Chapter 12: Misunderstandings

Summary:

In which Blue vents her woes

Blue combs her hair while sitting on the sun shelf surrounding the pool, a feature added when she was old enough to sit up. The pool hadn't originally been built this way. This sun shelf, her domain, is the source of all the gems. Her essence seeps into the water, which is then collected and placed into injectors. These injectors deposit her essence into the soil, where gems grow and emerge. This is the cycle of gemkind, though not for organics.

Blue hums softly as she uses the comb, an animated tool crafted by her mother but resized to fit her hands when she took over. The comb sings a gentle melody, filling the silence and momentarily keeping her from dwelling too deeply on Steven. Yet, even the music does little to stop her thoughts from drifting to the boy in pink.

Leaning against the pool wall, Blue finishes combing her hair and sets the comb into a nearby cup. She gazes at the waterfall cascading in front of her, releasing a heavy, mournful sigh. How long has it been since she last saw Steven in person?

No, she tells herself, it doesn't matter. She needs to stop this—this nonsense. She's resolved never to see him again, but the decision feels impossibly difficult to uphold. His smile, his laughter, his handsome face—they haunt her. She can't forget the way their singing harmonized so perfectly, as if they were always meant to sing together.

She heaved yet another sigh. All Pearl could do was stand and listen, wondering how she could comfort her Diamond. It was clear she missed the human Steven so much. This moment felt almost like déjà vu. Her creator had mourned Pink Diamond for thousands of years until she met the male creator of her current Diamond. That happiness lasted until she gave up her form to bring Bluebell into existence.

Now her offspring was suffering, believing she couldn't be with the human she was so clearly fond of—even loved. Love. That was a human term Pearl had discovered while educating her current Diamond. It was obvious Blue had been feeling it since the first time she met Steven. And now she was mourning his loss, even though he hadn't—what was the term? Died? Expired?

Blue moved forward and deliberately sank to the bottom of the pool, forming an air bubble so she could cry without needing to resurface for breath. Here, she could let her emotions out without making her Pearl cry as well. Unfortunately, her solace was short-lived. Pearl came to retrieve her, reminding her of the next item on her schedule. Resigned, Blue swam up, dried off, and dressed, heading back to her room where a meal awaited her.

Though she had no appetite, Blue forced herself to eat out of necessity.

"My Diamond," Pearl began, but Blue interrupted with a gentle shake of her head.

"No, Pearl. This was necessary," she insisted softly, taking another bite of her meal. It tasted bland compared to the delights of Earth's cuisine, but it was still edible.

"Was it?" Pearl questioned, stepping forward until she was just within Blue's line of sight. For some reason, that simple question felt so heavy that Blue struggled to breathe for a moment. Still, she pushed through.

"I…" Blue tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come. She gripped her silverware tightly. "I…" she attempted again, only to falter.

"You were so happy with Steven. My Diamond, you radiated more when you visited Earth," Pearl reasoned gently.

Blue bit her lip. She had been happy with Steven, and her time on Earth had brought her joy. "Would they accept a Diamond?" she countered at last. "The very enemy of the Crystal Gems?"

She rose from her seat, unable to continue eating. "It would never have worked out. The only thing Steven and I have in common is being hybrids. But he would never accept me if he knew my other half," she murmured, walking toward her vanity.

Pearl remained silent, unable to refute her Diamond's words. She approached cautiously, placing her hands on Blue's shoulders. Blue glanced into the mirror briefly before lowering her gaze.

"I won't lie. I miss him. I miss Steven," Blue admitted, her voice trembling.

Pearl wisely stayed silent, sensing the depth of her Diamond's pain.

"I'm lonely without him," Blue continued, gripping her sleeves tightly. "Do you think his father—Greg—would have accepted me?" she asked, clinging to a fragile hope. The question felt foolish even as it left her lips. She had never met Steven's father, despite all her time on Earth. She shook her head bitterly. "Never mind. I've cracked," she muttered, retreating to her bed and burying herself beneath thick blankets and a mountain of pillows.

Clutching the stuffed toy Steven had won for her during her first tour of Earth, she took comfort in its lingering scent, a reminder of him.

Meanwhile, Yellow Diamond listened to Amber's report on Blue's recent behavior. So, Blue was lonely—that explained her moodiness. Yellow had noticed her sister's despondence, though Blue tried to hide it to avoid affecting others.

At first, Yellow considered questioning her, but Blue's feelings had become clear. Earth. After one visit, Blue had spoken endlessly about the sights, the humans she met, and Steven. And now, she claimed to miss them. Yellow had expected her to move on by now, but clearly, that wasn't the case.

If she didn't want history to repeat itself with another Blue Diamond lost in grief, something needed to be done. What better way to ease her loneliness than new companions? Yellow initially considered creating a Spinel, but Amber had mentioned Blue already had a few humans in mind. That made things simpler.

Hopefully, with this plan, things could return to normal.

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Steven let out another sigh, staring at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He looked like a mess—heavy bags under his eyes spoke of restless nights. His mind drifted again, caught between thoughts of Blue. Was she a hybrid like him, or perhaps another race of aliens entirely? She looked human enough, but that didn't matter to him. She was still Blue. She was still the girl he liked.

He just wanted a chance to talk to her, to clear away any misunderstandings. Whatever she was—Diamond or not—Steven believed they could make it work. She wasn't like the Blue Diamond the Gems had told him about. Blue was compassionate and kind, not a fusion-hating, shattering tyrant.

Steven rubbed his face, trying to make himself look somewhat presentable before stepping out of the bathroom. As he entered the living room, Connie walked through the front door. She stopped mid-greeting, her eyes widening slightly when she took in Steven's appearance.

"You still miss Blue," she said simply. It wasn't a question, nor did she phrase it as one.

Steven didn't respond right away, but the answer was written all over his face. It had already been a month since Bluebell left, and he clearly hadn't moved on.

"Come on," Connie encouraged gently. "Maybe training will ease your mind."

She didn't sound hopeful, though. Every time they'd trained lately, Steven had been so distracted by thoughts of Blue that Stevonnie's fusion couldn't stay stable.

But this time, Steven's eyes lit up, a faint spark of determination returning to his gaze. It was the first sign of life Connie had seen in him in weeks. Maybe he'd thought of something, something that could change things. Connie wasn't sure what it was, but it had to be better than the quiet sadness he'd been carrying.

As they prepared to leave, Pearl stepped through the warp pad into the house. She paused, surprised to see Steven looking more upbeat than he had been in ages. A small, relieved smile spread across her face. Perhaps things were finally starting to return to normal.

Garnet and Amethyst soon arrived, and together with Steven and Connie, they all stepped onto the warp pad. In an instant, they were transported to the training grounds within the ruins.

This time, when Steven and Connie fused into Stevonnie, they stayed stable. There was a spark of enthusiasm in their movements, a sharpness and energy in their fighting performance that had been missing for a while.

Pearl watched them with quiet pride, her smile growing wider. Finally, something was beginning to click again. For the first time in a long while, things seemed… hopeful.

Stevonnie dodged a swipe from the fake Pearl's sword with practiced precision. Even as their body moved instinctively through the motions, their mind was elsewhere. They had already decided: as soon as this was over, Steven—separate from the fusion—was going to have a serious talk with the Gems.

It wasn't just Steven's side noticing things. Connie's part had also realized how much the Gems had been avoiding the subject of Bluebell. It was as if they wanted to erase her existence, hoping that Steven would forget her too. The thought made Stevonnie's expression darken, their brows knitting in frustration. This deception and evasion wouldn't stand.

Thankfully, the training session came to an end.

"Well done, Stevonnie," Pearl praised, sheathing her sword.

Stevonnie approached the group, their steps deliberate and their expression firm. The intensity of their demeanor left the others confused, unsure of what to expect.

"I know," Garnet said suddenly, breaking the silence before Stevonnie could speak.

Stevonnie looked up at her, fists clenched at their sides. "She's different," they replied, their voice steady but brimming with conviction.

Garnet nodded slightly, but Pearl and Amethyst exchanged puzzled glances, clearly unsure where this was going. Wisely, they stayed silent, waiting for more.

Stevonnie's voice rose, passionate and filled with emotion. "Every Gem Steven has come across hated him or tried to kill him just because he has Rose Quartz's gem. And now you're treating Blue the same way? Just because she might be connected to Blue Diamond? That's hypocritical!"

Their words struck a chord. It was hard to tell if the intensity came from Steven's romantic feelings for Blue or Connie's deep friendship with her. Perhaps it was both. Stevonnie's fusion made their shared passion unmistakable.

"I know it's wrong," Garnet admitted, standing up straight.

Pearl looked away, guilt plain on her face as she fidgeted uncomfortably. Her expression was flustered, full of regret. Amethyst, on the other hand, seemed less affected. She had been the only one of the three to truly get along with Blue, harboring no resentment or mistrust toward her.

Garnet clenched her fists tightly, her voice low as memories resurfaced. "You don't know what Blue Diamond was like. All the shattered Gems she ordered…" Her words hung in the air, heavy with sorrow and anger.

But then her expression softened, and her voice grew quieter. "But you're right. She's not Blue Diamond."

Though they looked alike, the differences were undeniable. This Blue ate like a human and enjoyed it. She was small and unassuming, nothing like the towering, imposing matriarch. Blue didn't seem to care about Rose Quartz or the shattering of Pink Diamond.

Even if it was true that she was Blue Diamond's offspring, it didn't mean she was her. She just carried her gem.

"Just like Steven is just Steven," Garnet added, her tone resolute.

"When she comes back, we'll give her a chance," Garnet said firmly.

Steven's eyes went wide, and he beamed. "She's coming back?"

The Steven side of Stevonnie was shining through so strongly that they unfused in a burst of excitement. He stood there, grinning from ear to ear, while Connie mirrored his enthusiasm. Her grin grew as she realized her friend would no longer look like the walking undead.

Garnet smiled knowingly but kept her lips sealed, placing a finger over them to maintain the mystery. Her gesture only made Steven more giddy. "Don't wait too long at the kindergarten, or else you'll get sick," she said before turning to leave. Pearl and Amethyst followed her, and they vanished in a flash of light from the warp pad.

Steven spun toward Connie, practically bouncing on his feet. "Can you believe this, Connie? She's coming back!"

He shouted with so much joy that it felt contagious. His excitement reminded Connie of when they were kids, and Steven was just discovering his place among the Gems.

"I know!" Connie replied, sharing in his excitement. "Now you two can go back to dating—and you'll get to learn more about Gems from her perspective!"

Before they could continue, Steven's phone chimed with a notification. He pulled it out, and his joy quickly turned to confusion. The screen showed a blurry photo, but Steven could still make out the elephant silhouette of the car wash.

"What the…?" he mumbled as Connie leaned over to look.

Another message arrived almost immediately. This time, it was a single, chilling word: HELP.

Fear gripped them both. Without wasting another second, they raced to the warp pad.

"What do you think is going on?" Connie asked as they dashed toward the car wash.

"I don't know, but we've got to be ready," Steven replied, holding out his hand.

Connie didn't hesitate, taking it. In an instant, they fused into Stevonnie, ready for action. They sprinted to the car wash, scanning the area.

It was eerily empty.

They checked the front door. "Dad?" they called out as they stepped inside.

"Mr. Universe?" they tried again, their voice echoing through the quiet space.

Nothing. The building was empty, with no signs of a struggle.

"STEVEN!"

Greg's scream tore through the air.

Stevonnie bolted toward the sound, heading for the beach where the old docks had once stood.

To their horror, they saw a large yellow Gem—a fusion, by the looks of her—standing with Greg trapped in her center mass. Beside her was a smaller, lanky Gem with a yellowish-green hue, more yellow than green.

"Let him go!" Stevonnie shouted, leaping forward and landing behind the two Gems, sword at the ready.

The smaller Gem turned, tilting her head with an almost mocking chirp. "Oh, are you the Steven?" she asked in a sing-song tone that dripped with condescension.

"Um… no," Stevonnie replied, momentarily thrown off by the question. They quickly refocused. "What are you going to do with him?" they demanded, pointing their sword toward Greg.

The yellowish-green Gem blinked, her gaze flicking between the blade and Greg. She let out a dainty, haughty laugh.

"Unless you're the Steven Blue Diamond has spoken about, I'm afraid we can't tell you anything," she said, her tone almost playful. She poked Greg's head with a long, slender finger. "Though why she'd want a Greg is far beyond me."

Stevonnie froze, their mind racing. Blue Diamond wanted his dad? Why? And why did she want Steven? This didn't seem like the Blue they knew—kind, fun, and sweet. Anxiety and dread crept in, twisting their stomach. Had they been wrong about her all along?

"What does she plan to do with them?" they asked, their voice tense as they pushed past their growing doubts.

The smaller Gem gave a little chirp, as if amused by the question. "Play," she replied simply before turning and boarding a ship.

The word sent a chill through Stevonnie, but they didn't have time to dwell on it. They charged forward, determined to stop them.

The fight was brief but brutal. Stevonnie held back as much as they could, not wanting to accidentally harm Greg. Despite their best efforts, the Gems managed to board the ship with their captive and take off, leaving Stevonnie standing on the beach, their sword still drawn and their heart pounding.

More than once, the larger Gem used Greg as a human shield, forcing Stevonnie to hold back their attacks.

"So tiresome. Don't humans ever rest?" the greenish Gem muttered, rolling her eyes.

Stevonnie didn't respond—too focused on trying to protect Greg while avoiding the incoming attacks. Greg's mouth was sealed by the fusion Gem, so he couldn't make any comments, though the look in his eyes conveyed his terror.

Suddenly, the greenish Gem summoned a staff-like weapon from her gemstone. With a flick, it sent a bolt of energy straight at Stevonnie, paralyzing them. They struggled against the effects, but it was no use.

"If you don't know where this Steven is, then be on your way," the Gem commanded before tossing them aside with ease.

Stevonnie was thrown far enough to make chasing the Gems impossible. By the time they regained control of their body, the ship was already taking off. Helpless, they watched it disappear into the atmosphere, carrying Greg with it.

"DAD!" Steven screamed as he and Connie unfused, both collapsing to their knees on the sand.

Back at the house, the air was thick with panic.

"Play? What do you mean, play?" Pearl demanded, pacing back and forth like she was on the brink of a breakdown.

Steven and Connie had hurried back to inform the Gems of what happened, recounting every detail with alarm in their voices.

"I-I don't know," Steven stammered, his words tumbling over themselves. "Blue once told me she had a playtime schedule with her playmate, but she's never expressed interest in playing with Dad!"

"That Gem did say 'Steven,' too," Connie added, trying to steady her friend with little success. "But it still doesn't make sense!"

Steven's breathing hitched as he tried to piece it all together. "I-I don't think Blue had anything to do with this. Those Gems—they were both yellow. They had Yellow Diamond's symbol on them, like Peridot did when she first came here."

His voice sounded fragile, almost hysterical, as he wrestled with the thought. He didn't want to believe Blue—his friend, maybe even more than that—could be involved in something so cruel. The word play echoed in his mind, filling him with dread as he refused to let himself think about what it might mean.

Garnet's expression darkened as she absorbed the information. She clenched her fists, feeling the weight of the situation. She'd foreseen Blue's return, but she hadn't seen this. The sudden shift in events left her frustrated at being blindsided.

She adjusted her visor, steadying herself. As she thought about Blue, her mind conjured an image of the girl with a cold, authoritative gaze—one far too similar to the original Blue Diamond. It sent chills down her spine.

But Garnet couldn't let her fear show. They needed to act, and fast.

"We'll take the Roaming Eye," she declared, her voice firm and resolute.

"The Ruby ship?" Steven asked, snapping out of his spiraling thoughts.

"Yes," Garnet confirmed, turning to face him. "We're going to get Greg back. At any cost."

Her determination cut through the tension like a knife. The room fell silent as the others absorbed her words.

Steven straightened, his resolve slowly hardening. Connie placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Then let's do it," Steven said, his voice filled with newfound determination.

The team exchanged a nod, unified by the single goal: rescue Greg, no matter what awaited them.