed guest? Are you prepared to start a new journey, one full of both familiar and unfamiliar trappings?”

Did thieves lurk in darkness? Akira smirked and nodded at such an obvious question.

A relived sigh left Lavenza who stepped around Akira’s couch to join her master’s side. “Your strength of resolve remains unmistakable, Trickster. Only you and the bonds you continue to forge can hope to avert this catastrophe.”

Oh right, Akira realized with a blush, the other Phantom Thieves. He didn’t exactly have the strongest case for a call to arms besides this out-of-body experience and that ominous dream from the other day.

Like a mind-reader, Igor waved an assuring hand. “Do not stress yourself over the means to explain the situation to your allies. Fate will hand you the necessary push soon enough. Perhaps even sooner than you expect.”

Before the young man could ask, a gentle melody of beeps echoed from above, reminiscent of the sound one might hear before a school announcement.

“Ah, it would seem our appointment draws to close,” Igor continued. “Best of luck to you, our dear guest.”

And with those final words echoing in his ears, Akira woke up.

XXX

The next day, somewhere on the eastern coast of the United States…

Ugh.

Yeah, that thought encapsulated this morning rather perfectly.

A young late teen with curly black hair returns the bedraggled look given by his reflection in the bedroom mirror, underscored only by the faint bags under his eyes.

Yesterday had not been kind to Steven Universe at all.

First, a petty fusion called Bluebird Azurite popped up to interrupt an entire morning class just to challenge Steven to yet another ‘battle to the death’. Next, the greenhouse winds up needing renovation and the agriculture class a temporary new location because Steven, due to a lack of sleep, accidentally animated a few vegetables into an army of rambunctious sapient vegetables. After that, Onion (who else?) somehow found his way into Peridot’s house and got a hold of a Replicator Wand she’d been working on and carried out a Take 2 of the same incident from years ago, only this time with Lapis’ art supplies, resulting in a complete and literally colorful mess.

To say the least, the poor boy had been ready for a centuries-long nap by the end.

And he just knew today would not only provide similar headaches but have an additional one on top: tourists.

Tourists, tourists, tourists.

Look, between his extroverted nature and his faith in people’s better nature, Steven would always be a people’s person. He’d gladly take any opportunity to get to know somebody new and even make new friends.

That said, even he had his limits. Tourists tended to be like the worst case of a box of chocolates, and if he remembered what Connie messaged him the other day, now would be the unofficial start of spring break. Steven was not looking forward to dealing with one too many run-ins with rude folks, not when he already felt lousy enough as is.

He finished washing up and returned to his upstairs loft to retrieve his cellphone and check his schedule. That’s when he noticed a recent message from his father, Greg.

GU: Morning, Schtu-Ball! Some family trouble cropped up on Shep’s end, so we had to postpone the road trip. If you ever wanna hang out today, I’ll be at the car wash.

At first, Steven smiled at the prospect of the chance to freely hang out with his dad…but then that smile plummeted alongside his spirits. After quitting his teaching job at Little Homeschool, the teen had found himself drifting about out of aimlessness which in turn fed into his feeling of uselessness.

Did he even deserve time to relax with his dad? With anybody for that matter?

With a forlorn sigh, Steven set the phone on his nightstand before going towards his closet to change clothes. Maybe if he got into town early enough, he could ask Peridot if he could borrow some seeds for his greenhouse. That incident from Cactus Steven had dissuaded him from gardening for some time, leaving a good chunk of the plants either wilted or dead last he checked, causing him no small amount of guilt (and frustration that nobody bothered tending to them in his absence).

After the near disaster at the skating rink the other day, the hybrid had found himself slowly drifting back to his plants. He made a point to bring thick gloves this time, though, having learned from last time…er, the last few times. Sadly, catching up on watering could only do so much to salvage the aftereffects of his neglect.

In short, he had to start over from scratch. Oh well, at least fixing this would give him something to do (for the time being at least).

Once he’d gotten changed and gathered his messenger bag full of essentials, Steven promptly trekked to the Warp Pad at the back of the house and activated it to take him to the corresponding Pad in Little Homeworld.

In no time flat, he materialized at the edge of town on the gold-lined podium bearing the star logo designating the Crystal Gems and, without missing a beat, took off in the direction of Peridot’s greenhouse.

So far, so good, Steven mused as he took note of the sparse passersby. Hmm, not many Gems were out and about this time of day, odd. A special event perhaps? Either way, Steven knew better than to look such a rare opportunity for peace and quiet in the mouth.

Actually, this wasn’t so bad. Yeah, walking down the roads of the Gem settlement with so little activity felt unusual, but it came with a soft pace that Steven couldn’t remember having since a long time. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to slow down a little and take his…

BOOM!

…time. Darn it.

Steven slapped both hands to his face to stifle a groan. He swore if this was Bluebird trying to get his attention again…

“There you are!”

Oh, Peridot was getting his attention. Never mind, this he could live with.

Despite his internal relief, Steven frowned in worry at the rapidly approaching Gem and her flummoxed face. “Peridot, what happened? Is anyone hurt?”

The green rock skids to a stop and bends over to catch a breath. “Oh, that. Not to worry, one of the Quartzes at Pearl’s baseball class simply struck too hard and sent their designated projectile straight back instead of up. Unfortunately, it happened to leave a crater in the gardens nearby – we really need to consider repositioning the classes – and that’s going to take some time to fix.”

Steven winced. “Oof. Need any help? I’ve got some gardening experience under my belt.”

“Tempting offer, but I’ve got enough hands-on deck to assist with repairs.” She noted how the boy’s face went crestfallen and hastily added, “BUUUTT there is another matter you could help with! You might have noticed the distinct drop of Gem activity in this area.”

Kind of hard to miss, Steven mused as he gave a dry grin in turn.

“Well, most of the Gems residing here got curious when they found out new humans would be visiting Beach City around this time of year, so to keep them from swarming our visitors with an exodus, Pearl and Garnet set up a sort of buddy-system where the Gems more acclimated to living among humans can accompany their ‘juniors’ so to speak around here and Beach City.”

Peridot paused upon noticing the blank look Steven was giving her. “None of the others notified you of this yesterday…did they?”

The speed at which the boy’s face blanched affirmed a definite no. Steven tried hard not to flinch at Peridot’s disappointed sigh, despite knowing she didn’t intend it for him.

The green Gem, noticing his reaction, gave what she hoped to be an assuring smile. “That’s fine! After the sheer nonsense of yesterday, I suppose it simply slipped their minds. Anyway, there’s this human family visiting from out of town and the daughter is really interested in seeing Little Homeworld, first contact with aliens and all that. Considering my schedule had been originally free during this time, I had eagerly volunteered to serve as her tour guide…well at least until…”

At this point, Steven held up a hand. He could already see where Peridot was going with this, and quite frankly he couldn’t be happier. “Say no more. I’d be happy to take over for you! Anything to be of help!”

For a moment, there’s a flash of guilt in Peridot’s eyes before she masks it with a business-like clear of the throat. “Y-Yes, thank you, Steven! This way please.” With that the pair took off, Peridot leading the way. “Come to think of it, you might be a more apt choice. She seems about your age after all.”

His age? An initial spike of anxiety goes up Steven’s spine at the thought of hanging out with another peer, particularly a complete stranger. Already memories of his social blundering at the rink in front of Connie and her friends (her fully human friends) pelted his mind, causing the anxiety to worsen.

But then a thought occurred to him: this person likely didn’t have ties to anybody he knew. Yeah, tourists came and went and nothing Peridot had said suggested this girl would be any different. Steven could handle being someone’s guide for a day. Besides, it’d be nice to hang out with someone who had no preconceived notions of him...assuming they’d heard none of the talk and rumors about him. Hopefully.

Steven placed both hands into his pockets and shrugged. “That’s fine. I’m a little overdue to meet someone who doesn’t wanna cause me trouble anyway.”

“Well, that won’t be a problem then,” Peridot assured with a chuckle as she and Steven neared the prismatic building serving as Little Homeworld’s main office. “From all our interactions so far, she seems like a very pleasant and lively individual, not to mention a solid conversationalist. At the risk of sounding presumptuous, I think you two would hit it off rather well.”

Was that a fact? If so, Steven was starting to look forward to meeting this person. One detail occurred to him though. “You’ve mostly been mentioning only her so far. Is her family not coming with?”

A flash of realization came over Peridot. “Ah, right. It turns out her maternal unit knew someone in Beach City in her younger years, so she dropped by with the family to visit. Now all of them are seeing the sights together, but since this friend has no child her age, Ann figured she’d get some time to see the sights herself.”

Ah, so Ann was her name then. Well, if she wanted to see what Beach City and Little Homeworld had to offer, Steven would more than happily oblige. Best keep her away from the temple just to be safe, though.

At this point, the pair entered the building to discover the Nephrite serving as receptionist at the front desk chatting up with a teenage girl sporting blonde hair in twin pigtails, dressed in a sleeveless white shirt and short blue jeans as well as red sandals, a pink and red handbag hanging from her left shoulder. A pink cellphone could be seen in the girl’s hand, open to what appeared to be text messages.

When the taller verdant Gem noticed Steven and Peridot and cheerily waved hello in response, the girl turned her head.

“Hey Centi!” Steven greeted back before rubbing his nape in embarrassment as he regarded the visitor next. “Sorry if this feels last minute. Things can get a little hectic around here.” He only hoped the incident earlier didn’t spook her and her family too badly.

“Aw, it’s cool!” the girl assured him with a cheery smile as she put away her cell and then stuck her arm out for a handshake which Steven gladly accepted, “Ann Takamaki! Me and my parents came here on vacation, and I’ve been itching to see more of this place ever our driver here told us about the aliens living here!” Then she blinked and withdrew her hand to scratch the side of her head in a bashful manner. “Although…he never really called the people here aliens until after we got here. Just stuff like ‘super-out-of-towners’.”

Despite the goofy-sounding alias, Steven had to bite back a smile of relief. Good to know that their way of keeping the Gems’ true existence hush-hush from the human public had been effective thus far.

All the same, Steven chuckled in a half-joking manner. “Yeah, it’s a definite bomb to drop on somebody. I just hope your driver didn’t go too hard on you and your folks about keeping this place on the downlow. Ronaldo can be a bit…much.”

Ann waved off his concern. “It’s cool. I mean, living space rocks in their own cozy little town on the East Coast? Yeah, I wouldn’t exactly be jumping to expose that on the evening news either.” Especially considering the types of people willing to take advantage of such information. “Besides, everyone seems so happy and peaceful here. It’d be wrong to ruin all that.”

Right then something in Steven felt lighter, like part of a burden had lifted from his shoulders, and he smiled in turn. He could get to like this girl.

XXX

“So, your mom used to live here?”

Steven and Ann were currently seated at one of the tables inside Cone and Son, munching on strawberry crepes alongside some ice-cold sodas.

The blonde made a noncommittal hum at Steven’s question and paused after another bite of her food. “Well, not quite here-here, but close enough that she had friends she’d visit all the time. Both my parents are fashion designers, so their jobs tend to take them from place to place.” Ann’s smile started to wane as her eyes went downcast. “It also means I often don’t get to see them.”

Ouch. That hit a little close to home for Steven judging by his empathic wince.

Ann noticed and hastily added with a plastered smile, “But it’s fine! My family’s got plenty of caretakers who keep me company! Besides, I’ve got plenty of friends around the world I can call up anytime!” A pause went by as she sweat-dropped. “As long as I don’t wake ‘em up too late.”

Friends around the world? Steven perked a brow, curious, as he set one hand along the table and set the other beneath his chin. “Really? What places have you been to?”

Before Ann could answer, shouting drifted in from outside – and as he listened, Steven discovered it was coming from very familiar voices.

“All they were doing was moving supplies. I highly doubt they meant to hit you when they could barely see past the stuff in their arms.”

Connie? Steven stood up from his seat, surprised she’d come today.

Wait…a quick check of his phone confirmed, yes, she had indeed sent him a message saying she’d be coming today. Crap.

The next voice he heard did not help.

“Tch, typical. Nothing but excuses around here. How about the fools in charge of this place put more effort into teaching the rejects here how to do something right for once?”

Steven stiffened even more at the other voice, face going pale, before he bolted out of the diner and out onto the main road. He barely registered Ann following with a concerned expression.

Speaking of whom, the blonde did not take long to discover not far to the left a dark-skinned girl with short black hair having a stare-down with, hands akimbo, quite possibly the biggest woman Ann had ever seen. The red stripes marking orange skin and bulging muscles combined with the long leonine mane of white and odd splotches of green on said skin made for quite a striking and intimidating figure.

Ann had to give the other girl props for not backing down.

“How about you put more effort into being friendly whenever you come here?” the girl continued with crossed arms, “Steven didn’t spend his time trying to get you to open up just so you could push everyone around.”

The lion lady threw her head back in laughter, a booming raucous sound. “Please. Is that what he told you? Oh, that’s right, he’s got that precious image of his to keep up around you pebbles. Trust me, if you saw what’s he really capable of, you’d think twice before defending him.”

You could practically hear Connie roll her eyes. “Yeah, news flash: I don’t trust you. In fact, I find it a little bit sus that you just happened to change your mind about coming to Little Homeworld when I distinctly remember Steven going out of his way after we cured Corruption to spend time with you, only to either get yelled at or have stuff thrown at him. Any reason for the change of heart?”

Jasper merely sneered, revealing her gums for added effect as she leaned imperiously over the human girl. “That is none of your business, human. Now why don’t you—?”

“Then how about I make it my business?”

Both girl and space rock shifted their gazes to the young man marching their way, his eyes full of ‘already done with this crap’.

“Hmph, there you are,” Jasper griped as she crossed her arms in bored annoyance. “You shirked out on our training session yesterday.”

In other words, yet another arrangement Steven failed to fulfill. Another promise that he failed to keep.

He pinched his brow in dismay, sighing in guilt even while his annoyance remained visible. “Y-Yeah, I’m really sorry about that. I swear I was going to see you yesterday, but things got…insane.”

Jasper arched a skeptical brow. “I thought you said the other day you quit teaching at this dump.”

Connie shot a look of surprise at her friend. Since when did Steven quit Little Homeschool?

Steven blushed at being put on the spot, let alone in front of Connie. What’s worse, he swore he could feel the beginnings of his Pink Mode starting to kick in. With great willpower, he schooled a more authoritative face. “F-For…PERSONAL reasons! Anyway, if you are planning on hanging around here, can you please try to behave yourself?”

To his further dismay, Jasper rolled her eyes with a scoff. “Like I told your little accessory here, put more effort into teaching these Off-Colors how to do something right. Then maybe I’ll consider them worth my respect.”

OK, wow.

Yep, prime-A jackass material, Ann decided with an unamused glare as she crossed her arms. Time for a little humbling. “That’s pretty big talk for someone who doesn’t seem to spend her time in this town much. If you don’t like dealing with people here, you can always just ask someone to pass your message to Steven.”

Right away, the orange rock sneered down at the blonde. “As if anyone asked your opinion.”

“And nobody asked yours,” Ann coolly returned, “although that’s obviously not stopping you.”

Jasper scoffed haughtily. “Oh, what? Do you intend to stop me?”

Ann gave a smug and unbothered smile. “See, I don’t have to. You act all tough and scary, but even I can tell there’s nothing you can do to anybody here. After all, you wouldn’t want to give Steven a reason to stop hanging around you, right?”

Whatever response Jasper had been expecting, it clearly hadn’t been that. The orange rock gaped at the human, taken aback.

Steven and Connie likewise stared at Ann in shock, amazed at the girl’s gumption as well as her use of mental warfare.

For a moment, Jasper seemed keen on continuing this argument, but she thought better of it and waved off a dismissive hand. “Forget this. Next time, give a heads up when your busy schedule won’t allow it.”

Steven tried hard not to flinch at the snide emphasis as he and the girls watched the glamazon stalk off.

“Huh,” Connie marveled as she turned to Ann as soon as Jasper disappeared from view, “not bad.”

Ann merely shrugged. “Eh, she’s not the first bully I’ve had to deal with.” Hell, she wasn’t even the biggest the blonde ever faced. “Name’s Ann, by the way. Ann Takamaki” – she stuck out a hand for a handshake – “Steven’s been giving me a tour of the town, although we didn’t get to see much before…well, all that.”

“Connie Maheswaran,” the darker girl returned with a smile as she accepted the gesture, “and don’t sweat it. I’m surprised she even popped up at all.”

I’ll say, Steven mused as he cast his eyes downward in thought. Jasper used to avoid Little Homeworld like the plague, even with her daily training sessions with Steven, but now a week couldn’t go by without her being sighted either near or in the town.

At first, Steven had been ecstatic at this development, thinking the Quartz had finally come around to attending classes at Little Homeschool. Nope, said development only paved the way for more headaches as Jasper couldn’t walk around this place without causing a scene, an occurrence Steven was often called upon to break up. Fortunately, she didn’t come by every day, only when she needed to notify Steven of a change in their training schedule.

Which…seemed to be happening a lot more lately. Weird.

Just then, Steven remembered Connie standing right there, looking directly at him, and blanched. “I’m really sorry for missing your message,” he hastily cut in. “I-I swear I wasn’t trying to—”

Connie held up both her hands in an assuring manner. “Hey, it’s fine! I’m just happy to see you again! I know it hasn’t been that long since the rink, but since school’s out for the next two weeks, today seemed like the perfect chance!”

As hoped, her words inspired a relieved smile on Steven’s face.

However, it also brought up an awkward frown on Ann, who felt like a third wheel now. Call her nosy but she couldn’t help but detect a little more than friendship going on here judging by the looks on the pair’s faces. “If you guys need to catch up, I can head back to the center and ask someone else to show me around,” she spoke while rubbing her nape, “I don’t wanna take up your guys’ time.”

And like that, Steven’s mood plummeted once again as he swiveled back with a panicked expression to Ann, who in turn flinched, feeling like she might have put her foot in her mouth on this one.

Once again, here came Connie to the rescue. “I wouldn’t mind,” she assured before an argument could spring up. “Anybody who can stand their ground against Jasper is already cool in my book.”

Her words did the trick. Ann relaxed immediately (albeit with lingering trepidation) while Steven sighed but pulled off a semi-believable smile.

Guess I’ll have to do some social damage control, Connie decided as she ushered the others back into the ice cream shop. “Hey, c’mon! It’s spring break right now! We can’t spend it standing around looking all down, can we?”

Ann giggled at the other girl’s vigor and nodded in agreement. Couldn’t argue with such sound logic after all.

Steven, however, bit his lip in hesitation as he trailed behind the girls. In fact, when he looked up, Ann and Connie were already reaching the table from his and Ann’s previous chat, deep in conversation about something. Hadn’t known each other for a few minutes and already they were getting along well.

The sight alone nearly invoked a smile from him…until memories of his disastrous socializing at the skate rink came to mind.

He shook his head to wave them off right away. Befriending Ann had been a piece of cake, plus she and Connie were already getting along. If anything, he only had to worry about being his usual friendly self.

The thought brought up a more genuine smile. Yeah, yeah, he could totally handle this. No problem!

Emboldened, he took a step forward.

And then the world went white.

Chapter 4: Context Galore

Chapter Text

Garnet knew frustration.

When you have the power of precognition, what-ifs tended to be intimate friends.

Unwantedly intimate friends that enjoy leaving you grasping for answers.

Because right now Garnet felt plenty frustrated as she stood against the back wall of Steven’s bedroom, arms crossed. In the bed to her right lay Steven himself, comatose, not a single stir coming from the boy.

The fusion had been teaching a class when she had received an urgent call from Connie, pleading her to come get Steven at the ice cream shop. One super-flying leap had been enough to take her to the place in question, though once she’d gotten a good look at her boy’s condition, she bade Connie and her new companion to follow her since the shop wasn’t far from the temple.

Their walk here had given the youths ample time to settle down from the recent fright, a good thing since Garnet had preferred the girls be calm enough to explain.

“So…,” the maroon fusion spoke at last as she lifted her face to meet the eyes of the two girls standing before her, “he fell unconscious?”

Connie nodded with a concerned frown, eyes shifting to her fallen friend. “Yeah, one moment he was right behind us, perfectly fine; the next there’s this stumbling sound, then this groan of pain, and we notice him clutching his chest right before he falls flat on the floor.”

“We tried waking him up,” added the blonde girl standing next to Connie – Ann, as she’d introduced herself, “but nothing worked. Then there’s his eyes…”

On cue, Garnet turned and walked up to her boy. With a gentle hand, she took two fingers and pried one of Steven’s eyelids open. Instead of the usual warm black, his pupils had disappeared in favor of absolute white.

White. The fusion resisted the urge to scowl at the implications of this single word as she didn’t want to upset the girls any further than they already were. Besides, Garnet needed to save her patience for when Pearl and the others found out about this.

“Is this normal for him?” Ann asked in an anxious tone, inciting Garnet to look her way. “The guy who drove me and my parents to Beach City said something about Steven ‘standing in both worlds’. I just thought Ronaldo meant Steven’s used to Gems because he grew up around them. But when I asked Peridot about it afterward, she said flat-out that Steven’s both Gem and human. Is that true?”

Connie blinked at Ann in slight surprise. Did Steven not have a chance to tell her yet?

Ann noticed the other girl staring and blushed, rubbing the back of her head. “He never brought it up, and I-I thought it might have been a little invasive to ask him.”

Garnet regarded Ann for a few moments before giving an affirmative hum. The girl appeared harmless enough; no harm in telling her. “Steven’s existence is unique: the first and currently only Gem-human hybrid. Because of this, raising him has been…tricky for us. I can tell you this much – whatever happened today is not normal, even for him.”

Connie crossed her own arms, mirroring the fusion. “Any ideas what caused it?” Like Garnet, she had her suspicions as well – or rather one suspicion – but didn’t want to risk jumping to conclusions.

To her dismay, the fusion shook her head. “Not yet, but perhaps your mother can shed some light on the matter.” She gave Connie a brief smile. “Thanks for calling her by the way.”

Connie waved off the gratitude with a halfhearted smile. “I just thought it’d be smart to have our bases covered.” Steven’s physiology always had a funky way of operating after all. The Indian girl regarded Ann next. “Sorry we had to cut today short like this, by the way. We’ll have to hang out some other time.”

In haste, Ann shook her head. “Oh no, it’s totally cool! I mean, whatever’s happening with Steven isn’t, but you get I mean.” She perked when a sudden idea occurred to her. “Hey, would it be alright if we exchange numbers,” she continued while pulling out her cellphone from her shorts’ pocket, “that way you can let me know when he gets better?”

“Sure thing!” Connie easily agreed as she did the same.

A quick exchange of numbers and goodbyes later, Ann had left Steven’s house and was now trekking out on the warm sands of the beach en route back to town. She paused and looked over her shoulder at the massive, multi-armed stone temple in whose grasp Steven’s wooden adobe stood. Admiring the titan hadn’t been possible on the way here due to everyone prioritizing around Steven’s condition, but now Ann had time to admire the imposing yet beautiful statue, especially in the light of the early afternoon sun.

Only as she stared did it start to dawn on her how different of a life Steven led (and perhaps also Connie by proxy).

Before she could ponder further, a ring from the phone still in her hand rung, prompting her to check. An indication on her text messages?

Oh right, Ann realized before typing in her response.

AT: Hey, Futaba.

FS: FINALLY! Well, c’mon, don’t leave meh in suspense! Tell me about the space rocks!

Ann sighed in fond resignation. Yeah, she expected this after texting her nerdy friend earlier this morning after meeting Peridot and Nephrite. She’d figured if anyone would have gotten a kick out of hearing about real-life aliens, it would have been the team’s resident sci-fi enthusiast.

AT: Yeah, about that. I’m gonna need some help with something.

FS: Oh crap, don’t tell me one of them’s faking being good to pull off an invasion.

Ann needed a moment to blink at that statement. She sincerely hoped that wasn’t the case, although given how trouble loved to follow her and the others around, she had a bad feeling there might be something deeper to whatever happened to Steven. After all, his eyes had reminded her too much of Haru’s father’s during his mental shutdown. Minus the black blood of course, thank God.

That couldn’t be a coincidence.

AT: No clue. All I know is that something happened to this guy I just met. Something that apparently isn’t normal even for this place.

A few moments of inactivity in the messaging passed before Futaba’s next answer.

FS: Whoa, you’re not wrong! I’m listening to the recording my spy program took of your talk. It does NOT sound pretty!

Oh right, Ann had forgotten Futaba had surveillance tech. In fact, she’d forgotten to take her phone out during her time with Steven so Futaba could see through the camera. Given the techie wasn’t bringing it up, though, Ann could only assume she’d been preoccupied at the time. Most likely napping.

Ann made a mental note to have the younger girl meet Steven and Connie once the former recovered. That way, the blonde didn’t have to feel so icky having a fly on the wall.

In any case, Futaba needed a full update, as much as Ann didn’t look forward to telling her. With a grimace, she continued.

AT: It looked even worse, too. For a moment, I’d thought he’d had a psychotic breakdown.

No response at first. Until…

FS: Crap.

AT: Ditto. You don’t think this is Akechi again, do you?

FS: After everything that happened with Shido and Maruki, I seriously doubt it. Check into this ASAP, ask around about anything sus. I’ll let the others know.

Ann smiled despite knowing the younger girl couldn’t see.

AT: Thanks, Futaba.

FS: No prob. Alibaba signing out!

A put-out sigh escaped Ann as she put her phone back into her handbag. Ask around, right, she mused. Would be nice to know how I start off doing that.

As she cleared the beach at last and reached the boardwalk, she regarded the storefront. The human locals here were accustomed to Gems living nearby, so there had to be someone around here who could give some answers about any weird goings-on. And even if not, Ann could at least find evidence of anything suspicious.

But where to ask first?

Panning her eyes at the various shops, Ann eventually shrugged and decided to pick at random. In other words, she picked the place with the most out there look, the winner being the restaurant with a (no joke) giant fish and pizza sign. Once inside, she approached the counter where a dark-skinned girl with her curly hair in a high knot was cleaning the counter.

Right away, she lifted her head at the sound of the door opening and greeted Ann with a customer-ready smile. “Hi, welcome to Fish Stew Pizza! What will ya have?”

“Uh” – Ann took a cursory glance at the menu – I’ll have a small pepperoni pizza and a small lemonade? That’s pretty much it.”

“Quick and easy, huh? Alrighty then! We’ll be right back out with your order!”

After giving her thanks, Ann took a seat by one of the windows where she could scope out the other customers, see who she should ask first. Didn’t take her that long considering there weren’t that many people here at this time of day.

Ann noted a chubby guy with thick blonde curly locks and glasses in one corner, tapping away at a laptop. She recognized him as the guy who drove her and her parents here as well as the one who told them about the presence of Gems here. Best make a note to talk to him first.

The blonde then noticed out of her peripheral a slightly shorter pink figure who sat a few seats ahead of her, decked in ripped jeans and a black shirt with a skull on it. Seated around this person were a menagerie of Gems judging by the rocks in their bodies, including (Ann had to do a double take) a massive caterpillar being peering in from outside.

How the heck did I miss that on my way in?

Just then the pink figure happened to look up and notice Ann staring. The girl, blushing at getting caught, hastily shot her view to outside in an attempt to not come off as nosy. A noble effort but no dice.

“Hey.”

Ann jolted around in her seat to discover the person take the empty seat from across her table, their expression unreadable. “Uh, hi?” she asked in an awkward tone. “Can I help you?”

“You’re the girl that was with Steven earlier, right?”

The point-blank question took Ann off-guard completely, leaving her wary in turn. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Yeah…how do you know that?”

“The Rutile twins saw you two walking off with Garnet earlier,” the person explained with a cool shrug, thumbing over their shoulder.

Before Ann could ask which twins this person meant, their Gem posse moseyed on over with their own seats so that they sit down with their companion. The giant caterpillar merely shambled along outside until their face reached Ann’s table.

“We saw her carrying Steven too,” the left half of the conjoined red Gem to the person’s left explained before the right half finished with, “You all looked really worried.”

Ann blinked before eying the entire group, curious. “Are…you guys all friends of his?”

“Not as close friends as the captain here is,” answered the reddish Gem in a black and pink leotard on the person’s other side, “but yeah. We know Steven well enough. I’m Rhodonite by the way.”

Captain? Ann immediately thought of Ryuji and his Persona, although she doubted this person(?) held a similar occupation. Were they in the Gem military perhaps?

“We just go by Rutile,” the left red Gem stated, her right counterpart following up with, “it’s easier to refer to us both.”

“Fluorite,” the giant caterpillar kindly greeted in a slow ponderous pace.

The tiny orange Gem next to Rhodonite remained silent, smiling into space even as she faced forward. Ann could only furrow a brow at her in concern.

“Padparascha tends to space out due to her powers,” the pink person explained while casually gesturing a hand. “It’s normal for her. Anyway, name’s Lars – and yes, I am in fact a guy.”

Ann held back a smile. Of all the names, Lars? “I’m Ann,” she returned with a hand to her chest. “Are you a Gem too?”

Lars snorted in amusem*nt. “Nope. Flat out human.” He paused, thoughtful. “More or less anyway.” He waved off Ann’s curious stare. “Long story. Anyway, how’s Steven?”

Ah, right. Ann scratched her head in an unsure manner. “It’s a little too soon to say. I just got back from dropping him off at his house.” She narrowed her eyes for a moment as a thought occurred to her. The blonde shifted her gaze up to the others. “Hey, has there been anything weird going on with him lately?”

A moment of silence passed as Lars and his apparent crew exchanged significant looks.

“That depends,” Lars finally answered in a wary tone of his own, “what happened to him earlier?”

Figures that question would come up. “He fell for some reason,” Ann explained with a sympathetic frown. “When me and Connie picked him up, his eyes had rolled into the back of his head.”

Various expressions of shock and horror swept across Lars and his crew.

The captain, wishing to break the spell, cleared his throat. “Then…he didn’t glow pink at all?”

What? Ann had to blink at the question. “Uh, no? Wait, has that been happening to him a lot?”

Lars shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. He and I don’t hang out as much as we used to; plus, I’m often up in space with my crew nowadays.” His eyes shifted downward, heavy in thought. “That said, there was this one incident at graduation.”

Graduation? Oh, he must have been talking about Little Homeschool. Ann leaned forward on the table, all ears.

“It was the first one here ever since Little Homeworld got established, including for my crew here. Steven kept getting all up in people’s faces with this whole passive-aggressive bit, mine included.” Lars raised his head back up, face soft with concern. “Then all of a sudden, he trapped himself, us, and a good chunk of our peers in this big pink dome that started closing in on everybody.”

Then Steven does have powers of his own? Granted, Ann didn’t get a chance to see much in the away of super-abilities from any Gems in general yet (Ronaldo had been surprisingly vague on that part), but the thought did not surprise her in the least, especially considering her own non-Gem experiences.

“Turns out,” Lars continued in a somber tone, “he had no idea how so much here had changed without him knowing. The thought of everyone moving on without him really got to him. That’s how his powers went haywire.”

So, Steven lost control because he was afraid of his friends leaving him? A saddened expression came over Ann at this fact. Suddenly the way he’d been panicking earlier from missing Connie’s call seemed far more distressing.

Without warning, the orange Sapphire gasped and clasped her hands together in delight. “Friends, I have most wondrous news! Steven will soon recover from whatever befell him, albeit a bit dazed and confused.”

Hearing that revived Ann’s smile. “Really? That’s awesome!”

“Actually,” Rhodonite casually stated, “it means he’s already gotten back up.”

At the human girl’s confused stare, Fluorite gestured a hand to their seer friend. “Padparascha…only has visions…about things…that just…happened.”

Oh. Well, hey still awesome! Honestly, Ann was more surprised that Steven gotten back on his feet so fast.

Despite this news, though, Lars and crew (save for Pads) still wore anxious expressions.

“Guys,” Ann asked, “what’s wrong?”

Lars sighed. “It’s not that we’re not happy Steven’s OK, but the fact he’s better now doesn’t mean whatever happened to him can’t happen again. In fact, that’s why my team and I have been investigating into the incidents.”

These guys had been investigating too, huh? Ann furrowed her brow, the need for more information clear on her face.

“Ever since we came back to Earth,” Rhodonite explained with a spooked frown, “Padparascha’s been having visions about a few Gems blacking out –or whiting out?—only to come back…different.”

“Wait…,” Ann gasped in shock, “this has already been happening to Gems?!”

Both Rutile twins nodded. “We already told the Crystal Gems about this./But they made us swear not to tell any of the tourists.”

“They don’t want a panic to rise up,” Rhodonite continued before raising both hands up. “Not that I don’t see where they’re coming from, but sooner or later word’s gonna get out the more Gems this happens to.”

“Especially…if it starts…happening…to other humans…as well,” Fluorite added.

Ann could already see where this was going. She angled her head in a questioning manner. “Wait, how could that be?”

At this point, Lars sighed in reluctance and opened his mouth to speak—

“Allow me to explain.”

Only for the space captain to facepalm with a groan at the all too familiar voice.

Ann by contrast greeted the source with a friendly smile. “Oh, hey Ronaldo!”

The chubby male bowed to his fellow blonde. “Ms. Takamaki, a pleasure seeing you again! I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation and decided to offer my own expertise.”

Expertise? Did he actually have an idea about what was happening then? Ann straightened up in her seat, now at full attention. Lars, on the other hand, gave the taller male a very tired look, not stopping him but not encouraging him either.

“You see, I too have been hearing about the fainting spells happening to Gems around here,” the theorist elaborated before sitting down in his own borrowed seat. “I even happened to witness a few myself. However, there’s a certain extra detail about them that, hopefully, hasn’t happened to Steven.”

“And that would be…?” Ann asked.

“After the victims woke, their behavior would take a complete one-eighty. In terms of appearance and personality, they’d virtually remain the same but for some reason they started acting like they were back on Homeworld before Era 3 started!”

The place Little Homeschool was named after then…? Ann pressed her lips, not quite getting the point.

“Era 3’s what they’re calling this whole new phase of Gem history Steven started,” Lars explained with a flippant handwave. “Before that, Homeworld used to be this whole intergalactic empire that kept draining the life out of planets to make more Gems.”

Oh whoa, what? Ann could not help but gawk at hearing this. Hang on, were they saying Steven found a way to stop all that? Suddenly, Ann found her respect for the boy skyrocketing.

“Peridot never mentioned any of this to me,” she murmured in wonder. Or maybe the green Gem would have had she gotten a chance to give Ann a tour. Either way, she intended to get answers from the tech about her people’s history.

Come to think of it, Ann realized, Steven never mentioned any of this either.

The Rutile Twins shrugged. “She probably wanted to ease you into it./Not that we blame her.”

Ann set her face downcast with a pondering frown. “Was Homeworld…really that bad before Steven came along?”

“Bad enough that we Off-Colors had to hide to avoid getting shattered,” Rhodonite sighed, melancholy marking her face from having to remember less than pleasant memories. “That’s how we all met. I almost dissipated my form when a Quartz screamed at me to defuse the other day.”

“Or…when this one Pearl…,” Flourite added with a pitying expression, “flew into a panic…when told she no longer…had to serve…anyone.”

“A lot of those affected Gems had even started fights,” Rhodonite stated in a tremulous voice. “Fortunately, the Crystal Gems always come to dissipate their forms before they cause any serious damage.”

Ann tried to hold back a shiver at the imagery. “Where are all these Gems now?”

“My guess,” Lars supplied, “Garnet and the others are keeping them bubbled in the temple at Steven’s house ‘til they can figure out what’s going on.”

Ronaldo hummed and tapped his chin. “A valid effort though I doubt they’ll be able to solve this themselves.” He regarded everyone’s curious stares. “Especially if this is anything like the psychotic breakdowns from last year.”

Lars screwed his face in skeptic confusion. Psychotic what? Oh God, he sincerely hoped this wasn’t another one of his ex-best friend’s conspiracy theories.

“Wait, you know about those too?!” Ann blurted out in utter shock, though she paled in comparison to Lars who shot a gaze of disbelief at her. Wait, so Ronaldo wasn’t speaking nonsense? What exactly did Lars miss out in space?

A knowing chuckle left Ronaldo who readjusted his glasses with a gleam as he sat down in his own pilfered seat. “Oh, very much so. After all, you can’t know about the Phantom Thieves without knowing how they got their start– and I happen to know a great deal thanks to certain connections.”

Then without warning, Ronaldo pulled out cartoonish bobblehead versions of Joker, Skull, and Panther from his pants’ pocket. “That and I’m a massive fan.”

“Huh cool,” Ann noted with a nod, feeling oddly flattered. “So, how much do you know about them?”

Ronaldo crossed his arms with a huff. “Only that they change the hearts of criminals and scum otherwise untouchable to society – and that they do so with impeccable style! In fact, if you pay attention to international news, you might recall an incident last year in Shibuya, Tokyo, that involved incidents similar to what we’ll have been seeing. The Phantom Thieves were responsible for putting an end to that.”

The Rutiles raised their left hand like a student in class. “Quick question! When you say they change the hearts of criminals/what do you mean by that?”

“I’m glad you asked!” Ronaldo confidently boasted before clearing his throat. “Allow me to clarify. The Phantom Thieves don’t change literal hearts. What they do is essentially make the culprits confess their crimes.”

“What, by threatening them?” Lars asked in a tone more skeptical than disbelieving. Even if he could buy into all this Thief stuff, it still didn’t clarify one thing. “If these bad guys are so untouchable,” he continued, “then what’s to keep them from staying quiet once these Thieves leave them alone?”

Heck, for all anyone knew, those criminals could just as easily go back to being bad.

“Not merely threatening, my dear Lars,” Ronaldo snidely countered. “In fact, what they do is exactly why I bring them up in the first place. For you see, the Thieves possess a special ability that allows them to alter the minds of their targets, break their will to not only withhold regret but also stay mum about their crimes, so to speak.”

“W-Wait,” Rhodonite gulped with suddenly widened eyes full of fright, “are you saying they…brainwash them? L-Like White Diamond used to?”

Similar stricken expressions struck the other Gems at the comparison.

Already panicked whispers permeated Lars’ crew, the captain himself narrowing his eyes and appearing ready to tell off Ronaldo for spooking his team with such an obvious farce.

Ann would not let such a gross misconception about her team – her dearest friends – stand. With an incensed expression, she shot up from her seat, both hands slamming onto the table.

“It’s not like that!”

A moment of stunned silence passed before she registered everyone’s taken back expressions. Oh sh*t, now the spotlight was definitely on her.

She pulled back with a sheepish chuckle. “I mean…I didn’t know too much about how they change hearts myself up until now,” she hastily explained (i.e. fibbed) with a brief rub to her nape.

However, her composure and firmness returned as she continued. “But even if it is brainwashing, it’s for a good reason. There are too many rotten people out there who get away with screwing over the innocent. What’s worse, others often turn a blind eye and pretend nothing’s wrong. Hell, they even go so far as to treat those scumbags like heroes.”

Memories of Kamoshida and his atrocities came to mind, leaving a deeply foul taste in Ann’s mouth. Yet just as quickly, so too did memories of changing that slimeball’s heart and seeing him get what he deserved.

A confident smile lit up Ann’s face. “That’s why the Phantom Thieves exist: to give people hope.” She shook her head. “No, not just hope; they give them courage. So that they can find the strength to stand up for themselves and maybe even do the same for others too.”

By the end of her speech, her entire audience had been left awestruck.

Lars and his entire crew stared with widened eyes, utterly blown away by the girl’s words. Even Padparascha was gaping, hands to her chest. Ronaldo meanwhile was wiping away a tear; clearly, Ann’s brief speech had moved him deeply.

Ann herself, once she’d come off her motivational high, noticed and blushed even more this time, rubbing the back of her head once again at how into it she’d gotten. “Uh…that’s how I figure it anyway.”

“That was…/Wow,” the Rutile twins uttered at last, completely impressed.

All of the other Gems murmured similar sentiments while Lars shifted his eyes downward in thought.

“What these Phantom Thieves do…are they…really the only ones who can help Steven?” He looked up at Ann. “Would it even work, what with him being part Gem and all?”

For a hot second, a nugget of doubt nagged at the back of Ann’s mind. Would she and the Thieves be able to help Steven despite his hybrid nature? What about the Gems themselves that had also fallen victim?

After another moment of silence, she dispelled these questions away with an assuring smile. “Fight fire with fire, right? Besides, even if we – er, they don’t know anything about Gems, you guys are still people. I don’t see how changing hearts wouldn’t work on you too.”

Especially if these incidents are proof of Futaba’s invasion theory. Wait, does it count as a theory if she only mentioned it once? Either way…

“Wait,” Rhodonite spoke up as her four eyes expanded in realization, “how do these Thieves even know who to help and where? Wouldn’t there be some way for people in need to contact them?”

Oh right, that tidbit. Ann put a hand to her head, knowing she’d need to explain it without giving too much away. “W-Well, they have this website where you can log complaints about anyone unjust, especially if you’re a victim.” She paused. “Uh, you guys know what a website is, right?”

The Rutile twins perked. “Yeah, we use a similar concept on Homeworld/although it’s nowhere near as varied in use.”

Rhodonite furrowed her brow, feeling her question remained unanswered. “OK, but then how do these complaints even help the Thieves narrow down their targets? Is there like a specific set of rules of something?”

This part Ann felt safe enough to explain. “Not a whole lot. Basically, you just have to give the first and last names of the person causing trouble, and the Thieves do the rest.”

Lars and his crew all fixed the blonde with a skeptical gaze. Clearly there was more to this shady group’s modus operandi than that.

“It may all sound simple,” Ronaldo butted in, “but remember, the Phantom Thieves have powers tied to the mental plane, similar to Steven. How else would their major targets wind up with changed hearts after receiving just a calling card?”

Similar to Steven? Did that mean he could enter the Metaverse without an app? Ann shook her head. It wouldn’t do to get lost in speculation.

Just then, Padparascha let off a happy gasp, clapping her hands. “Oh my! I predict that Ronaldo will reveal that the Phantom Thieves operate like the Gentleman Thief, Arsène Lupin!”

Ann reared her head back in surprise, not prepared to hear the original name of her leader’s Persona, never mind in this context.

Lars rolled his eyes, though fondly. “I took her and the others to a bookstore the day before their graduation to congratulate them. She’s been hooked on the fancy thief stuff ever since. Anyway, someone just has to send these Thieves a text about Steven so they can send him a calling card, right? Is that only like for show or is there more to it than that?”

Ronaldo dug out a notebook from his pants’ pocket and started flipping through the pages. Seems he had a theory or two to share on the subject matter.

However, Lars had eyes only for Ann, and not in the romantic way either. At this point, the pink human had started to suspect the girl knew more about the Thieves than she let on.

sh*t, Ann mentally cussed. How could she weasel out of this one?

Apparently, a certain Sapphire for without warning, Padparascha shot up from her seat with a startled gasp. “Oh dear, Steven’s friend, Connie, will be most upset with his family!”

Everyone cast looks of sheer confusion at the Sapphire – until Fluorite noticed out of her peripherals a brown figure dash towards the beach.

“Oh…dear…,” the elderly caterpillar murmured in a concerned tone with a hand to her face, drawing Lars’s attention.

“Flo? What’s…,” he paused and narrowed his eyes at the familiar person in the distance. “Wait, isn’t that—"

“Connie?!” Ann gasped before bolting out of the restaurant at high speed.

XXX

Despite not being the track star of her team, Ann managed to keep pretty good pace.

Unfortunately, that also meant she arrived right on time to join Connie in spectating a fight taking place right outside Steven’s house amongst Garnet and four other people.

One of whom was seriously beating Connie to the punch in the yelling department.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE’S NEVER SEEN A DOCTOR?!” shrieked an older woman with greying black hair and decked in a doctor’s smock. Her similarities in appearance to Connie were striking. Her mother perhaps?

The very sight gave both girls pause, Connie even losing her scowl in surprise. What happened while she’d been out?

A chubby sunburnt man with balding hair and a green sweater held his hands up in hasty defense. Like with the woman, Ann noticed he resembled a certain someone else himself.

“Look I know it sounds bad!” A pregnant moment passed as he registered his own words and then rubbed his nape. Priyanka’s withering glare did not help either. “OK, it’s definitely bad, but hear me out! I was scared he might get taken away if I took him to a hospital! Even I know government agencies are as shady as they come!”

Not the craziest concern, Ann admitted to herself with an understanding grimace. Especially if someone similar to Shido were to get involved.

Garnet took this turn to respond. “Steven is also the only hybrid of his kind. Gems don’t get hurt and heal the same as humans, so we weren’t sure the effects medicine would have on him if any.”

“Not to mention we have Rose’s Fountain!” chirped a thin pale woman with a long nose, her face the definition of flustered. “It works on both Gems and organics, so any physical injuries he’s incurred could be fixed easily!”

“Besides, we’ve got plenty of his healing spit on file,” added a very short purple girl rocking a punk aesthetic and long white hair. “Easy fix!”

“And what about actual illnesses?” the doctor pressed. Greg and the Gems’ answers clearly had not moved her. “Cold, flu, fever, typhoid, cancer?”

That, the man and rocks paused on answering, sharing disquieted faces. Even Connie cast her eyes to the ground in wandering dread, as she had quietly considered that question a few times herself in the past. How would Steven’s body react to more serious illness – or perhaps it already had?

Eventually Garnet sighed in defeat. “I’ll admit, the concern of greater illnesses had always been at the back of our minds.” After all, Steven had never exactly been immune to basic diseases, let alone human ailments like exhaustion. “We assumed his hybrid nature would mean his Gem would render that impossible since he’s never had anything worse than a fever.”

The doctor pinched her nose with a sigh. “You just admitted that Gems experience injuries differently from humans. For all any of us know, his gemstone could possibly have adverse effects on his human half, like accelerating tumor growth or causing autoimmune deficiencies!”

Oh yikes, I hadn’t even considered those, Connie thought with a cringe. She made an urgent note to have a talk with Steven about all this later.

This time, the long-nosed woman held her hands up, though in an attempt to placate the doctor. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves now, Priyanka! Garnet and I make a point to stay up to date on human health and medicine.”

“Well, that’s assuring,” Priyanka responded in a dry tone and with crossed arms, “and I assume both of you have degrees in medical science, let alone proper certification to diagnose and practice medicine?”

Neither Gem replied, Garnet turning her head to the side to avoid eye contact while the lean Gem looked as though she’d sucked on a lemon. Their shorter companion likewise shuffled her feet.

Priyanka simply massaged her own temples. As much as the mother in her wanted to tear Steven’s family a new one, the professional side reminded her of who held priority. “Look, I’m not to going to feign full understanding of the circ*mstances surrounding you and Steven, but the fact you all neglected to provide your own child with proper healthcare all these years still stands. Human laws won’t look favorably on that.”

Pearl puffed her chest, reminding Ann rather heavily of an insulted peaco*ck. “Excuse me, but I happen to possess plenty of literature on the matter of human health and medicine, both ancient and modern, and make a point to regularly review them!”

The words did nothing to change the grim expression Priyanka had. If anything, they worsened it. “I see. And what about his mental health?”

This question caused Pearl to deflate somewhat, taken back. Garnet and Amethyst similarly shared a look while Greg cringed, knowing what would come next.

Like I thought, Priyanka mused as she gave a grim nod. “Physical wounds may heal, but wounds of the mind are a whole other beast entirely.” She softened her face with a sigh. “Unfortunately, that field’s outside my jurisdiction. I can give you recommendations for therapists, though. As soon as my schedule allows, I can find you some cards with their contact info.”

She paused to tap her chin in thought. “Better yet, I can do so during my appointment with Steven.” The doctor noticed the surprised looks on Steven’s family’s faces and resisted the urge to roll her eyes, settling instead for a droll yet stern gaze. “I trust none of you would be opposed to that?”

Greg held his hands up again in haste, pasting on a nervous smile. “No, no, course not! I guess Schtu-ball is a little overdue for a check-up, huh? Heh, heh…” He trailed off and shrunk under the doctor’s unamused gaze. “Can we at least wait until Steven wakes up, so he can put his two cents in about this?”

Those cents are probably going to come a lot sooner than they think, Ann noted, remembering Padaparascha’s retro-vision.

That suggestion seemed to placate Priyanka for she nodded and moved to head back into the house. As she did the latter, though, only now did she notice her daughter and Ann standing off in the back. “Connie! You’re already back? How…long have you been standing there?”

Connie shrugged with an awkward smile. “Long enough, I’d wager.”

Priyanka blushed and did a brief clear of the throat. “Ah, well then…sorry you wound up seeing that, maari dikri.”

Her daughter waved off the apology. “It’s fine, Mom. How’s Steven by the way? Is he any better?”

“Well, his vitals all appear stable, and his eyes have returned to normal.” Priyanka crossed her arms before continuing. “Aside from some light mumbling in his sleep, he’s making a firm recovery. I’d advise giving him a little more time to rest before we try waking him up. In the meantime,” Priyanka turned her head to regard Steven’s family, “I’m going to see if I can’t contact some connections of mine. It’s still lunchtime, so someone should be available.”

Connie nodded with a relieved smile, happy to hear the news. Behind her, Ann wore a similar expression, happy to hear Steven was going to be alright.

However, the smile proved brief when something suddenly occurred to Ann. Connie must have realized the same because she suddenly tossed a suspicious glance at Steven’s house of all places. The adults hadn’t noticed since their attention remained on each other.

Before any of them could, Connie snapped back to face her mother with a practiced smile. “Hey, Mom, is it alright if we bring Steven some dried apple slices from the convenience store in town? Me and our new friend, Ann, wanna bring something to cheer him up.”

Priyanka smiled in return, no doubt approving of her daughter’s health-minded choice in snacks. “I don’t see why not. Just make sure you came back before evening so we can leave together. I’d like to have a leg-up on making dinner. Your uncle is visiting tonight, and you know how he is when it comes to food.”

“I will!” After sharing a brief hug with her mother, she gestured her head at Ann to follow her, her eyes insisting.

“Uh, yeah! Totally!” Ann pulled off a friendly smile at the older woman. “It was nice sort of meeting you, Connie’s Mom!”

“Please, call me Doctor Maheswaran. If Steven wakes up before you get back, I’ll give you two a call.”

Connie thanked her mother before she and Ann walked back towards town – until Pearl called after her.

“Wait!” The Gem waited until the girl paused, though without facing the others, before continuing. “Did you find out anything?”

Ann, the only one who could see Connie’s face, noticed the other girl’s face harden for a hot second before the Indian girl shifted to face the Gems with a perfectly schooled ‘apologetic’ smile. “Afraid not. I’ll see if I can’t try one more time.”

When Pearl genuinely returned the smile, Connie turned away immediately to let her face fall into something melancholier (perhaps tinged with guilt). No more words left her besides a hurried ‘see ya’ before she started powerwalking towards town, hoping to make some distance between herself and the adults as soon as possible. Ann rushed to match her in stride and avoid being left behind.

Priyanka shook her head. That daughter of hers really knew how to pick the oddest friends.

Or at least find friends under the strangest circ*mstances.

XXX

Ann, if she could read Priyanka’s thoughts, would have felt a kinship with Connie on both.

If nothing else, she had to give the girl props for being slick and discreet in how she gave the adults the slip, although the why still eluded her, Connie’s furious rush to Steven’s house still on her mind. The blonde spared a glance and noticed Connie had her face focused on the ground, eyes heavy with thought.

“You lied to them,” Ann stated point-blank, tone of voice frank but not accusing.

When Connie looked up at her in surprise, Ann continued, tone matter of fact. “You lied to them.” She gestured her head towards Beach City. “I know you were eavesdropping on me back at the restaurant. Me, Lars, and his friends all saw you running away.”

Connie broke eye contact with a guilty sigh. “Sorry about that. I swear I wasn’t following you. I only meant to look around the towns for some lead on what could have caused Steven to faint like that.” Perhaps not the most productive course of action in hindsight, but considering the incident with her best friend lacked a good deal of precedence, what else could she do?

“I couldn’t help feeling…useless, doing nothing but watch him sleep.” Connie shook her head with a scowl. “I mean, I finally see my best friend face to face after so long, and this happens?”

Feeling her agitation rise, Connie took a deep calming breath. She knew this wasn’t Steven’s fault, she simply couldn’t help feeling gipped. “Even if I don’t know what’s going on, I know something rotten has to be up.”

It wouldn’t be the first time Steven had been targeted after all.

Ann gave an empathetic nod, showing the other girl she had her full attention.

Connie shrugged. “I’d barely asked a few people before I noticed you and Lars talking in Fish Stew Pizza. Couldn’t really come close until Fluorite moved up.” A dark blush colored her cheeks. “I can’t believe it didn’t occur to me that someone Steven and I know would have noticed us earlier with him and Garnet.”

Makes sense, Ann observed, we were both so focused on Steven at the time. A part of her, however, couldn’t help but be amused at the idea of the other girl showing a sneaky side. “That reminds me. If you were eavesdropping, then you must have heard Padparascha’s vision about Steven too.”

When the same anger from before resurfaced on Connie’s face, the girl averting eye contact, Ann co*cked her head with a searching gaze. By then, the pair had reached the boardwalk.

“Yeah,” Connie answered at last, pausing her steps. Ann stopped beside her. “I know how Padparascha’s visions work. I used to hang around with the Gems all the time, so it hurts that they never gave me the heads-up about all these incidents.” Her expression softened. “That’s also how I know Steven faked being asleep.”

Ann screwed her face in confusion, although when she aligned the timing of the vision with Priyanka’s words, yeah, she could see where Connie got that implication. “But your Mom’s a doctor, right? Wouldn’t she have noticed?”

Connie shook her head. “She’s never had a patient who can astral project. At least that’s what I figure Steven’s done.” At Ann’s taken back expression, she pulled a brief smirk. “Yeah, that’s a thing he can do. His body’s still alive when he does it, but I’ve never seen him make it still do things while he’s out.”

At once, her face fell again. “If Mom thinks he still needs to ‘rest’, then that can only mean Steven is buying himself time to figure out what happened earlier. Either that or at least digest it.”

“So then, why have us leave instead of getting your mom to let us keep Steven company?” Because Ann was pretty sure Connie could have whipped up an excuse for that. The other girl clearly had a knack for whipping out spiels on the spot. Besides, it would help to have Steven’s two cents.

“Because if I’m right,” Connie responded, “then there’s no telling when Steven could decide to actually wake up. Besides, if he did recover just recently then that means he probably still needs time getting his thoughts back together. As for the biggest reason…well, it wouldn’t help to discuss it where the others could hear us.”

Something the way the other girl’s tone shifted by the end caught Ann’s attention. “And by ‘it’ you mean…?”

Without warning, Connie shot her head to Ann, eyes as piercing as any blade. “Is it true?”

Ann started at both the action and the question, caught off guard. Mentally stumbling, she managed to stutter out, “Wh-What are you talking about?”

Alas, just as Ann could tell plain as day what Connie was referring to, Connie could tell Ann was playing dumb. And yes, Ann could tell Connie could tell.

Sure enough, Connie’s sigh brimmed with annoyance at the flagrant ruse. Perhaps it’d be best to cut to the chase. “That your friends can help Steven”- she intensified her gaze on Ann, searching, almost pleading – “Can they?”

“Uh, I can’t see how they could,” Ann answered in a cornered tone as she averted eye contact. “They live all over the world, so – “

A firm hand on the shoulder stopped her cold.

“Ann.” Connie waited until the other girl looked up at her no-nonsense tone. “You’re one of the Phantom Thieves, aren’t you?”

Chapter 5: I'm Losing Sight, I'm Losing Touch

Chapter Text

You ever get so shocked by something that your brain needs time to reboot?

Yep, that was Ann right now.

In fact, she had a strong hunch her mental faculties needed a full factory reset.

It took Connie snapping her fingers in the other girl’s face (multiple times) to break the spell.

“Hey!”

Ann jerked with a startled “Wha-Huh?!”

“I just asked if you’re one of the Phantom Thieves.” Connie crossed her arms with a stern expression. “Well?”

Ah, right. Better think fast. Ann scratched the side of her own head, pondering how to handle this lovely mess. “Um, let’s say hypothetically I was one of the Phantom Thieves. How would you – again, hypothetically – have figured that out?”

“Hypothetically, from your and Lars’ conversation back at Fish Stew Pizza,” Connie replied deadpan and point-blank. “More specifically from your little speech. If not for that, I would have thought you were as obsessed as Ronaldo. ”

And digging around for clues for a chance to be a hero, Connie thought to herself to avoid antagonizing the other girl. Regardless, she smirked. “Hopefully, you aren’t a Phantom Thief after all, because you didn’t do a good job being discreet.”

Ann huffed and shifted her eyes away in offended embarrassment. “Y-Yeah, well…you’d make a pretty good Phantom Thief yourself!”

Oh yes, what an epic comeback.

Which somehow managed to take Connie back, judging by the shorter girl’s shocked expression and deep blush.

“Wha—no!” she heatedly retorted. “I’m no thief! I only sneak around if there’s an advantage to gain!”

Ann blinked back, blank-faced. “That’s…pretty theify if you ask me.”

Now was Connie’s turn to blush. She stubbornly crossed her arms with a huff. “Look, bottom line: you know a way to help all those Gems and I know your secret identity! Plus, I’ve dealt with Gems almost as much as Steven has, so I have insight on them you and your team don’t. What do you say?”

Oh boy. Ann bit her bottom lip before sighing and finally throwing her hands up. “OK, OK, just…let me contact the others first and see what they think. I’ll call you tomorrow to let you know our decision, I promise.”

And since tomorrow was Saturday, that left plenty of free time for the team to coordinate their next course of action.

Connie narrowed her eyes for a moment, suspicious, until she gave a stiff nod. “Fine. If I don’t get an answer by tomorrow evening, I will break your door down for answers.”

Most folks would have found this threat…well, threatening, especially if they knew what Connie was capable of.

Ann merely giggled despite herself, hand to her mouth. This girl would get along well with Makoto. “Don’t worry,” she assured upon noticing Connie’s unamused frown, “as soon as our meeting’s done, I’ll let you know first thing. In fact, what if I introduced you to one of them now?”

At least that way, Futaba would be up to speed on the situation so far, assuming the girl hadn’t already been listening in from Ann’s phone.

“We could even go back to Fish Stew Pizza and split a pizza while we talk!” Ann sweatdropped after saying this, rubbing her head in embarrassment. “I rushed out after you before I could get my order anyway.”

Connie shrugged. As long as she got to help the Gems and Steven with this dumpster fire of a situation, she couldn’t care less where they continued this talk. Besides, she hadn’t eaten anything all day.

XXX

After a thankfully short walk back to Fish Stew and a hasty apology to the restaurant girl (Kiki she’d introduced herself) for bolting away earlier, the two girls sat side by side at Ann’s table from earlier, two drinks and a small pizza between them.

Ann noticed the absence of both Lars and his crew and Ronaldo though chose to shrug it off for now. Instead, she pulled out her cellphone and opened up her texting app, only to discover a plethora of messages already waiting for her – and not just from Futaba.

Out of her peripheral, Ann noticed Connie eye the messages in chagrin. Right, the other girl couldn’t read Japanese. Ann punched in a quick response and then waited.

Before Connie’s eyes, the display of Ann’s phone glitched for a hot second before righting itself – and in it’s the place the Japanese text had all been replaced by English. Connie could not help but gawk.

“Futaba’s a bit of a hacker,” Ann explained in a way too casual tone. “She’s been listening to most of my conversations through my phone.”

Listening to— Connie processed before a sudden uncomfortable thought struck her. She hastily pulled out her own phone from her pants pocket to pry open the messaging app. Thankfully, she wasn’t getting swamped like Ann, though this didn’t help much since now a text bubble marked by a weird grinning catlike logo occupied the top of her screen.

FS: Indeed, I have! Hey there, Connie Maheswaran! Name’s Futaba Sakura! Sorry about hacking your phone and all. I figured text-to-text would be easier. You know, language barrier and all.

Connie shot a wary glance at Ann, who gave an encouraging nod, before responding.

CM: It’s OK…I guess. I don’t have to worry about you abusing my personal info, right?

FS: You mean how much you stay up at night texting Steven?

Dark red permeated Connie’s cheeks, eyes wide.

FS: Don’t worry, I only glanced the number of conversations you two had and their timestamps. The sanctity of your love life remains squeaky clean!

Connie bit down a chagrined sigh. One minute and already she felt tested.

CM: Thanks? Anyway, how much of my talk with Ann did you hear?

FS: Pretty much everything. So, you figured out our little secret, eh?

CM: Pretty much.

FS: Welcome to the fold then, Ms. Maheswaran! We hope you enjoy your stay cuz you’re not leaving anytime soon!

Connie, despite herself, couldn’t help cracking a grin at this Futaba’s sense of humor.

Ann, meanwhile, had been busying herself with answering her friends and glanced over at Connie’s phone. The contents of their conversation so far had her smiling as well, relieved they were getting along so quickly.

AT: Hey Futaba, is it cool if we add Connie to the group chat after tomorrow’s meeting? She really wants to help.

FS: Sure! I don’t see how she’ll be able to, considering…stuff, but sure!

Stuff? Connie cast a suspicious gaze on Futaba’s answer and then Ann. Did this have to do with the mental mindscape stuff she overheard Ann discussing with Lars earlier? Because if so, Connie saw no reason for these guys to doubt her ability. After all, she’s dealt with mind trips plenty of times thanks to her time with Steven and his family.

A sudden ping echoed from Ann’s phone, making the blonde gasp in surprise. In a flurry, she started typing back, much to Connie’s curiosity.

The darker girl didn’t have to wait long before Ann looked to her, taken back.

“Our leader wants to talk to you.”

Here, now? Already? Connie stiffened in similar surprise but managed to shake it off.

FS: Wow, he does! Alrighty then, let me patch him through!

Patch him? Through text messages? Connie had half a mind to ask how that could be possible but had no time to before a new text message popped up from under Futaba’s, sporting a red and black hat with a mask.

AK: Hey.

CM: Uh, hey?

AK: You wanna help, right?

Damn, to the point. In that case, Connie gladly reciprocated.

CM: Yeah! What do I have to do?

FS: First things first! Hey Ann, you checked your phone lately?

Ann gave an uncertain ‘hmm’ before something clicked for her, indicated by her widened eyes. She briefly collapsed the messaging app to check her icons. Sure enough, a new symbol had appeared – except it wasn’t the Meta-Nav. At least, not the one she and her teammates had known from their last adventure.

Rather than red with a stylized eye, the icon sported a white background framed by a thin rainbow boarder, the inside occupied by a black triangle segmented into thick black horizontal lines running upward into a circle. A representation of stairs angled towards the Sun.

Ann eyed the new app in confusion and a touch of apprehension. What could this mean?

Connie, not privy to the same dearth of knowledge, only regarded the other girl’s reaction with wariness. Why did she have a feeling this venture might be more out of her depth than she initially suspected?

She shook her head, fierce and defiant. No, she refused to back down now.

“Looks like we’re going back to the Metaverse after all,” Ann murmured, voice breaking Connie out of her thoughts. “Well, at least we have our means in. Now we just need the way, which means we’re gonna need the keywords.”

Keywords? Connie furrowed her brow at Ann in confusion. A ping on her phone this time returned Connie’s attention to the messages.

FS: Basically, the passwords to Steven’s mind. Every major target we’ve gone after has had this mental area called a Palace where their distorted desires take shape. Think of them as worlds that belong to a person’s heart.

Uh, wow. OK, scratch that; this adventure definitely wasn’t going to be the same as Gem stuff. Mindscapes, Connie had seen before but entire worlds?

AK: Those distorted desires take the form of Treasures. Those are what we take to trigger a change of heart.

FS: Buuuuut we can’t get to the Treasure without getting into the Palace first.

“That’s why the keywords are so important,” Ann elaborated.

Ronaldo’s words flashed back to Connie. Ah, now she started to see how the pieces fit together.

CM: So…these keywords basically need to mean something to Steven. How do we figure them out?

AK: Three things: first Steven’s full name, first and last.

Sounded simple enough. Connie nodded, following so far.

FS: Then the place his Palace is modelled after. And last but far from least, how he sees that place.

How Steven…sees it? Connie bit her bottom lip, feeling her bravado stall a bit.

Ann noticed and chimed in to help her new ally along. “Well, for starters, his Palace must at least have Beach City in it. He grew up here after all.”

“Y-Yeah!” Connie chirped, thankful for the suggestion, knowing Ann had provided her a much-needed impetus. “If that’s not enough, we can always include Little Homeworld too! Although” – her frown returned as she shifted her eyes to her phone screen – “I can’t imagine how else he’d view this place other than home.”

While the other girl mused, Ann glanced out the window at the boardwalk and beach to ponder this valid point. She thought back on all her previous talks with Steven, which admittedly hadn’t given her much as the conversation had mostly been about her.

Not out of trying either. Now that Ann reflected, she realized Steven had been purposely directing all topics away from himself. The first red flag.

“What about hospital?”

Connie’s voice broke Ann out of her reverie, the blonde turning to face her. “Huh?”

“Steven’s always helping people, so I figured we’d go with the most obvious one.”

“Oh, right!” Ann lifted her throat and cleared her throat. “Steven Universe. Beach City. Hospital.”

A few moments passed before a ding sounded, followed by a familiar computerized voice. At least that part hadn’t changed.

Candidate insufficient.

Unlike that.

Ann and Connie stared in silence at the former’s phone, dumbstruck and jaws dropped. What did the Nav just say?

The girls shared a look before Ann tried again to make sure they’d heard right. Same response.

Candidate insufficient.

AT: Uh, Futaba…

FS: Yeah, I heard. Also, FYI, the others are in my room right now, listening in. Ryuji’s wigging out.

Yeah, Ann didn’t blame him. Also, she could tell as much given the sudden explosion of messages on her phone, although thankfully that settled down after a few seconds.

AK: Futaba, add Connie to the group chat.

FS: Roger, leader.

Faster than Connie could blink, messages with icons similar to the first but in different colors popped up on her screen, their answers also translated into English, thank goodness.

MN: Hello, Connie? Can you see our conversation now?

CM: Yeah.

MN: Oh good! My name is Makoto.

YK: Yusuke.

HO: Haru. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Connie-san.

SY: Agreed. I’m Sumire!

RS: Ryuji. S’up?

AK: Akira.

CM: It’s nice to meet all of you. I take it this ‘Nav’ isn’t acting the way it’s supposed to?

RS: Yeah. It ain’t never responded that way about a Ruler before.

HO: It’s not saying this Steven isn’t a Ruler, though.

MN: Right, just that he isn’t enough on his own to warrant access.

YK: Is that to insinuate this Palace belongs to multiple people then?

SY: Wait, didn’t you say once Shido had the Shadows of other people in his Palace, senpai? Maybe it’s like that?

AK: That Palace still belonged to only Shido. The other Shadows were more like confidantes.

MN: It’s true. This is something else entirely.

Ann pursed her lips, thoughtful.

AT: But then that means Steven’s not the only one here with distorted enough desires to make a Palace. Who else could there be?

Who else indeed? Connie thought back on today, on everything that had happened: coming to visit, the brief altercation with Jasper, Steven’s incident, the scene between her own mother and…Steven’s family.

A bone-curdling thought seeped into her mind, leaving a hunch she loathed to admit. Holding down a heavy gulp, she addressed her companion in a slow and wary tone. “Hey, Ann, can I try something?”

The blonde regarded her in uncertain concern. “Uh sure.”

In a clear, albeit slightly tremulous, voice Connie fixed a hard stare on the other girl’s phone and stated, “Crystal Gems.”

Candidates found.

Oh. Well sh*t.

Meager chuckles escaped Connie before petering out into another chagrined sigh. She put a hand to her head, doing her best to soothe the mounting disbelief and frustration. Even after everything, the progress they’d made for both their own sake and Steven’s…

A hand on her shoulder broke Connie out of her downward spiral of thought, startling her.

“You gonna be OK?” Ann asked in concern.

“I’m fine! I’m fine,” Connie hastily assured before brushing Ann’s hand off. “Anyway, we figured out the first keyword. Now for the next: Beach City.”

Location insufficient.

Figures.

“Alright,” Connie huffed. “Beach City and Little Homeworld.”

Locations found.

And now…uh. Connie and Ann shared another look, at a loss from here on out.

“We already tried ‘hospital’, right?”

“Let’s try it again just to be sure.”

Same results as before.

“OK …how about ‘sanctuary’?” Connie guessed. “Or maybe ‘paradise’?”

Conditions have not been found.

“Uh, shelter? Church?” Ann supplied.

Conditions have not been found.

“Synagogue?” Connie tried next, only to catch a questioning look from Ann. She shrugged. “Steven’s Jewish.”

Alas, they met the same response still.

With a sigh, Ann tossed her head back in frustration.

AT: Any suggestions would be welcome, you guys.

RS: Hey don’t look at us! You’re the ones who’ve been hanging out with the guy!

FS: Hey now, don’t go forgetting my surveillance!

MN: Now that she brings it up, based on what Futaba’s shown us as well as this conversation, it’s clear Steven deeply values helping others.

YK: Or rather his ability to help others.

CM: That’s why I tried ‘hospital’ first. Steven’s always doing his best to help others heal.

SY: Maybe you’re thinking too small.

AK: What do you mean?

SY: I mean, Steven sounds as though he’s done so many wonderful things for so many people.

HO: Yes, he hasn’t merely healed people. He’s made them all happy.

Everyone but himself, Ann reflected in sympathy. Her peripherals noticed Connie donning a similar expression.

“Hey, Connie?” she spoke up. “You heard Lars tell me about what Steven did at the first graduation, right?”

Connie, despite not making eye contact, replied with a solemn nod. “You mean how he accidently trapped everyone because he was scared to death about them leaving him behind? Pretty much.” Her eyes shot wide and swiveled to Ann. “You think that might tie into what his – er their palace is?”

Ann shrugged. “It’s possible. Except, how would the others see this place and Little Homeworld?”

To that question, Connie had no immediate answer. Mainly because she couldn’t stomach the thought of Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl still having inner demons, not after everything Steven (and to an extent Connie herself) did to help them move on and better themselves.

For the second time today, a bone-chilling thought came to her: what if that’s how these white-outs and reversions found their way in? By taking advantage of these ‘distorted desires’ as the Phantom Thieves kept calling them?

Wait, what if the cause was the answer? Connie put a hand to her chin as she pondered this possibility.

CM: If they’re all Rulers, then their distorted desires should have something in common, right? What does it take for someone to even get any in the first place?

A bit of silence at first.

RS: Mainly society being sh*tty.

MN: Not quite how I’d word it, but exactly.

SY: It can also be a result of trauma. Think, what’s something unfair that’s happened to Steven and his family?

MN: More importantly, how has it impacted the way they see their home?

Connie took one look at all these suggestions and promptly slouched over the table with a groan. Something unfair and impactful, she mused bitterly, Gee, where should I start?

She sat back up and took a few slow, cleansing breaths. OK, no need to chicken out. Best to get the uncomfortable parts done first.

CM: Well for starters, Steven’s mom basically died from childbirth.

A moment of silence followed.

FS: Oh.

RS: Damn.

HO: That’s awful!

Ann similarly gaped, taken back. She had no idea.

“It left everyone she knew messed up for the longest time,” Connie continued somberly, “so messed up in fact that Steven had to help them all work through their problems himself.” And she hadn’t even gotten into the stuff Rose/Pink had done prior to her son’s birth, let alone how it had affected (and kept affecting) Steven.

Right then her eyes expanded in realization.

“That’s it, isn’t it? Now that there’s no one around who needs his help, he doesn’t know what to do with himself.” Then her brow furrowed. “Except that still doesn’t explain the others. They seem like they’re doing just fine for themselves.”

FS: Well, they did help overthrow an intergalactic empire. Pretty sure that left a scar or two.

SY: Even if they’re doing better for themselves, that doesn’t mean the same can be said for how they are towards Steven.

YK: Indeed. How have they treated him compared to now?

RS: Like what kinda crap have they put ‘im through?

Call Connie oversensitive, but she couldn’t but think these guys were starting to get the wrong idea about the Gems. Thankfully, she wasn’t the only one bothered by the wording of that last question.

MN: Could you show a little tact, Ryuji?

RS: Hey, until I see them treating their kid like a person, I ain’t takin’ chances.

Sadly, as much as she agreed with Makoto, Ann understood her childhood friend’s perspective. That argument with Connie’s mom hadn’t exactly painted Steven’s family in the best light.

Even Connie couldn’t bring herself to fully get upset now that she gave Ryuji’s question a second thought, reflecting back on the messed-up things she’d either seen or heard Steven state the Gems had done. Besides, it had been a while since she’d seen any of them, never mind only Steven. What if they’d simply gotten better at hiding their problems?

Connie shook her head.

CM: Look, you guys are used to dealing with awful people, I get it. But the Gems are NOT criminals – she paused for a moment – and neither is Steven’s dad. They just – then she sighed – made really stupid mistakes. A lot of really stupid mistakes.

Again, she felt Ann’s hand on her shoulder but did nothing this time to shake it off.

HO: We understand, Connie-san, and we’re sorry.

MN: Yes, it wasn’t our intention to upset you. Right, Ryuji?

RS: OK, OK, I get it, I’m sorry! I just - a pause – think it’s unfair this guy stuck his neck out so much just to get screwed over.

Despite herself, Connie cracked a smile. She was starting to see why people looked up to these guys.

AK: So, to recap. Steven feels lost because there’s no one left who he can help, and his family might be hiding leftover angst themselves.

SY: Except none of them sound willing to open up. Or at least Steven doesn't.

CM: Given his history, I wouldn’t put it past him.

YK: Indeed, it sounds as though your friend might be determined to live out a fantasy.

Fantasy. That last word got the gears in Connie’s head turning, memories of that one disastrous time with Steven in his mother’s wish-granting room coming to mind. What if…?

Outside her thoughts, the conversation continued.

MN: Still, we shouldn’t be too hasty. You two should see if you can’t get some answers from Steven first.

HO: Perhaps you can even convince him to help? He must know something about what’s been going on.

RS: Hey, who knows, maybe we can even let your boyfriend join up, too?

As much Connie could tell Ryuji was joking, her brain couldn’t help pawing at the idea of her and Steven fighting together again. Perhaps even being Stevonnie again.

She smiled softly at the thought – only for said smile to shift into a puzzled frown she directed at Ann soon after.

“Wait, you said your friend’s been listening into our conversations, and the Phan – you know who are based in Japan. Does she – er, do you all understand English too?” Connie now directed the question to the phone since she now knew Futaba was listening in. “Now that I think about it, why are Ann and I even texting back when you guys can hear us just fine?”

FS: Cuz it’s way more fun!

HO: Agreed!

…I honestly don’t know what I expected, Connie mused. This group really marched to the beat of their own drum.

Before the conversation could presume, a piercing shout from outside pierced the air, followed by a rush of screams and hurried footfalls.

“What the…?” Ann murmured as she and Connie shot their eyes to the window in time to witness people, both humans and Gems, hightailing it outside in panic.

Without warning, Connie shot out of her seat and out the door, heading the opposite direction of the fleeing crowds.

“Hey, wait for me!”

XXX

The girls did not take long to reach the epicenter of the bedlam, right in front of It’s A Wash to be more precise.

Connie sincerely hoped Mr. Universe wouldn’t have to worry about being sued by the tourists because the scene that greeted her and Ann upon arrival was not pretty.

A pink and red Quartz with discolored spots was currently in one-sided fisticuffs with a more magenta and shorter pigtailed Gem who kept stretching this way and like a cartoon to avoid the incensed soldier’s attacks while doing her best (and failing) to get the other Gem to settle down.

“Hey, will ya quit swingin’ already?! What I said ain’t that big a deal!”

“IT IS THAT BIG A DEAL, YOU INSOLENT PEBBLE! NOW TAKE BACK YOUR BLASPHEMOUS COMMENT!”

Spinel, Connie mentally realized once she recognized the upside-down heart gemstone. Out the corner of her eye, she also noticed Greg peeking out from behind the building with a few Gems, cellphone in hand and up to his panicked face.

On the bright side, no civilians to get into the crossfire, she noted in relief before reaching back for her sword – only to realize her trusty weapon and its sheath were not there. sh*t, I left my only weapon at home!

In defense, she hadn’t expected to come across a fight today. Oh, the words Pearl would have for her.

Only one thing left to do then. Without further prompt, Connie stuck two fingers into her mouth and whistled.

Fweeeee-EET!

“Hey!” she called out, hands cupped around her mouth. “You scared to have a real fight?!”

That did the trick. Right way, the Quartz paused in her rampage to fix Connie with an insulted glare.

I guess we’re doing this now, Ann thought in flustered resignation. Oh well, better than standing on the sidelines. “Y-Yeah,” she shouted in suit, “you heard her! Only a coward singles out someone who doesn’t want to fight back!”

“This has nothing to do with you humans,” the Quartz sneered back, her attention now wholly on the girls and allowing her previous target to slink away unnoticed in turn.

“Tch, sure,” Connie drawled in a sarcastic tone, “somebody causing trouble at my boyfriend’s dad’s place? Obviously not my problem!”

“Seriously,” Ann added in a more confident tone, “do you get off of causing scenes or is this just how you treat everyone who doesn’t agree with you?”

The Quartz grit her teeth, temper clearly rising, much to Connie and Ann’s dread because what now? As much as the girls didn’t regret helping that other Gem out, now they had a hulking rock warrior ready to pummel them.

Thankfully, neither of them had to provide the answer for one came in the form of a pink shield that came flying in and clocked the Quartz clean upside the head, pausing her rampage.

Both Connie and Ann shot around to regard the curly-haired boy dashing their way with thankful smiles. “Steven!”

“Cherry! Spinel!” Steven called out. “What is going on here?!”

The magenta Gem, who’d taken refuge behind the huge sign atop the carwash, held her gloved hands up in defense. “Don’t look at me! I was just havin’ civil conservation when this chick went all ham on me!”

“Quiet, you impudent jester!” Cherry snapped. “You have some nerve to spread lies about the Diamonds!”

Lies? Steven, Connie, and Ann stared at the Quartz in utter bafflement. What did she mean?

Also, who are the Diamonds? Ann wondered to herself.

Spinel adopted an irritated snarl in return. “Hey, all I said is that the Diamonds’ been doin’ their best to change Homeworld. Don’t really see which parts warrant tryin’ to sock me!”

Cherry, snarling, tucked into a ball to spin-dash towards Spinel, only for Steven dash over at a speed that left both Ann and especially Connie gawking in shock (Had he always been that fast?) and deflect her with another shield, sending the soldier skidding back.

Once her momentum cleared, Cherry eyed Steven and his weapon in utter disbelief. “You…but you’re human! How are you…?”

Her confusion reflected onto Steven’s face. Why was she talking as though she’d never—

SHING!

In the blink of an eye, an opalescent spear sliced clean through Cherry’s neck and effectively beheaded her, a sight that sent Ann gasping in shock. Cherry herself barely had time to even register what happened, let alone notice her head fly off, before her entire body exploded in a puff of brightly colored smoke.

The miasma cleared seconds later to reveal Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst standing tall and proud.

Well, at least until Pearl noticed their boy.

“Steven!” The lean Gem dashed over and proceeded to check him over in maternal panic. “Oh stars, are you alright?!”

“Yeah dude,” Amethyst added with hands akimbo and a calmer though no less worried expression, “you hit the ground runnin’ right after we got Greg’s call!”

“Guys, I’m fine! Really!” Steven insisted, being quick to gently push away smothering Pearl’s hands. He looked over his shoulder at Spinel who’d hopped back down once she saw the coast was clear. “What about you?”

Spinel tossed her hands with a wide yet awkward grin. “Eh, shaken but not stirred.” Her attention drifted to the gemstone left behind by Cherry, curious. “What was her deal?”

“I don’t know,” Steven admitted before regarding the stone with a saddened gaze as he watched Garnet bubble it away. “She’d been doing just fine so far.”

At least last since Steven checked, and that’d been back when…

Dawning horror started to creep over Steven’s face. Had…had Cherry been suffering a relapse into old habits because he left? The rising despair and guilt he wore must have been obvious because right away he felt the warm facets of Ruby’s gemstone on his shoulder.

“Steven, you’re not at fault for what happened,” Garnet gently assured him. “And you’re right, she had been doing well up until now.”

“Like I tried to tell her,” Spinel chimed in, “we were just talking about the Diamonds and all of a sudden she went looney on me!”

A clear of the throat brought everyone’s attention to Greg and the small group of Gems who had emerged from their hiding place. A slim pink Pearl with Princess Leia-like buns and cute leotard, the source of the sound, spoke up.

“Actually, I noticed that while we were all talking that her eyes went white for a moment after Spinel took her attention off her. Right after what Spinel said about the Diamonds, in fact.”

White? Steven’s pupils dilated even further as unwanted memories came flooding in. He quickly shook his head to keep himself from drifting away, though the fear still clung hard.

“Yes!” chirped a Peridot-sized cyan Gem decked in a little sweater and scarf, her accented voice breaking Steven’s thought process much to the young man’s relief. “And right before she started attacking, she was holding her head as if she were coming to from something.”

“And when little Larimar here asked her what was wrong,” a huger and bulkier black and white Gem added, “Cherry snapped at her to get out of the way so she could get to Spinel.”

Ann’s brow scrunched at that last detail. Hang on, so that Gem hadn’t fainted like Steven and the others had before changing?

At this moment Greg sought to break up the tension with a classic Universe smile. “Hey, what matters is that nobody got hurt, right? Maybe the stress of adjusting to a new way of life just got to her. Right?”

The sea of unconvinced faces did much to knock the wind out of his optimism’s sails. He rubbed his nape with a nervous cringe. “Or maybe not. I’ve been gone on tour with Sadie and Shep, so I’m a little out of the loop here. Anybody wanna clue me in on what’s been happening?”

Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst shared reluctant and tense looks, as though holding a silent counsel. Not an assuring response.

The tension only became more palpable once Steven spoke up.

“Yeah, what has been happening?” His tone and face indicated zero room for bullsh*t. “Why did Cherry attack Spinel like that?”

At this point, the three elder Crystal Gems balked at being caught red-handed in their secrecy, a habit Steven had wished he’d never have to witness again.

At last, Garnet sighed in defeat. “This has been happening for almost two weeks now, not long after you left Little Homeschool.”

“And the, uh”— Amethyst spared a conspiratorial gaze at everyone else before lowering her voice and hiding her mouth behind her hand – “Prickles Incident.”

“The first case cropped up the day after we returned from the rink with Bismuth in fact,” Pearl elaborated before wringing her hands. “We don’t know how but Gems have started acting as though they’d been rejuvenated.”

In the background, Spinel flinched guiltily at the last word.

“We tried interrogating them,” Pearl continued, “but we’ve had no leads whatsoever. It also doesn’t help that these incidents have had intervals of one or two days in between. We haven’t been able to make any sense of how this is happening!”

During this whole explanation, Steven stood there, dumbstruck and unable to believe his ears, all anger replaced by dread.

Two weeks. Almost two weeks of things falling apart, things that had been perfectly fine with him here.

And he hadn’t been there to fix any of them.

He shouldn’t have left.

He never should have left.

Why had he ever left?

Meanwhile Connie and Ann both noticed Steven’s cheeks start to…blush?

Hang on. Am I going nuts, the former mused in wonder as her eyes peered closer, or is his whole face glowing pink?

Indeed, before everyone’s eyes, Steven’s body and even clothes became engulfed in an eerily pink neon. Exactly like – Connie’s stomach fell once the similarities struck her –that day.

Ann, too, gaped as she took in Steven’s new state. Had this been what Lars and his crew had seen that day at graduation?

Only Steven himself didn’t seem to notice the change, still stuck in the downward spiral of his mind – that is until his father approached him, soft concern (and slight fear) in his tone as he placed a gentle hand on his son’s shoulder.

“Schtu-ball? Hey, you OK there, buddy?”

The well-intentioned touch caused Steven to startle for a hot second before he remembered where he was. Seeing his father’s taken back expression, he hastily plastered on the fakest smile anyone had ever seen him wear.

“Wha – Y-Yeah! Yeah, totally! TOTALLY!” He gestured to himself, both hands on his chest, chuckling frenetically. “I’m in control! Absolutely and perfectly in control!”

This ramshackle answer only earned the boy an audience of unconvinced and increasingly worried stares.

“Dude,” Amethyst slowly voiced, “maybe you oughta sit down? You’re lookin’ kinda...”

“Stressed?!” The crack in Steven’s voice could not be any more obvious. He threw his hands in a blasé manner, the pitch of his cackling rising. “No, do I even look stressed to you guys?”

“Well yes,” Pink Pearl timidly piped up from behind, “a little?”

Somehow, Steven could feel himself glowing even harder. How could he have overlooked her presence? How could he have overlooked anything?

At this point, Connie had seen enough. She stepped forward, not wanting her boyfriend’s anxiety to spike any higher. Though she took ginger steps lest she startle Steven way, judging by the boy’s startled look upon noticing her, her caution wasn’t amounting to much.

When she noticed her friend start to back up, eyes wide from fear and shame, Connie paused to fix him with an assuring smile. “Hey,” she coaxed as she extended a hand towards him, “it’s gonna be OK. We’re all still here. I’m still here.”

To her relief, Steven’s body started to lose tension at her words, slowly yet surely, and while the glowing hadn’t fully subsided, it had lost enough opacity for his skin tone to peek through.

Tentatively, he started to smile and reach forward in turn.

Then he stopped immediately, smile dipping into a frown, much to Connie’s confusion.

“Steven?”

“She’s not,” her friend angrily muttered under his breath, eyes suddenly downcast. Steven started shaking his head as if in denial, eyes clamping shut. Before Connie would ask what was wrong, his hands shot up to grasp his head. “She’s not lying.”

“Steven, who are you—”

“Stop talking…,” Steven growled, fingers digging into his scalp.

“Steven?” Greg reached out in rising worry. “Hey—”

“Stop lying…”

“Yo, dude,” Amethyst asked in a gentle tone, “what are you—”

“Stop. Lying.”

“Steven,” Pearl begged, “please. Just tell us what’s—”

“STOP LYING!!!”

BOOM!

Without warning, Steven’s shout went off like an explosion, punching a crater into the concrete beneath him. It sent every person near him – Connie, Greg, Amethyst, and Pearl – flying while everyone else either fought to stay on their feet or clung to the nearest support.

The tremors ended as quickly as they’d come.

For the first few moments, everyone could only gape in utter shock at the boy glowing a fierce neon pink.

For those first few moments, Steven paid no attention, too busy with coming down from his outburst to notice, breathing heavy and eyes wild.

But then he lifted his eyes and noticed. He noticed the aftermath.

The damage, the hurt, the fear.

All by his own hands.

All color drained from his face, both glow and skin, as he gripped his own arms, face stricken.

He did this. He did all of this.

An apology tried to fight its way out, only to die on his tongue.

No apology could fix this. He didn’t deserve to apologize for this.

He didn’t deserve forgiveness.

Tears stinging his eyes, Steven shot off towards the sky, levitation powers taking him far, far away.

Chapter 6: Not Looking Good

Chapter Text

Morgana had seen plenty a wild sight in his short existence.

Persona users gone astray. False realities. Corrupt Gods. Counselors gone savior complex.

Not to say what he and the other Thieves just witnessed took the whole cake, but it definitely warranted at least half.

“So,” Futaba commented at last, breaking the collective stunned silence, “that happened.”

“Dude,” Ryuji numbly murmured, “I’m not the only one trying not to freak out, right?”

Makoto shook her head, both in confirmation and disbelief. “When you told us this Steven had magical abilities, Futaba, I never thought…my word.”

“To think someone could possess such abilities outside the Metaverse,” Yusuke marveled, hand to his chin. The fact that same person had become a target only cemented the seriousness of this situation.

Haru nodded, her face solemn yet sympathetic. “The fact they can be affected so much by his emotions as well.” She couldn’t imagine how much stress he must be under, let alone with everything going on.

Akira turned to his team with a resolute gaze. “He needs help.”

Makoto nodded firmly in return, matching her leader stare for stare. “Yes, otherwise he’ll be a threat to himself and everyone around him.”

Sounded good, except for one thing as Ryuji commented afterward. “And what about the stuff he was saying before he let loose?”

“Yes” – Haru co*cked her head, curious – “Based on what Futaba translated alongside what we saw, it seemed as though he were arguing with someone.”

Sumire twisted her face in confusion. “But…there was no one there though. No one we could hear anyway.”

“Because only he could hear them,” Morgana reasoned from atop Futaba’s desk. “In fact, even though he’d fainted earlier like the other victims, he kept his memories and autonomy.”

I’d almost assume it’s because he’s half-human, the cat mused, but something in my gut tells me that might not be the case.

“Yeah, but now the guy’s apparently got a voice in his head drivin’ him batsh*t,” Ryuji sighed.

“There’s also the matter of that one Gem before him, the one that went berserk” Makoto added. “She supposedly didn’t faint at all.”

Futaba flipped through screenshots and videos of past conversations with Connie and (in Ann’s case) Steven, the light in her eyes stern. “Yeah, her change was almost instantaneous by comparison. Whatever’s messing with people over there, it’s getting stronger.”

Morgana felt his ears sink. Suddenly his gut-something seemed even more possible.

Varying expressions of grim permeated the group at this revelation…until who else but their leader broke the tension.

“We gotta do something.”

Makoto shook her head at him in surprise and dismay. As much as she admired her leader’s determination, they had to be realistic here. “There’s an ocean and miles of another country in between us and Ann, never mind us and our target – or rather targets apparently.” The brunette was still wrapping her mind around the revelation of this Palace having multiple rulers. “We’d need a plane to get there, if not several.”

A troubled frown came over Haru in turn, who hung her own head in reluctant agreement. “Even if we were to find a means of getting there, we’d only look conspicuous.”

Futaba perked, nearly falling out of her seat from excitement. “Wait, what about Connie?”

“What do you mean?” asked Sumire.

“Yes,” Yusuke seconded with arms crossed, “I doubt she would have the means to bring us over herself.”

Just then, Akira snapped his fingers in a eureka fashion. “The Gems.”

Futaba shot a finger gun in return grinning wide. Count on her big bro to catch on. “Bingo! She’s friends with actual aliens! They’re bound to have some kind of advanced teleportation tech!”

Morgana thoughtfully groomed a paw as he regarded the screen once more. “Huh, well it sounds worth a shot at least” – his eyes suddenly widened in alarm – “assuming Lady Ann can get within three feet of her again after this.”

When everyone looked at him in confusion, Morgana pointed a front paw at the screen.

Sumire gulped right way. “Um, that woman with the afro is staring particularly hard at us.”

Judging by what the Thieves could see and the current angle Ann was holding her phone, it did indeed seem as though the dark-skinned lady with the star-glasses were fixing on them all a highly intense look.

“You mean she’s staring particularly hard at Lady Ann,” Morgana grimly corrected. “She was there when Steven collapsed, right Futaba?”

When their resident tech expert nodded, Ryuji threw his hands up in exasperation. “Oh c’mon, that’s lady’s already got Ann down as a suspect?! What kinda BS is that?”

Makoto held a hand to gesture her blond teammate to calm himself. “Most likely not. Remember, these incidents had already started before Ann set foot there, let alone knew Beach City existed. I think she’s staring because Ann has her phone out.”

To communicate with the rest of us, no doubt, Akira mused with a cringe. Real bad timing, Ann.

“Ah, that’s right,” Yusuke gasped in similar urgency. “The true nature of those towns is meant to remain secret. No doubt that woman suspects Ann may spread word.”

Haru put a hand to her chest in concern. “It’s also likely since Connie is friends with them, she’ll be expected to take part in the investigations going forward, meaning she might not get to help Ann as much after this – at least not without outing them both.”

Ryuji merely shrugged and rubbed the back of his head. “I mean is that really a bad thing? Ann’s already got most of the keywords, and she’s been pullin’ her weight just fine so far. ‘Sides, the more eyes off of us the better, right?”

That comment earned him a fervent frown from Sumire. “Ann gave Connie her word, Ryuji-senpai! She can’t turn back on that now.”

“Yeah, well it’s not like this Connie chick’s a Persona user,” Ryuji countered. “Plus, how do we know she ain’t gonna tell on us?”

Haru put a hand to her chin, considering that rather valid point. “Now that Ryuji brings it up, I do wonder whether these Gems are familiar with the Metaverse, just not in the same way as us.” For all any of the Thieves knew, they probably didn’t even refer to it with the same name.

Morgana huffed at the possibility, though not unkindly. “Judging by how helpless they sounded explaining the situation to Steven earlier, I doubt it.” Otherwise, they would have likely gotten a handle on the situation a long time ago.

“Then what are we to do?” Yusuke pondered aloud. The logistics of this situation were truly not on their side.

Makoto closed her eyes a moment before looking back to everyone with a firm stare. “Right now, we trust in Ann…and Connie too if possible. Ann’s already us sent a message, so all we can do is respond back and tell her about the transport issue; then we can work up from there.”

Futaba did a hearty fist-pump as she turned to her desktop once more. “Sounds good ta me! Meanwhile, I can—huh?!”

The tech’s shocked change in tone made Ryuji furrow his brow at her. “Huh, what” – then he noticed what she noticed – “the hell?!”

XXX

In the entire rush from the restaurant to here, not to mention distracting that Quartz, Ann had completely forgotten she’d been holding her phone in her hand.

For all to see.

And now Garnet was staring straight at her. Crap.

Before the tall woman could start walking over here, Ann hastily stuffed her phone back into her handbag and barely managed a nervous smile at Connie. “I think it’s time I get back to my parents. They probably heard about what happened and’ll start to worry about me.”

For a moment, Connie looked to Ann in a rare moment of pure bafflement, still shaken by what just happened with Steven. However, she didn’t take long to notice Garnet’s gaze on them and connect the dots. “Uh, yeah! Yeah! Can I call you later this evening?”

“Yeah, totally!” Ann confirmed with a hasty nod before turning heel and waving. “See ya!”

And like lightning, Ann hauled ass out of there – leaving Connie to deal with any possible interrogations by herself.

Thanks a lot, Connie griped to herself. Luckily, though, Garnet redirected her attention to checking on Greg and the other Gems instead. The girl heaved a relieved sigh.

“Hey.” A familiar voice to the left drew her attention to discover Spinel had approached her, wearing an awkward half-smile. “Thanks for helpin’ me out there. I wanted ta thank that other girl, too, but I guess she’s got a busy schedule ta keep.”

Ah, right. Connie waved off the thanks with an assuring smile. “It’s no problem, Spinel! I can tell her you said that the next time I see her! Anyway, what brings you to Earth?”

The girl fought back a wince the moment she asked this, hoping the question didn’t sound accusatory.

Spinel did not seem bothered at all, judging by her easy shrug. “Eh, the Diamonds are all swamped with requests from Gems. Whole courtyard’s teeming wit’ em – looks like a neon carpet from way up! I didn’t want ‘em to hafta drop everything on my account, so I decided ta pop in and hang out here, get to know folks. White says I need to get out more anyway.”

Connie pursed her lips. To this day, she still questioned Steven’s decision to send the pink jester away to live with three former intergalactic tyrants. However, she kept this thought to herself and fixed Spinel with a faint yet empathetic grin. “You picked a heck of a day to drop by then. Sorry your visit went so sour.”

Once again, Spinel shrugged her shoulders. “Hey, what’s life without a little risk every now and then?” Although she then proceeded to scratch her cheek with a finger, bashful grin withstanding. “Although I’m definitely takin’ a pass on any more punches to the face,” she added.

Connie huffed in good-natured amusem*nt. While she hadn’t had a chance to familiarize herself with Spinel extensively like Steven had over the years, the girl felt glad for the formerly vengeful Gem who had clearly made progress in healing from her trauma. She only hoped Steven would be able to do similar.

“So, any idea what’s up with Steven?”

Speak of the fluffy-haired angel.

A gasp startled out of Connie, who’d found herself lost in thought to the point she had shut out her surroundings. Once again, Pearl would have disapproved for sure.

Spinel blinked and co*cked her head, wearing a genuinely concerned frown. “I mean, why was he goin’ crazy all of a sudden? It didn’t look like you guys were arguin’ but even I can tell somethin’ was up.”

Connie shook her head. “I’m not so sure myself.” And from what she’d seen, even the Gems still had no idea. The Phantom Thieves were the only possible means to resolve this escalating mystery. “But I might have found a way to solve it” – only to add under her breath – “I hope.”

“Connie!”

Both human and Gem jumped at the sharp tone and swiveled around to find Garnet standing before them with arms crossed, face unreadable as usual behind her star-shaped glasses. Pearl and Amethyst and Greg stood behind her with more readable expressions, their worry (and dread?) plain as sunlight.

Crap.

Spinel shifted her eyes to and fro, alternating between Connie and the adults, before thumbing over to the other Gems off to the side who’d been conversing in curious whispers. “Um…I’m just gonna be over there if anybody needs me.”

“Actually Spinel,” Pearl spoke up while raising a hand, “we’d like for you to be here for this conversation, too. We’re planning to contact the Diamonds about what happened here anyway, so it’s only fair you be in the loop.”

Hearing this took the jester by surprise, though she managed a touched smile. “Uh, OK! Thanks!”

Garnet gave a stoic nod before regarding Connie once more.

The girl didn’t need Future Vision to predict the direction of this upcoming talk. She held her hands up. “OK, Garnet, before you say anything, she wasn’t using her camera to record anything!”

“Then what was she using for?” the maroon brawler responded, terse.

“She was just texting her parents to let them know she’s OK.”

The way Garnet’s nose stymied an upcoming sigh indicated the tension before her voice got to. “Connie—”

“That’s all she was doing, I swear,” Connie insisted in the firmest tone she knew. “She has no intention of outing us or the other Gems. Me and Steven can vouch for her on that!”

Assuming Steven would allow anyone near him enough to do so after such a performance.

Amethyst, true to form, broke the atmosphere when she flipped her hair back in a deliberately flippant manner, even going so far as to fix a chill grin (that failed to reach her eyes). “Yeah, c’mon G! Not like anybody would believe her anyway! Besides, we’ve got way bigger stuff to worry about.”

Pearl sighed, reluctant. “I suppose that’s true. It’s just that this whole situation has already gotten out of hand; now Steven’s been sucked into the middle of it and-and—”

A gentle hand on the shoulder from Garnet helped the slimmer Gem regain her composure – or at least enough to take a few deep breaths to calm herself. Despite the stress of keeping her newfound allies a secret, Connie couldn’t deny an inkling of understanding towards the others’ paranoia.

Steven had enough to grapple with as is.

“It’s OK. I’m OK,” Pearl sighed at last, patting Garnet’s hand to assure exactly that. “Still, we all need to exercise more caution with how we handle this” – she set a serious though still compassionate gaze on her pupil – “you included. We’re not going to interrogate your friend if that’s what you’re worried about, but she needs to be made aware of how delicate this situation is.”

Connie resisted every urge in her body to shout a big resounding ‘No’, settling instead for a smile that felt more like a mask the Gems could rip away. Lying had come easily for her when dealing with her parents; lying to the Gems felt more like throwing slurs behind their backs.

She never felt so fake.

“Then I’ll let her know first thing after we’re done here! She’s just one person after all, and you saw how she handled Steven after he fell under, Garnet! It won’t take much to convince her.” Thankfully by the end of her little argument, Connie had regained her confidence, or at least enough to assuage the other Gems if Pearl and Garnet’s slight untensing indicated anything.

Amethyst gestured a hand at Connie. “See, guys? She’s got this! Now can we please start worryin’ about finding Steven? I betcha he hasn’t gone far.”

The look on Pearl’s face detailed sheer doubt, but the taller Gem acquiesced with a sigh before following her violet companion away from the carwash. When Garnet started to follow suit, Connie turned the opposite way to leave.

“Connie.”

Only to stop at the fusion calling her name once again. The girl glanced over her shoulder, both curious and a touch wary. “Yeah Garnet?”

For moment, the Gem merely held her gaze. “Be smart.”

Anyone who didn’t know Garnet would have taken it as simple friendly advice. Connie knew how to read between the lines, however.

Be smart in who you choose to trust.

For all the genuine concern the fusion poured into her voice, Connie felt her stomach lurch for a hot second, like someone had poured burning coals down her throat. What if her faith in Ann and the Phantom Thieves did fall through? What if they weren’t the heroes everyone claimed they were?

Or what if they were good after all but had to do something that would put Steven at risk for the greater good?

Memories of years ago, of when Steven surrendered himself to Homeworld to save everyone from Aquamarine and Topaz, flashed back in her mind’s eye. She remembered being so angry and disappointed with her Jam Bud for a long time afterward, even after Steven returned – especially after he returned.

Looking back, as much as she still thought to have been in the right at being upset with him acting so nonchalant with everyone’s feelings (with her feelings), perhaps there’d been more she could have done to get through to him, made him see that it was alright to acknowledge the awfulness for what it was.

And acknowledgement doesn’t equal giving up, Connie thought. Right, Ann?

This very thought compelled her to offer Garnet a smile worthy of a Crystal Gem. “I will. Count on it.”

For the first time since Steven’s departure, the maroon brawler smiled back before finally departing.

Connie proceeded to do the same. As she did, though, the sound of squeaky footfalls followed in her wake.

The source revealed herself before she even turned to regard her.

“Hey,” Spinel shyly spoke up, hands behind her back, “you don’t mind if I join ya for a bit?”

“Uh, no. Not at all,” Connie responded with a shrug. ”I figured you’d be going back to Homeworld to notify the Diamonds.”

Spinel rolled her eyes in a so-so manner. “Yeah, well, the others already said they’d be calling them anyway, so I figured why not pass the time ‘til then?” She leaned sideways closer while shielding a hand around her mouth in a conspiratorial manner. “Besides, I need a conversation on this planet that doesn’t involve a fist to my face.”

I can imagine, Connie mused in empathy. “So, that whole thing with Cherry happened not long after you got here, huh? Sheesh.”

The jester casually waved off the pity. “Eh, I’ve learned how to bounce back.” A pause followed before she shifted her eyes out of awkwardness, hands behind her head. “More or less. Anyway, enough ‘bout me! How ya been?”

Connie could tell her company didn’t have much experience socializing with humans, but hey why not throw the rubberhose dog a bone?

“Up ‘til everything now? Eh, mundane,” she admitted with a shrug. The details she didn’t bother elaborating on since she knew Spinel wouldn’t understand most of the concepts. “I know I shouldn’t complain after all the crazy stuff I’d seen and done, but as awful as this might sound, a part of me’s sort of happy to be in the middle of something so crazy again.”

The rush, the wonder, even the tension.

Spinel eyed her weirdly, though not in an affronted way. More like a fascinated ‘damn you’re some other kind of screwy, aren’t ya?’

“I know lives are at stake and all,” Connie continued, “and I definitely want to help everyone who’s affected. It’s just…going through each day like a normal human – at first it felt like a relief, which it was…but then as the years went on and me and Steven got swamped with life in general…I guess you can say I got…nostalgic from time to time.”

“Ya still practice with that fancy sword o’ yers?” Spinel asked, remembering the girl branding it during the whole bio-drill business. Steven had also mentioned during one of his visits how Connie used to train in sword-fighting under Pearl.

A dark blush came to Connie. “Yeah, I’ve…sort of been slacking for the past year. I’ve been trying to get back into it to polish off the rust, but…sword-fighting’s not the same by yourself. Or as fun.”

By then, the pair had made their way back to the boardwalk. Connie took note of the whispers of people, human and Gem alike, passing by. “I think the biggest thing, though,” she continued, “might be that I miss helping others the most. Helping people here in particular.”

Spinel co*cked her head, captivated by the girl’s words. “You could do that as a regular human, couldn’t ya?”

Connie sighed, shaking her head. “Yeah…except that doesn’t feel like enough, like there’s more I could do.” She looked to Spinel. “Does that sound selfish? Arrogant maybe?”

The pink Gem put a finger to her chin, thoughtful. “Maybe, but what would I know? I’m the Diamonds’ court jester/palace-mate. I mean it’s not like you’re trying to colonize the planet, so maybe being the kind of selfish you’re talking about is a good thing.”

Selfishness? A good thing?

Connie found herself snorting in amusem*nt at the mere idea, amusem*nt that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Did Steven ever wonder the same thing? “If it is,” she spoke up, “I might have my work cut out for me.”

Spinel chuckled in kind. “Yeah, there’s no happily ever after. We’ll always have more work to do.”

What? Something about that last statement caught Connie’s attention, making her pause and regard the Gem with curiosity.

Spinel noticed. “Hmm? Oh, just somethin’ Steven told me after the whole…ya know.” She faced forward again and tilted her head skyward. “Stories end but life goes on, so we gotta do the same. Otherwise, we’re stuck livin’ a fantasy.”

No happily ever after, Connie thought to herself, the same gears from before in the restaurant turning.

Haru’s words from then echoed back. Yes, he hasn’t merely healed people. He’s made them all happy.

As did Yusuke’s. Indeed, it sounds as though your friend might be determined to live out a fantasy.

Connie’s eyes, going huge in realization, shot to the hill that hid the house (and possibly Steven) from view. If a Palace depicted how Steven and his family saw this whole place…

“Hey Spinel,” the girl suddenly spoke up in a slightly rushed tone as she pulled out her phone, “I need to check something on my phone right fast.”

The magenta jester blinked at her, taken back by the abrupt change in mood. “Uh sure…?”

Wait right, abandonment issues, Connie realized as she froze mid-step, remembering last minute what Steven had told her regarding Spinel’s backstory. In haste, she fixed her with a hasty (and guilt-ridden) smile. “I promise to be right back. Just swing around to the back of this store if you need me for anything, OK?”

“Hey, hey, I get it,” Spinel insisted with a saucy eyeroll and hands akimbo. “Whatever ya gotta do, just do it already. Don’t leave the rest of us in suspense.”

Well, that was as good of a response as Connie would ever get.

With a relieved smile, she dashed through the alleyway to the back of the nearest store, Beach Citywalk Fries, and checked to find the coast clear. Good, she didn’t need anybody snitching on her.

When she opened her phone to check her messages again, though, something caught her eye. Something familiar.

Hang on, haven’t I seen this symbol before?

As a matter of fact, she soon realized, yes. Ann’s phone had sported the same strange-looking icon back at Fish Stew Pizza.

Connie shook her head regardless. Right now, the goal mattered and nothing else, especially now that she had the necessary tool.

OK, she rattled off in her head. Think, Maheswaran. What sort of place has all three in common: fantasy; healing; and happy ever after?

The first and last ones made sense enough, and so did the second once you considered all the ways you could interpret it: healing the body, healing the soul, healing the mind, healing the heart.

You know what? Fantasy sh*t so heart it is! Or at least for a good start.

“Crystal Gems. Beach City and Little Homeworld” – Connie rattled her brain for a moment before finishing – “Storybook?”

Conditions have been found.

No words could do the victory in her eyes justice.

“Yes!”

Beginning route to destination.

Then her face fell, confused.

“Wait, route?”

XXX

“Is this really necessary, Garnet?”

“I just need to be sure. Please Peridot?”

At the fusion’s soulful plead, a sigh emanated from the green Gem seating in a blue beanbag before she returned her attention to the laptop in her, well, lap. Garnet sat cross-legged beside her fellow Gem, hands on her knees. Both Gems sat within the beach house; Pearl and Amethyst were still outside alongside Lapis and Bismuth, searching for Steven who hadn’t returned home like everyone had hoped.

Hopefully, whatever could be extracted here could at the very least minimize potential trouble for their boy.

On the bright side, Peridot hadn’t needed much convincing after being recounted what happened earlier. If this ‘activity’ Garnet asked her to do would help Steven and other Gems, ethics be shards. Just as long as Ann doesn’t find out about this. As little time as they’d gotten to know each other, Peridot didn’t favor facing the girl’s sense of betrayal and violation.

“It’s not like peering into human devices is new territory for us,” Peridot shrugged. “Well for me anyway.”

Ever since that one near-incident with that one tourist, the Crystal Gems had made a point to secretly keep tabs on any communication devices brought in by outsiders. Peridot still found it startling how near effortless it was to infiltrate what constituted networks on this planet. Besides, it’s not like humans didn’t do worse than this to one another.

However, a thought then occurred to Peridot, making the technician pause mid-type. She shifted a nervous gaze to Garnet. “This…isn’t going to require us going into the Dark Web, is it?”

Although she couldn’t tell, Peridot had a feeling Garnet was blinking behind her glasses, taken back by the question.

“No?” The fusion responded in a slow (and increasingly wary) tone. “Why do you ask?”

Peridot blushed a deep green before hastily reverting attention to the laptop, resuming her typing. “Nothing, nothing! Anyway, this shouldn’t take too long aaaaand…there! We officially have access to one Ann Takamaki’s phone data.”

Garnet craned her neck to peruse the revealed data. Mostly text messages in what she had a good hunch was Japanese.

“Well, this hardly helps,” Peridot snarked in frustration. Seriously, why couldn’t humans just stick to one planetwide language?

“Try scrolling down,” Garnet suggested.

Fortunately for them, there happened to be messages in English further down – and very enlightening messages at that.

Turns out that girl had been discussing Little Homeworld with others, more specifically the odd goings-on. This didn’t bode well, especially with Connie apparently being swayed into these people’s fold.

On the other hand, the nature of the messages also got very perplexing.

Palaces, Treasures, Rulers, Nav, Shadows?

Peridot and Garnet shared a baffled look. Clearly there was more to this Ann girl than appearances suggested, same with her supposed friends. What that ‘more’ entailed was the million-dollar question.

They continued scrolling down – until Peridot gasped at a word that caught her eye: surveillance.

Had…Had Ann been having someone spy on Steven? The green Gem almost didn’t want to believe it. Nearby, Garnet balled her hands into fists.

Before either one could comment, all the readings on Peridot’s laptop clicked off on their own.

“What the--?” the tech murmured as she tried to get her stats back – to no avail.

“What’s going on?” Garnet asked, equally alarmed by what just happened but not tech savvy enough to fully understand.

For a moment, Peridot said nothing. Well unless you counted choked gasps. Then at last, she managed to squeak out the following:

“I…I’ve been booted out?!”

Chapter 7: I Could Never Be Ready

Chapter Text

As much of an excuse as it had been, turns out her parents had heard about what happened with that Gem.

Ann needed an hour to talk down their concerns once they met back up.

By then, the sun had already gone down; plus, her mother had insisted on dinner at a restaurant since their whole family hadn’t had a chance together all day and be it far from Ann to reject opportunities for family time. Then came the family games and movies back at their hotel room in the nearest city, which took a couple hours, straight into the night in fact.

No surprise that it took Ann almost until bedtime to check her phone. With her mother in the bathroom while her father checked with the staff downstairs about when breakfast tomorrow would be, Ann took the chance to check on her teammates.

AT: Guys, anybody still awake?

She didn’t need to wait long.

HO: Oh, you’re up!

AT: Yeah, sorry for taking so long. How are things with you guys?

FS: Oh no, totally cool. Just had to fend off a fellow hacker off your phone a while ago.

Hang on, what? Ann scrunched her brow and peered at Futaba’s message, not sure whether she was reading it right.

RS: She ain’t foolin’! All the messages went movin’ on their own! Scared the crap outta us!

MN: Futaba was able to block the source, but there’s no telling how long that will last.

FS: I also managed to trace it before the culprit could slip away. Turns out they’re coming straight from Beach City!

Wait, as in right where Steven and all the Gems are?

Frowning in worry, Ann did a quick mental checklist of all the people she’d met or heard of today, human and Gem alike, who could be responsible. None popped out to her at first.

That is until Peridot came to mind.

The friendliness the green Gem displayed to her earlier almost convinced Ann to scratch her off the list, but then a second thought gave her pause.

Because come to think of it, Peridot did give off some Futaba vibes during Ann’s chat with her this morning, not to mention had rattled off about technical innovations happening around Little Homeworld.

Even then, though, why would she or any of the Gems go snooping on her phone?

Then Ann remembered the piercing gaze Garnet gave her earlier after Steven fled in the wake of his outburst, when the taller woman had caught the girl texting on her phone. Ann felt so much like slapping herself for, once again, not being more careful.

HO: We’re sorry, Ann! We would have called you earlier, but given what happened, we figured it’d be safer to wait.

AK: Especially since you needed to lay low for a while.

Despite her frustration, Ann smiled. Count on her friends to think ahead, let alone pick up on her slack.

AT: Thanks guys. Anyway, you all saw what happened, right?

YK: Yes, that one Gem’s personality supposedly changed in an instant.

MN: Not her personality, her morality.

RS: Yeah, she went apesh*t on someone just for having a different opinion.

FS: Whoever’s doing this, they’re either growing stronger or they’re done warming up.

MN: We need those keywords as soon as possible.

HO: Agreed! Have you heard from Connie? She hasn’t responded to any of our messages.

Oh right. Come to think of it, Ann realized as she checked past messages, she hasn’t checked back in with me either.

SY: Maybe she’s been spending time with her family like Ann-sempai has.

YK: Even so, it would help to know she is doing well after everything that has happened.

Ann couldn’t disagree there. Besides, for all any of them knew, Connie might have stumbled across new clues in the meantime.

AT: Lemme send her a text, to make sure.

She barely got through typing a prompt in before Connie’s icon, an eagle in flight against a purple background, popped up.

CM: You still up, Ann?

AT: Oh, hey Connie! I was just about to call you! You OK?

No response at first, not for the first minute. Ann was about to send another text out of concern when a response finally came.

CM: Can we meet at Dewey Park tomorrow? I’m free all afternoon.

AT: Sure?

CM: Cool. Thanks. G’night.

Then her icon left.

Ann took a moment to blink at the screen, taken aback by the other girl’s abruptness. The others shared her sentiment.

FS: OOOOK, that was weird.

MN: She seemed as though she were in a rush.

YK: Perhaps the Gems infiltrated her phone as well?

The idea made Ann furrow her brow, skeptical.

AT: No, I think they trust her too much to do that.

RS: Well, something’s got her worked up.

AK: Can’t be helped.

MN: Agreed. Whatever’s going on with her will have to wait. Anyway, there’s another issue we need to address.

Another? Ann co*cked her head, attentive.

MN: Right now, we have no means of joining you there.

AT: So, what? Do I have to solo this?

Because Ann wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that. Godly at magic as she was, she wasn’t exactly the team’s sturdiest fighter. She restrained a groan lest her mother overhead, but still hung her head.

FS: No worries! Remember, you’re allies with somebody who knows aliens!

SY: Yes, they’re bound to have some way of getting around quickly!

Oh right, I hadn’t thought of that! Already Ann could feel her shoulders ease up in relief.

AT: Yeah, I’ll definitely mention it to her tomorrow!

AK: Good to hear! Anyway, we better let you go.

HO: Yes, we all need to be ready for tomorrow. Good night, everyone!

AT: Night guys!

Once everybody else chipped in a goodnight of their own and logged off chat, Ann set her phone on the nightstand beside her and fell back on the bed with a sigh.

Why did she have the distinct feeling tomorrow won’t be going smoothly?

XXX

When her parents dropped her off at the park the next day after breakfast and a brief tour of a museum, there weren’t many people out.

In fact, as her eyes panned the somewhat forested area, she seemed to be the only person here. Curious, Ann started walking down the main cemented path, taking her time to avoid looking suspicious in case anybody besides Connie passed by.

Fortunately, she didn’t have to walk far before she finally spotted Connie sitting at one of the park benches, elbows on the table while she propped her clasped hands in front of her face with a rather focused expression, a cup full of a steaming brown drink in front of her.

If not for the circ*mstances and location, Ann would have snorted at the other girl’s resemblance to a certain SpongeBob meme.

With one hand waving overhead and another raised to her mouth, Ann called out. “Hey, Connie!”

The other girl responded started at the voice, jarred out whatever thought process her faculties had been in, but relaxed immediately at the sight of Ann coming over.

“Good. You made it.” Though Connie wore a genuinely relieved smile as she said this, one could still see an undercurrent of nervousness (and guilt?) in her eyes, as though the other girl were bracing for something. “There’s…something. We gotta talk about. A lot of somethings actually.”

Ann was about to ask for clarification (though she already had a good idea of what a good number of those somethings could be), when she noticed another detail upon coming closer.

Connie had company, only they’d been sitting down on the grass below the empty space of seat to Connie’s right, initially out of view of Ann’s eyesight.

And when Ann took note of this person’s magenta/pink color palette and spiky pigtails, recognition hit. “Wait a minute…aren’t you that Gem from yesterday?”

The magenta person, who’d turned and got up on the seat after hearing Connie’s response, greeted her with a smile. “You mean the one you guys helped out? Yep, that’s me! Thanks for that, by the way! You’re Ann, right? Name’s Spinel, nice to meet cha!”

In the blink of an eye, Spinel extended one arm to Ann in a parabolic loop de loop. The taken back blonde blankly stared at then awkwardly accepted the eccentric handshake. She still needed to adjust to seeing so many wacky abilities outside the Metaverse.

“It’s…nice to meet you too, Spinel. Huh,” – Ann looked to Connie, more taken back than upset – “when you texted me yesterday, it sounded like it’d just be you and me.”

Connie blushed at this observation. “I know, and I’m sorry! Some things…happened after you left and well…”

She sighed, figuring now would be the time to come clean.

“You better sit down for this. Oh, and could you see if your friends are up? I wanna make sure everyone’s on the same page.”

XXX

Connie had no idea what had just happened.

One moment, she’d been standing behind the fry restaurant, then in the space of a second the world seemed to melt and reconstruct itself around her until BAM, she’s standing behind a pink and white striped tent.

The speed of this transition would have unsettled her if not for the distracting sound of…fireworks?

She gazed up to spot the source, only to gasp upon discovering a pastel pink sky full of huge, puffy white clouds. For a hot moment, she wondered if the phone had dumped her in the middle of Rose’s Room.

No, she realized, then this place wouldn’t already be here since that room needed Steven to will stuff into existence in the first place.

But that could only mean this was a completely different realm, though one still connected to Steven in its own way if the keywords were to be believed.

“Right, the keywords,” Connie murmured to herself with a stern look at her phone. “Ann and her friends will want to know about this.”

Again, the sounds of fireworks went off nearby, still viewable from where she stood. The noise almost tempted Connie to explore and see, only for common sense to kick in.

“Strange new place, no sword, and no backup,” she quietly reminded herself. “Not a good time to be bold right now, Maheswaran.”

Right, now was the time to leave. Now how to get this phone to send her—

SNAP!

Sudden sounds of steps in the still silence made Connie yelp, nearly dropping her phone. The odd distorted-sounding voices that followed did not help.

“I think I heard something this way.”

“You sure?”

Oh yeah, definitely time to go!

Hastening, Connie rechecked her phone screen to discover the same app responsible still there much to her relief and pounded it.

Would you like to return to the real world?

“Yes! YES!”

And just as quickly, the world melted and realigned.

So quickly in fact that Connie didn’t notice she was back in Beach City at first – not until the sound of seagulls made her take note of the early evening sky.

She sighed out of immense relief. Oh, thank Vishnu, at least this weird little app wasn’t hard to use.

Unfortunately, it also wasn’t hard to misuse.

“Note to self,” she whispered as she walked out from behind the building and back into public view, eyes still on her phone, “blurting out keywords at this thing is a bad idea.”

“Blurting what’s a bad idea?”

“GAH!” Once again, Connie barely managed to catch her phone, only this time for a different reason, said reason jerking back as well in surprise. “O-Oh, hey Spinel. Sorry. Uh…I didn’t leave you waiting there long, did I?”

“No, but I do got a question for ya.” Only now did Connie notice the rattled expression on Spinel’s face. “Did Steven and the Gems that got affected hallucinate or anything?”

The Indian girl eyed the Gem oddly. “Not that I know of, why?”

To her further concern, the anxiety in Spinel’s expression worsened. “Yeah, I don’t know if I’m coming down with it too, but I’m pretty sure seeing a whole-facet circus shimmer before your eyes ain’t normal.”

Connie stared at Spinel, eyes wide, and then the phone and then back. “You…saw a circus?”

“That’s what I said” The pink Gem gripped her pigtails in building distress, mistaking Connie’s mien as confirmation. “Ugh, I’m gonna go crazy too, aren’t I? Again?!”

“Easy, easy!” Connie hastily assured her with hands raised in assurance. “You’re not infected and you’re not going crazy! It’s…”

A pause followed as the girl stared down at her phone before she sighed, seeing no other way out. “You have time? Cause this might take a while to explain.”

XXX

“You made it into the Metaverse?!” Ann gasped from across where she sat from Connie who finished regaling her little adventure, both their cellphones set on the table between them. Spinel sat cross-legged on one end of the table, watching the conversation.

FS: And figured out the last keyword?! Nice!

As of now, Futaba and Akira (and Morgana unbeknownst to Connie) were the only Thieves able to attend at the moment. No surprise considering right now had be like 6 or 7am over in Japan.

Connie nodded at both statements, albeit solemnly. “And got right back out. I don’t know what’s out there in…Steven’s heart, but I am not finding out without my sword.”

Now that she mentioned it, Ann noticed a pink scabbard set next to Connie’s left, the golden pommel and purple hilt of a sword sticking out, a gold star emblem decorating its base. A sigh drew the blonde’s attention back to Connie.

“I’m really sorry about being so reckless with the…Meta-Nav, right? I just thought it would flash a different color or something, not jettison me in from the get-go.”

Oops, right. Ann blushed and rubbed her nape with an abashed chuckle. “Actually, we should apologize. The Nav takes the stuff you say pretty literally. I should have mentioned that yesterday.”

FS: Ditto. Our bad.

AK: You also have to be careful no one’s nearby when you use it.

Ah, otherwise you could get them pulled in with you without meaning to, Connie put together. Definitely a risk to keep in mind. All the same, she shook her head. “I’m also sorry if telling Spinel about you guys is upsetting. It felt like the right call after what she told me.”

At this point, Spinel spoke up, holding both hands up. “Hey-hey-hey, I can keep a secret! I mean, it all went over my head, but I think I get the gist of it. You guys have some funky mind powers that can help Steven and all those Gems that’ve gone bonkers, right?”

Ann co*cked her head at the description. Funky mind powers? Well, not the most inaccurate way the Thieves had their abilities described. She shrugged. “As long as you don’t shout it from the rooftops, I don’t see a problem with it.”

AK: Same here.

FS: Thirded. Now then, Spinel, you claim to have seen a circus not long after Connie left, right?

“Uh yeah? It stopped right before she popped back around too.”

FS: And that includes the same tent the Meta-Nav dropped you at, right Connie?

“Exact same.”

(“Hmm…there might be a deeper connection between the Metaverse and Gems than we suspected,” Morgana speculated to Futaba and Akira at their end of the conversation.

“You think the Crystal Gems might know?” asked Akira.

“Hard to say,” Futaba replied before typing out her next response, “but at the least this little tidbit could come in handy.”)

FS: Alrighty then, let’s make a deal, Spinel: we need ta get into Steven’s heart to help him out, but we need somebody to spot us.

Spot them? Spinel shifted her gaze between Connie and Ann in confusion.

“Basically, be our eyes here while we’re over in the Metaverse,” the latter explained.

Spinel rolled her eyes. “I know what you mean; what I don’t get is why? Shouldn’t ya be tellin’ the Crystal Gems about this?”

A tense silence met her question, giving Spinel the impression that she may have asked something she shouldn’t have.

Ann averted her eyes, guilty faced. “Well…”

“It’s best they don’t know for now,” Connie stated in a tone firmer than she felt. “They’ve had a habit of jumping to conclusions when it comes to strangers.”

Not an unreasonable precaution, considering those conclusions tended to lead to weapons out with only diplomacy coming later courtesy of Steven, who was currently unavailable. Perhaps less so now, but Connie had been out of the loop with the team for a while and she didn’t want to take any chances.

Not when she and the Thieves had already made progress.

Spinel, to her credit, seemed to get the message judging by the dark magenta blush coating her cheeks. No doubt she’d recalled the Crystal Gems’ tendency for ‘jitteriness’ as well. “O-Oh, well in that case, sure! I can look out for ya guys!”

Connie smiled in gratitude. “Thanks, Spinel. I do plan to tell them about all this; I’d just rather wait until we’ve changed Steven’s heart.”

That way, the Thieves would have solid proof – and a willing witness in Steven – for when the time came to tell Garnet and the others everything.

Once Spinel nodded to show she agreed to the plan, Connie clapped her hands, gung-ho. “OK, now that we’ve got that all covered, all that’s left is getting me, you, and your team inside to—um, Ann, what’s wrong?”

Ann, who’d been silent and attentive throughout Connie and Spinel’s brief chat, had adopted a nervous look. “Y-Yeah, about that. The others are all the way in Japan, and it’d be kinda hard to miss if they all hopped on a plane to come over here.”

“They all live in Tokyo, right?” Connie asked, recalling Ann’s conversation with Ronaldo, Lars, and the Off-Colors yesterday. Ann nodded and Connie crossed her arms. “I’ve been mulling over how to help with that. I have this warp whistle that lets me use the Warp Pads the Gems use to travel—”

Ann perked.

“Except the nearest one is at the base of Mt. Fuji.”

Then Ann sagged.

Connie gave a sympathetic grimace in turn. “Yeah, I checked on Google Maps. Pretty sure you guys wouldn’t like having to travel over 2 hours.”

FS: UGH, that’s basically 4 hours of going back and forth minus all the Palace stuff! We don’t have that kind of time!

AK: Hang on. Connie, how do you even know where the closest pad to Tokyo is?

Connie blushed. Right, that detail. “I…had to ask my friend Peridot for a map of Earth’s warp system, told her I wanted to have one in case the culprits were sighted anywhere else on the planet.”

Not a complete lie: the thought of the culprits hiding out somewhere on Earth had crossed Connie’s mind. She only wished she hadn’t had to give Peridot half-truths.

“Anyway,” the darker girl continued with a somewhat forced smile, shaking off the sense of guilt, “don’t worry about transportation. There’s one option we can use, although it took me a while to find him.”

Find him?

Before any of the three Thieves could ask, Connie turned to a nearby tree and whistled with her fingers. At first nothing happened…then came the sound of something big huffing and standing up, and from behind the tree stepped out—

“AAHHHH!” With that scream, Ann promptly fell out her seat and onto her butt, startling everyone present.

She could not believe her eyes. They weren’t in the Metaverse, right? This was still their world, which meant this wasn’t a cognition.

Which meant Ann was deadass staring down a giant pink lion – and it was coming towards her.

“It’s OK, it’s OK!” Connie hastily assured her with one hand out. “He’s not gonna hurt you.”

Ann shot the other girl an incredulous stare, only to yelp when she looked back to discover the lion was now right up in her face.

For a long agonizing moment, nobody moved.

Then the lion sniffed her – once, twice – before pulling back to resume staring.

OK, well her limbs and throat were all still intact. That was a good sign, right? Why was this cat staring, though? Did it want her to do something?

A quick glance at Connie for help only earned her an encouraging smile and nod, the other girl patting herself on the head to hint at the creature’s expectations.

Petting? That was it?

Looking back at the beast, Ann gulped and hesitantly placed a hand on the lion’s mane, right above the forehead. Other than the creature grunting upon contact, nothing happened. Ann lifted her hand for a moment and set it back, an awkward semblance of a pet.

The lion grunted again, this time the tip of its tail starting to wag. Did it…like this?

Feeling a little bolder, Ann sat straighter up and made more of an effort in her petting, even throwing in a few strokes.

A low rumbling emanated from the lion in response, clearly enjoying the attention. The sight alone proved enough to set Ann at ease enough that she even started to chuckle, amazed.

“Heh…heh-heh, his mane is so soft.”

At this point, Connie came around from the table, phone in hand. Spinel followed suit, somersaulting from the other side until she landed into a crouch beside Ann. “I still don’t know to this day how Lion does it, not with all the baths he’s refused from me and Steven over the years.”

She noticed Ann’s blank stare and shrugged with a wry half-smile. “Steven named him. He’s never been the best with naming stuff.”

A beep returned Connie’s attention to her cell.

AK: Well, Futaba’s currently comatose from cuteness.

It took all Connie’s willpower not to release a very unladylike snort.

CM: Sorry about that. Lion can have that effect on people.

AK: Don’t worry, she’ll snap out of it soon.

“Wait,” Ann spoke up, remembering what Connie said just before she summoned Lion, “is he how we’re gonna get the others here?” When Connie nodded, Ann simply shook her head in confusion. “But…how?”

A knowing smirk graced Connie’s face. “You’ll see soon enough. Is there a place where the others can meet up, someplace where they won’t get noticed? Like maybe someplace with good cover?”

Ann hummed in thought, one hand still idly running fingers through Lion’s mane. “What about Inokashira Park?”

Another beep heralded Akira’s response.

AK: That should work. I’m letting the others know.

Connie nodded. “Alright, see you soon then!”

As the other girl put her phone away once Akira hung up, Ann looked to Lion and shook her head, incredulous. “So…how is Lion here going to know where to find the others?”

Connie grimaced and walked up to give Lion’s mane a pet as well. “Trial and error, dear Ann, trial and error.”

XXX

About an hour later found the rest of the Phantom Thieves gathered at the park in question.

Akira, Morgana, and Futaba had just finished regaling their conversation with Connie and Ann and…well understandably were met with skepticism.

“A giant pink lion?” Haru asked at a slow pace, not sure she followed.

“Giant pink space lion!” Futaba corrected, still jittery from the secondhand encounter and eager for the firsthand.

Yusuke crossed his arms, shaking his head and sighing. “Compared to the situation at hand, let alone our experiences with the Metaverse, this would hardly be the most bizarre occurrence were it to be true.”

Ryuji hung his head, exasperated. “I mean it’s still kind of random, though, ain’t it?”

“Even so,” Makoto supplied, “from how you three describe…Lion? It seems like Connie really is banking on him to solve our transportation issue.”

“That’s another thing,” Ryuji cut in, “who the heck names a Lion ‘Lion’?! It’s like us namin’ Morgana ‘Cat’!”

The aforementioned black and white cat peeking his head out of Akira’s handbag shuffled his ears in a sort of shrug. “Really makes me appreciate having a proper name, I’ll tell you that. Anyway, Connie said Lion and Ann should be here soon, let’s be on the lookout.”

Sumire co*cked her head, a finger to her chin in wonder. “Right…um, Mona-senpai, shouldn’t we be a little worried?”

“I doubt we’ll have to worry about being eaten, if that’s what you mean.”

“No, no, not that! What I mean is” – she shuffled her feet awkwardly – “isn’t a big colorful cat liable to catch someone’s attention once it shows up?”

Especially with the noises it’ll no doubt make.

Mona licked a forepaw, pensive. “I guess that depends on how Lion would even get—”

Out of literal nowhere, a reverberating pop sounded as a glittery starlit portal ripped through thin air and manifested right behind the group, startling them.

“W-What—” Morgana stuttered in surprise.

“—the—,” Makoto gasped.

“—hell?!” Ryuji exclaimed.

Oh, today’s craziness was just getting started because soon after the huge pink cat in question burst out of the portal, landing gracefully on the grass while the portal shrunk and winked out of existence with a twinkle. And riding top the beast was none other than an awkward-faced Ann, along with a strange-looking punk magenta girl who literally had her arms wrapped around Ann like rope.

Yeah, nothing abnormal whatsoever.

“Uh, hey guys,” Ann greeted with a nervous chuckle.

Absolutely no one moved for the next few moments, too stunned to speak.

That is until Futaba let off a happy squee, dancing in place, before dashing over to Lion.

“Futaba-chan, wait!” Makoto cried out in alarm, reaching a hand out but too late to stop her younger friend.

“OH, MY FREAKING GOSH, HE’S EVEN CUTER IN PERSON!” the tech girl cheered as she got right up in Lion’s face, much to the big cat’s discomfort, the younger girl’s eyes going starry. The magenta girl held back snickers at the sight.

Haru, albeit more warily, also approached Lion for a closer look. The big fluffy beast seemed friendly enough. Lion regarded her next, merely blinking.

“Um…”

Ann noticed the older girl’s hesitation. “It’s OK, he’s actually really nice once you get to know him!”

After another moment’s hesitation, Haru timidly stuck a hand out. Lion craned his head to sniff, staying that way for a second, before leaning his forehead into it, much to Haru’s surprise. She gasped once her hand met his mane and smiled.

“Oh, he’s so soft.”

“No fair!” Futaba cried out with a pout, “I wanna pet him too!”

At this point, the other Thieves neared as well, no longer seeing the need for caution.

Yusuke made a frame with his fingers and peered through, admiring Lion. “The monochromatic palette, the sweeping curves, and the roundness of its body structure…truly a mesh between elegance and power.”

“So…,” Morgana muttered, “a giant pink lion that can also teleport. Must be quite the story behind this guy.”

Akira rubbed the back of his own head at his feline friend’s comment, seconding that notion. That seemed to be a running trend concerning everyone in Steven’s life, Connie included – and the gang hadn’t even gotten into the Metaverse yet.

No noticed Spinel craning her head, confusedly trying to discern the voice.

Makoto crossed her arms, thoughtful. “I can imagine. Did he really warp here all the way from America?”

“By roaring,” Ann simply added with a nod. The irony of such a straightforward travel method was not lost on her. “Took him a while to find this place, too! Anyway, we better get moving.”

“Oh right,” Sumire hastily added, having lost herself in petting Lion alongside Haru and Futaba, “before anyone notices us!”

No doubt that roar attracted a great deal of attention.

Ryuji hung his head as he eyed Lion, incredulous, before gesturing a hand at everybody else. “Uh yeah, how many of us are here again?”

Futaba sweat-dropped, seeing his point. Lion only had so much room for passengers after all. “We’re definitely gonna need a few round trips.”

Akira co*cked his head, humming. “Three at a time?”

“That sounds reasonable,” Makoto readily agreed. “You have Morgana with you anyway, so technically that’s four. That would leave five more, so—”

“Actually,” Ann interrupted, albeit a little hesitant, “we can all go at once thanks to Spinel here.”

The magenta chick heartily waved a hand and gave a big smile upon noticing everyone staring at her (as if they weren’t already before).

All the other Thieves looked at the girl, baffled, and then to Ann, who averted her eyes with a nervous expression.

“How so?” Yusuke asked, curious and a touch apprehensive.

XXX

Apparently by having Spinel tie her arms around everyone else’s waists, having them all trail behind as Lion raced through the trans-dimensional tunnel, the Thieves all clinging onto the stretchy limbs like the world’s most bizarre form of jet-skiing.

Only Futaba, clinging to Spinel from behind, and Morgana, cradled in the bag in her lap, were the ones who got to ride shotgun with Spinel and Ann.

Also yes, everyone besides Akira was screaming.

“YOU HAD TO FREAKING ASK!” Ryuji shouted.

“M-MY APOLOGIES!” Yusuke yelped.

“WAKE ME WHEN IT’S OVEEER!” Futaba screamed.

Thankfully, the ride was very soon.

The literal light at the end of the tunnel twinkled and came rushing at breakneck speed until Lion and all his passengers in tow reached and burst through it, emerging back in not Dewey Park but instead in a patch of forest near someone’s house, the town’s water tower nearby.

Connie had stood patiently by the road, sword and scabbard strapped to her back. Now she became alert at the sight of not only Ann, Lion, and Spinel’s return but the plethora of revealed (and shaken) faces of her up until now unseen allies.

None of whom she could understand at all.

(“Well,” Sumire shakily stated as Spinel released her grip on everyone, “that was an experience to be sure.”

Ryuji clutched his mouth and stomach, holding back the urge to retch. “I think I lost my breakfast back there.”)

“And probably three of my nine lives with it,” Morgana uttered in a daze.

Connie narrowed her eyes at the last voice, unable to pinpoint the source. Did someone else in Ann’s friend group speak English too? She shook her head, putting this question on the backburner, before approaching the group with her cellphone at the ready.

“Hey, Ann! Glad to see you all got here in one piece!”

Much to her relief. She’d been worried the travel arrangement would result in someone getting lost in transit, but it seemed like Spinel had taken extra care to keep everyone securely in tow.

Ann nodded with a sheepish chuckle. “All thanks to Spinel here. She really saved a lot of time for us.”

The pink Gem in question giggled, waving a hand in a ‘aw shucks’ manner.

Without warning, though, the blonde male in the back had recovered enough to undo his bending over and fix an annoyed frown on Connie.

(“I’m gonna take a wild guess say that was your idea, wasn’t it? Seriously, you couldn’t spare like I don’t know, a few extra space lions or something?”)

When Connie gave nothing more than a blank stare, Ryuji rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to ask what was up with her lack of response.

“Ryuji,” Ann interrupted in a chiding tone.

Fortunately, that’s all her childhood friend needed to remember and realize his mistake. Eyes now wide, he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

(“Oh right, she doesn’t speak Japanese. My bad.”

“To be fair,” Haru spoke up, “I’d almost forgotten that myself.”

“It would be understandable,” Yusuke added, “considering the events of, well, the last few minutes.”

“It’s cool, guys,” Ann assured with a chuckle, switching to her friends’ language, “I can handle the translations from here.”)

At this moment, Morgana chose to make himself known by leaping out of Akira’s bag and landing on the grass. “Kind as always, Lady Ann, but please allow me to take over. You’ve done so much already after all.”

That voice again. Connie had paid closer attention this time but once again couldn’t discern who it came from. She noticed Spinel doing the same, the pink Gem shrugging at her in turn. Nobody else seemed to have been talking, so where—

A sudden paw at her leg drew her attention to a small black and white cat with blue eyes and a yellow collar, staring intently up at her. Curious, Connie kneeled down to be more eye-level with the furry creature.

“You guys brought a cat with you?” she asked, a little baffled.

Then the cat co*cked his head, directed his attention to the tall boy with shaggy black hair, and opened his mouth.

“Says the one who has a magic lion.”

It took approximately 1.5 seconds for Connie to register that the cat – the clearly not Gem-related cat – had just talked in plain English. She jerked back onto her hindquarters with a startled help, eyes wide.

Spinel also started at hearing Morgana speak, although more surprised than freaked out.

“D-Did…did you just talk?!”

Then to both her and Spinel’s surprise, Ann and the cat reared back in shock as well.

“WHAT?!”

“You—You already understand me?!”

Spinel raised a hand, meek and a touch out of her depth. “Me too.”

And like dominoes, the surprise spilled over onto everyone else.

(“Say what!” Futaba gasped.

“FOR REAL?!” Ryuji naturally exclaimed.

Yusuke shook his head, disbelieving. “How is that possible?”)

The cat hung his head, baffled. “I’m…not really sure.”

Connie narrowed her eyes, realizing not only the cat was still speaking English but that everyone could apparently understand him? How?

“Wait,” Ann spoke up, “does this mean you can speak English, Morgana?”

“Sort of. I’m basically a living translator,” the team’s feline member affirmed with a shrug, tail swishing in a meditative manner. “However I speak, whatever language a person understands best is what they’ll hear. Don’t ask me how I know, I just do.”

He gestured a head to Connie and Spinel – “They hear English” – and then to all the Thieves – “the rest of you hear Japanese, although I imagine what Lady Ann would hear differs since she speaks both languages.”

(“Why the heck didn’t ya say so sooner?!” Ryuji barked, annoyed.

“Pretty sure that would have been handy to know,” Futaba testily agreed.)

Morgana rolled his eyes. “Hey, all our targets so far have solely been in Japan, so I never saw a need to mention it!”

Connie and Spinel shared a look. OK, so everybody could understand the cat no matter what. Made sense…somehow.

(Akira put a hand to his chin, thoughtful. “It’s the Metaverse, isn’t it?”)

“As usual, our leader is quick as a whip,” Morgana praised. “Yes, as a matter of fact. Being born from humanity’s hope, it wouldn’t make much sense for the language barrier to be an issue for me.”

Connie eyed Morgana in disbelief. Born from humanity’s hope, what? Was this cat some kind of anti-Monokuma?

(“So, you can understand and speak any human language?” Makoto asked, utterly amazed.)

“Speak, understand, read, write—so long as it’s of this planet, as far as I figure.”

(Huh, well that’s pretty convenient, Akira mused. It would definitely make this mission a little easier, although now another thought occurred to him. “Does it carry over?”)

When Morgana gave an affirming nod, Futaba perked immensely.

(“Whoa, then my mom’s theory about language and cognition was right!”

Yusuke eyed her curiously. “Theory?”

“Yeah, she hypothesized that since the Metaverse belongs to all of humanity instead of just one culture or group, it wouldn’t matter there if you speak a different language. Everybody would understand anybody just fine.”

Akira co*cked a brow at this information. OK, that’s even more convenient.)

All the while, Connie alternated gazes between all the Thieves, not able to catch up with the last bit of conversation.

“Um,” Ann hastily answered, “basically Morgana can understand everyone here and vice versa because he came from the Metaverse.”

“And once we’re in the Metaverse, you’ll be able to talk to everyone else normally as well,” Morgana added. When Connie opened her mouth to ask, the feline beat her to the punch. “And as for why you can understand me…well your guess is as good as ours. You should only be able to understand me once you hear me talking in the Metaverse Basically, think of it as a veil being removed.”

(“Yet all it took was her being in the Metaverse already,” Makoto murmured to herself, casting a studious gaze on Connie.

“And Spinel wasn’t even there to begin with,” Ann added.)

So…an Allegory of the Cave scenario, Connie mused as she shifted gazes between Ann and Morgana before sighing with a shrug. You know what, sure, why not? Best to just accept all these explanations at face-value lest she wanted to drive herself nuts.

Speaking of face…

“That reminds me,” she spoke up. “I asked this last time but didn’t get an answer: if you guys could hear us through the phones, how were the rest of you understanding us up until now?”

At this question, Morgana translated for the others. Futaba in turn whipped out her cellphone and started typing. Connie, catching on, looked at her own in response.

FS: Oh yeah. Aside from the custom Japanese-English translator I’ve got set up on all the team’s cells, I’ve also got one on my desktop that does sound to text.

AK: Subtitles included.

FS: That’s mainly how we kept up outside messaging.

AK: As for you already understanding Morgana, let’s put a pin in that, shall we?

Fine by Connie. That seemed about all the details they needed squared away anyway.

CM: Then we’re all good?

RS: Yeah, let’s do this sh*t!

YK: Agreed. We needn’t linger any longer.

In that case, Connie spared Spinel a brief glance. “I don’t know how long we’re going to be gone, so check back in every so often, OK?”

She didn’t want the Gem spending the whole time waiting on them alone, after all. Spinel did a goofy salute before bouncing away, evoking a chuckle from Connie and even some of the Thieves.

Next, she regarded Lion. “And you…just do you. If anyone asks, hang outside one of the stores like you’re waiting up on me.”

If Lion understood, he gave no indication other than a chaste grunt before he strolled over to a nearby tree to continue napping.

Good enough.

And so, without further ado, Connie switched to the Meta Nav app. With a steely gaze, she cleared her throat and spoke loud and clear.

“Crystal Gems; Beach City and Little Homeworld; Storybook.”

Input accepted. Searching for route to destination.

Chapter 8: Land of Dreams

Chapter Text

Quiet. Peace. Solitude.

Steven took a deep breath of all three, feeling at ease for once.

If he had gleaned anything from Gem missions, it was that nature never judged.

The animals, the wind, the plants, the sky and ground: none of them ever expected you to hold the galaxies on your shoulders or keep up a smile on while everything else imploded into a supernova of screw you.

They simply went about their day like they always did, simply existing.

Which is exactly how Steven had spent the rest of yesterday and this morning: existing.

And hiding, a very snide part of his brain that should shut up pointed out.

He was currently making a point to ignore it in favor of meditating on the hill overlooking Beach City, cross-legged with both hands on his knees, eyes closed.

It slightly worked. Memories of yesterday afternoon still managed to creep in.

Eventually he gave up with a sigh and set a hand beneath his chin, staring out at Beach City but not really, thinking.

After…whatever happened at his dad’s carwash yesterday, Steven had retreated to prevent causing any more damage, brain still in a haze of shock and shame and panic during his mad flight. He hadn’t even had a specific destination in mind, just the vague goal of getting far, far away.

And after that…well, cue a brief but brutal venting/punching session on the biggest tree he could find upon landing, crying and screaming to the point of exhaustion, neon pink for nobody to see.

So much to exhaustion in fact that he wound up collapsing to sleep, fetal position all night.

By the time morning came after a thankfully dreamless night, his head had cleared up enough for him to feel in control again – and without that strange, horrible voice too.

And now after a sparse meal of berries, he sat on the cliff, alone with his thoughts. His increasingly disappointed thoughts.

“Ugh,” Steven moaned as he massaged his temples, eyes closed tight. “why didn’t they tell me?”

Because no matter his efforts, the image of Cherry Quartz’s rampage and lack of familiarity baffled him.

It just made no sense. He was Steven Universe for crying out loud; he couldn’t be that easy to forget. And apparently this sort of thing had been going on since he left, and he somehow hadn’t noticed all this time?

Well, OK, he had been staying away from Little Homeschool for the most part after the first graduation, only showing up per his Gem friends’ requests for aid…which now that he looked back, should have struck him as suspicious: the others’ insistence on keeping him in one location, seeing one of the Crystal Gems pass by every now and then, drained and dispirited.

Ugh, he felt like such an idiot for not realizing sooner.

And nobody ever said anything about a Rejuvenator either, so goodbye to that possibility.

At this point, Steven ran both hands down his face, moaning in frustration before taking a deep breath and holding his hands out.

“OK, OK, Steven,” he said to himself in a soothing tone, “the others probably didn’t wanna worry you. Maybe they figured ‘Hey, Steven’s done enough for us. Let’s give him a break by proving we can do this ourselves!’”

Though he finished this with the fakest smile possible, he wilted upon remembering the sheer disquiet and frustration on his family’s faces.

They clearly couldn’t handle this by themselves.

“Or they do need help but feel too ashamed to ask me,” he corrected. A moment passed as he let the thought settle – and once it did, he started chuckling, rolling his eyes skyward. “I should have known! That’s so them!”

Sometimes Steven had to wonder whether his complaints about them to Cactus Steven had been accurate after all, that his family were still the utter messes they’d always been.

“Well, you know what?” he declared to nobody around. “That’s just fine, and why’s that fine? Cause good ol’ Steven Universe’s gonna get out there and figure out this silly mess himself!”

Yeah, he’d fix it, just like he did everything else!

Emboldened, Steven dared to stand back up, hands akimbo and far-too-wide smile unwavering.

“As for whatever that voice was, It’s probably just another crazy new Diamond power,” he decided with a shrug. “I’ll learn to handle it! After all, I can handle anything! Yeah, everything’s gonna be just fine!”

Cause Steven Universe always had everything under control.

For sure this time.

XXX

This time, Connie knew to brace herself for the shift into the mental world.

Everything else, not so much.

Case in point when she turned to address the others: “Uh…when did you all have time to change clothes?”

Also, what the heck was up with all their clothes? That was a lot of leather, for starters, and she had a few choice words in particular about all the girls’ outfits cause seriously, what the hell was with that boob-window, Ann?

Then there were the masks, which caught her attention the most cause wow, they were actually pretty cool-looking, Connie had to admit.

The rest of the group sweat-dropped at the question, figuring this topic would have come up.

“Oh right, this is a thing that happens every time we’re in the Metaverse,” Makoto answered.

Connie held back a sigh of relief upon realizing she could now perfectly understand every word the girl decked in biker gear had said. Looks like Morgana had been right.

“These are basically how they envision people who stand against society. Their inner rebels, basically,” Morgana added from Connie’s immediate left.

Connie herself blinked at this information before shrugging and turning her head to address the cat next. “Uh huuuh, okay. Moving on, what else should I know about this world before we head – AAHH!”

Only to jerk back with a yelp because what in the hell happened to Morgana?! What had once been a cat now looked like some bobble headed mascot standing on its hind legs, huge eyes and stubby limbs included.

Morgana eyed her drolly in return. “Really? You spend your free time with magical rock aliens, have a space lion for a pet, took part in dismantling a galactic empire…and this is where you draw your suspension of disbelief?”

Connie could only stare, her brain suffering a rare moment of speechlessness.

Morgana only shook his head in sympathy. It was gonna be a long infiltration. “This is another thing that happens every time we’re in the Metaverse. What you’re looking at is my true form.”

“It’s OK, Connie-senpai,” Sumire assured her. “Finding this out about Mona was a shock for the rest of us as well.”

Mona?

Seeing the other girl’s baffled stare at Sumire, Akira spoke up next. “We use codenames here.”

“It’s to ensure our real identities don’t become public knowledge through the Metaverse,” Yusuke elaborated.

“But mostly it’s just for cool points,” Futaba added in a nonchalant tone. “Mine’s Oracle by the way.”

“Panther,” Ann spoke next.

“Noir.”

“Queen.”

“Fox.”

“Violet.”

“Skull.” Ryuji, grinning, draped an arm around Akira’s shoulders. “And our leader here’s Joker.”

Codenames. Honestly, Connie felt as though she should have expected such a thing from a team who literally has ‘Thieves’ in their name.

“Now, if you’ve got any more questions,” Morgana – Mona – asked, face and voice all business now. “It’ll have to be on the move.”

Fox nodded. “Agreed, we mustn’t linger here.”

Before anyone could add to this sentiment, a series of fluttery explosions echoed somewhere above, unviewable from the group’s current position.

Ann – no, Panther (geez it was gonna take Connie a while to get that straight) – co*cked her head at the sound. “Hey, didn’t you say you heard fireworks last time you were here?”

Connie, thanks to the noise, was startled out of her stupor over Morgana enough to nod. “Y-Yeah.”

Though now that she thought about last time, she realized something off; she wasn’t the only one.

“But the sky here is so bright,” Noir commented as she looked upward. Even through the thick forest, the cloudy, bright pink heavens were unmistakable. “Shouldn’t fireworks take place at night?”

Before anyone could ponder aloud any further on the oddity, Mona perked his ears at something. “Wait a sec…you guys hear that?”

Oracle regarded him curiously. “Hear what?”

The cat held a paw to his mouth. “SHH! There!”

As the group stayed quiet and listened in, they too soon noticed the faint sound, a voice to more exact.

And it sounded like…

Evening, one and all! Hope everyone’s enjoying the first act so far, cuz we’re just getting started!

“Steven?” Connie murmured.

Sure enough, his voice could barely be heard, sounding projected and tinny as though coming out of speakers.

Without warning, Connie charged forward, following the sound of her boyfriend’s voice. She barely registered one of the others calling out to her to wait up.

Only when she reached a tall imposing black gate sided by even taller shimmering pink brick walls did she stop, the others catching up to her soon after.

“Geez, thanks for waiting up,” Skull sarcastically griped, only to notice the utter shock on the girl’s face. “Hey, you o…kay?”

His voice trailed off at the end once he looked forward and realized what had taken her breath away, now taken himself.

“Whoa…,” Oracle awed.

Beyond the gate lay a massive theme park in place of Beach City, colorful tents and booths clustered along the sides of a golden brick road, patches of vibrant green grass and trees interspersed among them. Colorful attraction rides of various types and sizes conquered the somehow nighttime skyline, loaded with iridescent lights. A massive pink and white German-style castle stood far in the distance, towering over everything.

And as suspected, fireworks of various colors burst against the dark sky, copious.

Queen narrowed her eyes at this last detail. “Wait, wasn’t it just daylight where we were?”

Joker and Connie both looked back from whence the group came and, sure enough, the sky over there remained daytime – yet where they stood, there was a clear evening-esque transition between that and the night sky above the park.

“It changes right at the entrance,” Panther pointed out, baffled. “I know we’re in the Metaverse, but why?”

“Perhaps being Gems means the Rulers here can restrict the changes to certain areas?” Fox speculated.

It is really like his Mom’s room then if that’s the case, Connie marveled. Not only at that but this whole area in general. If this was how Steven and the others viewed Beach City, what did Little Homeworld look like then?

Joker scanned his eyes across the park, taking in the scenery one last time, before shifting his attention to the gate. On a whim, he put a hand to it and gave an experimental push before following with a pull.

Not even a budge.

“No good huh?” Mona asked. When Joker shook his head, the cat crossed his arms, pondering. “Just as well. It’d be too easy anyway.”

Panther took in the gate and walls and grimaced at their height. “I don’t think we’re climbing this anytime soon either.”

Connie regarded the barrier as well and frowned. There had to be a way in there.

For the next minute, the entire group silently went into a collective thought process, contemplating their next move – until Violet noticed something off to the group’s left.

“Wait, what is that building?”

Everyone else looked in the direction the redhead was staring at and realized her attention was on a fanciful house-sized building affixed to the space of wall beside the gate. A golden plaque above the double doors said in fancy black engraved letters Ticket Booth.

Curious, the team approached the edifice, only to discover the front doors were locked after an attempt by Skull to pry them open.

“Yeah, that figures,” the blond griped, hanging his head in frustration. Undeterred, he took a step back to take the building in full. “Any ideas, guys?”

Connie took a moment to study the building again – only to gasp when its appearance momentarily warped and shimmered to reveal a familiar house.

“Wait a second, this place is Billiam Dewey’s house in the real world?”

“Uh who?” asked Skull, not recognizing the name.

Panther perked. “Oh yeah, Peridot mentioned him to me. He used to be the mayor of Beach City until a few years back, right?”

“And his house is the ticket booth here,” Mona concluded with a sympathetic tone and headshake to match. “Sheesh, what a way to illustrate a fall from grace.” He paused upon noticing something on the roof and smiled. “Ironic since it’s about to be our way up.”

Curious, Connie looked where Mona meant and realized the angular roof came within reach of a few bricks sticking out, leading all the way up to the wall’s ramparts.

Joker gave Mona an appreciative nod before jumping up onto the roof to scale up the wall, the others following suit, everyone’s show of agility taking Connie back for a second.

How often did these guys train?

Noir, the last of her team to jump up, noticed the other girl hadn’t moved. “Coming, Connie-san?”

Connie jolted at the address and hastily nodded before taking a running start and jumping up, though only high enough up to latch onto the roof, rather than clearing the thing all together like the others did, much to her embarrassment. Thankfully Noir made no comment about this as she helped her up.

From there, it was a straight shot up into the park – and goodness, everything looked even brighter and more colorful up-close.

Right now, the gang stood in a section dominated by a huge water coaster painted blue and navy with gold accents. If Connie were to hazard a guess, this was Beach City’s water tower in the real world.

What she could not have guessed, however, was the sheer number of people scattered about the place, humans and Gems alike. In fact, she could even make out that one tiny Gem with the scarf and her black and white companion from yesterday off in a corner, chatting like nothing unusual was going on.

What the heck?

“Oh, this place is beautiful!” Violet exclaimed in awe.

“Indeed,” Fox agreed as he framed with his hands as if taking a photo. “Such a balance between the vibrancy of neon and subtlety of pastels. Truly a mastery of color.”

“And big as hell,” Skull murmured, taken back by the size of this place. “Where are we supposed to start lookin’ for the Treasure?”

Queen put a hand to her chin. “Well, this is a theme park. There should be maps being handed out near the front entrance.”

Connie eyed her skeptically. There’s no way figuring out their path to Steven and his family’s treasure could be that easy.

“That said, there’s no telling how much of the park these maps cover in detail.”

And there it is.

“We should also practice caution,” Fox added. “Even stepping foot here feels different than in a Palace.”

“Maybe cuz of the whole ‘multiple Rulers’ thing?” Oracle suggested. “With so many people adding to the distortion here, it’s bound to be a lot bigger!”

Noir put a hand to her chest, pensive. “Not to mention most of Steven’s family are our first alien targets. We’ve no way of knowing whether things work the same here.”

Panther pursed her lips and rubbed her nape, feeling the same. “Or whether sending a calling card would even work on them.”

Joker took in his team’s collective hesitation and simply yet confidently stated, “We’ll figure it out.”

And like that, the mood lightened, smiles returning to his teammates.

“Yes, we absolutely will.”

“Hell yeah, man.”

“Senpai’s right, we shouldn’t lose heart so easily!”

Even Connie found herself smiling, unable to stay cynical in the face of such sureness. This Joker guy would get along well with Garnet.

Queen noticed something not far off, face contorting in surprise. “Actually, we might not need to go all the way there for a map after all.”

“What do you mean?” asked Mona. That’s when Queen pointed out the giant cartoonish cat in a spacesuit waddling their way. Mona gawked along with the others, utterly taken aback. “What the?!”

Connie rubbed her eyes, not believing them. No way, wasn’t that…?

“Howdy-Howdy-Do, brave explorers!” the space cat greeted in a high, chipper voice. “Welcome to the Crystal Kingdom, a world where joy and peace are never far behind!”

It reached behind itself to pull off what it’d been wearing on its back, revealing the item to be a cheeseburger backpack, and opened it up to produce a neatly folded laminated map which it then handed to Joker.

“Make sure not to drop it!” the space cat advised in a singsong tone before merrily skipping away.

Panther blinked at the retreating mascot, amazed. “Huh…that was easy.”

Skull rubbed the back of his head. “I know, right? We’re straight up dressed like this, and that thing doesn’t bat an eye at us.”

“To be fair,” Fox spoke up, crossing his arms. “The sight of us wouldn’t be the strangest-looking thing, compared to what Steven and his family must have seen before.”

Connie couldn’t help but chuckle. “It’s not just that. Steven’s pretty used to befriending people who’ve threatened him in the past.”

The entire group eyed her in disbelief.

“That’s…a little concerning,” Queen commented. “Although that would explain that creature’s behavior towards us, let alone why we appeared in our Thieves outfits the moment we entered this world.”

Connie co*cked her head in confusion, not understanding the significance of that last part.

“We only assume our Phantom Thief attire once the Ruler considers us a threat,” Fox explained. “At that point, their stance towards us extends to their cognitions as well.”

Before Connie could open her mouth to ask, Queen beat her to the punch. “Cognitions are basically mental copies of people made by Rulers. Like all the Gems and humans around us for example.”

That part took Connie aback, the girl shooting her head around at the crowds in shock. So, these were all fakes? They all looked so real…although then again Connie had thought the same of her double back in Rose’s room.

Which reminded her…

“Nobody’s attacked us yet though,” she pointed out.

“It’s true,” Noir agreed. “In fact, that one cognition in particular seemed perfectly at ease with us.”

Mona crossed his arms in thought, face serious. “It might not last long, or at least not apply everywhere. Remember, this place belongs to his family as well, and they might not share his openness towards us.”

Good point, Connie mused. Even before she had officially joined the Crystal Gems, she had witnessed some of their more ruthless moments towards enemies. Plus, there was Garnet’s growing suspicion towards Ann back in the real world.

Joker shrugged. “We’ll make it work.”

“True,” Mona agreed. “Since this place has multiple Rulers, there’s no guarantee they’ll agree on everything. That could work to our advantage. Anyway, let’s take a look at that map.”

With an agreeing nod, Joker opened the map up, holding it open for the others to see, Mona hopping onto Joker’s shoulder for a better look. Right away, Connie could see how the layout of this world (mostly) matched up with Beach City.

However, she couldn’t see anything that indicated Little Homeworld. Perhaps they needed another map?

“Let’s see. Here we are.” Queen pointed to a spot on the map, their current location, before tracing it along the nearest road. “And following this should take us to the main path.”

“That looks like that highway that leads straight into Beach City,” Panther commented. “But nothing about Little Homeworld. We might have to check there too.”

“Maybe we won’t have to,” Skull suggested. “I mean the Castle’s right there. Can’t see where else the Treasure could be.”

Joker hummed in thought as he closed the map an stored it in his pocket. Skull wasn’t wrong, but it also couldn’t be this easy. “Let’s do a little recon first.”

“Agreed,” Queen added. “That way, we’ll have a better idea of how to set up the infiltration route. Not to mention have a better idea of what we’re up against.”

The group shared a collective nod in agreement before making their way towards the exit.

Unfortunately, they only managed a few steps out into the park proper before a series of black and red splashes burst from the ground before them and materialized into…

Well, they seemed like Quartz soldiers based on their build but all wrong, their back proportions off and strange half red and pink dragon masks with horns on their faces. Plus, they were dressed in uniforms that reminded Connie of those royal guards from Tangled, except the symbols on their chests resembled roses in full bloom.

The soldier at the front stepped forward, the mere sight enough to get the Thieves and Connie into defensive stances.

That is, until it stood at attention and bowed its head.

“Our apologies for losing sight of you so easily, Captain.”

What?

Blinking, Connie looked to the left and then right before turning her head to regard the Phantom Thieves, who all shared her taken back reaction. Yet when she returned her attention to the head soldier, it was obvious this…thing had eyes only for her.

“I…what?”

“Yo, the hell are they talking about?” Connie heard Skull murmur behind her.

“Her cognition maybe,” Mona suggested, “although it’s also possible they’re referring to her—”

“Now what’s all this then?”

It’s hard to say what threw Connie for a loop more: the startlingly familiar voice or the figure that the soldiers parted to both sides for, primly making her way to the group. The head soldier even redirected their bow.

Connie had to rub her eyes to make sure she wasn’t seeing things.

Cause no way in hell was she seeing Pearl of all people walk up to her in this place of all places. Not to mention she was dressed in the same tutu Connie remembers from the first time she met Steven’s family. Hell, she even had on that same frown she’d wear whenever someone (usually Amethyst or Steven) did something she disapproved of.

No, no-no-no-no. That is not her, Connie had to remind herself with a shake of her head. This must be another one of those cognitions the others mentioned.

Although, this also gave her an idea.

“Our apologies for taking so long, ma’am,” the head soldier hastily answered. “We’ve finally located the Captain. It would appear these intruders were accosting her.”

Violet pulled a face at the accusation. “Accosting?” she murmured, incredulous.

Queen merely shook her head, feeling the same. “Does this Shadow even realize how they sound right now?”

Apparently not because the head soldier continued, completely straight-faced. “Either that or she’s bringing them in for questioning.”

Cognitive Pearl simply alternated a blank stare between the soldier and Connie for a few moments, letting on her eyes linger on the latter in the end…before co*cking her head back in a light prim chuckle that sounded so much like the real Pearl that Connie had to remind herself again.

Once she got a hold of herself again, Cognitive Pearl shook her head..

“Oh goodness, no. This is clearly a misunderstanding,” she replied as she gestured a hand at Connie. “That isn’t the Captain.”

Ah, so she could tell the difference! Connie seized this moment to step forward. “That’s right! I’m actually from the physical world, you see, and I came here to talk with Steven’s Shadow. Something bad has been happening to Gems over there, and it got to Steven too. We think the cause might be somewhere here.”

To the girl’s relief, Cognitive Pearl seemed to be following along, nodding to show she was listening.

Behind Connie, however, the Phantom Thieves stood tense and ready.

“The hell is she doing?” Mona whispered in a frantic hiss. Did the gang not just tell her about cognitions being fakes?

“M-Maybe she’s trying to reason with her?” Panther suggested. Steven’s family didn’t seem all that unreasonable during that argument with Connie’s mother after all. Something about the look in Cognitive Pearl’s eyes, however, didn’t give her confidence.

Joker shared the same doubt because his fists tightened. Something in that cognition’s eyes didn’t sat well with him.

“So, if you could just take us straight to Steven’s Shadow,” Connie continued, feeling the exact opposite and seeing none of the tell. “We can get to the bottom of this mess right away, or at least have an easier time changing his mind. That way, the real Steven won’t feel so—”

Once again, Cognitive Pearl did that same laugh, cutting off Connie. Except now she sounded amused, as though the girl had said nothing more than a witty punchline.

Connie by contrast gave a confused (and somewhat hurt) expression. What did she say that was so funny?

Fortunately, Cognitive Pearl didn’t take long to wind down, shaking her head again. “Ah…not that it wasn’t an honest effort, but there’s no fooling me.”

Wait, fooling? Connie and the Phantom Thieves looked at her in confusion.

“I mean it’s only obvious,” Cognitive Pearl continued with crossed arms and a disturbingly chipper smile. “That you are a fake.”

Now listen, Connie is a smart, smart person. Frighteningly so in fact. However, she also values logic. Ergo, it was only natural she responded in the following manner.

“Say WHAT?!”

Cognitive Pearl merely waved her off. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have more important matters on hand. Guards, be dears and show our guests out.”

“At once, madam!” the head soldier and her fellow soldiers affirmed in unison.

Connie was not done here though. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, I’m as real as you and anything else here, technically even more so since this is all supposed to be in the Crystal Gems’ heads!”

“The Metaverse isn’t that literal,” Mona muttered, making a note to give the girl a more thorough rundown later.

“I may not know everything about this world,” Connie continued in an insistent voice. “But I know enough to surmise it’s connected to how Steven feels, and if what I’ve seen on our side is any indication, his Shadow is having as much a bad time as him.”

Again, Cognitive Pearl let off that irritating chuckle. Although now that Mona took a closer look, there seemed to have been a flash of panic in her eyes right before she did.

“Oh, come now, there is positively nothing here! Why that would be absurd!”

“With all due respect,” Connie snipped back with precisely no respect. “You’re one to talk. Now are you going to take us to him or not?”

Much to Connie’s mounting frustration, Cognitive Pearl rolled her eyes, dropping her smile at last. ”Ugh, Steven has better things to do with his time and you are clearly not one of them.”

“Then he’ll make time for us cuz we’re” – Connie set her stance, standing tall and defiant – “not leaving.”

Cognitive Pearl sighed. “Typical human nonsense,” she uttered before addressing Connie like a mother scolding a petulant child, hands akimbo. “Steven only has time for those who need his help, and I don’t think he’d appreciate someone being so selfish that they’d hog his time.”

Though the smile from before returned to the fake Pearl, it dripped with condescension, especially when she started waving of Connie and her allies like a bunch of children.

“Now be a good human and do as you’re told. I’m sure Steven will make time for you eventually.”

In the back, Queen grimaced.

Do as you’re told.

Well, that’s a bit of nostalgia she didn’t need, which would explain the burst of empathy she felt for Connie, who indeed seemed ready to fistfight the cognition right there and now.

And Connie indeed was because oh, hell no.

She would gladly take a lot of things for Steven’s sake, but not this. Not after the practical hero’s journey she’d had since meeting him. And not after all the wild surprises sprung on her in the last 24 hours or so.

Jaw set and fists clenched, it took the girl’s entire willpower not to growl, settling instead for a low cold tone.

“You know what? Fine, don’t believe me. I don’t even care if you think me capable.” She stepped forward and pointed a finger right in the false Pearl’s face, that damn smile withstanding. “But you won’t stop me. I am going to march right up to Steven’s Shadow myself and I will—”

“NOOOOOOO!”

Everyone, even the guards, jerked back at the unholy shriek in either shock or fright.

And in a blink, Cognitive Pearl snapped back to her eerily pleasant smile from before, as if her outburst never happened.

“Now then, that will be all,” she cooed in a far too calm tone before she clapped her hands. On cue the guards formed a protective line in front of her. “Make sure not to leave a mess, Gems.”

And with that, Cognitive Pearl leapt far and out of sight.

Connie did not even have time to call back before the guards started to convulse violently before being overtaken by red and black goop.

“Brace yourselves,” Joker ordered before assuming a defensive stance, his teammates following suit.

Despite her frustration, Connie managed to school her feelings into a steady anger as she got her sword out. At least she could take her feelings out on whatever these things coming out of the goop were.

And by ‘things’, apparently…blue mermaids in flowing togas and a bunch of wooden puppets?

Uh…

“BOOM!” the little wooden boy in suspenders shouted as he did a backflip that caused his head to unsettlingly do the same. Right away, Connie felt the ground beneath her start to tremble and her instincts, despite disuse, were on point. Her reflexes however were not.

Lucky for the girl, a pink gloved hand grabbed her by the back of the collar and managed to pull her out of the way before a sharp spire of rock burst up from the ground where she had just been standing!

“Yo, what kinda attack was that?!” Skull exclaimed in surprise.

“That didn’t look like a physical move,” Oracle analyzed, tone frantic. “Could it be a new element? Everyone, stay on guard!”

No need to tell the others twice, especially when three of the other puppets all attempted the same move, forcing the group to scatter.

“Ugh, of course the Shadows here get the bright idea to attack all at once,” Mona griped. At that moment, even more of the mermaids and puppets splashed into existence, much to his chagrin. “Damn it, there’s more?!”

“Keep moving,” Joker ordered as he deterred one of the advancing mermaids with a gunshot to the head.

Noir nodded before dodging a swipe from one of the puppets and putting a hand to her face. Her black mask immediately vanished in a flurry of blue flames that swirled and expanded behind her into…a tall skinny and somehow faceless lady dressed like someone out of an old spy movie.

Oh yeah, Connie was officially giving up on understanding anything in this world anymore.

“Lucy!” Noir called out, the black mask she was wearing disappearing the moment she put a hand to her face. In response, the spy lady summoned an array of multicolored waves upon the puppets with a flourish. The attack did a good bit of damage to the puppets but barely anything to the mermaids.

The other Thieves present gawked, Noir especially, though why Connie couldn’t fathom. That attack landed, didn’t it?

“Wait,” Queen said. “Noir, did your Persona just use Mapsi instead of Mapsiodyne?”

Joker steadied an intense gaze on the horde of enemies, studying them, and then shot his hand to his own mask as well, and holy sh*t did he just summon a demon lord?!

“Satanael, ravage them!”

The demon whipped out a crazy-long gun and fired a black of black and red energy at some of the enemies…which apparently also did less damage than expected judging by the look of surprise on Joker’s face.

“It’s just not hers,” Oracle called out in alarm from seeming nowhere. Seriously, where did she even go? “I think this place reset all our abilities!”

“What?!” Panther cried out in disbelief.

“Oh, that is just bullsh*t!” Skull exclaimed.

Connie’s jaw dropped at hearing this. In other words, things just got more complicated. Great.

Okay, okay, nothing she (and they, she reminded herself) can’t handle. Just had to be careful not to be separated from the others. After all, this was her first time fighting alongside full-blown humans.

And a supposed cat.

Who can all summon stands with supernatural powers.

Seriously, where was any of this back when Homeworld was attacking cause Connie had half a mind to ask what kind of blood pact would give her one of these Persona things.

Mostly because she and her sword were feeling a little overshadowed. To her credit, she’d managed to land a good number of hits on some of the enemies and even took out two. On the other hand, even with the apparent downgrades, the others and their stands were clearly ahead of her in terms of wiping out the opposition.

She shook her head to regain focus. No, no comparing yourself, Maheswaran. Make the best of what you’ve got.

To prove a point to herself, she jumped up to dodge a swipe from one of the mermaids and came down with an overhead slash that bisected the offending fish woman straight down the middle, reducing her to a screeching splash of black that faded away.

Brandishing her blade in a flourish, Connie smirked in triumph as she faced down the next nearest enemy.

See, Maheswaran, she mused to herself. You can do this!

Out of her peripheral, she noticed one of the puppets lunge for her next and so braced herself to dodge roll.

Only to get whacked in the head from behind by the tailfin of a mermaid that managed to sneak up on her, sending her flying forward towards the puppet’s fist.

That is until a bullet pierced the puppet right in between the eyes, damaging it significantly and sending it back.

And that set Connie off.

“HEY!” she shouted in fury once she righted herself. “THE HELL’S THE BIG IDEA?! I HAD THAT ONE IN THE BAG!”

Queen, the one responsible for the shot, lowered her gun in concern. Indeed, Fox and Panther who were near her eyed Connie with worry as well. Even Joker, who’d been taking care of business with his demon lord buddy, shot her a similar look in between strikes.

For some reason, everyone’s concern only pissed Connie off even further.

“Easy now,” Queen coaxed. “We just need you to stay still and—”

“I don’t need to stay still,” Connie growling before charging for one of the Shadows. “I need to TEACH THE BITCH WHO HIT ME A LESSON!”

And in her defense, she definitely landed a few more hits. Unfortunately, everything else whiffed, the enemies managing to dodge most of her slashes with ease.

And it just made her angrier and angrier.

Vaguely she could make out screams and shouts that oddly didn’t sound like the mermaids and puppets but those didn’t matter.

If any other idiots wanted a piece of her, she’d gladly—

“Snap out of it!”

WHAM!

“OW!” Connie cried out, holding her now throbbing cheek in pain. Shocked, she shot her eyes at Panther, standing before her with an absurdly huge paper fan in hand. “What was—?”

“Sorry, but I had to,” Panther apologized profusely. “They cast Rage on you.”

Wait, cast Rage? Connie thought as she eyed the redhead in confusion. Were these things like Blue Diamond?

“It’s a status ailment,” Fox explained as he and Queen joined their side, katana out to face the incoming enemies. “That’s why you went out of control.”

“You even almost hit us as well,” Queen added.

Connie furrowed her brow in disbelief, not sure she heard right. Status ailments? What, she did step into an RPG?

Then Queen’s statement registered, and Connie felt her stomach drop, face stricken.

Did…did she really almost hurt the others?

No more time remained for rumination because one of the mermaid-like Shadows took their turn to attack next.

“How’s this?”

This time, Connie managed to dodge alongside the others right as a burst of water erupted from below where the four had been standing in a brief geyser.

“Another element we’ve never seen before!” Mona griped before summoning a big-chested blue Zorro-man to heal everyone with (to his chagrin) Media instead of Mediarhan. “Damn it, we don’t have time for this!”

Joker nodded in agreement before turning to Panther beside her, who nodded in turn before summoning her own Persona, a pink punk-rock chick with crazy red pigtails.

“Célestine!”

Before everyone’s eyes, spires of flame burst from the ground all around, hitting every enemy in sight.

“OW!” every Pinocchio cried out in pain before flopping to the floor in a daze alongside their aquatic comrades.

Huh, fire working on a wooden puppet? If they weren’t fighting for their lives right now, Connie would have facepalmed at such an obvious weakness. Oh well, at least now the team could finish these guys off.

Then Joker raised a fist and called out, “Hold on.”

Connie tossed the team’s leader a look of utter confusion. They had these things on the rope. What was there to wait on?

Mona by contrast knew, evident when he called out from above where he’d been observing alongside the others. “Ah, so you do remember!”

“Oh right!” Panther exclaimed with a fist-pump.

Fox chuckled. “It has been quite some time, hasn’t it?”

Connie looked among the Thieves in ever-mounting wonder. What on Earth were they all talking about?

“Heh-heh,” Mona chuckled before calling down again. “Watch and learn how the professionals do it, rookie.”

Without further ado, Joker, Queen, Fox, and Panther all encircled the fallen enemies and held them at gunpoint.

“No sudden movements,” Fox warned in a low yet cool tone.

“How dare you,” the mermaid angrily spat at the Thieves. “How dare you sully such a jubilant world! Have you no shame at all?”

“Hmm…looks like this one’s disposition is sulky,” Mona observed. “Best not be too direct, Joker.”

Joker nodded, taking a few moments to think over his response. “Maybe a little.”

“Is that so?” the mermaid answered back in a somewhat more placated tone. “Then how do you intend to make this up to me?”

Joker pursed his lips, thoughtful. “I’m sure I’ll think of something.”

Connie could only furrow her brow. Seriously, was she watching an interrogation right now?

Because it seemed to be working, considering the mermaid’s next response.

“Well, I appreciate your honesty. Wait, that’s it…I remember now! I’m not from this place, but from the sea of humanity’s souls!”

And with those words, the mermaid rose (floated?) back to her full height and happily declared, “I am thou, thou art I!”

Then for some reason she lit up and transformed into a ball of light that rocketed towards Joker’s face. Connie barely had time to shout at him to duck before, um, did he just absorb that mermaid into his mask?

What’s more, the other Shadows scuttled away as they faded out of sight, apparently having lost their will to continue the fight.

Connie had to rub her eyes with her free hand. “What…what just happened?”

“A Hold Up,” Queen explained. “It’s how Joker finds and, as you just saw, collects Persona during missions.”

“It’s also a pretty good way to get money and items!” Oracle chipped in.

Connie shot her eyes to the places the other Shadows once occupied. “Well the other ones got away. Shouldn’t we go after them?”

Mona shook his head, not worried at all. “Shadows never come back to an area unless we leave it so there wouldn’t be much point. It’s just how things are in the Metaverse.”

Just how things are, Connie repeated in her mind before sighing in resignation. Oh yeah, she had so much to learn about this world, let alone how the Thieves operated in it. Again, she couldn’t help but feel that gap in skill between herself and the others.

Weird because she was sure she’d gotten over this sort of thing with the Gems. Even excluding those disastrous first few rounds of training under Pearl, Connie had always known she could never equal Steven and the Gems in raw power.

Which had been fine by her because she had plenty else to make up for that shortcoming.

Still, there’s a difference between making up and catching up – and seeing a bunch of regular humans pull off the sort of stuff she’d expect out of a movie or a book or a game…

It made her feel like her twelve-year old self all over again, before she met Steven, reading to peer into a world she knew she could never join.

A somewhat gentle punch to the shoulder snapped the girl out of her brooding.

“Not bad for a first timer!” Skull congratulated with a wide smile, he and the others now out of hiding.

“Yes!” Violet agreed. “You were really good out there, Connie-san!”

A dark blush took up Connie’s face at the praise, though whether at the honorific or the self-imposed feeling of unworthiness, she couldn’t say.

“It’s not like I managed to be much help out there,” she admitted in a glum tone, eyes downcast as she self-consciously brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I even got put under a spell, for crying out loud.”

Skull gave her a baffled stare. “You mean that? Dude, stuff like that happens to us too!”

“That’s why we make sure to stock up on as many healing items as possible before missions,” Queen added. “Not to mention have a healer in our main group at all times.”

“Of course, there’s always the ol’ reliable Harisen Recovery,” Mona chipped in. “As Lady Panther here demonstrated earlier.”

Hearing that caused Panther to blush herself. “Yeah, sorry about that by the way.”

Connie shook her head. “No, no! Thank you, actually.” Her eyes went downcast again. “It’s not like I don’t deserve it for letting myself become a liability so easily.”

Mona sighed. “All right, that’s enough beating yourself up. Just be aware from now on that certain Shadows can inflict mental conditions, ‘kay? Cause trust me, there’s plenty more types we’ll have to deal with.”

Of course. Regardless, Connie raised her head back up to give Mona a nod, feeling a little more assured now that she had a better idea of what happened. She had to keep vigilant from here on out, is all.

“Since we’re on the topic of the Shadows,” Fox interjected, arms folded over his chest. “They mistook Connie for their ‘Captain’. Could they have been referring to her Shadow or a mere cognition of her?”

“My guess is as good as yours, Inari,” Oracle quipped. “Considering we haven’t run into any version of her yet, it’s too early to tell.”

Connie crossed her arms. “Well, it has to be a cognition of me, right? Because if it’s my Shadow, that’d have to mean it’s likely one of the Rulers. Except that can’t be the case because I’m pretty sure I’m not distorted.”

She regarded everyone with a worried gaze. “Right?”

Mona crossed his arms with a pondering face as well, humming. “Hmm, you’re definitely not distorted…at least not as far as I can tell. Still, those guards made it sound like this other you had gone missing.”

“You think she got kidnapped by the culprit?” Skull asked in an urgent tone.

Connie stiffened in alarm at the idea. If her Shadow had been kidnapped, what did that mean for Connie herself then?

Wait a minute, what am I saying? With that thought, she snorted in amusem*nt.

“Okay, hold up. They called me ‘Captain’, which is an obvious rank, and considering how this place looks, I’m pretty sure they meant ‘Captain of the Guards’. Whether or not she is one of the Rulers of this place, there’s no way they’d let themselves lose track of someone that important.”

“That is true,” Noir agreed. “Plus, such a position would also imply she’s capable of fending for herself.”

Connie smirked, glad to see her point had gotten across.

“And Shadow or not,” Panther added. “I doubt Steven’s Shadow would let anything happen to her. If anything, I’d think he’d want to check on her from time to time.”

Oracle co*cked her head back, one finger to her chin. “Cognitions always follow the wills of their Rulers, though. Unless Steven wants a Connie that runs off so much, I’m willing more to bet it’s her Shadow the guards were searching for.”

“I’d have to second that bet,” Mona agreed. “I’m starting to get the impression this other Connie not so much went missing as much went into hiding.” He trained his huge eyes on the actual Connie. “Either way, there’s clearly a version of you in this world.”

Connie could only sigh in frustration, realizing she’d more or less routed the conversation back to square one.

“That’s another thing that bothers me,” Queen spoke up. “If those Shadows are looking for their Connie, why come here of all places?”

Skull scratched the back of his head, curious. “Yeah, we barely been here for a few seconds with the real one before they showed up. We couldn’t have been that obvious getting in.”

“Meaning there’s no way they could have known another Connie would be here,” Queen continued. “They even spawned here immediately instead of walking over.”

Realization dawned on the whole group.

“They knew she’d come here?” Mona asked.

“Or at the very least had strong suspicions,” Queen responded.

Panther put a hand to her head, putting the pieces together. “Wait, if they thought they’d find her here, then does that mean…?"

Joker, who’d been silent this whole time, nodded his head with an affirmative hum. “She could still be here.”

Noir co*cked her head, curious. “Or at the very least nearby. Where should we start looking?”

“We won’t have to.”

Everyone turned to Oracle, who’d just spoken, in surprise. The girl was looking up from a few floating green holographic screens, where she’d been busy inputting data for the last minute.

“What makes you say that?” asked Violet.

“Cause I’m looking at her right now.”

That’s when Connie realized the tech girl wasn’t just looking up from her screens; she was staring at something higher up. Her eyes traced to where the shorter girl was staring and stiffened.

Up upon one of the tents stood a shadowy figure with a silhouette matching Connie, save for the armor gleaming from the nearby lights.

And glowing yellow eyes.

Chapter 9: My Knight in Shining Armor is Me

Chapter Text

“Any luck finding him?”

Amethyst and Bismuth, who had just warped back into the house, shook their heads at Greg, who gave a resigned sigh in return. The ex-musician had volunteered to remain behind with Peridot in case Steven came back home – but to no avail.

It’d already been a day since Steven ran off, and still no sign of their boy.

Bismuth rubbed the back of her head. “Speaking of finding folks, you guys hear from Connie yet?”

Pearl groaned in deep worry, shoulders sagging. She, Garnet, and Lapis had returned through the door a few minutes before Bismuth and Amethyst. “I tried calling her, but my phone kept saying her number’s out of service. I called her mother afterward just in case, but she says her husband already dropped Connie off at the park a few hours ago.”

“Maybe she’s so busy patrolling, she forgot to check her phone?” Lapis suggested from her seated position beside Peridot, who’d been busy on her laptop the whole time.

Pearl shook her head. “Connie’s much too diligent to make such a mistake.” The lean Gem proceeded to wring her hands. “Ugh, now I’m getting worried for both of them!”

“Then let’s head out there and find her!” suggested Amethyst as she thumbed back at the Warp Pad. “She can’t be that far!”

“Actually, it would be best to hold off on that.”

Everyone looked to Peridot, the one who just spoke, in either confusion or shock.

“Wha—Peridot, you can’t be serious!” Pearl retorted. “Connie and Steven are who knows where and—”

“Exactly. Connie and Steven,” the green techie interrupted in a calm tone and with one pointer finger raised. Her eyes hadn’t left the screen of her laptop yet. “The same two who together not only triumphed over Jasper but talked down White Diamond of all Gems. We all know Connie will stop at nothing when she’s dedicated to something, especially when Steven is involved.”

At this point, Peridot shifted around to face the others, her countenance serious. “Plus, even if she does lack Steven’s motivational skills, she’s very good at laying down the facts.”

“True,” Lapis vouched. She never forgot that telling-off Connie gave her and Peridot during that whole Crystal Temps debacle. “If anybody can get through to Steven and convince him to come back, it’s her.”

Pearl struggled to steady her breath, concern unsated. “But still—”

“Again, those two went up against Jasper and White Diamond,” Peridot reiterated. “Besides, I’m sure once she does find him, she’ll let us know right away.”

Before Pearl could press any further, Garnet stopped her with a hand on the shoulder. “Peridot’s right. We need to have faith in Connie. Besides, for all we know, the rest of us searching probably sent Steven further into hiding.”

Pearl bit her lip, fighting hard against the urge to continue the argument – except Garnet might have a point. Ever since the cactus incident (perhaps even before that), Steven had been mum about whatever had been on his mind.

And considering Connie was the only one who hadn’t taken a chance to have him open up yet due to her absence, what else could they do besides wait?

Still, it’d be nice to do something that could help.

As if reading her fellow Gem’s mind, Amethyst blew a raspberry, just as unsatisfied with waiting. “So, what are we supposed to do then?”

Garnet hummed in thought, hand to her chin. “Peridot, were you able to dig up anything on this Ann girl? Her friends for that matter?”

Peridot tapped her own chin with a finger. “All the data I collected from her phone yesterday got wiped clean by that surprise spike. However, I do remember the terms they were using. As keywords, they proved to be quite informative.”

Pearl co*cked her head, curious and a touch desperate. “How so?”

After gesturing everyone to huddle around her, Peridot pulled up a series of documents on her laptop. Almost immediately, Ann’s full name stood out among a list of other names, highlighted in yellow.

Another name stood out near the top of that same document: Suguru Kamoshida.

At a glance, nothing in particular stood out about these names – until everyone read the title.

Shujin Gym Teacher Confesses to Molestation Charges

The entire room fell into stunned silence.

This couldn’t be what they thought it was…right?

“Peridot,” Greg asked at last, his low wary tone matching his expression as well as those of all the others. So focused on waiting for Steven to come home, he hadn’t thought to look over Peridot’s shoulder and see what she’d been doing in the meantime. “What exactly have you been looking up?”

Peridot took a deep breath and sighed, somber. “I’d…advise bracing yourselves.”

XXX

Connie braced herself as her shoulder banged against a kiosk, nearly knocking it over due to the momentum from having to make a tight turn.

C’mon, where’d she go, where’d she go?!

Even as her thoughts mounted in desperation, she forced herself to stay calm. She needed to focus on tracking down her Shadow. Which was not easy since the other her seemed pretty keen on ensuring the exact opposite, running and hopping along the roofs of tents and stands like some fairytale Batman.

Much to Connie’s relief, the chase soon ended once she merged into a cross-section of the pathways, where her Shadow could be see standing in the center, back to her other self.

Out the corner of her eye, Connie noted a long light-blue building with seashells painted on its walls. It still said U-Stor too, much to her surprise. Guess there’s only so much imagination you can do for storage facilities.

Regardless, that meant the others couldn’t be far behind.

Making a note to apologize to the Phantom Thieves for running off on them (again), Connie took a deep breath to steel herself, schooled a brave face, and started to approach her Shadow, ready to speak—

“Spineless.”

For the life of her, Connie couldn’t tell what made her pause more: the comment itself spoken in clear disgust or hearing her own voice in such an odd filter, the latter sounding too much how characters in horror movies sounded under possession.

The uncanniness only amped up when her Shadow finally turned to face her, her face a mask of cool disdain as her glowing golden eyes pierced Connie where she stood with a glare.

Her outfit closely resembled what Connie herself had worn that time years ago in Rose’s Room, save for a few differences besides having her other self’s current haircut: there was no eyepatch or cape; the pants and tunic were shades of purple; and the Shadow even had her own copy of the pink scabbard strapped to her back, sword included.

Once the comment registered, however, Connie squared her shoulders and returned the glare. “Who are you calling spineless?”

Her Shadow huffed with a smirk. “I’d say ‘you’, but maybe ‘us’ would be more appropriate. What do you think you’re doing, coming here with them?”

“Saving Steven and all those Gems, of course.”

“Nice cover,” her Shadow scoffed in amusem*nt. “Now how about you be honest for once?”

Connie furrowed her brow, confused and even more irked now. “What are you talking about?”

Before her Shadow could elaborate, the cacophony of footsteps heralded the Phantom Thieves catching up behind them.

“Connie-chan!” Noir called out.

“Yeah, no. Really, thanks for waiting up,” Skull griped in annoyance.

Fox nodded at the other Connie. “It would seem you’ve cornered your Shadow.”

“Uh, pretty sure a four-way intersection doesn’t count as ‘cornered’, Inari,” Oracle drolly countered before taking in Shadow Connie’s attire. “Also, whoa! Total fantasy hero vibes.”

Joker hummed in thought. Oracle was right: why would Connie’s Shadow lead them out into the open like this?

The answer came immediately in the form of an unsheathed sword, the blade pointing straight at the group.

“W-Whoa now!” Panther exclaimed, reeling. “What are you doing?!”

Shadow Connie made no indication she’d heard Panther, let alone acknowledged the Thieves. Her gaze and attention remained solely on her other self, who quickly snapped to and drew out her own sword in response.

Mona hopped in alarm. “Careful!”

“It’s OK,” Connie assured him with a look. “I’ve got this.”

The PT’s veteran shook his head. “You don’t understand! Anything that happens to your Shadow has the potential to affect you as well! One wrong move—”

“Oh, quit trying to scare her,” Shadow Connie interrupted with a roll of her eyes. “Not like she already isn’t.”

Ripping her eyes off Mona, Connie scowled at her Shadow. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you’re doing the same thing as when Pearl first took you on as a student.”

Hearing this, Connie went stark still, eyes wide in shock.

“Oh yes, how could you ever forget?” her Shadow continued in a cloying tone, smile matching. “So eager to be a part of the action. So willing to prove yourself… ”

“Stop it,” the real one demanded, tone faint yet firm.

Her Shadow refused. “So desperate to be useful to anyone…”

“Stop it…”

“Even if it means letting them make a tool out of you.”

“STOP IT!”

Screaming this, Connie launched at her Shadow with abandon, their swords clashing hard enough to echo in the open space.

“Connie-kun!” Queen cried out.

Skull looked to his leader in worry. “Yo, ain’t we gonna do something?”

Joker took in the ensuing clash before shaking his head. “Let her vent it out.”

“But…”

“Actually,” Noir spoke up, a hand to her chest in understanding, a sympathetic gaze in her eyes. “I have to agree with Joker. When we were making our way inside earlier, I noticed Connie lagging behind. At first, I’d thought it was merely because the jump up intimidated her, but after what happened back there with the Shadows—”

Fox crossed his arms, thoughtful. “Are you suggesting she’s been feeling inadequate around us?”

“It’d make sense,” Mona added in empathy, crossing his arms as well. “She did take her performance in that last battle pretty hard.”

A frustrated shout drew the Thieves’ attention back to the swordfight. So far, Connie had been on the offense, slashing this way and that with minimal technique, even starting to sweat and pant from the exertion.

Her Shadow by contrast exhibited perfect calmness, not looking anywhere near as strained as she parried and blocked every blow with expert precision.

The difference couldn’t be more night and day.

“Oof, she is really going at it,” Oracle murmured.

“That goes without saying,” Violet commented in worry, flinching at Connie’s vehement glare. “I hope she and her Shadow can come to an understanding unscathed.”

Queen put a hand to her chin in thought. “Somehow I don’t think we’ll need to worry.”

“What do ya mean?” Skull asked.

“What I mean is…doesn’t this seem purposeful? The fact Connie’s Shadow led not just her out here but us as well?”

Fox furrowed his brow in suspicion. “Are you suggesting she’s been leading us into a trap? Could she be keeping us preoccupied to allow the Rulers time to capture us?”

She had drawn them out into the open after all.

Queen shook her head at her teammate’s suspicions. “No, if she meant to entrap us, she wouldn’t be going out of her way to avoid the others.”

“True,” Mona agreed. “Those Shadows sounded pretty genuine about tracking her down.” The cat sighed as he took in the swordfight. “Although that still doesn’t explain the point of this. I just hope this ends soon so we can get some answers.”

Which seemed soon indeed judging by the exhaustion starting to creep into Connie’s expression as the girl continued her offensive front. Her Shadow by contrast hadn’t broken a sweat, looking more bored than anything else as she kept flawlessly blocking and deflecting her other self’s blows.

Until at last Connie slipped.

One wrong stance due to sloppiness was all her Shadow needed to knock the sword out of her hand, causing Connie to stumble back more from surprise than from the impact. Before Connie knew what hit her, her Shadow delivered a swift kick to her chest, knocking her back-first to the ground.

Wind knocked out of her, Connie barely had time to open her eyes and lift her head before she found the tip of her Shadow’s blade at her throat.

“Connie!” Panther cried out, she and the others readied to dive in and save her.

That is until Shadow Connie sighed and lowered her sword, the disappointment in her voice as she spoke palpable.

“You’re clearly not ready.”

Her other self could not have looked more hurt.

With those biting words, Shadow Connie turned her back on her other self, about to leave – only to get ground-kicked in the back, yelping from the surprise attack as her sword flew out of her grasp.

The Shadow barely had time to react before Connie, in a burst of anger-driven energy, leapt up and tackled her to the ground, where the two proceeded to wrestle in a haphazard manner, more like two kids in a school fight than proper warriors.

They barely went ten seconds before Queen and Skull rushed in from behind and pried Connie off her Shadow, restraining her by the arms.

“Alright, break it up, you two!” the latter barked.

Connie grunted and twisted as she tried to free herself, eager to continue what she started, but the two Thieves together were too strong for her.

Queen sighed with a shake of her head at the girl’s stubbornness. “Honestly, don’t you think this has gone on long enough?”

At this point, the rest of the team had joined them.

“Well,” Fox commented with a twinge of awe at the show of ruthlessness he and the others had just witnessed. “I would assume this fight is over now.”

“Yeah really,” Mona echoed with hands akimbo as he eyed Shadow Connie, who lay on the ground limbs splayed out like a starfish, eyes wide and staring upward. “Woof, hopefully this got at least a chunk of her frustrations out.”

Joker shifted his gaze over to Connie, who had by then ceased struggling and gone limp, breathing heavily in exhaustion.

“You OK?”

Despite her fatigue, Connie managed to jerk her head up to meet Joker’s eyes, startled as if just remembering his existence. Had she really been that lost in fighting her Shadow?

The thought made her stomach curl in shame.

Before she could apologize, giggling filled the air, giggling that sounded like her and also did not.

Her Shadow.

At first the other her was giggling to herself, low enough to almost be inaudible, only to soon descend into chuckling and then finally full-blow laughter.

She sounded happy. Relieved even. Indeed, as she sat up her face held an unmistakable smile, her eyes closed in content. “Ah…that’s better.”

Hearing that made Connie blink and do a double take. “W-What?”

“The fact you refused to accept defeat. I was worried being away from fighting had dulled your drive to win, but I see now that it’s as alive as ever.” The Shadow opened her eyes to fix her other self with a proud gaze. “Just needed a little push, is all.”

“So that’s it,” Queen realized as she and Skull released Connie. “You were testing her.”

When her Shadow nodded her head in confirmation, Connie shook her own in confusion.

“But…why? I know I’ve gotten rusty, but it’s not like I got my butt handed to me against those Shadows.” She took a step closer to her own Shadow, hand to her chest, face pleading. “I have what it takes to help Steven and the others!”

“I know. That’s not the problem.” Shadow Connie grew somber as she stood up, dusting off her uniform. “It’s the fact that you’re not thinking of yourself that’s the problem.”

When Connie furrowed her brow at her, Shadow Connie sighed. “You’re not some expendable soldier in some massive army, or have you forgotten? Steven wouldn’t want us treating ourselves like some pawn to sacrifice, and I’m pretty sure all these guys would agree.”

Hearing this threw the Thieves for a loop, judging by everyone’s taken back expressions. Everyone’s attention shot to Connie, who wilted under everyone’s gazes.

“Connie-san,” Violet gingerly started to ask, hand to her chest in worry. “Is what she’s saying true?”

Right now, Connie felt her throat seize, forced to swallow a lump the size of Homeworld down. She hung her head in silence, suddenly feeling even more ashamed.

Joker co*cked his head. “You’re worth more than that.”

A slight gasp of surprise escaped Connie. She hadn’t expected the leader would cut to the quick so fast.

“He’s right,” Noir agreed, hands to her chest. “It’s one thing to put other’s needs before yourself, but you need to remember your own well-being too, even if only to minimize others’ worry for you.”

Biting her bottom lip, Connie forced herself to breath in and out in a slow and even pattern until she knew she could look the others in the eyes without breaking down. Once she looked up, she saw only concern and wonder on everyone’s faces.

Only her Shadow differed, showing instead the same resignation that she herself felt deep down.

“It’s not like I’ve forgotten,” Connie began, rubbing one arm up and down. “It’s just…I clearly can’t keep up with the rest of you guys. Even with my sword, I can’t clean house nearly as fast as you all can with those summons of yours.”

Fox co*cked his head, arms crossed. “You are referring to our Personas, yes?”

“Yeah, all the things you did with them, that’s way more like the fantasy books I’ve read than anything the Gems have done. Come to think of it, I noticed that each of yours kind of look like you guys too. I’d been wondering what you guys had to do to even have them. And considering my Shadow literally looks like me…”

Mona suddenly hopped in place, realization in his wide eyes. “Wait a second. Is that what you were hoping for? That your Shadow could tell you how to awaken to your Persona?”

Awaken? Connie eyed Mona in wonder. Was that what they called the necessary process?

Skull sighed as he rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah, hate to break to ya, but getting a Persona doesn’t exactly work like that.”

“Yeah,” Oracle added. “It’s not like waving around a magic wand and saying a spell. It’s a…lot more involved, let’s say.”

Panther scratched her temple, feeling awkward at having to explain this. “You kinda have to be pushed into a corner first.”

Pushed? Somehow Connie felt herself wilt even further. Part of her contemplated if maybe jumping headfirst into another fight would work, but her practical side put a stamp on that plan right away. She’d already been doing that, and not once did it work in her favor.

Was she just in the way after all then?

“Connie-san,” Violet spoke up in a soft tone at the other girl’s crestfallen expression. “Not having a Persona doesn’t mean you can’t still help us.”

“Yeah, it ain’t like we’re gonna tell ya to go home if that’s what you’re worried about,” Skull added in a tone he hoped would be assuring.

“Yes,” Noir added. “I’m certain we can work something out!”

In the face of all this forced optimism, Connie only sighed.

“It’s more than that. I’d always dreamt of being part of some grand adventure, ever since I was a kid. After I met Steven, after I learned of all the dangers that he and his family had to face to protect Earth, I couldn’t help but want to be a part of that. I was willing to do anything to be part of that.”

“Even at the cost of losing your sense of self-worth like Pearl wanted back then,” her Shadow added in a somber tone.

Queen eyed Shadow Connie in further concern, taken back, before turning to Connie. “Wait, what is she talking about?”

Oh boy, Connie feared this topic would come up. Shuffling her feet, she set her lips in a firm line, not sure whether to explain, let alone how to do so without incriminating Pearl and the rest of Steven’s family any further.

Ugh, who was she kidding? This whole place represented the inner psyche of Steven and his whole family, let alone herself. These guys were bound to see the ugly bits at some point.

Steeling herself with this thought, Connie opened her mouth to explain—

“There you are!”

Everyone swiveled their heads at the new distorted voice.

A sizable entourage came towards the group from the direction of the castle. Shadow Quartzes formed a triclinium-style formation around a group of four, leaving an open front for the more important figures.

Once again, Connie found herself taken at how realistic cognitions could get as not only had Cognitive Pearl come back, but now she’d brought along the cognitive versions of Garnet and Amethyst as well, those two also sporting the same outfits as when Connie first met the real ones. These three formed a triangular formation of their own, and in the center was—

“Steven,” Shadow Connie murmured in a mix of longing and tension.

As if that’s not obvious, Connie mused.

Indeed, her boyfriend’s Shadow had his general body shape and height as well as hairstyle, although those are where the similarities ended. He sported a regal deep pink vest, complete with golden buttons and tassels and soft blue collar and belt and trousers, the last of which sported a golden stripe down each side, and shiny black shoes.

All in all, he almost looked like a younger, palette-swapped version of Prince Charming from Disney’s Cinderella. A younger version who needed serious sleep judging by the stark black bags under his widened eyes, much to not only Connie’s shock but the Phantom Thieves’ as well.

The way the Shadow would sway every now and then did not waive off concern either.

Without warning, he dashed towards the team in a burst of speed that none of the teens besides Connie and Panther, who’d already seen such a display from the real one before, were prepared for. The whole group had to cover their faces from the storm of dust he kicked up.

“Holy!” Skull managed to exclaim before Shadow Steven dropped to one knee, hands clasped, eyes shimmering at Shadow Connie in utmost adoration and relief, like a puppy whose owner had finally returned home after a long day at work.

The way Shadow Connie’s face pinched in guilt did escape Mona and Joker’s notice.

“I’m so glad you’re OK!” Shadow Steven cried out in genuine joy. “When Pearl told me where you were, I couldn’t believe it at first! But once the guards told me about—”

Right then he noticed the other Connie standing there, staring at him in both wonder and slight discomfort. He stood up with a clear of his throat and a big, welcoming smile, acting the part befitting his attire.

“Oh, are you all the guests the guards mentioned? I’m so sorry about the mix-up! Pearl said you wanted to see me about something, right?”

The Thieves and Connie shared a contemplative gaze. Steven’s Shadow seemed cooperative so far; maybe asking wouldn’t hurt.

“Well,” Queen started in a tentative tone, “we were hoping if you would allow us permission to investigate your Palace. Something awful has been happening to the Gems under your stead, and we have reason to believe the cause could be somewhere here.”

A rude snort burst from Cognitive Amethyst. Shadow Steven shot her a brief glare before returning his attention to the team, smile back in place. “When you put it like that, sure! We’d be happy to assist!”

That response took everyone for a loop, even the prince’s entourage. Cognitive Pearl sputtered in shock while Cognitive Amethyst facepalmed with a groan. Only Cognitive Garnet remained unphased, stoic.

“For real?!” Skull blurted his surprise, head reeled back.

Shadow Steven nodded. “For real! Anything for my guests after all!”

Panther blinked in surprise, rubbing her nape in wonder. “Wow, that was easy.”

Mona and Queen narrowed their eyes in suspicion, even sharing a look. Things were going way too well.

Joker had similar sentiments as he hummed in thought, studying the Shadow and Cognitions closely.

And Connie…

Connie found herself torn. On the one hand, she could her the actual desire to help in Shadow Steven’s voice. On the other hand, the way the Cognitive Crystals were looking at her and the others unnerved her, Cognitive Garnet’s lack of discernible facial expression in particular.

Then she looked back to Shadow Steven’s persisting smile. She took a moment to break eye contact and mull over her next words.

“Do you…know who I am?”

For a moment, Shadow Steven dropped his smile for a confused frown and arched brow before the smile returned again, accompanied by jovial laughter. “Well, of course!”

That took Connie and the Thieves for an even bigger loop.

“Really?” Violet asked in disbelief.

“Yeah! She’s clearly a big fan of Connie here!” Shadow Steven gestured a hand to Shadow Connie, who merely pinched her eyes closed with a sigh. “Why else would she try so hard to look like her? All she’s missing is the uniform.”

Everyone else simply went silent, letting his response sink in.

Fox broke the silence with a sigh. “Sad to say, his response does not surprise me in the least.”

Connie would have to agree, evidenced by her now mirroring her Shadow’s eye-pinching. At least Steven’s Shadow didn’t think she was some crazy imposter.

Still, what now?

“We’re all huge fans.”

No one was expecting that, let alone from Joker of all people. Everyone stared at the lead thief in shock.

“Wait, we are?!” Skull blurted out before Queen, who caught on faster, elbowed him and followed up.

“Y-Yes! We’re just such huge fans of the Crystal Gems, when we heard about all the victims here, we wanted to lend our biggest heroes a hand!”

“Um, yes!” Noir hurriedly added. “With how large this place is, we thought you would appreciate more help!”

Once again, the looks on the Cognitive Crystals’ faces did not bode well, but at least Shadow Steven looked convinced. He even chuckled, waving a hand off in an almost dismissive manner.

“Ah, that’s sweet but won’t be necessary. We can handle everything for you guys!”

Connie and the Thieves eyed the prince in utter confusion. So surprised, none of them noticed how Shadow Connie tensed immediately.

“Handle everything for us?” Oracle parroted.

“Of course! I can handle saving everyone. You guys just worry about enjoying the park in the meantime.”

Violet shook her head, shocked. “But…didn’t you just agree to helping us investigate?!”

“Yeah man, what the hell?!” Skull barked.

Shadow Steven blinked in confusion before gasping in realization. “Oh. Oh, you meant actually letting you guys poke around in the Temple!”

“Well yeah,” Connie answered in an almost desperate tone. “We can’t help anyone if we can’t see for ourselves what the problem is!”

As much as she didn’t expect Shadow Steven to trick them, she didn’t trust the Cognitive Crystals to not stall. To her frustration, however, Shadow Steven held his hands up in a placating manner.

“I’m sorry, but the Temple’s just no place for humans. Way too dangerous for such a frail species.”

“And there’s the alien superiority complex,” Oracle murmured in chagrin. Cognitive Pearl’s triumphant smirk did not miss her notice either.

“Frail, my ass!” Skull snapped, taking a step forward, much to Shadow Steven’s surprise. “We didn’t come all the way here to get babied. We’re here to save your ass and your town from whoever’s been screwing you all over!”

Mona noticed the way Cognitive Garnet’s shoulders tensed. “Easy, Skull.”

“He’s right, though,” Queen echoed in a steely tone. “We only asked for your permission first because we thought you’d be willing to listen. Clearly, that isn’t the case.”

“Our apologies, Your Highness,” Noir added with eyes full of resolution. “But we have no intentions of hanging back.”

“You won’t stop us,” Joker finalized with a determined gaze, one that took Shadow Steven further aback.

At this point, Connie hardened her face as she stepped back to take Joker’s side, trying very hard not to let Shadow Steven’s hurt expression get to her. She noted how her Shadow now stood beside her in a similar show of defiance.

Negotiations were over.

For a moment, everyone stood at a standstill.

Until at last Shadow Steven sighed and eyed the rebels in sympathy. “Alright, I understand.”

Then he clapped his hands. Before anyone could react, pink bubbles bloomed from below and subsumed each of the gang except Connie and her Shadow, who managed to grab her other self and dive to the side to avoid the same fate.

“What the—?!” Mona cried out.

Skull tried to punch his way out, to no avail, only to wound up with an aching hand. “ARGH! Damn it!”

“It’s clear you all need a time out,” Shadow Steven continued in a firmer voice, face no-nonsense before he turned to the Cognitive Crystals. “Pearl, Garnet, Amethyst, I’m gonna send each of these guys to different places so they can settle down easier. Can I trust you all to keep eye on them?”

Cognitive Pearl chuckled in a motherly manner, sounding too eager. “But of course you can, Steven! Anything for you after all!”

“Hey, if it shuts these losers up,” Cognitive Amethyst drawled.

Panther felt her blood go cold. “You’re gonna separate us?!”

“NO!” Connie cried out, banging her hands against Joker’s bubble. This couldn’t be happening! “LET THEM OUT!”

To her horror, neither Steven’s Shadow nor the cognitions heeded her plea.

“Now, now,” Cognitive Pearl tsked in a condescending tone, “let’s not waste our energy making a scene.” She raised her hands and clapped. On cue, Shadows appeared behind her and her comrades, weapons already drawn.

“Uh guys,” Skull gulped. “I’m open to ideas.”

Fox grunted as he failed to slice open his own bubble. “Our prisons are nigh indestructible! I fear we may need a miracle.”

“Can’t we do anything?!” Mona cried in frustration.

Right then, Connie spotted her sword lying some feet away and started to make a move for it, only for a familiar studded whip to lash just a few inches shy of her feet, forcing the girl to backpedal.

Helpless, Coonie could only watch her newfound comrades rack their minds in desperation for a solution, any solution, before hanging her head in likewise sentiment.

There had to be a way.

“It’s pointless.”

Connie jerked her head up in surprise and turned towards the source of the voice. “Huh?”

Cognitive Garnet had finally spoken, just as authoritative as that of the real one. Except…

“There is no future where you all escape this,” she continued. “Admit you are powerless and accept it. It’s all you can do.”

Cold, Connie realized. This version of Garnet sounded so cold, uncaring, like she couldn’t sound any more disinterested in the fates of these youths, never mind how any of them felt.

The nearing sound of footsteps caught her hearing and dread dropped into her stomach the moment she realized Shadow Steven now stood before her and Shadow Connie, ready to send them and the Thieves away.

What hurt most was the sad, piteous smile he gave her.

“I know you hate this. I know it’s unfair. I know you want to do more to help, but it’s just how things are, so trust me when I say I’m gonna fix everything. I’ll have saved everyone before you know it!”

His words echoed in Connie’s mind, the girl’s face wide-eyed and blank, while her Shadow, who’d been silent, hung her head with balled fists.

The prince reached up to bubble her as well—

“You know?”

Her words gave him pause, unwittingly giving Connie the floor.

“You know?” she repeated, incredulous. Her facial expression started to melt into something akin to anger. “How can you know when you clearly don’t know what’s going on to begin with?”

Shadow Steven shrugged with that same happy smile that Connie, to her own shock, wanted to slap off.

“Oh, well I’m sure the Gems and I will figure it out—”

“No,” she cut him off. “No, you won’t. Do you even know the first thing about changes of heart? Or the Metaverse or Palaces? What about distortions?”

As she expected, Shadow Steven showed a moment of hesitation at all the new terms. “Well, that last one sounds a lot like Corruption, so—”

“So what?” she cut in. “You’re just gonna dump every affected Gem in Diamond essence? You can’t know if that’ll work if you don’t ask the people who actually know stuff about the cognitive world!”

At this point, Shadow Steven finally gave up on smiling, stubbornness starting to form on his face. “Then I’ll ask you and your friends one by one. That way, we will know.”

“That’s not enough,” Joker stated with a shake of his head.

Mona nodded. “He’s right. We’ve got way more experience in dealing with the Metaverse than you. We can’t share any of that if you imprison us like this.”

Shadow Steven only shook his head in return. “You’ll only get hurt if I let you roam free! None of you know what you’re getting into!”

Skull scoffed. “And cuz you’re somethin’ besides human, you automatically do? Talk about a load of crap.”

Okay, now Shadow Steven was starting to get upset, a flicker of the same pink energy from before accompanying his rising anger.

“I do! Better than any of you, whether I want to or not! You don’t know any of the lengths my family’s gone through to keep your world’s safe! You don’t know what I’ve been through to keep this world safe!”

“It’s not as though we’re unaware,” Noir gently countered at seeing how worked up the prince was getting. “However, resolving this takes abilities we have that you don’t.”

“Face it,” Queen stressed. “You need us.”

Shadow Steven said nothing at first. His face softened for a moment, a moment that gave Connie and her Shadow hope that perhaps they’d finally gotten through to him.

Then he closed his eyes and clapped his hands, summoning even more Shadows.

“I’m sorry,” Shadow Steven responded in a soft tone as he reopened his eyes and took in the group’s disbelief. “I’m the only one who can fix everything. Otherwise, what’s the point of me at all?”

All Connie could do was stare back at him.

And then Shadow Steven said the worst thing possible: “So please, trust me to know better.”

Connie’s breath hitched.

“OK, fellas,” Shadow Steven ordered the Quartz guards with that same infuriating smile. “You can take these guys away now. I’ll see about talking some sense into them—”

“Idiot…”

That word, spoken in a cold hiss in a voice he knew well, took him off guard. When the prince turned, he discovered the ‘fake’ Connie staring down, eyes hooded and unviewable.

Save for her frown.

“You. Absolute. Idiot.”

Shadow Steven barely managed to stutter a surprised ‘what’ before Connie continued.

“Acting like you know better than everyone else. Pretending you know exactly what’s going on when you don’t know sh*t.”

Hurt flashed across the prince’s face, the boy flinching at the cuss word. For an apparent fake, this other Connie knew how to hit a sore spot.

But no, he wouldn’t let her get to him. The prince schooled a firm countenance, doing his best to stand tall.

“I know plenty.”

“No, you don’t.”

Shadow Steven stepped closer. “Yes, I do.”

“No.”

Another step. “Yes.”

“NO.”

Another step still. “YES.”

Connie finally raised her head, glaring in full force. “NO!”

“For the love of—”

The prince raised his hand to bubble her, only for Connie to slap his hand away. He tried again, only for Connie to slap his hand again. This went on three more times before the prince finally reached the end of his patience.

“STOP IT!”

Then the girl was right up in his face, not even caring the boy had gone pink.

“YOU STOP IT!”

Everyone, even Cognitive Garnet, could only stare in shock – yet no one more shocked than Shadow Steven himself, cowed by the snarling girl forcing her way into his personal space, forcing him to back away with every sentence and finger-jab to the chest.

“Yeah, that’s right, Steven Universe. You wanna scream, I’ll scream right back. You wanna use force, I’ll send that back too. No matter what you say, what you do, I will never stop pushing back until you finally get it into your thick, know-nothing skull! So drop these bubbles, drop your excuses, AND DROP YOUR f*ckING HOLIER-THAN-THOU BULLsh*t!”

Somehow, the silence hung even heavier as Connie panted from her rant, never thinking she would have ever been this way with Steven, let alone a version of him.

But like hell if she had any regrets.

Behind her, her Shadow smiled.

Are you done retreating then?

Connie barely had a moment to register the sudden voice in her head before a pulsating pain went off in her head immediately after, causing her to grip it.

So eager for peacetime, so desperate to forget your own scars, you have the gall to abandon your post. To forget the injustice that still runs rampant.

“Wh-Who are—” was as far as Connie managed before the hellish migraine intensified, driving the wailing girl to her knees. She hardly registered Shadow Steven falling to his knees in suit, pleading her to tell him what’s wrong, or her Shadow picking up her other self’s discarded sword.

I am thou, thou art I. Duty calls once more. Will you heed it and seal our contract—with a hellish screech, Connie doubled over in pain, the ground beneath her splintering into a crater as though by impact, sending Shadow Steven flying back – or would you rather leave the undeserving to fate’s cruel whims just to spare yourself further pain?

Another pant for air…and then a smirk, followed by a chuckle. Connie’s breath started to steady.

“You’re me, aren’t you? You already know my answer.”

The moment she raised her head back up, one could see her irises had turned an unsettling gold. However, that detail did not garner attention long for in a blaze of blue fire, a mask immediately materialized over her face, deep purple and in the shape of a lotus, its leaves arranged like a star.

The other her chuckled back as Shadow Connie made herself known beside Connie and offered the sword. Well spoken. Then let us raise our blade and shake the ill-earned pride of those who dare wrong those we cherish to its core!

Yes. No more hesitation.

Joining her Shadow’s grip on the sword hilt with one hand, with the other Connie ripped the visors clean off her face with a scream and sickening squelch. On cue, the fire burst around the two in a cerulean inferno that forced all those present to shield their eyes from its heat and light.

“Connie!” Panther called out over the sound of rushing flames. She and the other Thieves hadn’t noticed yet that the explosion had destroyed their bubble prisons.

As the fire started to dissipate, a silhouette became visible through the flames.

Or rather two silhouettes.

The first to be viewable, by virtue of size alone, was a tall and imposing horse whose body color ranged from black at the lower legs to light purple along the back in a strata-style pattern reminiscent of canyon walls, glittering amethyst hooves, dark purple leaf-mane and -tail both studded by vibrant pink flowers, a harness made of golden vines, fierce black eyes, a purple lotus symbol on the forehead, and a black collar studded with purple gemstones and a gold leaf pendant hanging from the front.

Atop the horse’s back, seated on a black saddle lined with gold and matching leaf/vine embroidery was a familiar girl – only now she sported a black dhoti with golden vine/leaf imprints as well as matching lining at the arms cuffs and collar area, her hair tied by a gold hairband into a low ponytail, purple harem pants with gold cuffs, black jutti, and fingerless black gloves with purple palms. A scabbard strapped to her back sported a squarish pattern in various shades of purple.

All these details came together into an image that screamed power.

Power that stared down Shadow Steven and the Cognitive Crystals, who stared back in shock and confusion.

“What’s wrong?” Connie called out. “Speechless?”

Shadow Steven took in the sight, stunned, and even started reaching a hand forward as if to approach, to make sense of the sight before him.

A harsh grab of the prince’s left shoulder put a stop to that plan immediately.

“DON’T JUST STAND THERE!” Cognitive Pearl screamed at the guards as Cognitive Garnet shoved Shadow Steven behind her and Cognitive Amethyst. “DO SOMETHING!”

The head guard straightened at once. “O-Of course, ma’am! You heard her, troops. Move in!”

With that command, the Shadows around them started to charge.

“Look out!” Mona cried out, he and his fellow Thieves posed for a fight.

Connie, however, did not panic.

Instead, she raised her palm, her new steed lifting a front hoof in time with this act as the Shadows closed in…and sealed it into a fist.

At this signal, the horse brought its hoof down with a mighty clop and sent out a wave of power that ruptured the ground into earthen spikes, impaling the Shadows close enough while sending the rest flying. The very sight caused the other Shadows to stop in their tracks in terror, now unwilling to come any closer.

Both Shadow Steven and the Cognitive Crystals gaped in absolute disbelief and (in the CC’s case) terror, unable to fathom what just happened.

“Connie-san,” Violet awed.

“Holy sh*t,” Skull exclaimed. “Did you guys just see that!”

Mona could only shake his head, mystified. “Amazing, such a powerful Persona!”

“And so beautiful too!” Noir added.

The horse neighed proudly as if in agreement with these statements. Connie almost chuckled at the very thought. This beast truly was her real self.

But there’d be time to reflect on that later.

“I won’t let pain stop me. Not anymore. And I won’t let what others think of me decide for me either. This is for your own good, Steven, to hell whether you agree or not.”

As she spoke these words, the Phantom Thieves joined her side, weapons at the ready.

That’s when Connie noticed Joker looking up at her with a smirk. As usual, he only had one thing to say.

“Show us what you’ve got.”

The newly made Persona user returned the smirk right back with a nod before she pulled out the broadsword from her scabbard, revealing its gleaming silver blade.

With a flourish, she pointed it forward at the remaining Shadows.

“LET’S CUT A PATH, NACHIYAR!”

Chapter 10: Riding Side by Side

Chapter Text

Garnet had always known humanity to have a dark side.

That didn’t mean she liked being reminded of it because stars how she wished she could unlearn everything Peridot just read off to all of them (and the fusion could tell her smaller friend had not enjoyed doing so either).

Now everyone either stood or sat around the room in stark silence, digesting everything they’d gleaned about the Phantom Thieves’ origins.

Bismuth, seated on a stool by the breakfast bar, ran a hand through her rainbow locks with a deep sigh. “OK. So…that was a lot.”

Lapis, from her spot on the floor next to Peridot, eyed the larger Gem with an exasperated ‘no sh*t’ gaze.

Pearl sighed as well from her place beside Greg on the couch. She’d been rubbing comforting circles into the man’s back, the ex-musician hunched over with his hands covering his face. The poor man in particular needed some time to emotionally recuperate after everything he’d heard.

“It would certainly explain why this group established itself in the first place. I just…I can scarcely imagine how any of those children found the strength do the things they’ve done after all they’ve been put through.”

That story about the reprehensible gym teacher had been horrifying enough to hear – and it had only been the tip of the iceberg. Abusive con artists, mafia, staged incidents, murders, a corrupt politician behind it all: it was like an unhinged mystery novel brought to life.

And now Connie (and perhaps Steven as well) was in the thick of something potentially similar.

“I can hardly imagine they pulled off the things they did,” Lapis commented. Even considering her scarce knowledge of human society, the water Gem could tell those kids had to have been against some overwhelming odds.

“I’ll say,” Amethyst voiced from the window where she’d been lounging on her back, finger-quoting as she continued. “And apparently, it’s all thanks to this ‘change of heart’ stuff.”

Peridot paused in the middle of whatever research she’d been doing on her laptop to regard the Quartz with an arched brow, curious. “I’m a little surprised you didn’t know about them, considering your intimacy with human culture and all.”

Amethyst shrugged. “I’d heard about them from Ronaldo fangirling around town about them once. You know how he is, so I just ignored him.”

Big egg on her face then.

The purple Gem then frowned when a sudden thought came to her. She rolled onto her stomach to regard the others. “We’re…not gonna have ta shake him down for details, are we?”

Pearl rolled her eyes at the question. “Oh please, Amethyst, we’re not that desperate for answers on this group.”

Not yet at least.

“Still,” Lapis spoke up again in a meditative tone, “would it really hurt to ask him? It’s not like we know anyone who’s an expert on all this cognitive science stuff that Shido guy was killing people over.”

The mention of Shido gave Pearl a shiver she tried hard to suppress. To think a human could commandeer such disturbing abilities…

“Cognitive psience with a ‘psi’,” Peridot corrected in a matter-of-fact tone, attention back on her screen. “Appropriate considering it seems more supernatural than any science I’ve ever heard of. I’d even daresay it comes across as more of some bizarre logic-breaking hybrid.”

Steven would relate, Garnet thought as she finally leaned away from the wall, arms crossed. “Speaking of which, what have you been able to learn about it so far?”

“Quite a bit,” Peridot answered in a fascinated tone. “It’s just a little difficult for me to wrap my mind around. If not for all the information I’ve been able to pilfer from those government files, I would think it’s all that occult nonsense humans get so up in arms about.”

To be fair, a lot of the ideas presented by the research she found did come across as occult-like, yet the mere fact there was legitimate research at all still made for a strange juxtaposition.

“On the bright side,” the green Gem continued, “there’s thorough enough research to connect the dots between the concepts presented here and these Phantom Thieves.”

Or at least enough to get a general idea to understand how these kids operated for the most part.

“And its link to what’s been happening lately?” Garnet pressed.

Peridot hummed, bobbing her head as she brought up a different newspaper article alongside the research document she’d been reading. “There are definite parallels between the incidents in Japan and the ones here. Based on the testimony of the Phantom Thieves’ leader, turning an individual’s ‘Shadow’ berserk is what triggers a psychotic breakdown.”

Lapis narrowed her eyes. “So, what, were people going crazy because their literal shadows were getting hijacked or something?”

“No,” Pearl spoke up in a thoughtful tone, finger tapping her chin. “I believe he was borrowing a term from human psychology. Oh, what was that one human Garnet and I talked to once.”

“Carl Jung?” Garnet offered.

“Yes, him!”

Peridot hummed in interest as she regarded her search results once more. “Come to think of it, the research on cognitive psience does include several references to human psychology.”

Though only human psychology, which begged the question of how the culprits were able to apply any of this to Gems.

Amethyst shuffled in place, uncomfortable. “So…does all that stuff apply to us too? Like, can we even have Shadows?”

Silence returned, tenser than before, as everyone took in the Quartz’s valid question and shared looks of disquiet.

Pearl took a deep breath. “Considering what’s been happening so far, we shouldn’t rule out the possibility. If it is the case, though, I imagine the effects at the very least differ for our kind.”

“Uh huh, and what’s to stop the jerks responsible from pulling a mental shutdown on us like what happened with that Okumura guy?”

That question made Pearl go pale – or well paler. The recorded video of that CEO’s death had been nothing short of nightmarish and made her desperately hope it didn’t happen to Steven or Connie, let alone anyone in either Beach City or Little Homeworld.

“Right now, let’s focus on what we can do here and now,” Garnet suggested. “Namely, making contact with these Phantom Thieves first and foremost.”

Pearl and Amethyst shot looks of surprise at their leader, but Bismuth merely shrugged.

“Calling in the experts, eh? Fine by me. We just gotta get in touch with that girl Connie’s friends with, right?”

Pearl and Amethyst shared an uncertain gaze, not forgetting that moment of tension back at Greg’s carwash after Steven fled. The team would have to put in some serious effort to convince the Takamaki girl that they meant neither her nor her team no harm.

At this point, Greg finally lifted his face from his hands and regarded the Gems with worn-out eyes, red from both tears and anger. Despite himself, he’d heard everything the others had been discussing.

“Garnet?” he spoke up in a ginger tone. He waited for the fusion to regard him before continuing. “Promise me you’ll be patient with those kids, okay? It sounds like they’re used to people treating them as if they don’t matter.”

Garnet opened her mouth to assure Greg, only to shut it on second thought and look away in thought.

It’s not like the ex-musician didn’t have a solid point. The Crystal Gems essentially counted as a form of authority in both Beach City and Little Homeworld, even if they didn’t consider themselves one in an official capacity. Still, they had all been rebels in one form and another, so they could relate with these Thieves on distrusting authority figures.

In short, being gentle and steady would be the best approach.

The fusion only hoped it stood a better chance of working.

“So, what’s the plan then?” Amethyst asked. “Do we wait for Connie to get back so we can talk things out with her?”

Pearl nodded. “Yes, that would be best. At least that way we could break to her gently how we found out and ease her into the idea of vouching for us. From there—”

Distant screams echoed from Beach City, cutting her off.

Amethyst threw her head back in aggravation, groaning. “Oh, come on! Now?!”

Garnet gave a resigned sigh before adjusting her glasses. “Let’s take care of things in town first. Pearl and Amethyst, you and I will handle the commotion. Lapis, Peridot, Bismuth: ask around Little Homeworld if they’ve seen Connie or her friend Ann Takamaki. We’ll be doing the same in Beach City once we’ve settled things there.”

Every other Gem present shared a collective gaze before nodding in agreement at Garnet, who returned the gesture before facing the only human in the room.

“And Greg—”

The Universe elder gave a weak chuckle and waved Garnet off. “I know. I’ll keep the fort down in case Schtu-ball turns up.”

Garnet offered a grateful smile before ushering the rest of the team out of the front door.

She sincerely hoped wherever Connie was, she was doing alright.

XXX

Connie was doing awesome!

Even though she only had a vague idea of what just happened, this girl knew she’d become something greater, more herself than ever before.

And she was about to wreck some serious sh*t on the hapless Shadows before her.

“Still feel like underestimating me?” the newly transformed warrior mocked in a strong voice as brandished her blade at her opponents. Her steed huffed and stomped a hoof against the earth, ready for battle. “Big mistake!”

At this point, the remaining Shadows had rallied into a wall formation in between the Phantom Thieves and Shadow Steven and the Cognitive Crystals. At the forefront of the formation stood the Quartz leader, shaken but not deterred as she pointed an accusing finger at Connie.

“Such ingratitude will not stand! You will beg the prince for forgiveness this instant!”

Then in a splash of red and black, the leader and her troop all transformed into an army consisting of Mandrakes, Obariyon, and Kelpie.

Connie was not impressed, although she had to take a moment to stare in disbelief. These Shadows were just going to get weirder and weirder, weren’t they?

By then, Joker, Panther, and Mona had already taken positions beside her, weapons drawn and ready.

“You ready for this, rookie?” Mona called out. “Since this is your first time with your Persona, we’ll let you have the first strike. First things first, take a moment to focus inward and delve into your moveset.”

Moveset? Connie eyed Mona for the vague advice but focused as suggested anyway and whoa did she have her own menu?! Holy sh*t, she did, and it had all sorts of moves, like two with these purple symbols that resembled mountains: Tera and Matera.

Those rock attacks used by the puppets from earlier flashed in her mind. Could these be…?

While Connie deliberated, the Shadows took that moment to attempt another frontal assault, figuring they could catch the horse rider off guard this time.

They were sadly mistaken.

“Let’s shake things up, Nachiyar!” Connie shouted as she pulled on the reins, signaling her intentions to the steed. Nachiyar lowered her head in turn, hooves stomping eagerly.

Connie focused her thoughts on the Shadows in front of her and by pure instinct selected her move, its name echoing in her mind.

Matera.

“How’s this?” she taunted while raising her sword high.

As she did, Nachiyar reared back on her hind legs, flowery mane and tail blowing in an unexplainable wind, and released a mighty neigh as a line of purplish-grey earthy spikes erupted from the ground, not only hitting the frontline of charging Shadows, halting them in their tracks, but even staggering all of them.

“Whoa-ho, nice!” Oracle cheered. “And it looks like they’re all weak to your element too! Convenient!”

“So, All-Out Attack then?” asked Panther, itching to try one after so long.

Connie eyed the girl in red with curiosity at the attack name.

Mona hummed in thought at the suggestion. “Actually, with these many Shadows, it’d probably be smarter to dial it back bit. At least in theatrics, just to save everyone’s energy.”

Joker smirked in agreement before twirling his knife. Panther and Mona leapt back from their opponents and readied themselves as well. Only Connie, having dispersed her Persona to be more up close and personal, eyed the others in wonder.

“Follow our lead,” Joker suggested.

“And don’t hold nothing back!” Oracle added.

Hold nothing back? No problem. Connie braced herself into a similar pose, ready for the signal.

“NOW!” Joker shouted before leaping into the air, the other Thieves following suit.

In the blink of an eye, the four fighters unleashed a barrage of continuous dash strikes on the Shadows before landing back right as all the cumulative damage caught up at once, not only destroying the targeted Shadows but greatly damaging those nearby enough to get caught in the attack.

Wow, Connie marveled. For something dialed back, that really did the trick!

“Nice!” Oracle complimented. “Keep it up!”

Indeed, as the battle continued and Connie kept getting more chances to show off her new abilities, the Shadows lessened further and further in number, some even trying to run away to escape their fate (not that the Thieves let them get that far).

The Cognitive Crystals couldn’t fathom any of it as they watched from afar in the sidelines, gobsmacked.

“I-I just don’t understand,” Cognitive Pearl murmured in near-hysteria, gripping her face. “They’re only humans. They shouldn’t be capable of these things!”

“THEN HOW THE HELL DO YOU EXPLAIN ALL THAT?!” Cognitive Amethyst snapped, gesturing a hand at Mona who expertly dodged all swipes from a large group of Naiads and Pixies inflicted with the Burn Status courtesy of Panther and landing a Wind move of his own for big Technical damage.

Cognitive Garnet assessed the scene with a calculating grimace before looking down at Shadow Steven, who still hadn’t gotten up from where she’d dropped him, gazing at the scene before him in both disbelief and awe.

She returned her eyes to the fight and hummed. “Steven, you realize what’s wrong here, don’t you?”

Shadow Steven gasped at being addressed, snapped out of his stupor, and regarded the pseudo-fusion in wonder.

“These people aren’t Gems at all and yet they have abilities their species shouldn’t have. And now even Connie does as well.” Cognitive Garnet turned her eyes back to Shadow Steven. “Doesn’t something about that seem suspicious to you?”

Suspicious? Then again, now that Shadow Steven looked closer, he could tell there was a sense of newfound anger in Connie’s movements and expressions, like a predator finally free of its chains. Sure, Connie tended to be more aggressive compared to him, but this…

Was it because of that horse she kept summoning? Or perhaps her new friends?

That’s when he noticed Connie and that guy with scruffy black hair land back-to-back, weapons at the ready and smiling, followed by Ann and that strange cat landing beside them in a cross-formation.

Shadow Steven balled his hands into fists and bit his bottom lip in anguish, as he tried hard to hold back tears.

By then, the battle had ended, all Shadows defeated and the Phantom Thieves standing triumphant.

“Oh, hell yeah!” Skull cheered with a fist bump as he and the other Thieves rejoined their teammates to congratulate them.

“An absolutely stunning performance!” Fox agreed.

“Especially you, Connie,” Queen added with an impressed smile. “You’re getting the hang of fighting as a Persona user quite well.”

Connie blushed at the praise but smiled as well. She hadn’t expected these new powers to be so intuitive. She opened her mouth to give thanks but instead let out a groan as she found herself falling to her knees in exhaustion.

Fortunately, Noir caught her by the shoulders from behind. “Connie-san?”

“Huh, I guess that fight took more out of me than I thought.”

“Nah, that always happens after an Awakening,” Oracle assured her. “Just a day of rest and you’ll be back to 100%!”

Wait, a day? Connie frowned at the suggestion. “No…no…I can still—” she tried to protest, only to fall down to her knees immediately, Fox barely managing to catch her.

“You’re in no condition to continue,” he chided. “It’s best we retreat for now so you can recover.”

“But the others…Steven—”

“Will be fine for now,” Queen assured her in a soothing tone.

“Yeah,” Panther added in an empathic tone. “You won’t be able to help anybody if you keep faceplanting.”

Once again, Connie made a face as though she wished to keep insisting, but then remembered her Shadow’s words and wisely ceased her struggles. Still, she sighed, unable to help but feel as though she was dragging everyone down again.

“We’ll be back,” Joker promised her with a soft smile.

“He’s right,” Mona agreed. “Now that you’ve your own Persona, coordinating the infiltration route will be way smoother. C’mon!”

Except when the group made to leave, a massive wall made of pink translucent hexagons came down and impeded the path back towards the waterpark.

Panther gawked in shock at the sudden structure. “What the—?”

Then another such wall crashed down beside the group, perpendicular to the previous. Everyone swiveled their heads to discover Shadow Steven in the distance, stretching out a hand at them in a clawed fashion and with a face of fierce determination. The Cognitive Crystal stood further back, faces ranging from manic glee to stoic satisfaction.

Violet jumped when a third wall came down in front of the Thieves. “Wait, is he trying to…?”

“RUN!” Mona shouted as he and the rest of the gang barreled out right before the final wall could come down. Skull had to resort to carrying Connie bridal-style to keep up; the girl had picked now of all times to conk out.

Unfortunately, no matter how far the kids ran, pink walls kept slamming down to impede them, forcing them to take detours everywhere. Joker shot his eyes skyward to discover Shadow Steven flying after them, now donning a pink neon glow.

“sh*t!” Skull screamed as he skidded to avoid meeting a pink wall face-first.

“Damn it, we’re getting nowhere like this!” Mona griped.

“Guys,” Oracle shouted as she rode from atop Fox’s back piggyback-style, “I’m getting a whole influx of Shadows from all sides, even in the direction we came in!”

Indeed, Joker could glimpse several Shadows converging further ahead, blocking the main path.

“But then how are we supposed to—” Panther began to ask before another pink wall slammed down in front of them, forcing the group to turn again.

“All we can do now is hide until they lose track of us!” Queen shouted under stress.

A place to hide. Wait a second, Oracle realized. “Joker, check the map that cat mascot gave you!”

Joker reached into his pocket and produced the map given to him earlier. He must have caught onto what Oracle was planning because he paused for a hot second, forcing his team to do the same.

“Wait, why are we stopping?!” Skull exclaimed.

Oracle looked over Fox’s shoulder and then pointed a finger down an alleyway between some tents.

“Down there!”

At once, the Phantom Thieves raced down the side-path, the trees providing some cover, until Oracle noticed something.

“Everyone, hang on! The distortions here feel weaker…”

A glimmer of hope flashed in Noir’s eyes. “You mean—?”

“Yes,” Oracle cheered, pointing at a random tent. “There’s a safe room!”

Without wasting time, the gang ducked into the tent and went dead silent for the next few minutes as they kept a close tense eye on the entrance, not even daring a single breath.

Nothing followed for the next few moments.

Once it was clear the tent wasn’t about to be ripped from right above them, the team released a collective breath of relief.

“Phew, we lost them,” Mona sighed. “Nice one, Oracle.”

“Geez, though, that was nuts,” Skull griped as he gently set Connie down on one of the benches before plopping down on an adjacent box, slumping. “She never said her boyfriend could do all that.”

“I don’t think even she knew he could do all that,” Panther commented, well remembering the girl’s shock at Steven’s pink transformation and outburst yesterday.

“Well, I doubt safe room detection is one of his new powers since his Shadow’s signature’s heading away from us,” Oracle confirmed after pulling out a holo-screen in midair and checking it. “I’d say we’re in the clear for now.”

Skull rubbed his nape with an annoyed groan. “Yeah, that’s great but how are we supposed to get out now?”

Oracle pursed her lips at the screen. “Hmm…still getting massive reads of Shadows around our area, and Steven’s Shadow is still flying all over the place. Given how far we are from the exit, sneaking out might not be the best idea for now.”

“Then we are stuck here for the time being?” Fox asked with crossed arms. Oracle nodded with a grimace.

“Ugh, that sucks,” Panther whined as she sat down next to Skull, face in her hands.

Queen, however, crossed her arms in a reflective manner. “Actually, since we won’t be going anywhere for a while and Connie needs time to recover, now might be a good time to go over some things.”

Violet fixed the biker with a surprised stare. “You sure? We haven’t gotten that far into the Palace yet.”

“I wasn’t referring to the Palace per say, although that is something we should probably discuss as well.”

“Ah,” Fox spoke up. “You are referring to Connie herself.”

“Huh?” Skull asked in initial confusion, but then he straightened up upon remembering. “Oh wait, you mean how she understood Mona so fast!”

“Right,” Mona confirmed with a serious nod. “All of you could only understand me once you heard me speaking in the Metaverse. On the other hand, all Connie did was go into the Metaverse and apparently that was enough in her case.”

“Then there’s Spinel,” Queen added.

“Oh right!” Noir commented. “She never even went into the Metaverse, and she understood Mona-chan right away!”

Fox shook his head in wonder, hands akimbo. “But…how is that possible? Is there a connection between this world and Gems perhaps?”

Mona shrugged. “Maybe. If there is, chances are it also ties to all the abnormalities Connie here’s been exhibiting as a human going into the cognitive world for the first time. Assuming this is her first time.”

Violet eyed her feline teammate in wonder. “Are you saying she’s been in the cognitive world before?”

“Hard to say. It’s possible she’s been to places similar to the Metaverse thanks to her exposure to Gems. We don’t know all their abilities after all.”

“And who knows what kinds of wacky alien tech she’s run into,” Oracle added.

“You think something about Gems rubbed off on her?” Panther asked.

“At this point, it’s mostly conjecture,” Mona responded with a shrug before gazing at Connie’s slumbering form. “We won’t know for sure until we can ask her.”

Skull sighed, head hanging low. “Welp, we’re gonna be here a helluva long time then.”

“Actually,” Violet spoke up, “don’t safe rooms let us travel faster?”

Panther brightened at the reminder. “Oh, that’s right! We don’t even have to wait!”

Oracle shook her head. “Eh, sorry. That’s gonna be a no-go. I checked this room the moment we got in. The fast travel feature’s being blocked by something, and whatever it is, it’s powerful enough to cover the whole park.”

All the other Phantom Thieves could not believe their ears.

Skull hung his head, bummed. “Seriously?”

“Could this perhaps be the doing of Steven’s Shadow?” Fox pondered, hand to his chin in thought.

Queen crossed her arms. “Seems we’re leaving the long way then. Oracle, how does it look out there?”

The navigator checked her screen again. “Mmm…not as bad. All the Shadows are way more distributed now, so they’re not as congested as before, and I don’t even see Shadow Steven’s signature near us anymore. It’d still be tricky to get to the exit with Connie all conked out, though.”

After all, any of those Shadows could still raise an alarm, which would only draw Shadow Steven to the group.

The Thieves all shared another collective sigh, this time out of resignation.

Suddenly, Mona grew a determined frown and started marching for the exit.

“Wait, Mona-chan,” Noir called out in both wonder and concern. “Where are you going?”

“To do a little recon,” the cat-like thief responded in a nonchalant tone. “Better than sitting around here.”

“Watch yourself out there,” Joker advised.

Mona tossed his leader a co*cky smirk. “Heh, who do you think you’re talking to?”

And with that, the team’s veteran sauntered out.

“So…,” Skull piped up after a few moments. “Anybody bring some cards with ‘em?”

XXX

The front door of the beach house gently creaked open.

A nervous eye peeked through the crack, only to draw away a moment later. Then the door slowly opened further to reveal Steven Universe, who quickly yet stealthily slipped inside and shut the door behind him.

He noticed his father on the couch, fast asleep and head tilted back as the older Universe snored, one hand over his stomach and the other drooping off the couch. Steven, despite himself, smiled as he walked up and draped a nearby blanket over Greg, making sure not to jostle his father as he tucked him in.

He’d come here in vague hopes of apologizing to everyone for his outburst from yesterday, maybe even getting an apology from the others in turn for keeping this whole situation secret from him.

That and he’d gotten sick of eating nothing but wild berries and nuts.

Though now that he’d come back to the house, Steven couldn’t help but feel relief that he wouldn’t have to confront everyone immediately. Heck, maybe once Greg woke up, Steven could talk to him about all the stuff that’d been bugging him lately.

Steven put that thought on pause, however, after he noticed Peridot’s still open laptop on the floor. He alternated his stare between the device, his father, the front door, and then back to the device.

Surely, Peridot wouldn’t mind.

Taking care to avoid waking his father, Steven tiptoed over to the laptop with an interested gleam in his eyes and sat down to see what his green friend had been looking up.

Confusion set in immediately once he finished scrolling up the webpage.

“Wait, Ann?” Steven murmured to himself upon finding his new friend’s name in some sort of list. Were the Gems looking stuff up about her? That was weird. And what was this about a gym teacher…

Steven had to rub his eyes to make sure he wasn’t reading wrong. In fact, he reread the article to make sure he wasn’t reading anything wrong.

Molestation? Assault? Even—? Steven halted his thoughts there, repulsed.

And Ann, the cool fashionable girl brave enough to stand off against Jasper, had been one of the victims?

Fighting back a sudden wave of nausea, Steven had to push the laptop away as though it were the gym teacher itself because dear God, what? Even Kevin had never gone this far!

And the fact that a teacher, an adult entrusted with other people’s kids, would do such things, Steven couldn’t fathom whether it horrified him or enraged him. He very likely would have gone into Pink Mode again if not for his father’s sudden snoring, reminding the boy he wasn’t alone.

Steven took a moment (okay, a lot of moments) to take some deep breaths and regain his composure. As awful as the contents here were, Steven felt compelled to read through the whole thing, at least for Ann’s sake.

He needed to understand.

Except the more he read through everything, the more his disbelief mounted.

Psychotic breakdowns.

Mental shutdowns.

Cognitive world?

Did humanity really have this entire world literally in their heads? The research on this world seemed official enough, so it’s not like Steven could disregard it like he could with Ronaldo’s theories.

But then…that meant people like this Isshiki lady really had died over this stuff.

No, not just died. They’d been murdered.

Steven felt his stomach flip at this revelation. Was whoever behind the mess happening around here trying to do something similar? It’d be so easy for someone like Aquamarine after all with this sort of knowledge. Was what happened to him and all those Gems just a warmup then?

Suddenly everything felt so much more dangerous.

But if Garnet and the others really had been struggling to fix this situation, how in the stars could Steven hope to resolve it? He’d only just become aware of all these crazy concepts, none of which even required Gems at all, a fact that had been throwing him for a loop the hardest.

Wait, Steven thought as he sifted through the documents until he found his way back to the news article about the gym teacher. There he found the phrase that’d been puzzling him the most out of everything else.

Phantom Thieves.

These guys couldn’t have been older than him if their leader, the only member with their identity publicly revealed, indicated anything and yet somehow, they were able to resolve all that madness. Then, could they somehow…

Something hot and bitter welled up in Steven’s throat and forced him to swallow down with a grimace.

No. No, he was Steven Universe! He could handle this himself!

OK, granted, maybe getting some advice from these guys would be in order, but once he did, he’d fix everything, just like always!

Right. Right! Steven thought with a determined smile. I just need these guys to tell me how they…change hearts.

Whatever that involved. But hey these guys didn’t need Gems to do all that crazy stuff, so once Steven figured out the trick, it’ll be a cakewalk!

Assuming he could manage to contact them.

Fortunately, that part shouldn’t be hard.

After all, Ann was either a supposed member of these Phantom Thieves or at least a close confidante of theirs, so Steven just had to contact her and convince her that he would like to talk with them.

Yeah, too easy!

In fact, just to prove it, Steven pulled out his phone and called Ann’s mobile number.

Only to get a voice message.

OK, he’ll just call Connie then! Yeah, she and Ann had been hanging out a lot, and having a friend in common could smooth things over even more now that Steven thought about it.

Except when he tried calling her next, he only got a voice message again.

His smile started slipping, only for him to shake his head even harder this time. Connie was probably out looking for him with the others. Yeah, that had to be it!

Yeah, Steven assured himself. I’ll just wait a little bit and try again! I’m sure I’ll get somebody…eventually.

Until then, perhaps he should follow his dad’s example and take a nap.

XXX

With a groggy groan, Connie awoke from her nap.

“Oh, Connie-san! Did you have a good sleep?”

Upon hearing the familiar demure voice, she shielded her eyes from the nearby lantern light as she sat up from the bench she’d been sleeping on. All the Phantom Thieves were either standing or seated around her within in what seemed to be the inside of a sizable pink and white striped tent, various circus equipment scattered around them.

Connie shifted her head to Noir, the one who’d just spoken. The girl in pink was seated atop a box next to the bench.

“Oh, hey,” Connie replied as she took a moment to yawn and stretch. “Did I miss anything?”

“Other than your boyfriend’s Shadow chasing us all around the place, surprisingly not much,” Oracle offhandedly commented. The tech girl was currently fiddling with a floating screen. “Still, we had to duck into this safe room to get him and all his cronies off our tail.”

“This safe room is a place where the ruler’s cognition is weakest,” Fox explained upon seeing Connie’s questioning gaze. “A blind spot if you will.”

Queen turned in her seat at the central table where she’d been conversing with Joker, Violet, and Panther. “It would normally also allow us to teleport to the entrance, but it won’t work for some reason. That’s why we’re waiting on Mona to come back with intel on an escape route.”

The biker put a hand to her chin. “Although, knowing him, I imagine he’s also looking into the layout of this place so that we’re better prepared the next time we infiltrate it.”

When Connie furrowed her brow out of worry for the feline, Skull waved her concern off. “Eh, don’t worry. Mona’s pretty good at keeping his head down.”

“In the meantime,” Fox added while leaning against the wall, “we have been talking about you as well.”

Connie had to do a double-take. “Wait, me?”

Joker shifted in his own seat to face her. “You and the Gems, actually.”

“Right,” Queen agreed with a nod. “You may not be aware, but your acclimation to the Metaverse and everything else has been odd.”

Connie co*cked her head at the biker, curious. “Odd how?”

“Well, for starters, you already look well-rested for someone who awakened to their Persona only a few hours ago,” spoke a familiar voice. Everyone shot their eyes to the entrance to discover Mona strolling back inside.

“Oh, Mona-senpai!” Violet exclaimed, happy to see he’d come back alright. “How did it go? Did you find out anything?”

“Quite a bit, to say the least,” Mona responded with a satisfied grin. “There’re still Shadows patrolling the streets, but nothing a little stealth can’t solve. There’s also something else I figured out, but that can wait for now.” He then turned to Connie. “How you feel, rookie?”

Connie co*cked her head, curious due to the tone of that question. “Um, great actually? What, should I not be?”

“You should, but not so soon,” Mona affirmed with crossed arms and a serious countenance.

“Yeah,” Skull agreed. “It took the rest of us a whole day to recuperate from our Personas waking up.”

“Not just that,” Panther added. “We all had to hear Mona speak in the Metaverse first for us to understand him in the other world, but you only had to enter the Metaverse.”

Oh right, Connie realized, remembering their conservation prior to entering this world. “You mentioned that before. And Spinel understood you right away despite never being here, too. Any idea why?”

“Maybe because she’s a Gem,” Joker answered, much to Connie’s confusion.

“We don’t exactly have concrete proof yet,” Oracle explained, “but we’ve got this working theory that Gems have a special connection to the Metaverse, maybe one even they’re not aware of.”

“And if this theory is to be believed,” Fox added, “then this connection could explain the abnormalities you’ve been exhibiting as well. Since you have spent so much time with Gems, we were hoping you might have a better idea.”

Noir set her hands in her lap. “Like, for instance, if there were times you were exposed to something Gem-related that other humans weren’t.”

“Heck, we’ll even believe you falling into a vat of crystal water at this point,” Oracle joked.

Exposed to something Gem-related—oh. What if…

Connie felt her eyes widen as she suddenly focused an intense thinking gaze on the bare dirt floor. No, it couldn’t be that simple, but then again…

“Connie-san, are you alright?”

Violet’s concerned voice and question jolted the other girl out of her deep reverie. Connie blushed and rubbed her own arm out of embarrassment.

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine! It’s just…I might know the reason why I’ve been adjusting to all this cognitive stuff so fast, although it might take a while to explain.”

Panther scratched the side of her head in confusion. “How come?”

“Well…”

BOOM!

Without warning, the ground quaked beneath everyone’s feet, rattling the tent and everything inside it, including its occupants!

“What the—?” Panther managed to exclaim before another tremor cut her off.

The shaking only worsened, forcing everyone to cling to either each other or the nearest stable object to avoid falling to the floor.

“Dude, what the hell’s happening?!” Skull shouted.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are.”

Oh crap, Connie realized in absolute dread at the familiar booming voice as she shot from the bench and peeked her head out the tent’s flaps.

Hunched over a nearby street, back to the tent Connie and Thieves were hiding in, was a massive multi-armed technicolor giant with wild teal hair.

Cognitive Alexandrite.

Chapter 11: Depend on No One Else

Chapter Text

Do you know the Hindi equivalent of the f-word?

Well, the Phantom Thieves sure did now, what with Connie murmuring it nonstop under her breath as she hastily ducked back inside, her face the definition of panic.

“Connie-san?” Violet asked in concern. “What’s wrong?”

“Yeah, what the hell’s going on out there?!” Skull exclaimed, only for Queen to silence him with a glare. “Right too loud, sorry.”

To Connie’s surprise, Oracle answered in her place, the tech girl in a similar state of panic as she examined her holo-screen, voice hushed. “Guys, there’s something big just outside, and I mean really big. What’s even crazier is that it’s somehow got all three signatures of those cognitive versions of Steven’s family!”

“All three,” Panther murmured in utter confusion, shaking her head. “But how’s that even—?”

Connie shushed the other girl with a rushed finger to her own lips – and not a moment too soon because suddenly Cognitive Alexandrite’s gravelly voice boomed directly above them.

“I know you’re here, little humans. Stop hiding and come out. You wouldn’t want to upset Steven any further, would you?”

Everyone inside the tent went deathly still for the longest time, too gripped by fear to utter a single word, never mind a sound lest they expose themselves.

Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, a reverberating huff echoed before the sound of the giant standing up and walking away followed, the loudness and tremors of her footsteps fading as she left to search somewhere else for her quarry.

The whole group released a collective sigh of relief once they couldn’t hear her anymore.

“I think I just wet myself,” Skull whimpered.

“W-What even was that just now?” Panther stammered.

“Alexandrite,” Connie answered with a placating hand to her own forehead. “Or at least this world’s version. She’s a fusion of Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst.”

Everyone simply stared at Connie with blank stares, gobsmacked.

Queen blinked then her head to make sure she heard right. “I’m sorry. Fusion?”

“Wait, you mean like fusion-fusion?” Skull asked in wonder. “Like in DBZ?”

Despite the situation, Connie managed a rattled half-grin. “Well, if DBZ were more varied in its dances, then yeah. And if the fusors got bigger in size instead of just staying the same height. Also, I remember Steven telling me once that Alexandrite has fire breath, too?”

Again, everyone simply stared at Connie.

“Now might be a good time to leave,” Joker commented, deadpan.

Mona drooped his head in exasperation. “I’ll say. Once we’re back in our world, you’re gonna have to give us a full rundown of everything Gems can do. That way, we don’t get sidelined by any more surprises from their cognitive selves.”

Sounds good to me, Connie thought as she nodded in agreement and opened the flap to check outside again. She smiled upon seeing no one nearby. “Looks like the coast is clear. C’mon!”

Altogether, the Phantom Thieves snuck out of the safe room and carefully made their way through the park, following Oracle’s guidance since she had uploaded a scan of Joker’s map during Connie’s nap. Since they stuck close to the alleyways and side paths, they managed to avoid running into any Shadow patrols and reached their infiltration point in little time.

It was once they got over the wall and on the other side when things went sideways.

The gang barely took a few steps into the forest when two pairs of gloved hands parted the trees on the other side of the entrance to reveal Cognitive Alexandrite, sneering down at the group with her upper mouth.

“THERE YOU ARE!”

“RUN!” Connie shouted. She and the Thieves began a mad dash through the woods, barely dodging the fusion’s massive hand slamming down where they’d all just been.

Much to everyone’s rising terror, the ground rumbled beneath them as Cognitive Alexandrite immediately started giving chase! The titan released a savage roar from her lower mouth as she tramped every tree unfortunate enough to be in her way, hellbent on the group’s capture!

“Seriously, this is Alexandrite?!” Queen screamed in horror.

“Someone, pull out their phone,” Mona begged in hysterics. “SOMEONE, PULL OUT THEIR PHONE!”

Indeed, Joker was already fumbling with his cell until the Meta-Nav’s soothing voice graced his ears. Out of his peripheral, Joker noticed the fusion reaching a gloved hand towards them.

Hello. Would you like to return to—

“YES!” he screamed.

Beginning navigation. Thank you for your service.

And just like that, the world around them liquified and warped.

XXX

When Connie came to, it was to a mouthful of dirt and grass.

She promptly spat her impromptu lunch out, spitting into the ground repeatedly to rid herself of the taste.

“BLEH!”

“You OK there, Connie?”

Connie looked to the left to discover Mona – er Morgana – beside her, back in his regular cat form.

“Yeah,” she replied in a dazed tone. Her eyes shifted to find the other Thieves in the process of either standing up or helping the others onto their feet, all back in their regular clothes as well. Looks like they returned to the real world, the trees and water tower all normal again. “Sorry for not warning you guys about Gem fusions earlier. Are cognitions usually that desperate?”

“More like determined,” Ann replied as she dusted the dirt off her shorts.

(“I might have lost a few years from that,” Sumire bemoaned.

“Indeed,” Yusuke shakily agreed. “The powers of Gems are clearly not to be underestimated.”

“Hold up. Phones,” Akira reminded everyone, holding his own cell up.

“Oh sh*t, right,” Ryuji murmured as he and the others pulled out their own as well.)

Connie, standing up herself, got the hint and did the same.

AK: OK, so Gems can fuse into giants. Anything else we should know?

CM: Let’s see. Shapeshifting, weapon summoning, regeneration, bubbling, using their gemstones for storage. And those are just the things they have in common. Each Gem type comes with their own special set of abilities too. And there are a lot of types.

FS: And I’m guessing every fusion’s got their own special blend of moves too.

CM: Well, as long as we don’t run into cognitive versions of Peridot, Lapis, and Bismuth in there, figuring a workaround shouldn’t be too hard for all the fusions.

AK: Yeah, except we still have Steven’s Shadow to worry about. Has the real one always been able to fly?

CM: Usually, he can just levitate. I guess when he starts glowing pink like that, his powers all get a serious boost.

Morgana hung his head in chagrin. “Which means we can’t afford to underestimate his Shadow.” He hopped onto Connie’s shoulder to be eye-level with her. “I know what I’m about to ask sounds bad, but Isn’t there some kind of weakness of his we can exploit?”

Connie pursed her bottom lip before continuing to type on her phone. Steven’s always been pretty empathetic. He can get overwhelmed if too many people around him are sad or upset…but he’s also used to helping others work through their problems.

YK: In other words, he has high emotional intelligence. That makes for quite a charismatic individual.

SY: Yes, even with his issues, it’s not hard to see why so many people like him.

RS: Tell me about it. I mean, yeah, the way his Shadow was babying us pissed me off, but I can’t really say I hate him or anything.

MK: True, but that also means he has the capacity to be very persuasive.

CM: Well, he did once end a feud between Fish Stew Pizza and Beach Citywalk Fries by tricking the owners into liking the food he and his family made.

Everyone gave their phones and then Connie a long, bemused look.

RS: Has this place always been weird?

Connie smirked, a certain conspiracy theorist coming to mind at the wording. Wacky is more like it. Then her face fell. But so far as beating Steven in battle, everyone’s guess is as good as mine. He’s part Diamond after all.

HO: Diamond?

AT: Oh yeah, I’ve been meaning to ask about that. Rhodonite, Spinel, and other Gems had mentioned them before. Were they the leaders of Homeworld?

Connie nodded. And the most powerful, and I’m not just talking about their authority. When Steven, me, and his family all went up against just Blue Diamond a few years back, we barely left a scratch on her. Also, all of them except Steven’s Mom are literal giants. They’re insanely strong and each has powers almost no Gem can fight back against.

MK: And I’m guessing even for non-Gems, they’re still near impossible to take down.

The grimace on Connie said everything, and everyone fell into worried silence.

That is until Akira co*cked his head in a curious manner. So, they’re basically Gem Gods, right?

Connie blinked at the wording on her phone. Uh, more or less.

AK: We’ve got this then.

Wait, what? Connie stared down her phone and then Akira himself, not sure she read his response right. Sure enough, the Phantom Thieves’ leader was giving her a confident smile, one that proved contagious among most of his teammates.

HO: Oh, good point! We’ve bested gods before!

Again, what?

“Plus,” Morgana added in a thoughtful tone, “considering Steven can’t be any older than us, he obviously hasn’t had as much time as the other Diamonds to fully master his powers.”

Makoto, however, frowned at her teammates’ bravado. We shouldn’t assume we can simply take his Shadow head-on, you guys.

YK: Indeed, it would be wiser to document all his known abilities, including his more recent ones, so that we may be better prepared for our next encounter.

Futaba pouted. Well duh, but you guys make him sound like he’s gonna be some ultra-hard superboss! I doubt he’ll be any harder than Yaldabaoth and Maruki.

MN: All we’re saying is that it’d be better to overprepare than underprepare! Considering what’s on the line, we can’t afford to take risks.

Morgana hummed in thought. “In that case, why don’t we pick this up once everyone’s back home? No doubt Connie needs to report back to the Crystal Gems ASAP to waive off suspicion.”

“Sounds good to me!” Ann agreed before turning to the girl in question. “What do you think, Connie? Connie?”

The Indian girl finally snapped to when Sumire gently shook her by the shoulder. “HUH?! Oh.”

She hurriedly texted the rest of her response. Sorry. I blacked out after that part about you guys…beating gods.

Everyone else either sweat-dropped or blushed in embarrassment.

MN: Right, we’re sorry. We weren’t entirely sure if you’d believe those parts of our story.

RS: But yeah, for real. We’ve deadass beaten gods.

FS: And did we forget to mention we beat the first one on Christmas?

Of course they did, cause why not? Connie couldn’t help but chuckle weakly. Seriously, what kind of JRPG had she become a part of?

“They’re both kind of long stories,” Ann explained with an embarrassed chuckle. “We’ll tell you later. Anyway, we were discussing how we should get ready for Steven’s Shadow in case we run into him again. You wanna group chat later on for a strategy meeting?”

Connie shook off her exasperation to fix the other girl and her (now their) friends with a determined grin. “Yeah, I’m down for that!”

Ann smiled and texted Connie’s response to everyone else.

HO: Then it’s decided!

Morgana nodded. “In which case, we better get Spinel and Lion out here so we can all get back.”

“Golly, you guys got done that fast?”

Right on cue, Spinel backflipped like a slinky into view, surprising everyone more with her words than with her entrance.

Connie furrowed her brow at the Gem in confusion. “Fast?”

“Yeah, I just got comfortable too!”

Connie shared a look with Ann and then checked the trajectory of the sun, shielding her eyes as she did. It’d barely changed position much to her shock.

“Spinel,” she asked in a slow, wary voice. “How long were we gone?”

The jester shrugged her shoulders. “Just a couple of moments. Why?”

Morgana’s eyes widened in shock. “That can’t be…”

All the other Phantom Thieves must have noticed the solar discrepancy too because they all quickly checked the time on their phones.

Same hour, same minute. Only the seconds had changed, and even then, not by much.

(A stunned expression took over Yusuke’s face. “How odd…”

Futaba shielded her eyes and looked up at the sun like Connie had just done, mystified. “Hey, guys, what time was it when we left?”

“The same as it is now,” Makoto gawked, hand to her mouth in disbelief. “How is this possible?”)

“Whenever we entered the Metaverse, time would keep passing in this world,” Morgana explained for Connie’s sake. “It’d always be evening when we returned, and these guys couldn’t risk getting caught out in the dead of night with school going on.”

AK: Especially if it ever cut into our curfews.

“That’s why infiltrations always took us days,” Ann added before rechecking her phone’s clock, perplexed. “But now barely any time’s passed. What’s up with that?”

Good question, Connie mused as she brought up the Meta-Nav icon and studied it, reflecting back on everything Ann and the others had told her about both it and the previous version.

Could this oddity with time be related to that world having Gems for Rulers?

In any case, there’d be plenty of time to ponder later, as Akira pointed out in his next text: One step at a time.

“He’s right,” Morgana agreed as he hopped off Connie’s shoulder. “We’d be better off taking a rest after all that…but since we’ve got way more time left on our hands and our newest recruit is back on her feet faster than expected, I guess it’ll be more of a small break.”

Another moment of quiet passed as everyone digested the cat’s words, trying to come up with a feasible way to make use of all that extra time.

Suddenly, Connie started dialing a number.

“Don’t worry, I’m not telling on you guys,” she was quick to assure once she noticed some of the others staring, quick to remember their wariness of the Crystal Gems. “I’m just gonna tell Garnet and the others that Lion and I are about to take a break from patrols for now and ready to head back.”

“Good call,” Morgana praised with a nod. “No pun intended. That should waive off suspicion long enough for us to work out the rest of our infiltration route. I noticed a few things while scoping the place out that might serve us well.”

“Actually, I better call my parents, too,” Ann agreed as she started dialing on her phone as well. “Just to be safe.”

That reminded Connie, she should probably give her own parents a quick call before she got back with the Gems.

Before she could, though, screams started emanating from the town proper!

(“What was that?!” Sumire exclaimed, startled like everyone else.

“More affected Gems perhaps?” Yusuke asked in a wary tone.)

“On second thought,” Morgana amended with a serious frown, “maybe it would be best if we stopped for today.”

A cheery ringtone made Connie shoot her eyes back to her phone. A text message from Pearl.

Connie, we need your help! More Gems have gone berserk! Meet us on the boardwalk as soon as possible!

Ugh, of course, Connie mused with a grimace as she typed back a message saying she’ll be on her way. Once finished, she addressed Ann. “Trouble in town. The Gems are gonna need some backup.”

Then she turned to Spinel. “I can’t show up without Lion if I wanna avoid suspicion, so you’re gonna hafta get these guys back really fast.”

“Uh, sure thing,” Spinel responded with a taken aback shrug before looking around. “Except where is the big furball?”

Connie panned her eyes as well and found Lion to be nowhere in sight. She took a few steps forward and cupped her hands around her mouth. “Lion! Hey, if you can hear me, I need you to come out! It’s urgent!”

Much to her relief, Lion appeared without further prompt, bounding from behind a few trees. His eyes were glowing, which Connie took to mean he already knew what to do.

However, instead of approaching the group of youths, he took to sniffing the air. Then without warning, he roared open a portal and leapt into it.

“Hey!” Connie called out, hand extended, but to no avail as the portal twinkled out of existence.

(“What’s up with him?” Ryuji asked, completely baffled by the large cat’s behavior.)

“Hang on,” Morgana abruptly cautioned as he got up on all fours. “Something doesn’t feel right.”

Connie fixed a perplexed stare on the cat. “Well, yeah. The screaming we just heard.”

Morgana shook his head. “Not just that. Something feels wrong, almost like…something from the cognitive world followed us here.”

Everyone stared at him, his words putting them all on high alert.

(“Are you saying we might still be in danger, Mona-chan?” asked Haru in concern.

“Wait, what do you even mean something followed us?” asked Futaba as well, looking around the area in confusion. “We’re the only ones who came out of the Metaverse! How could—”)

“AAAHHHHH!”

Everyone jumped again, this time at this particular scream’s proximity.

Connie furrowed her brow once she realized this scream sounded familiar. Without another thought, she raced down beside the main road, following the sound until she reached the U-STOR Self Storage building. There she nearly ran face first into Lion, who was carting a skinny white man with balding brown hair, clinging to the beast with a rattled expression.

“Mr. Dewey!” Connie called out as she watched the former mayor shakily dismount Lion. “What’s going on?!”

Dewey needed a moment to settle his nerves enough to explain clearly, hand to his chest as he panted. “People…going crazy. I was just doing my job back at the Big Donut, serving this one tourist when all of a sudden, she just…snapped! It doesn’t exactly say in company policy how to address mental breakdowns, so I—”

Connie held her hands up. “Whoa, whoa, hold on! What do you mean ‘snapped’?”

Also, mental breakdowns? Why did that sound familiar?

“I mean, one minute she was perfectly calm, then the next she’s on her knees bursting into tears and blubbering over why she’s not back in some kind of ‘zoo’! Even went calling this whole place ‘too scary’!” Dewey started massaging temples, beside himself. “Is it the humidity this time of year?”

As the former mayor rambled on, a thought froze Connie cold, her eyes going wide.

“Anyway,” Dewey continued, “I was about to ask for help from one of my Gem coworkers when all of a sudden there’s crying and shouting outside too! We look out and suddenly a whole bunch of tourists are in the same state all over, begging to be ‘taken back’ or something! Steven’s caretakers were there and told me to go look for you in the park. That’s where I ran into your big pink friend here.”

He thumbed over at Lion, who merely chuffed.

Connie shifted her eyes to the ground to digest everything she’d just heard and then back up at Lion with a pressing frown. “Get me and Mr. Dewey back to the Big Donut. I need to see how bad it is.”

“Any way we can help?”

The voice startled Connie into shooting around out of surprise, only to discover Ann and the others right behind her. Connie had not noticed them tailing her all the way here. She took a moment to alternate her gaze between the gang and the town, deliberating whether or not to involve them.

“Um, that depends. How well do the rest of your friends speak English?”

The various expressions of uncertainty shared among the Thieves confirmed as much.

“They’ve all had classes on English,” Ann hastily explained, only to rub her head in embarrassment. “But speaking it’s kind of hit and miss for some of them.”

“Not to worry,” Morgana assured the girls. “I’ll be there to help with the translations…as long there are no Gems around of course.”

(“Translations?” Sumire asked in wonder. “Why though?”)

“It seems the culprit has finally started targeting humans as well,” Morgana grimly explained as he turned to address his team.

All the Phantom Thieves sans Ann recoiled in shock.

(“No way!” exclaimed Ryuji.

“This is basically the psychotic breakdowns all over again,” Makoto bemoaned. “But we’re not in the Metaverse anymore, and we can’t risk going back with that fusion still hunting for us! What can we do?”

For a moment, silence dominated, heavy and daunting.

(“Whatever we can,” Akira answered at last, full of quiet confidence.

Ryuji nodded with a fist-pump. “Hell yeah!”

“Is involving ourselves such a wise course of action, though?” Yusuke asked with a shake of his head and hands akimbo. “It is not as if communication here would be simple.”

“But that doesn’t mean we can just turn back and ignore all those people in need either,” Haru countered with conviction.)

Morgana hung his head and then turned to Connie, apologetic. “I know your original plan was to keep us secret until we helped Steven, but with things escalating like this—”

“I know,” Connie sighed reluctantly. Looks like a change of plans was in order. “With everything going on, we don’t have much choice anymore.”

Ann shared a counseling gaze with Akira and the others, who all nodded in return, before refacing Connie with a determined glare. “Then we still have a job to do! To the boardwalk?”

“To the boardwalk,” Connie replied in kind.

XXX

Chaos awaited the team once they emerged from Lion’s portal, Spinel using the same method of transport as last time (much to Dewey’s discomfort).

All over, both Gems and humans alike were in various forms of distress: rage, tears, fear. There were also unaffected Gems and humans doing their best to reign in the chaos and do something with the victims, anything from cajoling to comforting to even tough talk.

In short, the whole town was a mess.

(“Oh my,” Haru murmured in sympathy at the sight of so many tortured souls.

“Dude, where are we supposed to start?” asked Ryuji, eyes wide at the bedlam.)

Ann tapped Connie’s shoulder and pointed ahead. The Indian girl panned her eyes and spotted Amethyst in the distance, the purple Gem helping Skinny escort an inconsolable Era 1 Peridot to a nearby bench.

“Ann, follow me. Everyone else, wait right here! We’ll be right back.” As fast as possible, she and Ann hurried over. Once they got close enough, Connie waved a hand in the air, plastering on what she hoped to be a convincing smile. “Amethyst!”

The small Quartz lifted her head and gave a smile of relief at the sight of Connie, although her eyes lingered on Ann for a hot second, too.

“Hey, nice of ya to drop in! G, Pearl, and Biz are almost done rounding up the rowdier Gems. Last I checked, P was over at Greg’s carwash. Head on over there since she’s closest! If you see anyone handling somebody not fighting back, send ‘em over to the Temple. Peri’s setting up a refuge for everyone there.”

Connie gave a thumbs up. “You got it! If you don’t mind, Ann and a few friends of hers would like to help out, too.”

She gestured to the girl in question and then the group of youths waiting far in the background. A few Gems had taken note of the new teens, who stared back either in curiosity or nerves. “Their English is a little shaky, so it’ll be easier working with them if you let them stay together so Ann can translate.”

“Actually, we all got these apps on our phones that can translate text into English, too,” Ann added, pulling out her cell, mentally thanking Futaba for having such foresight. “It even does sound to text! That way, they won’t need me for every person they talk to.”

Amethyst pursed her lips and fixed another long, deliberate gaze on Ann and Connie before finally shrugging.

“Aight. None of the humans have gotten as bad as some of the Gems, so you and your pals can get started here and work your way outward. Just make sure to clear the way if anyone starts getting aggressive and come back here for help.”

Connie nodded and thanked the Quartz before giving Ann a thumbs up and departing for the carwash, leaving the other girl and Amethyst in awkward silence as they gave each other a side eye once Connie went out of view.

Ann decided to break the ice first. “So…Amethyst, right? I better get back to my friends and let them know the plan.”

“Uh, yeah sure.”

For a moment, the purple Gem seemed as though she wanted to say something more, but when only another moment of silence passed instead, Ann gave a forced smile before stepping away.

Neither of them noticed a shadowy figure slipping out of sight behind Fish Stew Pizza.

Morgana did, however, grimacing from inside Akira’s bag while Ann discussed the plan with everyone.

As did Akira, merely shifting his eyes to keep everyone else from noticing and worrying in turn.

The two caught each other’s eye and furtively shared a nod.

It figures they’d have trouble waiting around the corner in this world, too.

Best keep an eye out.

XXX

When Steven woke up, a cat’s single blue eye was staring back.

The boy gave a drowsy yet genuine smile as he stroked the calico tabby’s head, Cat Steven giving a happy purr in return, before he sat up with a stretch and yawn.

Ah, that nap had been a good call. Steven may still not be at one hundred percent but at least his head felt clearer.

To his surprise when he looked around, it was still just him and his father. Had no one showed up while they’d been sleeping, or perhaps they had and noticed Steven there yet chose to let him rest?

Either way, he appreciated the chance to have a little peace in a familiar place.

Which is why when his ear caught a voice rising from outside, one he recognized, his mood (and stomach) started to lurch. Were the others waiting on him for a talk?

Then again, Steven supposed a talk was inevitable given how he left things last time anyone saw him, let alone how he left.

That didn’t mean he had to look forward to it, though, which is why he found the fact that no one was coming in for him to be a huge relief. He still needed time to brace himself for the emotional interrogation he knew was waiting for him on the other side.

Which is why when the door opened to reveal Peridot and the same glasses guy as from the police file Steven had read on Peridot’s laptop earlier, he wound up on all levels of shock.

When Peridot finally looked into the living room and noticed him, her eyes widened immediately. “STEVEN?! When did you get back?!”

For a hot second, Steven wanted to chuckle and call out Peridot on her joke – except when he caught her expression, he realized she was indeed not joking. Had no one actually come back here since his return?

“A…few hours ago,” Steven plainly answered. “No one besides Dad was around and he was asleep, so I decided to wait on everyone.” Then his attention drifted to the stranger, who had his phone out for some reason. “So, who’s your friend?”

Peridot blinked and regarded her companion but waving a nonchalant hand. “Oh no, I wouldn’t say ‘friend’ as much as ‘acquaintance out of circ*mstance’. This is Akira, one of Ann’s friends from Japan. Ann brought them over here to help with the situation.”

Right, because this guy is the leader of the Phantom Thieves, Steven mentally noted. He reminded himself to thank the blonde girl later for this opportunity as he stood up and approached with a practiced smile, careful to keep his voice even to prevent waking up his still slumbering father.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Akira. I’m sorry we had to meet like this, but I appreciate you and your friends helping out!”

As Steven spoke, he noticed how Akira alternated his eyes between him and the phone. Steven chose not to take offense to this behavior as he had dealt with worse before. Only when the boy finished speaking did Akira finally look up, revealing his phone so Steven could see.

Right away, Steven noticed the phone was open to some sort of app, his own words recorded in a text bubble, and Akira’s typed response below.

AK: Sorry, I wasn’t ignoring you. My English still needs work, so I need this app on my phone to translate most of what you’re saying.

Steven blushed, feeling ashamed of his own assumption. “O-Oh, I’m sorry! I’m not the best at dealing with humans!” Then he blanched, eyes darting from the floor to Akira and back, hands twiddling. “Not ‘dealing’! I’m not implying you’re a headache or anything, w-what I meant is that—”

A clearing of the throat kept his attention on Akira, who was donning an understanding smile and had his phone’s screen out again so Steven could see.

AK: It’s cool. Making friends isn’t always easy.

Maybe the short-and-sweetness of the response was the reason, or the calm yet confident smile but something about this guy made Steven feel instantly assured, a lot like how Garnet made him feel.

Or at least how she used to make you feel, his inner voice softly sneered. Steven took a deep breath and silently told his inner voice to zip it before schooling another smile.

“So, any way I can help?” he asked with a touch of hope (and desperation).

To his concern, Peridot immediately shifted her eyes in a nervous manner.

“Not that your assistance wouldn’t be appreciated, Steven. It’s just that the situation has…shifted in a way you might not be prepared for.”

Steven snorted immediately, even doubling over a little. More people in need? That wouldn’t be a problem for him! In fact, now that he had come closer to the front door, he noticed the faint myriad of voices streaming from outside.

Right away, Steven gently pushed his way past Peridot and Akira, who made way for him. He didn’t notice their anxious expressions.

“Oh c’mon, Peridot! After all the stuff I’ve seen, there’s no way whatever’s out there could be any…”

Then he reached the porch outside and took in the scene on the sand below, smile falling and eyes going wide, his voice growing faint.

“Any…any…”

There on the beach stood a makeshift camp of sorts, a spread-out menagerie of both Gems and humans either sitting or walking about. Most of the people seated were in various stages of grief while others were doing their best to console them.

With slow and careful steps, Steven walked down the wooden steps and took in how similar – how identical – the Gems and humans in distress looked.

“Peridot,” Steven asked in a faint tone once the green Gem and Akira had caught up with him, “when you said the situation had shifted, what exactly did you mean?”

Peridot eyed Steven oddly, taking note that while the boy was taken back by the scene, he wasn’t as taken back as she expected. “Whatever’s been affecting Gems has started reaching humans now. It couldn’t have been more than three hours and we already have so many cases. So far—”

Whatever the tech Gem said afterward, Steven didn’t register. His mind was too fixated on the first sentence of her explanation.

Because this was real. Reading about all that stuff about cognition and other things had felt unbelievable simply because all the unbelievable for Steven had involved Gems in some form…yet seeing all of this made those documents feel more real now.

It took Peridot putting a hand on his shoulder to jolt him out of his mental spiral.

“Steven?”

The boy jumped at her touch but was quick to throw on a shaken smile once he noticed how shaken his response had made her. “YEAH! Yeah, of course I’m fine! Why shouldn’t I be fine?! Like I said, this isn’t anything I haven’t handled before!”

Peridot furrowed her brow, unconvinced, especially at the response to a question she hadn’t asked. “Steven, I admire your confidence, but this isn’t like Corruption. Humans are being affected now too, and we’re basically at a loss on how to fix this on our own.”

“Which is why it’s a good thing I’m here!” Steven asserted with a little more force in his voice then he intended. He didn’t notice Akira fix a cautious gaze on him. “I’m Gem and human, so as long as I’m helping out, we should find a solution in no time!”

For the longest time, Peridot took in her friend’s obvious façade, knowing better, but eventually gave in with a resigned sigh. “Let’s just focus on accommodating all the victims for now. We can discuss the situation further once everyone else is back.”

Having said her piece, Peridot walked out into the camp.

Only once she was out of earshot did Steven let his smile drop, feeling as though he had just let her down.

A finger tapping his shoulder drew his attention back to Akira, who held up his phone again.

AK: She’s right. Let’s focus on helping folks here.

Once again, Steven found himself accepting the other boy’s words despite them only having met. Part of the hybrid wanted to push back, assure him back that he’d be fine on his own, yet something about the boy’s demeanor made all protests die on Steven’s tongue.

Again, a lot like Garnet yet somehow also not, now that he reflected further.

Maybe I’m just that desperate, Steven ruminated. After all, he needed to get on this guy’s good side if he wanted to get these Phantom Thieves’ help. Thus, with a nod and another forced smile, he followed Akira into the camp.

If any silver lining existed, helping out at least gave Steven an outlet. Being out in the thick of everything, doing what he’d always done (the only thing he’d always done), directing unaffected Gems and humans to those who needed help, he could distract himself from his own problems.

Except he found himself sometimes getting sidetracked by Akira. Not so much by the sight of the other boy helping out, but rather the boy helping so close by.

It wasn’t as though the other boy was critiquing Steven or anything, he was just simply there doing his part to help others. And so easily, too. For someone who had a flimsy grasp on English, this guy had little struggle in making his intentions clear through action.

Steven would be lying if he claimed not to feel a bit of jealousy.

Although he also couldn’t help but feel like this guy was keeping a close eye on him.

And then all too soon, Peridot took Steven to the side.

“Hey, why don’t you take a break?” she invoked in a gentle tone. “We should be alright until the others arrive.”

“Are you sure?” Steven tried to argue. “I mean I could always head into town and –”

That’s when he felt Akira’s hand on his shoulder, phone out.

AK: Let’s take five.

Again, Steven wanted to persist, but something about the firmness in Akira’s eyes made him hold back on protesting. Seriously, why was Steven having such a hard time saying ‘no’ to this guy?

Besides, he mentally needed to remind himself, this could be my chance.

For these reasons, Steven gave in with a sigh and let Akira walk him some distance down the beach, opposite the direction of Beach City.

Once they got a good distance away, not so close to the camp that they could be overheard but not so far that they couldn’t keep everyone else within their line of sight, Steven paused in his walk. Akira had gone a few feet ahead before realizing Steven had stopped and so turned to face him, waiting patiently for the other boy to say or do something.

Which is a good thing since Steven found himself tongue-tied at the moment.

“So…um…,” Steven started, only to found himself at a standstill. Why was he struggling all of a sudden? This was just one person after all. OK, a person who could give Steven the answer to fixing this whole mess, but still! When Steven looked up again to keep trying, Akira had his phone up again.

AK: Let’s sit down.

And once more, Steven found himself complying without a fight. Seriously, what was up with this guy – or what was up with Steven rather? Ugh.

The hybrid ran both hands down his face with a groan as his behind plopped down on the sand, Akira following suit. After a few moments, Steven peeked through his fingers and took in Akira’s chill sitting pose, not even looking his way.

Part of Steven found it infuriating.

That’s when the dam finally burst.

“Look, let’s just get this out of the way!” Steven exclaimed, throwing his hands up in defeat. “I know you’re one of the Phantom Thieves and Ann probably is too and you clearly know how to fix this, so if you’d just show me how you do it, I could fix this whole thing and we can all be happy and celebrate before moving on with all our lives until the next horrible thing comes along, OK?!”

All this Steven blurted in one breath, too, forcing him to take a heavy literal breather by the end.

“So,” he sighed once his wind came back. “What do you say?”

To his credit, Akira was clearly taken back by the outburst. However, he didn’t take long to recover because he looked away from his phone for a moment after reading the other boy’s response to consider before refacing Steven and giving him a nod.

Steven needed a moment (a few moments) to register the response. Once he did, though, he could have sworn his heart and maybe even gem skipped a beat as a full-blown smile bloomed on his face. When was the last time he’d even been this ecstatic?

“You…you will? Really?!”

Another nod from Akira, this time with a calmer yet no less genuine smile.

Suddenly, the open zipper of the bag next to him burst open, and a black-and-white cat’s head popped out, the animal clearly shocked judging by the look on its face.

Then it opened its mouth.

RE-KSSHHHT-OW?!

Everything felt inert for the next few seconds, at least for Steven. He merely stared at the cat, eyes blank and unblinking, before snapping to and digging a finger into his own ear to make sure he hadn’t heard anything wrong.

Surely enough when the cat opened its mouth again…

You-BZZZZT-ow me-KKKKZZT-dy?!

Yep, no, no, Steven most definitely heard that!

He tore his gaze away and held his head in both hands, confused panic starting to set in.

Was that really the cat just now? Was this part of all this cognitive stuff? Or maybe another Diamond power? At this point, he wasn’t even sure anymore.

For the umpteenth time that day, a gentle yet firm hand met his shoulder.

Somehow, this simple act got through his clouded thoughts and recaptured his attention, drawing it to Akira who was giving him a look of concern. Even the cat had quieted down, instead giving Steven what felt like fascination.

Akira held his phone up. We’ll figure this out. All of us. But there are some things we need to set straight first. Particularly with you.

Despite himself, Steven managed to center himself enough to respond. “L-Like what?”

The chance for an answer never came because all of a sudden…

Steven honestly had no idea how to explain.

One moment, Akira simply had his hand on his shoulder, the next, he was suddenly rushing at Steven!

The shorter boy found himself jerking back out of reflex, holding a hand out to stop the other boy’s momentum – only for that to somehow cause them both to spiral in midair before landing on what most certainly was no longer sand, let alone something with water.

If he’d had time to notice, Steven would have noted the surprise on Akira’s face, followed by fear and…defiance?

Whatever happened, it had left Steven with a possible bump on the back of his head. He sat up with a groan, rubbing his aching cranium.

Only to come face to face with the glowing yellow eyes of himself.

Chapter 12: Got To Be An Equal Thing

Chapter Text

OK, Akira mused as he rose to his knees, head still smarting. This is happening.

The familiar sound of coattails as he moved drew his attention to himself, revealing he was back in his Phantom Thief attire. That and Mona, currently getting up himself with a groan, was now in his Metaverse form as well.

Akira took in the surrounding area, a sandy white beach bordering a shimmering pink ocean that seemed to end in mist on the horizon. Looking back, Akira gasped at the back-view of the castle, its spires glowing in the light of the setting sun. Between the castle and beach stood a massive garden surrounded by tall Greco-Roman pillars and brimming with a staggering variety of flowers of all shapes, sizes, and hues.

So yep, this was definitely happening.

“It worked.”

The distorted voice drew both Thieves’ attention to Shadow Steven, who looked more amazed than anything else, and Steven, who remained sitting where he’d fallen, looking up at his other self in silence. Akira could imagine the wide-eyed look the other boy must be sporting right now.

The Cognitive Crystals stood a few feet behind Shadow Steven, sporting expressions of varying satisfaction, even Cognitive Garnet wearing a smirk.

Speaking of whom, Shadow Steven turned to them, still in awe. “It actually worked.”

“But of course!” Cognitive Pearl chirped with a far too chipper clap. “You always find a way, after all!”

When the prince refaced his newly captured targets, now sporting a happy smile, Akira shifted into a wary pose, ready for the Shadow to make the first move. Out the corner of his eye, Mona did the same.

The Shadow opened his mouth to address them –

“I actually have a Shadow.”

Everyone’s attention converged on Steven, who slowly stood up, regarding the other him and then the pastel world around them all in shock.

Joker and Mona gaped in surprise.

“Wait, he already knows about Shadows?” Mona murmured.

Shadow Steven blinked at first, taken back by his Other’s question, but then started chuckling, even bending over.

This reaction only caused the real Steven to furrow his brow in confusion. Did he say something funny?

“I’m sorry,” Shadow Steven apologized as he wiped away a tear. “When I brought that guy back here, I didn’t think I’d end up bringing in you, too! But hey, this is even better! Between the two of us, we’ll have everyone squared away in no time!”

At this point, the prince turned away, hand on his chin. “We still have to figure out how to get Connie and the others over here, but I’m sure we can figure something out.”

Steven stiffened at the mention of Connie. Had she already been here with that Akira guy too? Part of Steven felt a twinge of jealousy at the revelation, although the realization that his own lookalike had plans for her managed to overshadow that.

“Wait,” Steven tried to intercede, hands out to gesture his reflection to pause.

Shadow Steven stared at Steven in wonder for a moment. “Hm? Oh, do you wanna be the one to do it? I don’t mind! Just make sure you give me enough time to block their way out so they can’t get away this—”

“Wait,” Steven tried again, voice rising.

Shadow Steven simply held his hands up, still not getting the hint. “Don’t worry! You just gotta keep their attention on you! After that—”

“WAIT!”

Steven’s scream echoed throughout the park, everything and everyone going dead-silent as the boy slapped both hands over his mouth, stunned by his own outburst.

Yelling had not been his intention.

For once, Shadow Steven lost his smile, confusion settling in his eyes as he lowered his hands.

Steven, retracting both hands, closed his eyes and took a deep breath to center himself. He needed to focus. Once the boy regained his composure, he addressed the prince with a wary gaze.

“Listen. I don’t know how you brought us here, but you’re right about one thing: things will be squared away. Because that guy” – he jabbed a finger behind himself at Joker – “will be the one to tell me how.”

Then he pointed that same finger at his other self. “If you and…whoever they are” – he regarded the Cognitive Crystals with an extended hand – “wanna help, I don’t mind! Just as long as you disappear once we’re done. So, what do you say?”

Shadow Steven merely stared back for the longest time, blinking once, even craned his head to share a look with the Cognitive Crystals.

Until he started shaking his head with a smile and chuckle too perfect to pass off as a facsimile, the Cognitive Crystals joining in with their own laughter, jolly and insincere.

Steven couldn’t help but feel insulted.

His Shadow’s patronizing tone once he settled down did not help either.

“You’re obviously confused here. It’s fine, I didn’t quite get it at first either when I saw Connie with her other self, but now I do!” The Shadow put a hand on his own chest, indicating himself. “You and I want the same thing because we’re the same person, which means you clearly agree with everything I’ve been saying. So…”

He tapered that word off in an encouraging manner as he approached Steven, one hand out in an offer of collaboration. “What do you say?”

Steven simply stared back at the other him and then the extended hand, before closing his eyes and massaging his temples with a barely restrained groan.

This guy could not be serious, he thought in irritation.

“Listen,” he spoke in a tone of waning patience. “I know what you’re supposed to be, but there’s no need for you to stay if you’re not going to help. There’s no need for you.”

He pointed straight at his Shadow, pointedly ignoring the shock and hurt look on his lookalike.

“You don’t have to be me anymore.”

Mona suddenly tensed. “Hang on. He wouldn’t…”

Akira eyed his feline teammate in concern. What was wrong? Did Morgana know something?

Meanwhile, Shadow Steven twisted his face in sadness. “So…even you think there’s no point in us being around anymore.”

From behind Steven, Akira and Mona could see the sudden slack in the boy’s shoulders as disbelief hit him full force.

When the young Diamond spoke, his voice came out panicked.

“WHAT, NO! I mean there’s no point in you! I don’t need a Shadow because there’s nothing for me to hide!”

“Sure, keep telling yourself that, dude,” Cognitive Amethyst drawled with a smirk.

“It’s true!” Steven snapped.

“Oh, come now, we all know that’s a lie,” Cognitive Pearl teasingly replied.

“WELL, IT ISN’T!” Steven shouted as he stomped a foot forward and got right up in his Other’s face, startling him (though not the Cognitive Crystals). “I don’t need you because nothing is wrong with me!”

By this point, his Shadow’s face started to harden. “You really think that?”

“I know that!”

At first silence.

Then Shadow Steven breathed in, long and deep. “I guess we are that much of an idiot, aren’t we? Fine, if I shouldn’t exist, then that means I’m no part of you either…so why not admit it? Go on.”

Steven himself pulled a decisively aggravated smile. “If it’ll get it through everyone’s heads, sure!”

Mona backed up in alarm. “Steven, wait! Don’t—”

“YOU. AREN’T. MEEEEEEH!”

The sudden shift on that last word came from Joker tackling Steven to the ground just in time, toppling him clean into Shadow Steven and knocking him off his feet as well!

Right away, Joker shot back to his feet and produced a smoke bomb from his pocket.

Steven groaned as he lifted his aching face from the ground. “Ugh, what was that for—”

Whatever else Steven intended to say, it wound up lost in the smokescreen Joker created. Now blinded, Steven barely got up before what sounded like a grappling hook going off echoed and a gloved hand grabbed him by the waist.

Next thing the hybrid knew, he found himself launching off and through the air in tow with a yelp, Joker taking him for a ride!

Steven opened his mouth to protest, only to yelp yet again when Joker reached the arc of their leap and released the hook, allowing the pair to soar even further up. The boy in black performed a midair twirl, causing Steven to cling to him, before falling and smoothly touching down in one of the side streets on the opposite side of the castle.

For a hot second, the taller boy’s grip on Steven slackened as he gently set him back on his feet, allowing the hybrid time to regather his wits—but only for a moment because immediately after Joker grabbed his hand and dashed into the maze of alleyways among the tents under the guidance of Mona, who’d been clinging to Joker’s back throughout the escape.

After a while, they came to a stop in one of those alleyways to catch a breather.

“OK, that should have bought us a little time, “ Mona sighed in relief as he detached himself from Joker. “At least enough for us to find a hiding spot.”

Joker furrowed his brow in confusion. “Not the exit?”

Mona shook his head. “No, the others are bound to realize we’re gone and come looking for us. Plus, there’s no telling if the Cognitive Crystals saw us leave the way we did last time. If we tried going back now, it’s possible we’d only lead them and Steven’s Shadow straight to the team.”

Good point, Joker mused as he cupped his chin in one hand.

“That said,” Mona continued, crossing his arms, “it would help if we had some way to let the others know our location once they get here…although it would also give away our position to Steven’s Shadow and his cronies.”

Joker nodded. “Then we better hide for now.”

“Agreed. Besides, since we’re here anyway, maybe I’ll finally have a chance to share what I found during our last infiltration without interruptions.”

Before he could continue, Mona noticed Steven, who had propped himself against the wall of a nearby tent and been massaging his temples – and also staring at Mona with huge, disbelieving eyes.

The cat sighed and hung his head, hardly surprised. “Ah right. This. Listen, we’ll explain everything we can once we find a place to hide, including why it’s a good thing Joker tackled you when he did.”

On a tangent, he spared his leader an appraising glance. “Speaking of which, nice job there. How’d you know to do that? I never even explained what rejecting one’s Shadow does.”

Joker shrugged. “You were freaking out.”

Mona smirked. “Heh, quick as whip as usual, Joker.” He then took a moment to take in the area. It was a different location than the safe room the gang found before. “Hang tight, I’ll see if I can’t sniff out a safe room nearby.”

Then in a few hops, Mona vanished.

Immediately afterward, a thud drew Joker’s attention to Steven, who had just slid down the tent wall to land his rear end on the ground, eyes still wide and trained in the direction Mona had left.

On a whim, Joker walked to the other boy and sat down beside him. “Penny for your thoughts?”

Steven simply looked at Joker as if realizing his existence for the first time. But then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Take me back.”

Joker furrowed his brow at him, not sure he heard right.

“Take. Me. Back,” Steven repeated, emphasizing each word. “I need to try again.”

“Why?”

Steven stared at Joker as if the other boy had lost his mind. “Why? Because if I’m ever going to fix this, that Shadow of mine needs to go away first! Otherwise, how am I supposed to get everyone to let me help them?”

A moment of quiet followed as Joker kept staring back before he finally sighed. “That’s not how accepting your Shadow works.”

“Why can’t it?” Steven countered. “A Shadow’s supposed to be the part we hide from everyone else, right? Well, like I told him, I’ve got nothing to hide so what’s the harm in telling him to go?”

Likely a lot judging by Mona’s reaction earlier, although Joker already knew trying to convince Steven otherwise would be a waste of breath.

Fortunately, Steven seemed just as eager to change the subject because he started waving his hands. “OK, you know what? Forget about him! Why don’t we focus on how to fix what’s happening?”

Joker nodded and shifted around to face Steven, who did the same. “We can start by stealing your Treasure.”

“My…Treasure?” Steven arched a brow, not following at first. Then he recalled all the documents on Peridot’s laptop, more specifically the one on Joker’s testimony. “Is that what you need to make someone have a change of heart? Well, that sounds simple enough!”

Joker shook his head. “Not really. It’s always well-guarded.”

Steven waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, that won’t be a problem! I have Gem powers! I can just levitate us inside so we can take it and then float back out.”

“Getting to the exit?”

“You can just swing us along like earlier.”

“And the Shadows?”

“My powers can handle them,” Steven replied with an easy shrug and chuckle.

“Including elemental weaknesses?”

“Not much different from Gems!” Steven easily countered, Ruby and Sapphire coming to mind.

“And debuffs?”

“Please, that’s nothing compared to—” Steven paused mid-sentence once he registered the question, confident veneer finally faltering. “Wait, debuffs?”

“Don’t forget about status ailments either,” a familiar voice added from Steven’s left side. “Connie learned that one the hard way.”

Joker and Steven turned just in time to notice Mona trotting up to them, face stern. “Remember, you’re not dealing with Gems here. Not for the most part anyway. Shadows have abilities you haven’t had to contend with, some that could even render your Gem abilities useless.”

The feline crossed his arms. “Your own Shadow especially shouldn’t be underestimated, considering he has access to the same powers as you, another reason why trying to reject him is a bad idea.”

When Steven screwed his face in preparation to retort, Mona beat him to the punch. “Shadows denied by their person assume a stronger form and go berserk, not stopping until they’re either weakened…or their person dies.”

That last part shut Steven up easily, a lump of fear in his throat at the thought.

“Exactly. Whether you like it or not,” Mona continued, “he’s a part of you and always will be, and the sooner you can accept that, the better.”

Steven found himself cowed, completely at a loss for words.

Joker meanwhile co*cked his head, curious. “How do you know, by the way?”

Mona eased up his expression. “Oh, it’s one of those things I’ve always just known – that or Lady Lavenza told me at some point. I never brought it up since that isn’t a scenario we ever had to worry about. Well, except with Oracle and her Palace but thankfully things with her never got to that point.”

He then pointed down the alleyway, opposite the way the trio had come. “Anyway, I managed to find a safe room nearby. It’s across the street, so we’ll have to be quick.”

Joker nodded before regarding Steven, still deep in rueful thought, and put a hand on his shoulder to get the other boy’s attention. “You ready?”

Steven started with a gasp, but quickly remembered himself enough to give a jilted nod back before standing up alongside Joker and following Mona.

When the three boys peered around the corner, the street appeared to be empty, not a patrol in sight.

Emphasis on “appeared”.

Joker shared a counseling look with Mona, already not trusting this setup.

“No worries,” his feline compatriot assured him with a smug grin. “I happened to come across a tent full of these along the way.”

Reaching underneath a nearby kiosk, Mona pulled out two large costumes in the likeness of that cat astronaut mascot from last time.

Steven co*cked his head, eyes narrowed in a show of recognition, and pointed at the costumes. “Is that…Cookie Cat?”

Mona examined the suits in wonder. “Huh, so that’s the name of this guy. Is he famous in America or something, cuz me and this guy sure never heard of him.”

“Um, I think he was more of a Delmarva thing. That’s what Connie told me – she did a little research on him for funsies after I told her about this ice cream I used to like.”

“Used to?” Joker asked as Mona handed him and Steven each a costume.

“It got discontinued a couple years back. I hadn’t even learned how to summon my powers yet back then.” Steven paused mid-changing when he noticed something off. “Um, Mr. Cat? I think my costume might be a little…tall for me.”

Mona rolled his huge eyes. “First off, the name’s Mona – or Morgana once we’re back in the real world. Second,”—he hopped onto Steven’s head as a perch – “you mean our costume, cause unlike us, Joker is conveniently the right size.”

Sure enough, when the two shifted their eyes to Joker, the taller boy fit his costume like a glove, as opposed to engulfing the lower half of his face like with Steven. The thief leader merely shrugged his shoulders.

Steven shot an unamused glare up at Mona.

“Hey, it’s not my fault all these costumes come in one size! Now c’mon and suit up already before any Shadows come along!”

With a resigned sigh, Steven picked up the costume’s head and lifted it up to Mona, who took it and plopped it over them both. Once Joker stepped out into the street, they followed suit. Moving forward wound up taking a few attempts on account of Mona needing to keep the head steady while still clinging tight to Steven, but the two managed.

“You’re doing great, Steven,” Mona whispered in an encouraging tone. “Just a little further, and we can take a breather.”

“How do you figure?”

“Safe rooms are cognitive blind spots that share a link to one another. This link allows us to essentially fast travel between safe rooms we’ve discovered, including our entrance and exit for this world, but we can’t use it right now since something’s blocking it. Here’s just hoping that cognitive version of Alexandrite doesn’t come looking for us again.”

Wait, what? Steven thought as he resisted the urge to gulp at that last tidbit. He hurried his pace, sticking close to Joker. He had no desire to relive being chased by an angry multi-armed giant woman, fake or no fake.

Due to being so focused on Joker, however, Steven didn’t notice the spear coming for his head.

Lucky for him, Mona did.

“LOOK OUT!”

On the bright side, the cat managed to jerk Steven’s head back enough that the spear whiffed. On the not so bright side, the sudden momentum tipped the head backwards enough that it fell to the ground, taking Mona with it.

In that moment, Steven managed to stabilize himself thanks to Joker grabbing his hand and instantly registered not just his disguise’s lack of a huge head but the sight of Cognitive Pearl and a whole army of Shadows atop one of the larger tents overlooking the street.

“Oh boy…”

Pearl tsk-tsked, waving a forefinger. “Did you children honestly think we’d let you sneak away again?” She snapped her fingers at the Shadows, who stood at attention immediately. “Guards, go collect them for me, will you?”

Nope! Joker and Steven changed out of their costumes in seconds. After the latter snatched the struggling Mona out of the costume head, the two bolted as hard as they could for the safe room.

Only for Cognitive Garnet to land in their path, gauntlets at the ready!

The boys barely started backing up before the sound of a whip lashing against the ground stopped them cold. A fearful look behind confirmed Cognitive Amethyst blocking the way the trio came.

As if that weren’t enough, a splurge of more Shadows blocked off the other end of the street, those at the front taking the shapes of Naiads and Silkies.

The boys were now completely boxed in.

Or rather bubbled in once a familiar pink construct entrapped them.

Right away, Shadow Steven lowered into view, landing directly in front of his quarry – and he had quite the glare on him, to say the least.

Wow, so this is how the receiving end of my glares feels, Steven mused in unease, reminding himself to apologize to Pearl and everyone else he’d recently gotten mad with. He positioned himself in front of Joker and Mona and bared a forearm before himself, ready to summon his shield.

His Shadow narrowed his eyes at the trio, voice dripping with annoyance. “You guys don’t like making things easy, do you?”

Despite the situation, Joker smirked, seeing that complaint more as a compliment.

“It’s what we do best,” Mona replied in a pleased tone.

Steven really wanted to question these two’s sanity right now, although a tiny part of him couldn’t help but admire their confidence as well.

Apparently, his Shadow thought the same because his angered expression softened into one of wonder. What was the deal with these guys?

“UGH, whatever!” Cognitive Amethyst snarked, her patience at wits’ end. “Can we round up these freaks already so we can dump ‘em in the dungeon with Rose’s ex-toy?”

Ex-toy? Steven mused as he regarded the cognition oddly. Wait, there’s no way she’s talking about—

“For once, I agree,” Cognitive Pearl huffed before clapping her hands. “Guards, if you’d please already?”

All the Shadows gave a resounding “Yes ma’am!” before starting to close in.

Joker and Mona braced themselves, blue flames already forming around them.

Neither of them noticed the way Steven stared at his forearm in shock, as if he’d been expecting something else.

“PERSONA!”

In unison, Satanael and Diego appeared in all their glory, the force of their summoning enough to render the bubble to pieces, much to the shock/horror of everyone else, Steven included because holy stars above, where did those guys come from and why was one of them a demon lord?!

“Steven, get ready!” Joker exclaimed in a commanding tone.

Jolted by the order, Steven went back to forcing his forearm forward and did so with increasing desperation, only for still nothing to happen.

“What are you waiting for?” Mona asked in baffled panic as the shadows kept closing in. “Summon your shield!”

Except Steven wouldn’t. He merely stared at his arm before grasping his navel, the part of his body that housed his gemstone.

Before either Joker or Mona could ask further, he looked up at them with eyes full of terror. “I…I can’t.”

Both Phantom Thieves shot wide disbelieving eyes at him.

Mona shook his head, not sure he just heard right. “What?!”

“I can’t. My powers aren’t working!”

XXX

Connie sighed in relief as she took up one of the seats in front of the Big Donut, having just returned from the Car Wash alongside Pearl, who offered to go on ahead to the Temple while the girl took a breather from walking back and forth between the wash and town.

The other Phantom Thieves either took seats or stood around her and the table, feeling the same exhaustion.

“Phew,” Ann exclaimed from her seat beside Connie, leaning forward on the table by her elbows, face in her hands. “For a small town, that took a lot longer than I thought.”

“You’re telling me,” Connie groaned before pulling out her phone to send a text message to everyone else. Thanks for helping out, you guys.

HO: You’re quite welcome, Connie-san!

MN: You’re a member of our team now, after all. It’s only natural we’d come to your aid.

FS: Besides, it’s not like helping around this place was that hard!

(“Ugh, speak for yourself,” Ryuji griped, hanging his head low in exasperation. “Between havin’ to talk with my phone and grinding out Engrish and helping out all at the same time, my brain’s totally fried!”

“That’s what you get for not paying attention in your English lessons,” Makoto admonished.

“Also, should the proper term not be ‘Janglish’?” Yusuke asked. “It sounds far more elegant after all.”

Haru co*cked her head and put a finger to her chin, curious. “I always assumed it was ‘Jinglish’.”

“Jingle, jangle,” Futuba chirped. “What matters is that we helped settle things down around here!”

“Yes,” Yusuke agreed with a nod, “which means convincing Steven’s family to help us shouldn’t be so difficult now.”)

Sumire looked around, a frown taking form. Akira-senpai is taking a while to get back, though, isn’t he?

AT: He was headed to the beach with Peridot last time I checked. That’s where Steven’s house is. Maybe they got caught up?

Connie furrowed her brow, uncertain. It’s not that far from here, and I don’t see any messages from him. Anyone else?

Everyone shared looks and shook their heads no.

That’s when Connie, scrolling back up to double check, discovered a bunch of missed texts from Pearl and the other Crystal Gems—and they were all marked from earlier today too. On a whim, she checked her log and noticed several missed calls from them too, the timestamps matching up from when she’d been with either Ann and Spinel or all the Phantom Thieves.

Weird, how did she miss all of them?

Makoto meanwhile hummed, worry settling in. We better check up on things there, just to be safe.

The entire group shared a nod before getting up to depart for the beach.

Or at least they would have had Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst hadn’t chosen now to land in front of them out of scenic nowhere, stopping the group in their tracks.

And the trio looked dead serious.

Garnet lifted up her glasses, enough to expose her lower eyes. “We need to talk.”

Right away, Connie and Ann shared a nervous glance, well remembering the fusion’s wariness of the latter last time they were in each other’s proximity.

The mood then shifted when the fusion sighed, pose slacking, her visible eyes softening. Behind her, Pearl and Amethyst likewise lost their intimidation factor in favor of anxiety.

“Your friend has gone missing,” Garnet went on to explain. “Steven, too.”

“What?!” both Ann and Connie exclaimed in alarm. The other Phantom Thieves tensed in worry at their teammates’ reactions.

“Rhodonite tailed me down at the beach to tell me what happened,” Pearl exclaimed, hands wringing themselves out of anxiety. “She was far away from them, tending to the victims, when she saw Steven and this other boy disappear.”

Ann stiffened. “Disappear? You mean, like, they just vanished?”

“Exactly what I told Rhodonite. Except…she mentioned something strange. I know she’s not the type to weave tall tales, but allegedly she saw” – Pearl screwed her face in wonder – “a different Steven for a moment?”

Connie and Ann grew a confused gaze. Another Steven?

Then it hit the two girls, and they shared a single answer that encapsulated the expressions of dread on their faces.

“Oh crap.”

XXX

“Oh crap” was underselling the situation.

Steven could only stare at his hands and then the enclosing Shadows in abject terror.

Joker and Mona stepped backward until they and the hybrid were back-to-back in a huddled formation, eyes never leaving the swarm. The black-clad thief spared Steven a look, and saw only fear in return, the shorter boy seeming on the edge of a breakdown.

That won’t do, Joker mused as he gave Steven a small yet genuine smile of confidence. “We’re going to get through this.”

Steven returned such a stare, his usual optimism falling away in favor of pure disbelief. Did this guy seriously not see the sort of trouble they were in?

As a matter of fact, yes, because Joker suddenly took a running start and jumped high. In midair, he put a hand to his mask, blue flames flying off the moment he did.

“Persona!”

Then with a flourish, he once again brought out his demon lord friend, only this time the multi-winged being shot his gun skyward to unleash pools of red and black energy that bubbled beneath a portion of the monsters and exploded, taking out a good chunk of them while damaging plenty others.

And Steven couldn’t help but gape, eyes wide. Seriously, how did that guy just do that without a Gem?!

“STEVEN!” Mona called out.

Steven barely had a chance to look towards Mona before the cat tackled him to the ground. Right then, a chill took over the air and Steven lifted his head just in time to witness a sizable shard of ice pierce the ground where he’d just been standing.

Because of course the monsters get to use powers too, Steven thought bitterly as he hastily got back to his feet, Mona hopping up beside him.

“Focus!” the feline barked in a stern tone before bearing his scimitar at an advancing group of Shadows. “Your family taught you how to fight, right?”

“Not without my powers! Or my shield for that matter!” Steven retorted in a desperate tone. “How am I supposed to—”

“CATCH!”

Joker’s voice broke Steven out of his panic long enough for the hybrid to notice the trash lid soaring at him from afar. Steven, despite himself, managed to grab it just in time to deflect an incoming Naiad’s tail-whip, surprising it long enough for Mona to summon his Zorro friend and damage the Shadow and its surrounding allies with a strong torrent of wind.

It worked, Steven thought to himself in wonder while Mona joined his side in a single flip.

“Nice one! Stick to close to me and we should find our way out in no time!”

“But what about—”

The cat shot him a confident smirk. “Don’t worry about Joker. He’s our leader for a reason. Now look sharp!”

Like Steven had a choice?

On the bright side, though, at least he not only had a weapon now but someone covering him as well. What’s more, Mona made for a decent and effective ally, fast and nimble with his strikes without straying too far from Steven, allowing the boy to provide cover thanks to the surprisingly durable trash lid.

Seriously, this thing ended up withstanding not just blows but all the ice and water attacks too, much to Steven’s amazement! What did they even make their trash cans out of around here?

Unfortunately, even between the two of them and Joker, the Shadows’ numbers did not diminish. If anything, there seemed to be even more now.

“Uh, guys?” Steven nervously asked as the pair backed up into Joker. “I know we’re doing things on the fly right now, but…we do have a plan, right?”

Joker spared him a brief glance. “Keep stalling.”

Steven did a double take. “What?!”

“Unfortunately, he’s right,” Mona explained with a resigned sigh. “The others had to have already noticed we’re missing and pieced together what happened…but it’ll take time for them to reach us since the safe rooms still don’t work. Besides, there’s too many Shadows here for us make a clean getaway.”

As much as Steven wanted to argue, one look was enough to confirm the cat’s point. There were just too many Shadows blocking all exits, and there weren’t any tall buildings nearby for Joker to use to his grappling hook on this time.

Not to mention those weird versions of Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst had the perimeter surrounded, weapons still drawn out. Steven wasn’t completely sure but a part of him couldn’t help but feel those three were getting a kick out of watching them struggle.

“OK,” he squeaked out as he bared his shield. “How do we even know they’re on their way?”

Without warning, Joker’s mask lit up in a brief burst of blue embers. He gasped and put a hand to his face immediately.

His face lifted to reveal a toothy smirk, one that may or may not have given Steven slight chills.

“That’s how,” Mona explained with a triumphant smile. “Seems the others have been gathering new Personas for you, leader. You know what to do!”

Joker smirked and nodded before placing a hand to his mask.

“JACK O’ LANTERN!” the taller boy called out with a flourish, calling forth a pumpkin-headed specter with a flaming lantern. With a wave of the lantern, flames consumed the Silkies and Naiads directly in front of Joker in an instant, causing a mass of pained shrieks as the female Shadows all fell to the floor.

“Now! All-Out Attack!”

Mona gave a serious nod before joining Joker in a brief barrage that cleared out a good deal of the Shadows – and clearing out enough room to reveal Cognitive Pearl beyond the battlefield, rolling her eyes as she raised her hand to snap her fingers and summon even more Shadows.

On pure instinct, Steven chucked his makeshift shield with full force, the trash lid soaring far until it clocked Not-Pearl in the head, nearly missing her gemstone and causing her to reel with a startled scream.

“Guys!” Steven called as he caught his shield on the rebound. “What about this way?!”

Joker and Mona paused in their follow-up attacks to regard Steven and then the newly opened path. Joker looked back to Steven with an agreeing smile.

“One step ahead of us, Universe!” Mona praised before taking a flying leap and performing a midair somersault. “TRANSFORM!”

Only for the cat to come back down in the form of a blocky getaway car riddled with funky stickers. Steven barely had a moment to gawk before Joker grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him inside. With great haste, Joker threw the cat-mobile into high gear and they were off, barreling through the few Shadows that dared stand in their way.

Steven could not put his seatbelt on fast enough.

That said, he got it on just in time before Cognitive Garnet landed in the way of the car, forcing Joker to bank hard left to avoid collision.

“WHOA-WHOA-WHOA-WHOA!” Mona cried out as he nearly tipped over on the turn, leaving skid marks along the cobbled ground. Luckily, Joker managed to right his vehicular friend so that all wheels were back on the road.

Steven, who’d been clinging tightly to his seat, spotted something high in the air coming at them fast. Something pink.

“INCOMING!” he shouted, pointing at his incoming Shadow.

The neon prince threw his hands outward to summon a wall of pink hexagons that materialized from behind Mona and at breakneck speed proceeded to extend past, a dome starting to take shape and closing in on the path forward.

Joker grit his teeth and pumped the pedal even harder, determined to reach the shrinking exit.

Things only got more complicated when spears, detached gauntlets, and various debris came flying into their path, forcing Joker to drive around the obstacles.

Steven’s grip on the seat only tightened the closer they got. They weren’t gonna make it…

VROOM-VROOOM!

Suddenly, ramping off from atop one of the tents came a motorcycle – one that went flying straight for Shadow Steven from behind, barely giving the startled prince time to notice before ramming clean into his back, breaking his concentration and in turn the incomplete dome.

Despite the great height, the motorcycle landed without a scratch and literally hit the ground running up ahead. The rider, a brunette girl in a spiky biker outfit, pulled off a tight U-turn with an Akira Slide for added flair just as Mona passed by, the two vehicles now speeding side by side.

Only then did Steven notice the person clinging to the girl from behind.

“Connie?”

“Steven, are you alright?!”

“Uh…define ‘alright’?”

“Joker!” the biker girl called out. “The others are buying us time until we get Steven to the exit!”

“Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl are waiting for us there!” Connie added. “They would have come along except, well—”

“They lost their powers, too?” Steven supplied.

“They lost their powers, too.”

Before their chat could continue, another pink hexagon slammed into the road ahead, forcing Joker and Queen to curve around. At that moment, Steven noticed his Shadow’s flying form nearing in the rearview mirror.

“Ugh,” Mona groaned in between dodges. “This guy doesn’t know when to quit! We gotta shake him off!”

Queen huffed as she started eyeing the passing tents. “Then I guess we’ll have to take some shortcuts. Follow me!”

With a sharp turn, Queen redirected Agnes to a sizable passageway between two tents, Mona close behind. Fortunately, the vehicular cat managed to squeeze through the space. Barely.

From there, the group looped and zigzagged across the park, taking every twist and turn possible to throw Shadow Steven off course while taking care not to crash.

In time, the huge black entrance gates came into view, not a Shadow in sight.

Steven smiled in desperate relief. It was almost over. This crazy trip was almost over!

Alas, his Shadow landed in front of the gates with a resounding thud, looking somehow bigger, even from faraway – and were those horns growing out of his hair? The seething glare he gave did not sit well either.

“Oh crud,” Mona somehow managed to state in his current form. Seriously, Steven wondered, where even was his mouth right now? “Oracle, I know you’re busy keeping tabs on the others, but we could use some suggestions here!”

“Sorry,” came the staticky voice of the Thieves’ navigator out of Mona’s radio, “those cognitions were a serious handful! Especially the Garnet one. Her Future Vision is insane!”

Wait, so even those fakes have access to the Gems’ powers? Steven thought with a groan. Today just got better and better.

“The others are already en route to help,” Oracle continued, “but I don’t think that guy’s letting us go without a fight.”

Joker and Queen shared a determined look. If they had to take arms to leave, then so be it.

The three Phantom Thieves halted their respective vehicles several feet away from Shadow Steven and extricated themselves. Steven nervously followed suit, holding up his trash lid despite knowing how futile doing so was.

With no more passengers inside, Mona reverted to his normal form with a cartoonish poof while Agnes dissipated in a flurry of flames.

Shadow Steven merely sighed, long and deeply, and pointed a finger at the group. “You guys don’t know when to admit you’re beat, do you?”

Mona smirked.

“Like I said” – at that moment, the other Phantom Thieves had caught up, dropping down stylishly out of scenic nowhere and forming a protective circle alongside Joker, Connie and Queen around Steven – “it’s what we do best.”

Queen looked over her shoulder. “Steven, four of our team will engage your Shadow while our reserve members keep watch over you. We can’t risk taking you to the exit right now since we may need to switch out party members.”

“Besides,” Fox added, “it would be wise to supply you with protection in case the Cognitive Crystals make their way here.”

Steven narrowed his eyes. “Wait, why would you guys need to switch out?” Then he registered Queen’s words in full and gasped. “Hang on, you’re not seriously going to fight him, are you? Me? The other me—you know who I mean!”

He shot his eyes to Connie, whose determination in her eyes as she stared back at him could not be mistaken, even behind that flowery mask.

“I…He’s got the powers of a Diamond,” he murmured, not out of arrogance but out of a need to warn. He couldn’t bear the thought of seeing all of these people, let alone Connie, getting hurt for his sake.

“We know what you mean, Steven-san,” a redheaded girl in a black jacket and leotard assured him with a calm smile. “We simply refuse to back down is all.”

But why?

Speechless, Steven took in all these people regarding his Shadow with ready battle stances. They’d been here before with Connie, so they had to have been at least aware of what he (or in this case his Shadow) could do.

Except these guys were aware yet intended to push back regardless.

And Steven could tell nothing he could say or do would dissuade any of them (not that he could do much anyway).

Besides, from what research he could glean from Peridot’s research as well as that brief battle alongside Joker and Mona, it wasn’t as if these guys were ordinary humans themselves.

So, with a resigned sigh, Steven threw his hands up and hung his head with closed eyes. “OK. I give.”

“Perfect!” Oracle cheered before proceeding to push the taller boy off to the side so that he’d be clear of the incoming fight. “This way if you please!”

“What?!” Shadow Steven exclaimed before raising his hand to summon a wall to impede the pair – only to get startled out of doing so by a bullet flying past his head.

Joker, gun still raised, wagged a reproachful finger, smirking.

“Sorry to disappoint ya, Your Majesty,” Skull teased, “but your fight’s with us!”

“It’s about time someone finally got through to you!” Panther added with a flair of her whip.

Shadow Steven shook his head, rubbing his temples with a groan. “Seriously, why can’t you guys listen to reason?!” His eyes shifted to Connie, eyes shimmering with hurt. “I’d at least expect you to know better than this, Connie!”

“I do,” she replied in a tone so matter of fact that took the prince by surprise. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here. Oh, and by the way” – a smirk took form – “the name’s Knight in this world.”

A whole round of surprised looks came her way. Steven in particular gasped at the word.

“Knight?” Queen asked, curious. “Is that your codename?”

Despite the situation, Connie blushed upon realization. “Right, sorry. I was supposed to run it by you guys first, wasn’t I? It’s just that since you guys use codenames, I’ve been mulling over what mine would be ever since I joined up.”

“Ever since you teamed up or since you got your Persona?” Mona asked in a joking tone. Even after the little time they’d spent together, the cat could imagine her playing around with names in her head.

“Oh hush! And for your information, it’s been ever since that fight with my Shadow. Believe it or not, real-life knights were more like mercenaries than any kind of heroes – they swore loyalties to no one. But my loyalties are to my own beliefs – and I believe we’ve got what it takes to save everyone.”

Skull huffed in amusem*nt. “Heh, couldn’t have put it better myself.”

Panther gave a nod of approval as well. “Knight, huh? I like it.”

“It does rather fit her, considering the form of her Persona,” Fox agreed with a chuckle.

“It certainly does!”

“Hell yeah!”

“Welcome board, Knight,” Joker greeted.

Connie – no, Knight – smiled at everyone’s approval.

“So what?” Everyone’s attention drew to Shadow Steven, the one who’d spoken. The prince bore an even more hurt frown. “You really are just leaving me then?”

Knight shook her head, eyes defiant yet soulful. “The opposite, actually. You still matter, but so does everyone else. I’ll still take the risk to save all of you, but I’ll also make damn sure I’ll be there in the end. We’re going to get our happy ending, Steven”— she drew her blade – “even if it means going through you.”

Indeed, the other Phantom Thieves followed suit.

And Steven, standing beside one of the benches alongside Oracle, bit his bottom lip in concern.

I really hope you guys know what you’re doing.