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andrewmoocow · 2 years

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The Black Pearl Brigade chapter 7: Seeing Pink (originally posted on April 25, 2022)

AN: We're almost at the end of this season, ladies and germs! When last we left the Black Pearl Brigade, though they successfully managed to overcome Cinnabar's latest scheme and destroy Black Rutile's base, Cinnabar is still out there plotting revenge. But where could she have possibly ran off to this time, and can the Pearls stop her once and for all? We shall see.

Synopsis: With help from Lars and the Off-Colors, the Brigade pursue Cinnabar to a jubilee held in her honor.

Cast:

Deedee Magno-Hall as The Black Pearl Brigade

Matthew Moy as Lars

Enuka Okuma as Rhodonite

Ashly Burch as Rutile Twins

Erica Luttrell as Padparadscha Sapphire

Kathleen Fisher as Fluorite

Christine Baranski as Hessonite

Olivia Olson as Citrine

Avi Roque as Cinnabar

Awkwafina as Kyanite

Allison Janney as Pyrite

Kimberly Brooks as Dalmatian Jasper

Zehra Fazal as Zoisite

Lena Hall as Bloodstone

Kathleen Barr as Púrén

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Featuring Jodie Whittaker as Xenotime

This was Blacropolis. It was a dreary, perpetually rainy metropolis that seemed never to sleep no matter how dark it was outside. The perfect setting for a cyberpunk story or the current hiding place of Cinnabar following the evacuation from Revanche 666. Despite the racism she and her cohorts suffered since arriving in Blacropolis, Cinnabar remained undeterred in his conquest of Homeworld's former colonies. With any luck, once Black Rutile is located, and her campaign against the Crystal Gems can start again, Blacropolis shall become the first to fall to their combined might.

"And stay out, ya damn stone!" an angry shopkeeper yelled as he forced Kyanite out of his store.

"Been nice seeing you too!" Kyanite cheerfully replied, only for the owner to close up shop in response. "Hm, talk about a grouch."

Kyanite then began strolling through the streets of unending pouring rain, trying her hardest to stay dry throughout her walk while getting nasty looks from the seedy folks of Blacropolis. "Uh, good evening, sir." She politely said to a mutated man with a newspaper.

"It's afternoon." The man scowled at Kyanite before looking back at the papers. "You blue-skinned freak."

"Hey, I take pride in my appearance, thank you very much!" Kyanite hmphed in disgust before she kept walking. Eventually, she came across a dark alleyway illuminated only by a single streetlamp, and she knocked on the nearest door she could find. "Hey, it's me. Open up."

"What's the password?" Dalmatian Jasper's voice echoed from the other side of the door while she peeked through the sliding peephole.

"When did we have a password?" Kyanite wondered, seemingly unaware of the rule.

"Just come up with anything; I don't care." Dalmatian Jasper grumbled in annoyance.

As DJ said, Kyanite came up with her own password on the spot. "Pearl sent me."

"Good enough." DJ declared and opened the door, allowing Kyanite to enter Cinnabar's dingy new lair. "Come on in. She's expecting you."

With most of their forces gone, Cinnabar's group has turned to the criminal underworld of Blacropolis for shelter until they could find help, but until then, they had to keep on their toes lest they anger the criminals and lowlifes they've fallen in with.

"Hey, Cinnabar, where are you?" Kyanite looked around the bleak speakeasy for her master while seeing how her comrades were adjusting to their surroundings. Pyrite was hawking her wares to the patrons like she always did. Zoisite treated herself to a game of pool, and Bloodstone was carefully analyzing the chemical makeup of the liquor sold at the establishment.

As for Cinnabar, she was hiding in the bathroom with a bulky communication device on her lap, desperate to pick up a signal from any allies she or Black Rutile might have left. "Come on; somebody pick up already!" Not a very dignified way to be seen.

"Hey Cinnabar, how's the search going?" Kyanite asked her boss as she stepped into the restroom.

"Not well." Cinnabar growled in defeat. "I could've sworn we had more allies willing to take us in, but it seems they're either still in hiding, or those Pearls have already captured them all." Suddenly, the device began beeping loudly, giving the two Gems a scare as Cinnabar scrambled to find out what was causing the noise. "What, who is this?!"

"Well, answer it!" Kyanite answered in a panic, forcing Cinnabar to pick up the receiver as someone began talking from the other end.

"Hello, is anyone there?" a semi-robotic British accent asked, an accent that Cinnabar recognized a little too well.

"Ah, you must be Xenotime." Cinnabar smiled. "Black Rutile has told me about how she saved you from shattering. Where have you been lately? Your time-controlling abilities would've been so useful to our cause earlier."

"Just been in hiding for the past couple thousand years." Xenotime responded. "So, what made you decide to call me, Cinnabar?"

"No, I didn't call you, I was merely looking for allies when you picked up my SOS." Cinnabar replied. "Listen, my crew and I are in a bit of a pickle right now. Our base on Revanche 666 has been destroyed, and my attempt at a race of supersoldiers needs finetuning. Is there any way you can assist us?"

"Oh, of course I can." Xenotime declared. "In fact, I was just planning a party to throw in your honor for all you've done for the Rutile Rebels' cause, and you, of course, are the guest of honor!"

"A party, for little old me?!" Cinnabar gasped elatedly. "You really shouldn't have! Just give me your location, and my entourage will be there ASAP!"

"You are too kind, my Cinnabar." Xenotime grinned. "As it turns out, we're in Blacropolis right now as we speak! You may find us in the Quadruplet Complex, top-floor ballroom. You can't miss it; it's the four big towers."

"I shall inform everyone immediately. Thanks for your time." Cinnabar said as the call disconnected. "Well, Kyanite, it seems we're back in business!"

"Awesome, I loves me a good party!" Kyanite exclaimed cheerfully. "I wonder if they're in the market for a big ice sculpture? I can make a really good one for the occasion."

As the two Gems left, neither of them realized that a small orange listening bug was eavesdropping on the conversation and had begun transmitting what it heard to its controller.

Far away from Blacropolis, Hessonite was hard at work analyzing what her little bug had gathered from the conversation Cinnabar had with Xenotime.

"You may find us in the Quadruplet Complex, top floor ballroom. You can't miss it. It's the four big towers." Xenotime's directions played back for the Garnet to hear.

"Citrine, come here." Hessonite ordered her Quartz sidekick while the message kept looping behind her.

"Got anything, Hess?" Citrine asked her superior.

"We seem to have zeroed in on Cinnabar's current location at Blacropolis." Hessonite responded. "In addition, she is also in cahoots with an old criminal that we thought vanished ages ago by the name of Xenotime."

"Xenotime?" Citrine asked. "Don't think I ever heard of her before."

"Xenotime has been on Homeworld's most wanted list for centuries." Hessonite explained to her partner while bringing up an image of a green-colored Gem with robotic features and her hourglass-shaped gemstone on her wrist. "She was a former timekeeper who used her control over time for selfish reasons, which led to all Xenotimes made after her to be stripped of that ability while she was sentenced to be shattered for her distortion of time. However, she quickly vanished before the execution was set to occur and hasn't been heard from ever since."

"Sounds like a real dangerous Gem." Citrine said worriedly. "I think the Pearls might need a little help against Xenotime, because if she and Cinnabar join forces, none of us stand a chance."

"Correct, but I think it'll take more than just us to stop this menace." Hessonite declared before she stopped the looping voice clip and changed it to dialing an old friend. "Come in, Lars of the Stars. Can you read me?"

"This is Lars, over." Lars Barriga replied as he appeared on Hessonite's screen. "Oh hey, Hessonite! I haven't seen you since Black Rutile invaded Little Homeworld! How goes hunting down her forces?"

"That's exactly why I called you." Hessonite declared. "We have reason to believe that one of Black Rutile's lieutenants is falling in with a Gem criminal named Xenotime, and I fear we need all hands on deck for this escapade. I need you to relay this message to the Black Pearl Brigade post-haste."

"Xenotime? I think I read up on her once or twice." Lars commented. "I'll tell them at once." The transmission quickly ended, and Hessonite began walking away from her massive monitor.

"Citrine, we're moving out." Hessonite declared. "If we don't make it out of this adventure alive, I wish for you to know that it's been a pleasure having you as an associate."

"Hey, you too." Citrine smiled back at the Garnet.

The Servant drifted through a local asteroid field, hoping that it could pick up any signals that could lead them to Cinnabar's current location. Unfortunately for them, Púrén found no signs of her or the Belligerence. At this rate, the Pearls were starting to get worried.

"Could we please hurry this up?" Braids complained impatiently. "I am starting to get very bored here."

"Me too, but please be patient." IQ said while typing away at her console. "We'll find her soon. At least, I hope."

"Yeah, she's been awful quiet ever since she fled Revanche 666." Tails stated. "And what's more, barely anyone knows where she is now."

"If only we could get a sign or something." Cap declared just as the communicator started vibrating. "Could someone get that? I think it may be just what we needed."

"On it." IQ stated and took the call, revealing Padparadscha Sapphire on the other end of the line.

"The Black Pearl Brigade shall soon receive our call!" the Sapphire exclaimed merrily.

"Oh hey, you're one of those Off-Colors, right?" Cap wondered before Padparadscha moved out of the way to allow Lars to answer. "And that Lars boy, too."

"Hey, Black Pearls, you listening to me?" Lars asked the Brigade. "First off, hi, I don't believe we got properly introduced to each other back when you were under Black Rutile's control, so it took me a while to realize that you were free Gems now. And second, Hessonite wanted me to send you this message about Cinnabar."

"Wait, you found her?!" Cap yelled in excitement. "Tell us, where is she?!"

"Hessonite and Citrine have been spying on tons of different planets hoping that Cinnabar could be on one of them." Rhodonite explained as she joined the call. "While most of them have given her nothing, one of them has finally shined a light on her current status."

At Rhodonite's command, Xenotime's message to Cinnabar began playing. "As it turns out, we're in Blacropolis right now as we speak! You may find us in the Quadruplet Complex, top-floor ballroom. You can't miss it; it's the four big towers."

"And what's more, another one of Black Rutile's minions has decided to show herself." Fluorite added, joining the call too. "Xenotime has been arranging this jubilee in Cinnabar's honor after reemerging thousands of years since she disappeared on the day of her execution. As you should know, Xenotime is a former timekeeper who can distort time to her will, so she must be a very dangerous foe for you to face."

"Control over time?" IQ wondered. "What compelled the Diamonds to allow a Gem that powerful to be created?!"

"I don't know." The left Rutile muttered worriedly.

"But whatever she does, we have to stop her." The right Rutile added.

"Affirmative." Púrén stated. "Just give us the coordinates to Blacropolis, and we'll be there in a flash."

"I'll do just that." Lars replied. "And don't think you'll be going this alone."

Just then, Hessonite and Citrine joined the call. "We're coming too." Hessonite declared boldly.

"A Gem that powerful needs more than just one team to stop her." Citrine added.

"Thank you all for your willingness to help." Cap responded gratefully before she turned to the other Pearls. "Well, girls, shall we depart?"

"Surely." Tails nodded.

"Affirmative." IQ added.

"Let's finish this!" Pony cried. "I hope."

"Our battle shall be glorious!" Braids roared happily.

Outside the Servant, the Pearls' ship was joined by the Sun Incinerator and Hessonite's warship, now in one piece once more. The three ships blasted off into the unknown, searching for Blacropolis and, hopefully, Cinnabar & Xenotime.

Back on Blacropolis, multiple worshippers of Black Rutile from all over had begun to gather at the Quadruplet Towers for the party. There were Gems of all kinds present, from Jaspers to Amethysts, Lapis Lazulis, Peridot, Hessonites, Jades, Pearls, and many more. But despite their differences in shapes, sizes, colors, powers, and social standing, they were all united by a singular goal: the end of the Crystal Gems' tyrannical hold on their lives.

Just then, Cinnabar and her posse entered the ballroom and were greeted with cheers from all guests. Suddenly, the cheering came to an abrupt stop because Xenotime had frozen time to greet Cinnabar herself personally. "Oh, Cinnabar, so glad you could make it, dearest guest of honor."

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Xenotime." Cinnabar replied. "I hear Black Rutile has saved you from execution once and allowed you to live in hiding for the past thousands of years. Could you please tell me how it all went down?"

"Oh, I'd be delighted to, Cinnabar." Xenotime said as she began to tell her story. "My tale begins thousands of years ago, about a couple of decades into the Rebellion."

Far into Homeworld's distant past, Xenotime once lived comfortably and quietly, serving as a timekeeper for the Gem empire. However, she possessed a unique gift that would make most Gems revere her as a god on par with the Diamonds. She had power over time itself, allowing her to freeze, rewind, fast forward, or even alter its flow to her liking. Through this power, she had forged Hourglasses that could allow whoever held one to travel through time and create alternate timelines.

Naturally, with some unlimited power, this made her go a little stir-crazy, and she used her abilities to selfishly warp time however she pleased, and made her desire for more power than she already had. Out of fear that she would use them to subvert their rule and install herself as the ruler of all Gems, the Diamonds ordered her to be shattered and her Hourglasses locked away in a shrine at the bottom of the ocean.

"So Xenotime, any last requests before you are shattered?" an Agate growled at Xenotime, locked away in solitary confinement for her duplicitous actions while forced to wear a straitjacket and muzzle.

"Yes, I'd just like to repent one last time." Xenotime stated quietly. "Originally, I had been worshipped as a deity by Gems for my possession of the power to warp time, and I had let it drive me mad. Now, as I far certain death, it has given me time to reflect on how my selfishness has sealed my doom."

"Yeah yeah, you're sorry and all that." The Agate said cruelly. "But unfortunately, just saying sorry won't instantly save you from being shattered for crimes not just against the Diamonds, but against the entire universe!"

Suddenly, alarms began blaring, distracting the Agate from her prisoner. "What's going on?!" she exclaimed before being poofed in a single shot by one of Black Rutile's Robonoids.

"Ah, Xenotime, how nice to see you." Black Rutile greeted the imprisoned timekeeper while hacking into her cell, allowing Xenotime to leave her cell with a smile. "So, almost executed, eh?"

"Indeed I was." Xenotime replied as Black Rutile helped her out of her restraints. "I must thank you for freeing me from these chains." She added while kneeling before the Rutile. "Anything you ask, I shall obey."

"Please, you're too kind." Black Rutile blushed. "I can see that the Diamonds have committed such an outrageous crime against you. Well, it turns out, you're not the only Gem who's been mistreated in favor of Pink Diamond."

"Wait, you and Pink Diamond?" Xenotime looked up at the Rutile in shock. "How? Why?"

"I would explain in-depth, but I'm afraid I'll have to keep this quick before the guards come back." Black Rutile said. "In short, Pink Diamond keeps getting away with everything because the Diamonds keep bending the knee towards her bratty behavior, while honest, hardworking Gems such as I am forced to suffer under her."

"Even me?" Xenotime wondered in awe before Black Rutile put a hand on her shoulder, and the two walked out of prison.

"Indeed, even you." Black Rutile replied, cupping a finger beneath Xenotime's chin and budging her face to meet hers. "Just look at you, so ungodly powerful and full of potential. They were right; you are comparable to a god. Unfortunately, the Diamonds choose to ignore that in favor of the rose-colored brat."

"Oh, that is exactly what I needed to hear!" Xenotime responded excitedly. "So, what do you request for me to do? I'll do anything!"

"Unfortunately, I do not believe you fit into my plans at the time." Black Rutile said mournfully. "But perhaps I can help you find somewhere to hide in exchange for your loyalty."

"I would be most grateful, my Rutile." Xenotime accepted the offer. "But whenever I am needed again, you can just call me, okay?"

"Indeed." Black Rutile replied before she heard footsteps approaching. "I can hear them; go find the nearest ship and get out of here! Land on the most remote planet you can find, where you can never be found again!"

Xenotime nodded as Black Rutile used a device to turn herself invisible, then used her powers to freeze time around her to buy herself enough time to escape without anyone noticing. Once she found a ship to take off in, Xenotime officially vanished off the face of Homeworld and was never heard from again.

However, Xenotime soon found a distant planet that the Diamonds didn't even bother turning into a colony. It was a modest farming world in the Bennyson system, where its inhabitants lived unaware of the Gems' existence, their occupation of over 63.7% of the universe, or the Rebellion, a perfect opportunity for Xenotime to perhaps lay low for all time.

After demonstrating her abilities to the residents of the first village she discovered, they believed her to be some higher being, just like how Homeworld revered her in the past. That was how happily Xenotime lived for the next thousands of years, using her abilities to speed up crop production and even save the dying. Finally, Xenotime could live in peace without fear of being tried for her godlike abilities. At least, at first.

"Please, Miss Xenotime, you've got to save him!" a farmer urged Xenotime as the two of them, and the farmer's family stood over the dying body of an old man who seemed just about ready to pass on. "His death was an accident, and we don't want to lose him so soon!"

"I'll see what I can do." Xenotime replied and began working her magic on the dying man. Her gem began glowing a brilliant green as the man was wrapped in life-giving energy, eventually returning him to the land of the living to the delight of his family.

"Thank you so much, Xenotime." The old man said gratefully as he was helped to his feet and gave Xenotime a big hug. "You've been such a gift to our people for so long now. I don't think our lives would ever be the same without you."

"Oh, thank you, mister, it's the least I could do." Xenotime blushed in response when she heard a loud buzzing sound in the distance. "My apologies, everyone, I must leave at once. I think someone is calling me."

Xenotime left the farm to follow the buzzing sound, eventually returning to the ship she had used to discover this planet and finding out that a message had been waiting for her. When Xenotime answered the call, Black Rutile happened to be on the other end.

"Ah, Xenotime, long 'time' no see." Black Rutile punned with a grin. "You may be wondering why I'm calling you after so many years, correct?"

"Indeed, I was living so peacefully on this backwoods planet, all thanks to you." Xenotime answered. "Tell me, what do you request of me?"

"It is concerning Pink Diamond." Black Rutile explained. "As I'm sure you may not have heard, since you've been hanging around the middle of nowhere for centuries, Pink Diamond has been shattered by the leader of the Crystal Gems." Black Rutile pretended to act sad over the news before switching her tune. "Except she hasn't. Instead of taking responsibility for her actions, Pink had decided to fake her death and make things worse for everyone before she died. She gave birth to some brat who decided to brainwash the other Diamonds and force us to change our society to his liking! Another perfect example of Pink Diamond forcing everyone to bend the knee to keep her from throwing yet another apocalyptic tantrum!"

"So, I suppose you want my help?" Xenotime asked in response.

"Exactly." Black Rutile nodded. "Your mission is to assist in reclaiming old colonies for my new empire. I trust that you'll succeed, understand?"

"You can count on me." Xenotime declared as she shut off the call. Now that she was perfectly alone, the timekeeper put on a devious grin and began steepling her fingers together. "She allowed me to come here because I would've been too powerful for the Diamonds to handle." She declared. "Now, let's see how I could possibly seize power from her."

As Xenotime returned time to normal, her party had received a few uninvited guests. Beneath everyone's notice, the Pearls had successfully infiltrated the party by disguising themselves as their brethren and seamlessly blending it with them via changing their hairstyles. Fluorite and Rhodonite had also defused into their components so they wouldn't stick out in the crowd. At the same time, half of the Rutile twins were hidden using special cloaking technology courtesy of Hessonite. Overall, a brilliant disguise.

"Hey, how ya doing?" Lars greeted a few partygoers while incognito as a Gem. "Don't mind me, I'm just a perfectly normal Gem like all of you."

"Is that a new model?" a Demantoid said to an Almandine Garnet. "Looks a little masculine."

"Maybe they're non-conforming." The Almandine suggested. "I say we let them be."

Cap, Pony, and IQ stood guard with some of the other Black Pearls, not one of them guessing that there were spies among them, much to their relief. However, IQ was a little on edge out of fear that they might be found out, twitching in place and looking every which way while sweat began dribbling down her face.

"Anything the matter, soldier?" one of the Black Pearls said to IQ. "You know, you can leave if you want."

"Sorry, just a little nervous." IQ answered. "I mean, Xenotime is a mighty Gem, after all."

"I don't blame you." The other Pearl nodded. "Though I've heard that she's got a bit of a superiority complex. She believes that she should rule the empire because she can basically rewrite time however she pleases."

"Wait, really?" Pony asked. "Why would Black Rutile recruit someone like her?"

"Guess power-mad Gems gotta stick together." Cap stated. "Hey, can you excuse us for a bit? We got something else to do."

"Sure, go on ahead." The Black Pearl said, allowing the trio to leave their posts to search for Braids and Tails, who, along with Citrine, were locked in conversation with Bloodstone at a giant ice sculpture dedicated to Cinnabar.

"And that is why I believe the Andromeda Galaxy is super overrated." Bloodstone just finished a winding explanation. "Would you agree, girls?"

"Why yes, everyone is always talking about the Andromeda Galaxy!" Braids bombastically exclaimed. "Why can't we give some other galaxies some loving?"

"I can't believe I spent the past ten minutes listening to you." Tails grumbled morosely when she noticed her three teammates in the crowd beckoning her and Braids over. "Excuse me; I'm off to get more punch."

"Sure, take your time." Bloodstone replied, a little offended at how she was being ignored. "I still have a ton of hot takes to give out, but fine, go and mill about, I guess."

"Someone seems a little passive-aggressive." Tails remarked as the pair walked over to their comrades. "What's up, guys?"

"We seem to have gathered up some dirt on Xenotime." Cap declared. "We think she might try to backstab Cinnabar and take over the Rutile Rebels for herself. The girl always did have a bit of a lust for power, being so godlike and all."

"What do you say we rat her out?" Braids suggested eagerly.

"Exactly what I was thinking." IQ agreed. "But how?"

"I got a plan." Cap declared. "Anyone seen Citrine anywhere?"

"Last I checked, she was watching for trouble with Hessonite." Pony said. "You suggest we bring her into this?"

"Might be worth a try." Cap responded. The five then walked over to where Hessonite and Citrine were standing. The pair were close to the entrance, just in case they needed to make a getaway if their cover was blown. "Citrine, we need you for something."

"What do you need?" Citrine asked.

"We need a distraction while we dig up some dirt on Xenotime." Pony replied. "You got anything for us?"

"I can sing." Citrine answered while turning to the front stage, where Xenotime was giving a speech honoring Cinnabar's achievements. "Maybe as soon as she's done, I'll ask if they take requests."

"Perfect." Cap nodded.

"Be careful, you five." Hessonite said. "As we have repeated, Xenotime is not to be trifled with. Any threats to her, she will respond in kind."

"Yeah yeah, she's almost like a god, we heard." Tails brushed off the Garnet's warning.

"It is indeed such a gift to see all of you here tonight, cheering me on in my darkest hour." Cinnabar said happily to her adoring audience after Xenotime finished her speech. "Lately, I've been in a rough place with the loss of Revanche 666 and the failures of my Concretes. But knowing that there are Gems out there who still support Black Rutile's cause and are just as devoted to the return to our glory days. So, I propose a toast!" Pouring herself some wine, Cinnabar held out a glass. "To Black Rutile!"

"To Black Rutile!" the audience cheered.

"To me!" Cinnabar added.

"To Cinnabar!"

"And to Steven Universe," Cinnabar smirked. "The biggest idiot in the known universe. Poor kid doesn't know what he's up against."

"Uh, hello!" Citrine called while walking her way through the crowd and pulling herself up to the stage. "Do you take requests? I got a song a friend taught me that I'd like to sing tonight."

"Singing, eh?" Xenotime wondered, raising an eyebrow at a nervous Citrine. "Well, we could use some entertainment, so by all means, be our guest."

"Oh, thank you, miss." Citrine said before she took the mic and began to sing. "I can't help it if I make a scene, stepping out of my hot pink limousine. I'm turning heads and I'm stopping traffic. When I pose, they scream, and when I joke, they laugh."

"That's a glorious song." Braids declared as the Pearls and Lars snuck backstage. "Where did that come from?"

"A song from Earth that a friend of mine loved singing." Lars replied. "Now come on, let's get moving."

The group inched closer and closer to Xenotime while she retreated backstage, unaware that she was being followed. "They all don't know what they're dealing with." Xenotime monologued to herself. "Black Rutile may have the intelligence and the military power, but I can literally change history! I can even prevent someone's existence if I felt like it!"

"Someone's a little confident today." Cap muttered. "Come on. We need a way to expose her without her knowing."

"Allow me." IQ declared before pulling out a small video recording device that captured Xenotime in the middle of her plotting.

"Once the Rutile Rebels are mine to control, the entire universe will soon be next!" Xenotime declared. "And with my powers, I shall erase whoever opposes me from existence, starting with Cinnabar and her cronies!"

The bug then transferred what it saw as a holographic screen projecting Xenotime's true insidious nature to the entire party, much to their horror. "Once the Rutile Rebels are mine to control, soon the entire universe will be next!" her words were repeated to her unwilling audience just as Xenotime emerged from backstage.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Cinnabar yelled as she stormed onstage to face Xenotime. "Xenotime, what do you have to say-" Before Cinnabar could finish, Xenotime abruptly froze time all around her with a mere snap of her fingers.

"How could this have happened?!" Xenotime cried in shock when she finally noticed the Pearls emerging behind the curtain. She was left enraged at how a group of measly Pearls could have exposed her but was also terrified at how she could be punished. "I have to go!"

Running off like a coward, Xenotime returned time to normal as soon as she left the room, leaving everyone concerned about where she went.

"Xenotime has been exposed and will soon escape!" Padparadscha Sapphire exclaimed. "How exciting!"

"After her!" Cinnabar and Cap cried for their forces to join them before glaring at each other. Though they were enemies, they also now shared a common goal of stopping Xenotime from escaping. As soon as everyone assembled, the chase was on.

Using a flying car she hijacked from a bioengineered humanoid plotting a revolution, Xenotime was officially on the run from the Black Pearl Brigade & their allies and the Rutile Rebels. No matter how much she froze time, the two groups were one step ahead of her. She was nervous; she needed a way to get them off her tail for good, but how?

"How could we not have known Xenotime would try to betray us?!" DJ roared as she piloted the Belligerence side by side with the Servant, the Sun Incinerator, and Hessonite's ship. "Why would Black Rutile recruit such a turncoat?!"

"Beats me. I guess she just wanted someone powerful on her side." Zoisite suggested.

"It doesn't matter!" Pyrite declared. "Why would she recruit someone so powerful? It'd force us to side with the enemy against her?!"

"Will you all be quiet and keep tailing her?!" Cinnabar angrily commanded.

As for the Pearls, the Servant swerved throughout Blacropolis while trying to shoot down Xenotime's ship. Braids, Tails, and Sculder operated the ship's weapons, IQ locked the ship's targeting systems on their target, while Cap and Pony guided the team with bated breath.

"Faster girls, we can't lose her!" Cap ordered. "No matter what trick she pulls, we can't-" Before Cap could finish, however, Xenotime launched a massive energy blast that seemed to briefly trap the Servant in a time vortex. They began witnessing many future events, from their eventual victory over Cinnabar, to a Jasper and a White Topaz discovering an alternate universe where Steven was the tyrannical ruler of Earth, the real Steven fighting against Black Rutile in a coliseum populated by snake people, and finally, the two enemies fighting side by side against a massive cosmic snake emerging from a wormhole.

"What is this?" Tails gasped in wonder at the possibilities before her.

"These must be visions of the future." IQ deduced. "But some of these are a little too farfetched. I mean, Steven teaming up with Black Rutile? What gave either of them such a stupid idea?!"

"This vortex must be a means of distraction!" Braids declared. "We must escape at once!"

"Find the nearest vortex that'll take us to the present, like that one!" IQ pointed towards a portal back to Blacropolis, where they could see the other three ships firing at Xenotime. "NOW!"

"ALL SYSTEMS, FULL POWER!" Cap screamed as loud as she could as the Servant blasted its way out of the time vortex and back to Blacropolis, where they accidentally rammed into Xenotime's ship, seemingly taking her out once and for all.

But before Xenotime could fall to her doom, a tractor beam fired from the Belligerence to bring her aboard, no doubt to imprison her for her crimes. "Easy does it, you timekeeping traitor." Cinnabar snarled before turning the ship to face the Pearls. "I must thank you for your assistance, Pearls, but consider this temporary alliance over. As for myself, we shall make ourselves scarce for now. Ta-ta!"

With Xenotime onboard the Belligerence, the bounty hunters' vessel turned away from the trio and warped away from Blacropolis, leaving her foes in the dust.

"She may run, but we'll be coming after her." Hessonite declared. "Well, gang, shall we?"

"Right behind you!" Lars agreed.

"The battle is over, but the war has just begun!" Cap exclaimed. "Púrén, take us out of here!"

"Understood." Púrén obeyed and programmed the Servant to depart from Blacropolis, with the Sun Incinerator and Hessonite's warship following close behind.

"Rise and shine, Xeno!" Dalmatian Jasper barked at Xenotime from outside her new cell. The timekeeper opened her eyes and slowly realized that she was now a prisoner of the Gem she had thrown a party for, only to be thanked with this.

"Are you kidding me?!" Xenotime yelled. "This is what I get in return after throwing that jubilee in your honor?!"

"You tried to take over the Rutile Rebels." Cinnabar coldly stated. "And you should know that Black Rutile does not tolerate any kind of insubordination, whether it be leaving her organization or trying to take it over." Xenotime winced in fear of what could be in store for her. "But, since I try to be a fair and just master, perhaps there's a way you could redeem yourself."

"Oh please my Cinnabar, I'll do anything!" Xenotime pleaded on her knees. Cinnabar simply looked at her other minions before turning back to Xenotime with an uncertain look.

With that, we're on our way to the season finale and eventual hiatus! Look, I'm just really swamped in schoolwork and other stories right now, I feel like I could use a break. As for when I'll return, I'll come up with a release date for season 2 later. Anyways, what could Xenotime do to restore her honor, and how will she come into play? Stay tuned.

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