Author's Note: I wrote this chapter a bit quickly because I currently have a lot of schoolwork, but above all, I wanted to publish it to celebrate this series reaching one thousand stars. Incredible, right? It seems completely fascinating to me. I've invested a lot of time, effort, and heart into this story, and you guys are truly worth it.
Let's make a deal: if we reach 35 or 40 stars, I'll quickly put out the next chapter. You decide. And if you can leave several comments, that would be great. I love you guys so much. <3
Let's continue.
Steven walked peacefully through one of his mother's memories, surrounded by that strange sensation that these trips down memory lane always left behind. Not long ago, he had traveled through a memory that wasn't exactly pleasant, one that forced him to confront the way he had been created. And no, he wasn't referring to the moment his mother gave up her physical form, but to something deeper and harder to digest. Even so, he decided to push that thought aside and focus on the present, because he had learned that getting lost in his doubts only dragged him down further.
He looked around at the place that was once Homeworld. It was still imposing, even if it didn't look exactly like it did in the show he remembered. It was a place so vast and magnificent that it made clear, even after so many years, how far humans were from reaching a similar level of evolution. He walked wrapped in a mixture of awe and nostalgia, as if every step revived feelings that never quite settled.
He closely followed Pink Diamond, who had just left Spinel behind. Steven noted that detail in his mind, trying to think of a way to help her return home or, at least, to what was left of it. He didn't know if Spinel might confuse him with his mother or if she would react by attacking him, and that was a possibility he preferred to avoid for now. For the moment, the wisest thing to do was to follow Pink Diamond—his mother, or at least the version of her that this memory preserved. To keep things simple, he decided to just keep calling her his mother.
He continued moving forward behind her, with a few tears still sliding down his face, though they were much smaller now. He tried to take it with humor, because it was the only way not to break inside. At least he already knew he had to discover his powers manually, something he thanked his mother for with a mix of irony and affection. He murmured a small thank you that only he could hear, already accustomed to his own complaints out loud, because more than once he had cursed everything in his path just to find his way out of that place.
However, as things unfolded, he began to realize that maybe it was better to observe everything calmly. There was something fascinating about seeing how things used to be, how gems functioned in their origin, and how they carried themselves in what he remembered as their first stage or Era One, or something like that. Maybe, after all, understanding these memories was part of the path to understanding himself.
Out of nowhere, the entire field changed without me having the slightest intention of making it do so. Everything transformed in front of me, as if the memory had decided to jump to another point on its own. In front of my mother, and in front of me too, three imposing figures appeared—giant women whose presence made Pink Diamond, my mother, look as small as a child standing between their parents and a two-meter-tall grandfather from the Stone Age.
"Those are them," I said in surprise, because although I had already seen Yellow and Blue, the one I hadn't yet had the opportunity to observe so closely was White Diamond.
Yellow Diamond.
Blue Diamond.
And the most majestic, the highest, the most dazzling of them all... White Diamond.
The three were in front of me, and even though I wasn't actually present, I could feel the pressure and the weight of their presences as if I were breathing the same air as them.
Then a voice resonated through the entire hall. The echo was so deep it seemed to vibrate in every corner. The place was empty, and it made sense; not even the Pearls were there. This was a meeting that belonged only to the Great Diamonds.
A soft voice, yet as dominant as controlled thunder, rose from above.
"My little golden star, how are you?" White Diamond brought her hand down and picked up my mother as gently as if she were lifting a glass figurine. She brought her close to her face the same way a person would carry a little sister to see what mischief she had gotten into now.
My mother exhaled in annoyance, and three black lines crossed her face, a sign that she was quite angry. "Oh come on, White, don't treat me like a newly created gem, you know."
White Diamond let out a soft, almost musical laugh and returned her to the ground as if she were a feather. "To me, you will always be my golden star," she said while patting her on the head, which only made my mother purse her lips even tighter.
I watched everything in silence, equally fascinated and confused. It was strange to see the four Diamonds, these figures who in public acted as absolute dictators, behaving in such a... close way. I couldn't say they were friendly, because even so, I still felt that air of danger, that sensation that they could destabilize random gems just because. But at the same time, there was something familiar among them. Something that could only be described as an extremely dysfunctional family.
A typical politician in America, I thought as a drop of sweat slid down my forehead.
POV Change
Connie was truly worried. From the moment Garnet had told her that Steven was practically on the brink of death, her mind hadn't had any rest. Fear stayed stuck in her chest like a thorn and, unable to contain herself, she decided to tell her mother immediately.
Connie took a deep breath before speaking, trying to maintain her composure, but her voice shook just thinking about everything that could be happening far away from her. "Mom, do you think we can go see Steven?" she said, looking at her mom with true desperation in her eyes.
Mrs. Maheswaran glanced at her, still holding her phone in her hand after finishing an important call. There was a short silence, but it was enough to increase Connie's anxiety. "Steven? What do you need from him?" she asked calmly, though showing a slight uneasiness.
Connie placed her hands on her head, rubbing her hair in frustration, as if trying to organize her thoughts. It was obvious she was about to break down. "Mom..." she sighed, "Steven sent me a message a little while ago saying he had to go out, and I really don't know if he had an accident." Her voice sounded fragile, almost a whisper.
Connie's mother set her things aside and turned completely toward her daughter, now with a more serious and worried expression. "What do you mean, sweetie?" she asked, feeling that Connie's worry was too genuine to ignore.
Connie looked away for a few seconds and then spoke quickly because she feared she would break down if she paused. "I don't know, I called Garnet and she only told me he was in recovery or something like that." She obviously omitted the part where they had practically told her they would let her know if Steven died, because even pronouncing it felt like a stab wound.
Mrs. Maheswaran stared at her, which made Connie tense up even more. After several seconds, her mother gently placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders to calm her down.
"Sweetie, look at me," she said in a warm but firm voice. Connie obeyed slowly, her eyes already glossy with held-back tears.
"Look, as a mother, I know that if something happened to you, I would be a little... no," she corrected herself immediately, shaking her head, "I would actually lose my mind. My nerves would be through the roof, and I feel like that exact same thing might be happening over there. I suppose each person has different ways of facing difficult situations, and I want you to understand that."
Connie lowered her head and began to cry silently, trying not to sob, but finally ended up burying her face in her hands. Her mother didn't hesitate for a single second and hugged her tightly, holding her in a warm embrace that said more than any words.
"Different people face things differently, and I can't imagine what it would be like if something happened to Steven," she continued while gently stroking her head. "The few times I spoke with Garnet, I realized she isn't someone easy to read, so maybe she just expressed herself in her own way. Don't take it personally. Did she tell you where Steven was?"
Connie shook her head while clinging to her mother, unable to stop crying.
Mrs. Maheswaran kept her close, and while stroking her hair, she thought about how much she adored her daughter and how protective she was of her emotions. That was why she made her study so much—not out of obligation, but to keep her mind occupied, focused, and safe.
"I just want you to let it out; I don't want you to keep anything bottled up. If Steven calls you, talk to him. If you need to see him, you could stay one night at his house—just one, no more, no less—but I want you to be calm and to sleep with a peaceful mind."
She took Connie's face in both hands and kissed her forehead, holding her with enormous affection. "You have my full support in whatever you do," she said with a soft smile as she looked her up and down. Then she let out a small chuckle, like someone trying to break the ice tenderly. "It looks like you've been training, right? Is it for Steven?"
Connie blushed immediately and covered her face in embarrassment, while her mother laughed discreetly at seeing her like that, deeply touched.
POV Change
Steven would now be walking through a sea of memories. It was a strange sensation, almost like an endless dream, and according to mental calculations that not even he understood, several days had already passed. Worry was beginning to settle in his chest like a cold stone, but he couldn't escape—he could only move forward and observe.
The landscape would slowly transform until it became a war zone, the very place where Rose Quartz fought with sweat, pain, and conviction for her beliefs, for the planet she once ruled and then decided to liberate. What an irony, Steven thought, observing the contrast between the glorious past and the emotional reality he carried.
An intense scene manifested in front of him. Pearl stepped in behind his mother, taking a stab wound that stopped the attack intended for Rose. That act made Rose turn around in a fury and strike back without hesitation against the gem who had wanted to shatter her from behind.
In a matter of seconds, Pearl emerged from her gemstone, fully recovered, adopting an flawless battle stance, determined to protect no matter how many times she had to regenerate. Steven looked at her with a mixture of confusion and sadness, noticing something he had always ignored. Pearl looked in love, or maybe it was just a consequence of being her Pearl, her gem, her protector. To him at that moment, it didn't matter, but inside his mind, he noted it down as an important thought.
The voices inside his head began to surface uncontrollably. Some were logical, others strange, others sounded like memories of a past life, as if his consciousness were a puzzle mixed between universes. He felt his mind running with an absurd IQ according to himself, but that wasn't the problem. What was truly alarming was that he would think once and hear multiple answers—some positive, some dark, others simply chaotic.
The emotional, psychological, and visual overload caused his mind to collapse, imploding that entire scenario. The colors vanished all at once, time shattered, and the world fell apart in a silent expansion. Everything was plunged into a deep black, and Steven was left suspended, floating in an infinite nothingness without the capacity to react. His eyes remained open, fixed on the darkness, as if they had forgotten how to blink.
Now he was trapped in a directionless void.
Meanwhile, in real life, two full days had already passed without Steven waking up. He was still submerged, but at intervals, they would take him out to check on him, and this was one of those critical moments.
Amethyst carefully dried him, trying to keep his temperature stable. Garnet used her energy to give him warmth and stimulate his weakened body. Pearl meticulously checked his temperature and vital signs with small machines she had improvised from Gem technology. Lapis kept every inch of Steven's body clean, convinced that if he was going to wake up, he should do so in a dignified state. According to her, water represented purity and rebirth.
Lapis observed Steven's face intensely. It was impossible to ignore that even unconscious, Steven wouldn't stop crying. His tears seemed to come out of their own volition, as if his mind were living through a mourning that no one could hear.
In her heart, Lapis thought with deep sadness: I didn't know you would get like this. If I had been braver, maybe you wouldn't be in this situation. I'll just try to help you however I can.
Amethyst shared similar thoughts, though she tried to hide them with her typical attitude. But if Garnet had said this was one of the best possible futures, then they just had to have patience and hope.
Pearl was completely focused, not allowing anguish to dominate her. She checked every detail: temperature, breathing, pulse, body rigidity, and the state of his pupils. Although she saw no signs of consciousness, the stable vital signs gave her a small emotional breathing room.
She looked around and noticed that everyone was immersed in their own mental storms, even Garnet, who was without her visor, staring intently at Steven with her three eyes open—which only happened when something truly meant danger or change.
Then Pearl looked back at Steven, and her heart skipped a beat. Steven's eyes were no longer normal. They were entirely pink, glowing, with a deep and crystalline tone like a diamond, staring directly at her without blinking. Pearl opened her eyes in horror and immediately took three steps back, causing all the others to startle and look at her in total confusion.
Pearl looked back at Steven with a mixture of doubt and fear. His face remained exactly the same as before, with that lost gaze that showed no sign of what had just occurred, as if nothing had happened. Pearl forced herself to shake her head at the others, letting them know that nothing relevant had happened, and everyone went back to their business with apparent normalcy. Though Pearl couldn't do the same, because her mind was wrapped in thoughts she couldn't stop.
Pearl would be thinking: Why did I see those eyes? They looked so much like hers when she was... when she was... she was Pink Diamond. The thought caused an internal shiver and an invisible knot in her chest as she tried to stay focused on what she had to do. After several minutes, Steven was returned once again to the healing tears. They didn't know if it really worked, but at least it prevented the possibility of his body suffering something serious like a cardiac arrest or organic failure, and that was why they preferred to keep him in the safest place possible.
Pearl looked toward the spot where Greg had been earlier. He had already left because he couldn't help in a direct way, though he tried with what he could. His way of contributing was tidying up Steven's house so that if he did wake up, at least he would find himself in a calm and comfortable environment, free of chaos and disorder.
Pearl sighed slightly and turned her gaze back toward the water where Lapis kept Steven under her control, without taking her eyes off him for a single second. Garnet stood firm, leaning against a pillar, with the posture of someone who wouldn't rest even if time ceased to exist. Amethyst, in the form of a bird, flew high above the place, watching for any sign of danger, especially in case Jasper or Peridot appeared without warning.
The silence between them became so heavy it felt material. Pearl looked up at the sky, as if searching for an answer that no gem, vision, ability, or technology could give her.
What would happen if Steven died? she thought with a fear so deep she hadn't even expected to feel it herself. A lone tear ran down her cheek, but she brushed it away quickly with the same precision she would use to clean a ceremonial sword. She didn't want any of the others to see her vulnerable, nor did she want that question to float in the air with a voice of its own.
In the end, just like everyone else, she could only wait.
Wait for Steven to wake up.
Wait so that it wouldn't be too late.
Wait to see if destiny hadn't decided otherwise.
Steven was still floating in exactly the same place, trapped inside that infinite darkness where neither form, nor direction, nor sound existed. His gaze remained lost, completely empty, without any reaction. Time there lacked meaning. Seconds, minutes, hours, days? He couldn't tell. He was conscious, but at the same time he wasn't, as if his mind were locked inside itself, unable to escape or understand its situation.
It was like being a prisoner inside his own subconscious, feeling neither pain nor calm, just an overwhelming neutrality where he couldn't even identify who he was. He didn't have clear memories, he didn't know what had happened, nor if his mind had truly overloaded. Questions like who he was, what he was doing there, what had happened, and why he couldn't think coherently accumulated inside his human mind until they formed an unbearable whirlpool. And it was in the middle of that silent chaos that something caught his attention and forced him to look up.
A pink light.
Steven narrowed his eyes, covering them with his forearm out of reflex, and in that same gesture, he noticed something fundamental: he could move again. He tried moving his arms, legs, hands, and neck, as if he had awakened from a long paralysis. The sensation was so liberating that for a moment, he thought he felt better than ever inside that deserted consciousness.
The light descended slowly, soft and bright, causing Steven to observe it with almost childlike wonder. After a few seconds, the shape of the light materialized in front of him, revealing something that left him speechless. It was himself, or rather, a version of him, completely pink, with a presence that seemed solid but at the same time celestial. However, what truly uneasy him was the shadow projected behind that figure. That shadow was different, as if it belonged to another being.
The pink figure intertwined its hands behind its back and kept its gaze fixed on Steven without blinking, transmitting a mixture of peace and authority that disarmed him instantly.
That was Justin, his past life, his past self. Steven swallowed hard, surprised to recognize him.
Steven: "Uh, is this... are you... I mean, are you guys me?"
The figures didn't answer; they only maintained their gaze with absolute calmness, as if the two of them knew something he still didn't understand. After a few seconds, both smiled with a warm expression, and an intense glow erupted from their bodies, blinding Steven. He covered his eyes with both hands to block out the light, feeling an energetic pulse rip through his surroundings.
When the light faded, Steven opened his eyes slowly and observed something even more incredible. The figures had disappeared, and in their place was a rose. It was the most beautiful rose he had seen in his two lives—vibrant, perfect, without a single imperfection, as if it were a flower created by a god and not by nature.
An echo resonated through the entire void.
"-I am what you need, I am what you are, and I am what you will be."
"-I am the one who will help you."
Steven fell completely silent. He had heard those words in his own voice, but also in the voice of his past life, as if both identities had spoken at the same time. It was the sound of his divided soul converging.
The rose glowed even stronger, pulsing with an energy that seemed to beat to the rhythm of a heart. Steven closed his eyes and firmly extended his hand, determined to take it without fear. As soon as his fingers touched the flower, it began to fuse with his body, dissolving into pink sparkles that enveloped him completely, causing his being to start glowing from within as if his essence were being reborn.
In Reality
The gems were still watching over Steven's body. Another full day had already passed without clear signs of improvement, and the worry was beginning to feel like a heavy cloud over all of them.
Amethyst observed the boy's motionless body with built-up anxiety. "Girls, do you think Steven... well..." She didn't finish the sentence, as if pronouncing the possibility would give it power.
Pearl answered in a very soft and trembling voice, though she tried to sound firm. "I do believe he will wake up, I'm sure of it," she whispered, almost to convince herself, and immediately looked at Garnet for a sign.
Garnet adjusted her visor and nodded slowly before turning her gaze back to Steven. That small gesture was enough to reassure those who knew her vision of possible futures. Amethyst breathed a little slower, Pearl loosened the tension in her hands, and Lapis, though she said nothing, maintained a respectful silence. She knew what it implied to stay quiet in moments like this.
Suddenly, Lapis noticed something strange. Steven was moving—not abruptly, but with small, involuntary tremors that interrupted her control over the water. "Excuse me, Gems, is it also normal for him to do this?" she said, trying to sound serene while lifting the boy's body slightly, which was beginning to shake.
But Pearl panicked immediately. "No! It isn't! Lower him down, get him out of the water!"
Amethyst startled from the shock and began waving her arms desperately for them to stop, and even Garnet felt fear race through her soul as she perceived a dangerous shift in the energy. Lapis obeyed quickly and placed Steven out of the water, but as soon as she did, the boy began to writhe in pain, arching his body as if something invisible were consuming him from the inside.
The gems froze, not knowing what the correct procedure was. Every second felt like an eternity, and when they finally prepared to intervene, Steven went completely still.
Everything went silent.
Pearl felt her vision blur, nearly collapsing. Amethyst went pale until she turned almost a pastel gray. Garnet couldn't take the tension, and her fusion collapsed, splitting into Ruby and Sapphire, both sobbing with wide eyes, unable to accept the inevitable. Lapis stood with her mouth half-open, unable to process what she was seeing, as if time had broken right over her.
Inside Steven's mind, he observed his own body with incredulity. He felt no physical pain, but his mental perception was completely different. The chaos that used to torment him now felt more orderly and quiet. He still heard voices, memories, and echoes, but they were no longer an uncontrollable hurricane; instead, they were ideas floating and organizing themselves calmly.
He shook his head while taking a deep breath—or at least that's how it felt inside his consciousness—and sensed a sudden, power-filled change within himself. I suppose this is what mother was talking about, he thought reflectively as he looked at his hand, which was now more toned, possessing a spiritual strength completely different from his human one.
The void surrounding him began to move, as if the invisible sky were churning or opening up above him. "It looks like the world is calling me," he said, smiling with a wide, confident expression just before that space shattered completely, as if his mind had broken through the shell of an egg destined to be reborn.
And then, he returned.
In reality, they were almost mourning him in life, with a mixture of hopelessness and pain. Pearl was clutching her chest, breathing raggedly; Ruby and Sapphire were crying, holding onto each other; Amethyst was trembling, not knowing what to do; and Lapis maintained a blank expression, as if her soul had broken.
But everything changed when Steven's eyes suddenly snapped open and he sat up calmly, slowly looking around as he regained his visual focus. It took him a few seconds to process what he was seeing. He didn't notice anything strange, just desperate faces, eyes swollen from crying, and total silence.
After a few awkward and confused seconds, they all reacted at the same time.
"STEVEN!" the five gems screamed, rushing toward him to hug him as if he were the most important thing in their existence. Steven became even more confused feeling so many hands on him at the same time. Ruby and Sapphire, bursting with emotion, fused back into Garnet, who tightened the collective hug even further.
Pearl cried without holding back, shedding tears as if her soul had waited an eternity. "My baby came back, my baby is here, my boy," she repeated in a broken voice.
Amethyst cried exaggeratedly while hugging his leg, having flown in from the air turned into a bird and dropping directly onto the group. No one complained.
Lapis ended up on top of Steven's body, hugging him while crying nonstop. She apologized to him over and over again, her voice more broken than ever.
Steven was barely returning to reality, so he returned the hug very clumsily, not being completely present yet. "I'm... I'm okay? Yeah, calm down, I just need to see if I can think. I just woke up, you know?" he said with a small, weak laugh that caused everyone to hug him even tighter.
"Ouch!" he complained softly, causing everyone to stop with tears trembling on their faces.
Amethyst spoke first in a cracked voice. "Oh come on, man, let us look at you and hug you a little more. These were rough days, just let us stay here, yeah?"
Pearl cried even harder while holding his arm. "Yes, Steven, just let us stay here. You worried us so much, we didn't think you'd be so damaged. Let me be here, okay?"
Garnet, still behind him, spoke with a voice heavy with vulnerability as she took off her visor. "Come on, Steven, just let me... I mean, let us—me, Ruby, and Sapphire—we want to be by your side. You had us way too worried. Your dad was worried along with Connie."
As soon as Steven heard those two names, he sat up quickly and tried to turn around to see his surroundings. "Where are they?" he said with excitement, not realizing the weight he still had on top of him.
Soft whimpers made him look down. He found Lapis with the expression of a hurt puppy. "Forgive me... do you forgive me?" she asked, hugging him even tighter around the waist, making him wince in pain.
Steven took a deep breath, and despite the confusion, he gently placed his trembling hand on Lapis's head to calm her down, which sparked a feeling of jealousy in the others.
With gentleness, he lifted Lapis's chin using his hand, and she looked at him with tears still running, though less intense. Steven sighed with his mind still foggy and said the first thing he felt.
"It's not your fault. I wanted to fight Jasper. If I didn't do it, no one would, and I'd blame myself more if something happened to you guys. So looking at it now, nothing happened to you, right?"
The gems shook their heads, still crying in silence.
"See? Besides, why is it cold in here?" he asked, confused as he looked to see if he was wearing his favorite shirt, but he froze upon seeing himself.
...
...
...
Steven went completely white and screamed in desperation:
"WHERE ARE MY CLOTHES?!"
End of Chapter 34.