Chapter 7: The Broken Promise

Inside the Crystal Temple, Pearl paced back and forth. It had been three agonizing days since Steven had vanished from the Strawberry Battlefield and the Gems had come no closer to figuring out what happened to him than when they started.

Both Garnet and Amethyst had used the Warp Pads to search for any leads that they could find. Pearl, who had returned ahead of the others, just waited. She had found nothing in the Sahara Desert and she crossed it off of the list of places they thought he might have gone.

Nobody had even suggested the worst possible outcome. If they did, Garnet would most likely attack them out of rage and regret.

The Warp Pad began to flash and Pearl ran over to it. "Please...please..." she quietly whispered. "Please be my Steven."

Unfortunately for the Gem, it was Garnet, who grumbled as she stepped off the device.

"You're here alone..." Garnet sighed angrily. "You didn't find him."

"No...no, I didn't," Pearl hung her head in sorrow. "I don't know what else we can do. When Amethyst comes back, we will have searched every desert on the planet!"

"We have to keep looking, maybe retrace our steps..." Garnet told her. "He HAS to be somewhere!"

"But are you sure it is a desert?" Pearl nudged. "Try using your Future Vision again. Maybe..."

"I already tried that! I told you before that every time I use Future Vision, I see Steven in either a snowy mountain or the desert. Sometimes he is hurt and other times he is with some local people. We've visited every mountain and now are combing every desert...and yet we STILL can't find him!" Garnet turned her hand into a giant gauntlet and punched the wall as hard as she could. "It doesn't make sense!"

"Garnet, I..." Pearl started before the Warp Pad flowed once more.

A short figure stepped off of the landing platform and flashed a smile. It was wearing a familiar shirt, but rather than it being salmon colored, it was a shade of violet.

"I'm back!" the figure laughed. It then looked to both of the Gems and adopted a dejected look. "Aww...he's not here!"

The sight of an identical Steven caused Garnet to leave the room in anger. Pearl just shook her head and put her hands on her hips.

"Amethyst, why would you...what would possess you to think that shapeshifting into Steven would be a good idea?" Pearl shook her head.

The violet Steven reconfigured itself into the familiar form of Amethyst and slumped down on the floor. "I really thought he'd be here, Pearl..." Amethyst whispered. "I was so sure..."

Pearl bent down to comfort her fellow Gem. "I know, Amethyst. I thought he was coming back with you. But you can't change into Steven at a time like this! What if Greg or Connie were to see you? They wouldn't be able to take it. I mean..." Pearl broke down in tears. "I can't even take it!"

"We'll find him, Pearl," Amethyst forced a smile. "We know he's out there. We just haven't figure out where."

*AGITR*

Once the town had learned that Steven was missing, every member did their part to look for him. Flyers were spread everywhere by the local shop owners, the town DJ Sour Cream took on any job he could to scout the surrounding areas (which admittedly hasn't been a lot given the short time frame), and even Ronaldo Fryman made blogposts on his blog (KEEP BEACH CITY WEIRD!) to try to get the word out there.

The Gems, who typically made it a point to avoid local affairs, had become semipublic figures of late. The three Gems made it a point to go around updating everyone about Steven. As such, this was declared to be one of the worst events to happen in the small city. Given the heinous nature of the situation, the Gems were asked to visit Mayor Dewey himself to get debriefed.

"So, Steven's...aunts...sisters?" the mayor asked, not entirely sure what to call them. "Have we had any luck with our missing Steven issue?"

"No; nothing at all," Pearl told him. "We've managed to look over half of the world and we've found no sign of him."

"This is not good, not good at all," the suited man got up and started to pace. "You know, other mayors don't have it this good. Sure, our city is a target for destruction more times than I'd like to admit, but at least we have you! You know what our city doesn't have?"

"Um...I'm not sure where this is going..." Pearl raised her eyebrow.

"Crime! Legitimate crime! Sure, we may have an underground wrestling league, but since our fair city was founded, we have never once experienced something like this! Usually when I see a giant glowing ball in the sky or something, I just repeat to myself that it is Gem business and I should really just relax," Mayor Dewey stared out the window and tapped it gently. "I can't relax this time. Not while Greg's boy is missing."

"We WILL find him, Mr. Mayor," Garnet stood up to leave. "Leave it to us."

"How am I supposed to do that?!" he called out to the three Gems. "I'm the mayor! It's my job to get involved with situations like this!"

*AGITR*

Greg Universe was in a bad place.

The loss of his son had really hit home. Though he had always known that there was a risk involved with Gem missions, he didn't expect to feel so helpless and alone when the Gems told him what happened. His son was missing and he wasn't there to do anything about it. At first, he felt anger at the Gems for allowing Steven to accompany them on their mission. However, he knew there was nothing that could be done about it.

This was Steven's life and Greg had to accept it.

"Thinking about Steven?" a female voice asked him. "You look like you could use a cup to warm you up."

The man looked up to see a woman with dark hair with a tea cup in her hand. "Thank you, Dr. Maheswaran. I'd love one," he sighed.

"I told you already, when you are my guest, you can call me Priyanka," she told him sternly.

The Maheswarans were rapidly becoming close family friends with the Universe family. Connie (their only daughter) was best friends with Steven, and was even training under Pearl to become a swordsman. Greg was initially nervous of the family, which is not that surprising due to their strict nature, but they were kindred spirits to him now. Both Priyanka and her husband Doug were doing everything they could to find his son and to keep Greg in good spirits. This included inviting him over when Priyanka was not working at the hospital. As he had made the call to close his car wash for a few days, Greg readily accepted the generous offer of hospitality.

"I'm guessing you haven't heard anything today?" Priyanka asked.

Greg shook his head. "Nothing yet. They are combing the last deserts of the planet...I guess."

"And they really think he is in a desert?" Priyanka scoffed. "I don't begin to understand magic."

"You get used to it after a while," the elder Universe shrugged. "Garnet says that he isn't...well you know..."

"So all you have to go on is some magical vision?" she sipped softly. "I fail to find comfort in that."

"It's all I have!"

"I know, Greg. I know," she put a hand on his shoulder. "It will all be over soon."

Just then, a door opened and a young girl walked in the house. She looked strikingly similar to her mother. Greg was still getting used to Connie Maheswaran without her glasses, which she wore religiously even after his son healed her eyesight. It was only recently that she discarded them all together.

"Mr. Universe! I just heard that the Gems came back!" Connie rushed over to him. Greg looked hopeful for a moment.

"Was Steven with them?!"

"No, but they met with the mayor," Connie started to sniff. "I'm scared for him."

"I am too, kiddo," Greg grimaced. "But we've got to have hope. It's what Steven would do." He got up to fetch his sandals. "I think I'll head over to the beach house. Maybe they have found some leads."

Connie looked to the man and then to her mother. "Mom, can I go too?"

"Out of the question!" Priyanka snapped. "This whole situation is dealing with one lost child! I could not bear it if you were lost too!"

"But..."

"No buts! Besides, it is time for violin practice. You know how important that is, don't you?"

The girl adopted a look of sadness and started to cry. Priyanka (being a mother through and through) went over and hugged her. "This is hard for you, isn't it?"

She nodded. "The Gems might know something, mom! At this point, knowing anything is better than worrying alone!"

"Dr. Ma...Priyanka," Greg offered. "I could always bring her back here. I know it's not my place but..."

"You're right; it's not!" she told him sternly. However, after a moment she sighed. "I suppose I do have to work tonight anyway and your father is working a double...fine, you may go, but you are not to leave Mr. Universe's side for any reason. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes...yes, mom!" Connie weakly nodded. As she went to go over to Greg, Priyanka called her back over.

"Bring your violin. You can practice over there. I'm sure some music would do everyone some good."

"Yes, mom! Thank you, mom! I love you!" Connie rushed upstairs to get her violin.

The second she was gone, the Maheswaran matriarch shot Greg a look. "I know I don't have to say it, but I'm going to anyway. Greg, take care of her...and take care of yourself."

"I will, Priyanka," he smiled. "Thank you for keeping me company. You know I'd do the same for you."

A few moments later, Connie ran down the stairs, violin case in hand and presented herself to the two adults. "I'm ready," she said dejectedly. "Have a good shift, mom. I love you!"

The two Maheswarans gave each other a hug, which stung Greg's heart just a tiny bit.

*AGITR*

After a short drive, Greg's van finally returned to the beach in front of the house he helped Steven build. Inside, the Gems were sitting around a table, crossing off places on a map.

"It's not exactly a mountain range, but couldn't the snow fit the description?" Amethyst offered, pointing to an area near the Arctic Circle.

"I don't think Steven could stand that kind of temperature for an extended period of time," Pearl rubbed her forehead. "This is getting us nowhere!"

Garnet slammed her fist onto the table, breaking a small piece off. "We can't rest until we have searched every conceivable place! We might have to start repeating areas! He might have moved since the last time we looked!"

The door creaked open and the Gems whipped around hopefully. "St...oh. Hello, Greg," Pearl's face fell. "You as well, Connie."

"Heard you haven't had any luck," Greg bent down to pick up the discarded piece of table. "Guess I need to fix this later, huh?"

"Steven WILL be found, Greg," Garnet told him.

"I don't think I've heard you say anything else since Steven was lost," Greg took a deep breath. "Garnet, you can't keep blaming yourself for this."

"I'm not blaming myself!" Garnet said, clearly annoyed.

"Look; yes, Steven is a little kid and maybe taking him on missions isn't the best idea at his age, but he is still a Gem! You guys do magic stuff with him all the time! He went up into space for Pete's sake!"

He walked over to her and just as Connie's mother did to him, he put his hand on Garnet's shoulder. "I'm worried for him too, probably more worried than all of you. But getting ourselves bent out of shape isn't healthy. Maybe we just haven't looked at it from every direction."

"Greg, don't you think we have tried everything?" Pearl asked. "Garnet's Future Vision..."

"I know about the Future Vision!" Greg defended himself. "You Gems are typically on top of this stuff, but there have been times that thinking outside of your box was the answer! Remember the Wailing Stone?"

The Gems looked at each other and turned to face the two humans. "Alright, Greg. You have the floor," Garnet said simply. "Tell us your thoughts."

Greg started to pace around and finally snapped his fingers. "You guys have been checking everywhere on Earth, but maybe he got sent somewhere else! Are there mountains and snow on Homeworld? Isn't that connected with that Rifting Stone thing?"

Pearl shook her head. "We don't have water on our planet, or at least we didn't in the past. It is possible that Homeworld has changed since we were there last..."

"Besides, the Rifting Stone doesn't work that way," Garnet explained. "It couldn't have taken him to Homeworld."

"But how does it work?" Connie asked. "All you've told us is that it is a personal Warp Pad."

Pearl put her hands to her head and projected the same images she showed Steven before he disappeared. "The Rifting Stone does indeed allow us to warp from place to place, but the manner of travel is far more dangerous and unpredictable. Using scientific knowledge founded by the late Gem Citrine, the Rifting Stone can literally tear open a rift in the layers of reality and bring you to another area of the connected plane," Pearl explained to the humans. "Unfortunately, there is the risk that you will get stuck between destinations, a proverbial limbo if you will. Nobody knows what that limbo actually is, but no Gems have managed to return from it if they got trapped."

"So, what? You have to wish yourself somewhere? Imagine it in your head?" Greg asked.

"Normally, yes," Garnet added. "But by the war's end, it had suffered too much damage. There was no rhyme or reason to where it transported its victims. Sometimes it would work, sometimes it would send you to a place chosen at random, and other times it sent you to limbo."

Connie tapped her finger to the side of her cheek. "Wait...you said 'layers of realty,' right?"

"Yes...why?" Pearl asked quickly.

"Is it possible he isn't in THIS reality anymore?" Connie suggested. "It is a common sci-fi and adventure trope. It was even used in Overneath the Underworld to kick off the halfway plot twist."

The Gems looked at each other and started to panic.

"That's...that's preposterous...right?" Pearl asked. "Right?!"

"That would explain why we couldn't find him," Garnet started to pace.

"The Rifting Stone WAS unstable!" Pearl started to freak out. "Oh my stars! Is that where the lost Gems have gone?! IS THAT WHERE STEVEN IS?! HE COULD BE ATTACKED BY CORRUPTED GEMS!"

"Calm down, Pearl!" Amethyst told her.

"'CALM DOWN?!' HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO BE CALM?! STEVEN COULD BE DYING OUT THERE!" the dainty Gem started to hyperventilate.

"Okay," Greg said slowly. "Let's assume Connie is on to something here. How do you break down the walls of reality?" he paused. "My gosh, that's a fantastic song title!"

"Is this really the time to be thinking about that?" Connie frowned.

He blinked. "Good point. So, what kind of Gem doohickey can we bust out?"

Pearl stopped her breakdown to ponder the issue. Then she continued with her wailing, amazingly even louder than before. "WE CAN'T, GREG! IT IS IMPOSSIBLE!"

"I don't think we have anything that can do that," Amethyst thought about it and then banged her head on the table. "Ugh!"

"So, that's it? We just give up?" Connie shouted. "We know where he is...somewhat... There has to be SOME WAY of warping reality or something! You guys are magical aliens! I refuse to believe that there is nothing that can be done."

The beach house was silent for a minute. Then Amethyst opened her eyes wide and thought for a moment, carefully wording her idea. "Wait...I think I know how we can do it...but it goes against a promise we all made."

"What are you talking about, Amethyst?" Pearl asked. "What promise?!"

"I don't care about promises!" Greg said. "If it can save Steven, it will be worth it!"

All eyes were on Amethyst as they waited for her to tell them her plan. With a great sigh, Amethyst started to talk but stopped. After a moment, she finally found her voice.

"We can't bend the laws of reality...but we know someone who can... someone who we promised never to talk about again," the purple Gem winced.

The other two took in her words before Garnet started to shake her head. "No. No. No. There has to be another way."

"I don't get it. Who are you talking about?" Connie asked.

Pearl's eyes widened in shock. "You can't be serious, Amethyst...I mean..."

"Think about it! We can't do anything at all, but if anyone could it would be him!" Amethyst reasoned. "We said we'd get back Steven no matter the cost!"

"Um...can anyone explain just what is going on?" Greg asked.

"Darn it!" Garnet clenched her fist. "She's right! But we don't even know how we can call him!"

"With Connie! Duh! Doesn't he, like, help kids with their problems or something?"

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" Greg yelled, causing the Gems to momentarily calm down. "This is Steven we are talking about! Who could possibly be so bad that you would hesitate to call him even if it means the return of my son?!"

The Gems gave each other disputing looks before finally relenting to the inevitable. "We need to summon a person so foul, so out there that it will literally make your head spin," Garnet warned.

"I'm willing to take that chance!" Greg stood his ground. "How do we save Steven?!"

"And what can I do to help?" Connie asked sternly.

With a great sigh, Pearl looked like she had seen a ghost. "We need you to call...to call..."

"Call who?!"

"Uncle Grandpa," she said weakly.

Connie and Greg looked at each other in confusion. "What the heck is an 'Uncle Grandpa?!'"