#president eduardo suarez

[andrewmoocow]

Little Homeworld Life chapter 25: A Temple Divided (originally published on June 12, 2023)

AN: At long last, everything begins coming together in the first part of this two-part finale to Little Homeworld Life. Afterwards, we only have Snake Eyes left to cover before finally closing the door on Steven Universe: Alternate Future. Almost every single plotline we've been setting up throughout the entire series will reach what I hope is a satisfying conclusion here, from Black Rutile's control over the Internet, how the Crystal Gems' actions have consequences, the return of Cinnabar, and many more. I think this might be one of the darkest chapters of the series yet, so hold onto your butts as it all comes crumbling down.

Synopsis: With some new and old allies by her side, Black Rutile begins making plans for her latest revenge on the Crystal Gems by breaking them up using some long-forgotten secrets. Meanwhile, President Eduardo Suarez fights for his life against Black Rutile's human supporters.

Cast:

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Della Saba as Aquamarine

Charlyne Yi as Eyeball, Ruby, Doc, Navy, Army, Leggy, Mega Ruby

Christine Pedi as Holly Blue Agate

Casey Lee Williams as Cat's Eye

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst, Famethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl, The Black Pearl Brigade

Shelby Rabara as Peridot, Squaridot

Jennifer Paz as Lapis, Laz, Zuli, Phoenix Lapis Lazuli

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Erica Luttrell as Sapphire

Tom Scharpling as Greg

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper, Dalmatian Jasper

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Jon Wurster as Marty

Shanelle Grey as Sally Grove

Casey Robertson as Neil Michaels

John Kassir as Reginald Anderson

Lin-Manuel Miranda as President Eduardo Suarez

Wendie Malick as Vice-President Theresa Maxwell

GZA as Major General Wade Grant

Tim Curry as General Lloyd Waller

Amy Sedaris as Teal Zircon

Martha Higerada as Topaz

Jinkx Monsoon as Emerald, Chest Emerald

Hayley Kiyoko as Morganite

Melissa Fahn as Demantoid, Eyeball Demantoid

Kari Wahlgren as Pyrope

Olivia Olson as Citrine Twins

Avi Roque as Cinnabar

Gina Torres as Andesine

Awkwafina as Kyanite

Allison Janney as Pyrite

Zehra Fazal as Zoisite

Lena Hall as Bloodstone

Jodie Whittaker as Xenotime

Idina Menzel as Amazonite

Halsey as Tanzanite

Mia Barron as Apatite

Sarah Jessica Parker as Dumortierite

Cavetown as Diaspore

Barbara Dunkelman as Amber

Kristen Schaal as Howlite

Christoph Waltz as Francis von Bowling

Featuring Stephanie Beatriz as Arleen Suarzez

Xolo Mariduena as Huey Suarez

Leslie Grace as Riley Suarez

Peter Barto as Secret Service Agent

With Alyson Hannigan as Lavenderine

And May Calamawy as Chrome Chalcedony

--

One lovely summer day in Beach City, the Crystal Gems were getting ready for a party. But it wasn't just any party, they were preparing for Ruby and Sapphire's wedding anniversary party and the anniversary of their professional alliance with the Diamonds. The Gems were hard at work on making sure the party was perfect, but little did they realize that this party would be pooped on very soon.

"Okay Zirconias, just put that banner over to the right!" Pearl ordered the Heaven and Earth Cubic Zirconias to move a banner reading 'HAPPY ANNIVERSARY RUBY AND SAPPHIRE' into her requested position. Unfortunately, the two Cubic Zirconias were far too small to carry it and made it fall down. "Okay, maybe I should've told someone else to do it."

"What do you mean you're on a wedding cake shortage?!" Amethyst complained over the phone to a bakery. "Who in the world could possibly want that many cakes?! Oh, the Royal Family? Yeah, that makes sense. I'll just call someone else. Thanks anyways, choom."

"So, how's the happy couple doing right now?" Bismuth asked Ruby and Sapphire as the red and blue married couple oversaw the preparations.

"We're doing wonderful Bismuth, thank you." Sapphire smiled gently.

"Can you believe it's only been four years since we learned Rose Quartz was Pink Diamond?" Ruby asked. "Sometimes, I feel like it's been even longer. Like, way longer!"

"It does feel that way sometimes with everything we've done since then," Pearl added. "Between going to Homeworld, meeting White Diamond for the first time, starting Era 3, the Demantoid & Pyrope crisis, building Little Homeworld, the Spinel crisis, and fighting Black Rutile, it's just been too much."

"Hey Lapis, how's the weather looking?" Amethyst called to Lapis, who was high in the sky to check the weather.

"Looking pretty good, so far!" Lapis replied. "Though I think a storm might be coming soon." She added, pointing to some faint storm clouds in the distance. "Should we start worrying about that? I mean, can't have bad weather on a wedding anniversary."

"I'm sure it won't matter." Ruby declared. "No silly old storm can keep us down! Right, my laughy Sapphy?"

"Oh Ruby, you dog!" Sapphire laughed as Ruby held her one-eyed wife in her arms and kissed her. However, the storm would unknowingly become the least of their worries. Hidden in the distance, Black Rutile snuck into the beach house with a plastic bag full of Gem shards in her hand, hoping that her enemies were far away enough to not notice her entering.

"This had better work." Black Rutile muttered to herself while opening the door to the bathroom and grabbing the three bottles of the Diamonds' essence from the mirror. "I got a lot riding on these bottles to bolster my forces."

After filling the bathtub with water and pouring the essence in, Black Rutile pulled open the bag and dumped the Gem shards into the tub. She sat at the tub crouching in anticipation, hoping what she heard about how Jasper was resurrected after being shattered by a power-mad Steven was true. Suddenly, she saw a light emerging from the tub. "Yes, it's working!"

Black Rutile watched in excitement as Zoisite's deceased team of Phoenix Lapis Lazuli, Eyeball Demantoid, Chest Emerald, and the Citrine Twins were fully restored to life. "Happy welcome back day, my friends!" she exclaimed. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Black Rutile! You may remember me for rising to the top of White Diamond's court only to realize how much of it was built on a lie by my Diamond's demented sense of humor!"

"I'm sorry, I'm going to need a refresher here since I just came back to life." Phoenix Lapis muttered while getting out of the tub and shaking water out of her hair. "Your Diamond did what now?"

"Listen to me, I shall explain everything along the way." Black Rutile stated as she helped the rest of Zoisite's formerly deceased subordinates out of the bathtub. "Just follow me to this place called Little Homeworld that I'm forced to reside in here on Earth."

"Oh, you bet I'm going to need a heads up." One of the Citrine twins muttered as Black Rutile led the newly revived Gems out of the bathroom and onto the Warp Pad.

--

"How's it looking, Howlite?" Bloodstone asked Howlite as the two of them, along with Apatite, Tanzanite, Zoisite, and Demantoid worked together on rebuilding Cinnabar's Rejuvenation Blaster, last used against the Black Pearl Brigade during Cinnabar's attempted takeover of Homeworld.

"Firing rate is at an optimal state," Howlite replied as she did some coding on the Blaster's reprogramming powers. "And at Cinnabar's suggestion, we've increased the permanence of the weapon's effects on Gems. Though there is one strand of code that we've yet to cover."

"Yeah, whatever, when can we test this baby?" Zoisite exclaimed as she took the Rejuvenation Blaster and pointed it around.

"Not yet Zoisite, you have to wait until we have built enough for everybody!" Demantoid yelled while snatching the blaster away. "Plus, as Howlite said, there is but one strand of code we've yet to fix." Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Can someone get that?"

"I'll get it," Apatite said as she walked over and opened the door to see Black Rutile standing outside. "Oh, hey boss. Need anything?"

"I'd like to see Zoisite, please." Black Rutile responded politely. "I have something she'd like to see." As Zoisite got up and walked to the front door at the mention of her name, Black Rutile moved to the side to reveal the assassin's old team behind her. To say Zoisite was overjoyed to see them again despite their untimely demises would be an understatement. Instead, she was overcome with so much joy, she started sobbing as she pounced on her old gang.

"Apparently, the Diamonds' essences can restore shattered Gems." Black Rutile muttered as she turned away from the touching moment. "Kind of renders everything we've sacrificed completely pointless, huh?"

"Not right now, in the middle of a long-awaited reunion." Zoisite cried softly while wrapping her former subordinates in a group hug just as Dalmatian Jasper entered the scene.

"Aw, we missed you too, boss." The chest Emerald said. "So, this Steven fellow is the reason you're stuck here?"

"It's not just him, but the entire corrupt system the Crystal Gems have forced onto us!" Black Rutile declared. "I have lost everything thanks to them! My status, my possessions, my armies, everything!"

"Basically, she's out for revenge." Dalmatian Jasper reiterated. "So Zee, this is your old team, huh?"

"Yes, I'd like you to meet everybody." Zoisite sighed happily before pointing to each member of her hit-squad. "This is Phoenix Lapis, that's Demantoid, this is Emerald, and those are the Citrine twins."

"We can talk later, it's planning time." Black Rutile declared as she walked inside her house. "The pieces are all about to fall into place once more. Let me ask you all, how were the Crystal Gems always able to save the day all the time?" she asked her minions. "Well, it's because they had the power of teamwork. Now, this leads me to come to a conclusion. What if we were able to turn them against each other somehow? All we need to do is break the weakest link."

"Finally!" Marty cheered as he emerged from the shadows behind Black Rutile. "I've been itching to make a move on those extraterrestrial dykes for ages!"

"The white man using slurs against members of a minority he hates so much." Sally Grove added dourly. "Typical."

"We are ready and willing to serve, my Rutile." Francis von Bowling proclaimed while Lennie, Milton, Rasputina, Konstantin, Pavel, and Leo stood behind him. Pavel held a tablet that had Neil Michaels' face on it.

"Anything to finally show up Pearl for all she's done to me." Neil groaned in exasperation.

"Good to see my team is still on the same page." Black Rutile declared deviously. "Now, Dr. Brenner, connect me to Mr. Johnson."

"With pleasure, my Rutile." James Brenner said sadly as he turned on Black Rutile's computer to show the white supremacist podcaster Reginald Johnson's face on it.

"Hello?" Reginald asked while adjusting his camera. "Oh hey, the alien lady! I've heard about you!"

"Ah, Reginald, so glad we could talk on this momentous occasion." Black Rutile answered. "You may know me as Black Rutile. Revolutionary, influencer, terrorist. I believe Sally Grove may have talked to me."

"Yeah, I've heard her talk about you, but I was barely paying attention because she kept going on and on about how just because I'm a white man, that doesn't mean I can get away with everything," Reginald said. "I swear, women on the Internet, am I right?!"

"I'm standing right here, white savior!" Sally complained. "Having us on the same team was a bad idea!"

"Both of you, shut up!" Black Rutile yelled at Sally and Reginald. "Reggie, are you and your followers all set for Operation: Olympus Down?"

"Yep, about 2,000 strong, give or take!" Reginald proudly stated. "Most of them are still ticked off that Ronald Crump lost to Suarez in the election! Even with all his men, that old fart won't see it coming!"

"So, remind me what this has to do with the president?" Sally asked Black Rutile.

"It's because he was there to help the Gems stop my plans the first time around, and I plan on getting my revenge!" Black Rutile answered. "In all my browsing of the Internet, I have learned one thing that ruled them all, that if you expose someone to anger long enough, they will learn to hate. And boy have these creatures been exposed to plenty of hate!" She began displaying many controversies over the years to prove her point. "Hatred, bigotry, war, destruction, all over the silliest of things like a video game, movie, or TV show with a cult-like fanbase torturing someone with a different opinion, corrupt businessmen destroying the environment, or feeling intimidated by a person of a certain minority being superior to them in every way imaginable."

Black Rutile then projected a chessboard from her visor with pieces representing the Crystal Gems. "To put it simply, fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate shall lead to suffering." She began to rearrange the pieces, with Garnet, Pearl, and Bismuth on one side, while the other side had Lapis, Amethyst, and Peridot.

--

Back at the anniversary party, preparations were almost complete. All that was left to do now was to invite guests, buy decorations, find a cake, and get the party started. So far, almost everyone who attended the wedding had invitations written, along with a few friends the Gems made since then. Meanwhile, Greg was sent off to find a cake for the party.

"Okay, quick question everybody." Lapis wondered while making some RSVPs. "Where do we stand with the Diamonds right now?"

"I think they might still be upset with us for calling them out on how their treatment of Pink started all this mess," Garnet replied. "But thankfully, as far as I know, they haven't decided to get revenge and turn back to their old ways, as much as Black Rutile would probably kill to see that."

"Let's just send an invite just in case. If they don't want to come, that shouldn't be any of our business." Pearl said before sealing an envelope with Amethyst's tongue. "I'm just worried though. What if what they said about how we treated Steven was true?"

"Eh, what's past is prologue, or whatever that play said," Amethyst responded coolly. "I'm not ready to go through that whole drama again."

"Still, can you believe how long it's been since the Rebellion?" Lapis mused, making a nearby Bismuth start looking uncomfortable. "Feels like yesterday that I was sent down for a visit only to get chucked into the Rebellion, and then I got poofed and stuck in that mirror."

"Hey, uh, Pearl?" Bismuth called for Pearl. "Can I speak with you for a second? Preferably alone."

"Oh, of course," Pearl said as the blacksmith took her aside to have a private chat behind one of the destroyed stone hands. "What's on your mind, dear? Something about the Rebellion, I suppose."

"Well, it's about how Lapis got involved in things." Bismuth nervously stated to Pearl. "You know how she was poofed and put in that mirror? Well, it turns out I was the one who poofed her."

"What?!" Pearl squawked in shock before Bismuth put her hand over Pearl's mouth, hoping Lapis wouldn't overhear them. "Did you just say you were the one who poofed Lapis?" she said more quietly through Bismuth's hand. "How?"

"I didn't know how it happened either," Bismuth admitted sorrowfully. "I was just in the zone and mistook her for a soldier. It only took until getting to know Lapis better that I realized I'm basically the one who ruined her life."

"Oh, Bismuth, don't be too hard on yourself," Pearl replied soothingly, putting a hand on her rainbow girlfriend's chin. "I'm sure Lapis will understand once you open up to her. Did you really keep this from her for this long?"

"I just haven't had the heart." Bismuth shook her head while looking out at Lapis having fun with Peridot and Amethyst by dunking some fruit punch on Teal Zircon's head. "Just look at her, so happy and free. Do you really think I'm the kind of gal to do that to someone? No, no, a thousand times no!"

While Bismuth declared herself to not be the kind of Gem to keep such a terrible secret for so long, someone was planning to do that for her. Nearby, Morganite kept herself hidden behind another hand while eavesdropping on the two Rebellion veterans. "This is going to be juicy." She purred to herself before disappearing without a trace.

--

"Ay, dios mio, dealing with those Arasaka chumps and trying to stop their oil drilling was harder than I thought." President Eduardo Suarez sighed in relief as he ended another long day of work for the country he ran while walking into the Oval Office. It was a hard job to be sure, but a satisfactory one nonetheless as he loved doing what he could to help the American people. Plus, coming home to his family made even the most challenging of days more worth it.

"Papi!" Eduardo's children, 15-year-old son Huey and 16-year-old daughter Riley cried as they ran up and gave their father a welcome back hug.

"How was work today, Dad?" Huey asked his dad. "How much trouble did those Arasaka people give you?"

"Ugh, they kept me in their offices for hours!" Eduardo complained to his son. "They kept going on and on about how because they're so rich, they deserve everything! Newsflash Saburo, you're saying you're richer than the freaking President! Millionaires, am I right?"

"If I were you, I'd have just told them to shove off!" Riley added eagerly. "They don't know who they're talking to at all!"

"Now, Riley, no need to get so intense." The president's wife Arleen Suarez said as she walked into the office and kissed her husband-in-chief. "Just rest now, mi amor. You earned it after today."

"Thank you, dear." Eduardo sighed contently before he heard a knock at the door. "Come in!" A secret service agent then entered the room. "Good day, sir. Anything you'd like to tell me?"

"Mr. President, sir, there is someone who'd like to speak with you." The agent said in a robotic monotone. "Him and his army of more than 2,000 followers who voted for Crump in the election."

"I'm sorry, what?" Eduardo said before Reginald Johnson kicked down the door to the Oval Office and strode in with an exaggerated swagger like he owned the place before sitting down at the president's desk. "Sir, I'm going to ask you to remove yourself from my desk at once, por favor."

"Sorry el Presidente, but you can't tell me what to do anymore!" Reginald yelled angrily while pointing an accusing finger at the president. "You and the rest of your kind have been a stain on our green Earth for way too long now!"

"Oh poo, another prejudiced douchebag." Riley snarked. "Look pal, if you think you can just strut in here and tell my dad how much you hate him for his race, then you're in the wrong place! My papi can have your ass folded like a bad hand of cards with just one secret service guy!"

"I'm not talking about his race, ya idjit!" Reginald roared. "I'm talking about guys like him who bend the knee to those damn Crystal Gems who think that they're the rulers of the Earth now!"

"Do not say that about my friends." Eduardo retorted firmly while slamming his hands down on the desk. "They are some of the nicest people I've ever met, human or otherwise. If it weren't for them, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now because a deranged sociopath would've destroyed the Earth!"

"And that's the problem!" Reginald argued back. "They may have saved Earth, but they're destroying it in other ways too. I'm only doing what's good for people like me and you here, amigo, because that Steven boy's peace-loving ways will be the death of us all! It's in our nature to fight and hate, Eddy, and you simply can't fight nature! The wind blows, rain falls, and the strong prey upon the weak!"

"And what makes you think you can talk down to us like that?" Arleen said, resolutely standing by her husband and children. Reginald simply smirked and snapped his fingers, letting his army of angry followers do the talking for him. Men and women alike were all armed to the teeth as they barged into the Oval Office and surrounded the president's family. "Okay, point taken."

"EVERYBODY SCATTER!" Eduardo screamed in terror as he punched one of the gunmen in the face, grabbed his gun, and started running. "We'll meet back up at the Washington Monument, just go!"

"But what about you?!" Huey exclaimed.

"Leave these bigots to me and the secret service guys!" Eduardo said as he fired at more shooters, their bulletproof vests keeping them from dying as the president ran for his life.

"AFTER HIM!" Reginald screamed while unholstering a rifle from his back and giving pursuit. "That boy ain't right, and I'm gonna set him right whether he likes it or not!"

"Yippee-kay-yay, hijo de puta!" Eduardo shouted before firing a cartridge's worth of bullets at the angry white man chasing him. As more secret service employees began joining the firefight, Eduardo's quick thinking kept Reginald on his toes until he passed by the sitting room, where he made a shocking discovery. "Oh no!"

"Dad, help us!" Riley cried as she, Huey, and Arleen were cornered by more of Reginald's men.

"Mi familia!" Eduardo yelled back as he tried to charge into the sitting room to save them, only for Reginald to wrap his arm around the president's neck while pointing a gun at his temple. "You monster."

"I'm just giving you a choice here, chief." Reginald purred evilly. "Either give up, or somebody's getting iced today. Either way, my TubeTube channel is going to make me a millionaire."

"So that's what this is for, just some dumb clickbait?" Eduardo hissed in disgust. "I can see it now in big capital letters across the Internet. 'PRESIDENT LEAVES FAMILY TO DIE' or 'MAN SAVES COUNTRY FROM PSYCHO PRESIDENT'. This isn't about us, it's about you and your online fame!"

"You could say that." Reginald concurred. "My offer still stands. Which one of you is going to die?"

"No one!" the secret service agent from earlier declared as he barged in and tried to free President Suarez while disarming Reginald. "In the name of the United States, I hereby place you under arrest!"

"Not on my watch, sheep!" Reginald screamed as he and the agent wrestled each other.

"Run Mr. President, we shall handle things from here!" the agent yelled as the SWAT team burst into the White House to combat the terrorist threat.

"Fine, I'll go." Eduardo wheezed in pain before struggling over to his captive family. "Be strong, you guys. I'll be back soon."

"We'll be brave for you, papi," Riley replied, trying to keep a brave face despite the overwhelming odds.

"When I woke up this morning, I didn't expect my day to turn out like this." Huey muttered disdainfully.

"You're stronger than they'll ever be, darling," Arleen assured Eduardo before the two shared a passionate kiss. When the husband and wife ended their kiss, Eduardo then charged at the window and broke it as he jumped out of the White House's second floor.

"Okay, that went worse than I planned," Eduardo muttered as he got up from the fall. "Ooh, I think I may have broken a few bones." Just then, a limo pulled up close to where he landed and his vice president Theresa Maxwell poked her head out the window. "Theresa?!"

"Get in!" Theresa yelled tersely while opening the door for her president. "I saw those guys on the news before they started storming the place, and I just knew they'd be coming after you! Now come on!"

Despite his injuries, Eduardo's willpower and drive to protect his family kept him going as he struggled towards the limo and got in. As soon as he closed the door, the limousine drove as far away from the White House as possible.

"Excellent," Reginald smirked as he looked out the broken window and watched as the president escaped. "That son of a gun can run, but he sure as hell can't hide." He then pulled out his phone to begin making a call. "Reginald to Black Rutile, come in Black Rutile. Operation: Olympus Down is almost complete. We seized the White House, but the president managed to get away."

"Doesn't matter to me." Black Rutile responded. "Just as long as he's too distracted to help the Gems when I take them by surprise. Black Rutile out!"

--

Back at Little Homeworld, Black Rutile had finished her call to Reginald before she looked over at the progress on the reconstructed Rejuvenation Blaster. "How's it looking, everybody?"

"Reconstruction has officially been completed, now to find a test subject," Demantoid replied. "Who do you suggest, my Rutile?"

"I might have a few Gems in mind." Black Rutile said just as Morganite entered her house. "Morganite, I trust that your reconnaissance mission provided some fruit."

"Indeed, madam," Morganite answered with a bow. "I have reason to believe that Lapis Lazuli's misfortunes can all be blamed on that one Bismuth that she claims to be friends with. No doubt a useful tool for our cause. Perhaps one we can use to bring one of the Crystal Gems to our side. Now that I've done your dirty work, it's time to hold up your end of the bargain."

"Ah yes, what I would give you in exchange for restoring your loyalty in me." Black Rutile remembered. "However, I'm going to need Demantoid, Pyrope, and Emerald here as well."

"We're right here, my Rutile," Emerald said as she and Pyrope entered from the darkness. "What do you request?"

"I have recently come to a realization." Black Rutile replied while contemplating her new Rejuvenation Blaster. "Some of these Gems under my thumb have gotten a little soft with the time they've spent here on Earth. And since I'm set to make my grand return, I simply cannot have such weak subordinates."

"What are you implying, Black Rutile?" Pyrope asked, fearing the answer she'll soon get.

"What I'm implying is that I have no room for such weakness in my forces." Black Rutile said as she made it very clear that she intended to use Emerald, Morganite, Demantoid, and Pyrope as the first victims of the Rejuvenation Blaster. "Hence why your services will no longer be needed. Or at least, your services as your current selves." With an evil grin on her face, Black Rutile fired at the four Gems and made them writhe in enough pain for them to poof. Everyone was left gobsmacked at her cruelty, especially Tanzanite, but to Black Rutile, this was just another day for her. "Will anyone else attempt to fill their shoes?"

"How could you do that to your own subjects?" Tanzanite said with quiet outrage. "I thought you were fighting for their freedom! This is not what a leader should do! And I should know, I served under Rose Quartz before learning how much of a liar she was!"

"Would you care to join them as well?" Black Rutile shut Tanzanite up with a mere point of her Rejuvenation Blaster. Even though she had finally started questioning her new leader, Tanzanite meekly shook her head before walking away, just as Black Rutile's four victims reformed with only one thing to say.

"All hail Black Rutile." Emerald, Demantoid, Pyrope, and Morganite droned in reverence of their leader, any trace of their former selves now seemingly erased. "All hail Black Rutile."

"Excellent, it's working!" Black Rutile cheered. "With this, I can brainwash as many Gems as I please, but I suppose one will be far easier than the rest. And I won't even need the Blaster!" Putting the Blaster down, Black Rutile called for another of her subjects. "Aquamarine!"

"Yes, my Rutile?" Aquamarine asked her beloved superior.

"Find me Lapis Lazuli at once and tell her everything she needs to know about her so-called friends." Black Rutile ordered Aquamarine. "It's time to break our weakest link."

"Tell her what?" Aquamarine wondered before Black Rutile whispered an incredibly juicy, long-buried secret into her ear. "Oh, that is just perfect! I'll tell her as soon as I find her!" With a spring in her step, Aquamarine soared out of the house and away from Little Homeworld in search of Lapis.

"Now then, anybody else has something to tell the class?" Black Rutile asked her subordinates around. "How about you, Holly Blue? How have you been practicing fusion with Cat's Eye?"

"Oh, it's wonderful, my Rutile." Holly Blue replied merrily. "She makes such a wonderful partner."

"By the end of the day, the two of us will be more unified than the Crystal Gems!" Cat's Eye agreed and the two laughed heartily.

"Those two, I swear." Andesine rolled her eyes at the duo. "So when shall we strike, my Rutile?"

"Yeah, I'm getting impatient here!" Amber cried. "I need to hit something fast!" To try and relieve her stress, Amber threw a punch at Cinnabar, who barely flinched at the attack.

"Can't say I missed you, Amber." Cinnabar coolly stated. "So, clarify this for me. Are we just going to wait until the secret's out for us to strike?"

"You read my mind, dear Cinnabar." Black Rutile smiled at her student. "I really missed you, you know."

--

At the exact same time, Lapis had just emerged from a startup party supplies shop with bags full of decorations for the anniversary party. "Wow, who would've guessed Peridot would want this much stuff? It's just only everybody in town and then some coming to the party." As Lapis prepared to take flight, she suddenly heard someone let out a familiar bratty cackle. "What do you want, Aquamarine?!"

"Nice little shop you found here," Aquamarine said as she perched atop the shop's sign. "Too bad it's on the planet where your life as you knew it ended, huh?"

"Uh, what are you on about this time?" Lapis asked with a roll of her eyes, practically itching to fly as far away from whatever bloviating Aquamarine was about to spout this time. "Look, I'm on a very tight schedule here, so if you have something to say, just make it quick."

"Very well then." Aquamarine huffed in frustration while puffing her cheeks. "Now, I have a question to ask you. Did you ever wonder who poofed you during the Rebellion, my friend?"

"No, I don't think I ever knew and I don't care," Lapis replied grumpily. "Now please, let me go."

"No no, I have something amazing to tell you!" Aquamarine yelled while pulling at Lapis's leg. "Did Bismuth ever tell you?"

"What did she tell me?" Lapis replied nervously before the smaller blue Gem dropped quite possibly the biggest bombshell she ever heard in her life.

"That she poofed you in the Rebellion." Aquamarine declared with a smirk, causing Lapis to drop her shopping bags in horror.

"Wait, you're kidding, are you?" Lapis asked as her reality began crashing down on her. "She wouldn't do that!"

"But she did!" Aquamarine replied with a cheeky, psychotic smile. "For you, the day Bismuth ruined your life because she saw you as a mere soldier was the most horrible day of your life. But for her, it was Tuesday."

"But, but why?!" Lapis shrieked in denial while dropping to her knees and clutching her head between her hands. "Bismuth was such a good friend of mine, but now you tell me she was keeping this from me for centuries?! How could she?!"

"She just didn't have the heart to admit it." Aquamarine shook her head sympathetically before placing a hand on Lapis's back. "Go on, be the bigger Gem. Tell them how you really feel."

When Lapis looked up at Aquamarine, it wasn't with tears of betrayal. She instead stared at the other Gem with fires of hatred and deceit. This was like when the Crystal Gems left her in the mirror for thousands of years without realizing a Gem was trapped inside it, only far worse. This time, they were trapping her in a cage of lies and secrecy. Without even a word to Aquamarine, Lapis flew back to the Crystal Gems, not even bothering to come back for the decorations because she was that angry.

"Excellent," Aquamarine smirked before, out of curiosity, she decided to take a peek at what Lapis bought from the store. "What is this?" she muttered while pulling out a chintzy napkin with 'TALE AS OLD AS TIME, SONG AS OLD AS RHYME' monogrammed on it. "A little on the nose, much?"

--

"What's taking Lapis so long with the decorations?" Bismuth murmured as she paced around the sand in front of the other Gems. "We plan on holding the party tomorrow, we can't start without the whole gang together!"

"Hey, I think I can see her now!" Peridot exclaimed while spotting Lapis in the distance flying towards the Crystal Temple. "Hey wait a second, why doesn't she have the decorations?"

"And she looks very upset too," Garnet added. "Something isn't right." As soon as Lapis touched down and marched towards the Crystal Gems with her fists balled up, Garnet immediately tried to ease the tension. "Hello, Lapis! It's a lovely day we're having today, storm notwithstanding!"

"Shut up, don't do that. Just don't." Lapis growled furiously, sending shivers down the Crystal Gems' spines before she snapped. "How could you have kept this from me?"

"Kept what from you?" Pearl asked, only for Lapis to immediately shut her up with a slap across the face.

"You know exactly what I mean!" Lapis shrieked angrily. "You all knew that Bismuth was the one who poofed me all those years ago when I first traveled to Earth, that was how I was left to be put in the mirror that Pearl found on the Galaxy Warp, stuck in her gem, and just left me to collect dust for thousands of years! But did anybody try addressing my trauma?! No, I was just left to play dumb games! After all, happily ever after here we are, gotta stay positive!"

"Lapis, calm down please," Bismuth said while trying her hardest not to yell back at her as the other Little Homeworld Gems gathered around to watch the conflict. "I was barely thinking when I punched you in the back, I didn't notice that you weren't just another soldier!"

"Hey guys, I just got back with the cake!" Greg cheered as he walked in on the Gems with a big wedding cake in his hands before he quickly realized what was going on. "Uh, what did I miss?"

"Lapis, we had no idea the mirror contained a sentient Gem!" Garnet exclaimed. "Just calm down and we can sort this out!

"How can I calm down when this is all your fault?!" Lapis roared, now at her absolute breaking point. "Anyone else care to take their side?"

"Lapis, I know it's hard, I know you're stressed, but you have to take a chill pill!" Peridot tried calming her best friend down. "Garnet, Bismuth, and Pearl didn't do anything wrong here!"

"I thought you were on my side, I thought you loved me!" Lapis yelled at Peridot as the storm finally came and rain began pouring down on the party.

"I do love you Lapis, I just want everyone to get along!" Peridot said before looking at Garnet, Pearl, and Bismuth. "But seriously, I thought we were all friends! How could you have kept this from her for this long?"

"Yeah guys, I thought you were better than this!" Amethyst added, now suddenly taking Lapis's side. "What? I thought the sides were a little uneven."

"Lapis, if you don't calm down and listen, I'll have to do it myself." Garnet threatened Lapis by summoning her gauntlet.

"Go ahead, make my day." Lapis retorted by summoning the rainwater from above and firing raindrops like bullets at Garnet.

"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" all the other Gems began chanting at the brawling Crystal Gems before getting into a massive brawl themselves. Friends and lovers all quickly turned on each other as they began taking sides. Half of them sided with Lapis, Peridot & Amethyst, while the other half sided with Bismuth, Garnet & Pearl. What was thought to start as a lovely day for a wedding anniversary soon turned into a nightmare.

"Guys, the cake!" Greg yelled, trying to hide how he was unable to process everything happening by paying more attention to the cake quickly getting spoiled by the rain. But he wouldn't have to worry any longer as Teal Zircon was tossed straight into him, completely destroying the cake in the process. "Well, that was $616 wasted."

--

Elsewhere, the vice president's limousine finally arrived at One Observatory Drive, where a secret service agent opened the car door and allowed Eduardo & Theresa to leave.

"Oh gracias Theresa, you have no idea how glad I am you came in at the nick of time!" Eduardo said gratefully to his vice president. "It all happened so fast! I was just getting back from dealing with Arasaka, then those protestors showed up and took my family hostage, and apparently, they're working with Black Rutile too! We have to go back, Maxwell, we have to save Arleen and the kids!"

"Oh trust me, Eddy, I got all the help you need right here." Theresa confidently stated as she pushed open the doors to reveal Major General Wade Grant standing in the main hall in anticipation of the president's arrival. "Wade, I got him safe!"

"Wonderful, Terri, just the man I need to see!" Wade cheered as he took Eduardo by the hand and dragged him away. "I sent the SWAT team as soon as I heard what was going on, and I got worried for your safety. Luckily, help has arrived."

Wade then took Eduardo into the kitchen, where a group consisting of many secret service agents, some members of his cabinet, and General Lloyd Waller were all waiting for him. "Welcome to la resistance, Prez." Theresa declared. "Hope you survive the experience."

"President Suarez, it's so good to see you!" Lloyd cheerfully greeted Eduardo while rolling his wheelchair up to the president and shaking his hand. "Been quite a while, hasn't it? After I nearly got stabbed to death saving you from Black Rutile, I had to take a sabbatical during my recovery process and went off to Florida Island."

"It truly is a delight to see everybody here." Eduardo sighed happily before putting on a serious face. "But we can save happy greetings for later. We need to think of a plan to save my family and take back the White House! Any ideas?"

"Perhaps first, we can listen to this message from Black Rutile and an unknown second party." A secret service agent said while presenting a computer with Black Rutile and Sally Grove's smug faces on the screen.

"Black Rutile!" Eduardo said furiously while snatching the computer out of the agent's hands so he can talk with the self-proclaimed revolutionary one on one. "What business do you have taking my family hostage?!"

"I call it revenge." Black Rutile stated. "You were the one to instigate saving Steven the last time we met even though I convinced you he was a threat, so you are but one of many people I am striking back at for my misfortunes. In addition, my special friend Sally Grove here was the one to contact Reginald and help him organize his plan."

"Greetings Mr. President, you may call me Sally Grove." Sally introduced herself to the president. "Influencer, online critic, proud servant, and kindred spirit of Black Rutile. I never liked the Crystal Gems to begin with, or heck, anybody in general, but using them to prop yourself up just makes me sick. You're just like all the other men I've ever met."

"You take that back, young lady!" Wade yelled at Sally. "I don't know what your problem is, but if we weren't already on the verge of a national crisis, I'd use my military power to teach you a lesson!"

"You're only proving my point!" Sally complained. "You know, this can all be avoided if you agree to our demands."

"What are you suggesting?" Lloyd asked the two on the computer.

"Either surrender your presidency and allow me free reign to conquer the world or else your family will die!" Black Rutile threatened. "And to show that we mean business." Suddenly, one of Reginald's men took an agent by surprise by breaking his arms through the kitchen window and dragging him outside before giving him the mother of all vicious beatdowns.

The agent wasn't even given a chance to fight back because of how unprepared he was for an occasion. But then came the worst part. The agent tried to crawl back inside by opening the door, but the terrorist slammed his boot on the agent's back before slamming his head into the door well. And he did it again. And again. And again. And again. This brutal moment seemed to go on for hours until the agent was left possibly on the brink of death.

"That is how I mean business." Black Rutile concluded as the agent was helped to his feet by Tulip Dennis & Victor Molano before being dragged away to somewhere safe. "Either end your term early or horrible things will happen to you and everyone you ever loved. And don't even try to call the Crystal Gems for help, they're too busy with their own interpersonal conflicts to pay attention. Until then, that's all folks." The feed finally ended, leaving everybody in the vice president's kitchen dead silent as they began thinking about what to do next.

"So, what happens now?" Theresa asked awkwardly while trying to process the horrible sight they just witnessed earlier. While everybody started panicking, Eduardo was left catatonic with fear as he continued standing there fearing for his family, his country, and his alien friends.

--

"This is delicious!" Black Rutile laughed evilly as she and the other Rutile Rebels watched the civil war between Gems below them from the lighthouse. Though the way they say it, it was more of a childish feud that quickly went out of control.

"I guess abducting the Crystal Gems and holding them hostage won't be necessary, huh, boss?" Pyrite asked while arming her Rejuvenation Blaster. "They're already occupying themselves as is."

"Oh, don't be hasty, Pyrite!" Black Rutile replied as she aimed her sights on a random Gem. "Not until I'm sure it works perfectly!" With a target in view, Black Rutile pulled the trigger and launched a beam of light at a random Amethyst, making her writhe in agony before making her poof. "YES! YES!" She then turned to her subordinates. "Now Rutile Rebels, we shall strike!"

"Finally!" Holly Blue and Cat's Eye cheered before they joined hands and kissed, their forms merging into a tall, curvy, green Gem with bob-cut hair, a tight catsuit, high-heeled boots, a domino mask, and a pair of whips holstered around her waist. The fusion's name was Chrome Chalcedony.

The Rutile Rebels and their human allies then leaped into action, joining the struggle between Gems and pointing their Rejuvenation Blasters around before firing at random Gems. Left and right, various quarreling residents of Little Homeworld were shot down and reduced to their gems, much to the shock and horror of everyone else.

"Everybody, take cover!" White Topaz yelled while rounding up some Gems and racing them to safety.

"That's right, you pacifistic whelps, keep running!" Chrome Chalcedony laughed evilly as she and Bluebird Azurite kept firing at more Gems in their way.

"We might win this one," Teal Zircon declared intensely to Topaz. "you get to the panic room!"

"We don't have a panic room!" Topaz shouted back as Black Rutile cornered her and Teal.

"Aw, Teal and Topaz, I see you're already here." Black Rutile smiled as she presented the two with spare Rejuvenation Blasters. "Would you care to join this grand occasion?"

"I see what this is," Topaz said firmly. "This is all that your big plans were leading up to. Well frankly, I don't think we have a place among your ranks anymore."

"Ditto." Teal agreed before she narrowly dodged a blast from the Rejuvenator Blaster and began running for the hills. "Run Topaz, run like the wind!"

"I got you two!" Jasper exclaimed as she grabbed Teal and Topaz and dragged them to the beach house.

"Aw, you really do like me!" Teal replied cheerfully.

"Oh, be quiet," Jasper growled at the Zircon before she turned back and watched Lapis, Peridot, and Amethyst continue their fight with Bismuth, Garnet, and Pearl.

"I'm going to enjoy making you pay for what you've done to me!" Lapis snarled as she hoisted Bismuth by the neck with a wing forming into an arm and began strangling the blacksmith. "I am Lapis Lazuli, and I will not be anyone's prisoner anymore!"

"Please, I'm sorry, have mercy on me!" Bismuth choked and gasped mid-strangulation. "If you would just listen!" Suddenly, however, Bismuth was ripped out of Lapis's grasp by a massive red hand belonging to Mega Ruby. "What the?!"

"Surprise!" Mega Ruby laughed as she was briefly unfused to absorb Bismuth into her body, making the blacksmith's head stick out of the fusion's shoulder as a result. "Hey Black Rutile, we got one!"

"Perfect." Black Rutile smirked before looking to the rest of her troops. "Now, everyone round the others up!" Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, and Peridot were then brought forward in chains by Kyanite and Xenotime. "Looks like you were too angry at each other to see this coming, huh?"

"Of course, you'd take advantage of this!" Garnet snapped at the Rutile.

"Let's be frank, you were going to break apart anyhow." Kyanite laughed while slamming Garnet's face into the sand. "Hey CC, how's searching for the others going?"

"Unfortunately, they're a bit too good at hiding." Chrome Chalcedony declared as she emerged from the beach house with a particular book in hand. "However, I did find this on one of the shelves. 'When Your Child Wants Some Time Apart' by George Ikari, eh?"

"I got that book for Steven!" Pearl yelled at the fusion of Cat's Eye and Holly Blue. "Whatever you do, don't do anything to it!" As if Chrome wasn't listening, or maybe she deliberately didn't pay attention, she ripped the book in half with a grin.

"Looks like you all could use a little alone time," Chrome said with a snap of her fingers, allowing for all the Gems hit with the Rejuvenation Blasters to reform as mindless servants of Black Rutile. The Crystal Gems gasped in horror as various Amethysts, Jaspers, Pearls, Topazes, fusions, Rubies & Sapphires, Peridots, Lapises, Aquamarines, Bismuths, Agates, Demantoids, Pyropes, and various other Gems that previously wanted to live a free life on Earth had only one thing to say.

"All hail Black Rutile." The amnesiac Gems droned as they raised their arms and marched toward their former teachers. "All hail Black Rutile. All hail Black Rutile. All hail Black Rutile." Watching the onslaught from afar, Lapis shook her head with no amount of sympathy before changing her attire into a new dress bereft of any imagery connecting her to the Crystal Gems with a hooded cloak to hide her face as she flew away, abandoning the life she once knew as she left for parts unknown.

"Just so we're clear, this is still all your fault." Peridot angrily said to Bismuth.

"My fault!?" Bismuth argued with the tiny technician. "You were the one who interrogated her!"

"I only came along with Jasper to check up on the Cluster!" Peridot bickered. "If anything, she and Garnet are to blame since Garnet was so strong, it convinced Jasper to fuse with Lapis and they tortured each other as Malachite for months on end!"

"That is an unbelievably lazy excuse." Garnet coolly said despite how furious she was at the accusation. "Like I said, Pearl and I didn't know the Gem in the mirror was Lapis."

"And that made you try to take Lapis away from her only friend at the time?!" Amethyst bickered with Garnet and Pearl. "Face it, if you were honest with Lapis the whole time, this wouldn't have happened at all!"

"Will all of you be quiet already?" Xenotime asked.

"It's adorable how you keep blaming each other for your own follies instead of pointing fingers at the sociopathic monster in your midst who is getting away with everything as we speak." Black Rutile proclaimed before she looked over her shoulder to notice that Lapis had disappeared. "Chrome Chalcedony, be a dear and bring the Crystal Gems back to Little Homeworld while I follow Lapis."

"It shall be my pleasure." Chrome Chalcedony beamed as she lead the new and improved Rutile Rebels away from the ruined party while the rain finally stopped, and Black Rutile pulled out a hoverboard from her gem to follow Lapis.

Having been completely ignored this whole time, Greg was left shell-shocked at what he had just witnessed. All was quiet in the area that was supposed to host a fun anniversary party, but the storm combined with the fight had ruined everything. Then suddenly, a large orange hand patted him on the shoulder. "You, Steven's dad, wake up!"

"Jasper?!" Greg yelped at Jasper standing behind him. "Where have you and White Topaz been this whole time?"

"Saving Gems, what else." White Topaz replied before turning to the beach house. "I think they're gone, guys, it's safe to come out now!" Soon, the Lapis twins, the Black Pearl Brigade, the Diamonds' Pearls, Nephrite, Desert Glass, Albite, Beryl, Tiger's Eye, Serpentine, Larimar, Snowflake Obsidian, Monazite, Diaspore, Dumortierite, Skinny Jasper, Carnelian, Orange Spodumene, Cherry Quartz, Blue Chalcedony, Chrysocolla, Bixbite, Biggs Jasper, Grossular Diopside, the Cubic Zirconias, both the Watermelon Tourmalines, the Rose Quartz trio, Flint, Chert, Kunzite, and a Gem Greg assumed he never saw before all emerged from the beach house, all afraid of what could happen next. "We could only save these guys. The rest are all gone, all slaves to Black Rutile now."

"But they're not gone completely," Cap said as she stepped forward. "When my team and I were hit by those Rejuvenation Blasters, the effects seemed permanent. Then Nacre here, previously known as Shell, helped restore our memories. If that's the case, there's a good chance that will be the case with everyone the Rutile Rebels has shot."

"So what happens now?" Greg said nervously before looking at the big, bird-like Gem. "And who are you supposed to be? I don't think I ever saw you before."

"My name's Lavenderine, pleased to meet you." Lavenderine introduced herself by shaking Greg's hand. "Sorry that I'm seeing you for the first time in such bad circumstances, but-Ooh, is that cake still fresh?!" She raced over to the ruined cake and began pecking it with a huge, beaklike nose. "Hm, still some flavor left."

"Regardless, Black Rutile thinks she may have won, but we're all still here, together." Diaspore proclaimed.

"I don't understand. I don't understand how this all happened." Teal Zircon stated as she began making a speech. "How we go through this. I mean, I knew the Crystal Gems, and then they're just, they're just taken down by some crazy Rutile I thought was running a book club, and I don't understand why she can't just get over her horrible losses and live a quiet life." Everyone was taken aback by how profound she was sounding right now. "It's stupid. It's human and stupid, and, and Lapis was crying and not talking, and earlier I was having fruit punch and I thought, well, I got fruit punch all over me, surely that'll be just one part of a day we'll look back on and laugh. And she'll never see Peridot, or Bismuth, or the others, not ever, and no one will explain to me why!"

"It's tough losing someone to be sure." Dumortierite proclaimed sorrowfully. "But we are the Crystal Gems, and we'll always save the day! If she thinks we can't, we'll always find a way!"

"But that leaves the question." Laz declared. "What now?"

"I hope Lapis is doing okay." Zuli agreed as everybody gazed over the horizon with no clue as to what happens next.

--

Far away from Beach City, Black Rutile surfed the ocean on her hoverboard in search of Lapis, hoping that she'd be able to answer the terraformer's prayers for help and maybe add another Crystal Gem to her roster. "Now, if I were an insipid terraformer, where would I be?" Suddenly, she heard a loud rumbling sound and looked over in the distance, where she discovered a familiar building rising from the water.

"The Lunar Sea Spire?!" Black Rutile exclaimed before guiding her hoverboard to the fallen temple. Even though it was in ruins and a few Crystal Shrimp littered the spire, it was still relatively intact. "Oy, someone should pick up after themselves." The Rutile terrorist mused as she reached the very top of the tower, where Lapis was on her knees gazing at the sky. "Hello, Lapis."

"What do you want?" Lapis harshly asked Black Rutile. "Let me guess, are you here to mistreat me like the Crystal Gems did?"

"No, I came here because I have now realized the two of us are more alike than I initially believed." Black Rutile said as she walked towards Lapis and sat down beside her. "Think of it, the two of us were created to serve the Diamonds and were very good at it. But after coming to Earth, our lives just started falling apart and we haven't been able to get back to normal since."

"What, you want me to join you or something?" Lapis continued.

"What do you think, my dear Lazuli?" Black Rutile grinned before standing up and offering her hand. "Would you care to help me prevent any other Gem from suffering like we did?" Lapis then closed her eyes before turning her head and sticking her hand out to Black Rutile. As soon as Black Rutile helped Lapis up and walked her away from where she sat, Lapis was a Crystal Gem no more. Now, she was a Rutile Rebel.

--

With the Crystal Gems finally eliminated from the equation, Black Rutile now had full control over Little Homeworld. To make it better, she now had another former member joining her after realizing she and Black Rutile were very much alike.

"So what are we going to do with this, my Rutile?" Lapis said as she, Black Rutile, and Dr. Brenner stood together atop the whirly-bird tower, gazing out at Beach City and the surrounding area. "I mean, this whole place officially belongs to us now."

"Something that I've wanted to do for a long time now, and I need your help to do it." Black Rutile replied. "I want you to raise this insipid town to the sky! Use all the moisture into the ground to turn Little Homeworld into my flying fortress!"

"As you wish, my Rutile," Lapis said without a shred of emotion as she raised her hands to the air, making the water droplets in the ground rise up and burrow into the ground to make the town fly. What was once a happy little village for Gems to unlearn the old ways of the Diamonds quickly became an airborne dreadnought that Black Rutile could finally call home, and the Crystal Gems were powerless to stop her.

"Now then, let's begin the invasion!" Black Rutile commanded her new brainwashed troopers. "I want you to not stop until Beach City is annihilated!"

"Hold on one second, Black Rutile!" James finally spoke out against Black Rutile. "I have tolerated your antics for so long because I believed that maybe you'd listen to me and change yourself for the better. But alas, your plans have finally convinced me otherwise. Brainwashing all these innocent Gems was bad enough, but now you convinced an emotionally vulnerable Gem to join you?"

"What can I say, preying on the emotionally vulnerable was how I gathered my subjects." Black Rutile shrugged. "And I don't think I appreciate your tone, doctor. I'm afraid I'll have to cancel all future appointments from here on out." She turned to Lapis. "Lapis, show the doctor where he stands now."

With any sense of emotion drained from her, Lapis grabbed James by his shirt collar and tossed him off of Little Homeworld to his possible death, only to be saved at the last minute by an orange blur grabbing him in the nick of time.

"Who can stop me now?!" Black Rutile laughed her loudest and most monstrous evil laugh yet as the entire Rutile Rebels gathered behind her in triumph. "WHO?!"

Faraway from the flying Little Homeworld, a certain human girlfriend of Steven had just returned home from college for spring break.

--

And so, the curtain draws as we end part one on possibly the darkest note I've written for any of my stories yet. The Crystal Gems have been turned against one another, Lapis has joined Black Rutile, the president of the United States is at war with a terrorist who I admit to taking a few cues from Monsoon from Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance while resisting the urge to make him say "Memes: the DNA of the soul", and Black Rutile has officially taken over Little Homeworld. In their darkest hour, will the remaining Gems led by Jasper, White Topaz, Teal Zircon, and Topaz find the strength to stand up for what is right and save the world? We'll just have to wait and see.

#steven universe #steven universe future #fanfiction #steven universe alternate future #little homeworld life #black rutile #aquamarine #eyeball ruby #holly blue agate #cat's eye #garnet #amethyst #pearl #peridot #lapis lazuli #bismuth #jasper #white topaz #president eduardo suarez #Theresa Maxwell #wade grant #cinnabar #andesine #tanzanite #apatite #amazonite #howlite #amber #kyanite #pyrite

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Stop the aggressions against the Zapatistas! - Manifesto signed by Noam Chomsky, Boaventura De Sousa, Raúl Zibechi, Enzo Traverso, Gilberto López y Rivas and more.

Today those who defend the environment are slaughtered every day. At a time like the one that the planet lives in which the protection of those who defend it is required, the opposite happens. Those who have resisted this destruction by the powerful have not stopped saying NO, they have always done so, although the current administration does not want to have memory.

The murder in the community of Amilcingo, Morelos of Samir Flores, a member of the resistance against the Comprehensive Plan Morelos, its gas pipeline and thermoelectric plants that put the life and territory of Nahua communities in Puebla and Morelos at risk; the massacre of 15 Ikoot indigenous people in San Mateo del Mar, Oaxaca, one of the regions that has opposed the Trans-isthmian Corridor projects; the growing paramilitary violence in Chiapas, with 56 attacks in the municipality of Aldama alone, and the kidnapping in February of members of the National Indigenous Council (CNI) of the municipality of Chenalhó are proof that the war continues.

Now the violence is becoming more and more explicit against the Zapatista communities. The growth of the activity of paramilitary groups such as “Los Chinchulines” or the Regional Organization of Coffee Growers of Ocosingo (ORCAO), as well as the appearance of new groups, is exacerbating tension in the region. The theft and burning of warehouses and houses of the Moisés Ghandi community, of the Autonomous Rebel Zapatista Municipality “Lucio Cabañas”, (in the official municipality of Ocosingo), show the increase in the intensity of the aggressions and provocations against the Zapatista Army of National Liberation. The EZLN has respected the ceasefire for years and has focused on strengthening its autonomous organizational processes with schools, clinics, and justice systems. It is serious that one of the ethical references of resistance and construction of concrete and viable alternatives for the planet continues to be under siege, and it is even more serious that the response of those who seek to “transform Mexico” is complicity or oblivion in the face of these extermination attempts. .

It is extremely worrying that this occurs in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, that there are those who seek to take advantage of the vulnerability in which everyone finds themselves to fuel their ambitions for money and power. It is more worrisome when those who are supposedly in charge of preventing such abuses allow and therefore favor them.

Beyond the erroneous or successful changes of the executive power, which shows this escalation of violence in indigenous areas, and the worsening of paramilitary attacks in the Zapatista territory in Chiapas, is the continuity of the racist, colonial and paternalistic vision of the governments. liberals and conservatives, left and right. Projects such as the Mayan Train show the idea of ​​bringing "development" to indigenous peoples by turning them into cheap labor and contributing only the folkloric image of the Mexican indigenous.

The violence and dispossession of indigenous territories that megaprojects such as the Trans-isthmian Corridor or the Mayan Train imply and require are the ethical breaking point of the current Mexican government, it is where the moral stature that President López Obrador has awarded in front of its predecessors begins to collapse.

Those of us who signed this letter are watching carefully what is happening in Mexico, what is happening in the Zapatista communities that for decades have been a benchmark for other ways of living, health, education, justice, politics. We will not allow the extermination of indigenous peoples with the recurring excuse of development.

International firms

Noam Chomsky (USA)

Saskia Sassen (USA)

Raúl Zibechi (Uruguay)

Marcos Roitman (Spanish State)

Oscar Olivera (Bolivia)

Hugo Blanco Galdos (Peru)

Boaventura De Sousa Santos (Portugal)

Michael Hardt (USA)

Yvon Le Bot (France)

Philippe Corcuff (France)

Jaime Pastor (Spanish State)

Manuel Garí Ramos. Economist. Member of Anticapitalistas (Spanish State)

Juan Wahren (Argentina)

Sabrina Melenotte (France)

Daniel Mato (Argentina)

John Gibler (USA)

José Angel Quintero Weir - Wainjirawa Indigenous Organization (Venezuela)

Roberto Ojeda Escalante (Cusco, Peru)

Pepe Mejía, journalist, social activist, Correspondent for Indigenous Struggle in Europe

Pierluigi Sullo (Italy)

Enzo Traverso (Italy)

Derly Constanza Cuetia Dagua (Nasa People, Colombia)

Vilma Rocío Almendra (Colombia)

Manuel Rozental (Colombia)

Raúl Camargo. Former deputy of Madrid. Spokesperson for Anticapitalistas (Spanish State)

Genaro Raboso Saelices. Unionist of Workers' Commissions (Spanish State)

Ana María Gordaliza Fernández. Psychoanalyst. (Spanish state)

Ana Barba. Pharmaceutical (Spanish State)

Marià Delás Briefcase. Journalist (Spanish State)

Lurdes Lucia. Editor Feminist. (Spanish state)

José Vicente Barcia. Ecologist (Spanish State)

Rocío Van Der Heide García. Anti-capitalists. Social worker (Spanish State)

Patri Amaya. Feminist. LGTBI Movement (Spanish State)

Fernando Cabrerizo. Multimedia Technician (Spanish State)

Pablo Pérez Garfonina. Member of Adelante Andalucía (Spanish State)

Ramon Gorriz Vitalla, union member of Workers' Commissions (Spanish State)

Roberto Montoya Batiz. Journalist (Spanish State)

Laura Lucía Pérez Ruano. Jurist. Teacher. Former deputy of Navarra (Spanish State)

Carmen San José Pérez. Family doctor. Unionist of the Assembly Movement of Health Workers (MATS) (Spanish State)

Juan Hernández Zubizarreta. College professor. Member of the Observatory of Multinationals of Latin America. (Spanish state)

Lorena Garrón Rincón. Councilor of the Cádiz City Council. (Spanish state)

Alicia López Hernando. Feminist Movement (Spanish State)

Ángela Aguilera Clavijo, deputy spokesperson of the Adelante Andalucía group in the Andalusian Parliament (Spanish State)

Demetrio Quirós. Councilor of the Cádiz City Council (Spanish State)

Jorge Riechmann Fernández. Professor at the Autonomous University of

Madrid and writer (Spanish State)

Mónica Rocha Medina, Bolivian Center for Popular Studies (Bolivia)

Huáscar Salazar Lohman, Bolivian Center for Popular Studies (Bolivia)

Patrick Silberstein (France)

Tomas Astelarra, journalist (Argentina)

Mexican firms

Paul Hersch Martinez

Alicia Castellanos Guerrero, UAM-I

Gilberto López y Rivas, INAH- Morelos

Juan Carlos Rulfo. Filmmaker. Mexico City.

Margara Millán, professor, UNAM

Fernanda Navarro

Paul Leduc

Magdalena Gomez

Francisco Barrios "El Cress"

Eduardo Almeida Acosta

Maria Eugenia Sánchez Díaz de Rivera

Graciela Mijares López

Alexander Varas

Volga De Pina, defender of Human Rights.

Marta De Cea. Cultural Promoter. Mexico

Mariana Mora, CIESAS CDMX and Red de Feminismos Descoloniales

Bruno Baronnet, Universidad Veracruzana

Isidoro Moreno. Emeritus Professor of Anthropology. Sevilla University. Andalusia

Francisco Morfin Otero. Instituto Superior Intercultural Ayuuk ISIA

Kathia Núñez Patiño Faculty of Social Sciences C-III. A CH

Richard Stahler-Sholk Eastern Michigan University, USA

Jean Robert Architect, Professor at La Salle University

Sylvia Marcos, Network of decolonial Feminisms, Professor at the Ibero-American University

Servando Gaja, Cinematographer

Inés Durán Matute, sociologist.

Mariana favela

Barbara Zamora

Susana Vázquez Vidal, PhD at CIESAS Occidente.

Orb Larisa

Antonio Sarmiento

Hector Zetina

Raúl Romero, sociologist, Mexico.

Raúl Gutiérrez Narváez, Intercultural Inductive Education Network and CIESAS, Chiapas

Sergio Tischler

Fernando Matamoros Ponce, Research Professor, Postgraduate in Sociology (ICSyH-BUAP)

Joaquín Osorio G. ITESO

Rubén Martin, freelance journalist, Guadalajara

Lucia Linsalata

Ana Maria Vera

Isis Samaniego-Poet

Bertha Melendez «Yuhcatla»

Maria Luisa Arroyo Rodriguez

Epifanio Flores and Manzola

Amparo Seville

J. Jesus Maria Serna Moreno

Sergio Hernández / Uci, Zautla, Puebla

Paulino Alvarado

Erika Sánchez Cruz, professor at BUAP

Irma Zentle Colotl, Social Economist

Wullfrano Ramírez, Dr. Artificial Intelligence

Mirna Valdés, Poet

Horacio Torres de Ita

Alejandra Jiménez, Rural Teacher

Ana Melissa Valenzuela, Educator

Zitlalli López Mendoza, Educator

Cristian Añorve, Student

Roxana Bolio

Jose Meza Rosas

Luis Saracho de María y Campos

Florina Mendoza Jimenez

Leonel Lopez

María de Lourdes Mejía, Mother of Carlos Sinuhé Cuevas Mejía

Angel Benhumea Salazar

Roberto Rodríguez Contreras "Cat"

Isabel Maldonado Hernandez

Omar Abrego Torres

Alfredo Velarde Saracho, professor at the Faculty of Economics

Ana Laura Suarez Lima

Azael Soriano Sanchez

Cecilia Zeledon

Diana Patricia González Ferreira, ICSYH Sociology Teacher

Organizations

Colectivo La Resistencia (Los Angeles, USA)

Solidarity with the Mexican people - Málaga (Spanish State)

Union Communiste libertaire (Marseille, France)

Union syndicale Solidaires, (France)

Vocesenlucha - Popular Communication (Spanish State)

Collectif Paris-Ayotzinapa (France)

Towns in Camino (Colombia)

Éditions Syllepse (France)

Network of Brotherhood and Solidarity with Colombia (Colombia)

International Commission of the People's Congress (Colombia)

Network Against Repression and for Solidarity (RvsR)

Human Rights Node (NODHO)

Errant Etcetera

Labor and Socialist Unity (UníoS!)

Union of Neighbors and Victims "September 19" (UVyd-19)

Community Communication Research Center A.C. (CICC A.C.)

Popular Indigenous Council of Oaxaca Ricardo Flores Magón (CIPO-RFM)

Indigenous and Popular Council of Guerrero - Emiliano Zapata (CIPOG-EZ)

Guardians and Guardians of the Metlapanapa River

Otomí Indigenous Community residing in CDMX

Support network for the CNI-CIG Ibero Puebla

Xalapa Resistance and Rebellion Network

2140/5000 Resistance and Rebellion Network in support of the CNI-CIG of the Port of Veracruz

La Otra Tuxtla Resistance and Rebellion Network

Network of Rebellion and Resistrenzas-Puebla

Metropolitan, Anticapitalist and Antipatriarchal Coordination with the CIG

Network of decolonial feminisms

Paper picnic area

Compas Arriba !, Xalapa, Veracruz.

Mexicali Resists

Binational Network of Women Who Fight

Nativitas Zacapan for the Defense of the Land and Water.

Radio Tlanixco

The Collective Against Torture and Impunity

Colectivo Feminista Cihuatlahtolli A.C.

The Voice of the Anahuac.

Autonomous Student Renovation Collective

Coordinator of Students and Collectives of the FD-UNAM

Zapatista Neza Collective, Café "Zapata Vive"

Radio Regeneration

UPREZ Benito Juárez

Collective Aequus.- Promotion and defense of Human Rights

Coordination of Relatives of Students Victims of Violence

Voices of the Wind

Poetry and Singing

Collective Las Sureñas in resistance and rebellion

Popular Free Media Laboratory

Stomping Free Media

Plantón for 43

La Ceiba Collective

Zapatista Pantitlán Health Brigade

Sector of Workers Adhering to the Sixth Declaration

Front of Workers for the Right to Health and Social Security

Women who Fight, Resist and Organize

Rebel Bazaar

Community Dentistry Collective Sowing Smiles

Otomí Autonomous School

Residents of the Honorable National Student House.

Community Radio Totopo de Juchitán, Istmo de Tehuantepec, Oaxaca

Green Tide High Mountains

Circle of Marxist Studies, Mexico City

The Other Juaritox

Collective ADA

Karuzo Cultural Forum

They are from the Máiz

Sixth Theater

El Torito Collective

Collective of Profes in the Sixth

Xochitlanezi Community

Tlanezi Calli Community

Compass Red

Zapatista Coffee Table of the UAM-Iztapalapa Below and to the Left of Building E

Gavilanas Collective

Collective Common Notebook

Iztapalapa Sexta Support Network

Colectivos del Sur Adherent to the Sixth

University of the Earth in Puebla (UnitierraPuebla)

Collective Utopia Puebla

The Zenzontle

House of the Peoples-Mexico

Autonomous Brigades of Mutual Support

[sknews7]

Messi and Barcelona – The inside story on how everything fell apart, and what’s next

A yr in the past, Lionel Messi set out his phrases for staying at Barcelona. “I need to be at Barcelona for so long as potential. That is my house,” he advised the Catalan newspaper Sport. “However I do not need to have a long-term contract and to solely be right here due to it. I have to see that there is a profitable staff as a result of I need to preserve profitable issues at this membership.

“For me, cash or a clause do not imply something. I haven’t got any intention of going anyplace however I need to preserve competing and profitable.”

Twelve months later, Messi was refusing to coach, insisting that his 20-year relationship with Barca was over, and making an attempt to pressure a transfer to Manchester City.

– Hunter: Suarez-Atletico union will be magnificent – Atletico Madrid confirm arrival of Luis Suarez from Barcelona – Lowe: What Barca fans’ ballot means for Bartomeu, the club

That Messi, one-club man, captain and icon, would search to depart Barcelona like this — notifying them in a now-infamous burofax that, so far as he was involved, he had already gone — ought to have been unthinkable. And but this was no spur-of-the-moment determination. We must always have seen it coming.

Messi had not been pleased at Barcelona — with the president, the board or administration — for a very long time. He admitted as a lot within the interview that introduced a brief finish to the disaster this summer season: “I have been telling [president Josep Maria Bartomeu] that I wished to depart all yr.” Recognized for being a reluctant public determine, Messi speaks solely when he has one thing to say — and at 33, he has been extra vocal than ever. He was determined to be heard. These in cost at Barcelona did not hear.

That is the story — advised with the assistance of quite a few first-hand accounts from sources near each participant and membership — of how Messi’s nagging doubts about Barcelona ultimately grew to become not possible to disregard, and what occurred subsequent.

Editors’ be aware: This story comprises reporting from Moises Llorens, Sam Marsden, Rodrigo Faez, Eduardo Fernandez-Abascal and Alex Kirkland.

Messi’s frustrations have been amplified by the style through which Barcelona misplaced to Liverpool the Champions League semifinal from 3-Zero up within the first leg. Mikel Trigueros/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto by way of Getty Photographs

ABOVE ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS each private {and professional}, Messi’s discontent stems from his want to win. And for Messi, profitable means the Champions League. Barcelona have not completed that since 2015. They have not even come shut. Embarrassed by Liverpool and Roma lately, the 8-2 humiliation by the hands of Bayern Munich on the quarterfinal stage of the competitors final season, in August, was the tipping level. Messi is extremely conscious of the influence Barca’s European failings could have on his legacy. 4 Champions League titles are greater than sufficient for mortals. However not for Messi.

A number of sources pinpoint one second that finest reveals Messi’s disenchantment. It got here at Camp Nou in Could 2019. Barca have been 3-Zero up within the first leg of their semifinal towards Liverpool. Within the 96th minute, Messi — who had scored twice — drew three defenders earlier than squaring the ball for an unmarked Ousmane Dembele. Dembele miskicked, Alisson made the simple save and Messi fell theatrically to the ground, face down within the turf.

Dan Thomas is joined by Craig Burley, Shaka Hislop and others to carry you the most recent highlights and debate the most important storylines. Stream on ESPN+ (U.S. only).

He knew that Barcelona wanted one other purpose — the season earlier than, Roma erased a first-leg, 4-1 deficit to advance on away objectives to the semifinals — as a result of his teammates could not be trusted to defend a 3-Zero lead away from house. Six days later, he was proved proper.

“The final probability for Dembele was clear-cut,” Messi advised reporters after the primary leg. “4 objectives would have been higher than three.”

How do you forestall these errors from occurring time and again? One method would possibly contain a clear-eyed imaginative and prescient of the type of staff you need to assemble. However Barcelona’s planning has been incoherent at finest. Shedding Neymar, with whom Messi liked to play, to Paris Saint-Germain was maybe forgivable. Losing nearly €300 million on Dembele and Philippe Coutinho — each but to return good, three years on — much less so. The membership did not carry Neymar again final summer season, signing Antoine Griezmann as a substitute for the same sum. Griezmann is a participant who has did not adapt for numerous causes, together with the actual fact his most well-liked place is taken by Messi.

Valverde and Messi had an excellent rapport and gained two league titles earlier than the supervisor was surprisingly sacked in January, 2020. Barcelona have been high of the league on the time. Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto by way of Getty Photographs

A collection of sporting administrators — Andoni Zubizarreta, Robert Fernandez, Pep Segura, Eric Abidal and Ramon Planes — have come and gone over the previous 5 years, all of them unable to implement an efficient long-term technique as a result of they have been by no means afforded the time to take action. They’ve all been made scapegoats by Bartomeu, sacrificed as symbols of the membership’s shortcomings. Amongst them, they introduced in a mishmash of gamers recruited with totally different concepts in thoughts. New signings arrived, flopped and left. Legendary midfielder Andres Iniesta departed. Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets obtained older.

Messi waited, despairingly, for issues to get higher.

EVEN AS BARCELONA FAILED IN EUROPE, they at the least continued to win La Liga.

Supervisor Ernesto Valverde, regardless of his unpopularity amongst some Barca followers, gained the league forward of Real Madrid in 2018 and 2019. Messi preferred Valverde. Sources advised ESPN that the easygoing, diplomatic Valverde maintained relative concord in a dressing room divided between two cliques: one, led by Messi, Luis Suarez and Arturo Vidal, who have been primarily pleased beneath the coach’s laid-back regime; and one other, together with Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Frenkie de Jong, who would have most well-liked a extra disciplined method.

That stability endured till January this yr when Valverde was sacked — with Barca high of the league — after defeat to Atletico Madrid within the Spanish Supercopa in Saudi Arabia. He was changed by Quique Setien, a person with no expertise managing a bunch of gamers at this degree.

2 Associated

The fallout from Valverde’s firing was damaging, too. Sporting director Abidal mentioned in an interview with Sport in February that “lots of gamers weren’t pleased [with Valverde] and weren’t working quite a bit.”

Messi, in a uncommon second of rage, snapped. “I actually do not love to do this stuff, however I feel everybody ought to take accountability for his or her selections,” he wrote on Instagram. “The sporting division ought to take accountability. While you discuss gamers, it’s best to give names. If not, you are tarnishing all of us and feeding issues which individuals say and are not true.”

– Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only) – ESPN+ viewer’s guide: Bundesliga, Serie A, MLS, FA Cup and more

Abidal touched a nerve. Messi is extremely delicate to the concept that he runs issues at Barcelona, accountable for hiring and firing coaches and figuring out switch targets. It is comprehensible, even when it is arduous to dispute the grain of fact at its coronary heart: that Barca ought to do the whole lot potential to maintain their best-ever participant pleased.

Barca had been failing to try this on the pitch; they have been failing off it, too. In February, it was alleged that an organization the membership had employed to guard its picture was behind social media accounts posting disparaging feedback about present and former gamers. Messi and his household have been talked about. It was one other blow to his already fragile relationship with Bartomeu, even when Barca proceed to disclaim any wrongdoing within the scandal that is come to be often known as “Barcagate.”

Issues obtained worse for Messi at Barca when Setien took over. The tradition conflict triggered points, however extra importantly, Messi was sad at how the membership tried accountable him and different gamers for Valverde’s exit. Clive Brunskill/Getty Photographs

SETIEN HAD A BRIEF AND TROUBLED SPELL IN CHARGE. From the start, Messi was not impressed with him regardless of hyped-up claims of a return to the extra attacking, possession-based fashion of play made well-known on the membership by Johan Cruyff and, later, Pep Guardiola.

An uneasy, six-month truce lasted till June, when La Liga returned after its pandemic-enforced break. When Barca dropped their first factors in a irritating goalless draw with Sevilla, sources advised ESPN that there was a tense dressing room showdown between captain and coach as shocked teammates seemed on.

The highest-of-the-table lead that Setien had inherited from Valverde shortly disappeared. Actual Madrid gained 10 video games in a row, whereas Barca dropped factors in 4 of theirs. Their title problem ended with a 2-1 house defeat to Osasuna on July 16. Talking instantly afterward, Messi did not maintain again.

Issues had “all gone incorrect” since January, he mentioned, in a blatant criticism of his new coach. “We have been a really erratic, weak, low-intensity staff. At the moment’s recreation is a abstract of the season. We have now to be self-critical, beginning with the gamers however throughout the entire membership.”

Messi did not like Setien’s method and the Barca staff shortly misplaced momentum beneath the brand new supervisor, dropping factors in 4 video games after the return of La Liga and watching Actual Madrid surge previous them to win the title. Jose Breton/Pics Motion/NurPhoto by way of Getty Photographs

BARCELONA HAD WON NOTHING IN 2019-20, their first trophyless marketing campaign in 12 years. Setien was dismissed. His substitute was membership legend Ronald Koeman, but it surely was too late. Messi’s thoughts was made up. A primary assembly between Messi and Koeman — one which noticed Messi interrupt his vacation with Suarez and Jordi Alba within the Pyrenees to return to Barcelona on Aug. 20 — didn’t go nicely. Messi expressed his doubts and remained decided to depart the membership.

Across the identical time, he known as Guardiola.

“Messi and Pep spoke for hours,” a supply advised ESPN. The pair are shut and have a lot in frequent. Messi, Guardiola and Manchester Metropolis all share an obsession with the Champions League. Metropolis have by no means gained it; Guardiola and Messi are thought to not have gained it usually sufficient.

Messi knew that his choices for leaving Barcelona have been restricted. In contrast to Barca, he seen Metropolis as having a transparent technique and an upward trajectory. The participant advised his former coach that he wished to maneuver. Guardiola mentioned he would discuss to decision-makers at Metropolis. It would not be easy, he warned.

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Julien Laurens reacts to Barcelona seemingly beating Bayern Munich to Sergino Dest’s signature.

Messi’s flirtation with Metropolis was nothing new. Actually, Metropolis’s rebuild beneath their new homeowners over the previous decade has been carried out with the goal of attracting first Guardiola and, later, Messi. There have been discussions in 2014, and once more in 2016. But Metropolis’s hopes of signing Messi this summer season have been depending on them taking part in within the Champions League. As soon as their two-year ban from European competitions was lifted on July 13, they knew they’d be the front-runners to signal him if he left Barca.

There was by no means any direct contact between the golf equipment, nor did Messi’s camp transmit on to Barca a want to maneuver to Metropolis, however sources on the Catalan membership say have been knowledgeable of Metropolis’s curiosity in signing Messi by a 3rd occasion. It gave Metropolis quite a bit to consider. May they afford Messi’s wage? How a lot would they must pay Barca? What about monetary truthful play? His €700m buyout clause was not possible, even for Metropolis. There was a extra tantalising prospect, although: Messi is likely to be obtainable for nothing.

The mechanism by which they thought they may pull off a deal had existed for years. Messi’s long-term doubts led his advisers to insert a launch clause in his Barca contract when it was renewed in 2017. On the finish of the 2019-20 season, inside an outlined interval, he might unilaterally rescind his contract and stroll away.

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Julien Laurens can’t consider how late Barcelona have left it within the switch window to do their enterprise.

And so, Barcelona’s board nervously waited. Ultimately, the date — initially extensively reported as Could 31, later corrected to June 10 — fell when La Liga was about to renew. Nonetheless, when it had handed, the membership have been fast to transient the media. So far as they have been involved, Messi could be staying till 2021. Messi has since mentioned he did not inform the membership earlier than then as a result of they have been nonetheless concerned in La Liga and the Champions League; one supply, although, says the actual fact Metropolis have been banned from European soccer earlier than profitable an attraction additionally difficult his route out of Camp Nou.

The unique date in Messi’s contract had been drawn as much as coincide with the top of the season. However with the marketing campaign prolonged due to the coronavirus pandemic, Messi’s camp felt they’d some wiggle room when it got here to the interpretation of the clause.

Sources advised ESPN that the suggestions Messi acquired from authorized specialists was blended. Just one regulation agency out of at the least 4 consulted, Cuatrecasas, believed the argument had a sensible probability of success. That was sufficient and Messi determined to go forward. If he stood his floor, maybe Barca would blink first.

Messi’s discussions with Manchester Metropolis and his previous boss, Pep Guardiola, started as quickly as he ended his first, disastrous assembly with the brand new Barca boss, Ronald Koeman, round August 20. Manchester Metropolis FC by way of Getty Photographs

AUG. 24 BEGAN WITH A PHONE CALL from Koeman to Suarez. In a dialog that lasted round a minute, the coach advised Messi’s finest pal within the squad that he was not in Barca’s plans and will search for a brand new membership. Vidal acquired comparable therapy. Messi’s allies have been being pushed out and, in his view, disrespected.

Later that day, Messi took motion. On recommendation from Cuatrecasas, the player opted to use a burofax — a registered letter, used when authorized proof of receipt is required — to tell Barcelona that he wished to depart at no cost, exercising his launch clause. Signed by Messi, it was despatched simply after 7 p.m. By mid-morning on Aug. 25, the letter had arrived at Camp Nou.

– Lowe: Messi, bad blood and a ‘burofax’

The primary to learn it, aghast, have been Bartomeu and the top of Barca’s authorized division, Roma Gomez Ponti. “They may not consider their eyes,” a supply advised ESPN. For them, there was no debate: The clause had already expired. “Put apart the whole lot else you have been engaged on and give attention to this,” Bartomeu advised the membership’s attorneys. Barcelona contacted two companies specialising in sports activities regulation — Costa Torrecillas & Associates and Bufete Antras — for recommendation. (The previous had gained the membership a beneficial judgment months earlier of their dispute with Neymar over a renewal bonus.) Each companies agreed Barca have been in the correct and shouldn’t give in to Messi’s calls for.

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1:32

Julien Laurens says there’s merely no cash to fund transfers at Barcelona if they do not promote first.

Regardless of that, sources advised ESPN on the time there have been board members who supported letting Messi go. Not at no cost, thoughts you, but when it meant bringing in a big charge and eradicating his €90m wage from the wage invoice, the membership would possibly be capable to dig itself out of a €300m monetary gap in the course of the COVID-19 disaster.

“Messi has a lot energy on the membership, each on a monetary and sporting degree,” one supply mentioned. One other, near the dressing room, went additional. “It is the second to promote him, it is a historic alternative to have the ability to change issues. There are gamers who will carry out quite a bit higher with out him within the staff.”

These voices believed a managed departure might be helpful, however the president wouldn’t entertain the prospect. It was €700m from a shopping for membership, or he stays. “Bartomeu does not need to be the president who agrees to the sale of Messi,” a supply advised ESPN, at the same time as one other supply mentioned, “it is the very best factor he might have completed.”

Bartomeu may need ruined his relationship with Messi — the participant known as him a liar, claiming Bartomeu had assured him he would let him go — however he obtained his want. Ultimately, he will not be the president who oversees Messi’s departure; in any case, the membership’s presidential elections will occur on March 20 or 21 subsequent yr, earlier than Messi’s contract expires.

Messi, heart, faces a special Barcelona in 2020, along with his key associates and lieutenants, Vidal, left, and Suarez, proper, each leaving the membership this month. Alejandro Garia/EFE

AT MANCHESTER CITY, there had been a rising acceptance that signing Messi at no cost was not possible, in order that they turned their consideration to a negotiated settlement. After a number of days of crunching numbers, a supply advised ESPN that “if Barcelona let him go away for €100 or 150m, Messi shall be a Metropolis participant.” Metropolis have been additionally prepared to incorporate gamers of curiosity to Barca, equivalent to younger defender and La Masia product Eric Garcia, in a deal, though ESPN was advised that others, together with Gabriel Jesus, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez, wouldn’t be included.

All of that relied on Barca being prepared to budge. Messi waited and maintained his silence, even skipping coronavirus testing forward of a return for preseason coaching with new coach Koeman. Board members who’d been important of Messi felt he ought to be fined for that; Bartomeu believed doing so would escalate the disaster. As Barca drafted burofaxes of their very own to correspond with their absent captain, sources advised ESPN that some variations specified that there could be no punishment, whereas others left the choice open.

• Ryan Reynolds seeks Wrexham purchase • Netherlands hire De Boer for national team • Di Maria handed 4-game ban for brawl • Atletico, Barca seal Suarez deal • Steffen wants more anti-racism action • Italy in shock as referee, partner killed • Arsenal keen on Morgan test – Montemurro • Sources: Chelsea, PSG in Bakayoko talks

On the morning of Sept. 2, Messi’s father and agent, Jorge, flew from Rosario, Argentina, to Barcelona for a gathering with Bartomeu that night, however no progress was made. Bartomeu had one vital factor as leverage: Messi couldn’t abdomen a authorized battle. He was decided to depart, however not if the method descended into prolonged litigation. Metropolis have been reluctant to take that street, too.

Every little thing modified on Sept. 4. In an interview with Purpose’s Ruben Uria, Messi introduced his determination to remain. “The president advised me the one solution to go away was to pay the €700m clause, which is not possible, and that the choice was going to courtroom,” Messi mentioned. “I’d by no means take Barca to courtroom as a result of it is the membership I like.”

It might have ended in a different way. Some at Barcelona really feel that Messi’s method — each in regulation and in public relations — was flawed from the beginning. “He did not select the very best communications technique,” one supply advised ESPN. “If he had timed it higher, he might have completed off Bartomeu and he’d be at Manchester Metropolis by now.” On this studying, Messi’s basic mistake was a failure to articulate his determination to depart sooner, and to talk on to the followers — maybe, as many different gamers may need completed, on their social media accounts — earlier than the burofax was despatched.

Others query whether or not the prospect of one other yr of an sad Messi is finest for Barca. The No. 10 has channelled his anger on the pitch earlier than with optimistic outcomes for the staff; he would possibly accomplish that once more. However ESPN has been advised that some gamers thought a contemporary begin, with a brand new coach and with out Messi, may need been the very best for everybody.

SO MESSI STAYS FOR NOW, however so do his doubts, expressed so clearly and concisely when he lastly spoke out. “The reality is that for some time there hasn’t been a mission or something,” he mentioned. “They have been juggling issues and plugging holes.”

However the story does not finish there. Bartomeu shall be gone quickly and a brand new president to be elected in March. He won’t even make it till then if a vote of no confidence, launched on the again of Messi’s burofax, goes towards him within the coming weeks. There might be as many as 10 folks within the working to exchange Bartomeu, too — Victor Font is without doubt one of the early favourites to inherit the position and he has mentioned that, along with bringing former Barca midfield maestro Xavi Hernandez again as coach, he needs to ensure Messi stays. Not one of many candidates has mentioned they need to construct a Barca with out Messi, regardless of the actual fact he shall be 34 subsequent summer season.

Messi has leverage. Together with his deal formally expiring in June, he is ready to negotiate with different golf equipment beginning in January. No authorized battle, no drama, at the least of the type we have witnessed this previous summer season.

Will the brand new president be capable to persuade him to resume his deal? Messi has mentioned the membership should signal younger gamers to clean up an getting old squad. That’s slowly occurring, but it surely’s coming on the expense of his closest associates on the membership: Vidal has joined Inter Milan and Suarez is headed to Atletico Madrid.

A lot will depend on the following eight months, on how Koeman does and on who wins the elections. Past all that, although, it will depend on one factor: on Barcelona having a profitable staff.

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[phgq]

Quezon farmers, fishers receive P1.42B worth of agri-fishery inputs, machinery, cash & food aid

#PHinfo: Quezon farmers, fishers receive P1.42B worth of agri-fishery inputs, machinery, cash & food aid

TAYABAS CITY, Quezon, Nov 25 (PIA) --The Department of Agriculture (DA) provided thousands of farmers, fishers, and indigenous peoples (IPs) in Quezon province P1.42-billion (B) worth of farm and fishery inputs, farm machinery, livelihood projects, and cash and food aid to help them recover from the adverse impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and damages caused by strong typhoons.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar led the handing over and distribution of interventions, on November 23, 2020, coinciding with the launch of the Cash and Food Subsidy for Marginal Farmers and Fisherfolk (CFSMFF) program in Tayabas City, with an allotment of P177 million (M) for Quezon province.

It is part of the total P4.5-B CFSMFF program funded under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2.

The DA through the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) also distributed P304-M worth of farm machinery for rice farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs), which is part of the annual P10-B Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).

“The Province of Quezon and the whole region of CALABARZON are very important to our agricultural economy. The region continues to showcase agri-industrialization in many ways, but of course you will need to have continuous production, and value-adding agri-business approach will be critical,” Secretary Dar said during the event.

He added that even after several typhoons hit the country, CALABARZON, along with MIMAROPA, Central Luzon, and the regions in Visayas and Mindanao, could continuously supply the food requirements of Metro Manila.

Through the RCEF, qualified FCAs will be awarded farm machinery such as four-wheel tractors, precision seeders, combine harvesters, and mechanical dryers to increase yield and reduce postharvest losses.

The CFSMFF program aims to benefit a total of 890,794 marginal farmers — planting corn, coconut, and sugarcane — fisherfolk, and IPs, who will each receive P3,000 in cash and P2,000 in food aid that include P1,000-worth of rice and P1,000-worth of chicken and eggs.

In Quezon, 35,523 farmers, fisherfolk, and IPs will benefit from the program, and 80,000 beneficiaries for the entire CALABARZON region, said DA-4A Regional Director Arnel de Mesa.

The DA has partnered with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), and rice farmers’ and poultry industry groups to implement the CFSMFF program nationwide.

The DA-4A Regional Field Office (RFO) also allotted P640-M worth of various agricultural inputs, including P120 M for the establishment of the Sariaya trading post and cold storages in Candelaria and Tayabas.

Quezon farmers can also avail of loans with no interest through the DA-Agricultural Credit and Policy Council (ACPC) Survival and Recovery Assistance (SURE Aid) program with a budget of P47.8 million under the Bayanihan 1 and P100 million under Bayanihan 2.

In addition, the DA’s Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) allotted P35-M for agricultural inputs and coconut-dairy intercropping project in Quezon, while the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) committed P118 M for the province’s fisherfolk.

“Tulung-tulong lang, aahon ang ating bansa. Malaki ang maiaambag ng agrikultura sa paglago muli ng ating ekonomiya. With our partnership with the local chief executives, our congressmen and congresswomen, hindi kami titigil na i-advance ang sektor ng agrikultura dito sa Quezon at sa buong bansa,” Secretary Dar said as he commended the farmers and fisherfolk for the positive growth of the sector, during the second and third quarters despite the pandemic and several typhoons.

The agriculture sector was considered by the country’s economic managers as the saving grace, as it managed to grow by 1.6 percent (%) in the second quarter and 1.2 % in the third quarter of 2020, at the height of the community lockdowns and harsh weather conditions.

Quezon First District Representative and House Agriculture and Food Committee Chairperson Wilfrido Mark Enverga, Fourth District Representative Angelina Tan, Governor Danilo Suarez, Tayabas City Mayor Ernida Reynoso, and several municipal mayors and provincial board members attended the event.

Secretary Dar and Director de Mesa were also joined by DBP President Emmanuel Herbosa, and other DA officials that included PhilMech Director Baldwin Jallorina, BFAR Director Eduardo Gongona, PCA Administrator Benjamin Madrigal, Jr., and Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Administrator Hermenegildo Serafica, ACPC Director Tina Lopez, DA-Field Operations Service Director Roy Abaya, and DA Spokesperson and Assistant Secretary for Strategic communications Noel Reyes.  (DA-AFID)

***

References:

* Philippine Information Agency. "Quezon farmers, fishers receive P1.42B worth of agri-fishery inputs, machinery, cash & food aid." Philippine Information Agency. https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1059908 (accessed November 24, 2020 at 03:31PM UTC+08).

* Philippine Infornation Agency. "Quezon farmers, fishers receive P1.42B worth of agri-fishery inputs, machinery, cash & food aid." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1059908 (archived).

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[cryptodictation]

Bolsonaro says he can perform a new test due to suspicions of COVID-19

The president Jair Bolsonaro claimed on Friday (20) that even after doing two tests with negative results for the covid-19, it will still do a third, if there is a medical recommendation, because it claims that it has contact with several people, including victims of the covid-19 , and you may be infected.

Bolsonaro states, upon leaving the Palácio da Alvorada, that he is well Cheers and who has received medical advice.

All of them had contact, at some point during the trip, with Jair Bolsonaro, besides them also 18 other people who were also with the president, also confirmed positive for the new coronavirus.

Bolsonaro had 22 people in the US infected with the new coronavirus

The president of Brazil's concern about carrying out a third test is due to the increase in people infected with the virus and with whom he had contact on the trip to the United States last week.

Bolsonaro declared on Friday (20), the confirmation of four more cases for the covid-19, totaling 22 people with whom he had contact during his trip to the USA, among them is the assistant aide to the president, Major Mauro César Barbosa Cid .

The special advisor to the presidency, Filipe Martins. The deputy director of the GSI Security Department, Colonel Gustavo Suarez da Silva and also Ambassador Carlos França, head of the Presidential Ceremonial.

All of them had contact, at some point during the trip, with Jair Bolsonaro, in addition to them another 18 people who were also with the president confirmed positive for the new coronavirus.

The president claimed that his entire family tested and tested negative for covid-19, but that he may be infected and does not know, because there are no symptoms yet or even because he has antibodies to help him.

As of March 12, everyone on the trip to the United States began testing for the new coronavirus after it was confirmed that Fabio Wajngarten, communications secretary, tested positive for covid-19, most of the results were negative and to date, 22 confirmed cases have been added.

Speech by Eduardo Bolsonaro may cause diplomatic crisis

Eduardo Bolsonaro's statement caused discomfort and could worsen Brazil's situation, causing even a diplomatic crisis, as it is known that China is the main Asian country that has a commercial partnership with Brazil. The president's son claimed that China is to blame for the spread of the new coronavirus.

The Chinese embassy was disgusted by his speech and expressed repudiation of his words, speaking until the deputy “contracted a mental virus” in Miami. Yang also claimed that the Bolsonaro family is the big problem for the Brazilian people and that Eduardo's behavior is not appropriate for the position he holds, and that he expects him to take responsibility for what he said, and also apologizes. China for the inappropriate statement.

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[lovehardenemycollector]

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who met with several U.S. officials including President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence during an official visit over the weekend, has denied that he tested positive for the 2019 novel coronavirus.Brazilian news outlet Jornal O Dia and Fox News, citing Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo, reported Friday that Bolsonaro had the flu-like virus. He was tested Thursday after his press secretary Fabio Wajngarten, who was part of the visiting Brazilian delegation, tested positive for the virus in a diagnosis confirmed by the president’s office. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who attended an event with Bolsonaro and his press secretary in Miami on Monday, told The Miami Herald on Friday that he had since tested positive for COVID-19.However, a one-line post on Bolsonaro’s official Facebook page said the president had tested negative.Bolsonaro’s son, Eduardo, had earlier confirmed his father’s test result to Fox News and said secondary testing was being done on Friday. However, a vague statement was later posted on Eduardo Bolsonaro’s official Twitter account that questioned the test results for the entire Brazilian delegation that visited the U.S. “Too much lies and little information. Coronavirus exam done with the team that were with JB in USA have not yet been completed,” the post read.Bolsonaro and Wajngarten were part of a delegation who traveled to the U.S. over the weekend and met with multiple high-level officials. The group met with Miami Mayor The group dined at Mar-a-Lago with Trump, National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien and Trump’s daughter and son-in-law, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. Ivanka Trump also met last week with an Australian official who has since tested positive for coronavirus.On Sunday, the Brazilian delegation met with U.S. military Southern Command senior leaders, who then traveled to Capitol Hill and the Pentagon. Bolsonaro and Wajngarten also attended a birthday party for Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is dating the president’s son Donald Trump Jr.On Monday, the delegation met with Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) at the Hilton Miami Downtown. Scott said Thursday that he would be tested for COVID-19 and would self-quarantine for two weeks. “The [Brazilian] Embassy said the person had no symptoms leading up to or the day of the conference,” Scott said in a statement Thursday.After news of Wajngarten’s positive test result emerged Thursday, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement that Trump and Pence had “almost no interactions” with the senior aide and “do not require being tested at this time.”“Exposures from the case are being assessed, which will dictate next steps,” she added. “To reiterate CDC guidelines, there is currently no indication to test patients without symptoms, and only people with prolonged close exposure to confirmed positive cases should self-quarantine.”Wajngarten had posted photos and videos from the visit on his Instagram including a photo of him standing next to Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, with the president holding a brown “Make Brazil Great Again” hat.The Miami Police Department’s entire motorcycle patrol unit said they would self-quarantine after escorting Bolsonaro around Miami.Miami Mayor Suarez said he was feeling healthy and strong but confirmed his positive diagnosis and said he was concerned for those who had been in his close proximity in recent days.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

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[andrewmoocow]

Little Homeworld Life chapter 8: The Krav Maga Gem (originally published on October 3, 2022)

AN: We're getting pretty close to the end of the season here, everyone. Time flew by so fast now that I think about it. Guess that's what happens when you're a twenty-one-year-old college boy who feels like time keeps moving way too fast for his taste. And in addition, consider this a spiritual tie-in to the ever amazing Cobra Kai, and by extension The Karate Kid. Only this is about Krav Maga instead of karate, and there's no rival dojos to contend with, only just one rival that Teal Zircon accidentally gets way in over her head against. Now, if we have nothing else to discuss, let the challenge begin!

Synopsis: Vice-president Theresa Maxwell teaches Krav Maga to Teal Zircon.

Cast:

Amy Sedaris as Teal Zircon

Wendie Malick as Theresa Maxwell

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl

Jennifer Paz as Lapis

Shelby Rabara as Peridot

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Lin-Manuel Miranda as Eduardo Suarez

GZA as Wade Grant

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Featuring Ralph Macchio as Master Dan

Sean Schemmel as Jotaro Kaminashi

Christopher Sabat as Seto Itadori

Stephanie Sheh as Ujibe

Tony Oliver as Spiker

Kaiji Tang as Larry

Hilary Swank as Young Theresa Maxwell

And William Zabka as Tourist

--

"You cannot defeat me, Jotaro Kaminashi!" the Iron Blazer Seto Itadori exclaimed as he and his rival Jotaro Kaminashi faced off in an epic martial arts tournament. "My weather magic level is over 9000!"

"It's true, you may have great power, but none compared to the power of friendship!" Jotaro replied bravely. "If it weren't for all of my friends that helped me get to this point, like Ujibe, Spiker, and Larry, I wouldn't be standing here today as your fierce opponent!"

"We love you, Jotaro!" Jotaro's primary female companion and love interest Ujibe cried out, her assets jiggling a little too much in her skimpy outfit.

"We're with you all the way!" Jotaro's childhood best friend Spiker added.

"You got this." Jotaro's incredibly manly mentor Larry said tersely with a thumbs up.

"Their love for me shall give me my strength!" Jotaro cried happily as he was bathed in a golden-brown aura. "Behold, my ultimate technique!"

"Is that so?" Seto smirked arrogantly as he powered up with an emerald-green aura. "Then check out my technique!"

"AUTUMN LEAVES BREATHING STYLE: RAKE FLECHETTE!" Jotaro screamed as the two rivals charged at each other before Jotaro launched a barrage of light construct knives.

"SPRING BREEZE OVERDRIVE: BUTTERFLY METAMORPHOSIS!" Seto bellowed as he formed a barrier around himself like a cocoon that broke apart to give him radiant butterfly wings.

--

"And yeah, that's Divine Fighters of Mother Nature." Lapis said as she introduced Teal Zircon to anime. "Which anime do you want me to show you next? Planet Chasers: Starlight Excellent is so addicting, you could watch it all day, every day."

"No, I wanna keep watching this!" Teal exclaimed as she became enraptured by the rivalry between Jotaro and Seto. "Man, this show is so exciting! The animation looks amazing, the music is killer, all the characters are so lovable in their own ways, and the fights! The fights!"

"Yeah, there's a reason why so many people call this one of the best shonen anime." Lapis smiled at Teal. "Glad to see you like it. Who's your favorite character?"

"I think I like Seto the most; he's just so cool!" Teal replied eagerly. "I want someone like him to be my rival! I want to become a butt-kicking fighter too!"

"You want a rival?" Lapis asked. "I'd like to see you last against one." Just then, her phone began ringing, and Lapis pulled it out to see the message she got. "Sorry, but I must go. The president is visiting today and wants to see all the Crystal Gems."

"Okay then, this arc is almost done anyways." Teal replied as she turned her attention back to the anime. "We're almost at the episode where the main villain Kurengo reveals himself to have been organizing the tournament this whole time! Oops, spoilers!"

"Naw, I've already seen this arc." Lapis responded. "No need to worry about spoiling." Before she could leave, however, the water Gem gave a foreboding warning to Teal. "Though I wouldn't get too attached to that cute referee girl if I were you."

"Somehow, I feel like that might be a bad thing." Teal nervously replied before turning back to the show.

--

"So then, I said, why the long face?" White Topaz joked to Jasper as they sat on a bench at Little Homeworld. "You get it, because horses have long faces?"

"You know, that honestly makes me think more about the anatomy of these horses." Jasper responded to her girlfriend's joke. "Why do they have such long faces? Is there some kind of evolutionary reason to it or something?"

"I don't think you're getting the joke." White Topaz bluntly declared before they heard a rustle in the bushes. "Hey, did you hear that?"

"Let me check." Jasper said before beginning to investigate the bush where the couple had heard rustling. To her surprise, there was nothing there. "Hmph, guess it must've been the wind or something." She muttered in realization before turning away. "So anyways-"

"HYAAAHH!" Teal Zircon let out a loud Kiai as she leaped out of the trees while dressed as a ninja in garish colors. "Jasper, I have come to challenge you!"

"Uh, can I help you, Teal?" Jasper asked, completely taken aback by the Zircon's change in personality.

"Nice getup, TZ!" White Topaz complemented Teal's goofy attire.

"Weren't you going to break our bond?! Jasper?!" Teal theatrically asked Jasper, making the latter even more confused.

"I feel like I'm missing something here," Jasper wondered. "But judging by your attire, I assume you wish to challenge me."

"Yes, I must defeat you, for you are my rival and the one thing keeping me from becoming the president of the ninjas!" Teal exclaimed as she produced a kunai from her sleeve. "Now come and face me, and let us decide if our insurmountable tension means we're actually in love with each other!"

"Have you been watching anime with Lapis lately?" Paz asked Teal. "I feel like some of those shonens are getting to your head."

"The only thing in my head is the drive to win!" Teal exclaimed as she pulled out an MP3 player to play a poorly dubbed anime opening for her fight with Jasper.

"DRIVE TO WIN! DRIVE TO WIN!" the player yelled as Teal struck a pose and beckoned Jasper to bring it on. "THE ONLY THING IN MY HEAD IS THE DRIVE TO WIN!"

"This should be good for a laugh." Jasper rolled her eyes and charged at Teal. "RAAAARGH!"

"I have been training all my life, yes, all my life! All that time I spent was for the purpose to FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!" Teal's player continued singing in a ridiculous accent as Jasper started running circles around her opponent, not even bothering to land a real hit on Teal as a way of humoring the Zircon. "If you want power, say it with me now! All you gotta do is eat RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT! Always have a good meal three times a day; that will give you the DRIVE TO WIN!"

"Do you even wanna fight?!" Teal yelled as she tried to keep Jasper on her toes, despite the quartz's lack of interest in their battle. "It's like you don't even care that the fate of the planet is at stake!"

"You've been watching too much TV." Jasper smirked in response. "But if you want to fight, then allow me to give it my all."

"About time, too!" Teal smirked and conjured up an energy ball in her hand. "FAMILY JEWEL FLASH!" Unfortunately, Jasper punched her square in the face before she could launch the attack and sent her flying to the ground. "I have seen raccoons and oysters dancing in the head of a pin with the angels." TZ babbled in a daze. "They are laughing!"

"Geez, Jasp, you didn't need to hit her that hard." White Topaz said as she helped Teal up.

"Hard? I was going easy on her!" Jasper exclaimed as she marched over to TZ. "Look, Teal, you may think I was being harsh, but your spirit and determination honestly made me think you have potential." She said to her fallen opponent. "The only problem is that you're way over your head way too often. Try and fix that, and we'll have a rematch, okay?"

"You're right!" Teal declared. "I need proper training; I need a training arc!" That was when she got an idea. "I need to find the Gems! Lapis said they were meeting with the president, right?"

"Yeah, I think I heard they were gathering at the temple in Beach City." Jasper answered, but she didn't even have time to finish before Teal raced towards the local Warp Pad to the beach house. "Hey, if you want a rematch later, you know where to find me!" she hollered at the Zircon.

--

"Now, you may wonder why we have brought you together today." President Eduardo Suarez said to the Crystal Gems as he, his vice president Theresa Maxwell, and the major general Wade Grant sat down with the Gems at the beach house. "Well, it's to discuss your celebrity status."

"Despite all the good you've done and the praise we've showered you with, it seems you got yourselves a few detractors that believe Black Rutile was actually innocent and deserves better." Theresa said while pulling out her phone to show the Crystal Gems the various uses of #BlackRutileWasRight on social media. "Though thankfully, it's mostly used by incels, conservatives, homophobes, skinheads, conspiracy theorists, users utilizing the tag to fantasize about their favorite Korean boy bands, etc."

"Oh yeah, I think I've seen one of those incels before." Amethyst said. "Some misogynist loser named Andre Kate who's been making a name for himself for his videos about how much he hates women."

"Honestly, how can anyone take him seriously?" Pearl sighed in disgust at the man Amethyst had just described.

"I think we should be more concerned about this." Garnet forebodingly proclaimed.

"No need to worry, Garnet." Wade assured the fusion while gently stroking both Cat Steven and Lion. "At the moment, they don't mean any long-term harm, just cancel culture at work here. I mean, it's not like they're going to form an army against you, right?"

"We already have to deal with Black Rutile and the Gems who agreed with her." Bismuth responded. "But humans who agree with her?! That's a whole different ballpark entirely!"

"I'm gonna have to agree with Bismuth on this one." Lapis added. "Who knows what these mindless sheep can do when they're all brought together?!"

"Probably some obnoxious complaining." Peridot smirked deviously. "Let's be real, it's the Internet! They'll always submit to whoever has the most amount of followers."

"You are indeed correct." Eduardo agreed with the little green Gem just as the Warp Pad hummed, and from the beam of light came a panicky Teal Zircon.

"Oh, Teal, what brings you here?" Lapis asked Teal.

"GUYS, I TRIED CHALLENGING JASPER TO A FIGHT, BUT I GOT UTTERLY WASTED, AND NOW I FEEL LIKE SHE WANTS A REMATCH!" Teal screamed loud enough to blow everyone's hair back. "WHICH ONE OF YOU CAN TRAIN ME TO BE A COOL ANIME MARTIAL ARTIST?!"

"Calm down, Teal, it'll be okay." Garnet settled the Zircon's anxieties with just a hand on her shoulder as TZ gazed into Garnet's visor. "If you'd like, I can give you a few instructions on how to fight."

"No need, Garnet." Theresa laughed with a snort as she got up and put a hand on Teal's shoulder. "What's your name, junior, Teal? Nice name. It really fits your color. Well, allow me to be your combat instructor!"

"You, my master?" Teal tilted her head in confusion. "But you look like a cool, funny businesslady, not a fighter."

"That's where you're wrong!" Theresa smirked with pride. "I'm not just a vice president of the United States; I'm also a black belt in Krav Maga from my years studying abroad when I was but a wee spunky college girl."

"That reminds me, you still owe me a sparring match!" Amethyst replied to Theresa.

"Oh, don't worry, little grape, you'll get your chance soon." Theresa smirked at the overcooked Gem with doe eyes before turning back to Teal. "So, whaddya say? Wanna come with me back to my place in DC to train with me?"

"Are you kidding me?! I'm in!" Teal replied eagerly at the prospect of training with an experienced fighter. "When do we start?!"

"Now, Teal, promise us that you'll behave yourself with Ms. Maxwell." Garnet ordered Teal. "She's the vice president and your mentor, so it's best to treat her as she would treat you."

"Yeah, you're lucky!" Amethyst added.

"Have fun, you two!" Pearl agreed. "And Theresa, try to keep an eye on Teal too. She can get very excitable and a little easily distracted."

"Oh, stuff and nonsense!" Teal scoffed at Pearl. "I have an excellent-" She was then interrupted by a wayward fly buzzing around her face. "Oh, look at that."

--

Once the meeting between the president and the Gems concluded, Teal Zircon was on her way to Number One Observatory Circle in Washington DC, where Theresa lived as part of her duties as vice president of the USA. It is also where Teal would be living as part of her Krav Maga training. Needless to say, Teal was absolutely excited to come along.

"So, do you live here all by yourself?" Teal asked as Theresa welcomed the Gem into her home. "I thought most vice presidents were married."

"Eh, didn't have enough time to get hitched, kid." Theresa answered. "Which means I get this whole house to myself! Aside from my own staff to keep the place running, of course."

"Lucky you!" Teal replied while bouncing up and down. "So when do we start training?"

"Just give me some time to freshen up and change before we begin." Theresa answered as she undid her hair and walked away. "Make yourself at home in the meantime."

"Okay!" Teal obeyed and sat down at a nearby chair, looking for something to do. All around her were various memorabilia dedicated to Theresa's achievements throughout her life, both before and after she became vice president. Spelling bee trophies, high school and college diplomas, world records broken, modeling for magazine covers, it seemed to Teal that her new mentor had enough stories to tell to last her ages.

"Alright, kiddo, I'm back." Theresa announced while walking back to her new pupil; her pantsuit now exchanged for a standard Krav Maga uniform. "Now, a few ground rules for Krav Maga. This martial art is about being aggressive, efficient, and above all else, being the last one standing. In Layman's terms, strike first, strike hard, no mercy, as a wise man once said."

"So this isn't anything like karate or kung-fu, then?" Teal asked.

"Far from it, starry eyes!" Theresa exclaimed. "Heck, some of the moves you'd learn would get you kicked out of an average martial arts contest! You said you wanted to be cool? Well, this will make you cool!"

"Well, what are we waiting for?!" Teal cheered impatiently. "Let's hit each other!"

"If you say so." Theresa declared and spread out her arms. "Hit me." Teal did just that and punched her in the chest. "Ooh, really strong! Hit me again!" The Zircon did as she was told by hitting Theresa in the chest again. "Okay, one more time!"

"I'm getting pumped up already!" Teal excitedly said as she kept punching Theresa. "What do I do next, master?!"

"Good to see you're getting into the swing of things, kiddo!" Theresa grinned before handing the Zircon a sponge, a bucket of water, and some wax. "Gonna need you to wax the car for me. You can't miss it; it's the fancy one out front!"

"She's a Buick!" TZ complimented the vice president's maroon-red automobile.

"A Bel-Air Prince 1990, actually." Theresa responded. "Won it at an auction against Will Smith back in 2014. Yes, that Will Smith."

--

Moments later, TZ was working hard on waxing the Bel-Air Prince, still wearing her Krav Maga uniform while Theresa changed into a casual T-shirt and shorts and was drinking some pop.

"Keep it coming, squirt!" Theresa urged TZ to keep working while taking another sip of soda. "And remember, wax on, wax off!"

"Is this part of my training?" Teal asked her mentor. "Will this help me with strength and muscle memory?"

"That's for you to decide." Theresa replied grinningly. "That reminds me, I've got some more things for you to do."

--

The next task Teal was ordered to do was to help Theresa with her laundry for the day, sticking various suits, shirts, pants, and other assorted clothing items into the many washing machines lined the basement walls.

"Hey, has anyone ever stuffed themselves into one of these before?" Teal asked after loading some clothes into one of the washers and closing the door. "Bet you a dollar that you can do it!"

"Oh please, I'm not that stupid!" Theresa scoffed with a snort. "Plus, I'm way too big to fit in one of those. But I bet you can, though!"

"Oh, you're on!" Teal dared as she shoved herself into a nearby machine. "Now wash me up, sista!" Theresa grinned as she turned the machine on, taking the Gem for a sopping wet ride as she was sent tumbling around the washer. "WHOOOO!"

"Just tell me when to stop, Teal; we got more work to do." Theresa called from outside as Teal continued tumbling and started getting wet.

"Ooh, I bet it's more training disguised as chores!" Teal exclaimed, though Theresa could barely hear her from outside the machine since it was starting to fill up with water. "I wonder what I'll do next!"

--

Soon after, Teal and Theresa were hitting the pool after the fun they had in the laundry room came to an unfortunate end. While Theresa was catching some rays in a yellow designer bikini that revealed her amazing curves, Teal, on the other hand, was turned into a makeshift pool-Gem who scooped debris out of the water.

"So what's this for, hand-eye coordination?" TZ asked as she fished out leaves, sticks, dead bugs, and other gross things from the ordinarily pristine pool. "Because I'm not sure if I like this. Everything in here is so grody!"

"Hey, gotta make tough choices for good reasons!" Vice President Maxwell replied as she took a sip of her drink. "Maybe later. Can you be a doll and give me some sunscreen? Summer's winding to a close, and I want to get every bit of sun I can still absorb!" Teal frowned in resignation as she started getting suspicious of her mentor's true motives.

--

Eventually, the afternoon turned into evening, which meant it was time for dinner at Washington. And of course, Teal was tasked with making the night's meal for her and Theresa to eat. While chopping up vegetables, Teal was greeted by more vegetables being tossed at her, and she cut them up with extreme precision. "Nice throw there, but what was that for?"

"If you can dodge a tomato, you can dodge a big, orange Amazon!" Theresa declared as she prepared another veggie to throw. "So, how's that Greek salad coming along?"

"I'm not even sure what I'm doing here." TZ replied, gazing down at her attempt at dinner, which looked like stuff she haphazardly threw together and nearly burnt to a crisp. "Uh, you want something microwaved instead?"

"Eh, accidents happen, buddy." Theresa remarked at Teal's failed Greek salad. "You up for frozen mac and cheese?"

"Oh, heck yeah!" Teal answered excitedly, glad to sit down to dinner at last with her master.

--

Once dinner wrapped up, Theresa felt like taking a shower and invited Teal to join her. Under the belief that she would do more chores for the vice president, Teal readily accepted and was positively enamored with how opulent she discovered the bathroom to be.

"Zoo-wee-mama, this place is huge!" TZ gasped in awe as Theresa stepped into the shower. "You must be super lucky to have a place like this!"

"Why, thank you." Theresa smirked as she peeked her head out of the shower. "Now, would you be a doll and help me in here? I got some parts on my back that I just can't reach. My old lady arms can only stretch so far."

"You got it, hoss!" Teal willingly complied with a stuck-out tongue and quickly joined her teacher in the shower to help wash her back. "So what's this for, knowing which weak points to exploit on your enemy?"

"Uh, sure? Why not?" Theresa laughed nervously as she scrubbed her hair with shampoo, making Teal more suspicious as she continued with the vice president's back.

--

The following day, there were more chores for Teal Zircon to do, which she still assumed to be part of her Krav Maga training, though now she was slowly starting to get wise to the fact that Theresa was possibly using her. This time, she was told to tend to the garden room by watering flowers, throwing out dead flowers that have long since worn out their welcome, and helping new ones grow in the proper conditions.

"Ooh, these are some pretty rare ones you got here." Teal complimented Theresa's assortment of flowers. "Ooh, are these blue puyas you got here?!"

"Yeah, actually had to go out to Chile to find these bad boys." Theresa replied. "How do you know about these?"

"I take horticulture classes with Peridot. It comes with the territory." TZ answered while watering the blue puyas, noticing some jade vines hanging nearby. "And those have got to be jade vines! You're quite the explorer, aren't you?"

"Thanks for noticing, sport!" Theresa accepted the compliment with a smile. "I'm a real Poison Ivy here. Not the plant, in case you're wondering."

"Thank the stars." Teal began laughing at Theresa's declaration, but despite her reverie, she knew at some point she needed to ask the master she's had since yesterday about her motives.

--

Though Teal had fun spending time with Theresa and doing chores together, there had to come to a point where she needed to put her foot down and demand some real Krav Maga training, which came in the form of being told to take out the garbage.

"Wait, you want me to throw out HOW MUCH?!" Teal yelled as she gazed upon the massive amounts of trash piled up before her and Theresa.

"Come on, Teal, you Gems are strong; you can take it!" Theresa replied, unaware that it was time for Teal to stop playing along and say her peace.

"Okay, I think I've just about had enough time before I wanted to ask this." Teal declared as she turned to Theresa. "Are you sure this is real Krav Maga training, or are you just forcing me to do all your chores for you?"

"Took you long enough to ask that, huh?" Theresa frowned with a cross of her arms. "Well, to be honest, yeah. I was training you this whole time, but I also needed someone to do all the heavy lifting since I gave the staff time off for a bit and somebody had to fill in. And coincidentally, you were just the one to do it!"

"So all this time, I was never training to fire giant lasers from my hands, stretch my body like rubber, summon a ghost to do my fighting for me, turn into a living weapon, and all that cool anime stuff?" Teal asked, utterly disappointed by the answer she got when Theresa put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You still think martial arts is all cool anime stuff?" Theresa wondered soothingly. "It's adorable how people keep thinking everything they see on TV is real. But no, martial arts is more about learning to fight back, feeling more confident in yourself, and gaining some self-discipline too." She then started to get a little nostalgic. "In fact, you kinda remind me of me when I first started training."

"Ooh, are you going to tell me a backstory?!" Teal asked excitedly.

"You bet, and it's a long and awesome story too." Theresa responded as she began to tell her tale. "Got any gum? Anyways, it all started when I was a rowdy college kid a few decades ago."

--

Many years ago, during the 1990s, future vice president Theresa Maxwell was a spunky, tomboyish college student from Empire City studying at Empire State University who decided to travel abroad for the first semester of her senior year. She chose to study in Israel for her political science major and lived with a friendly nuclear Jewish family during her time there, but a trip to the market would soon change Maxwell's life forever.

"Thank you for your time, miss." A shopkeeper thanked Theresa as she walked away with some bread she had purchased from him.

"You're welcome!" the young college girl responded as she moved her way through tons of shopping Jews and Muslims crowded around her, restricting her free range of movement. "Hey, uh, can you all please move out of the way? I have to get home to my host family." Just then, however, she saw a pack of thugs menacing an old man nearby, and she felt it necessary to stand up for the senior citizen. "Hey, get away from him, you guys! You should respect your elders!"

"Hey, who gave you the right to boss us around, white girl?!" the leader of a bunch of snobby tourists yelled at Theresa. "I mean, it's not like you're the president, and it's now illegal for us to ask for directions!"

"Actually, I'm majoring in political science, so maybe I could become president." The future vice president smirked. "And I don't care if you were just asking for directions; there's no need to gang up on the elderly like that!"

The leader of the muggers smirked. "Okay, you asked for it." He snapped his fingers, cuing his two cronies to start ganging up on the college student, who had now just realized she had made a huge mistake.

"Uh, I surrender?" Theresa squeaked and pretended to wave a white flag before the two muggers started beating her up, giving the girl no chance to try and fight back.

"Wait, leave her alone!" the old man exclaimed before the leading tourist stopped him.

"We only wanted to ask for directions to the nearest church!" the tourist yelled at the geezer. "This all could've been avoided if you just listened to us!"

"Okay, it's down the street, and to your right, just let her go!" the old man hurriedly exclaimed, and with another snap of the tourist's fingers, his two cronies stopped torturing Theresa.

"Thank you for your time, good sir." The lead tourist grinned as he and his followers left the old man and the unconscious Theresa behind. "Friggin' foreigners."

"Oy gevalt, tourists." The old man shook his head in disgust before looking down at the comatose political science major at his feet. "Come, young lady, you need to rest." Scooping the girl in his arms, the elder carried her away from the market back to his home.

--

"Mmm, Day of Unity, Raine, human junk." Theresa muttered about an hour later as she rolled around before jolting awake. "Whoa, girls, you would not believe the dream I had!" she exclaimed like she was talking to her dormmates back in America. "I was a witch in this hellhole of an alternate dimension with a human apprentice, a bratty little demon son, and a crush on this cute band geek; I had a sister who cursed me to turn into a monster, and this creepy fascist Puritan wanted to kill us all!" As Theresa regained consciousness, she realized she wasn't in her dorm room with her three female roommates anymore. "Wait, this isn't Empire State."

"Hey you, you're finally awake." The old man from earlier said as he made his guest a light meal to recuperate with. "First of all, thank you for trying to help me out against those tourists. Americans, am I right?" Theresa just glared at him. "Oh, my mistake. And second, welcome to my home. What's your name, my dear?"

"Theresa Maxwell." Theresa introduced herself as she got off the bed the old man had placed her unconscious body on and received her meal. "I'm an Empire State University student studying political science and visiting here for the semester. I got three roommates back in the USA waiting for me named Carolyn, Victoria, and Lilith. What's your name, stranger?"

"My name is of no importance, Theresa." The old man answered. "But if you want, you can call me Dan."

"Okay, Dan." Theresa responded as she sat down to eat. "Why did you save me back there? I mean, I'm just as basic a college girl as you can get."

"Because regardless of your status, I can see you have a good heart and a desire to protect others." Dan responded while tracing a heart shape on Theresa's chest. "However, you can sometimes get in over your head and get yourself into trouble. However, some say that the path to peace begins with a friendly ear. You said you're studying political science, right? Do you intend to use that knowledge to help the less fortunate?"

"You bet I do!" Theresa exclaimed while slamming her hands on the table. "I dream of working for the government not because I'm some power-hungry lunatic who'll make the world worse than it already is, but because I want to make people feel good. And seeing everyone feel good just makes me feel good too!"

"There's that good heart I noticed." Dan beamed warmly. "Perhaps I can help you learn how to defend others and especially yourself better. Have you ever heard of Krav Maga?"

"What is that, some kind of weapon?" Theresa asked curiously.

"No, it is a form of martial art that I learned from my days in the Suez Crisis." Dan explained. "It is all about being aggressive, efficient, and above all else, being the last one standing. Or as I put it, strike first, strike hard, no mercy."

"Hey, just like in that movie!" Theresa's eyes lit up in awe upon hearing of Krav Maga for the first time. "You know, you're starting to remind me of that handyman guy."

"Is that so?" Dan smirked as he got up. "Well, let me show you how that handyman pales compared to me." He suddenly leaped into the air and dove down to grab Theresa by the neck, forcing her into a chokehold. "This is exactly what I spoke of! Strike first, strike hard, no mercy!"

"I see your point!" Theresa gasped for air while trying to free herself from the old master's grasp. "So, you gonna train me or what?!"

"Of course." Dan smiled and finally let his new student go.

For the remainder of Theresa's semester in Israel, she balanced her studying and spending time with her host family with rigorous Krav Maga training under Master Dan. He had set some decently high expectations for his new pupil. Theresa worked diligently to meet those expectations, but no matter how much she tried, there were many obstacles that she kept stumbling over.

"Theresa, quit laying around and get back to work!" Dan yelled and whapped Theresa with a stick. "I swear, I expected better from you, young lady!"

"I'm sorry, sir, I expected better of myself as well!" Theresa replied with a nervous bow. "It's just so draining to try being perfect all the time, but I can't stop making mistakes."

"Then make as many mistakes as you'd like." Dan advised. "For they are opportunities to learn. For example, you keep making the mistake of slacking off, yet that could also be a lesson about learning to be attentive to your surroundings."

That day, Theresa took those words to heart for the rest of her training with Dan, using them to master her reflexes and timing when it comes to disarming opponents at the flick of the wrist. However, like most things, her training had to come to an end when the semester ended, and she had to return to the States.

--

"Goodbye, Mr. and Mrs. Apu. Thank you for taking me in." Theresa began saying goodbye to her host family at the airport. "Goodbye, Iman and Kam. You were like the little brother and sister I never had."

"Uh, Theresa, I think there's someone else here to see you." Mr. Apu said as he noticed Master Dan approaching Theresa.

"He's standing right behind me, right?" Theresa asked rhetorically.

"Actually, I'm right next to you." Dan chuckled sneakily as he made Theresa jump in surprise. "Though it's a shame our time ran short, and you have to return to America, I will always remember the time we spent together, my girl. Good luck with your major, and be sure to remember me when you become president or something."

"Actually, I'm thinking more vice president, but yeah, me too." Theresa smiled sweetly as she gave her Krav Maga master one last hug goodbye. "Man, I can't wait to tell the girls back home about my time here!"

"Oh, and one more thing." Dan said before he reached behind his back and presented his student with a yellow Krav Maga belt. "For you, as a reminder of how far you've come. Maybe someday you can even become a black belt."

"You can bet on that." Theresa snorted as she stashed the belt in her backpack before remembering the time. "Oh, cheese and crackers, my flight's almost ready to take off! Gotta run!" She immediately raced off to catch her flight in time, hurriedly waving goodbye to her Israelian friends as she ran.

--

"Okay, this is a pretty nice story, but what does this have to do with my training?" Teal asked as Theresa finished her story.

"Well, to be frank, I just felt like telling that story, hoping I'd pass old Dan's lessons onto someone else." Theresa proclaimed. "But my point stands. I was a lot like you when I started my training. I thought I could talk big when I just got in way over my head. Maybe after hearing all that, we could start some real training."

"Finally!" Teal cheered. "Hey, can we do a few rounds on the trash first since we still have that to do?"

"Sure, go ahead." Theresa agreed, and the two got into a fighting stance to take on the massive amounts of trash together. It was here where Teal got the proper Krav Maga training she wanted all along, utilizing what she did in the chores Theresa made her do and mixing them with what Theresa was teaching her now. Before Teal knew it, she felt like she was ready to face Jasper in an epic rematch.

--

"You feel ready for this, Teal?" Theresa asked Teal Zircon as the two were driven back to Little Homeworld in a presidential limousine. "You sure you don't wanna go back and do a few more warmups?"

"No, I'm ready. No need to worry so much." Teal answered resolutely as the limo got closer to Little Homeworld. "All I need is all you've trained me to do and my drive to win."

"Miss Maxwell, we have arrived." The driver announced as Teal looked around the car windows to discover numerous Gems gathering around the vehicle in awe. "And Miss Zircon, happy fighting."

"Well, this is it." Teal smiled at her master as she prepared to get out of the car. "Wish me luck."

"You got this, sweetheart." Theresa smiled back as Teal stepped out of the limo and immediately made herself known.

"JASPER! I AM HERE!" Teal roared for her rival, taking the crowd aback. "JASPER, FACE ME!"

"Is that Teal?" Pearl whispered to the other Crystal Gems. "What has she been up to with Theresa?"

"I like this new Teal!" Amethyst exclaimed in delight.

"Hopefully, this won't end up like last time." Garnet responded.

"Jasper, do you fear me?!" Teal kept asking Jasper to show herself, but she still got no answer.

"Is Jasper keeping us waiting for dramatic effect, or is she just not going to show up?" Lapis wondered as the Gems got more and more impatient.

"Come on! Somebody throw a punch already!" Peridot yelled before they noticed a shadow flying overhead.

"Hey, is that-" Bismuth began when White Topaz cut her off.

"It is!" White Topaz exclaimed before Jasper landed on the ground, creating a small crater beneath her feet.

"I am here!" Jasper boomed as she prepared for her long-awaited rematch. "Took you long enough to come crawling back. And I hear you got a little training in too."

"Just like you wanted, you big orange Amazon." Teal responded while clenching her fists and putting up her dukes. "It's clobbering time!"

"Now we're talking." Jasper beckoned Teal to come and get her as the epic showdown began.

"Round one, begin!" Theresa's driver yelled to commence the battle. Teal made the first move, pouncing straight at Jasper and clawing at her face. Jasper retaliated by snatching Teal by the waist and smashing her to the ground, surprising their audience.

"Whoa, right off the bat, neither of them is showing a shred of mercy!" Amethyst commentated on the match. "But it looks like Teal might have a bit of an edge on her!"

"Goongala, goongala!" Teal chanted as she got up and pulled on Jasper's hair before spinning her around. "GOONGALA!" She then threw Jasper into the air, causing the quartz to crash into the whirly-bird tower, but Jasper managed to bounce back and tackle Teal to the ground, sealing her victory.

"Round one, Jasper wins!" the driver yelled. "Now, round two! Begin!"

"Don't get too cocky!" Teal declared before she gave Jasper a mean headbutt that rendered her temporarily incapacitated, allowing the Zircon enough time to regain her bearings as Jasper shook her head. "Come at me, bro!"

"I have to admit; we certainly are evenly matched." Jasper grimaced. "But you just trained with a human for only a day. I, on the other hand, have been fighting since the day I was created, and I've forever known what you fail to understand! STRENGTH ALWAYS PREVAILS!"

"Teal, look out!" Theresa yelled for Teal, but she was too late. Jasper summoned her crash helmet and rammed straight into the Zircon from behind. One wrong move, and Teal would've been poofed on the spot. Instead, Jasper merely smashed her to the ground again.

"Round two, Jasper wins!" the driver yelled again. "Final round, begin!"

"So, are you ready to give up yet, TZ?" Jasper growled while grabbing Teal by her collar. "Or do you still have that drive to win, as you call it?" Teal did not answer, instead wearily looking towards the worried Theresa Maxwell and giving her a soft grin. "WIPE THAT GRIN OFF YOUR FACE!"

"Someone, play my song." Teal croaked out a request. White Topaz's eyebrows perked up, and she immediately pulled out her phone, somehow knowing just which song the Zircon her girlfriend was fighting wanted.

"DRIVE TO WIN! DRIVE TO WIN!" the phone began blaring. "THE ONLY THING IN MY HEAD IS THE DRIVE TO WIN!"

"Wait, is that-" Jasper wondered before she was grabbed by the neck, and her face soon wiped the ground.

"Wax on, wax off!" Teal yelled as the song continued. "Wash cycle!" She then hoisted Jasper into the air and started spinning her in the air.

"I have been training all my life, yes, all my life! All that time I spent was for the purpose to FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!" the phone kept singing as Teal started jabbing Jasper in the eyes while crying out "POOL BOY!"

"Where did this come from?!" Jasper yelled at the sheer ridiculousness of the names for Teal's moves as she was chopped in the face, followed by being stomped in the back.

"She's really learned." Theresa beamed with pride as Teal went for the finishing blow.

"If you want power, say it with me now! All you gotta do is eat RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT! Always have a good meal three times a day, that will give you the DRIVE TO WIN!" The song finished just as Teal tossed Jasper into the air, grabbed her mid-descent, and spun around while slamming Jasper facefirst into the ground.

"ROUND THREE, TEAL ZIRCON WINS!" the driver declared, sealing Teal's victory as the other Gems celebrated their friend's victory.

"I have to admit; you really were unpredictable in that last round." Jasper coughed while getting up and brushing herself clean. "Maybe you are a good fighter after all."

"Hey, you weren't so bad yourself, y'know." Teal responded as the two bowed with respect to each other.

"Hm, for someone so simple-minded, she's quite strong and charismatic." Black Rutile mused to herself as she blended in with the jubilant Gems. "That Zircon could be very useful to have on my side." Without anyone else noticing, Black Rutile seemingly vanished into thin air.

--

Later that day, as the celebrations finally ended and everyone returned to their regular routines, it was time for Theresa to leave her student behind so she could return to Washington. "I have to admit, kid, you really took me by surprise there."

"You said it." Jasper smirked at the vice president. "Who knew humans could be so skilled?"

"It was very nice of you to take Teal in so she can learn to defend herself better." Garnet thanked Theresa. "While she was pretty capable on the battlefield in the Rebellion, it was mostly thanks to her illusions that she was able to keep herself from getting shattered."

"Wait, illusions?" Theresa asked. "How come I never knew about that? And how is that possible?"

"Oh, it's just something I can use thanks to this bracelet I keep hidden under my sleeve." Teal stated as she pulled back her sleeve to reveal a dark green-colored bracelet with a blue gem decorating it. "Wanna see what it can do?" With a press on the gem, Teal conjured up a horse head that landed in Theresa's hands. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"Yeah, that's great." Theresa nervously said as she dropped the fake horse head and spread her arms out for a hug. "You really made me proud. Now, how about a hug, sweetie?" Teal immediately took up the offer, and the two women squeezed each other tight for what felt like ages for them.

"Aw, she's made a new friend." Pearl cooed at the adorable sight before the two let go, and Theresa prepared to return to the limo, but one thing was still missing.

"HEY!" Amethyst yelled at Theresa from behind, making the vice president turn around to face the little purple Gem. "You still owe me a little one-on-one!"

"Well, I'm a woman of my word." Theresa smirked at Amethyst as she took off her suit jacket and took a fighting stance. "Just gotta warn you, these designer heels aren't just made for walking!"

"Oh, it is on!" Amethyst replied as she shapeshifted into a stereotypical martial artist with a sleeveless black gi, a white headband, and a matching-colored belt. "Don't expect a flawless victory for you!"

"You're in for a real fatality yourself." Theresa smiled as the two women charged at each other, ready for a fight.

--

I think this might be my favorite chapter of Little Homeworld Life to write yet. Being able to write more of Teal Zircon is one thing, but giving her a wholesome student-teacher bond with the vice-president of all people is another! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I did, because next time, I'm pretty sure we can get much higher. And by higher, I mean my spin on human Gems. See you later!

#steven universe #steven universe future #fanfiction #steven universe alternate future #little homeworld life #teal zircon #theresa maxwell #jasper #garnet #amethyst #pearl #peridot #lapis lazuli #bismuth #white topaz #president eduardo suarez #wade grant

[krrw2020]

BOC-Zamboanga urged to donate confiscated smuggled rice

ZAMBOANGA CITY--The City Council has requested President Rodrigo Duterte to order the Bureau of Customs (BOC) here to donate the confiscated smuggled rice to the victims of Typhoon "Ompong" (Mangkhut) in this city. In a resolution passed on Tuesday, City Council members also expressed their desire to hold a dialogue with BOC officials to expedite the donation. Upon the President's approval, the City Council said the confiscated rice will be donated to the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO). In turn, the CSWDO will distribute the rice to the 193 families affected by Typhoon Ompoing and poor families affected by the rice crisis here. Vicente Eduardo Suarez Torres of the local BOC office said there are 17,000 bags of rice in the possession of the agency here. Torres said that of the number, 11,000 bags are up for public auction while the remaining 6,000 bags are set to be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional office on orders of Finance Sec. Carlos Dominguez III. The DSWD will distribute the rice to families displaced by the onslaught of Typhoon Ompong. (PNA)

#philippines #pilipinas #pinoy #filipino #phnews #pinas #noypi #pilipino

[andrewmoocow]

Little Homeworld Life chapter 14: It’s Tough To Be A Star (originally published on March 28, 2023)

AN: At long last, we're finally back! This set of thirteen all-new chapters will provide you with enough fun, mystery, and drama to keep you engaged in this world before I inevitably have to put it to an end with the upcoming Snake Eyes. When last we left off, the evil alternate universe versions of the Crystal Gems were sent packing back to their home universe by the Crystal Gems we know, with a little help from a good version of Black Rutile from the same universe. But where do we go from here? Well, let's find out, shall we?

Synopsis: The Gems learn of their newfound star-power from the President, but some have let it go to their heads more than others.

Cast:

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl

Shelby Rabara as Peridot

Jennifer Paz as Lapis

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Casey Lee Williams as Cat's Eye

Lin-Manuel Miranda as President Eduardo Suarez

Jon Wurster as Marty

Casey Robertson as Neil Michaels

Richard Horvitz as Christopher Cage

Alexia Khadime as Sardonyx

Billie Eilish as Turquoise

Featuring T-Pain as Sam Galley

Jay Leno as Leonard Jason

Anderson Cooper as Andrew Cooper

And Shanelle Grey as Sally Grove

--

"Welcome back, everyone!" Sardonyx yelled delightedly on a talk show set with Turquoise as her guest of honor while a canned audience cheered excitedly. "Hoo boy, that was quite a commercial break we had there, huh? Well, at least our sponsors won't be breathing down our necks now! On that note, please welcome our next guest, Turquoise!"

"Hey everyone, nice to see you." Turquoise awkwardly greeted her screaming fans. "Thanks for having me on here, Sardonyx, love your show." She said to the host of the show. "So, remind me, this is about fusions?"

"Why yes, my dear!" Sardonyx laughed. "We stage this program to interview the various fusions around Little Homeworld, get a taste of their bond, and maybe show off their abilities too! Which reminds me, kiddo, how does it feel being the embodiment of a rather rocky relationship?"

"Surprisingly stable, actually." Turquoise responded. "Lapis and Peridot have definitely had their issues, sure, but they managed to grow past all that. Through all the struggles and suffering like any other duo had, they've had each other, and that's all that-"

"OMG, is that Lapis Lazuli?!" a voice yelled as a tourist got up on stage to strike a pose with Turquoise. "Quick, Blaine, get a picture!"

"Hey, I was in the middle of a poignant speech here!" Turquoise complained as Blaine took a picture of her with the tourist. "Where did you come from?!"

"Yeah, that's what I want to know." Sardonyx added crossly. "Security!" As Topaz unfused to drag the excited tourist away, more of them began to show up and crowd around Sardonyx. "Where are you all coming from?!"

"Oh, we're just on a tour of Beach City, home to some of Earth's mightiest heroes!" another tourist replied eagerly.

"WHOO, AMETHYST FOR LIFE!" a particularly eager tourist yelled as he took off his shirt and began swinging it around, revealing that he had a tattoo resembling an amethyst gem on his chest. "Hey, you wanna know who Amethyst reminds me of? My mom!"

"Well, unfortunately, it looks like we'll have to cut this short so we can get to the bottom of this." Sardonyx said while preparing to unfuse. "Until next time everyone, remember to- "

"KNOW! YOUR! FUSION!" the audience yelled in unison as Sardonyx unfused into Garnet and Pearl.

"So let me get this straight: you consider us Earth's mightiest heroes?" Pearl asked the growing horde of tourists. "I mean, sure, we had saved the Earth multiple times in the past, like last month when we fought those evil versions of ourselves, but I wouldn't consider us heroes."

"We need to get to the bottom of this." Garnet declared while Turquoise unfused into Lapis and Peridot. "Lapis, Peridot, get the others. We need to call someone about this."

--

Once Garnet, Pearl, Lapis, and Peridot contacted Bismuth, Amethyst, Jasper, and White Topaz about the current situation. There was only one person who could give them some answers on what was happening, and he was only a video chat away.

"Uh, for the last time, Sorayama, I'm unsure if I can trust you with our nuclear weapons array." US President Eduardo Suarez groaned as he turned around in his chair, only to realize that he was actually speaking to the Crystal Gems. "Oh, dios mio, the Crystal Gems! Feels like we haven't talked in a while! How are things holding up in Beach City?"

"We're doing muy bien, Eddy!" Amethyst replied. "Hey buddy, could you be a pal and answer us just one question?"

"We've discovered some tourists visiting Little Homeworld and treating us like celebrities." Garnet said. "Please tell us why this is happening."

"Oh yeah, forgot to tell you about that." Eduardo sheepishly proclaimed. "Ever since your recent victories against Black Rutile, The Sickle, and now that Crystal Regime or whatever it was called, your approval ratings have skyrocketed! People from all over the world are cheering your names! Words cannot describe how pleased I am to hear all this praise pouring out from all over, especially after how Black Rutile nearly turned the world against you!"

"Wait, we're famous?!" Amethyst cried eagerly. "YAHOO!"

"About time we got some credit for our deeds." Garnet smirked pridefully. "But let's not let this get to our heads, everyone. We're still citizens of Earth at the end of the day."

"Are you kidding me?!" Peridot exclaimed. "We're now on par with the likes of Christopher Cage, Jacob Steele, Edward Christian, and Bella Anastasia! Just imagine it, our names in shining lights, our footprints on the Los Diego Crosswalk of Legends!"

"Yeah, I'm pretty excited too, but why me?" Lapis asked. "Didn't I drown hundreds of people across three third-world countries, nearly cause tons of economic crises, and put tons of ocean life at risk of extinction?"

"Frankly, I'm not too sure how to feel about this." Bismuth stated. "I mean, what's it like as a celebrity?"

"Yeah, that's what I want to know too." Jasper added. "Like, is it anything like Peridot said?"

"Yeah, kind of," Eduardo answered. "As a celebrity, you are expected to preserve your image by treating your fans and the general public with respect, committing to endorsement and major motion picture deals, and try not to succumb to any human vices that'll cause you to get canceled on the spot. In fact, I already contacted a freelance talent manager to come give you the lowdown on what you'll be doing from here on out!"

"Talent manager?" Pearl asked just as the Gems heard the door open, and discovered a short, dark-skinned man in a suit and trilby hat standing before them with a briefcase in hand. "Is that you?"

"Why yes, that's me. Sam Galley, freelance talent manager at your service." The man introduced himself like a gentleman. "I've worked with some of the finest actors in the business for as long as I could remember. John Chaney, Velvett Johannason, Jack L. Samuels, all of them some of the highest grossing in the business, thanks to me. But never have I thought my latest clients would be so out of this world. I truly think this partnership could benefit me, I mean us, in the long run."

"Oh, why thank you, Mr. Galley." Pearl said while shaking Sam's hand. "Now then, is there anything you'd like for us to do?"

"Oh no, no need to ask him, girls." Eduardo stated. "Just listen to what he says, and you'll do the rest! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go have lunch with the familia. Bye!" As soon as Eduardo ended the chat, Sam shut the computer and pushed it away so he could sit on the coffee table.

"Okay, girls, work with me here!" Sam exclaimed. "There's a whole world of possibilities for you to explore! I'm talking film deals, television, goodwill tours, music labels, and all the merchandise you could imagine!" To prove his point, Mr. Galley presented the Gems with some ideas for the merch. "Clothing lines are huge, for one. Just imagine your attire being the next big fashion trend! Ooh, or maybe an autobiography or two! And let's not forget, the Lapis Lazuli brand flamethrower!" He presented some concept art of a blue flamethrower, which made Lapis raise her eyebrows at the irony of the idea. "The test audiences love this one!"

"I still have no strong feelings about this, one way or the other." Bismuth proclaimed.

"Ooh, I'll take twenty!" White Topaz eagerly said.

"Guys, you have no idea what this could do for us." Amethyst declared. "Soon, we might not need this old beach house anymore; we could just give it to Greg while we, I don't know, build ourselves a mansion or something!"

"Now, let's not get too ahead of ourselves, Amethyst." Pearl cautioned the Quartz. "I swear, this is exactly what I just warned you about, and you're so quick to forget it."

"Now, Pearl, no need to get so worried." Peridot smugly responded as drum music began playing, and she began to sing. "I hardly think I'm qualified to come across all sanctified; I just don't cut it with all my followers."

"Yo Peri, what are you talking about?" Amethyst asked the green Gem while gesturing to legions of fans bowing before them. "There again, they're on their knees! Being celebrities is a breeze! Which I think suits the two of us no lower."

"Us no lower, us no lower! Just me and her!" Peridot began to realize. "Oh, my stars!"

"IT'S TOUGH TO BE A STAR!" the duo sang together while Sam served as a backup dancer, and the other Crystal Gems looked around at the sudden musical number taking place.

"Movies, TV shows, and a fancy car! Being worshipped, not like it's a high bar!" Peridot declared as she perched atop a giant statue of herself. "Be the object of devotion, the subject of shrines!"

"It's quite a heartfelt notion; all the autographs and camera shines." Amethyst remarked as photographers and autograph hounds surrounded the duo.

"And who am I to bridle when people consider me an idol?" Peridot asked in exchange. "If they say that I'm an icon, that's what I am!" She then took Amethyst aside to tell her the drawbacks of celebrity godhood. "What's more, if we don't comply with the fanbase's wishes, I see ourselves being canceled online."

"Oh yeah, that's definitely possible." Amethyst concurred. "So let's be stars; the perks are great!"

"Yeah, all of entertainment on a plate!" Peridot exclaimed with big cigars for her, Amethyst, and Sam to stick in their mouths.

"Now we're talking!" Amethyst cried in delight. "Everyone's feelings should not be rebuffed!"

"Never rebuff, a-never rebuff our public's feelings!" Peridot scatted. "No, my friend!"

"It's tough to be a star, but if our fans raise the bar!" the two proclaimed. "Count your blessings, keep 'em happy; that's our advice!"

"Really great advice!" Peridot stated.

"Be seen as pure perfection; they worship us like a cult." The pair parroted. "Showered with praise, no time for reflection, when the multitudes exalt!"

"This could become a habit!" Amethyst cued for the song to end while the Gems and Sam hopped in a limo.

"Call us insane not to grab it!" Peridot agreed.

"You got it!" Amethyst yelled.

"So sign these shining stars up for paradise!" the star duo exclaimed. "PARADISE!"

"Uh, what just happened?" Lapis asked worriedly once the song finally ended.

"I don't know, and I'm not sure if I'm going to like what this will lead up to." Jasper agreed. Unbeknownst to the Gems, however, Black Rutile was watching the entire thing, and the big musical number had given her some ideas.

--

"So let me get this straight," Cat's Eye said as Black Rutile sat down on her computer. "the Crystal Gems are apparently celebrities now? Frankly, I'm not surprised it's come to this point, but I find this a little ridiculous."

"Well, that is why I need your help." Black Rutile said while browsing the popular social media site Yatter. "How do I gain as much attention and supporters as theirs to get somewhere with my newest plan?"

"Oh, funny you should mention that." Cat replied before turning her phone over to Black Rutile. "You're pretty famous as well." To Black Rutile's delight, dozens of users were pouring out their support for her under the hashtag #BlackRutileWasRight, with messages varying from how they're fascist sympathizers or poor excuses for role models. "Yeah, you're pretty popular among incels, conservatives, homophobes, skinheads, conspiracy theorists, users utilizing the tag to fantasize about their favorite Korean boy bands, and just people abusing the Internet's power of anonymity to get away with whatever they want."

"This can't be real, can it?" Black Rutile muttered in amazement before she suddenly had an idea. "Remind me, Cat, what do all these have in common?"

"They're complete idiots who shape their identity around believing everything they read?" Cat replied while filing her nails.

"Exactly!" Cat proclaimed while looking at one of the most liked posts on the tag that read "The Crystal Gems basically thrive on white savior complex, discuss." Her mouth curled into a cat-like smile before tapping on the user who posted it, who went by Sally Grove. "Ooh, she's probably your biggest fan! You should talk to her!"

"I'm sorry; what is this white savior complex?" Black Rutile squinted in disbelief over the sheer audacity of such an opinion. "Besides, Steven has a slightly pinkish skin tone, and everyone else has varying inhuman skin colors."

"You'll find out soon enough." Cat said. "Want me to reply for you? Maybe I can arrange for you two to meet up!"

"Fine, I'll dictate for you what the post must say." Black Rutile said before Cat began typing precisely what she said. "Greetings, Sally Grove. I am Black Rutile of the Rutile Rebels, an organization dedicated to combatting the oppressive regime of the Crystal Gems and their little champion, Steven Universe. I recently came across this post and insist we meet up somehow because I feel you might relate so much to me. Please respond ASAP."

"And send!" Cat's Eye proclaimed as she finished the post and submitted it, when she suddenly got a response. "Wow, that was quick!"

"Dear Black Rutile, I am amazed to be in your presence, considering that you're a wanted criminal under house arrest." Sally's response read. "I never trusted the Crystal Gems to begin with. Their message of kindness and love makes me feel so uncomfortable since I am a total cynic who sees the worst in everyone and vehemently despises any act of goodwill."

"Wow, she wears her hatred of good people on her sleeve, just like me!" Black Rutile exclaimed. "What else does it say?"

"If you wish to talk with me, I shall DM you my contact info so we can video chat. Hope to see you soon." Cat's Eye finished reading before putting down her phone. "Can you believe this?! We've struck paydirt!"

"One question though, what does DM stand for?" Black Rutile asked.

"It means direct message." Cat's Eye answered. "The humans who use the Internet have a very strange vernacular they use. Like for example, OMG means oh my gosh." Just then, a DM popped up from Sally Grove asking to video chat with Black Rutile. "Well, here goes nothing."

The two Gems sent the link to Black Rutile's computer and opened the invite. On the screen, a blonde woman with aqua-green eyes behind a thick pair of glasses sat down staring at Black Rutile. "Hello there. I suppose you may be Black Rutile, correct?"

"Yes, I am she." Black Rutile stated. "I have only just discovered you, yet I feel like the two of us could become like sisters to each other. United by our shared hatred of the Crystal Gems!"

"Yeah, but I prefer to discuss my dislike of them through my controversial opinions." Sally stated. "You prefer plots to try and take over the world or something corny like that."

"My schemes are not that corny!" a very offended Black Rutile exclaimed before composing herself. "Anyways, I discovered your posts through a little hashtag proclaiming #BlackRutileWasRight, used primarily by people who share my viewpoints."

"Oh yeah, that." Sally casually said. "I was the one who started that hashtag because I find it so hard to believe that a rampaging monster is actually a hero of the universe!"

"Exactly!" Black Rutile cheered. For what felt like hours on end, the two continued talking with each other, sharing stories and decrying the Crystal Gems over the Internet. For the first time in forever, Black Rutile felt like she had found someone who could finally understand her. And now, she has the perfect tool to use to further her vengeance.

--

In the meantime, the Crystal Gems were now living the life of celebrities and all it entailed. For Pearl in particular, she was sent off to the set of a big-budget movie under Sam's orders. Things seemed innocent enough, but something about the sets, the props, and the giant dinosaur-like creature seemed familiar to her.

"Uh, hello, everyone." Pearl shyly greeted. "I'm Pearl, and I've been sent here by Sam Galley to star in whatever movie you're making here."

"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in." the familiar voice of Neil Michaels, Pearl's one-time rival from Los Diego, purred as he strolled in. "Hello there Pearl, long time no see."

"Neil Michaels?!" Pearl gasped in alarm. "What are you doing here?!"

"What am I doing here?!" Neil exclaimed. "This is the set of my newest movie you've come upon! It shall be my latest box office masterpiece in the making, and I call it-"

"Michaels, what are you doing?" another voice asked as he strolled towards Pearl. He was visibly far older than Neil and had a bit of a shark motif to his clothing. "Oh, are you one of those Crystal Gems everyone talks about?"

"I'm sorry, I'm kind of drawing a blank on you, and we know pretty much everyone in Beach City." Pearl said. "Who are you again? I feel like I've heard of you somewhere before."

"Don't you remember? It's me, Marty!" Marty exclaimed. "I was Greg's manager; I was the guy who made him rich with that burger jingle! Come on, not ringing any bells?"

"Oh yes, Morty!" Pearl realized despite getting Marty's name horribly wrong. "I think I remember you. What brings you here?"

"I'm here working with Neil Michaels after I got sued for my Guacola causing food poisoning." Marty stated. "I got into the film business to recoup my losses, and business is booming."

"That reminds me, what film are we making here?" Pearl asked. "I feel like I'm getting a sense of déjà vu here."

"I am so glad you asked!" Neil proclaimed as he pulled out his phone and presented a trailer for his new movie. The mood was set quite well, Pearl admitted to herself, but then came the film's title.

"Oh my lord, it's coming!" the motion picture's leading man, played by Christopher Cage, screamed in horror before it cut to the words "THE PINK BEAST OF THE BAY" in big pink letters. "Based on a true story." An announcer declared. "This film is not yet rated."

"Wait, is this based on Steven's meltdown?!" Pearl screeched angrily at Neil and Marty's toothy grins. "How could you?!"

"Yes, and we thought you'd make a perfect leading lady!" Neil replied happily. "Given that you were there that day, your point of view could really make our-"

"Don't tumble my rocks here, Michaels!" Pearl roared as she grabbed the arrogant director by his collar and dragged him so close, her nose could almost poke his eye out. "You knew exactly what you were doing when you conceived such an idea!"

"Cut me some slack; I didn't realize that was your little friend when I saw him on TV that time!" Neil tried desperately to save face while struggling to free himself from the angry Gem's grasp. "Listen, I'll allow you full creative control over the writing, I'll let you do whatever you want if you don't kill me here! Seriously, I have not been this disrespected since that party at Jeffrey's island!"

"Oy, Gems." Marty rolled his eyes in disgust. "Okay, Pearlie, put the nice man down and hear him out."

"And what will I get if I comply?" Pearl coldly asked as she dropped Neil to the ground when Marty suddenly presented her with a big sack of cash. "What is that?"

"Approximately 4.3 billion dollars, give or take." Marty said. "If you want this much cash, you gotta accept our offer. Capische?" he suggested with a sharklike smile. "Come on. You wouldn't want to disappoint Sammy, right?"

Though she had a bad history with Neil Michaels and absolutely refused to partake in this mockery of Steven's mental health, Pearl couldn't bear to disappoint anyone, least of all an important figure in the entertainment industry. "Okay, fine, I'll do what you want, you mongrels."

"Happy to be working with you, Pearl." Marty stated as Pearl replaced the sack of cash with her hand, and the two shook. "You're going to love what we have planned."

--

"IT'S THE AFTER DARK SHOW, WITH YOUR FABULOUS HOST!" the announcer of a talk show excitedly cried as its aging host jogged on stage, high-fiving some of his fans in the front row of the studio audience along the way. "LEONAAAAARD JASON!"

"Thank you, thank you! You're all too kind!" Leonard Jason chuckled as he sat down at his desk. "We got an interesting show tonight, folks. I've had some unique guests before, but none are quite this out of this world. Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you Amethyst and Peridot!"

The audience cheered wildly as the camera panned to show the two Gems sitting on a couch across from Leonard. "Thanks for having us, Leonard; being on here is like a badge of honor." Amethyst said.

"Please, you're too kind." Leonardo smiled in reply. "Now tell us, your friends tell me that they found you years after the war ended in a Kindergarten. Tell me what that's like."

"Well, being the runt of the litter who emerged for a war that already ended certainly took a lot out of me." Amethyst responded. "Feeling like I'm useless, like I never asked to be made, a sorrowful story. Which you can read all about in my latest book!" She then presented her book with a portrait of Amethyst on its purple cover. "The Kindergarten Kid On the Run, coming soon everywhere where books are sold!"

"And on the topic of writing, I'd like to announce that I've begun pitching my ideal reboot of Camp Pining Hearts to its original network, The DW." Peridot declared proudly, to the excitement of thousands. "In addition to being a far superior reboot than the atrocity we already got that'll appease both original fans and new generations, I also made sure it appealed to my personal tastes. Which means yes, Percy and Pierre will be an official couple from the start."

"Wow, an author and a TV writer right off the bat, what more could you want?" Leonard asked his audience. "But I think we've all seen enough TV shows where the character becomes famous for an episode to know what could come next. Eventually, the fame will get to your heads, and you'll start ignoring your friends in favor of your fellow celebrities before realizing that friendship matters more than fame, hm?"

"Geez, you're starting to sound like Pearl." Amethyst snarked, causing the viewers to laugh. "But no, Peri and I are ensuring that doesn't happen. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

--

Faraway from Beach City, meanwhile, Lapis was now on a private jet with Sam flying through the skies towards Africa. "So, where did you say we were going again?"

"We'll be heading off to a little village in Tanzania, which I hear was one of the many third-world countries you attacked." Sam stated while reading a newspaper. "You remember that, right?"

"Yes, very well." Lapis groaned in embarrassment as she buried her face in her hands.

"Aw, don't be too guilty," Sam assured Lapis. "this is all for a goodwill tour I've arranged to improve your reputation. According to your approval ratings, you're not very popular among these countries you've nearly drowned."

"Great." Lapis replied dryly before the plane touched down in Tanzania, and the two disembarked to be greeted by a group of suspicious civilians. "Uh, hello, everyone."

"It's here, the water witch!" one of the citizens screamed, causing a riot where everyone started throwing trash, rocks, and produce at Lapis, making her look very worried as she tried to shield herself with her wings.

"Now, friends, we don't have to fight!" Sam tried to placate the furious masses while quietly passing out pamphlets. "My companion here is simply here to talk with you about how much she has changed since that day she nearly killed you all. I can assure you, she has had time to think about the consequences of her actions and went to many lengths to atone for them."

"Yeah, I've changed so much since then." Lapis agreed with Sam. "Please, just give me the benefit of the doubt, and maybe we can get along then."

"Oh, so does that mean we can take down this statue of you we deface every day in honor of everyone you drowned?" another civilian said while pointing at that very Lapis statue, which was covered in toilet paper, graffiti saying things like "BURN THE WITCH!", "WANTS TO GO HOME MY ASS!" and various obscenities, and some stains that Lapis doesn't even want to know where they came from. And this all just made her feel even worse.

--

"Hello, everyone, and welcome back to 90 Minutes." Andrew Cooper, the host of the news program 90 Minutes, announced as the show returned from a commercial break. "With me right now are four members of the esteemed Crystal Gems, Garnet, Bismuth, Jasper, and White Topaz. Welcome, ladies. So glad you could accept this offer."

"Well, technically, we didn't accept it. It was just arranged for us." Bismuth answered. "But regardless, it's nice to be here, Mr. Cooper."

"Now, onto today's topic." Cooper said while shuffling some papers in his hands. "You may consider yourselves alien lifeforms, but I have seen people online say that you are an inspiration to people of color and abuse survivors. Would you care to share your opinions?"

"As delighted as I am to see people consider us role models, I'm not sure I'm following this." Garnet said. "You're allowed to believe what you want, but I'm not sure I'd consider us people of color because we are from another planet. Therefore, we don't fit your definition of race."

"I think they mean color in a literal sense, like how Bismuth is purple, Jasper is orange, etc." White Topaz replied to Garnet. "No, wait, I think I'm getting this wrong.

"Let's remain on subject, girls." Andrew interrupted the banter. "As I stated, Garnet, you may not actually be human, but your struggles are very human, which is what makes you relatable."

"Okay, that; I can definitely see your point!" Jasper exclaimed. "For example, I was the victim of a mutually abusive relationship that lasted for months while my partner and I were trapped under the sea!"

"That is a sentence I never thought I'd hear on my show." Andrew deadpanned. "That reminds me, would you care to discuss your version of human relationships?"

--

"Boring!" Cat's Eye grumbled as she switched the channel from 90 Minutes to some kind of sports game. "Ugh, I can't stand this! I've already had enough of everyone here singing the praises of those Gems in Little Homeworld, but the entire world is doing it now? Someone get me an aspirin; I have a headache!"

Black Rutile ignored Cat's complaining as she continued chatting with Sally over the Internet and was utterly enamored with what she was hearing. "You know, you have taught me so much in our time together. For example, what is this 420 I hear people laughing about?"

"Oh, that's just a random number that's code for "ha ha ha, drugs are funny" or "adults who still watch cartoons." Sally answered bluntly. "So tell me again, what are you planning?"

"I've concocted many revenge plots over my imprisonment here in Little Homeworld, but I think this one might be my deadliest yet." Black Rutile proclaimed as she presented the torn page of Rasputina's grimoire. "This is a page of a magic book I stole that tells of an ancient being of chaos known as Flipso. Once I unleash him onto the world, I'll be utterly unstoppable!"

"Interesting." Sally smiled evilly. "How can I possibly help?"

"I'm not sure if you can fit into my plot at the moment, but I do have one mission for you." Black Rutile answered. "If you have the time, use that hashtag to gather me more followers, and together, the two of us will restore the Rutile Rebels into an unstoppable army!"

"I'll see what I can do." Sally stated. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to start recording my newest video. It's about why KA Howling isn't actually a bigot; people are just jealous of a woman being superior to them in every way imaginable."

"Isn't that the lady who wrote all those wizard books?" Black Rutile asked. "Ooh, you truly are evil! You're wasting your time as an Internet personality when your personality is more befitting that of a supervillain!"

"Oh, you're too kind." Sally blushed. "Bye-bye now!" The chat then finally ended, causing Black Rutile to get up from her chair and walk over to Cat's Eye with an excited grin on her face.

"Sounds like you two had a good time." Cat's Eye said while taking a long drag of her cigarette. "What did you two talk about?"

"Oh, we went on and on about how repulsive and hypocritical the Crystal Gems are; it's like meeting a human version of me!" Black Rutile sighed dreamily. "She completes me."

"Oy, get a room, you two." Cat rolled her eyes. "That reminds me, are you sure she genuinely hates the Crystal Gems, or is it born out of jealousy that they're superior to her in every way and will be remembered for centuries while she'll be even less than a mere footnote in history?"

"Don't say that!" Black Rutile exclaimed. "I just have living proof that there are people who despise the same individuals I do, and therefore they will believe everything I say! Which reminds me, give me your phone." Cat's eye complied, and Black Rutile immediately took to Yatter. Almost instantly, she found numerous new posts on the #BlackRutileWasRight tag talking about her chat with Sally, and how Sally was using the tag to gather many new followers for the Rutile Rebels. "You know, we should make a dedicated page to the Rutile Rebels soon. Would you like that?"

"Oh yes, very much." Cat nodded eagerly.

--

"Now, onto our next subject for tonight." Cooper continued. "Recent social media posts claim that you are, quote, "fascist sympathizers" simply because you dared to show a hand of kindness to the oppressive rulers of your race. Is that true?"

"Wait, what?!" Bismuth yelled. "Who's saying such things?"

"Just an online influencer calling herself Sally Grove who is using the tag #BlackRutileWasRight." Andrew proclaimed as he brought the tweet up on the screen. "And if my admittedly barebones knowledge of your social media rings true, cancel culture might be working its magic soon enough."

"It was either reach out to the very people we've sworn to fight or let those corrupted Gems languish in agony!" Bismuth yelled abruptly, giving Cooper a spook. "We never forgave the Diamonds; we're simply giving them a chance to atone for what they've done!"

"And I think we're done for tonight!" Cooper nervously declared as Garnet dragged Bismuth away. "Join us next week for another episode of 90 Minutes where we ask ourselves if artificial intelligence can revolutionize the paperclip industry!"

--

As soon as word got out about the tag, the Crystal Gems reassembled at the Crystal Temple to discuss this recent development. Pearl had just finished shooting for The Pink Beast of the Bay and had to avoid Marty following her home; Garnet, Jasper, and White Topaz pacified Bismuth enough for her to return home, Peridot and Amethyst were on the run from an inexplicable mob, and Lapis decided to fly home after her goodwill tour.

"So tell me, what happened again?" Amethyst asked as she immediately dug up something to eat from the fridge.

"Someone really has it out for us, aside from Black Rutile, of course." Pearl explained while examining the posts on her phone. "She's saying all these hurtful things about us and our way of life, and for what reason? Is she just jealous, or does she get a kick out of making people's lives miserable?"

"I think I've heard of this girl before." Peridot stated. "She has some pretty toxic opinions, yet so many people follow her despite how blatantly abusive she is!"

"People will always follow whoever has the biggest voice, no matter how terrible they are." Lapis remarked. "They're basically everywhere. TV, movies, online, politicians, the news, the works."

"Who would've guessed celebrity life would be this tiring?" Jasper asked. "I mean, I didn't ask for this, but here we are!"

"That reminds me, I have something to say as well." Sam said as he stepped forth. "You may think I'm saying this completely out of nowhere, but I admit that I've been kind of taking advantage of Crystalmania because going freelance isn't very kind to me. The moment I first heard of you guys, opportunity started knocking, and I just had to open that door to strike it rich. Surely you must feel mad at me for using you, right?"

"I never even realized it, probably because this came straight out of nowhere." White Topaz said. "But hey, if you legitimately feel sorry, then I guess we can let this slide."

"On the grounds that we take a bit of a break from celebrity life." Garnet added. "However, if we feel like it, we'll definitely call you."

"Wow, you're way cooler about this than I thought." Sam said before the door opened to reveal Marty, out of breath and desperate to get Pearl's attention. "Martin, what brings you here?"

"I just need to give the Crystal Gems another offer!" Marty panted as he presented a certain dessert treat that Steven loved so much. "I pulled some strings to get Cookie Cats back in production, and I need you guys to be the mascot!"

"Yeah, I don't think we're interested." Pearl declared before shoving Marty out the front door.

"Freaking immortal broads." Marty grumbled to himself as he walked away. "Black Rutile had the right idea about them."

"Well, that certainly got tied up pretty quick." Sam said as he put on his trilby and began to leave the beach house. "So long, everybody. I'm off to find my next muse!"

"Have a safe trip!" Peridot and the other Gems bid farewell to Sam Galley as he left the beach house for greener pastures. "So glad we got the call before Amethyst and I let the fame go to our heads like on those TV shows."

"But that begs the question," Amethyst added. "Who in their right mind would believe Black Rutile?"

--

"And that is why Pearl is a bad example of a strong independent woman and is no better than the narcissistic sociopaths plaguing our superhero movies." Sally ended another hot take on Yatter and pressed send as she sat back to let the replies and likes fly in. "Those Crystal Gems have no idea what they'll be in for."

Meanwhile, Black Rutile was browsing her computer as she and Cat's Eye continued setting up a social media account for the Rutile Rebels when Cat's Eye suddenly got another message for Black Rutile. It was signed, "Dear Black Rutile, we need to talk. Signed, Marty."

--

At long last, Season 2 begins! For the next twelve weeks after this chapter, expect more musical numbers than the last season, a lot of social commentary and mockery of certain controversial YouTubers, celebrity guest stars both old and new, and an epic finale to lead directly into the final story of this little universe. But that's for much later. Next time we meet, we get a glimpse into Steven's side of this story with A Quick One While I'm Away. Yes, I'm not afraid to admit that's a Bojack Horseman reference.

#steven universe #steven universe future #fanfiction #steven universe alternate future #little homeworld life #garnet #amethyst #pearl #peridot #lapis lazuli #bismuth #jasper #white topaz #black rutile #cat's eye #president eduardo suarez

[andrewmoocow]

Little Homeworld Life chapter 26: Hostile Takeover (originally posted on June 19, 2023)

AN: It has all come to this. The end begins here. The final episode of Little Homeworld Life is here at last, and after that will be Steven Universe: Snake Eyes. It has been an honor delivering such consistent quality writing to this fandom, and I'll be damned if I don't enjoy doing it again one last time before I finally decide to move onto other stories I've left to dry for too long.

Synopsis: Connie returns home from college just as Black Rutile takes over Little Homeworld and holds the Crystal Gems captive. With their alien friends in danger, the people of Beach City decide to repay the Crystal Gems by joining together to save them from Black Rutile.

Cast:

Grace Rolek as Connie

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper, Skinny Jasper, Carnelian, Superfan Rose, Hippie Rose, Shy Rose, Cherry Quartz, Biggs Jasper

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Amy Sedaris as Teal Zircon

Martha Higerada as Topaz

Della Saba as Aquamarine

Charlyne Yi as Eyeball, Doc, Navy, Leggy, Army

Christine Pedi as Holly Blue Agate

Casey Lee Williams as Cat's Eye

Hayley Kiyoko as Morganite

Jinkx Monsoon as Emerald, Chest Emerald

Melissa Fahn as Demantoid, Eyeball Demantoid

Kari Wahlgren as Pyrope

Jon Wurster as Marty

Shanelle Grey as Sally Grove

Larissa Gallagher as Bluebird Azurite

May Calamawy as Chrome Chalcedony

Susanne Blakeslee as Pietersite

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst, Famethyst, Tiger's Eye

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl, Yellow Pearl, Blue Pearl, Volleyball, Black Pearl Brigade

Shelby Rabara as Peridot, Squaridot

Jennifer Paz as Lapis, Laz, Zuli, Phoenix Lapis

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Dee Bradley Baker as Lion, Concretes

Tom Scharpling as Greg

Matthew Moy as Lars, Dante

Kate Micucci as Sadie

Indya Moore as Shep

Enuka Okuma as Rhodonite

Kathleen Fisher as Fluorite

Ashly Burch as Rutile Twins

Erica Luttrell as Padparadscha Sapphire

Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as Priyanka

Crispin Freeman as Doug

Andrew Kishino as Kevin

Reagan Gomez Preston as Jenny, Kiki

Godfrey as Kofi

Zach Steel as Ronaldo

Brian Posehn as Sour Cream

Lamar Abrams as Buck Dewey

Colton Dunn as Mr. Smiley

Toks Olagundoye as Mayor Nanafua

Joel Hodgson as Bill Dewey

Eugene Cordero as Jamie

Atticus Shaffer as Peedee

Billy Merritt as Mr. Fryman

Kristin Chenoweth as Sheena Synstylae

Nancy Linari as Martha

Brian George as Mr. Frowney

Jackie Buscarino as Vidalia

Aparna Nancherla as Nephrite, Lemon Jade

Ian Jones Quartey as Snowflake Obsidian, Bixbite

Michelle Maryk as Larimar

Auli'i Cravalho as Orange Spodumene

Kimiko Glenn as Blue Chalcedony

Tara Platt as Heaven Cubic Zirconia, Earth Cubic Zirconia

Tara Strong as Grossular Diopside

Phillipa Soo as Chrysocolla

Anika Noni Rose as Watermelon Tourmaline (fusion), Watermelon Tourmaline

Aimee Carrero as Moonstone

Gal Gadot as Desert Glass

Willa Holland as Albite

Maddie Ziegler as Serpentine

Courtenay Taylor as Beryl

Sarah Jessica Parker as Dumortierite

Cavetown as Diaspore

Emily King as Kunzite

Alex Newell as Monazite

Alyson Hannigan as Lavenderine

Avi Roque as Cinnabar

Gina Torres as Andesine

Awkwafina as Kyanite

Allison Janney as Pyrite

Zehra Fazal as Zoisite

Lena Hall as Bloodstone

Jodie Whittaker as Xenotime

Idina Menzel as Amazonite

Halsey as Tanzanite

Mia Barron as Apatite

Sarah Stiles as Spinel

Christine Baranski as Hessonite

Olivia Olson as Citrine, Citrine Twins

Lin-Manuel Miranda as President Eduardo Suarez

Wendie Malick as Vice President Theresa Maxwell

GZA as Major General Wade Grant

Tim Curry as General Lloyd Waller

John Kassir as Reginald Johnson

Stephanie Beatriz as Arleen Suarez

Xolo Mariduena as Huey Suarez

Leslie Grace as Riley Suarez

Pierce Brosnan as Bane Jones

Hugh Jackman as Beckham Jordan

James Monroe Iglehart as Coach Matt Monroe

Karen Fukuhara as Makoto Fuji

Matthew Rhys as Dr. James Brenner

T-Pain as Sam Galley

Christoph Waltz as Francis von Bowling

Rob Paulsen as Mr. Shreds

David Kaye as Collar

Roger Craig Smith as Tank

Alex Hirsch as Lawrence Abrams

Zach Callison as Steven, Onion, Cactus Stevens, Topiary Stevens

Featuring Christopher McDonald as Carl Grove

And Betsy Sodaro as Maureen Grove

--

"It just feels so good to be bad." Black Rutile gloated to the Crystal Gems as she held them prisoner in a makeshift prison. Today had quite possibly been the best day she has ever had on Earth. Black Rutile had now converted multiple Gems to her coalition of rebels, whether by force or through coercion, her enemies were now hers to torment, and their precious Little Homeworld into her newest evil lair. "I haven't felt this utterly delighted to be victorious since the siege of Tweenis 12, I feel like singing! Maestro?"

Amazonite turned on a music player at her master's command, causing Black Rutile to sing a reprise of a familiar song. "Wither the rose! Growing shadows! Sow a world of chaos! Wither the rose! Only highs, no lows! In a world of chaos!"

"Is this really the time to be singing?" Pearl muttered as she tried to break free from her chains.

"Ha!" Black Rutile laughed in response before looking out at her various enforcers. "Come on minions, hurry along! Soon, Beach City will be gone! I could squeeze myself with glee, first the Diamonds and then this galaxy! I really stopped at nothing, gaslighting, terrorism, and lying!" she declared. "Whatever it takes to get revenge, you really can't blame me for trying."

Little Homeworld soon began hovering over Beach City, casting a dark shadow over a large portion of the town while the townies had no idea what was going on. Suddenly, the water holding the Gem village in the air began firing at the humans, making them scurry in fear as Black Rutile finished her song. "Wither the rose! Growing shadows! Sow a world of chaos! Wither the rose! Don't you doze!"

"This planet is basically ours!" Aquamarine sang along.

"We have control over its superpowers!" Eyeball added triumphantly.

"You are helpless to resist!" Holly Blue proclaimed.

"There's no way for you to persist!" Cat's Eye declared.

"Saying sorry just won't cut it!" Cinnabar boomed.

"This universe will be ours, bit by bit!" Andesine stated.

"You thought you could contain us," Black Rutile sang out in victory. "but you can no longer discuss!"

"Genocide, slaughtering, jingoism, in enemy blood, we shall wade!" the seven Gems joined together in harmony. "Rutile Rebels come celebrate, as we make these foolish Crystal Gems fade!" By the time the song ended, Black Rutile looked out at the destruction below her and began making a speech. "People of Beach City, do not look away!" she bellowed to the humans below. "You witness a Rutile's revival, and the birth of her new empire!"

"What do you want now, Black Rutile?!" Lars yelled from below.

"What I want is recognition!" Black Rutile responded. "As you can see, I have officially conquered Little Homeworld and taken the Crystal Gems as my prisoners. The means as to how it can fly can all be blamed on their dear friend, Lapis Lazuli." She looked over at Lapis, who was sitting on the Warp Pad with a blank look on her face. "Despite what the Crystal Gems believed, Little Homeworld was the aspiration of idiots and dreamers! A mere tool to indoctrinate poor, unfortunate Gems who were living lives free of their tyranny. But unfortunately for them, I am far smarter than the average Gem, so I continued planning my revenge for months on end, which leads me today." She then sent out her drones, ready to attack at any moment. "Either surrender to me at once or else your pathetic little town will go bye-bye! Bye-bye."

Down below, Jasper and White Topaz were watching the carnage the entire time, lying in wait for an opportunity to strike back at Black Rutile and save their friends. "So, any idea on how to stop her?" Jasper asked her girlfriend. "I mean, it's just a bunch of us Gems that she could convert at any moment with those Blasters."

"Well, one thing's for certain, Black Rutile has gone too far this time." White Topaz declared. "We kept giving her second chance after second chance, but she always used them to try and destroy us! I've had enough of this! Once we defeat her, she's going straight to Revanche 666 where she belongs!"

"Someone's got leftover issues they need resolving." Teal Zircon added as she popped up behind the two big Gems. "Okay, Topaz and I have spent the last few minutes coming up with a plan."

"If it involves doing something astronomically stupid, then I don't want in." Jasper stopped Teal before she could finish. "What makes you think you could come up with an intelligent plan?"

"Because outside of being the obnoxious but lovable comic relief, I am actually far more observant than you think I am." TZ declared. "Which is why I am 10,000,000,000% certain that my plan will work."

"I'd like to see you try." Jasper scoffed before White Topaz placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on honey, just hear her out." White Topaz suggested. Jasper knew she couldn't disappoint her lover, so she relented with a sigh.

"Okay, proceed." Jasper groaned and let Teal explain.

"I say instead of just saving the day ourselves, we team up with the humans to save the world from Black Rutile!" Teal declared proudly. "The people of Beach City have been around us long enough to know what to do in situations like this, and we've gained a few allies over the years to back us up."

"I get what you're saying now." Jasper nodded proudly. "Like him for example!" As if on cue, Dr. James Brenner walked up to the three Gems. "I found him falling to his doom when Black Rutile threw him out. He's her psychologist, ergo, he should know exactly what she's thinking!"

"You are indeed correct, Jasper." Brenner declared. "I have been forced to watch as Black Rutile's schemes took shape, hoping that maybe my advice would get through to her, but alas, my words fell on deaf ears. Perhaps joining forces with all of you can help me redeem myself for being so powerless to help her."

"Great, we have our first recruit!" Teal Zircon cheered while giving the psychologist a hearty slap on the back. "Okay guys, I'll go gather the troops! You two on the other hand will have to find a very special someone."

"Are you pondering what I'm pondering?" Jasper then asked White Topaz.

"I think so Jasp, but Pete Rose?" White Topaz replied oddly, making Jasper raise an eyebrow at such a non-sequitur. "I mean, can we trust him?"

"No, I think Teal means we should fetch Connie!" Jasper yelled. "You and I both know she's been throwing a wrench in Black Rutile's plans multiple times! Her first invasion of Earth, the Steven monster crisis, and the alternate universe business, all of them had Connie involved and she played some role in stopping them all! You see what I'm getting at here?"

"Yeah, I get it now!" White Topaz exclaimed. "To Connie's house!" Just as the two raced off, a small black spy drone was watching the pair and quickly began following them.

--

"Breaking news all the way from Beach City!" Lawrence Abrams announced on the news. "The alien terrorist Black Rutile is once again laying waste to Beach City, and at the same time, our beloved president has been subject to a violent uprising against legions of angry Arnold Clump supporters led by the alt-right Internet personality Reginald Johnson. Are these two events connected? We'll be back after the break with more updates."

"Sweet Manila in the claws of light." Doug Maheswaran gasped in shock as he and Connie watched Black Rutile's invasion on the news. "This is probably something Steven should take care of, right?"

"Hopefully he at least knows what's going on," Connie added as she prepared to reach for her phone, only to hear a knock on the door. "Can someone get that?"

"Don't worry Connie, I'll get it," Priyanka said to her daughter as she opened the door to find Jasper and White Topaz waiting for her outside. "Oh, you must be that Jasper and Topaz who tore apart Beach City."

"You are never going to let go of that." Jasper declared. "Anyways, we need to see your daughter. The world is in danger and we need everyone we can get to save it."

"Right here!" Connie exclaimed while she raced up to the front door with her sword at the ready. "Come on guys, the Crystal Gems need us!"

"Yeah, about that." White Topaz stated nervously. "They kind of broke up because Black Rutile exposed Bismuth for poofing Lapis and is now holding them all hostage at Little Homeworld. Plus, Lapis officially betrayed them to Black Rutile and is helping make Little Homeworld fly. You know what, I think I know of a way to explain this better."

White Topaz then turned her fingers into puppet versions of the Crystal Gems to further go in depth about their situation. "Hey, what's this I hear about Bismuth poofing me and setting me on this path of torment and betrayal?!" her imitation of Lapis complained. "Oh no, the jig is up!" an imitation of Bismuth exclaimed. "Okay, I did poof you, Lapis, but I didn't mean to!"

"Saying you didn't mean it won't save you from me!" the shadow puppet of Lapis yelled before lunging at Bismuth, only for Garnet and Pearl to stop her.

"Top thirty reasons why Bismuth is sorry." The puppet version of Pearl stated. "Number 5 will surprise you."

"Top thirty anime deaths," puppet Lapis continued. "number one: YOUR BUTT RIGHT NOW!"

"I'm just here to be supportive!" a shadow puppet of Amethyst said as she took Lapis and Peridot's side in the tussle, ending with White Topaz making "whoop whoop whoop" sounds as she started twiddling her fingers into a big clump. "And scene!"

"Okay, I'm going to need a refresher here." Priyanka said, shocked at the bizarreness of White Topaz's show. "What does this all mean?"

"Look, the point is that Teal Zircon and all the Gems Black Rutile didn't convert are gathering everyone in Beach City to fight back against Black Rutile, and we believe Connie is the best possible candidate to lead them all." Jasper explained in brief. "If anyone else wishes to join, you're free to come along."

"But what about Steven?" Connie asked. "Surely he'd know what to do in this situation." Suddenly, the tracking drone from earlier emerged from Jasper's hair, making her and White Topaz wonder if it was following them the whole time, and dropped into Connie's hands to deliver a message from Black Rutile.

"Ah, Connie Meka-Leka-Hi-Meka-Hiney-Ho-Swanson, we meet again." The hologram of Black Rutile smirked at her message's intended recipient. "If you are seeing this message, then you're already well aware of my latest revenge scheme and how frequently you've been playing a part in my constant failures. I would kill you and your parents right here and now, but I believe that would be too easy." The very thought of being killed by such a madman unnerved the Maheswarans. "Which is I offer you this challenge! Meet me at the flying Little Homeworld in ninety minutes to face me for the fate of your wretched world, and bring company too. And for an extra challenge, Steven must not get involved in the slightest. Lose, I will kill each and every single one of you. Win?" She let out an evil chuckle. "The only winner will be me, no matter what. Allons-y!"

The drone then shut down and crumbled to pieces of metal in Connie's hand. Despite the threat to her life, it only made her more determined. "Take us to Beach City."

--

Later at Beach City, Teal Zircon was true to her word and had assembled the entirety of its citizens and then some to discuss their plans to stop Black Rutile. Along with all the Gems that escaped Black Rutile's earlier assault, there was the Barriga family and the Off-Colors, Sadie & Shep, the former Cool Kids, the Pizza and Fryman families, Mr. Smiley and Mr. Frowney, Jamie, Kevin, Onion and his friends, Vidalia, Yellowtail, and Sheena Synstylae. In addition, Teal had also managed to get into contact with Bane Jones, Beckham Jordan, Matt Monroe, Makoto Fuji, and Sam Galley. Now, all that was left was Connie and her parents to make their makeshift army complete.

"My my Teal Zircon, you assembled quite an assortment of characters here." Brenner nodded at all the humans and Gems gathered together to stop Black Rutile. "But do you think this will be enough to stop her?"

"Oh, I know so!" Teal yelled excitedly. "You know those kinds of movies and TV shows where there's a team of people who cannot function together, but they pull through regardless? That's what I'm going for here. On our own, we're just a bunch of misfits. But when we're together, now that's something special." Just then, Connie, her parents, Jasper, and White Topaz appeared behind her from a portal created by Lion. "And there's our girl of the hour! Let's give her a hand!"

Everyone began applauding as Connie walked up to Teal Zircon. "Uh, hello everybody, thank you for inviting me to your little get-together. I'm afraid I'm going to need some catching up to do on what's been going on. I don't think a funny little puppet show is enough."

"Then allow me," Brenner said before he spoke to the audience. "As some of you may not know, our 'dear friend' Black Rutile", He put "dear friend" in air-quotes. "has enacted quite possibly her greatest revenge plot yet, and I bore witness to the fruits of her labor overtime as I was assigned to be her criminal psychologist. She has assembled criminal masterminds, bigoted online personalities, more old enemies of the Gems, and forlorn Gems looking for a place to belong. I have tried multiple times to convince her that she wasn't doing the right thing, but she kept ignoring me at every turn."

"Online personalities like who?" Ronaldo raised his hand, making the rest of the crowd turn to him. "You mean Sally Grove? I've had tons of arguments with her about the Gems before."

"Precisely that," James explained. "I have no idea why she is so cruel, but she seemed perfect as one of Black Rutile's top lieutenants, using her social media influence to gather more human followers through the Internet. There is also Francis von Bowling and his cohorts from P.H.A.N.T.O.M, no doubt brought in for their vendetta against the Gems too."

"Well, I'll be." Bane Jones muttered in bemusement while preparing a technologically advanced shotgun.

"In addition, Black Rutile is now joined by this Marty fellow, who claims to have his own grudge because Steven took his son away from him." James continued, giving him strained looks from Greg and Vidalia. "Together, these scoundrels have converted multiple Gems through these strange blasters built to brainwash anyone hit by them!"

"It's because of those blasters Black Rutile took away my crew!" Nephrite sobbed into Biggs Jasper's arms.

"She took out almost the entire Famethyst!" Carnelian added.

"And like, tons of other quartz Gems too." Chest Rose stated. "Me, my sibs, Biggs, Tiger's Eye, and Cherry are the only ones left."

"Hopefully what the Black Pearls said about finding a way to restore them is true." Cherry Quartz nervously said, looking over at the Black Pearl Brigade.

"So, what can we all do?" Beckham Jordan asked. "We're all just a bunch of humans and Gems who have no idea how unprepared we are for this! Heck, I'm just a star basketball player who knows more about how to score a point than fighting battles! What would happen if one of us were to die today? Besides, Steven won't be here to help us!"

"I promise you all, I won't let that happen." Connie declared before unsheathing her sword and holding it to the sky. "The Crystal Temps will defend this planet to the end!"

"Wait, is that what we're calling ourselves?!" Kevin yelled from afar. "Why not something cooler like the Substitute Crystal Gems, or something?!"

"It's very sentimental!" Connie hurriedly replied. "Now who's with me?!"

"I am!" Orange Spodumene yelled while raising her hand.

"I am!" Kofi Pizza and Mr. Fryman shouted in unison.

"And me too!" Sam Galley added excitedly. "Also, just want to get this outta the way, but I have a bit of a crush on Amethyst."

"Me three!" Lavenderine shouted, followed by a wave of excitement from the gathered New Crystal Temps.

"Aw, what the heck, I haven't got that long a lifespan anyways." Kevin resigned himself to the cause. While Connie proudly looked over at the crowd united for a singular purpose, she felt a familiar hand touching her shoulder.

"I'm in too." Priyanka proclaimed, much to her daughter's surprise. "After that hospital incident, I feel like it's time for me to get involved in your Crystal Gem business and be on the frontlines."

"Well, someone's a little eager." Brenner smiled at Priyanka before looking over at Doug. "And what shall you do for this, sir?"

"I think I'll go look into the Sally Grove situation." Doug answered. "Her parents deserve to know that their daughter is basically selling out the human race to Black Rutile. But be sure to call me so I can still join in."

"Black Rutile told me that I have to meet her in ninety minutes," Connie announced while looking at her watch. "Well, this announcement went by quicker than expected. Anyways, let's save the world!" The New Crystal Temps then began cheering for their grand leader.

--

Meanwhile, in the dark void of space, Revanche 666 was now completely abandoned following Cinnabar and Andesine's escape from the prison. Black Pearl guards, Bismuths, and Peridots were locked in cells formerly occupied by members of the Rutile Rebels, surviving on a false hope that someone would come to save them. However, two particular prisoners weren't meant to be there. They just wanted to get in, stop a prison riot, and get out. But fate had other plans.

"How long has it been since we were trapped here by Cinnabar's plotting and my own recklessness?" Hessonite muttered to Citrine as the two languished in their prison cells. "Feels like we've been stranded here for eons."

"It's only been a few weeks, Hessonite." Citrine stated. "But yeah, it really has felt like forever. I mean, it would take a miracle for someone to notice that we're stuck here!" Suddenly, the two heard something crash through the walls. "Well, what do you know?"

"Hey, anybody here?!" Spinel yelled as she and Lemon Jade emerged from a spaceship they just crashed into the prison. "The Diamonds were getting worried that something bad happened!"

"Over here Spinel, over here!" Hessonite yelled to Spinel. "Hello, it's me, Hessonite, and yes, I am exactly who you're looking for."

"Yeah, we haven't seen you guys since you went to stop that prison breakout," Spinel answered while turning her hand into a ventriloquist dummy resembling Yellow Diamond. "Old Yeller was like 'I fear something might've gone horribly wrong on Revanche 666. I need someone to volunteer to investigate.' Luckily, I was there to oblige."

"And I simply got dragged along." Lemon Jade added. "So what did happen?"

"We thought Andesine and her entourage had surrendered, but it was all a ruse she and Cinnabar set up to escape," Citrine explained to the visitors. "Now we're all stuck behind bars with no way to leave, no way of contacting anyone outside this prison, and no way to deactivate our cells. Do either of you have any bright ideas?"

"I got one! I saw this on a TV show once." Spinel replied before she leaned on the wall between Hessonite and Citrine's cells and gave it a hard knock, which somehow forced the destabilizing fields guarding the two to deactivate. "Ey!" she added with two thumbs up. "You can thank me later."

"Finally!" Hessonite sighed with relief while shaking Spinel's hand as she emerged from her cell. "But what about everyone else?"

"Don't worry, I got this," Citrine said as she walked out of her cell and straight to the control room.

"So, where are Cinnabar and Andesine now?" Lemon Jade asked Hessonite.

"The two of them are currently on Earth aiding Black Rutile in whatever harebrained scheme she has now planned," Hessonite stated while the prison staff was released from their cells. "We need to act quickly if we want to stop all of them in their tracks."

"Roger roger, live long and prosper and all that!" Spinel exclaimed. "Come on Jade, let's chew bubblegum and kick some butt! And I'm all out of bubblegum."

"I'm not sure if I'm equipped for a fight, but whatever you say, I'll follow," Lemon said as she, Spinel, Hessonite, and Citrine boarded the ship Spinel crashed earlier and took off for Earth to bring Cinnabar & Andesine to justice.

--

"Ocean Town." Doug muttered to himself as he pulled into Beach City's sister town, easily identified by a sign declaring "STILL NOT ON FIRE." His journey ended at a shabby but homely-looking one-story house where he pulled into the driveway before getting out and knocking on the front door. An overweight, middle-aged fellow with a receding hairline, a barely shaved mustache, and clothes that looked like they haven't been washed in days soon answered. "Hello, is this the Grove residence?"

"What's it to ya?" the fat man said while pulling a half-eaten hot dog out of his pocket to shove in his mouth.

"Doug Maheswaran from Beach City." Doug introduced himself to the man while pulling out his ID. "I'm here to speak about your daughter, Sally."

"Oh good, I thought you were here about the body we found on the train tracks." The man sighed in relief before turning his head to call for someone. "Maureen!"

"What?!" what Doug assumed to be the man's wife hollered back.

"We got a cop here to talk about Sally!" the man replied before letting Doug inside and sitting him down and offering him a drink. "Here, have a shot on me."

"No thanks, I'm good." Doug rejected the offer before a skinny woman hiding her bleached blonde hair in a bandana walked into the living room. "Hello there miss, I'm here to talk to you about your daughter's recent activities."

"Ah yeah, Sally." The woman said as she and her husband sat down on the couch. "I always kept hearing her talk with that alien woman on her whatchacallit….computer. Anyways, my name's Maureen Grove and this is my husband Carl."

"Well, that alien woman is a known bigoted criminal who is plotting to destroy the world." Doug revealed, making Carl and Maureen blankly stare at each other in silence. "Something the matter, you two?"

"Shoulda known our girl would do something like this." Maureen Grove shook her head in shame. "If you think Sally's views were a product of an abusive upbringing or some kind of trauma, I'm afraid you're mistaken, officer. She was diagnosed with kajigger disorder or something."

"Antisocial personality disorder." Carl Grove corrected his wife. "What we're saying is that Sally is just not a pleasant person to be around, especially in this current era of that danged Internet. She thrives on being so smug & self-righteous and making people hate her, yet at the same time she wonders why everyone hates her. And we've tried our best to help her, but she always kept picking on us for stupid reasons! It's absurd, I tells ya!"

"So, she brought this upon herself," Doug said while writing down in his notepad. "Would you care to further elaborate on her behavior?"

"She also had this TubeTube channel that barely had any subscribers because people would rather watch cat videos, let's plays, and those creepy kids' videos," Maureen answered. "But then came that weird monster attack last year, where everything changed forever."

--

"Sally honey, time for dinner!" Carl called for his daughter while knocking on the door. "Mama's making chili cheese dogs tonight!"

"I can buy and sell you, old man!" Sally insulted her father from behind her bedroom door.

"Fair enough, just starve then because I'm a man." Carl casually replied as he walked away. "I swear, we have got to get her a therapist soon." He muttered to himself. "Dropping out of college I can understand, but she desperately needs to do something with her life."

"CARL, GET DOWN HERE!" Maureen shrieked for her husband. "SOMEONE'S INTERRUPTED AMERICAN IDOL!"

"They WHAT?!" Carl bellowed as he charged down the stairs to see what was going on. To his alarm, their TV show was cut off by the sudden appearance of Black Rutile on their television screen as she made a speech.

"Greetings to the civilians of this backwater planet. I am Black Rutile, soon to be supreme ruler of the Gem race." Black Rutile introduced herself to audiences around the world. "I come to you today because you are faced with a crisis that has been right under your noses for thousands of years now, and it can all be blamed on the Crystal Gems."

"Nothing that changing the channel won't fix." Carl declared as he picked up the remote and tried switching to another channel. Unfortunately, Black Rutile was interrupting the programming there, and on every other channel too. "What the Sam Hill is going on here?! Who would believe such malarkey?!"

"They have been living among your people since the dawn of man, and have brought numerous world-ending threats along with." Black Rutile's speech continued on Sally's computer, much to her curiosity. "From loads of monsters that were formerly members of their kind, to insane terraformers that stole the ocean for selfish purposes followed by nearly drowning thousands once they returned the water to Earth, a superweapon made from the remains of their own kind that remains buried under the Earth as we speak, repeated counts of abductions and the near-genocide of all organic life." Despite Black Rutile clearly spreading lies about the Crystal Gems, the desperate TubeTube user felt a special sort of parasocial connection to her. "But now we are faced with a new problem, and it's all thanks to one Gem: Pink Diamond. It's because of her that this monstrosity plaguing the Earth at this moment is running amok and the Crystal Gems have done nothing to stop it, or her for that matter. Should you believe this planet is worth saving, something must be done about the Crystal Gems, or you will suffer the consequences. That will be all."

With the end of Black Rutile's warning, Sally's life was changed forever. Her TubeTube channel was then completely overhauled to benefit from her newfound hatred of the Crystal Gems. They caused so much chaos and destruction, yet they're celebrated as heroes. Sally simply gives her opinion, and she's constantly villainized for it. To her, that simply wasn't fair. But what no one realized about Sally was terrified of growing past her bigoted, misanthropic mindset and becoming a better person because she believed kindness and compassion were signs of weakness. And she despised being weak.

--

"Ever since then, that Black Rutile yutz has been a bad influence on our girl." Carl finished his story. "Sally's been completely off her rocker because of her. Every time we tried setting her up with various lovers, she just kept abusing them. Especially this one feller named Fred who she kept saying had a small di-"

"Anything else I should know before I leave?" Doug asked, cutting off Carl before he could finish. "What other crimes has she committed?"

"What hasn't she committed?" Maureen replied. "Thankfully, she hasn't done anything super serious, but she's also formed lynch mobs online against random people she hates, and cyberbullied her so-called friends away. And let's not forget that she wrote some really disturbing fanfiction!" She cringed in disgust at the thought.

"Right, thank you for your time, Mr. and Mrs. Grove, I promise I'll have your daughter returned home so she can get the help she deserves," Doug said as he got up and prepared to leave, only for Carl to stop him.

"Hey, before you go, officer," Carl said before presenting Doug with a chili cheese dog. "care for a chili cheese dog? Can't save the world on an empty stomach."

"You know what? I'll take it." Doug accepted the dog before pulling out his phone. "Connie, I'll be coming back soon. Is everything ready?"

"Almost, Dad," Connie responded. "Bane Jones helped us get everybody weapons for the big fight. We just need to wait on you now."

--

Elsewhere in Washington D.C., President Eduardo Suarez, his vice president Theresa Maxwell, Wade Grant, Lloyd Waller, and his presidential cabinet remained in hiding from the forces of Reginald Anderson. Having just witnessed his family being held hostage, the White House being overtaken, and one of the secret service agents under his employment brutally beaten to near death, the president was naturally anxious about what to do next. What's more, there's no way he can contact the Crystal Gems at the moment. He was at an utter loss at what to do.

"Never seen Eddy this worked up in ages," Theresa muttered in wonder at her president's nervous pacing. "Last time I've seen him like this was when Clump seemed to have beat him in the polls."

"I wouldn't blame him," Lloyd replied. "Country's in crisis again, plus his family is in grave danger. Poor thing looks like he'll have a panic attack at any moment."

"I'll go have a talk with him," Wade said as he walked over to his chief and put a hand on his shoulder. "Mr. President, are you feeling alright? Do you need anything before we make our decision?"

"No, I'm perfectly fine!" Eduardo exclaimed bravely, a far cry from the nervous front he was just putting up. "I'm willing to give everything for this country, as a good president should!" However, his courageous smile was quickly replaced with an insecure frown. "But what can I do when my family's lives are at stake here? One wrong move and I could lose everything."

"You're right, he's giving us a very tough choice here." Wade nodded when he suddenly got an idea. "Wait, I know!" Whatever he whispered into the president's ear, Eduardo was liking what he was hearing. "You got that?"

"I like what you're saying." Eduardo nodded. "Let's do it." Just then, three men opened the doors to One Observatory Drive and walked in. The first man wore a nice suit and was balding, while his two associates were dressed in a tank top and a collared shirt respectively. "Hello there."

"Greetings Mr. President, my name is Mr. Shreds." Mr. Shreds introduced himself to the president. "These are my two associates, Tank and Collar, and we are here to deliver you to Reginald Johnson so you can relinquish your presidency."

"Just move along now and don't keep us waiting!" Collar said as he and Tank took Eduardo by the arms and guided him to their limo. "Any last words, sir?"

"Yes, I'd like to make a personal request to Reginald." Eduardo nodded. "I'd like to have a public debate with him, face to face."

"As absurd as your request is, I shall grant it," Tank replied begrudgingly, not knowing what he was in for as the limousine drove away.

"So what did you tell him?" Theresa asked Wade as the two worriedly watched Eduardo be taken away.

"You'll see." Wade gave the vice president a knowing smirk.

--

"Making yourselves comfortable, Crystal Gems?" Black Rutile asked her prisoners while paying them one last visit to their cell. "Doesn't matter to me, because I got special plans for you."

"What is it now?" Peridot muttered disdainfully. "Is it about how you're so much better than us because you're not us?"

"Whatever it is, just get it over with already," Bismuth added sadly. "I deserve it for what I put Lapis through."

"Yes, yes you did." Lapis harshly agreed. "You poofed me and then forced me to be the dumb little plaything that you'll always throw away when you don't need me."

"You're still depressed about that?!" Black Rutile groaned in irritation as the brainwashed Emerald pulled up a throne for Black Rutile to sit on. "I'm saying that this could all be avoided if you joined me! Over time, I began to realize that the Rutile Rebels aren't as different from the Crystal Gems as I thought. We all started out as nobodies, did something extraordinary that made us different from the rest of our kin, rose to the top, and earned the respect of the Diamonds, only to have all torn down by a person who didn't even care about them." She declared. "I'll admit, when I first heard about Little Homeworld, I wanted to destroy it so bad, especially when you locked me up here. But after spending some time trapped here, I, ever the opportunist, decided that I could make it into something better!"

"Like turning it into our new secret lair for example!" Aquamarine added.

"And we have your stupid bickering to thank for it!" Eyeball said as all the other Rutile Rebels threw their heads back and laughed.

"What I'm trying to say is that there are special people like us who should run the world, and then there are the disgusting humans who deliver our food and fight our wars." Black Rutile continued. "Which is why I'm offering you this one-time opportunity. Let us work together for once so we can truly bring Gems and humans together in peace and harmony!" To emphasize her point, she turned on a news report documenting the attack on the White House. "Refuse, and I shall make you pay with your lives! Bring out the Disintegrator!"

"Wait, the Disintegrator?!" Bismuth shrieked in terror as Sally walked in with a small, glowing boxlike device in her hands that she set on the table. "I thought that was outlawed eons ago! How did you get one?!"

"You'd be surprised what I can accomplish through mixing Gem technology with human garbage." Black Rutile stated while presenting the device. "For those uninformed, most likely you Amethyst, this was an ancient torture device built to execute criminal Gems by grinding them up into dust and dispersing them in the air in a beautiful yet morbid fashion."

"Curious, most curious." Francis von Bowling nodded with intrigue. "And how does it work exactly?"

"Allow me to demonstrate." Black Rutile responded before presenting a small rock she placed in the Disintegrator. She then turned it on, and the rock was instantly ground up into dust in a terrifying show of the machine's power, leaving the Gems horrified yet not surprised she would use something like that. "That oughta show you for brainwashing us all!"

"You're kidding me?" Pearl scoffed. "You claim we're brainwashing Gems against their and forcing them to join our side when that's literally what you are doing with those devices! Those aren't rejuvenating blasters, they're inculcating blasters! All these new Gems of yours say: "All hail Black Rutile! All hail Black Rutile!", but the Gems we teach would never say anything like that. We didn't force them to come here, they made that choice willingly."

"Kind of like how Lapis willingly joined me after I convinced her of how alone we were in the universe?" Black Rutile retorted, pointing to a sullen Lapis in the darkness. "Or how I convinced Sally Grove here to be a kindred spirit?"

"Yeah, that reminds me," Amethyst asked. "How could you team up with someone that obviously evil? Surely, you must have some tragic reason for doing so, right?"

"No, no tragic reason at all," Sally admitted without a single ounce of empathy in her voice. "I just like being hated. It makes me feel powerful."

"Hatred makes all of us powerful." Holly Blue agreed with Sally, with Cat's Eye by her side with her cat Blake in her arms.

"Very powerful." Cat's Eye agreed.

"Okay, we've had enough taunting, let's get to executing!" Black Rutile declared eagerly as she began choosing which Crystal Gem to disintegrate. However, her choice was pretty easy. "Bismuth, do you volunteer as tribute?"

"Wait, what?!" Bismuth muttered as the brainwashed Demantoid and Pyrope freed her from her shackles to be executed. "You won't get away with this, Black Rutile!"

"As a matter of fact, I've gotten away with it months ago." Black Rutile cruelly sneered while shoving the Disintegrator towards Bismuth. "Now, you might feel a little tingle."

"Lapis, please, I'm sorry!" Bismuth cried out for possibly the last time to Lapis, but she didn't seem to listen. All Lapis could do was turn away in shame. As Bismuth was about to be thrown into the machine and the other Crystal Gems cried for Black Rutile not to do it, the Disintegrator was suddenly stabbed with an epee, causing it to shut down. "What?"

"You!" Black Rutile yelled at Tanzanite for destroying her machine. "I have put hours upon hours into building that, and you made it all for nothing!"

"That's because you've gone too far this time, and I can't do this anymore!" Tanzanite yelled angrily while proceeding to free Bismuth, Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, and Peridot from their restraints. "Brainwashing is one thing, but executing too?"

"Are you seriously trying to talk back to your master?" Black Rutile growled angrily. "You know how Rose lied to you, you know how she left you to die and become part of a planet-destroying abomination against your will! I was there for you, and this is how you repay me?!"

"Yes, the Crystal Gems aren't honest, but their intentions are definitely real." Tanzanite declared firmly, bringing a tear to Pearl's eye before her former student was threatened with Black Rutile's bowie knife.

"Take that back and fight for me, or pay the price." Black Rutile ordered Tanzanite to stand down, and the punk purple Gem meekly did as she was told while Navy raced up to her master's side. "Yes, Ruby?"

"We got humans and enemy Gems at 12:00!" Navy yelled hurriedly.

"Did you tell them I hate them?" Black Rutile asked while turning her bowie knife into her sword. "No matter." With a superhuman leap, Black Rutile bounded out of her lair and landed in front of the New Crystal Temps before striking a pose as she drew her sword. "Well, don't stop on my account."

"Black Rutile, we've come to finally bring you to justice!" Connie declared while raising her sword in the air. "In the name of the Crystal Gems, the planet Earth, and the entire universe, we'll punish you for your crimes. And this time, we'll make it permanent. Do you yield?"

Black Rutile just sneered at Connie's bold declaration and responded with simply "I do not." With a snap of her fingers, the other Rutile Rebels, including a reluctant Tanzanite and Lapis, soon gathered behind her to counter Connie's forces. Just then, however, the Crystal Gems leaped out from behind the Rutile Rebels to join Connie and the others, followed by Spinel, Hessonite, Citrine, and Lemon Jade crashing into Little Homeworld on their ship.

"CRYSTAL GEMS!" Garnet roared while summoning her gauntlets. "Assemble." With that, everyone behind Connie roared as they charged into battle against Black Rutile and her enforcers, along with legions of brainwashed Gems, Concrete warriors, and Cactus & Topiary Stevens once again forced to serve Black Rutile. This was a day unlike any other when humans and Gems alike found themselves united against a common foe for the first time in thousands of years. On that day, everyone in Beach City became a Crystal Gem.

--

"Of course, you would find a way to ruin my plans!" Black Rutile said as she got into an intense swordfight with Connie. The battle for Earth had already gotten off to a rousing start. Bane Jones and Beckham Jordan fought side by side against von Bowling and his men, Kevin and Vidalia were up against Marty in a mechanical war suit, and Lars had a rematch with Emerald, among many other battles. "For too long now, you've always been interfering and you didn't even know it!"

"It's called loyalty Black Rutile, something you would probably never know!" Connie retorted before going in for a stab, only to be blocked by Sally Grove fighting back with a laser sword. "And as for you!"

"Don't even try to preach to me, little girl." Sally taunted in her usual high and mighty fashion. "We all know you would've found a way to call your white savior because you have no other personality outside of being his protector! You're a disgrace to your ethnicity, brat!"

"That's what you think, bullying my daughter like that!" Priyanka retorted with a sword of her own to fight Sally and Black Rutile with. "Apologize to her at once or I will reveal everything your parents told my husband!"

"What do you mean I have to apologize?! She attacked me!" Sally said before she realized what the doctor meant. "Wait, really? Oh no, no no no no!"

"Yeah, they told me some pretty messed up stuff about you," Doug said while putting out his notepad and reading what he had written earlier, making Sally writhe in agony while Black Rutile looked disdainfully at her human charge. "Let's see, abusing everyone around you, including your own parents, refusing to grow beyond your toxic personality while also blaming it on everyone around you, that disturbing fanfiction-"

"It's only disturbing from a certain point of view, having sexual relationships with your family members is perfectly normal in some parts of the world!" Sally only kept digging herself deeper into insanity in her attempts to preserve her image, unaware that Ronaldo had been live-streaming her this entire time, and her reputation was falling apart by the second. "Hey, turn that camera off!"

"No way, this is going to make a killing on Keep Beach City Weird!" Ronaldo laughed mischievously. "Wow, these negative comments expressing how betrayed your viewers must be for how much of a hypocrite you're being are coming in by the dozens."

"It's the same story I've seen so many times." Doug shook his head in disgust as Sally had an utter breakdown in front of the Maheswarans and Black Rutile, who was just as disgusted at how pathetic her partner was. "A fine, upstanding bigot. Your nose is so close to the grindstone, you can't see anything else. Meanwhile, the world changes and grows, and you're blind to it! Ignorant and proud of it too."

"Am I glad that's not me!" Black Rutile scoffed hypocritically as Sally was handcuffed and taken somewhere safe until the battle was over. "Now where were we? Oh yes!" She immediately got right back to her clash with Connie.

--

"So, calming down Lapis." Peridot muttered as she, Jasper, and White Topaz stood in front of Lapis and Phoenix Lapis fighting Laz and Zuli. "Got any ideas?"

"You're her life partner, you should know!" Jasper exclaimed while Laz and Zuli fought for their lives. "Paz, got any bright ideas?"

"I think I might have a good idea of what to do." White Topaz declared. "Bismuth, we need your help!"

"I'm in the middle of something here!" Bismuth replied while she was fighting Andesine and Cinnabar. "Oh, you want me to make up with Lapis, right?"

"Hopefully having her back on our side will turn the tide of battle!" White Topaz suggested, causing Bismuth to knock her two opponents out and walk up to her. "Just say what you need to say and hopefully she'll listen."

"This had better work." Bismuth took a deep breath and yelled "HEY LAPIS, OVER HERE!" The four Lapises then turned to see Bismuth below. "No, not you, the one who hates me!" she corrected herself.

"What do you want now?" Lapis angrily asked as she hovered on the ground.

"Listen Lapis, I know you won't ever forgive me and the other Crystal Gems for what we did to you," Bismuth said. "but I swear, if you listen and understand we didn't know what we did, maybe we can finally start making amends."

"Wait, you mean it?" Lapis's face softened in surprise.

"Yeah, we're still your friends!" White Topaz declared happily.

"And besides, I'm the only one who gets to be all sullen and betrayed here!" Jasper added before reaching her hand out. "Just take my hand."

Lapis started smiling again, bringing smiles to Peridot and White Topaz's faces as well, and began to reach out to Jasper. However, she was quickly interrupted by Cinnabar and Andesine's groups pointing their Rejuvenation Blasters at the Crystal Gems.

"Make another move, and we'll have to reset all of you." Cinnabar declared coldly.

"Now then, any last words?" Andesine smirked.

"I got one," Bismuth stated before raising her fist at Lapis's gem. "Please don't hate me for this again!" With a single punch, Lapis was poofed yet again, this time to save her from being shot with the Rejuvenation Blaster as the Rutile Rebels began opening fire, prompting Bismuth, Jasper, White Topaz, and Peridot to scatter.

"I'll be taking this to reverse-engineer, thank you very much!" Peridot snickered as she robbed Howlite of her Blaster to experiment on and ran away with a maniacal "NYEH-HAHAHAHAHA!"

"After her!" Howlite commanded and raced after Peridot with Dalmatian Jasper, Zoisite, Amber, and Xenotime behind her.

"Check it out, I got a Rejuvenation Blaster!" Peridot said to Squaridot and IQ while presenting the stolen blaster to them. "Maybe we can work together to find a way to use it to get everyone back to normal!"

"That's some good thinking, Peridot." Squaridot complimented the other Peridot's idea before the three geniuses snuck off to get to work.

--

"So it's come to this, Tanzanite, the student versus the master," Pearl said as she took a battle stance, and Tanzanite did the same. "Tell me Tanzanite, why did you join Black Rutile instead of accepting everything as it was? I understand if you felt betrayed by Rose, but this is not a healthy way of coping."

"It's because I just wanted to save everyone from what I suffered," Tanzanite revealed sadly as she clashed with her former mentor. "My friends! My family! Everything I did was for the galaxy, for the Crystal Gems! But it was all for nothing, Pink Diamond used all of us to avoid the consequences of her actions." Despite how much Pearl tried to speak up, Tanzanite kept ranting. "I had to use my skills on friends; on family; Gems that I knew. She controlled us through lies." She then let out a strained and tearful laugh. "Homeworld, no better than the rebels Rose created. I helped terrorize my people! I wanted you to stop it, I had to stop it. I spoke out. I spoke out to Black Rutile, to save everyone from you! But when I did, I only stood with a monster. You chose Pink Diamond." Now, Tanzanite was on the verge of tears as she sobbed into Pearl's chest. "You left me, gave me no choice! The Diamonds wanted to destroy worlds, and they did. Pink destroyed mine."

"Oh, poor dear," Pearl muttered sorrowfully while holding her old student close. "But do you still believe Black Rutile is good for you?"

"I'm not sure if anyone is good for me." Tanzanite sobbed. "I don't know if Black Rutile really cares for me or if she just saw me as a tool."

"Black Rutile never cared for anyone to begin with." Pearl declared before she held Tanzanite's head in her hands. "I'm truly sorry that I made you choose this path, and I promise that there will be no more secrets between us from now on. Is that good?"

"Yeah, but I'm not sure if I can forgive myself for this." Tanzanite agreed just as she felt the business end of a Rejuvenation Blaster pressing the back of her head.

"Another last-minute betrayal, I see." Andesine grinned while preparing to pull the trigger, only for Tanzanite to smack it out of Andesine's hands with her epee before stabbing her in the chest.

"Now look what you made ME do," Tanzanite smirked as she threw what Andesine said when she shattered her back in the red Gem's face before she poofed.

--

"Okay Mr. S, here we are." Mr. Shreds said as he pulled the limo up to the White House and let Eduardo out. "Just make it quick, I'm on a tight schedule here," Eduardo said nothing as he saw his family surrounded by terrorists and Reginald smugly standing by a video camera and a podium.

"Go on Mr. Prez, don't be shy." Reginald mockingly urged Eduardo. "Just say what you need to say."

"That's exactly what I was going to say to you." Eduardo declared before trapping Reginald in a headlock. "NOW!" The SWAT team immediately overwhelmed Reginald's enforcers while Reginald tried his best to fight back, only to be met with a krav maga kick from Theresa, coming straight out of nowhere.

"Did you plan all this?!" Reginald shouted.

"Well, not necessarily," Eduardo replied as Wade and Lloyd came to handcuff Reginald. "It's just that I'm far more quick on my feet than you'll ever be."

"Dad!" Huey and Riley Suarez cried as Theresa freed them from their restraints and hugged their father.

"Oh, mi preciosos, I was so worried," Eduardo said as he hugged them back before seeing Arlene walk towards them as well. "And I surely didn't forget you, my love."

"And you never will," Arleen replied before kissing her husband. And so, the White House was saved, thanks to the president and his quick thinking. Now all he had to do was hope that the Crystal Gems were doing alright.

--

"Must I remind you of my superiority, pretty boy?" Marty taunted Kevin while showing off the capabilities of his war suit. "Face it, hiding behind all these beautiful women won't get you anywhere in life!"

"Yeah, I'm absolutely unequipped for this, but that won't stop me from trying!" Kevin exclaimed before beginning to fight back.

"How could you, Marty?" Vidalia asked her ex-husband. "I knew you were a dirtbag, but selling out the entire human race for what? Just because you're mad we disowned you!"

"Oh yeah, I'm absolutely livid," Marty agreed. "but I'm mostly just here to get even with you guys. I don't give a damn about Black Rutile's whole rebellion business!"

Meanwhile, Bane Jones, Beckham, Makoto, and Matt were all standing back-to-back against Francis von Bowling's men. "So, when this is all over, could I perhaps get an autograph?" Bane asked Beckham. "I'm a huge fan, and I consider it an honor to be fighting for Earth with you."

"I'd be more than happy to." Beckham smiled at the offer.

"Hey boys, can we pick up the pace a bit?!" Makoto said while delivering an upside-down spinning kick to Konstantin, Pavel, and Leo at once.

Above the chaos going on in Little Homeworld, Black Rutile stood atop the whirlybird tower and was not happy with how her forces were losing. "STOOOOOP THEM!" she shrieked angrily while pulling at her hair just as she turned to see Connie, Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Peridot, Bismuth, Jasper, White Topaz, Spinel, Hessonite, and now Tanzanite standing behind her. "You! You ruined everything again! I could've made everything perfect!"

"You didn't want to make things perfect." Tanzanite declared to Black Rutile. "You just hated things the way they are."

"This is your final warning, Black Rutile." Garnet declared. "And this time, we won't be giving you a second chance. You and your minions are headed straight for Revanche 666 after this!"

"Fine, if I can never win, then neither should you!" Black Rutile completely snapped. "Aquamarine, Eyeball, Chrome Chalcedony, to me!"

"Ready as always, Black Rutile!" Aquamarine said as she and Eyeball fused into Bluebird Azurite, while Holly Blue and Cat's Eye arrived to make Chrome Chalcedony.

"And now, for a little surprise!" Bluebird proclaimed.

"I have a little joke for you all." Black Rutile smiled dementedly while grabbing Bluebird's hand. "What do you get when you cross a depressed loner with a society that abandons her and treats her like trash?!"

"That's not a very good joke!" Amethyst replied.

"I'll tell you what you get, you get what you deserve!" Black Rutile shrieked before she and Bluebird merged to form Pietersite, now sporting Black Rutile's new pink cape and red visor in addition to her outfit now looking different to fit Aquamarine's regeneration.

"PIETERSITE LIVES!" Pietersite bellowed loudly for all to hear and cringe in fear. "AND NOW CRYSTAL GEMS, IT IS TIME FOR THE FINAL CURTAIN CALL!"

"I don't think so!" Peridot said as she fired a Rejuvenation Blaster at the two fusions, which they dodged only for the blast to hit one of Nephrite's crew and revert her to normal. "I stole one of those blasters from Howlite and reverse-engineered them to change everyone hit by them back to normal."

"I'm free, I've been freed!" the Nephrite cheered at finally being brought back to her old self.

"What?" Pietersite muttered in horror as the Crystal Gems immediately understood what was going to happen and raced down to solid ground so they can do the same for all the other Gems Black Rutile converted. "No! No no no! Don't do that, I worked so hard!"

"Stop them!" Chrome Chalcedony added as she and Pietersite tried fighting back against the enemy, but as the Crystal Gems' forces grew with every Gem turned back to normal, they were quickly outnumbered.

"Well, we're boned," Apatite muttered as she and Amazonite prepared to leave. "Let's skedaddle!"

"I don't think that'll be necessary," Amazonite replied as she and Apatite found themselves confronted by the entirety of Beach City's population, and they weren't happy.

"Goin' somewhere?" Sheena Synstylae cracked her neck and her knuckles.

"Don't worry, you're not the only ones we'll be punishing," Lars added.

"We'll finally gain an advantage over Black Rutile!" Padparadscha Sapphire exclaimed happily.

Pietersite could barely comprehend what happened, and it was so anticlimactic too. Her forces were subdued, her weapons seized and modified to fix what she had done, and now all that was left of the Rutile Rebels was her, Aquamarine, and Eyeball once again. "Please no, just give me a second chance!"

"Not likely," Lapis said as she summoned a sawblade made of water that sliced Pietersite in half, barely giving her a chance to fight because the Crystal Gems now considered Black Rutile to be that pathetic to not even consider a grander defeat. To seal the deal, Little Homeworld was returned to its rightful place outside of Beach City with help from the Lapis Lazulis.

Black Rutile, Aquamarine, and Eyeball all fell to the ground in defeat, while the rest of the Rutile Rebels were brought together in chains. "I hate happy endings."

"Well, that should about wrap everything up!" Pearl sighed in relief once the dust settled. "Now then, it's off to Revanche 666 you all go!"

"And me too," Tanzanite added, much to Pearl's shock. "Even if I changed my ways, I still need to forgive myself for siding with Black Rutile too."

"Indeed, young Tanzanite." James began one final monologue. "At the end of the day, we are all but individuals crying for fairness in our lives. You won't get everything, but you'll get something. The Crystal Gems finally restore peace, while Black Rutile hopefully realizes how futile her schemes were. In the end, we just need to decide what is fair and what isn't."

"Oh, be quiet!" Black Rutile said as Hessonite and Spinel carted her away to the ship Andesine and Cinnabar hijacked in their prison break, while everyone was left to rejoice.

--

"So, that's all that happened?" Steven asked Connie a few days later over video chat. "Wow, sounds like you had quite the adventure."

"Yeah, and that's not even getting into what happened next," Connie stated. "First, Marty's now on the run from the law and lost everything. Then, Kevin got a key to the city."

"That's a phrase I never expected to hear." Steven laughed. "What else happened?"

"The Crystal Gems have all made up with each other and the Diamonds, and they're getting the therapy they need from Dr. Sucrose, Mr. Ikari, and Dr. Brenner." Connie continued. "Speaking of which, Brenner put Sally Grove under house arrest and is writing a book about the psychology of influencers, Neil Michaels is stuck doing ChikFlix movies to recoup his losses, Francis von Bowling is stuck in prison with Reginald Johnson, the president is still alive, and finally, the Rutile Rebels are all safely behind bars for what they've done. But I kinda doubt they'll stay there for long because evil geniuses are harder to squash than cockroaches."

"Hey, Connie!" Lapis cried while knocking on Connie's window, now back in her Crystal Gem uniform. When Connie peeked her head outside, she could see the other Crystal Gems outside her house. "You got a minute?"

"I'll call you back Steven!" Connie said before hanging up on Steven and racing outside to meet with her alien friends, no doubt to go on another adventure together. In the distance, the Officer was recording everything he saw and sending it to his masters.

--

Meanwhile, on Revanche 666, the prison was restored to order as the Rutile Rebels were locked behind the destabilizing fields in their cells.

"Hey, don't be so bummed out everyone!" Kyanite exclaimed. "We can make prison life fun!"

"Oh be quiet!" Zoisite yelled angrily.

"I did pretend to get sent to prison only to get sent to prison for real!" Amber added. "I'm getting anxious!"

"Hey, is no one going to check up on Black Rutile?" Dalmatian Jasper asked while pointing at Black Rutile sitting calmly in her cell.

"She's looking even mopier than me," Xenotime added worriedly. "I hope she's alright."

Hiding from the endless chatter of Zoisite's team, a restored Emerald, Morganite, Demantoid & Pyrope who were behind bars to repent, Black Rutile gazed emotionlessly at her hand as she wondered how it all came to this. So many months of planning have now gone to waste, once again because of the Gems' human friends. This made her finally ask herself one thing. "Is this still worth it?"

--

This went way longer than I expected, and with way too many characters I put on the cast list that didn't get a line! I've recently found it to be a bad habit of mine, and I hope to remedy that in future stories. I also think I kind of rushed this to be as big as possible while still meeting my deadline. But in the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed these past thirteen weeks and I get to enjoy a break at last and maybe pursuing either a story I haven't written yet or one I still need to finish. But for now, let's see what to come in the finale.

--

"Your Highness, we received another update from Aescul!" a snakelike alien told his master, another snake alien who was far larger and resembled a king cobra, as he received the news from their deep cover agent. "He says now might finally be the time."

"Excellent work, sir." The king cobra alien said to his subordinate while slithering away. "You are dismissed." The cobra then retreated into a mysterious chamber where he met with a shadowy figure towering above him. "It's time for the Gems to enter our contest, great Lapidarist." He declared to the shadow. "Soon, we shall return your children to you."

The shadowy figure began glowing a brilliant white light as it woke up, followed by shimmering with every possible color in existence while laying eyes upon its servant.

--

Featuring Voltaire as King Cobralan Jormagundr

TO BE CONCLUDED IN STEVEN UNIVERSE: SNAKE EYES

A FINALE THREE YEARS IN THE MAKING

#steven universe #steven universe future #fanfiction #steven universe alternate future #little homeworld life #black rutile #connie maheswaran #garnet #amethyst #pearl #peridot #lapis lazuli #bismuth #jasper #white topaz #aquamarine #eyeball ruby #holly blue agate #cat's eye #cinnabar #andesine

[andrewmoocow]

The Trial of Black Rutile (originally posted on August 8, 2022)

AN: After like, a few weeks of waiting, we finally return to Earth for the next installment of the Steven Universe: Alternate Future-verse, The Trial of Black Rutile! For those just joining us, Black Rutile was the main antagonist of Steven Universe: Alternate Future who wanted to topple the current regime and make herself the new ruler of all Gemkind out of a burning hatred for Pink Diamond that extended to our boy Steven. However, those plans quickly went up in smoke and now she's forced to stand trial for her crimes against both humanity and Gems. This shall serve as a midquel to The Future and as the pilot movie for the next installment, Little Homeworld Life. But now, here we can finally learn the method to Black Rutile's madness as we examine her origins, and where she might go next.

Cast:

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Zach Callison as Steven

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl, Volleyball, Yellow Pearl

Shelby Rabara as Peridot

Jennifer Paz as Lapis, Laz, Zuli

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Grace Rolek as Connie

Tom Scharpling as Greg

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper

Patti LuPone as Yellow Diamond

Lisa Hannigan as Blue Diamond

Christine Ebersole as White Diamond

Susan Egan as Pink Diamond

Casey Lee Williams as Cat's Eye

Della Saba as Aquamarine

Charlyne Yi as Eyeball, Navy, Doc, Army, Leggy, Ruby

Erica Luttrell as Sapphire

Christine Pedi as Holly Blue Agate

Hayley Kiyoko as Morganite

Jinkx Monsoon as Emerald

Kari Wahlgren as Pyrope

Melissa Fahn as Demantoid

Amy Sedaris as Yellow Zircon

Sarah Stiles as Spinel

Aparna Nancherla as Lemon Jade

Lin-Manuel Miranda as President Eduardo Suarez

Wendie Malick as Vice President Theresa Maxwell

GZA as Major General Wade Grant

Kevin Michael Richardson as Bailiff

Featuring Matthew Rhys as Dr. James Brenner

And Steven Rattazzi as Judge Quincy Hibbert

--

"Come on Topaz; you wouldn't hurt your bestest friend ever, right?"

"How many times do I have to tell you this? You're a bad friend."

That would be the last exchange Black Rutile would have with her traitorous sidekick and bodyguard White Topaz before she poofed her former boss, ending the Rutile's reign of terror at long last. Just moments earlier, Black Rutile was engaged in a clash of ideals and fists with White Topaz and her new friend Jasper through fusing into Pietersite with her two most loyal remaining subjects, Aquamarine, and Eyeball. Though the battle was tremendous and much damage to Beach City was caused, Black Rutile ultimately lost.

Afterward, there were debates on what to do with Black Rutile now that her plans had been foiled for good. Some wanted her to be shattered to make her feel the pain she put them through, but others said she should be permanently bubbled. However, both would've ultimately vindicated Black Rutile's beliefs that the Crystal Gems were tyrants that only punished those for doing what they were made to do, so the most nonviolent idea of forcing her to attend Little Homeschool was agreed upon. But not before she would face the consequences of her actions.

Upon finally regaining consciousness as her body reformed itself, Black Rutile groaned loudly from how painfully she was punched before looking around at the dark cell she was trapped in, with only a glass wall at the front being her window to the world around her. "What's the meaning of this?! Where am I?!" Black Rutile yelled while pounding on the glass when she finally discovered her reflection. Much to her horror, she was stripped of any trace she proudly served White Diamond, including her signature white cape. "Oh no! Oh no, no, no!"

"Oh yes, you little weirdo." One of the correctional officers declared. "Welcome to Area 42, Black Rutile. You're officially in government custody until you're fit to stand trial."

"A trial? What is the meaning of this?" Black Rutile kept asking. "Where is Steven?! He should be a prisoner, not me!"

"Yeah, threatening to destroy the planet multiple times can do that to you." Another guard commented. "You are seriously mental, missy, and that's why Major General Grant sent out the call for a criminal psychologist to tell you just how messed up you are."

"Implying that I, a Gem who only wanted to do what was best for my people by any means necessary, is a criminal." Black Rutile talked back to her captors.

"Lady, how oblivious are you to the fact that you're completely off your rocker evil?!" the first guard exclaimed. "Before now, I'd be more likely to find guys like you in comic books or movies!"

--

Outside Area 42, a government-owned helicopter landed on the facility helipad. Out of it came a middle-aged man with graying ash-blonde hair, blue eyes, and a white lab coat over a tan dress shirt and cargo pants carrying a briefcase. "Mr. President, it's an honor to see you."

"Thank you for accepting this summons, Dr. James Brenner." United States president Eduardo Suarez said gratefully as he shook the psychologist's hand before he, his vice president Theresa Maxwell, and the U.S. army's major general Wade Grant began leading Dr. Brenner through the complex. "We wanted you here today because we currently have a prisoner who has threatened our world with the belief that she's doing what she thinks is right, kind of like a terrorist only on a galactic scale."

"Terrorist, you say?" James wondered. "What's this prisoner's name, if I may ask?"

"Oh, just a psycho alien warlord named Black Rutile." Theresa replied. "You might've seen her on the news earlier."

"Oh yes, I was watching things closely." Brenner declared. "This Black Rutile character fascinates me so. Does she truly believe she is doing whatever it takes for her people?"

"No, just a toxic superiority complex." Wade responded bluntly as the four reached Black Rutile's cell, where she sat there silent as a lamb. "Let's see how you handle this basketcase."

"I'll see what I can do." James nodded to the three government officials as he was pulled up a chair facing Black Rutile to sit in. "Hello there, my name is James Brenner, professional criminal psychologist, and I shall be examining you today before your trial."

"If you're trying to brainwash me into loving Earth, then forget it." Black Rutile scoffed with her arms folded. "I will not be assimilated into your culture so easily, old man!"

"Calm down, Black Rutile. I don't wish to harm you. I only want to test you." James proclaimed before opening his briefcase to pull out a pair of half-moon reading glasses and some case files on his subject. "And my my, they weren't kidding when they said you were a unique individual. Judging by all this intel privately given to me on the way here, you seem to tick off half of Cluster B on the DSM-5."

"Cluster B?" Black Rutile said curiously. "What are you talking about?"

Brenner clicked his tongue in awe and kept reading. "Let's see, you seem to possess traits of antisocial personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder. Heck, you even possess a strong sadistic personality disorder, and that's not even used as a legit diagnosis anymore!"

"Oh please, you're too kind." Black Rutile took the psychologist's diagnosis as a compliment while batting her eyelashes. "Do tell me more."

"As a matter of fact, I'd like you to tell me more." James replied. "What could've caused all this? Were you powerless at one point in your life and gained power by tormenting others? Do you have any self-worth issues you are hiding? Or maybe a poor self-image?"

"No, you're wrong on all of those!" Black Rutile objected to the doctor's questioning. "I had plenty of power to begin with, and I'm very happy with myself! Are you insinuating that I tell my backstory or something?"

"I would like that very much." James smiled and nodded at the offer. "Besides, it could provide for your case."

As she seemed to have no other option, plus it could give her a leg to stand on in court, Black Rutile turned away from her psychologist and took a deep breath. "Okay, you win. I'll tell you everything."

--

Six thousand years ago, in a Zeta Kindergarten on the colony planet of Demorgon-419, the Gem that would become known across the entire universe as Black Rutile had just emerged. But unlike the shamelessly cunning, devious, opportunistic, sociopathic monster she would turn into in the modern day, she was just a normal, obedient Rutile who nonetheless had big dreams for her future. To achieve those dreams, she worked harder than any Gem ever would at their given job, hers being piloting, which began getting her superiors' attention.

"My Diamond, there is a pressing matter I'd like for you to address." An Emerald said to White Diamond one day. "There is this one Rutile who has been putting more effort into her work than most of her type ever had."

"Which one are you talking about, Emerald?" White Diamond asked her subordinate.

"I believe it's Facet-1E3F, Cut-7WQ." The Emerald replied. "Would you like me to bring her to you?"

"You shall." White replied. "This should be intriguing." As the Emerald promised, Black Rutile Facet-1E3F Cut-7WQ was brought before White Diamond, and she began trembling at her almighty superior's radiant yet ominous aura. "Hello there, little Rutile."

"Greetings, my Diamond." Black Rutile saluted her Diamond in reply. "What have you requested my presence for?"

"I want to speak with you about your performance so far." The head Diamond replied while examining some hologram documents of Black Rutile's deeds. "You have been doing exceedingly well for a mere Rutile since you emerged on Demorgon-419. Normally, I wouldn't give this the time of day, but you, in particular, have been of great interest to your fellow Gems. Why is that, if I may ask?"

"Why am I working so hard?" Black Rutile asked proudly. "It's because I have big dreams, you see! I don't want to be just any ordinary Rutile; I wish to be known and respected across the entire Gem race! I could even stand by your side someday, and all shall love me and despair!"

"My, someone's a big dreamer." White chuckled and patted Black Rutile on the head with a massive finger. "It's good to have dreams to follow, my little Rutile, and you are no different."

"Wow, you were more lenient than I thought." Black Rutile muttered in surprise. "I was concerned you'd go all crazy and smash me to pieces."

"Oh no, I'd never do that to someone so eager to please." White said sweetly but in a rather condescending fashion that Black Rutile didn't notice. "Now, you be on your way, my dear, but I will keep an eye on you for now."

--

"A mere Rutile wishes to move up in the ranks?!" Yellow Diamond bellowed at White not long after the Diamond met with Black Rutile. "She should know her place in the caste system! Imagine what this would do to other Rutiles!"

"Yellow, please, just hear White out!" Blue Diamond tried calming her fellow Diamond down. "I'm just as alarmed, but maybe we should give this Rutile the benefit of the doubt."

Yellow then took a deep breath while facepalming in annoyance. "Okay, proceed."

"According to one of my Emeralds, Black Rutile 1E3F-7WQ has been working exponentially harder than most other Rutiles because she wants to break the mold that we have forced them into, perhaps even standing by my side one day." White explained.

"You're kidding." Yellow flatly declared. "A Rutile standing alongside our leader? Someone might be getting a little too big for their britches. And it's only been, what, a couple of hundred years or so since she first emerged on Demorgon-419?"

"This is a very concerning matter indeed." Blue agreed with Yellow. "I demand to see this Black Rutile at once and see where her true motivations lie. If she plans on a rebellion, we will see that she must be shattered."

"Well, sorry for trying to be fair, but whatever works for you." White rolled her eyes at the younger Diamonds.

--

Soon, Black Rutile was once again brought before White Diamond, though this time, the other three Diamonds were right by her side and dozens of Gems assembled in the throne room as Black Rutile was to make her case.

"Good day to you all, everyone." Black Rutile greeted rather awkwardly, as this was the first time she was forced in front of a large crowd. "I am Black Rutile 1E3F-7WQ, and I stand before you all today because the Diamonds are led to believe I had big plans for Homeworld."

"So, is it true she's just getting a big head, or does she really think she wants to stand out from the other Rutiles?" Pink Diamond whispered to the other Diamonds.

"We don't know yet, so shush!" White silently commanded the littlest monarch.

"And you might laugh at me for thinking that way because I am merely a Rutile, just another low-ranking Gem on the pecking order who probably won't amount to much and can easily be replaced." Black Rutile continued. "Granted, White Diamond was alarmed to learn such a thing, while Yellow and Blue didn't have faith in my abilities, but I am here today to prove them all wrong!" She raised her voice with a confident expression on her face, shocking everyone in the throne room. Even the ordinarily unflappable White Diamond raised her eyebrows with intrigue as Black Rutile kept on speaking. "Even as a Rutile, I was born with the gift of intelligence on par with your average Peridot. That gift has granted me the foresight to know what could truly be best for all Homeworld and beyond!"

The other Gems began muttering with suspicion about what Black Rutile meant. Did she genuinely want what was best, or did she have far darker plans in mind? The Rutile's words continued proving them wrong. "Like, for example, we could strengthen our relationship with the Universal Lords and allow them to inhabit colony planets we do not need anymore or avert any possible resource crises by saving up on materials! The possibilities are endless!"

"You know, I'm starting to like her quite a bit now." Yellow smirked eagerly. "I have heard from the Vosania family that there are some planets they don't feel like conquering right now."

"And what's more, I shall lead you all into battle in the event of war because I have spent endless hours researching every Gem's abilities, weapons, and battle tactics!" Black Rutile had pretty much won over all the Gems in the room by now, having them hung on her every word. "I can be of great use to you all if you would just give me a chance! I can make Homeworld great!"

All the Gems started cheering in excitement as Black Rutile looked upon her audience with pride. All her dreaming had led up to this, but all that was left to do was for the Diamonds to give her the okay. "So, what did you all think?"

"It seems you proved us all wrong, little Rutile." Yellow remarked pridefully. "Your ideas could indeed be of great benefit to our society."

"And to think, all that from a low-ranking pilot." Blue added. "Maybe White was right to have faith in you."

"We shall watch your career with great interest, Black Rutile." White declared with a smile, which was what all Black Rutile needed to be vindicated. She was so happy that she didn't even hear White whisper something to the other Diamonds. "Though really, I just want to humor her."

--

For the next couple dozen years afterwards, Black Rutile's hard work and determination began to pay off as it seemed like almost everything was handed to her on a silver platter. She had earned respect and friendship from numerous high-ranking Gems like Hessonite and Emerald, her own dropship to take into battle. She was given a cape added to her form as a show of power, an eager Cinnabar to take in as her apprentice, and most famously, a White Topaz to serve as her bodyguard, confidant, and right-hand Gem.

"Black Rutile, we'd like to introduce you to White Topaz Facet-6G9H, Cut-4U2." Yellow Pearl introduced Black Rutile to her new Topaz. "She just came out of one of the Sigma Kindergartens on Gustafring, and you'll find her to be very eager to please."

"Oh my gosh, you must be the Black Rutile everyone has been talking about!" White Topaz exclaimed while rapidly shaking Black Rutile's hand. "I am so honored to meet you and be your muscle, just say the word and I'll do anything!"

"Oh my, you're a little eager." Black Rutile purred. "Reminds me of me when White Diamond first noticed my potential. Now, what can you do?"

"Well, aside from super strength, comes with the territory of being a Topaz," White Topaz stated while showing off her bicep. "I can also do this!" She then presented her weapon, a gauntlet with brass knuckles attached to it. "You like?"

"Oh yes, I do like! The Diamonds certainly picked a good one." Black Rutile clapped happily, further exciting the Topaz.

"Anything else you need, Black Rutile?" Yellow Pearl offered. "We can throw in your own Pearl if you'd like."

"No, I can already care for myself, thank you." Black Rutile turned down the suggestion. "Besides, I wouldn't get as overly attached to mine as a certain Diamond has."

--

"Ah yes, Pink Diamond, your eternal archnemesis." James interrupted Black Rutile's recounting of her origins. "The same source of your vendetta against the new Gem order and the Crystal Gems. But now, I'm left to wonder what the source of this grudge is. Did she do something to hurt you in particular? I have heard she can get a little violent at times."

"Well, she technically hurt me in a way." Black Rutile responded. "For years, as I rose through the ranks of Homeworld's upper crusts, I just couldn't help but absolutely despise how Pink seemed to have everything handed to her with no consequences to her obnoxious tantrums! Like, she was given the Earth as her first colony because she kept demanding her own planet, but then she didn't even use it properly because she got a little too attached to the natives!"

"I see." Brenner replied as he wrote down his findings on a notepad. "But what about any personal history you might've shared?"

"Another thing that made me despise Pink was how often I was forced to babysit her whenever the other Diamonds were busy." Black Rutile added. "She just kept getting on my nerves whenever we were forced to pair up, and she always accused me of being too power-hungry!"

--

One day, the Diamonds were busy with diplomatic affairs regarding the Universal Lords. Since Pink Diamond was too young to come along, White had entrusted Black Rutile with watching over her until the Diamonds returned. However, Black Rutile was hesitant to do so due to her grudge against Pink, but obliged out of a desire to increase her standing amongst Gems.

"Black Rutile, are we done yet?" Pink complained as Black Rutile oversaw the conquest of Utrokrang-847, a small planet in the Lairdman galaxy that was home to a race of brain-like creatures. "I'm bored!"

"We'll be done when I say we're done!" Black Rutile yelled at the young Diamond. "White Topaz, keep her distracted while I'm working here!"

"Okay, my Rutile." White Topaz nodded as she sat next to Pink Diamond and her Pearl. "So, want to talk about anything, like say, I don't know, how your day has been?"

"Eh, pretty normal." Pink shrugged. "Hey, if I'm on my best behavior today, you think Black Rutile will put a good word in and maybe get the Diamonds to give me a colony?"

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Black Rutile abruptly yelled as she stormed into the room. "Don't think you can just use me to get what you want; you have to earn it!"

"Earn my own colony how?" Pink asked.

"By, I don't know, actually acting like the Diamond you're supposed to be!" Black Rutile answered angrily. "There's a reason why you're basically a puppet compared to the other Diamonds; it's because you can't be trusted to do anything on your own! You'd rather just whine and cry as the day as long in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, you'll get whatever you want, but that's not how the universe works!"

"You just don't understand what I'm going through because you think you're so high and mighty." Pink argued with the Rutile while their respective servants watched awkwardly. "You think you're so great because you keep working hard, but in the end, you're just a Rutile!"

"That's the idea, I have been working like crazy for thousands of years to gain the respect and admiration of all for a low-class Gem type!" Black Rutile continued. "Meanwhile, you are one of the great leaders of our race, yet you're always acting like a mere rowdy quartz! And not even a good quartz, more like one of those overcooked runts I sometimes have to weed out!"

"Uh, Black Rutile, maybe you should leave Pink alone for the moment and get back to work." Pink Diamond's Pearl suggested. "She's going through a lot at the moment, so maybe don't make her feel worse."

"Fine, I got better things to do today regardless." Black Rutile scoffed in agreement before turning back to Pink. "But don't think we're done yet!"

--

"Fascinating." James declared once Black Rutile finished her story. "So, if I'm correct here, you believed that hard work will get you what you want instead of just constantly asking until people cave in to keep you quiet."

"And that's exactly what happened." Black Rutile declared in response. "The Diamonds decided to give Pink the Earth we stand on today as her only colony, but like the ungrateful little brat she is, Pink was unsatisfied because they were putting dozens of expendable organics at risk. So because she once again wasn't listened to, Pink decided to fake her own suicide and started the most selfish war you could ever imagine."

"While you are my most fascinating patient yet, and I'd love to hear more of your story, I'm afraid we'll have to cut our time short for now." Dr. Brenner stated as Black Rutile was finally let out of her cell by some armored guards. "Your trial is about to begin."

"So, this is it, eh?" Black Rutile dourly responded. "Go ahead, do what you want with me."

--

Black Rutile was led away from the depths of Area 42 and shunted into a helicopter that would take her away from Calivada, with Brenner accompanying the Gem revolutionary, and soon bring her straight to Washington D.C., where her trial was to be held. When the chopper landed, Black Rutile was quickly hounded by the press that secret service agents kept at bay as they led the accused into the building. High in the sky, Black Rutile could also see the Diamonds' ships parked nearby, indicating to her that they would also be participating in the proceedings. "I'm officially doomed."

"If I had a nickel for every time I had a client say that." James commented in reply before Black Rutile was led into the massive courtroom and seated at the defendant's table. The Crystal Gems were sitting next to her at the plaintiff's table. The jury was made up of their allies, both human and Gem alike, and even some of Black Rutile's subordinates past and present. And just as Black Rutile predicted, the Diamonds had shrunk themselves down to fit inside the courtroom.

"All rise for the honorable judge Quincy Hibbert." The bailiff announced, cuing a man in judge's garb with tanned skin, dark gray hair with white temples, and a matching beard to enter the room and take his seat at the bench.

"Order in the court, everyone; I say order!" Judge Hibbert loudly declared while theatrically pounding his gavel on his bench. "We stand here today to accuse the Gem known as Black Rutile for her many crimes against our planet and the universe beyond! Bailiff, read the charges!"

"Black Rutile, you have been brought here to be tried for crimes of terrorism, attempted genocide, attempted murder of a minor, numerous counts of abuse, and attempted murder of our president." The bailiff said to Black Rutile. "How do you plead?"

"Not guilty!" Black Rutile replied. "You just don't have the full story yet! I had good intentions in doing all these so-called "crimes" while you keep letting the Crystal Gems off with a slap on the wrist for their numerous infractions!"

"Name one reason you think you had good intentions?" Steven scowled from across the courtroom.

"Because it's either these lawless troglodytes or me!" Black Rutile proclaimed. "For example, Lapis Lazuli has risked the safety of your entire species for selfish purposes, yet since she's just a poor misunderstood soul who just wanted to go home, she gets away with it scot-free!"

"Wow, really laying it on thick right off the bat." Lapis commented at the mere mention of her past actions.

"Yet once Steven showed her an ounce of kindness, Lapis decided to take advantage of that by abusing his friends at every turn and showing no empathy or regret for what she has done!" Black Rutile continued. "And then there's Pearl, who had previously, and repeatedly might I add, coerced Garnet into fusing with her just to feel powerful again!"

"Hm, yes, these are all rather questionable, but everyone makes mistakes at least a few times in their lives." The judge responded, raising his eyebrow. "But do you perhaps have a lawyer to back up your claims?"

"Did someone say lawyer?!" the obnoxious voice of Cat's Eye exclaimed as she burst into the courtroom and strutted her way over to Black Rutile and Dr. Brenner, much to the annoyance of the Crystal Gems. "Did you know you have rights, my friend? Well, the laws of this planet say you do, and so do I!" she declared to Black Rutile. "I believe until proven guilty, you are perfectly innocent, Black Rutile! And that's why I will fight for you!"

"Do I know you from somewhere?" Black Rutile asked, completely baffled at Cat's entrance. "And do you seriously believe you have the legal expertise to defend me in court?"

"Oh, pardon me, I don't think we met." Cat's Eye extended a hand that Black Rutile began to shake. "Name's Cat's Eye, aristocrat, lawyer, fellow victim of the Crystal Gems. By the way, Cinnabar says hi!"

"Wait, you collaborated with Cinnabar?!" Black Rutile gasped in amazement.

"No time to elaborate, allow me to defend you." Cat's Eye stated as she got up to make her case. "Honorable judge, my client here states that she simply wants what was best for our people, wants that didn't involve making everyone bend the knee and become defenseless, easily conquerable pacifists all because our grand leaders have become total bootlickers towards a half-human child."

"Ugh, her again." Pearl smacked her face angrily at the thought of seeing Cat's Eye again. "And like always, I bet she'll just lie and be incredibly obnoxious just to get her way."

"Uh, who's Cat's Eye?" Steven asked the Gems.

"Annoying lawyer we contended with on Homeworld while you were at the doctor's." Amethyst stated. "Thankfully, Pearl drove her mad and got her poofed."

"So, where have you been this whole time?" Garnet asked Cat's Eye.

"Oh, nothing much." Cat's Eye meowed tepidly. "Just forced to do time in prison and perform community service after you took everything from me!"

"Order!" Judge Hibbert yelled with a pound of his gavel. "I shall not allow this behavior in my courtroom! Now then, shall we move on to witnesses?"

"Yes, yes we shall." Yellow Zircon proclaimed as she stepped into the room just as dramatically as Cat's Eye earlier and sat down with the Crystal Gems. "Hello again, Black Rutile."

"Oh, you're that moronic Zircon I turned into my mouthpiece." Black Rutile said, immediately recognizing the Zircon. "What brings you back here?"

"I was held captive by Cinnabar back on Homeworld, but after I was freed upon your Black Pearls' defeat of her, I jumped at the chance to give you one last payback for what you did to me." Yellow Zircon proclaimed. "Now then, if we have nothing else to discuss, would one of Black Rutile's subordinates please speak up and come to the stand?"

"I shall!" Aquamarine declared as she fluttered from the jury box and onto the witness stand.

"Miss, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" Judge Hibbert asked the little blur Gem.

"Of course, I'm as honest as the day is long." Aquamarine grinned cheekily.

"I doubt it." Garnet coolly responded while Yellow Zircon stepped forward to interrogate Aquamarine.

"Now Aquamarine, before Era 3, you were a high-ranking Gem in Blue Diamond's court up until you abducted several humans based on a list written by Peridot-5XG, up until Steven offered himself up in exchange for the humans' freedom." Yellow Zircon recounted. "After the beginning of Era 3 and the revelation that you essentially threatened the life of Pink Diamond, you were cast out and stripped of your rank, which most likely led to you joining Black Rutile. Is this true?"

"Oh, very true, Zircon." Aquamarine nodded. "Steven took everything from me, but when this most gracious Dalmatian Jasper collected me to join Black Rutile's band of freedom fighters, I happily accepted the offer and rose to the rank of her second in command."

"That doesn't make any sense!" Jasper yelled from the jury box. "White Topaz has been around Black Rutile longer, why isn't she second in command?!"

"It's all a matter of hierarchy." Aquamarine declared. "As a mindless soldier, ergo, White Topaz was lower on the pecking order than her higher-ranking superiors."

"Yeah, kinda true." White Topaz muttered as she felt like her intelligence was insulted before Cat's Eye gave her two cents.

"That is indeed true. Aquamarines hold a much higher rank than your average Topaz or Ruby." Cat proclaimed. "Which reminds me, was your alliance with that Ruby of your own free will, or were you two convinced? I am well aware of how often you two bicker."

"Indeed, when Eyeball and I were brought to Black Rutile, she offered to train us as a way to make us stronger." Aquamarine continued. "Unfortunately, she chose fusion as that way."

"And what is this fusion, you say?" the judge asked.

"Your honor, allow me to demonstrate." Garnet announced as she got up from the defendant's table to un-fuse into Ruby and Sapphire, eliciting oohs and aahs from the crowd.

"Fusion is when two Gems join together to form an even stronger whole." Ruby explained.

"However, the fusion can only be stable if the components harmonize properly." Sapphire added. "We, for example, have been fused for thousands of years, and we even got married not too long ago too." As the two small Gems presented the wedding rings made for them by Bismuth, the crowd began aahing again at the duo's relationship as they combined back into Garnet.

"So, what was your fusion like, Aquamarine?" Cat's Eye said while rolling her eyes at Garnet and filing her nails.

"Ugh, we could barely function together!" Aquamarine scoffed. "Ruby is a complete moron who always accuses me of being a bossyboots!"

"That's because you are!" Eyeball yelled from the stands, only to be greeted by a whip from Cat's Eye's riding crop.

"Okay, that's quite enough, everyone." Judge Hibbert announced as he ceased the arguments with a gavel bang. "Next witness, please."

--

For the next couple of minutes, the rest of the Rutile Rebels, both current and former, began giving their testimonies on Black Rutile, how they joined her, and where they stand on her now.

"After Steven ruined my life by stripping me of my power over those insipid quartz Gems, I was desperate for any form of authority over anyone!" Holly Blue Agate declared. "When Zoisite offered me a spot on Black Rutile's side, I took it without hesitation! If only Zoisite didn't talk back to me."

--

"Much like Holly Blue, I was also furious over losing everything while my foes got away with it!" Emerald agreed later. "I readily accepted a position as Black Rutile's advisor, but once I was defeated at Little Homeworld and forced to go to that school, I was initially desperate to find my master again. When Demantoid and Pyrope convinced me that I was effectively abandoned, I decided to pursue other hobbies that didn't pertain to chasing Lars. Which reminds me, is he here? I'd like to see him again sometime."

"Unfortunately, I think Lars returned to Homeworld so he can return Pink Diamond's ship." Bismuth answered, much to the Emerald's dismay.

--

"I was there when Pink Diamond was shattered, I saw it with my own eye!" Eyeball recounted her presence at Pink Diamond's presumed death. "But now everyone keeps telling me that she never died to begin with, and now I nearly tried to kill her while I was trapped in deep space because SOMEONE neglected to save my team after they double-crossed us!"

"I'm sorry Eyeball; we were in a hurry to escape the Diamonds and head back to Earth!" Steven apologized for the Gems.

"Sorry isn't going to cut it, just like how you won't get a sorry out of me for doing what was right!" Eyeball yelled.

--

"I was never really one for Pink Diamond, so I felt absolutely nothing when she was shattered." Morganite declared. "All that mattered to me was my work and how the public responded to it. But hearing about how she faked her death to start a war while showing little regard for the consequences of her actions just made me question if she never even cared for other Gems to begin with."

"OBJECTION!" Yellow Zircon yelled. "Pink Diamond did care! She gave her Pearl a choice to be her own Gem, but Pearl willingly stuck by her side because they were more than just master and servant! They were friends, and even more than that!"

"That doesn't make a lick of sense whatsoever." Morganite debated. "Pearl was given a choice to no longer be a slave, but she remained one anyways because she had a crush on her master? Does anyone else think that is incredibly messed up?!" The court began to mutter indecisively while Pearl sunk into her seat in embarrassment.

--

"When Black Rutile found me after I was freed from White's control, she and Holly Blue took advantage of how confused I was about the new world and used it to make me a spy." Volleyball stated. "Luckily, I was able to break out of their control after meeting Steven, who tried to have my eye fixed."

--

"Before being enlisted by Black Rutile just before she invaded Earth, Demantoid and I plotted to overthrow Era 3 for ourselves." Pyrope recounted her and Demantoid's battle with the Crystal Gems. "Unfortunately, once we were defeated, our clashing ideals got us poofed, and then bubbled by a certain traitorous Hessonite that was once our friend."

"However, once we were on Earth, we just got poofed all over again." Demantoid added. "We were then kept in Little Homeschool as a way of rehabilitating ourselves, but we acclimated better to our new surroundings once we had to get used to the fact that we were ditched."

--

"Okay, that should be almost everyone." Cat's Eye said as Demantoid and Pyrope said their peace on Black Rutile. "Now all that's left is for Lapis Lazuli 1J9G-5KL to take to the stand."

"I thought I told you the last time I participated in a trial; it's Laz!" Laz cried as she flew over to the witness's stand.

"You know, if I had a Mineral for every court case where jury members had the most abhorrent nicknames, I'd have two Minerals." Cat groaned angrily. "Which isn't a lot, but it's insane how it happened twice."

"Now, Miss Lazuli, could you please tell us how you joined Black Rutile the same way everyone else did?" Yellow Zircon asked Laz.

"Well, it all started on Aozul 2, when I was abandoned by Zuli when she decided to learn at Little Homeschool rather than keep terraforming with me." Laz stated. "I was so angry and alone, and I swore vengeance on Steven and Lapis for taking my friend away from me. And that was what Black Rutile used to manipulate me."

--

A few months ago, on the moon Aozul 2, the duo then known as Lapis Lazulis 1J9G-5KL and 2F8D-9ZE had just split up following a conflict with their old friend 3E8C-4XF and the so-called new Pink Diamond because the two didn't want them to terraform worlds anymore.

While 2F8D was more willing to go along with the pair because she was tired of 1J9 G's abusive control over her, 1J9G was much more hesitant to go along with the new status quo. While she was venting her frustrations by chopping down trees using her water powers, 1J9G received a rather unexpected visitor.

"Who's there?" 1J9G began panicking when she heard a rustling in the trees. "Did you realize you made a huge mistake and come crawling back to me?" However, 1J9G realized she wasn't talking to 2F8D. Instead, a large, grey hand with a white topaz on the back emerged from the foliage and reached out for her.

"Howdy, fancy seeing you here!" White Topaz cheerfully greeted the curly-haired terraformer. "Hey, Black Rutile, I found her!"

"Perfect, Topaz." Black Rutile replied as she emerged from the trees to greet 1J9G. "Hello there, little Lapis. Friendship trouble, I presume?"

"How did you know that?" 1J9G asked nervously, unaware of Black Rutile's true intentions.

"Well, let's just say I've been watching you and saw that you needed a comforting shoulder to cry on." Black Rutile responded pleasantly before her tone turned sour. "What the jank do you think I'm here for?!"

"The trees?" 1J9G replied, causing Black Rutile to sigh as she pinched her gem.

"No, I come here because I can plainly see you're just as much of a victim of this so-called messiah Steven Universe as all the rest." Black Rutile said frankly. "However, I can change that. I have a grand plan, magnanimous; I might say, to overthrow those oppressive rebels and claim the throne the Diamonds left empty for myself!"

"Yeah, she's been planning this for years, even way back when Pink Diamond was around!" White Topaz added, which caught the Lapis's interest.

"I'm listening." 1J9G said with intrigue.

"You're not the first foe of the Crystal Gems who was a mere working girl with a life they ruined." Black Rutile continued with her proposal. "I've got dozens, nay, hundreds of Gems who were left without their livelihoods, and you shall join them if you accept my offer."

"Okay, I like what you're saying, but why go through all this trouble?" 1J9G asked curiously. "Gems are smart; they'll see right through you."

"A Gem is smart." Black Rutile answered. "But a whole group of them are dumb, panicky mindless sheep that I can easily control. I shall continue working in the shadows while leaving some Gems to present me as a well-to-do public figure until the time is right." She then stuck out her hand. "Now that we have that answered, will you do me the honor of joining the Rutile Rebels?"

Looking at her hand, the Gem that would eventually become known as Laz began pondering Black Rutile's offer. Although she was only focused on taking back her friends whether they liked it or not, this Rutile and her Topaz presented some persuasive points. With an eager nod from White Topaz to suggest she do it, 1J9G then took Black Rutile's hand, sealing the deal.

"Okay, I'm with you." 1J9G agreed to Black Rutile as they shook. "But I don't really care about your whole insurrection against Era 3 or whatever, I only want to get my friends back, and that's it."

"Oh, trust me, there will be plenty of room for you and your comrades in my new empire." Black Rutile grinned sweetly. "Now come with me, I'll explain everything about my operations."

--

"And that was how I joined." Laz concluded her story. "After that, I joined Black Rutile in her invasion of Earth, but after Jasper saved my life during the invasion, I decided that maybe it was time that I join Little Homeschool so I could learn to become a better friend."

"And you're all the better for it." Zuli gave her friend a thumbs up from the jury box, which Laz smiled at, but Black Rutile again groaned angrily.

"Yes, yes, everyone loves Steven." Black Rutile snarled. "Breaking news, everyone, water is wet! More on this development at eight!"

"Oh, be quiet!" Lapis jeered Black Rutile.

"Well, now that we have details on each of these Rutile Rebels, it's only necessary that we get to the depths of their leader." Cat's Eye stated. "I call the human sitting with Black Rutile to the stand!"

"Call me Dr. James Brenner, thank you." James introduced himself to the Gems as he walked up to the witness stand with his notes on Black Rutile.

"Dr. Brenner, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" Yellow Zircon asked the criminal psychologist.

"I swear." Brenner swore the oath. "Good day to our alien neighbors. I am Dr. James Brenner, P.H.D. I am 52 years old, born in Springfield on September 11th, 1964. Before anyone asks, yes, the date is a total coincidence. I graduated from the University of Jayhawk with a degree in psychology."

"Hey, I'm going to Jayhawk too!" Connie exclaimed, only to be greeted by a whip from Cat's Eye.

"No talking, little girl!" Cat ordered the human.

"Anyways, I was assigned to examine Black Rutile while she was a prisoner of Area 42, and I must say, she is quite the complex patient." Brenner said as he presented his notes to the court. "In my study of Black Rutile, I have diagnosed her with antisocial and narcissistic personality disorder, and even traces of sadistic personality disorder, which I find baffling because that's not even in the DSM-5 anymore!"

"Objection!" Cat's Eye yelled at Brenner. "My client here is a sensitive Gem who was merely a victim of Steven's psychotic obsession with enforcing his twisted and fascist views on love and affection."

"But I thought I was the one with the psychotic obsession." Black Rutile innocently added, eliciting laughter from the audience.

"Regardless, young Mr. Universe is an obsessive-compulsive, narcissistic, hero-complexed sociopath who needs to know that his distorted desires are harming others!" Cat's Eye claimed regarding Steven. "And yet he genuinely believes that he's a pure, innocent soul who can do no harm! THAT DOES NOT, MAKE, SENSE!"

"As much as I would love to psychoanalyze Sir Steven someday, I feel you might be describing the wrong person, miss defendant." Brenner declared while continuing to look through his notes. "She claims that when she first emerged on a planet called Demorgon-419, she had big dreams of breaking the mold other Rutiles were fitted into. But it seems she let the power of becoming a personal confidant to White Diamond go to her head as soon as the Diamonds granted her that power, in addition to her toxic grudge against Pink Diamond."

"If that's the case, then I call White Diamond to the stand!" Yellow Zircon exclaimed, pointing straight at the highest Diamond in the stands next to Yellow, Blue, Spinel, Volleyball, and Lemon Jade.

"Well, I guess it's time to admit it." White declared to herself as she stood up to tell the truth about Black Rutile.

"You'll do fine, Whitey!" Spinel exclaimed with her feet kicked up on Eyeball's head. "Just gotta tell the truth!"

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure the truth won't be very kind to Black Rutile." Lemon Jade said nervously as White Diamond sat down on the witness stand.

"Miss White Diamond, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" Judge Brenner asked the Diamond.

"I swear." White Diamond answered as she turned to face her former Rutile. "Black Rutile, I know you are a sociopathic megalomaniac, but that shouldn't detract from all you've done for Homeworld up until all of this. But I believe there's something that I've been hiding for long enough, and you must know about it."

"Well, spit it out; we haven't got all day!" Black Rutile exclaimed impatiently. "What, are you insinuating that you never had any faith in me?!"

"Well, you're not entirely wrong." White confessed, much to Black Rutile's horror. "While I do admit you certainly had the skills and experience to work your way up to the upper echelons of my court, I must confess that I didn't feel like shattering you when you first revealed your dreams to me because, well, I found it kind of funny how much a Rutile wanted to stand by my side and change Gem society for the better! But I knew you were sincere in your claims, so I decided to keep you around because the initial thought of it just made me laugh!"

Black Rutile couldn't believe what her ex-Diamond had just revealed. After thousands of years of hard work and devotion to the Gems' cause and how much it earned her, it seemed to Black Rutile that all of it was for nothing. Ultimately, everything she had worked for was all based on White Diamond's sense of humor. She didn't know what to make of such a betrayal, that she initially didn't find the words to express it. All she could do was bow her head in disgrace and start to cry.

"Oh no, don't cry!" White tried cheering Black Rutile up. "I'm being serious; you do some of the hardest work out of any Rutile that has ever been created! Like when you conquered Torioda for us, which gave us some of our finest Kindergartens yet!"

"So that's it, I'm nothing more than a joke to you, you ungrateful pebble?!" Black Rutile roared angrily. "AFTER EVERYTHING I'VE DONE FOR YOU, EVERYTHING I SACRIFICED, YOU'RE GOING TO REPAY ME BY SAYING I WAS JUST BEING FUNNY?!"

The courtroom began erupting in chatter as White bowed her head in shame, and the judge banged his gavel once again. "Order, order in the court!" Quincy yelled for silence. "I think now would be a good time to call for a recess so our extraterrestrial guests may process all we've learned so far."

"That would be very nice, your honor." Cat's Eye agreed while licking the back of her hand and glaring at White Diamond from afar. "The nerve of that clod."

--

"I can't believe this; my Diamond was lying to me!" Black Rutile began despairing over this world-shattering revelation as the court went into recess. "This has got to be some horrible dream! If I pinch myself, I'll just wake up to a world where the Earth is a giant asteroid field, the Crystal Gems are dead, and I take my rightful place as supreme ruler of all Gems!"

"My Rutile, there you are." Holly Blue said as she appeared behind Black Rutile with Aquamarine, the Rubies, and Cat's Eye alongside her. "I am truly sorry you had to hear all of that heinous mockery of your good deeds." Contrary to how the Agate usually acted, she was much more solemn and comforting this time. "Here, I got something that might cheer you up." Reaching to the gem on the back of her neck, Holly Blue pulled out a red visor in the shape of a V that she handed over to Black Rutile. "Here, it was one of your few assets that weren't seized following your downfall."

"Thank you, Holly." Black Rutile thanked Holly Blue while putting on the visor and giving it a test run. "I must say, this is far more advanced than my old visor. Perhaps this could be of use to me." Just then, she looked down at Eyeball and Navy, who were now guarded by their former comrades Doc, Army, and Leggy. "And what's with you guys?"

"We have been assigned to watch over these Rubies for their relation to you." Doc proclaimed with her arms folded behind her back.

"If these two try anything funny, we won't hesitate to eliminate them." Army added just as dutifully.

"Oh, this is how the old gang gets back together?" Black Rutile grinned evilly. "I got an idea. Permission to speak with the prisoners privately?"

"Uh, permission granted." Leggy agreed, and Eyeball & Navy were let go so Black Rutile could drag them far away from their captors.

"You really can make Rubies do anything you want." Black Rutile muttered sneakily before turning to Eyeball and Navy. "Speaking of which, I have a special job for you two. If we are to regain power, we must take our captors by surprise, which is why I want you to pretend you've changed your ways, and when the time is right, seize control of that squad from within."

"A new mission?!" Navy excitedly yelled. "Don't worry my Rutile; we won't let you down!"

"Yeah, but what if we get too used to seeing the other Rubies again?" Eyeball wondered while looking longingly at Aquamarine, who was locked in a debate with Greg over his name in the distance. "If we're not careful, I could leave the only people who still want me around."

"Oh, don't get too dour!" Black Rutile gave Eyeball a hearty slap on the back. "If you do get too used to them, I'll have no choice but to shatter you!" Her threat made Eyeball's spine tingle before the three saw Dr. Brenner walk up to them. "What's up, doc?"

"I see you've been making some connections again." James stated. "Now come along; the trial is about to continue."

"Fine." Black Rutile groaned tiredly as she walked back to the courtroom. "Those Crystal Gems better not use any excuses."

--

When the court finally returned to session, the Crystal Gems were set to take to the witness's stand against Black Rutile, but not before Cat's Eye had the bright idea of trying to preface their arguments with the observations she made during the Homeworld trial. "Ladies and gentlemen of the court, before we proceed with these testimonies on Black Rutile, I'd like to make some testimonies of my own."

"The floor is yours, Ms. Eye." Judge Hibbert accepted.

"Thank you, your honor." Cat nodded. "Now then, judging by what we've heard so far, the Crystal Gems primarily made enemies out of Gems they thought they couldn't change. However, I have been told that they practice restorative justice, but in this case, it seems they only practice it on those they can make dozens of excuses for. And that DOES, NOT, MAKE, SENSE!"

"Wow, she's actually raising a few good points for once." Black Rutile smiled at Cat's declaration.

"Like for example, just like Black Rutile, Demantoid and Pyrope only wanted what was best for Homeworld, and what did the Crystal Gems do in response?" Cat's Eye continued. "They up and poofed them both while robbing them of their Prisms! Meanwhile, Lapis 1J9G-5KL reacted to Lapis's demands she and 2F8D-9ZE give up their way of life with righteous violence, yet Lapis was the one who instigated that fight, and 2F8D just immediately forgot all that like she was the guilty party! That also DOES, NOT, MAKE, SENSE!"

"OBJECTION!" Lapis interrupted the annoying attorney. "We tried to play nice with Laz and Zuli, no matter how much I wanted to convince them by force, but when all else failed, I decided to get dirty!"

"Ha ha! Dirty!" a member of the audience turned Lapis's declaration into a bawdy joke.

"Well, good to know that some things refuse to change." Pearl deadpanned before Garnet got up. "Seems like you're up first, Garnet."

"Wish me luck." Garnet stated before she walked up to the witness stand.

"Miss Garnet, could you give us your side of how you first met Black Rutile?" Yellow Zircon asked the fusion.

"With pleasure." Garnet said while adjusting the microphone on the stand. "We first met Black Rutile when she was on Earth interviewing for her Eye on Era 3 television series, which I'm convinced isn't even real, and she had us talk about our strengths and weaknesses before she left. However, I was also convinced she made us answer those questions to exploit them in the future."

--

"Yeah, I considered that pretty sus too." Amethyst agreed with Garnet when she took the stand next. "I mean, even Pearl brought up how oddly specific it was! And thankfully, I was proven right when Black Rutile invaded Little Homeworld!"

--

"I still couldn't believe Black Rutile used us like that." Pearl said regretfully. "She seemed like such a nice Gem on the surface, and then the next time we see her, she's plotting vengeance on us for all the good we've done!"

--

"For those wondering where Lapis, Bismuth, and I were when Black Rutile invaded, I was simply minding my own business in the greenhouse when I was suddenly ambushed by cyborg cactus monsters." Peridot recounted where she was during Black Rutile's attack on Little Homeworld. "Luckily, using my excellent control over metal, I was able to keep the cactuses at bay before racing to find help."

--

"I was relaxing at home and doing some painting before my artwork got a giant hole in it from a Light Warrior." Lapis added to Peridot's story. "I got agitated since I was working so hard on it for the past hour and took my rage out on the Warriors when Peridot found me, and we worked together to stop them and escape."

--

"When the invasion started, I was busy helping everybody evacuate while taking down Cluster Gems that started popping up for some reason." Bismuth began telling her story. "Just when it seemed like I was gonna get overwhelmed, Peridot and Lapis pulled me out of the wringer with this huge flying thing Peridot made out of leftover scrap metal from the houses we built. And we used to save the Crystal Gems from Black Rutile's posse and escape to Beach City."

--

"I originally sent the Gems to Los Diego not just because I thought they needed a break, but because I wanted to keep them from knowing about my outbursts and how I deal with them." Steven told his side of the story of the Gems' night in Calivada. "But then Black Rutile broke in when I was all alone and told me such horrible things about how everyone was going to leave me because I'm such a toxic person."

"Because you are!" Black Rutile heckled her archenemy from afar.

"Anyways, this quickly escalated into a fight where Black Rutile wanted me to go all out and use my out-of-control powers to shatter her." Steven continued his tale. "Although I didn't cave in, Black Rutile still left me with a warning that everyone will turn on me and that I should grow a spine."

"Well, you should!" Black Rutile kept insulting.

"Black Rutile, shush." James ordered his patient. "Though I must say, Cat's Eye is right on how I could definitely get a lot out of him."

--

"When Steven ran to me for help, I was convinced he was coming for a rematch!" Jasper declared. "He said he wanted to be less toxic and controlling of others, but I told him that his friends were the problem! Black Rutile used that to turn us against each other, which then led to me getting shattered during our fated battle. To this day, I still consider this all to be my fault because I just couldn't admit that I needed help."

--

"I'll admit, maybe a bit of this was my fault as well." Greg announced. "Before he started going out of control and turned into a monster, I took him to my parents' place because I thought maybe he needed to find himself like I had when I moved out. Unfortunately, that made Steven throw a tantrum because of his mom's troubled relationship with her family and how it reminded him of my folks and I."

--

"I was there when Steven transformed." Connie gave her accounts of everything during Steven's time as a monster. "It all started when I called him one morning and asked if he was alright, and he said everything was fine, but then I got this weird GIF later that day." She then pulled out her phone and presented the image of Steven bouncing up and down while chanting, "Steven's here to help!"

"Oh great, he's become a meme as well." Black Rutile groaned softly with a palm to her face.

"And that wasn't all." Connie kept talking before she pointed at Black Rutile. "Thanks to Black Rutile, he went over the edge just like she planned!"

"OBJECTION!" Cat's Eye yelled as she pointed back. "Young lady, didn't your mother ever teach you that it's rude to accuse people of things that weren't their fault?!"

"Well, didn't you realize that you're not a good lawyer?" Connie snarked back, angering Cat as she continued. "Then, as I'm sure you're all aware, Black Rutile brainwashed the entire world into turning on the Gems as part of her overly complex scheme to destroy them once and for all before taking over Earth. Luckily, Greg and I played an important role in saving the Crystal Gems and convincing everyone to come together to save him."

"And of course, Mailman-swindle, you throw yet another wrench in my plans." Black Rutile added harshly. "Makes me wonder why I keep singling you out. Oh wait, it's because you're nothing more than Steven's sidekick, his fusion partner!"

"Okay, that's quite enough." Yellow Zircon shut Black Rutile up and allowed Connie to leave. "For our last witness, I call White Topaz to the stand."

"Friend of yours?" James asked Black Rutile as her former Topaz became the last witness to testify against her.

"Subordinate, more like." Black Rutile replied. "Or at least, she was before the Diamonds brainwashed her."

"That's a lie." White Topaz proclaimed. "For my entire life, I was made with only one purpose, to serve Black Rutile and go along with everything she did. I was eager to do so because I thought she was my friend, and going against her would mean getting myself killed. But spending time with the Diamonds after helping her capture them made me realize how unbelievably heartless my ex-boss was."

"Oh, that's rich!" Black Rutile exclaimed. "Learning from the genocidal fascists that the well-intentioned revolutionary was in the wrong! Yeah, that totally isn't propaganda right there!"

"It was helping me learn that I should find people who would actually treat me with respect!" White Topaz yelled back. "That's what friends are supposed to be, right?!"

"You know what, how about we just cut to the chase and skip to deciding the verdict?" Yellow Zircon suggested, trying to ease the tension between Black Rutile and White Topaz.

"Fine, do with me what you will." Black Rutile turned away in disgust as the jury filed out of the courtroom to decide her fate.

--

"Has the jury reached a verdict?!" Judge Hibbert loudly declared with enough gravitas to take a bite out of the intense atmosphere around everyone. About fifteen minutes after White Topaz gave her speech, the jury returned to their seats to give their verdict. Out of all the Gems standing up, the Diamonds were the ones to decide her punishment.

"After some careful consideration…." Blue said.

"We have decided that Black Rutile…." Yellow added.

"Is guilty as charged." White proclaimed, eliciting cheers from the crowd as Black Rutile gawked in horror. "As punishment for her crimes, she and her present followers shall be exiled to Little Homeschool so they may learn the consequences of their actions. The same shall be said for Cat's Eye, since all she did was make up lies in the accused's favor."

"What?! Shenanigans, I call shenanigans!" Cat's Eye screamed in anger before she was hounded by guards taking her away.

"It's over, it's finally over." White Topaz muttered with relief before hugging Jasper, who then started to blush.

"I hope this makes you realize that you're not the good guy you think you are, Black Rutile." Steven said to his Rutile archnemesis as the trial was officially declared over. "You may think you're a freedom fighter at war with our ways, but in the end, you're just nothing more than a sociopathic bully that not even White Diamond could take seriously."

"Oh, here we go again. "La-dee-dah, I'm Steven Universe! I love emotionally abusing my so-called friends, guilt-tripping enemies into thinking that doing what they were made to do is wrong, and brainwashing the masses to think I'm a poor, misunderstood soul! But it's okay because everyone loves me, and I am totally not a sociopath!" No, I'm sick of this! I'm sick of all of this!" Black Rutile began screaming her defense plea. "The only connection between your mental issues and the sickness destroying your family is that everyone, especially you, uses kindness and love to justify that sickness! You can't just act like a complete psycho and then feel bad about it like that makes everything okay! You need to be better, Steven!"

Steven looked down in shame as Black Rutile continued. "But oh no, you kept pushing yourself to be the worst person you can be, and you're rewarded with the most perfect life imaginable where everything goes your way! You may think you're saving the world and helping others, but all you're doing is forcing everyone to adjust your corrupt ideals like a tyrant! It's just like Pink always did; you think you're entitled to everything because your black and white tunnel vision makes you think you're suffering! But suffering isn't enough!"

At this rate, all of Steven's family and friends had just about enough of Black Rutile. But as much as they wanted to start a fight, they had to obey the court rules. "If you're too entitled to listen all the way through, let me make one thing clear. You are all things that are wrong with you. It's not the Gems, the Diamonds, your no-good mother, or even me! It's you, and how much of a GODDAMN MIGRAINE YOU ARE!"

As the room fell silent after Black Rutile's speech, Steven remained resolute despite the horrible accusations against him. "I know you are, but what am I?"

"No, this isn't fair!" Black Rutile yelled before she, Aquamarine, Eyeball, Navy, and Cat's Eye were led out of the courtroom in handcuffs. "You haven't seen the last of me, Steven Universe! I will plot my revenge, you'll see! Your little cult can never be rid of me!"

"Stop right there, sirs." James said as he halted the guards taking the Rutile Rebels away. "Before Black Rutile can go any further, I'd like to give her this." He then fished through his labcoat and gave the Gem a book titled "Psychology: A Basic Guide" for her to read. "Here, since our time together has been rather interesting. I'll also make sure to check up on you every now and then to examine your progress."

"Thank you very much, sir. I will remember this." Black Rutile growled as the guards continued their way. With that, Black Rutile had finally answered for her crimes, whether she liked it or not, and now she was to live the rest of her days in Little Homeworld, learning to love Earth and become a better, kinder Gem. Although, she didn't intend on doing either of those.

--

"I must say, this psychology tome has been quite enlightening." Black Rutile said a few months later over a video chat with Brenner in her new house. "Like, for example, now that I've read through the section on autism, I'm starting to believe I might have it as well."

"Well, that is certainly a unique observation." James replied. "I have observed how you often isolate yourself from others when plotting to eradicate Steven, tend to hyperfocus on certain things, have serious trouble empathizing with others, and can go out of control when things don't go your way. But like you said, you MIGHT have it."

"Well, I think it may be time for me to go now." Black Rutile responded. "Plotting to destroy Steven again, like always."

"I'll see you again." James smiled as he ended the call, leaving his patient to put down her new book and leave to meet with Aquamarine, Holly Blue, Cat's Eye, and Eyeball.

"So, what have you planned this time, my Rutile?" Aquamarine said as the four Gems saluted their master.

"Oh, plenty of them." Black Rutile smirked while presenting holograms on her red visor, displaying any possible plans to get revenge on the Crystal Gems and prove herself superior once and for all.

THE END

To be continued in Little Homeworld Life

--

And that about does it for Trial of Black Rutile. This turned out a bit longer than I expected, but I hope this answers some of the questions you had about the ending of Alternate Future and raises some new ones about what could happen next. Is Eyeball truly thinking about turning on the Rutile Rebels for the Rubies? How will the Rutile Rebels fit into Little Homeworld after all they've done? Is Black Rutile really neurodivergent or did I just pull that out of my butt because I needed an ending, and I might get in trouble for depicting a possible autistic character as a total psychopath? Well, come back soon for the next stage of Steven Universe: Alternate Future, which I'm calling the Little Homeworld and Beyond Saga, starting with the first season of Little Homeworld Life. Stay tuned.

#steven universe #steven universe alternate future #fanfiction #black rutile #white topaz #steven quartz universe #garnet #amethyst #pearl #peridot #lapis lazuli #bismuth #jasper #connie maheswaran #greg universe #aquamarine #eyeball #holly blue agate #emerald #demantoid #pyrope #morganite #cat's eye #white diamond #yellow diamond #blue diamond #pink diamond #james brenner #mean lapis #nice lapis

[andrewmoocow]

Steven Universe Alternate Future chapter 32: The Future (originally posted on November 1, 2021)

AN: At long last, the war is over and the story is ending. I cannot say this enough, but thanks for sticking by me since last December through all the laughs, tears, and other emotions felt throughout this story. It's been such a wild ride, I don't think I have time to type out the cast list here like I did with the past 31 chapters and will instead save it for the end. But now, it's time to close the book on this story once and for all, featuring quite possibly the most special of special guests.

Synopsis: Steven is ready to move on.

--

"Oh, everything hurts." Black Rutile groaned as she woke up lying splayed out in the sand, freshly defeated once and for all. "What happened? The last thing I remember was that other fusion tearing me in half." Her eyes widening in realization, the Rutile scrambled to search for her two remaining comrades in the sand. "Aquamarine, Ruby, where are you two?!"

However, all Black Rutile was able to find were their inactive gemstones, leaving her the official last surviving member of the Rutile Rebels. "Wake up you idiots, your master demands it!" Black Rutile yelled, shaking the gems together in her hands. "Please, we have to flee immediately before the Diamonds-"

"Before the Diamonds what?" White Diamond boomed as Black Rutile discovered her massive shadow emerging from behind and turning to discover the Crystal Gems, the Diamonds, Hessonite's team, Lars and the Off-Colors, the Little Homeworlders, Spinel & friends, and the Gems' Earth friends all looking down on her. And none of them were happy in the slightest.

"Look at yourself Black Rutile, all alone with no one to back up your lies." White sneered.

"I thought she was your best soldier." Yellow Diamond responded. "Frankly White, and no offense, you have horrible taste."

"How pathetic." Blue calmly jeered.

"Horrible taste, pathetic?!" Black Rutile screeched angrily. "I have been training my entire existence to be the best servant I can be and this is how I'm treated?! I only wanted to make Homeworld a better place!"

"For you." Steven stoically objected to Black Rutile's claims as Blue lowered him to the ground. "You only wanted to make Homeworld a better place for you."

"You!" Black Rutile shouted at Steven, tossing the gems of her two flunkies away and marching towards her. "This is all your fault! I've lost everything, my armies, my bodyguard, my status! And you took everything away from me!" In a fit of rage, Black Rutile then tackled Steven and began fruitlessly slapping at him, but the boy barely reacted in comparison to his archnemesis's pathetic flailing and crying until he summoned his shield to push her away, the shield now looking like it always did.

"Please, just stop," Steven ordered the Rutile. "You've already humiliated yourself enough, and I don't even know what happened here." He continued, looking at the damage done to Beach City from Pietersite and Orange Moonstone's fight, catching Jasper & White Topaz gathering up the poofed gems of the Lapides, Garnets, and Emerald, before turning back to Black Rutile. "If you think you can still stop me, then you need to think again. We both refuse to grow up and move on, but I'm far more mature about it than you'll ever be, and more loved too. Heck, I even finally forgiven my mom while I was a monster!"

"You, mature?" Black Rutile mused before letting out a croaking laugh. "Let's not forget how you love shoving your stupid ideals down everyone's throat and go ballistic at the slightest hint of others thinking differently than you!"

"Again, just like you." Steven declared. "So tell me, why do you keep antagonizing me?"

"I wanted you to hurt, to witness everything you've ever worked, fought, and hoped for die." Black Rutile replied before beginning another rant. "I had a dream! A dream of a perfect society ruled by actions, not words! Ruled by strength, not compassion! Where power is in the hands of those that truly earned it, not those who think peace and love should be forced onto everything while those who object are punished! You and your empire are diseased, rotten to the core, and I selected myself as the cure!"

"And some cure you turned out to be!" Jasper barked as she and White Topaz approached the Crystal Gems with their bubbled saviors in hand.

"It's okay guys, no one can hurt you anymore." White Topaz whispered to the bubbled gems while gently stroking the bubble they were contained in before glaring at Black Rutile. "So, how does it feel to be proven horribly wrong?"

"Don't you dare side with them you mongrel!" Black Rutile snapped at her former sidekick. "So, what do you all plan to do with me?"

"I say we keep her bubbled." Garnet stoically suggested.

"Nah, bubbling is a little too light for a psycho like her." Bismuth replied. "I say we just shatter her and show her how she made us feel!"

"Now now everyone, we don't want to vindicate her." Pearl stated when she got an idea. "How about we force her into Little Homeschool?"

"What, you want me to enroll in that kindergarten and live your warped view of happily ever after?!" Black Rutile exclaimed fearfully and dropped to her knees in desperation. "Please my Diamonds, give me another chance! I can even instantaneously forget all the horrible things I did to you all to prove I can change!"

"No, you won't ever get off easy." Connie boldly rejected the Rutile's pleas.

"Well, what is almost everyone here still doing?!" Black Rutile asked. "It's all because of them that Steven is suffering and they all get away with it, but I'm the bad one here?!"

"I think that's enough out of you," Jasper stated as she grabbed Black Rutile by the neck. "So Paz, care to do the honors?"

"With pleasure." White Topaz beamed and summoned her brass knuckle gauntlet.

"Come on Topaz, you wouldn't hurt your bestest friend ever, right?" Black Rutile asked with a sheepish grin as she struggled to break out of Jasper's grasp, but her begging fell on deaf ears.

"How many times do I have to tell you this?" White Topaz responded. "You're a bad friend."

And with a single punch to Black Rutile's gem, her reign of terror ended at long last. Jasper opened her fist to reveal the evil Gem's gem in her palm and encased it with an orange bubble.

--

A few months later, Beach City was in the middle of a slow recovery process. Repairs and reconstructions were made to the parts of town destroyed during the battle. The Crab Shack was completely remodeled, the water tower was rebuilt, the Big Donut had a new sign, Funland was closed for repairs, but the biggest change was that Dewey Park was now known as Crystal Park. In place of the statue of ex-Mayor Dewey, a statue of Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, and Steven was built to honor the heroics of the Crystal Gems. The beach house was also undergoing reconstruction, with the face of the Obsidian statue now resembling its current incarnation.

Outside the beach house, a now cured Steven pushed play on a stereo and began to do some stress-relieving exercises while thinking back to the immediate aftermath of Black Rutile's downfall.

--

"So all this happened while I was turned into that monster?" Steven asked the Crystal Gems as soon as he was brought home and got a fresh change of clothes.

"Yeah, you should've been there!" Peridot exclaimed. "We were all wham bam shang-a-lang, meanwhile Jasper and White Topaz were like boom, pow, slam!"

"That reminds me, hey, I'm White Topaz." White Topaz introduced herself to Steven. "You may remember me as one of the Gems that tried to kill you, but then I changed my ways."

"Some things just never change." Steven grinned and shook the Topaz's hand. "Welcome to Earth, you're gonna love it here."

Outside, Jasper relaxed on the roof she had bashed holes in, gazing up at the sky in contemplation of what to do with her life now. The Earth and her Diamond were safe once again, but what was left for her to do?

"So, where are you gonna go after this?" Lapis asked Jasper, flying up and lying down next to her. "I'm going to assume you'll keep on sulking in that cave, right?"

"You know, I'm not sure." Jasper replied pensively. "I finally got a good fight, but then what? The Diamonds are no longer in power, so I doubt they'll be needing my services at the moment." She then turned to gaze at the Diamonds as they helped Steven get caught up. "Maybe I could leave Earth and go find myself on another planet somewhere."

"Or you could stay here and finally come to Little Homeschool." Lapis suggested. "Next time something this big happens, the students are gonna need to learn how to fight. What do you say?"

Jasper took a little time to think. On one hand, she definitely needed to take a load off after fighting for her life against Black Rutile and her subordinates. But on the other, she had continuously rejected invitations to Little Homeschool time and time again. However, this time she decided to change her mind at last.

"Okay, you win. I'll come." Jasper declared, turning over on her side to face Lapis. "But we'll need to set some ground rules first. First, no begging for me when I'm not interested. Second, my space is my space, make no mistake. And third, I think I might need some help getting over this whole Pink business."

"Okay, we'll be here for you when you need it." Lapis said and held out her fist.

"Are you trying to punch me?" Jasper asked, not understanding that Lapis wanted to fistbump her.

"It's called a fistbump." Lapis explained. "Kind of like a handshake, but you know, with fists. You know you love your fists."

"That's true." Jasper replied and returned the fistbump.

Downstairs meanwhile, Steven had just been caught up on everything that happened while he was in his monster form. But now he had no choice but to say his piece in return.

"So Steven, were you really in control of yourself while we tried to save you?" Amethyst asked.

"I don't think so," Steven replied. "This, like, evil side of me took control and forced me into this creepy sitcom world in my head where I was a normal human, and you guys were too."

"Wait, a sitcom?" Pearl wondered. "Why is that?"

"That's a pretty loaded question, but I'll just keep it brief." Steven responded sadly. "It was because of what I said to Dad on our road trip, about how I wished I was human in a world where the Gems never existed, and I even saw my mom in there too. Both Rose Quartz AND Pink Diamond."

"WHAT?!" the Crystal Gems, Connie, Greg, White Topaz, Lars, the Off-Colors, the Diamonds, Spinel's gang, and the President all cried out.

"Steven, is this true?" Yellow asked.

"This is because of all of us, isn't it?" Spinel added.

"Yeah, pretty much." Steven looked down at his feet in regret. "I've said some pretty nasty things these past few months, but I think that was where I crossed the line."

"Well, you know what?" Greg stated. "It's about time we get you a therapist."

"Excellent idea good sir." President Suarez agreed. "This boy has suffered so much for someone his age. Anybody younger would've completely cracked!"

"Already got some state doctors on the horn." Vice-President Maxwell stated as she started talking on her phone. "M'yello? Oh Lily, so good to hear from you again! How's the kid's transition going?"

"No, I don't think any big government shrinks will be needed here." Connie declared. "I think I know just the person to help out."

--

Not too long after, Steven was now sitting in the waiting room of a psychologist's office, where other people who had no doubt suffered similar conditions to his. Scared children nervously holding onto their parents, traumatized adults reading newspapers & magazines, and senior citizens gently fiddling with their hands all waiting for their appointments, and Steven was no different.

"So, what are you in for?" an older man with a long, stitched-up scar going across his face, an orange vest with black stripes, and some gold rings on his fingers, asked Steven.

"I was a monster for a little bit, along with tons of other problems." Steven replied. "What about you?"

"We all feel like a monster at some point in our lives." The man sagely stated. "Me? I just saw some things I wished I'd never see again. In fact, you want to know how I got this scar?"

"I don't know, but it looks pretty bad." Steven mused about the scar.

"Big pile-up a few years back." The man revealed. "I was lucky to get out alive, but now I can't get stuck in traffic without getting paranoid." He then pulled out a box of cigarettes and offered one to Steven. "Want one?"

"Sorry, but I'm almost seventeen, sir." Steven kindly rejected the offer. "Plus, you know this is a no-smoking zone, right?"

"Sorry 'bout that." The man awkwardly replied and put the cigarettes away.

"What about the rest of you?" Steven asked the other patients. "Why are you all here?"

"I just got out of divorcing my abusive husband." A mother answered. "He kept picking on my little one like one of those fratboys in the movies, and the pain still lingers."

"Me? I'm just worried I'm gonna die alone and no one will remember me." An elderly gentleman stated.

"And you said you felt like a monster?" the mother asked.

"Well, I literally turned into one." Steven stated. "Pretty sure it was all over the news, and it made the government arrest my family after they were manipulated by a psychopath who's been plotting to destroy me."

"You're kidding, right?" the pile-up victim asked. "You're telling me you actually turned into a giant monster? How is that even possible?"

"That is a long story." Steven answered just as the door opened.

"Mr. Universe?" a doctor's assistant asked for Steven, who then got up off his seat and walked towards him. "Dr. Rebecca will see you now."

"Thanks, mister." Steven nodded before turning back to the other patients. "I'll be back to tell you more!"

"Don't be a stranger." The old man grinned while Steven was led to his new therapist.

"So, what is a therapist like?" Steven asked the man as he was led through a hallway of many doors.

"Well, a therapist is someone you can talk to about your problems, what's been eating you, and all that." The assistant said. "They in exchange offer some helpful advice and train you to become more well-adjusted."

"Kind of like how I was." Steven compared himself to the idea of therapy when the two arrived at a door with a plaque reading "DR. REBECCA SUCROSE" on it, and the assistant knocked.

"I'm coming." a woman's voice called and opened the door, revealing that she wore glasses and had her hair shaved on both sides of her head while the top was very curly. "Oh, you must be the boy Priyanka and her kid told me about. I'm Dr. Rebecca Sucrose, and I'll be your psychologist for today."

"You're gonna love her, she's really dang good." The assistant gave a thumbs up before leaving Steven to be shown into Dr. Sucrose's office. The office gave Steven the vibes of a gentle woman who was always willing to lend an ear, and he could also see pictures of the doctor with a ukulele much like his own, getting married to a black man, and spending time with a brother that looked a bit like him for some weird reason.

"So, Steven was it?" Rebecca said as she sat down on an office chair. "As I said, my old friend Priyanka recommended me to you at the suggestion of her daughter and your friends. Why don't you tell me a bit about yourself?"

"Okay, but I think you're gonna need to hang on because things get a little weird." Steven stated sitting across from his new therapist as he began his story. "You see, my mom is actually an alien matriarch from another galaxy from a race of gem-based lifeforms who have been colonizing worlds across the universe, but she didn't want to because of how much she valued organic life which earned her scorn from her fellow matriarchs and some subordinates. Eventually, after a lot of whining, she was given her own colony, which happened to be Earth. My mom then grew attached to the planet enough to fake her death and take up a new identity as a freedom fighter who was framed as the one who killed her-"

"Whoa, slow down!" Rebecca exclaimed, stopping Steven's story in its tracks. "Gosh Becky, you really found an award-worthy patient today." She whispered to herself before going back to Steven. "Sorry for interrupting you, I just wanted to know about you. Not your mom or the alien race she fought against. Just you, and that's that."

"Just me?" Steven muttered. "Well, alright. I live in Beach City with my friends the Crystal Gems, who are alien warriors that fought to protect the Earth thousands of years ago. My mom died giving birth to me, as in she gave up her physical form to give birth to me, and I grew up never actually knowing her outside of everyone telling me she was so amazing."

"Mother issues, got it." Dr. Sucrose responded while writing down in her notepad. "What else?"

"Well, not too long ago, I learned that she shattered one of the leaders of their people known as the Diamonds, but then it turned out she was a Diamond herself." Steven continued. "You still following this?"

"Always will be." Rebecca said, continuing to write.

"Anyways, I was then forced to clean up all the messes my mom made in addition to helping my friends," Steven said. "Stuff like trying to help her servant fix her eye, convincing her former playmate to not destroy Earth, and trying to make peace with the other Diamonds even when they tried to kill me."

"So in other words, she forced all this onto you?" Rebecca asked.

"Kind of, but it wasn't what she wanted." Steven said. "She told me this herself, she didn't want to cause all this trouble but had no other choice for the good of Earth."

"Wait, I thought you said your mother was dead?" Rebecca asked.

"That is another long story." Steven declared.

--

As Steven continued exercising, he suddenly heard Lion roaring as the undead big cat emerged from one of his portals with Connie on his back. "Morning Steven." Connie greeted. "One last routine before hitting the road?"

"Yeah, I'll be sitting a while." Steven answered and turned off his stereo before going into the beach house with Connie

"Any updates on Black Rutile?" Connie asked as she pulled out a map and her laptop.

"She still believes being forcibly enrolled in Little Homeschool is a fate worse than shattering, but she hasn't posed that much danger since we defeated her." Steven answered while the two walked up to his bedroom. Steven took the map from Connie's hands and began examining it on his bedsheets while Connie began typing on her laptop and Lion rested next to them.

"I'll be in Charm City for Sadie & Shep's concert, then I'll meet up with you and Lion at Providence Island while you're touring schools, and then I'll catch up with Lars on our weekly space hangout." Steven explained to his best friend. "After that, I think I'll go and see Beckham Jordan again at Empire City to shoot a few hoops together with the local kids."

"I'll add them all to your Boogle Maps doc." Connie declared. "So, how is everyone taking the news?"

"Well, I told everyone in town, plus my dad, and they're all bummed to see me go but still wish me the best." Steven answered. "Now all that's left is to tell the Gems."

"You mean you haven't told them yet?!" Connie exclaimed. "Steven, you have to! Besides, didn't that evil inner self call you out for keeping secrets from everyone?"

"I know, but I just have no idea how they'll take it." Steven sighed. "Everyone's been so protective of me these past few months since my meltdown, now I wonder if there's a way I can let them down easy."

"Like Rebecca said, you should start putting yourself first for a change." Connie responded, looking back on how Steven got the idea to begin with.

--

"So, I think I can come to a conclusion here." Dr. Sucrose said to Steven. "The monster attacks, the disappearance of the ocean, the repeated invasions, that Cluster thing, and the monster meltdown all happened somewhere around Beach City, correct?"

"Yep, and that's not even accounting for what happened off-world." Steven nodded. "What are you saying by that?"

"Well, I think maybe it's time to perhaps see the world outside Beach City." Rebecca revealed. "You ever gone traveling before, on Earth to be precise?"

"Yeah, I've been to a few places." Steven said. "I been to Korea to learn more about my mom, I went to Empire City a few times, Keystone, Ocean Town, just places pretty close to home."

"Well, what I suggest is that maybe you should start going outside your comfort zone, maybe take a trip of the country to find yourself." Rebecca replied. "Make new experiences."

Steven's face started looking nervous and he shifted in his seat. On one hand, he couldn't bear to leave everyone in Beach City behind after all he's done for them and vice versa. But on the other hand, he's done enough putting others before himself and being a shoulder for everyone to cry on.

"Are you okay, you need to take a break?" the therapist asked Steven. "Was it something I said?"

"No, you're fine, I just," Steven stuttered before taking a deep breath. "I just can't decide what to do here. I mean, while a lot of bad stuff has happened to me in Beach City, that shouldn't ever outweigh all the good stuff either. Maybe I need some time to think."

"Okay, give it some thought and we can talk about it again." Rebecca said. "Same time next week?"

"Sure, same time next week." Steven nodded and shook his psychologist's hand. "Thanks, doc."

"Please, just call me Rebecca." The doctor said.

--

Back in the present after Connie decided to leave, Steven sat patiently at the kitchen table and faced the Warp Pad, waiting for the Crystal Gems to return. He had a special surprise waiting in a cooler sitting next to him on the table, and he was eager to show the Gems.

"Man, zipping Black Rutile's lips will always make me smile!" Amethyst sighed as the Gems returned from the Warp Pad. "Oh, hey Steven."

"Were you waiting for us?" Pearl asked the boy.

"I sure was." Steven announced, opening the cooler to reveal his favorite dessert inside, Cookie Cats.

"Whoa, Cookie Cat!" Amethyst gasped and ran over to grab one for herself.

"I thought they stopped making those." Pearl grinned nostalgically at the frozen treats.

"They still did, but now I made my own." Steven explained, holding up a deformed-looking Cookie Cat to demonstrate. "You can kinda tell."

"You still gave it your best shot." Garnet smiled and took one out of the cooler to eat. "They're still delicious nonetheless."

"Mmm-mmm!" Amethyst moaned in delight after chomping down on hers.

Pearl meanwhile took a very small bite out of the ice cream bar's ear. Amazingly, she liked it. "Scrumptious!"

"Oh man, these take me back!" Amethyst exclaimed. "Back when you were just the plucky sidekick whose biggest issue was not being able to get a Cookie Cat. Hey, remember the song?"

"Yeah, those were the days, huh?" Steven replied. "Maybe we should sing it again."

"If I may." Pearl declared and cleared her throat before beginning to rap. "OOOOHHHH, he's a frozen treat with an all-new taste!"

"'Cause he came to this planet from outer space!" Amethyst added, copying Pearl's dorky dancing.

"A refugee of an interstellar war." Garnet performed her solo.

"But now he's at your local grocery store!" Pearl yelled excitedly.

"COOKIE CAT!" Amethyst exclaimed.

"He's a pet for your tummy!" Pearl sang.

"COOKIE CAT!" Amethyst continued.

"He's super duper yummy!" Pearl continued while rubbing her stomach.

"COOKIE CAT!" Amethyst yelled.

"He left his family behind." Garnet deadpanned.

"You're right, he did leave his family behind." Steven declared proudly.

"Hey, that's not how it goes!" Amethyst complained. "Speaking of which, you ever noticed how eerie it is that the Cookie Cat song lines up with Pink?"

"I think Cookie Cat ran out of ways to grow on his home planet." Steven mused, gazing at his Cookie Cat. "And even though it was hard, and he suffered a lot of struggles home, and he loved his family so so much, he decided that maybe it was time to start moving forward."

"And this has to do with ice cream because?" Amethyst asked with eyelids lowered, a way for Steven to know it was finally time.

"Everybody, I've got an announcement to make." Steven declared. "I'm gonna move out!" The Gems gasped in shock at the boy's decision, but they let him explain himself anyways. "I have a very comprehensive plan to visit the entire country before deciding where to settle down, and I can still video chat with Dr. Rebecca while hitting the road. Don't you try to stop me this time!"

"We won't talk you out of this," Pearl said. "but that leaves the question of when you're gonna leave."

"Tomorrow, I guess." Steven replied nervously.

"Oh, so soon!" Pearl exclaimed. "Well, all human adolescents have to become more independent eventually." She then gave Steven a hug. "I'm just so happy for you."

"Yeah bro, we're gonna miss ya!" Amethyst exclaimed, getting a turn to hug Steven as well. "Peace!"

"You guys know I might never come back, right?" Steven said before Garnet placed her strong hand on his shoulder.

"We know Steven." Garnet smiled. "This will be an exciting new chapter in your life."

Despite Garnet's kind words, Steven was still left confused at how well the Crystal Gems were taking it. "That went well, right?" he asked aloud before shrugging and heading to the Warp Pad to tell everyone at Little Homeworld.

As soon as Steven left, the Crystal Gems gazed at the barren Warp Pad with varying degrees of concern and sadness on their faces, proving that their prior encouragement of Steven's decision was all an act.

"So, we're gonna tell him eventually, right?" Amethyst asked.

"I guess so." Pearl resisted the urge to cry. "We just got him back, and now he's gonna leave us again."

"Don't cry, Pearl." Garnet gently stroked Pearl's hair. "But now how is everyone else going to take it?"

--

Meanwhile, at Little Homeworld, Steven had decided to tell the Crystal Gems' B-team of his departure. How did they react?

"YOU WHAT?!" Bismuth roared in shock atop the whirly-bird tower. Combined with Peridot's heartbroken expression and Lapis's angry face, Steven assumed they didn't react too kindly to the news. "What's the matter Steven, are you mad at me? You still holding a grudge for what happened in the Forge?!"

"Of course I'm not mad Bismuth." Steven answered. "And besides, everyone else has tried to kill me before, so the Forge incident is just another day for me." Suddenly, Bismuth brought him in for a tight hug.

"Then don't leave!" Bismuth began to cry while holding Steven in her arms. "Oh no, am I smothering you?" she asked while letting go and backing away. "I get it, you need some space."

"Bismuth." Steven said.

"How's about I build you a nice vacation home right outside Little Homeworld?!" Bismuth suggested while turning her hand into a hammer while Lapis marched up to Steven with arms and wings spread out in irritation.

"Listen to me Steven, you can't just run away from yourself!" Lapis yelled at her beach summer fun buddy before her wings disappeared, and she started pointing at him. "Wherever you go, you'll be there. Trust me, I know what that's like."

As for Peridot, she was left a sobbing mess on the floor. "But you promised you'd never leave us when Pumpkin died!"

"Take it easy Peridot, I'm here." Steven said comfortingly to Peridot while taking her face in his hand.

"Where am I going to find another Steven as good as you?" Peridot asked in-between sobs. "I love this one so much!"

"I know a Steven as good as me. Here." Steven answered while presenting Peridot with his old pink shirt.

"My very own Steven shirt?" Peridot gasped elatedly.

"Be the Steven you want to see in the world." Steven said, causing Peridot to start wailing again and blow her nose into the shirt. Steven then walked over to Lapis, who had her arms crossed and eyes closed before holding up a gift for her. "Here Lapis, for you."

"What the?!" Lapis gasped after opening her eyes, discovering that Steven was going to give her an art kit. "142 pieces, 60 crayons, 24 oil pastels?! And it even has watercolors?!"

"You like it?" Steven asked the touched terraformer.

"I love it!" Lapis began crying as she took the kit from Steven's hands. "Thank you so much, Steven, for everything!"

Steven then walked to Bismuth last, who was a bit nervous to receive what he was going to give her. "Stay back Steven!"

"Bismuth, I can think of anyone who's more of a Crystal Gem than you." Steven said before handing the frayed Crystal Gem flag to Bismuth. "So I want you to have the original Crystal Gem flag."

"Oh, Steven!" Bismuth began to cry just as hard as Lapis and Peridot as the three brought Steven in for a group hug. "If it weren't for you, none of us would be who we are today! You make me so proud to be a Crystal Gem and a friend!"

"Why did you have to put it so well Bismuth?!" Peridot kept bawling.

"I'm going to use my tears to make a watercolor painting of you!" Lapis said between sobs.

"Peridot, Lapis, Bismuth, I love you all!" Steven began crying, touched at all the kind words they gave him in exchange.

"WE LOVE YOU TOO STEVEN!" the three Gems kept on crying.

--

While Steven left the B-team to let all their sadness out, there were still a few Gems that he left unaccounted for. One of whom was more than happy to see him leave.

"Well well well, Steven Universe." Black Rutile snarled. Ever since her ultimate defeat, Black Rutile had now lost everything, and the only things she had left were her sword, a new red visor in the shape of a V, and Aquamarine & Holly Blue as her remaining followers. Her cape and white diamond symbol were also missing from her new appearance, signifying how White Diamond has effectively disowned her. "Leaving all of them behind, are we? My point still stands, you're just like your mother."

"Hi, Black Rutile." Steven casually greeted his archnemesis.

"Let me finish boy!" Black Rutile yelled. "You may think you've earned your happily ever after, but I'll always be there to haunt you no matter what! You can never escape me Steven, my ideals and I are as unstoppable as a Diamond!"

"Bye Black Rutile." Steven said goodbye to Black Rutile just as casually, much to her outrage.

"Hey, where are you going?!" Black Rutile kept yelling. "I haven't finished my vow for revenge yet!"

"Hold it!" Jasper barked and grabbed Black Rutile by the neck. "You've already done enough. When are you just going to give up?"

"I'd rather be shattered than give up!" Black Rutile said defiantly.

"I wish I could arrange that," Jasper threatened by summoning her crash helmet. "But I don't think you even deserve death, you pathetic bully." After dropping Black Rutile to the ground, Jasper made her crash helmet disappear and spoke to Steven. "Heard you're leaving, Steven. Well, guess what? I'm coming with you!"

"Jasper, I think I'm gonna go this alone." Steven stated.

"But who will protect you?!" Jasper exclaimed. "You're my Diamond, I should be the one to save you from harm!"

"I can protect myself, y'know." Steven said. "Besides, you can let go of Pink now and spend time with all the new friends you can make here, like White Topaz."

"Yeah, like her." Jasper sighed in disappointment before giving Steven a small smile. "See you around Steven."

Jasper marched on over to a self-defense class she was teaching to her fellow Quartzes, who were eager to see how a veteran fought, and a reluctant Holly Blue Agate served as her training dummy.

"Now, the first step to landing a strong punch is to put all your strength into either one of your arms, like so." Jasper instructed, winding up her left fist and slugging Holly Blue in the face, knocking her over and making the Quartzes cheer.

"I hate everyone." Holly Blue groaned angrily.

"Nice to see Jasper finally making a change." Steven said to himself just as Black Rutile got off the ground.

"Like I wanted to say, I will always be watching you, Steven, waiting for the day to see you crack and become my thrall!" Black Rutile yelled angrily, but Steven paid her no mind. "Where are you going, get back here!"

"Is something the problem here?" Emerald, now having traded her shoulder pads for a simple chest piece that looked like a tank top, asked as she backed Black Rutile into a corner. She was accompanied by Morganite, the Garnets, and the Lapides. The latter pairs also had new forms created after Pietersite poofed them all.

Demantoid had a dark green vest on with matching light green shorts. Pyrope let her hair down and switched her regal attire for a casual sweater, a long skirt reaching to her knees, and flat-soled boots. Laz had a shoulderless top with a yellow star on it, a gold choker, a matching armband on her right bicep, a gold belt holding up a skirt with a similar design to Lapis's top over a pair of shorts and blue & gold boots. Zuli had a similar colored attire with her ponytail held up by a gold scrunchie, gold bracelets on her wrists, a crop-top that also resembled her best friend's top, a pair of shorts with stars on both legs and a gold belt, and matching sandals.

"Hey everyone, long time no see!" Black Rutile greeted her former minions sheepishly, though they didn't greet her back. "We're all still friends, right? Why don't we go plot against Steven just like old times?"

"You want us to keep running with a loser like you?" Laz scoffed and walked away. "No thanks."

"After the way you treated us in the invasion and your battle with Jasper, why bother?" Emerald added, just as disapproving towards her former master.

"Yes, you're all alone on this one." Pyrope rolled her eyes in disgust.

"Catch you when you finally decide to ditch your petty grudge." Demantoid declared and joined the other Gems in abandoning Black Rutile.

"What about you two?" Black Rutile asked Zuli and Morganite. "Do you want to reform the Rutile Rebels with Aquamarine, Holly Blue, Cat's Eye, and I?"

"Yeah, not happening." Zuli said and began following Laz. "Hey, wait up!"

"After the way you left me to get arrested, I'm having second thoughts about your plans." Morganite stated. "Besides, Earth has a lot of creative opportunities, surprisingly."

"No please, don't go!" Black Rutile begged on her knees as Morganite turned away. "I'm nothing without any of you! Exile has been so lonely!"

"But what about me?" Aquamarine, now wearing a denim blue sundress, asked Black Rutile.

"Shut up." Black Rutile growled at the tiny Gem.

--

"Whoa, even Jasper's upset I'm leaving." Steven muttered as he walked around Little Homeworld, examining the repairs to the damage he caused as a monster. Morganite and the Ruby Squad were restoring the Cubic Zirconias' house, Orange Spodumene assisted the Lapis twins in fixing the swimming pool, Teal Zircon and the Nephrites replanted some flowers in the greenhouse, and everyone else was cleaning up the rubble.

Suddenly, Steven discovered the shadow of his monster form appearing on a nearby wall, making him let out a loud scream. Then he began to hear laughter, and White Topaz and Larimar emerged from the bushes chuckling.

"See Steven, I told you I'd make you scream!" Larimar chuckled. "White Topaz helped with the shadow puppets."

"Oh, hey White Topaz, I see you're making friends." Steven greeted the former bodyguard of Black Rutile when suddenly, White Topaz picked him up and hugged him tightly.

"Oh, thank you so much Steven for teaching me what friendship could be!" White Topaz squealed. "Thanks to you, I've made so many new friends who can share the magic with me!"

"Don't mention it." Steven responded as he tried gasping for air while looking at Black Rutile, pacing around with Aquamarine floating behind her. "And who knows? Maybe once Black Rutile gets her act together, maybe you two can become friends again."

"Eh, maybe, we'll see." White Topaz replied. "I still can't believe you have this much of an effect on people."

"Kind of reminds me of when I first came back from my therapist." Steven replied, beginning to reminisce one last time.

--

By the time Steven returned home from his first visit to Dr. Rebecca, the afternoon began giving way to twilight. Stepping out of his Dondai Supremo, Steven was immediately swarmed by news reporters, paparazzi, and his friends in both Beach City & Little Homeworld. On the deck of the beach house, the Crystal Gems stood alongside President Suarez, his vice-president, the cabinet, Major General Grant, and General Waller, who was recovering nicely from being stabbed in the kidneys.

"Whoa, what are all of you doing here?!" Steven exclaimed, pushing his way through the excitable crowds to make it back home.

"You made it just in time Steven!" Greg approached Steven with a proud smile on his face. "They're celebrating you all for what you did for Earth!"

"Wait, really?" Steven gasped in shock.

"Yes really, Mr. Universe." Lawrence Abrams announced into his microphone and handed it to Steven. "Any words to say about this high honor, young sir?"

"I don't get all the hype, I was the monster here." Steven spoke into the mic.

"That doesn't matter." Lawrence declared and took back the microphone. "Now up you go. It's time."

The crowd began clearing the way for Steven to meet up with the other Gems at the front of the beach house like he was a king or something. Walking along, Steven could see that everyone had come out for such a special occasion. Connie's parents, the Diamonds, the Pearls, Spinel, Lars & Hessonite, the students of Little Homeschool, the Watermelon Stevens, everyone was here. Even Black Rutile was among the crowd, though she had on a nasty scowl compared to the others' smiling faces.

"And here is the man of the hour!" Eduardo exclaimed, presenting Steven to his eager audience as the half-Gem boy took his place alongside his rebel family. "If it weren't for Steven and his friends, I wouldn't be standing here giving this speech to you, my fellow Americans." He declared. "These Gems have been living among us since the dawn of man, guiding us through the darkest of hours. And recent events have proved no different. Even when we held them captive, the Crystal Gems refused to give up on their dear friend Steven Universe against impossible odds. And it's to this that we award them the highest honors possible, not just for rescuing us from the insidious Black Rutile, but for all their good deeds from over the years."

Theresa presented each of the Crystal Gems with a gold medal, congratulating each of them for their part in saving the world. As the crowd continued going wild and chanting the Gems' names, Steven couldn't help but keep himself from crying at being celebrated as one of Earth's mightiest heroes.

"So, how are you liking the heroes' welcome?" Connie asked as she and Steven got their medals.

"I couldn't have asked for anything more." Steven declared gazing out at the crowd, before he found a familiar face among them. There, standing among his Beach City friends, stood what seemed to be an exact duplicate of himself, but his voice seemed all too familiar to him.

"You earned this." Negative Steven declared with a thumbs up. Steven quickly rubbed his eyes, only to find that Negative Steven had disappeared. Or maybe he wasn't there to begin with and was just his imagination. Regardless, Steven believed he really did earn this.

"Steven, just between you and me amigo," Eduardo said, kneeling to Steven's height. "good luck on the recovery process."

"Thanks, Mr. President." Steven smiled.

Meanwhile, Black Rutile continued glowering among the throngs of excited humans and Gems, silently furious at how Steven was being hailed as a god despite barely doing anything while she was treated as the villain. She then scoffed at an uncontrollably crying Greg before walking away.

--

When Steven returned home from Little Homeworld, he found Amethyst sitting on the couch looking bored. "Oh, Amethyst!"

"What up Steven?" Amethyst asked Steven.

"I have a gift for you. Wait here." Steven said, racing upstairs and coming back down with a big box in his hands. "Want to know what it is?"

"Is it food?" Amethyst asked as she took the box from Steven's head and bit into one of the contents of the box.

"No, it's-" Steven began before Amethyst realized she nearly ate one of Steven's game consoles. "I was gonna say it's my video games."

"Ah, dude!" Amethyst laughed. "You better kiss your high scores goodbye, and your save files too! I've been waiting ages to play Golf Quest Mini for myself!" She then began to depart with the box in hand. "Why the heck would anyone play a game with one save file anyways?"

Although Amethyst was elated to receive such a gift, Steven was left a little dumbfounded at how she reacted. "Uhhh…"

--

Later outside, Steven approached Pearl as she relaxed in a chair playing her bass guitar. "Hey Pearl."

"Oh hello Steven, how are things?" Pearl asked. "Do you need any help packing?"

"Not quite," Steven answered before he presented Pearl with a certain instrument he held near and dear to his heart as a boy. "It's my old ukulele. I'm giving it to you now."

"Oh, how thoughtful!" Pearl exclaimed as she took the ukulele from Steven and stored it in her gem. "Thank you for the present."

"You know Pearl, it's okay to be sad I'm leaving." Steven said, on the verge of tears.

"Don't worry Steven, Connie told me what happened." Pearl replied. "I agree with Rebecca about how this can be a great learning experience for you to explore the world. Nothing to be sad about."

"Yeah, nothing to be sad about." Steven repeated sadly as he walked back inside. As he left, Pearl quizzically tilted her head at her hybrid ward, and wondered if keeping their true feelings a secret was a good idea.

--

Meanwhile, Garnet did the day's laundry atop the temple hand when Steven appeared on the Warp Pad carrying a big scrapbook in his hands. "Garnet!"

"Well bust my britches, it's Steven Universe." Garnet chuckled lightly. "What do you have there?"

"It's a very important and sentimental gift I'm giving you before I leave." Steven answered. "Getting Ruby and Sapphire married after the whole Pink Diamond reveal was so amazing, and I hope one day you can help plan mine." He smiled while revealing the book to Garnet, and it had "DREAM WEDDING" written on the front.

"Thank you, I'll take very good care of it." Garnet smiled as she took the album.

"Okay Garnet, level with me here." Steven said. "You used your future vision, saw everything would turn out fine, and told the Gems not to worry, right?"

"Steven, I don't need future vision to know you'll be alright." Garnet answered soothingly before beginning to leave the laundry hand. "Besides, part of the fun of leaving is learning to figure things out on your own."

As soon as Garnet disappeared from the Warp Pad, Steven began to cry alone.

--

Later that night, Greg was helping Steven pack up all his belongings into some suitcases, leaving his room now completely barren. As Steven closed the last of his luggage, he let out a heavy sigh.

"You doing okay Schtu-ball?" Greg asked calmly.

"Yeah, it's just-" Steven began.

"Just what?" Greg interrupted his son.

"Well, I told Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl that I was leaving earlier, but they don't seem that sad I'll be gone." Steven vented his worries to his father. "Heck, even Jasper is more sad I'm leaving, and she's tried to kill me tons of times!"

"Isn't that a good thing?" Greg wondered. "I mean, you're finally moving on from all the horrible things that happened to you and growing as a person, they have every right to be happy."

"But I thought they were going to beg me to stay." Steven replied. "I mean, you think that's a little petty?"

"I don't think so. You're allowed to have these kinds of feelings, even petty ones." Greg remarked before he gave Steven a hug. "The Gems still love you, I think they're just trying to be supportive."

"Thanks, Dad." Steven smiled softly when he realized he forgot something. "Oh wait, I should give you your gift!" He then jumped onto the bed and placed a poster of Kerry Moonbeam above the pillows. "Here Dad, you can move in here now. And it's also my way of saying sorry for that car crash."

"Wait, for me?!" Greg exclaimed. "I accept the apology, and I already said sorry for making you mad, but don't you think this is a little too fancy for me?"

Steven then laid down on his former bed and motioned for Greg to lie next to him. "Try the bed Dad, you're gonna love it."

Greg then laid next to his son on the bed, and he got a good idea of why Steven wanted to give him the room. "Whoa, this is some mattress! I don't think I want to get up!"

"I knew you'd like it." Steven declared. "Hey Dad, we're pals, right?"

"Always, Steven." Greg smiled. "Seems like the Gems are swapping one Universe for another, huh? You know, you leaving home and me getting to move in, well, I feel like this is kinda my reward for fathering the savior of the galaxy."

"Yeah, if you put it like that." Steven grinned. "You finally got a place to yourself and a good roof over your head. Which reminds me, what about the van?"

"I'll think about what to do with it some other time," Greg answered before pointing at one of the glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling. "Hey, one more thing. Every time you look at the stars at night, just remember that the Gems will always be there for you, and so will I."

"Love you Dad." Steven sniffled at the touching words.

"Love you too Steven." Greg smiled.

--

The next day, it was finally time for Steven to leave home for his cross-country trek, with Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Greg, Connie, Lapis, Peridot, Jasper, Bismuth, White Topaz, and Lion were all there to see him off one last time.

"Bye Connie, see you soon." Steven said goodbye to Connie with a hug and a kiss.

"Call me when you reach a bed and breakfast." Connie replied. "Don't breakfast without me."

"You got it." Steven obliged before moving on to say goodbye to Greg. "Bye Dad."

"Aw, I'm gonna miss you Schtu-Ball." Greg said as he and Steven hugged. "But I'm so proud of you too."

"Thanks, Dad." Steven gratefully thanked his father, then he began to give Pearl a goodbye hug of her own. "Goodbye Pearl."

"Goodbye Steven." Pearl replied before Steven walked over to Garnet.

"Bye Garnet." Steven said to the fusion while giving her a hug.

"So long Steven." Garnet declared as Steven hugged Amethyst last.

"Bye Amethyst." Steven said to his sister figure.

"So long tiger." Amethyst bade farewell. "Don't you forget about me, alright?"

"I won't." Steven answered. "Well, I guess this is goodbye."

"Have a safe trip." White Topaz waved farewell.

"Don't be a stranger." Jasper smirked.

"Bon voyage." Bismuth said. "That's what they say, right?"

"We're all gonna miss you." Peridot added.

"But we'll all still think of you." Lapis stated. Lion simply nuzzled Steven and gave him a lick.

"I hope so." Steven sighed before getting in the Dondai Supremo and driving off, watching his friends wave goodbye from the rearview mirror. But something told him this wasn't right. Why were they still not sad he's leaving? Pearl especially would normally go hysterical. As soon as the Gems were out of sight, Steven put the car into reverse, skidding back to the beach house and bursting out of the car in tears. "What's wrong with you guys?! Why aren't you sad I'm leaving?!"

With the jig finally up, Amethyst proceeded to cry ugly tears while Garnet let out a jet blast of sadness from behind her glasses.

"Oh man, I can't take this anymore!" Amethyst kept bawling.

"We tried to be strong for you." Garnet stated. "Pearl can definitely agree on that." Pearl turned to face Steven, her eyes big and watery while being rendered unable to form coherent sentences. Out of all the Gems, Steven felt his departure affected Pearl the most.

"You guys!" Steven cried and ran towards the three Gems to give them all a big goodbye hug.

"I was just kidding dude!" Amethyst exclaimed. "I'd never delete your save files; I could easily buy my own copies online!"

"And I'll never play anything except your ukulele!" Pearl added.

"I'd be overjoyed to plan your wedding," Garnet said, trying to remain calm like she always is. "In fact, I've already done it more than 300 times."

"Why didn't you guys tell me this?!" Steven yelled. "I mean, even Jasper seemed more bummed I was leaving!"

"I'm sorry Steven, but I couldn't resist peeking into your future." Garnet explained. "There were too many possible futures where we were so sad, you decided to stay to keep us happy."

"We didn't want to hold you back!" Amethyst added.

"But I also saw many paths ahead of you that we were a part of." Garnet continued while taking off her glasses. "Wherever you go, if you need someone to talk to, to listen, and to be there for you, we'll always be there."

"Til the end of the line, right?" Steven finished for Garnet as he began crying tears of joy.

"Yeah, to infinity and beyond." Amethyst replied. Greg began shedding a few tears before Connie put a comforting hand on his arm. Bismuth meanwhile began crying hysterically again as Lapis, Peridot, and White Topaz raced to comfort her. Jasper had her back turned the whole time and bowed her head in sadness, only for Lion to nuzzle against her.

"We all love you, Steven." Garnet declared.

"I love you guys too." Steven replied while wiping tears from his eyes before returning to his car and driving away, this time for good.

"Check your rear left tire before you hit the desert!" Garnet called with a single tear running down her cheek. "It's nothing too serious, but just in case before it becomes too much of a problem!"

"Later, brosalino!" Amethyst held up a peace sign.

"Bye Steven!" Garnet yelled farewell.

"Have fun!" Amethyst added.

"Bye!" Connie, Greg, Lapis, and Peridot called out.

"Happy trails." Bismuth kept on sobbing into White Topaz's arms.

"Be well, my Di-" Jasper began before she stopped herself. "Be well, Steven."

"Goodbye!" Pearl cried out as Steven began getting further and further away.

As Steven turned the corner, he passed by the restored Big Donut as it was surrounded by his friends from Beach City and a few visitors too. They all cheered as he passed by, holding up a banner saying "GOODBYE STEVEN", and Onion gave the Dondai a thumbs up while carrying Steven's old cheeseburger backpack.

"Hey Steven, don't forget to come back to Empire!" Beckham Jordan called out for Steven with Makoto and Matt by his side.

"I'll give you a call when I pop the question!" Sheena added.

--

"Gems of all courts, we have a surprise for everyone!" Aubergine Pearl announced to Gems from all the Diamonds' courts. "Today is a most momentous occasion. To celebrate the fall of Black Rutile, we present to all Homeworld and beyond with this!"

A few Aquamarines pulled off a tarp revealing a massive statue of Pink Diamond beneath, one the Diamonds and Spinel were happy to see be given such overwhelming praise by their subjects.

"Let this statue serve as an eternal reminder that though we may try our best to prove otherwise, nobody's perfect." Aubergine Pearl continued.

"Pink would've been so happy to see this." Yellow wept openly.

"And she would've been even happier to see how far we've come." Blue added.

"Indeed." White began to sniffle.

"Aw, come here you big lugs!" Spinel laughed as she bounced up and wrapped her arms around the Diamonds for the biggest hug she could offer.

--

"Well 00014, it seems our services are not needed at the time." G said to Bane Jones as he closed his lab for the night. "What do you say, drinks on me?"

"Stirred, not shaken, Geoff?" Bane smiled back at the WDA's gadgets expert as the two walked through the hall.

"Exactly." G declared.

"Oh, you know me so well." Bane laughed while the two passed by B making a report to the president's cabinet.

"Mr. President, I have a report to make on Black Rutile's current status." The leader of the World Defense Agency stated. "She is currently being held in Little Homeworld, but satellites tell me she's plotting to get her revenge."

"Thank you, Beverly." President Eduardo nodded. "We'll keep an eye out." As the transmission ended, B began racing after her two subordinates.

"Hey boys, don't forget about me!" B exclaimed.

--

"Okay, you're going to love this pitch!" Neil Michaels declared to some Hollywood bigwigs as he and Christopher Cage presented their next film. "We call it, The Pink Beast of the Bay!"

"Starring me, of course." Cage confidently said.

--

"Mommy, look what I just made!" Chloe exclaimed as she raced towards her mother with a drawing of the Crystal Gems in hand. "Look, I drew Steven and all his friends! I think they'd love it if I sent it to them."

"Oh, that would be so nice of you Chloe." Yvonne replied. "They live in Beach City, right? Maybe we can take it to the post office."

"Yay!" Chloe cheered.

--

"So Mr. Bowling, what do you suggest we do now?" Lennie said to Francis von Bowling as they and Milton sat behind bars in prison.

"Simple, we start planning revenge like a supervillain would do." Francis confidently said.

"But still, those Gems are mighty strong." Milton declared. "What can we do this time?"

"Get some help." The leader of P.H.A.N.T.O.M stated. "Excuse me, guard? I'd like to make a phone call."

"Okay, who's it for?" the guard asked while opening up Francis's cell and leading him away in handcuffs.

"I'd like to get the word out to an old chum of mine from Russia." Francis smirked. "I think The Sickle and his cohorts should do nicely."

--

"That's right Steven, you better run and never come back." Black Rutile grimaced while watching Steven drive past Little Homeworld through her new visor's binocular function. "It's a good thing you found these when all my assets were seized Holly, they're far superior to my old ones."

"Oh, you are too kind!" Holly Blue accepted the compliment.

Suddenly, Black Rutile's view was obstructed by the unexpected appearance of a massive banner that she could only see the back of, carried by Laz and Zuli. "Hey, you're blocking my view!"

"Don't bother, they won't pay attention." Cat's Eye purred while standing alongside Holly Blue and Aquamarine as the newest member of the Rutile Rebels. Or at least, what's left of it.

"So where do we go from here, my Rutile?" Aquamarine asked.

"Oh, it's quite easy." Black Rutile declared, turning to her last remaining colleagues. "Someday Little Homeworld, the next day everything else."

--

As Steven passed Little Homeworld on his way out, he caught a glimpse of the Lapis twins carrying a massive banner saying "THANK YOU STEVEN", no doubt the Gems of Little Homeworld's way of expressing their gratitude for all Steven's done for them. Just then, his phone began to ring, and he picked up to see Pearl's name on his screen before taking the call.

"Sorry Steven, I just wanted to check in!" Pearl said on the other end of the line. "So, is everything going good so far?"

Taking a deep breath, Steven slowed down the car while popping his head out the window to discover that clouds in the shape of his mother's dual identities hanging above him, as if Rose and Pink would always be there to watch him. Pulling his head back inside, Steven had one single word for an answer.

"Yeah."

--

STEVEN UNIVERSE: ALTERNATE FUTURE

BASED OFF THE HIT CARTOON NETWORK ANIMATED SERIES BY REBECCA SUGAR

STARRING:

Zach Callison as Steven, Cactus Steven, Topiary Steven, Onion, Pumpkin

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst, Famethyst, Blue Lace Agate, Ocean Jasper, Crazy Lace Agate, Chert

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl, Yellow Pearl, Blue Pearl, Volleyball, Aubergine Pearl, Mega Pearl, Black Pearls, Morganite's Pearl, Shell

Grace Rolek as Connie

Tom Scharpling as Greg

Shelby Rabara as Peridot, Squaridot, Demantoid's Peridots

Jennifer Paz as Lapis, Laz, Zuli

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper, Cherry Quartz, Rose Trio, Angel Aura Quartz, Zebra Jasper, Skinny Jasper, Carnelian, Biggs Jasper, Flint

Dee Bradley Barker as Lion, George the Light Prism, Elaine, Cosma

Charlyne Yi as Ruby, Eyeball, Navy, Doc, Army, Leggy, Morganite's Ruby

Erica Luttrell as Sapphire, Padparadscha Sapphire

Della Saba as Aquamarine

Patti LuPone as Yellow Diamond

Lisa Hannigan as Blue Diamond

Christine Ebersole as White Diamond

Susan Egan as Rose Quartz, Pink Diamond, Rosemary DeMayo

Sarah Stiles as Spinel

WITH:

Amy Sedaris as Teal Zircon, Blue Zircon, Yellow Zircon

Matthew Moy as Lars

Kate Micucci as Sadie

Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as Priyanka

Crispin Freeman as Doug

Indya Moore as Shep

Natasha Lyonne as Smoky Quartz

Larissa Gallagher as Bluebird Azurite

Ted Leo as Steg

Nicki Minaj as Sugilite

Alexia Khadime as Sardonyx

Aimee Mann as Opal

Rita Rani Ahuja as Alexandrite

Alastair James as Rainbow Quartz 2.0

Shoniqua Shondai as Sunstone

AJ Michalka as Stevonnie

Andrew Kishino as Kevin

Reagan Gomez Preston as Jenny, Kiki

Zach Steel as Ronaldo

Brian Posehn as Sour Cream

Colton Dunn as Mr. Smiley

Indya Moore as Shep

Toks Olagundoye as Mayor Nanafua

Joel Hodgson as Bill Dewey

Eugene Cordero as Jamie

Ashly Burch as Rutile

Kathleen Fisher as Fluorite

Enuka Okuma as Rhodonite

Lamar Abrams as Wy-Six, Buck

Cristina Vee as Jay-Ten

FEATURING:

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Hayley Kiyoko as Morganite

Olivia Olson as Citrine

Jinkx Monsoon as Emerald

Kari Wahlgren as Pyrope

Melissa Fahn as Demantoid

Christine Pedi as Holly Blue Agate

Aparna Nancherla as Nephrite, Nephrite's Crew, Lemon Jade

Ian Jones Quartey as Snowflake Obsidian, Bixbite

Michelle Maryk as Larimar

Auli'i Cravalho as Orange Spodumene

Kimiko Glenn as Blue Chalcedony

Tara Platt as Heaven Cubic Zirconia, Earth Cubic Zirconia

Tara Strong as Grossular Diopside

Phillipa Soo as Chrysocolla

Anika Noni Rose as Watermelon Tourmaline (fusion), Watermelon Tourmaline

Aimee Carrero as Moonstone

Esmé Bianco as Malachite

Catherine Tate as Lepidolite

Billie Eilish as Turquoise

Susanne Blakeslee as Pietersite

Jessica Nigri as Orange Moonstone

Casey Lee Williams as Cat's Eye

Avi Roque as Cinnabar

Kristin Chenoweth as Sheena Synstylae

Hugh Laurie as Doctor Laurie

Neil Flynn as The Officer

Pierce Brosnan as Bane Jones

Christoph Waltz as Francis von Bowling

Andy Serkis as Neckbearded Collector

Larry Thomas as Soup Salesman

Hugh Jackman as Beckham Jordan

James Monroe Iglehart as Coach Matt Monroe

Karen Fukuhara as Makoto Fuji

Michelle Creber as Chloe

Kacey Musgraves as Yvonne

Lin-Manuel Miranda as President Eduardo Suarez

GZA as Major General Wade Grant

Tim Curry as General Lloyd Waller

Wendie Malick as Vice President Theresa Maxwell

Keith Olbermann as Kent Whitmore

Steven Ogg as J. Edgar Hoover

Ray Chase as George Ikari

David McCallum as G

Paget Brewster as B

Casey Robertson as Neil Michaels

Richard Horwitz as Christopher Cage

Diedrich Bader as Lennie

Wayne Knight as Milton

Laura Post as Gloria DeMayo

Maurice LaMarche as Thomas DeMayo

Dave Willis as Andy DeMayo

Alex Hirsch as Lawrence Abrams

Mike Pollock as Harry S. Truman

John Hodgman as Finn Ward

Phil LaMarr as Benson Quintel

David Tennant as Ben Darwin

Ashleigh Ball as Tulip Dennis

Gary Cole as Clarence Page

Alan Tudyk as Craig Levin

Ryan Reynolds as Benjamin Rouleau

Brenda Song as Juniper Winick

Sam Marin as Steve Peters

Jeff Bennett as Edward Daniels

Lily Tomlin as Beatrice McHale

Romi Dames as Chloe Chong

Ben Diskin as Nigel Warburton

Jimmy Smits as Victor Molano

Clancy Brown as Eugene Quartey

Ron Perlman as Negative Steven

And Rebecca Sugar as Dr. Rebecca Sucrose

ADDITIONAL VOICES BY: Ashley Johnson, April Winchell, Bill Farmer, Brian Bloom, Bob Bergen, Corey Burton, Cissy Jones, Chris Parnell, Christopher Swindle, Cristina Vee, Cree Summer, Chris Edgerly, Chris Jai Alex, David Kaye, Dee Bradley Baker, Daran Norris, Darin de Paul, Dan Castellaneta, Eden Riegel, Erica Lindbeck, Eric Bauza, Frank Welker, Fred Tatasciore, Grey DeLisle, Greg Cipes, Jeff Bergman, Jeff Bennett, John Eric Bentley, Josh Keaton, Jim Cummings, Jim Conroy, Jon Bailey, Kari Wahlgren, Keston John, Kevin Michael Richardson, Mona Marshall, Mela Lee, Matt Chapman, Mick Wingert, Matt L. Jones, Nika Futterman, Nolan North, Patrick Seitz, Phil LaMarr, Roger Craig Smith, Richard McGonagle, Sean Schemmel, Stephen Root, Troy Baker, Tom Kenny, Yuri Lowenthal, Zeno Robinson, Zehra Fazal

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Jack8090

TheCurryAstute/Devil Dragon Stand User

Brydav-Massbear

My friends, family and teachers

The Lapidot Café Discord server

And readers like you

Thank you

"I hope to represent people who have felt a lack of representation, but I hope to also show people who have felt represented that they can also relate that are not heteronormative, and to families that are not traditional, maybe even moreso than the more generic characters and families that they've been seeing on TV."

-Rebecca Sugar

"Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious. And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."

-Walt Disney

"I love being with people. That's the most incredible thing in the world. That world may change and evolve, but the one thing that will never change, we're all part of one big family."

-Stan Lee

--

No joke, I nearly cried writing these credits, especially the quotes. This story has truly been an experience for me that I'm pretty sure only comes once in a lifetime, as a writer, a Steven Universe fan, and as a young adult just like Steven. At the time Future finally ended, the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing and college was on the horizon, which meant I had to leave home just like Steven did, so writing this chapter in particular means a lot to me. But while this universe has lots more stories to tell, I'll just leave you with a little hint for one of the next big stories to follow this one.

--

As Steven drove further and further away from Beach City and was about to leave Delmarva behind, it seemed someone was watching him from the shadows. The Officer kept an eye on the boy from his squad car, taking extra care to not blow his cover, and smiled.

"You finally earned a true happily ever after." The Officer nodded before his pupils turned into slits. "But I can tell your adventures aren't done yet."

Picking up the police car's radio, the Officer began to show more and more of how snake-like he can be as he spoke into the transmitter. "This is deep-cover agent Aescul reporting." He spoke into the radio. "Yes, Universe is safe. Make preparations for the contest ASAP. His majesty wants a word with that boy."

--

THE END

#steven universe #steven universe future #fanfiction #steven universe alternate future #steven quartz universe #garnet #amethyst #pearl #connie maheswaran #greg universe #peridot #lapis lazuli #bismuth #jasper #white topaz #black rutile #lion steven universe #aquamarine #eyeball ruby #president eduardo suarez #dr rebecca sucrose

[andrewmoocow]

Steven Universe Alternate Future chapter 30: Be-All, Cure-All (originally published on October 18, 2021)

AN: Only three chapters left everyone. This one, Love Like You and finally The Future. I can't believe how much of a journey this has been for me as both a Steven Universe fan and a writer, but the destination can be just as satisfying as they say. It all started with proposing ideas for this in a Lapidot Discord server I'm on during a conversation about how Cartoon Network's grip on the show made certain things feel wasted, but now I feel like I'm close to fulfilling all of them. Once again, I just want to thank you all for sticking by me for almost an entire year.

Synopsis: The Gems have got Steven back, but now they need to know how to fix him as Steven fights with his inner self.

Cast:

Zach Callison as Steven

Ron Perlman as Negative Steven

Estelle as Garnet/Sitcom Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst/Sitcom Amethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl/Sitcom Pearl, Volleyball

Tom Scharpling as Greg/Sitcom Greg

Grace Rolek as Connie

Shelby Rabara as Peridot

Jennifer Paz as Lapis

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper

Susan Egan as Rosemary DeMayo, Rose Quartz, Pink Diamond

Lin-Manuel Miranda as President Eduardo Suarez

GZA as Major General Wade Grant

Wendie Malick as Vice-President Theresa Maxwell

Tim Curry as General Lloyd Waller

Patti LuPone as Yellow Diamond

Lisa Hannigan as Blue Diamond

Christine Ebersole as White Diamond

Sarah Stiles as Spinel

Aparna Nancherla as Lemon Jade

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

--

We're a normal family,

In a normal neighborhood

Starring Steven DeMayo

No lies or betrayal here,

Everything is all good

With Greg DeMayo

Yes, everything is nice and friendly here

No time to shed a tear

And Rosemary DeMayo

How long can we keep it together?

A little Mayo's all we need!

"A Little Mayo's All We Need was filmed before a live studio audience." An offscreen voice announced as Steven woke up one morning to discover that something didn't seem right. This didn't seem like his bedroom, but it did at the same time.

"What am I doing here?" Steven asked himself just as the door opened.

"What are you doing here? That's a silly question!" Greg declared as he stepped into Steven's bedroom, eliciting cheers from the audience. "Morning Scthu-Ball, wakey wakey eggs and bakey!" The audience then started laughing.

"Dad, I had the weirdest dream last night." Steven said. "My mom was an alien war criminal who started a war that nearly destroyed the Earth, and now I was forced to make up for all the horrible things she did as her half-alien son."

"Wow, guess we should stop having chili for dinner so often with dreams like that." Greg remarked, causing the audience to laugh again, much to Steven's confusion. "Come on down, Mom's making breakfast."

"Wait, Mom?!" Steven exclaimed while getting out of bed. "But, she's dead! She gave up her physical form to give birth to me!"

"Well, she's bound to do that at some point when you're older." Greg shrugged with a grin. More laughter, which made Steven even more creeped out. "Now up and at 'em, don't wanna be late for school!"

"School?" Steven muttered as Greg left the bedroom before pulling up his shirt, revealing a belly button where his gem should be. "Wait, am I human?!"

"Indeed." Steven's inner voice boomed and took the form of his shadow. "This is what you always wanted, correct? Living a normal human life as a normal human boy in a world where Gems never existed. Well, I gave you your wish."

"Well, what about everyone else?" Steven asked his silhouette.

"Don't fret, they're still outside fighting your body, but your mind is perfectly safe here." The shadow purred before it slowly took the form of the more muscular Steven from when he fought Jasper. "My advice, just give in to the dream world you always wanted."

"I, uh…" Steven stuttered before the shadow returned to normal, and he finally decided to go downstairs for breakfast. However, he was in for a big surprise in the kitchen.

"Good morning my little starlight!" Steven's mother, who bore a striking resemblance to Rose Quartz, greeted her son with a big hug and a kiss, eliciting aww's from the audience. "How did my rosebud sleep last night?"

"Like a log!" Steven robotically said like a script was being forced into his head.

"Well, all little logs need a healthy breakfast to start their day." The fake version of Rose stated before handing him a plate of pancakes and scrambled eggs. To Steven's surprise, the scrambled eggs spelled out a message saying "GIVE IN STEVEN."

"Uh, Mom, Dad, have you ever had those times where a voice inside of you tells you to give in to something?" Steven asked his parents while eating breakfast.

"Well, a voice certainly told me I made the right choice marrying your mom." Greg smiled. "Right Rosemary?"

"Of course, Greg." Rosemary smiled back and the parents kissed.

"Okay, this is starting to get a little sappy." Steven muttered to himself. "Mom, do you remember anything about the Diamonds? The Crystal Gems? Anything?"

"Yeah, he's had this dream last night where you were an alien who forced all this trauma onto him after your death." Greg explained to his wife. "Maybe tonight we should have meatloaf for dinner."

"Oh, I would never do that to you!" Rose gasped. "I only want the best for my little boy."

"Yeah, the best." Steven laughed nervously. "Well, guess I should get ready for school. Can I be excused?"

"Sure you can kiddo." Greg agreed and let Steven leave the table.

"This is only a dream; this is only a dream." Steven muttered to himself on his way back to his imaginary bedroom. "A dream taking the form of a sitcom, of all things."

"But is it still a fantasy?" the Negative Steven pondered while suddenly appearing in a family picture featuring Steven as a toddler. "Or could it be real life?"

Steven let out a yell as he stumbled back, catching the attention of his imaginary parents. "Steven, you alright up there sport?"

"Never better Pops!" Steven once again said automatically before he covered his mouth. "It's like this world is taking me over."

--

After getting changed for the day, Steven was dropped off by his mom at Beach City High School, where the students either resembled his human friends, or human versions of the Gems he had met throughout his life. And much to his delight, some familiar faces immediately caught his eye.

"Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl!" Steven cried happily while racing towards human versions of the Crystal Gems. Garnet had a big letterman jacket on, Amethyst was squatting on the ground & looked like a juvenile delinquent, and Pearl was dressed as a head cheerleader while looking at her phone. "Oh good, am I glad to see you!"

"Hey, got any cheese?" Amethyst asked with a goofy grin, causing more laughter.

"Steven, you have to wake up!" Garnet urged Steven. "We've been created by your damaged psyche to try and break you out of this dream world, but we need you to work with us!"

"Please come back to us Steven!" Pearl began to sob. "To all of us."

Before Steven can respond to his three guardians, the dream world began to activate some sort of defense mechanism. "Why do you three always have to pick on me every day?" he asked, once again talking like he read a script. "There are tons of other students in this school, yet you always go after me!"

"We're too late, the dream world is starting to take over!" Garnet exclaimed while watching Steven walk to his first class. "Our real-world selves have to act fast!"

"I think not Crystal Gems." Negative Steven growled as he suddenly appeared behind the three and prepared to attack.

"A LITTLE BIT OF MAYO WILL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THESE MESSAGES!"

--

In the real world, the Steven monster had returned to Beach City after fleeing from Black Rutile and gazed at his reflection in the ocean below him, amongst the deceased Watermelon Stevens and the wreckage of their ship. He kept having a splitting headache, as if something was trying to take over from the inside. Suddenly, he began to hear footsteps from behind him.

"Steven, it's us!" Yellow Diamond called for the son of their deceased sister. Steven's head perked up and he let out a beastly shriek before lunging at Yellow, pinning her to the ground. "We know you're still in there, you have to fight it!"

"White, hold him steady!" Blue yelled while grabbing one of the monster's arms, and White did the same with the other, releasing Yellow and giving her the chance to grab the beast by the neck.

"Who would've guessed it would be us left to save the Earth from her?" White Diamond grinned. "After all these years spent wanting it destroyed?"

"Helping first, irony later!" Yellow struggled while Steven kept on waving his arms around, trying to break free from the ex-monarchs' confinement. "Don't fight it, Steven, this is for your own good!"

Suddenly, a Warp Pad activated from inside the temple, and out the house came the Crystal Gems, the president and the military ready to assist. "There he is men!" Wade Grant shouted. "Fire, keep him down!"

Firing the anti-Gem weapons previously used on the Crystal Gems, the military shocked Steven repeatedly until he could barely even stand, and he fell to the ground unconscious. Almost immediately afterward, other military personnel began getting to work on investigating Steven's condition and trying to find a way to cure him.

"Good work, all of you." Garnet declared. "Now, let's get him back to normal."

"Hey, don't forget about us!" Spinel cried as she, White Topaz, and Lemon Jade arrived just in time to help out. However, White Topaz's appearance wasn't as well-received as she thought.

"You!" Jasper yelled at the Topaz. "What are you doing here?"

"Don't get suspicious everyone." Yellow Diamond stated. "White Topaz is on our side now. She just fell in with a really bad crowd."

"Wait, you serious?" Amethyst asked.

"Yeah, the Diamonds helped me learn that I should find better friends while they were held captive by Black Rutile." White Topaz explained. "She was planning to shatter them all with this Breaking Point gizmo and frame Steven for it, but those hopes were dashed when I finally decided to stand up to her."

Although the Gems were a bit unsure, ultimately they had no choice but to accept it. "Welcome to the club White Topaz." Lapis said, the first to step forward and welcome Black Rutile's former bodyguard. "We're gonna need all the help we can get to save Steven."

"Wait, what club?" White Topaz wondered.

"The club of people who tried to kill Steven before changing themselves for the better." Peridot stated. "You may call me president of the club since I was among the first that Steven reached out to."

"I was kinda here before Peridot." Lapis remarked.

"Wait, another Breaking Point?" Bismuth gasped upon hearing the name of her old anti-Diamond weapon. "Oh wait, she got the idea from her interviews with us, right?"

"Yeppers." White Topaz nodded cheerfully.

As the conversation between the four Gems went on, Jasper helped the Crystal Gems fasten a helmet with a satellite dish attached to it onto Steven's head, and it began delivering footage to a nearby console that Eduardo, Wade, Theresa, and Lloyd were watching.

"With this state-of-the-art technology," Lloyd grinned. "we'll be able to reach out to Steven from within his deepest, most sensitive of thoughts. All we need to do is find the right frequency."

"Okay, just need to turn the knob a few times." Eduardo muttered while operating the video equipment that was transmitting Steven's thoughts from his mind. As he finally found the right frequency, the president was in for a shock. "My goodness. Uh, everyone, you're gonna need to come over here."

The Crystal Gems began to gather around the console and started watching what the president had seen, and what they saw was Steven living a whole other life inside his head.

"Is that Steven in some cheesy sitcom?!" Greg exclaimed. "What's going on, and why a sitcom?"

"I don't know, but I think I might need some popcorn." Theresa said with interest in the program.

"Steven did say he wanted to live a life as a normal human free from Gems." Garnet analyzed the situation. "Perhaps this is what he meant."

"But the question is," Jasper declared. "how much longer can he hold out?"

--

"Wow, I can't believe it!" Steven declared in his dream sitcom world. "I got all this homework to do, those three keep telling me I'm living a dream, and the prom's tomorrow!"

"Yes, a prom." Negative Steven declared. "A perfectly normal human event in this perfectly real human world. You won't ever get that in your silly alien dream."

"Yeah, who'd ever want to live in a world as horrible as that one?" Steven replied with a laugh. "Three guardians constantly putting your life in danger, a negligent father, a whole town's worth of ungrateful friends." However, that was when he began to realize something. "Wait, would I ever really say that?"

"It was only a matter of time." Negative Steven boomed while the colorful television world began to get a little darker. "Everyone has already turned their backs on you. Now it's about time you did the same to them."

"No, this can't be real, this is only a dream!" Steven exclaimed and soon tried to run. "I have to get out of here!"

"NOOOO!" Negative Steven roared as some nearby flowers suddenly came to life and tied Steven up, long enough for Negative Steven to reveal himself as essentially an evil version of Steven with much darker colors, menacing red eyes, and a more muscular build. "Why leave when you can just give in?!"

"You!" Steven yelled at his darker self. "You're the one who keeps making me do all these horrible things! Just what are you anyways?!"

"Pardon me for being so rude Steven." Negative Steven stated. "I am the thorn in your side that is everything bad about you personified. Your immaturity, your refusal to accept that you're not the center of the universe, your unwillingness to let everyone move on without you. I am all of that taken physical form."

"If you're like the evil me, why is this place so happy?" Steven asked. "I mean, what's the point of trapping me in my own dreams if it isn't anything I recognize?"

"I had it custom-made especially for you." Negative Steven smiled evilly. "This neighborhood, these people, all to satisfy your dreams of living like a normal boy. If only you'd give in and let go of your atrocious old life!" He began gesturing to the imaginary townsfolk conjured specifically for Steven. "Here, everyone loves you and that's all there is to them. Like so." With a snap of Negative Steven's fingers, some of the side characters began coming to life as an example.

"Howdy neighbor, what's the haps?" a well-meaning but overly nosy next-door neighbor resembling Ronaldo asked.

"I'm your long-lost relative, and I'm here for a very special episode about terminal diseases!" a self-proclaimed relative resembling Andy proclaimed.

"Be sure to keep studying, because learning rocks!" a teacher who looked like a dead ringer for Mr. Smiley exclaimed.

"But these all look like my friends. My REAL friends." Steven growled at his darker half.

"Oh please, enough with the excuses." Negative Steven rolled his eyes in disgust. "If they were your friends, then you wouldn't get your nose in everyone's business under the foolish belief you can fix absolutely everything because of your hideous savior complex! Admit it, you're no hero! You're just like your mother." He then began to smirk. "In spite of everything you've done for them, eventually they will hate you, just like how you hate her despite every good thing she's done."

Being compared to his mother set Steven off, and he let out a feral roar while summoning his shield to break free from the flowers and knock Negative Steven down. "I am nothing like my mom, and I never will be!"

"If you hate her so much, surely you wouldn't mind if I burned a few bridges to her?" Negative Steven waved his arm and brought forth the dream versions of the Crystal Gems, trying to wriggle free from shadowy bonds. "Your choice child, return to that accursed real world or stay here and live with them forever."

"I don't care what happens, I won't let you hurt anyone I love!" Steven yelled defiantly.

"If you say so." Negative Steven shrugged and with a snap of his fingers, the three burst into flames screaming as they were disintegrated into ashes right before his good half's eyes. "Oh, did I strike a nerve? You still hold affections for those three?"

Steven said nothing. He was still processing the gruesome deaths of the human versions of Garnet, Amethyst & Pearl before he decided to turn and run.

"Stop him!" Negative Steven commanded the sitcom characters, who gave chase while he led them in pursuing Steven.

Meanwhile, Rosemary stepped forward, apparently not a pawn of Negative Steven, and she glared at Steven's dark side with righteous fury.

--

"I feel like something's not right here." Theresa observed the screens depicting Steven's thoughts. However, even though Steven looked very distressed on the outside, the screen seemed to imply nothing was going wrong in his head. "He's not looking too hot, yet things are shown to be perfectly fine here. What gives?"

"The mind is a complex thing to read." Garnet informed. "Steven's is no different, especially recently. Whatever he's thinking, it looks like he's trying to cover it up."

"Yeah, kinda like how I covered up all the terrible things Black Rutile did to me." White Topaz concurred. "I really thought she was my best friend, but the last good while has proven she doesn't feel the same at all."

"Same." Jasper declared. "I thought I finally got my Diamond back, but then I got turned down just as quickly as I got her back. If you ask me, I know what it's like to be betrayed by someone you thought you cared for."

"Wow, really?" White Topaz said to Jasper while blushing. "I thought I was the only one. I mean, who knows, maybe we could become each other's real friends."

"I'll try anything once." Jasper blushed back at the thought of a new bond. "I guess my Diamond, er, Steven would be proud of me if he were still here."

"Wow, good on you." Lapis grinned at Jasper. "Making your first friend."

"Who would've thought?" Jasper mused when she got an idea. "Wait here, I got some inner demons to settle."

Strolling away, Jasper walked back into the beach house and into the bathroom, where she gazed at herself in the mirror. "Hello again, old me." She greeted her reflection. "If you don't mind, I'm getting the help of the Crystal Gems to get my Diamond back, and I believe you can't follow me from here on out."

"You fool!" Jasper's reflection, taking the form of when she first arrived on Earth, bellowed to her present self. "They are weak without that imposter, and this is your chance for revenge! They humiliated us, forced us to fuse with that flying brat, and then let us get corrupted after saving you!"

"My body has been corrupted before," the present Jasper stated. "but I won't let my mind do the same again."

"Is that humility I see?!" the past Jasper roared. "That's the same humility the boy failed in using to brainwash you, and now he succeeded. What are you waiting for?! Shatter everyone who has ever wronged you now and join Black Rutile! She is the only one who can respect you now!"

"And let my own past haunt me again?" Jasper argued with her reflection. "Black Rutile is stuck in the past, but the Gems are living in the here and now. And it's time we do the same. We may have failed Pink Diamond, but I'd rather be a Crystal Gem than fail her son."

This rebuttal quickly caused the past Jasper's expression to soften, as if she had reached an understanding with her current self, and she sighed. "If you insist on being weak just to keep Pink alive, then I see no reason to care about what you do anymore. The Crystal Gems shall live."

As the reflection faded away, signifying Jasper coming to terms with her past actions and how Pink Diamond had partially influenced them, she heard a voice cry out for her. "Hey, Jasper!"

"What?!" Jasper yelled back.

"I think we made a breakthrough, you gotta come and see!" Greg exclaimed from outside. Jasper raced back to the beach as Steven began tossing and turning in the sand, causing the console in front of him to go crazy with activity.

"What seems to be happening?" Volleyball exclaimed while the screens only showed static.

"We seem to be getting through to him!" Pearl declared. "Okay, who wants to reach out to him first?"

"I'll go." Connie stepped forward with determination. "I'm Steven's best friend, it's only natural I go first."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." Lemon Jade said while Connie was fitted with a headset by the president.

"This is it, Connie, you could be the key to saving him." Eduardo encouraged the girl.

"Thank you, future predecessor." Connie smiled before she began adjusting the headset and began speaking into the mic. "Steven, can you hear me? It's Connie. Can you hear me?"

--

"It's Connie. Can you hear me?"

His friend's soothing voice was able to calm Steven down as he kept running through his dream world, searching for a way out. Just as Steven was about to call out to Connie, Negative Steven had other plans.

"Don't listen to her!" Negative Steven bellowed while conjuring up a bad memory to toss at Steven. "That girl is just as bad as the rest of them!" He then tossed the memory at Steven, and it took the form of Connie leaving him after the first visit to Homeworld. "Remember, you had given your life to protect your friends from Homeworld, and this is how she thanked you! That ungrateful little shrew!"

"No, she was mad because I got them all worried sick! I could've died on Homeworld!" Steven argued, causing the memory to dissipate before he started running again. "Any more bad memories you want to throw at me?!"

"As a matter of fact, I do!" Negative Steven roared while conjuring up another bad memory, this time of Lapis nearly getting him sucked out of the moon base. "Lapis never cared one bit for anyone but herself, and this was no different! How come you keep her around when she has done the most horrible things?!"

"It was an accident!" Steven yelled, once again causing the memory to vanish. "Are you just going to use all the horrible things my friends did to me just to break me?"

"I'm not sure, let's give it a shot." Negative Steven grinned at the idea before raising his hands to the sky and gathering bad memories from all over to form a massive sphere above him. Some of them were real experiences Steven had, but others were no doubt false ones created to give Negative Steven more power. A fake one that Steven could easily identify was Amethyst & Pearl teasing him for proposing that he play a song in battle.

"Pearl would never do that." Steven muttered as the fake memory zipped past him. "Amethyst, maybe, but not Pearl."

"Once these memories crush you, your mind will finally submit to the dream." Negative Steven bellowed as his orb finished charging and prepared to throw it. "SAY GOODBYE TO THE WORLD YOU KNEW!"

As Steven summoned his shield to protect himself from the bad memories, Negative Steven saw fit to gloat one last time before obliterating his good half. "This all could've been avoided if you had listened to me more." He stated. "If you hadn't been such a goody goody-two-shoes, things could've, no, should've been different."

"You forced me to act out!" Steven yelled while bracing himself and trying to push the bad memory orb back.

"You are right, but it was just the thing you needed to grow a spine." Negative Steven said solemnly with a salute. "Adios my friend. Have fun at prom."

Suddenly, Rosemary stepped in-between the two Stevens and pushed the bad memories back one-handed, all with a calm but furious stare at Negative Steven.

"Mom?!" Steven exclaimed. "Dream Mom?!"

"No, it cannot be!" Negative Steven roared in shock.

"Yes, it is." Rosemary declared fiercely before she closed her eyes and began to glow. Rosemary began splitting herself in half, one half of her was stockier and had a pink circular gem, while the other was taller with her gem upside down. However, one trait they both shared was that they both had pink, curly hair.

"No, this isn't possible." Steven began to cry at the sight of both Rose Quartz and Pink Diamond standing before him. "This is just another dream!" His tears of shock quickly turned into tears of anger as he charged at the two and began fruitlessly trying to hit them. "This is all your fault, everything is your fault!" Steven began sobbing. "You're a monster, you ruined everything for everyone! It's because of you that everyone is suffering, because of me!"

"Oh, poor dear." Rose sadly shook her head and turned to her other identity. "He's been through so much."

"I think you and I know what he really needs." Pink replied before she decided to take the struggling Steven in her arms. "Come here, Steven." She said and gave her son a hug, which started to calm him down.

"What are you doing?" Steven said, still letting out some tears. "You both never cared for anyone."

"We just thought you really needed a hug." Rose answered as she joined Pink in giving her son the hug he so desperately needed. "We've put you through so much. It's all our fault for this."

"Are you kidding me?" Negative Steven growled while his eye began to twitch. "You're letting them hug you? Go on, keep fighting! They said it's all their fault!"

"You stay out of this." Rose firmly said to Negative Steven while forming a rose-colored barrier to keep him out.

"No, don't listen to a word they say!" Negative Steven hollered while pounding on the dome.

"If I had learned to behave myself back in the day and were as sweet & gentle as you are," Pink stated. "I would've saved everyone centuries of my tantrums."

"And I wish I didn't have to give the Diamonds such a scare by faking my shattering," Rose added. "but in the end, it was for the sake of Earth."

"I guess I really am as bad as you guys are." Steven realized. "I've done a lot of nasty stuff over the years. I keep making myself the center of everything, I forced the Diamonds to change their ways and allowed a megalomaniac warlord to almost take control, and I even shattered Jasper."

"Shattered?!" the two larger Gems exclaimed.

"You've got to be joking, right?" Pink asked.

"I'm not, but it wasn't my fault." Steven answered. "She was training me to control these Diamond powers that keep messing things up for me, but then I went mad with power and shattered her. I put Jasper back together, but now she's so sad because of me."

"I think I remember a Jasper under my command, don't think I ever got to know her super personally though." Pink claimed.

"I remember her more though, we fought a lot during the Rebellion." Rose responded.

"Yeah, and now it's because of me she's stuck on a planet she hates so much." Steven said glumly.

"Oh, stop beating yourself up so much, Steven." Rose said to Steven. "You have done so many remarkable things too. You helped so many people, both human and Gem alike. Heck, I don't even think anyone could've reached out to the Diamonds quite like you did!"

"Yeah, I did do some pretty great stuff!" Steven declared, his spirits brightening as the darkness around them gave way to a hot pink landscape. "Sure, I may have done some pretty bad stuff too, but I shouldn't let them outweigh the good!"

"NO! NOOOO!" Negative Steven screamed abruptly, breaking through the dome and charging straight at both versions of Steven's mom. "You've listened to them long enough Steven!"

"Stay away from them!" Steven yelled back, summoning his shield once more to protect Rose & Pink from Negative Steven. "You've been a thorn in my side for too long! I won't let you make me hurt the people I love ever again!"

"He's right!" Rose added defiantly. "Nobody's perfect!"

"And you shouldn't let bad deeds outweigh the good either!" Pink stated.

"So that's how it is." Negative Steven panted and stood up straight against his kinder self and the two sides of their mother. "It all comes down to this!" Negative Steven then slowly began to transform into a beastly gargoyle-like creature, simulating Steven's transformation in the waking world. "Once I had killed all three of you, this body shall be mine to control!"

"Bring it!" Steven, Pink Diamond, and Rose Quartz replied, standing united against the monstrous personification of Steven's inner demons in a battle to literally save Steven from himself.

--

"Did that work?" Greg asked Connie in the real world. "I mean, I don't hear an answer."

"I'm not sure either." Connie replied, just as the pink monster before them slowly opened his eyes. "Wait, look! I think we got through to him!"

However, what Connie got wasn't a sign Steven was still in there. Steven let out a roar as he stood up and tore off the satellite dish strapped to his head, the roar causing everyone to fall down and Garnet being forcibly un-fused into Ruby & Sapphire.

"I guess not!" Pearl exclaimed as a familiar silhouette soared above them. "Oh no, it's-"

"FINALLY!" Black Rutile screamed as Bluebird Azurite dropped her to the ground. Compared to when the Crystal Gems last saw her, Black Rutile was frothing at the mouth in rage and her green visor was gone, everyone taking both as a sign that she had finally cracked. "I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING YOU ALL, AND FOR TOO LONG I WATCHED AS YOU TRIED TO RUIN MY LIFE'S WORK!" The Rutile drew her sword from her gem and made the blade widen across the guard. "YOU'VE ALREADY DONE ENOUGH TO RUIN EVERYTHING! NOW PREPARE TO DIE!"

Standing before the psychopathic Rutile, however, the Crystal Gems and the Diamonds prepared for one last battle against her and her two surviving allies. Meanwhile, White Topaz held tightly onto Jasper's hand as she glared at her former boss.

--

At long last, the final battle can begin! Will the Crystal Gems be able to save Steven and the world? Has Black Rutile truly gone insane? Will Rose Quartz & Pink Diamond help Steven escape this WandaVision-esque reality of his own creation? How many more characters can get involved in this epic finale? Find out in next week's penultimate chapter of Steven Universe: Alternate Future!

#steven universe #steven universe future #fanfiction #steven universe alternate future #steven quartz universe #garnet #amethyst #pearl #greg universe #connie maheswaran #rose quartz #pink diamond #white topaz #jasper #peridot #lapis lazuli #bismuth #yellow diamond #blue diamond #white diamond #spinel #lemon jade #president eduardo suarez #black rutile #negative steven