Summary:
After accidentally fusing, Steven and Mabel get a bit carried away as the overly-exciteable Maven..
"Alright, Steven," Pearl said with a satisfied smile as she finished folding the last t-shirt. "That should be more than enough clean shirts to last you until we get back."
"But you guys are only leaving for one night," Steven frowned at the towering stack of shirts Pearl had prepared for him. "You really think I'll need that many?"
"Well, you never know-"
"I do," Garnet interrupted on her way over the warp pad. "He won't."
"Don't worry, Pearl," Steven assured. "Even if I do run out of shirts, I'll be fine while you guys are gone. Even better once Connie, Dipper, and Mabel get here…"
"Ooo, Steven!" Amethyst cooed, intrigued. "I know you're not planning on throwing some kinda wild party without us. 'Cause if you are, I'd totally rather stick around for that than some lame old mission."
"You're still going," Garnet said, folding her arms. "Party or no party."
"Aw, man!" Amethyst groaned as she trudged over to the warp pad.
"Sorry, you've got to miss out on this one, Amethyst," Steven said. "Especially since Mabel and I have been planning a ton of super fun stuff for all of us to do."
"Well, that certainly sounds… exuberant," Pearl chuckled, though her smile was quick to fall into concern. "Though I have to admit, Steven, sometimes when you and Mabel put your heads together, things tend to get a bit… overenthusiastic. N-not that that's a bad thing, of course! All I ask is that you both try to keep the mess–particularly any messes involving glitter –here in the temple to a minimum, ok?"
"We'll do our best!" Steven offered her a solid thumbs-up. "Now, get going already, you guys!" He all but pushed Pearl over so she could join the rest of the team on the warp pad. "The sooner you're gone, the sooner the party can get started!"
"Sheesh, cool it," Amethyst smirked. "We're leavin' so we won't 'cramp your style' in front of all your friends."
"Have fun," Garnet advised. "But don't have too much fun. That goes for both of you."
Steven raised an eyebrow, confused by the strange, sudden seriousness behind this warning. "Both of who?"
"You'll figure it out soon enough," Garnet paused to shift her shades. "Or at least I hope you will."
"Can we just go already?" Amethyst huffed. "You guys are acting like we're gonna be gone for years ."
"Yes, we really should be on our way," Pearl agreed. Still, she offered Steven one final fond wave just shy of warping off. "Goodbye, Steven! We'll see you tomorrow!"
"See you!" Steven called after them. His smile hardly disappeared once his guardians were gone. If anything, it only grew as he eagerly counted aloud to himself, "Three, two, one-"
"It's PARTY TIME!" Mabel announced, bursting through the front door. With Waddles in one arm and a bag stuffed with party supplies in the other, she was more than ready for the festivities to come. Dipper and Connie were a little less so, but still, they appreciated Mabel's zeal as they filed in soon after her.
"Right on time!" Steven hurried over to welcome them. He dropped his voice low, putting on a playfully conspicuous air as he glanced around the temple. "You brought… the stuff , right, 'Ms. Pines'?"
Mabel smirked mischievously as she pulled a large, gleaming bottle of glitter out of her bag. "Frankly, 'Mr. Universe', I'm offended that you even had to ask."
Stars filled Steven's eyes at the sight of the shiny jar. "You know, Pearl told me she doesn't want us to make a mess with the glitter this time, but… Pearl's not here ."
Mabel was the first to fall into a giggling fit at this, and Steven wasn't far behind her. While Dipper simply rolled his eyes at their antics, Connie couldn't help but snort out a soft chuckle along with them. "Wow, Steven. That's so rebellious of you."
"Well, you know," Steven proudly perched his hands on his hips. "Rebellion is my middle name."
"Really?" Mabel asked, completely believing him.
"...Nah."
"So," Dipper spoke up. "You two have been hyping up this whole 'party' of yours for days now. Are you finally gonna tell us what all you have planned for it?"
"What don't we have planned?!" Mabel exclaimed as she pulled out an extremely colorful list. "Me and Steven have thought up enough stuff to make the next 24 hours the most exciting anyone's ever seen!"
"We'll watch movies, play video games, play flashlight tag," Steven used his fingers to help count his own list. "Maybe we'll even go hang out in my mom's room again since the Gems aren't around to tell us that we can't!"
"You're really doubling down on that whole rebellion thing, huh?" Connie asked, impressed.
"That's right," Steven confidently agreed. "I'm doubling down on rebellion… while dialing up the fun!"
"We'll dial it aaaaaall the way up!" Mabel added, pumping her fists. "This party is gonna be the party to end all parties! You know why?"
Dipper flinched, surprised, when his sister pointed at him for an answer. "Um, because there won't be anything trying to kill us this time?"
"No! It's 'cause it's a 'Mabel-and-Steven Party!'" Mabel happily slung an arm over Steven's shoulder. "And nobody, I mean nobody, knows how to have a good time like the two of us do."
"Yeah!" Steven cheered. To prove their point, they both tossed a handful of glitter high into the air. They eagerly basked in the colorful rain that followed, until they were both drenched in it, sparkling from head to toe. All while ignoring the equally shimmering pile of glitter left behind on the floor beneath them.
"Well, there's no arguing that nobody is as good as glitter-bombing themselves as you two," Dipper deadpanned, grinning.
Meanwhile, Connie couldn't help but let out another laugh. Even if the party hadn't even started in earnest yet, Steven and Mabel were already providing more than enough entertainment. "So where's those snacks you guys were talking about anyway?" Connie asked, looking to the kitchen. "I'd like to have a few, preferably without any glitter–even if it is the edible kind."
"It's not," Mabel coughed a bit of glitter up.
"Oh, yeah, the snacks!" Steven looked to the twins expectantly. "You guys did bring them, right?"
They exchanged a glance, one that ended with Mabel sheepishly looking away from the others. "Seriously, Mabel?" Dipper asked her. "I told you not to forget them like, 20 times before we left the shack."
"I know…" Mabel heaved a defeated sigh. "But I was just so excited about the party, I could barely think straight!"
"Same here!" Steven admitted. "In fact, you could say I've been thinking… bendy- "
"Like a balloon animal!" Mabel quickly chimed in.
"Exactly! Mabel, you know me so well."
"About as well as I know myself. Which is, ya know, pretty dang good."
While Dipper didn't bother hiding how exasperated he was by them both, Connie simply shook her head, fondly smiling. "What are we ever gonna do with you two?"
"Love us 'cause we're great ," Mabel suggested with a coy wink.
"I'll tell you what I'm gonna do," Dipper turned to head for the door. "I'm gonna go get those snacks. Come on, Mabel."
"Oh, you know, I would come, but…" She plopped down onto the couch, in the space between where Lion and Waddles were peacefully snoozing. "I just got comfy. Sorry, bro-bro, but I'm a no-go."
"Figures," Dipper scoffed, annoyed.
" I'll go with you, Dipper," Connie volunteered. "If we hurry, maybe we can get back before the entire temple is coated in a thick layer of glitter."
"I doubt it," Dipper managed a small smirk. "But we can always try. Just don't get too carried away with all that 'fun' you guys have planned while we're gone, ok?"
"No promises…" Steven exchanged a sly wink with Mabel.
While Dipper wasn't anywhere near convinced they'd be able to hold the fort down on their own, he ultimately gave up when Connie lightly skimmed his arm, urging him along. Almost as soon as they were gone, Steven and Mabel turned to each other, barely able to hold their boundless excitement back.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking," Steven began, his tone dead serious, despite his smile.
"Steven, if you know me, then you know I am," Mabel hopped off the couch and hurried over to him. Steven joined her as they grabbed each other's hands and loudly, happily proclaimed:
"Let's get this party started!"
They didn't waste another minute either. Even though Dipper and Connie were gone, Steven and Mabel got to work, tossing what little was left of the glitter around the temple, with streamers and confetti following soon after. Mabel fitted party hats onto Lion and Waddles while Steven tuned the radio to a lively pop song, filling the temple with music.
And with that music, it wasn't long before the first–and only–dance of the day was underway.
Steven started it, shuffling his way across the house to the song's bright beat. Mabel burst out laughing as she watched him slide to the floor, only to end up falling flat onto his face. She helped him back up, but their hands didn't part after she did. Instead, he took her other hand, pulling her along for a fast, free-spirited swing, one that she was more than ready to follow him along on.
Their spinning only continued from there. Breathless laughter bubbled over both of them, all but drowning out the music entirely. Still, they twirled together, happy and heedless of how dizzy they'd be when they were done. After all, how could they imagine ever stopping now, when they were having so much fun ?
Eventually, their laughter ran dry, but their smiles certainly didn't. Steven's was already ear-to-ear, but then it somehow deepened, turned a touch warmer, a touch more sincere. A touch more adoring in a way that made Mabel's eyes widen and her heart race. In fact, she was so distracted by it that she didn't even feel her heel catch the edge of a floorboard.
She didn't even realize she was falling at all until she began to pull him down along with her.
He didn't even realize there was light pouring from his gem until she landed right on top of his heart.
They didn't even realize what was bringing them together until there was nothing left to keep them apart.
For a moment, they lay where they fell, a blissful smile spread wide across their face. That smile soon faded only seconds after they opened their eyes–
All four of them.
They could feel them. Two eyes where they should have been… and two more resting just above them. All four blinked in tandem with each other as they tried to adjust to just how alarmingly wide their field of vision suddenly was. Their mouth hung open as they took it all in–the fact that they could see from the very top of the ceiling to the very base of the floor. But even as bizarre as that was, it was only the beginning of what they were about to discover.
"Four eyes…" they finally, softly spoke. Their voice, much like their vision, was off . Not in a bad way, but an entirely unfamiliar one. "Like literally , I have four eyes! Without glasses or anything!" They snorted out a laugh as they slowly sat up. "I hope I wouldn't need any glasses now that I can see this good! Speaking of, what's the deal with my voice? I mean, it sounds good , but it doesn't really sound like, uh… you? No, I mean, me … Wait, who? Uh… What are we talking about again?"
They paused, scratching their head in confusion. Only to find their hair—darker, curlier, and so much more than they remembered there being. "Whoa…" they ran a hand through it, all four eyes wide. "So poofy… and so pretty !" They gasped, grabbing handfuls of their long, thick locks so they could get a better look. Their hair, just like the rest of them, was doused with glitter–which was honestly the least surprising thing about any of this.
"What is all… this…?" They trailed off as they properly looked down at themselves for the first time. What they found told them all they needed to know. A shorter than usual sweater, a purple jean skirt, braces gleaming on their teeth, long white socks with a familiar pair of flip flops on top, and–
A rosy pink gemstone at the center of their now- shared stomach.
"Oh. My. Gosh." All four of their eyes were huge as they stared down at that stone and realized exactly what had happened here. As they realized exactly what they had become. Their awe over that realization only lasted a moment… before it turned into nothing less than equal, overwhelming joy .
"We FUSED!" They squealed, elated, as they hugged themselves so tightly that they fell back onto the floor, frantically kicking their legs. "We fused, we fused, we fused !"
They darted upright, stirring up a cloud of glitter as they beamed over at Lion and Waddles. The pair still sat on the couch, curiously watching the newfound fusion as they worked to gather their bearings. Despite their enthusiasm, their first attempt at standing on their own legs wasn't much of one. As unsteady as they were, they ended up falling flat onto their face while their abundant hair spilled out all around them. "Oops…" They blew their bangs out of their upper eyes. "Guess I kinda forgot we're like, super tall now. Let's give that another go…"
It took a few more tries, but eventually, they managed to pull themselves up onto their feet. Even if they were a bit more wobbly than they would have liked to be. "Ha!" they laughed nonetheless. "Look at us! Standing and all that cool junk! We're total pros at this whole fusion thing already! Now, let's try walking next!"
They did so, only to end up falling to the floor all over again as soon as they took a single step. They let themselves lay there for a minute, unable to do much else but laugh at themselves, at how they were still so delighted , even if they could barely even walk. Delighted to be something special, something unexpected, something new.
To be not just a fusion, but to be a fusion together .
This was the state Dipper and Connie found them in when they returned to the temple. Connie entered first, holding the door for Dipper as he carried a large box of snacks in. That box quickly ended up falling to the floor when the pair caught sight of the unfamiliar, glitter-covered heap lying laughing on the floor just a few short feet away from them. Of all of the things they'd expected to find upon making their way back up here, this hadn't been one of them.
The pair exchanged a glance, unsure of what to say or do, much less what to make of what they'd just stumbled upon. In the end, Connie was the first to offer up a small, tentative, "Uh… hi?"
"Oh!" The fusion's head bolted upright, bringing a spray of sparkles along with it. They were far from alarmed or even startled; if anything, they were excited as they scrambled to pick themselves up off the floor. "Dipper! Connie! I'm so glad you're back!" they shakily stood, wearing a wide smile all the way up. "Notice anything… different about us?"
They made a point of motioning between their braces and their gem. It was all Dipper and Connie needed to figure out what had happened while they were gone. As bewildering as it all might be. "Oh my gosh," was all Dipper was able to get out, his eyes wide when it clicked.
"That's exactly what I said too!" the fusion chuckled.
"We left you two alone for five minutes," Connie shook her head, baffled. "And you guys managed to fuse ? Just like that?"
"I know , right?" the fusion beamed as they bounced on the balls of their feet. "We were just dancing around, and then bam ! Fusion city, baby! Isn't it awesome ? Aren't I awesome?!"
"Um… well," Connie forced a smile. "You sure are… sparkly?"
"Aw, thanks!" the fusion exclaimed, blushing. "It's one of my best features–and I should know, I have so many!"
By now, Dipper managed to shake his initial shock off, especially as he watched the fusion perform a bombastic twirl–only to end up toppling to the ground all over again. "You know what?" he said to Connie. "We honestly should have seen this coming. Just like we should have expected that this is exactly what a fusion between Steven and Mabel would be like."
"Excuse you, Dip-bro," the fusion sat up, wagging their finger. "I think you mean I'm what a Maven would look like."
"Maven?" Connie asked, confused.
"Yeah, Maven!" they cheerfully proclaimed. "It's the super cool fusion name I just came up for myself, just like Stevonnie! The 'Ma' part is from Mabel, and the 'Ven' part is from Steven. Put 'em both together and you get…"
They trailed off, motioning to Dipper and Connie to finish for them. They ultimately did, albeit with nowhere near the amount of enthusiasm the fusion themselves would have shown. "Maven?"
"Bingo!" Maven cheerfully clasped their hands together.
"So, um, what's up with the whole four eye thing?" Dipper asked.
"Aren't they neat ? And check this out! Now I see you…" Maven smirked as they covered their lower eyes with their hands. "And now I still see you! It's the kind of crazy cool eye magic only a fusion as special as me could pull off!"
"Only a fusion as special as-" Connie sharply cut herself off. She did her best to ignore the unpleasant pang of something that rushed through her almost every time she looked at Maven. Something she didn't dare admit out loud, not to Maven, not even to herself. "Um… Maven?" she started again, much more evenly this time.
"Yeeeeesss?" Maven asked, still grinning. As if they'd really stopped since they found out they had fused in the first place.
"You, uh… you two sure seem like you're having a really good time together," Connie noted, rubbing her arm.
"Oh, it's more than just good, it's fantastic !" Maven exclaimed, ecstatic. "You guys can't even imagine how wonderful this feels–"
"Um, I think I can," Connie interrupted, frowning.
"Oh, yeah, right, right," Maven said almost dismissively. "But this ? This feels… it's totally different!"
It wasn't lost on Dipper, at least, the way Connie's hands curled into tight fists at her sides. It was enough to compel him to ask in her stead, "Different… how, exactly?"
Maven took pause, all four eyes wide as they looked between the pair. They sensed they'd said something wrong here–they just weren't sure exactly what. "It… just… is!" they concluded with a smile and a shrug. "B-but enough about that. Now that we're together, you guys know what I wanna do…?"
"Uh… unfuse so we can get on with everything you guys had for the party?" Dipper suggested, hopeful that they would. Even if he already knew they wouldn't.
"Pfft, forget the party," Maven scoffed. " I'm way more fun and exciting than any party could ever be!" They proved their point by taking another twirl, spinning until they fell back onto the floor behind them. It wasn't long before Lion and Waddles both wandered over to lick the fusion's face as they let out another loud laugh.
"Are you guys sure you aren't having too much fun?" Dipper asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Whaaaat?" Maven sat up, incredulous. "Too much fun? Since when is that even a thing? But speaking of fun, I just got the best idea for what we should do next! Oh yeah, what is it? I think you already know…" Their smile spread wide as they hopped up to stand, maintaining their footing this time as they zealously exclaimed. "Let's take our fabulous fusion show on the road!"
"On the road… You mean into town?" Connie asked, apprehensive.
"Yeah! Where else?" Maven shrugged. "Stevonnie got to show off how awesome they were, so we should too!"
"I… don't know if that's such a good idea, you guys," Dipper said, looking the fusion up and down. Or more specifically, looking at their four very noticeable, very unusual eyes.
"Pfft, of course it is!" Maven assured with a wave of their hand. "I know you guys both love me already, but it's not fair to keep someone as special as me all to yourselves. So come on!"
Dipper and Connie followed from a safe distance as Maven bounded over to the door. They boldly threw it open, basking in the first rays of the sun that fell upon their freshly-fused form. "Great ready, world, for your first taste of Mav-ah!"
For as ready as Maven was for the world, they weren't quite ready to tackle stairs. They went tumbling down the porch steps, landing in a shrub at the bottom of them. Dipper and Connie ran out of the house to check on them, only for the fusion to blithely confirm, "I'm ok!"
"Oh boy," Dipper heaved a tired sigh. "Why do I get the feeling today is going to be a really long day?"
Connie could only frown as she watched Maven regain their footing, wrapping themselves in a tight, triumphant embrace. The sort of embrace, the sort of feelings Stevonnie had never really gotten to share. "Tell me about it…"
Maven quickly decided to start their so-called 'Fusion Road Show' down at the Mystery Shack. They practically dragged Dipper and Connie along after them, enthusiastically rambling about anything and everything all the way. Their excited chatter was only ever broken whenever they inevitably ended up tripping over their own two feet. Clumsy as they were, they half-walked, half-rolled down the hill, still keeping a spring in their step and a smile on their face nonetheless.
That smile grew even brighter as they made their next "debut", bursting into the gift shop as they struck a bombastic pose. "Did somebody say MAVEN ?!"
"Why would anyone say that other than you or either of us?" Dipper asked, shoving his way inside past the fusion.
"Maybe you should have had us come in first to introduce you?" Connie suggested.
"Oooooh, yeah, that would have made for a much better entrance," Maven agreed, nodding. "Let's do it again! I'll make it even more magical next time!"
"Hey, you!" From his spot behind the counter, Stan sent the fusion a surly scowl. Soos, on the other hand, stopped sweeping to stare at Maven, eyes full of wonder and awe. "Tall, loud, and kooky! Close the door and buy somethin', or I'll fine you for coming in here with two too many eyes."
To his surprise, Maven laughed, entirely unbothered by such harsh words. "Ha! Grunkle Pines, you're always so funny!"
"Huh?" Stan blinked, completely confused. He only got more confused when Maven stepped over to him, amazed by just how much they managed to tower over even the adults in the room.
"Whoa, I'm even taller than you are now, Mr. Stan!" they exclaimed. "I mean, I already knew I was taller than Dipper–not that it's too hard to be taller than him–" They snorted out a laugh, ignoring the disgruntled glare Dipper sent their way. "And even Connie, but you and Soos too? Who knew fusion came with so many great perks?!"
"Again," Connie bluntly spoke up. "I did."
"...Sure, you did," Maven smirked, waving their hand. They hardly noticed the annoyed huff Connie let out as they turned their back to her and Dipper alike.
Stan was almost every bit as aggravated as he looked to the smaller pair for answers. "Either of you wanna explain what the deal with four-eyes here is?"
They didn't even get a chance to before Maven cut in with a scandalized gasp. "Why, Grunkle Pines! I can't believe you don't even recognize your own… neighbor-niece? Niece-neighbor? Eh, same thing."
"Um, long story short," Dipper cut in to clarify. "'Maven' here is, um… Mabel and Steven, fused into the same person."
"Fused?" Stan raised an eyebrow at Maven. They eagerly nodded to confirm it. "You mean that thing the Gems do when they turn into giant broads with a bunch of extra eyes and arms?"
"Yep!" Maven beamed. "And this broad just so happens to have four of those! Eyes, I mean, we only have two arms, but wouldn't it be so cool if we had four? Oh, by the way, what is a broad anyway?"
"Sheesh," Stan rolled his eyes. "Well, there's no doubt about it; fused or not, that's definitely Mabel and Steven in there. Nobody else is able to give me a migraine like those two, and you did pretty much the second you started talking, so thanks for that."
"Aw, you're so welcome!" Maven cheerily, obliviously returned.
"Dudes, this is so cool!" Soos piped up. He hurried over to the fusion, almost as excited as they were as he pulled a sloppily-drawn sketch out of his pocket. "You're like, exactly what I pictured a Steven-Mabel fusion would look like! See?"
"Oh wow!" Maven gaped at the drawing, impressed. "It really does look just like us!"
"Soos, why did you draw a picture of Steven and Mabel fused?" Dipper asked, puzzled.
"...No reason," Soos said as he swiftly stuffed the drawing into a thick folder labeled "fusions".
"So, about this whole 'fusion' thing…" Stan skeptically sized Maven up. "You two aren't doing anything… weird in there, are you?"
"Weird?" Maven innocently tilted their head. "Like what?"
"Like holding hands, or hugging, or ki–"
"O-ok, that's enough of that!" Connie quickly cut in, flustered. She made a point of shoving Maven over to the door, if only to keep this incredibly awkward conversation going even further than it already had. "Maven, you said you wanted to head into town, right?"
"Oh, I did say that!" Maven straightened, making the rest of the way to the door by themself. "You know, I'm already planning a personal 'Meet-n-Greet with Maven' with everyone in Gravity Falls! That'll be great! We'll have to go super fast if we want to say hi to everyone , but if there's anyone who can get it done, it's us since we're sooo magical and marvelous and Maveny and-"
"Alright, we get it," Dipper interrupted. He barely bothered to hide how exasperated he already was by them, by all of this. At least Connie made a little more of an effort to try. "You guys are excited-"
"Ah ah ah, Dip-bro," Maven advised. "You gotta come up with another M-word like I did so it'll match."
"...Here's one," Dipper finally gave them the last shove out the door. " Move ."
Maven did just that, practically skipping out of the shack so they could keep their Road Show going. Only after they were gone did Stan finally allow himself a sigh of relief. "Woo, glad they left when they did. I was almost worried I was gonna have to tell 'em about the birds and the bees."
"You can always tell me about bees and birds, Mr. Pines," Soos offered, oblivious. "Maybe I oughta add them to the picture I drew of our fusion!" He pulled another sketch out of his fusion folder–one that was much harder to look at than Maven's had been. "I call him 'Stoos'!"
"Soos, put that thing away," Stan cringed away from the picture. "My eyes are burning just looking at it."
"Oh, don't worry, the next version will be even better ," Soos assured. "I could even give him four eyes, just like Maven has!"
"Yeah, you do that. I'll just be over here," Stan deadpanned as he swiftly headed for the den. "Waaaay over here…"
Unsurprisingly, the trip into town wasn't much different from the trip to the shack. Maven carried a lively conversation–one that was mostly between themself and themself alone.
"So, I think I'm finally getting the hang of this whole 'walking without falling' thing," they rambled on to Dipper and Connie as they trailed after them. "There's really nothing to it once you–ow!" They ran straight into a pole they'd been too distracted to notice. "Hey now! Who put you there, you sneaky little pole? Anyway, what was I saying? Oh, that's right: walking!"
"Yeesh," Dipper watched, incredulous, as Maven enthusiastically greeted every last passerby to pass them by. "They're somehow even more obnoxiously friendly when they're together than they are when they're apart."
Connie was only able to stifle a snicker when Maven glanced over their shoulder, grinning wryly. "I heard that, Dipper! And you know what I think? I think you're just a little bit jealous ."
"Jealous?"
"Yeah, 'cause now you're the only one of us who hasn't had a chance to fuse yet!"
Dipper winced, suddenly uncomfortable. "Uh, and why would I want to do that?"
"Why wouldn't you want to?" Maven laughed. "Everything about it is so… so… amazetastic! See what I did there? I fused amazing and fantastic together to make a whole new word, just like Steven and Mabel fused to make me! A fusion, making a fusion! You can't get much more amazetastic than that."
Proud of their achievement in wordplay, Maven skipped on ahead. Their Road Show continued, as they cheerfully said hello and warmly introduced themselves to everyone they met. Connie couldn't help but notice just how at ease they were; if anything, they were in their element when they were showing off how special they were. And indeed, they were special, every bit as much as they were bright, buoyant, and brimming with charisma and charm.
Everything a certain other fusion wasn't .
"How do they do it…?" Connie softly wondered, more to herself than to Dipper. "They make it look so… easy ."
"They make what look easy?" Dipper asked.
"Being fused," Connie frowned. "When Steven and I were Stevonnie, it only felt that great at first, when it was just us, when we didn't have anything else to worry about. And even at our best, we were nothing like… well, that ." She nodded over at Maven, who was in the middle of heartily shaking a bewildered Mr. Smiley's hand.
"Well, you know Steven and Mabel," Dipper said, shrugging. "They're just about the two biggest social butterflies to ever exist."
"It's more than that," Connie sighed. "They're so… comfortable and confident , in all of the ways Stevonnie hadn't been. How can they pull that off… when we–when I couldn't…?"
She loosely wrapped her arms around herself, doing all she could to avoid even looking at Maven. In fact, she only glanced up when she felt a hand come to rest on her shoulder. Dipper looked at her intently, his expression so genuinely concerned and sympathetic that it nearly made her heart skip a beat. "Are you ok?" he asked. "Because you sure don't seem like you are."
Connie tensed, ignoring the warmth blooming in her cheeks as she awkwardly stammered, "I… I'm, uh…"
"We could always ask them to stop and unfuse," Dipper went on, completely serious. "I'm sure they would if they knew how you're-"
"N-no, no," Connie shook her head to clear it. "I'll make it. And besides," she managed a small smile as her sights settled on his hand, still sitting upon her shoulder. "At least I don't have to put up with this–with them on my own."
Dipper nodded, smiling himself as he pulled his hand away, even if Connie silently wished he didn't. The moment was already over though, even more so when Maven's excited squeal filled the air. "Candy! Grenda!" they ran a bit further down the street to meet the pair. "Hi! It's so good to see you guys!"
"Who are you, mysterious, sparkly stranger?" Candy asked, dazzled.
"And where did you get that adorable sweater?" Grenda added, just as wonderstruck.
"Both great questions, that both have the same answer," Maven grinned, rocking back and forth on their feet. "You see, I'm what happens when you take a Steven and a Mabel, and you fuse 'em together into an awesomely magical, always lovable Maven!"
"I'm not so sure 'lovable' is the word I'd use to describe them…" Dipper joked to Connie, aside.
Candy and Grenda, on the other hand, were completely taken with the fusion. "Whaaaaat?!" they both exclaimed, stunned.
"Crazy, I know, but it's true!" Maven exclaimed. "Don't just take my word for it: Dipper and Connie were there and they saw it all with their own eyes."
"Um, no, we didn't?" Connie corrected. "We showed up just after you guys fused, remember."
"Oh, right," Maven shrugged. "Eh, close enough."
"You two look incredible together!" Candy told Maven as soon as her initial shock was gone.
"I know, right?" Maven proudly grinned. "I'm like, the total package. Beauty, brawn, and… some other third thing!"
"Brains?" Connie ventured.
"Ew, no!" Maven stuck their tongue out. "We don't have brains all over us! That'd be gross !"
"Oh my gosh, you guys, oh my gosh!" Grenda cut in with a huge gasp. "You two fusing is just like what me and Candy do when we turn into Grendy!"
"No way! You guys can fuse?" Maven asked. They completely believed them, even if Dipper and Connie weren't convinced in the slightest. Even so, Candy and Grenda were more than happy to demonstrate.
Candy climbed up onto Grenda's shoulders, a sturdy perch that allowed their 'fusion' to take shape. Even if that fusion was still quite a bit shorter than the real fusion among them. Nonetheless, Maven was duly impressed.
"Wow!" they exclaimed, stars in all four of their eyes. "And I thought I looked cool! You guys make such a beautiful fusion! It's so nice to meet you, 'Grendy'." They giggled as they shook Candy's hand.
"Nice to meet you too, Maven," Candy and Grenda tried to say in unison. Only to end up clashing over each word to the point they were barely even understandable. Still, they laughed, and so did Maven; even Connie and Dipper couldn't help but crack a set of smiles over something so silly. The fun was short-lived, however, when a sharp, haughty sneer cut through it all.
"Hey, Candy!" Pacifica called as she sauntered by. "How'd you manage to hitch a piggyback ride from a real pig?"
She let out a smug snicker, hardly noticing or caring when it ended up tearing "Grendy" apart. Candy frowned, fretful, as she got off of Grenda's shoulders. Both of them were far too embarrassed to say much of anything as they sadly walked away. But that didn't mean someone else couldn't in their stead.
"Hey!" Maven snapped before Pacifica could get too far. "That was a really mean thing to say, Pacifica!"
"Oh yeah? What are you gonna-" Pacifica stopped short when she turned around, only to find a tall, sparkly, four eyed stranger angrily staring down at her. "Uh… What the heck are you supposed to be?"
" What I am is Steven and Mabel, fused together into the perfect all-in-one package," Maven introduced themselves, brimming with confidence. "It's ok to be impressed by how great I am. I would be too, if I wasn't already, well, me ."
"Are you kidding?" Pacifica scoffed, hands on her hips. "Who would ever be impressed by you ?"
"Oh, lots of people," Maven began counting them on their fingers. "For starters, these two were pretty starstruck-" They nodded back at Dipper and Connie. "And so were Soos and Grunkle Pines. And I'm sure the Gems will be too once they get back!"
"I don't see how anyone would be," Pacifica rolled her eyes. "I mean, just look at you! You look like a teenager, but you're dressed like you're five, your hair seriously needs to meet a straightener, and don't even get me started on that creepy four-eyed stare of yours."
For once, Maven fell into total silence when they heard such brutally scathing critiques. They stood stiff, all four of their eyes wide, but their expression was otherwise unreadable. Pacifica simply raised an eyebrow at them, expecting them to say something in response. But when they didn't, Dipper and Connie stepped up to the plate to defend them instead.
"Hey, Pacifica, why don't you back off ?" Dipper asked, glaring at her relentlessly.
"Seriously, what's your problem?" Connie added just as sharply. "Maven didn't do a thing to you, so leave them alone!"
"Hey, it's not my fault that something weird happens whenever you are around," Pacifica turned her nose up at them. "Honestly, I'm surprised you two haven't 'fused' into the world's biggest nerd yet."
The pair was more than ready and willing to fire back at her–until Maven put their hands on each of their shoulders as they quietly, calmly stepped past them. They stopped just short of Pacifica, towering tall over her as they stared down at her, all four eyes strangely bright and piercing. "You know, it's so weird, Pacifica," they began with a playful pout. "You almost made it sound like you didn't like me. But that couldn't be true. Everyone, and I mean everyone , likes me …" By now, their voice had gotten alarmingly low and quiet, their smile sharpening to the point it was downright unnerving when they asked, "Even you, right ?"
The smugness drained straight out of Pacifica's face, and so did most of the blood as she gaped up at the fusion she found herself standing in the shadow of. She drew in a breath she forgot to let out, terrified to break eye contact with Maven every bit as much as she was terrified to keep it. In the end, she finally forced herself to look away, shrinking a bit as she took an unsteady step back.
"I, uh… I gotta go," she muttered. Her face was already starting to get red, but it grew even hotter with embarrassment when she tripped over the curb behind her, only barely managing to catch herself before she fell. She only spared one uneasy glance back at Maven before she hurried off, all while the fusion cheerily waved her farewell.
"Bye, Pacifica!" they exclaimed, as if nothing had happened at all. "Let's hang out again soon! Maybe next time you can help us uncover another big secret conspiracy that isn't about your family!"
"Um, what was that all about?" Dipper asked, almost as wary as Pacifica had been.
"What was what about?" Maven asked, oblivious.
"What you just did…" Connie said, frowning. "Getting Pacifica to just leave like that. How'd you do that?"
Maven looked between the pair with an utterly blank look on their face. In the end, they simply shrugged, nowhere near as bothered as either of them were. ]The pair exchanged a worried glance, but they didn't get a chance to voice any of their concerns as Maven eagerly marched on. "Come on, you guys! This Road Show's nowhere close to slowing down yet!"
"Um… are you sure?" Dipper asked, more for Connie's sake than his own. "Aren't you guys getting a little… tired?"
"Tired?" Maven glanced back.
"Of being fused?"
The very question caught Maven off guard. They flinched at first, but they were quick to throw on another carefree smile as they scoffed the notion off. "How could I ever get tired when I'm having so much fusion fun ?"
That was all they needed to say as they abruptly turned and blithely bounded off. As they did, they left Connie and Dipper behind, unable to ask the questions that were starting to weigh heavy on them both: Just how long would it take for their "fusion fun" to finally come to an end?
And what would happen if it never did?
For the rest of the afternoon, Maven kept their Fusion Road Show going strong. They stocked up on snacks at the Big Donut until Sadie asked and Lars demanded them to leave. They paraded through the park, stopping to enthusiastically join in on Old Man McGucket's daily hamboning session. They hit up Gravity Fries for some fry bits, not noticing when Ronaldo went off on a lengthy conspiracy about their extra set of eyes. And so it went on and on, with the fusion never once waning into exhaustion. Even if Dipper and Connie had already passed that point a long time ago.
By the time they made their way back to the shack, the pair nearly collapsed on each other, bone-tied. Maven, on the other hand, was as exuberant as ever as they settled onto the porch's couch. "Woo! What a swell day!" they said, bouncing up and down in their seat. "I don't think I've ever had so much fun in my life! Oh, same here! We should do this every day ! Wouldn't that be great? Yeah, it would be!"
"No, it wouldn't ," Dipper dryly retorted.
Connie stepped in to clarify much more politely, despite her own thinning patience. "Uh, I think what Dipper means is that you guys can be… a little hard to keep up with, especially like… this ."
"Oh, sorry!" Maven chuckled, a bit embarrassed. "I didn't even realize! I hope you two didn't feel too left out of my Road Show. Next time, I'll let you guys be front and center. Oh! Maybe you can even be my opening act! Doesn't that sound fun?"
Dipper and Connie exchanged a glance, unsure of what to even say to such a self-serving offer. Still, it was hardly a surprising one, considering who it was coming from. "Sure…" Connie said, looking away from the fusion. "A-anyway, it's getting late. My parents will be expecting me home soon."
"Aw, already?" Maven asked, pouting. "But we're all having such a great time! Are you sure you have to go, Connie?"
"Yeah, I really should," Connie insisted. An idea suddenly struck her, one that she jumped on the second it did. "But… before I go, I was kind of hoping I could say goodbye to Steven and Mabel first…"
"Oh," Maven leaned forward, before offering a bright, oblivious. "Bye!"
"I'm pretty sure that's not what she meant," Dipper pointed out, crossing his arms.
"He's right," Connie admitted. "I want you to-" She stopped short when she saw the way all four of Maven's were curiously, innocently staring at her. It was enough to force her to dance around it, to ask again, all without saying what she really meant. "I… I mean… I want to say goodbye to both of you. Steven and Mabel."
As direct as she tried to be, Maven still didn't really get it. Instead, they hopped up from their seat, hurrying over to Connie to pull her into another fond, crushing hug. "Bye, Connie! Have a great night! We'll see you tomorrow!"
Connie could only sigh as they parted ways. She made no effort to hide her disappointment–she knew Maven wouldn't even notice it anyway. "Yeah…" she muttered, not even looking back once she turned to leave. "See you… tomorrow."
In much of the same way, Dipper didn't wipe the critical scowl in his face when Maven glanced his way, grinning. Their smile soon fell into confusion when he made a point of raising an eyebrow at them. "What?"
"Don't you think you guys have been at this long enough?" he asked, much more bluntly than Connie had.
"At what? Being fused?" Maven simply laughed, not taking him seriously. It wasn't surprising–they seemed to take so little seriously to begin with. "Come on, Dip-bro, I'm just getting started! I've gotta stick around at least long enough to show the Gems when they get back tomorrow."
"Wait, so… you're just gonna stay fused?" Dipper asked, unnerved by the idea. "Overnight?"
"I don't see why we can't," Maven shrugged. "It'll be just like a slumber party! It'll be way better than our last one too, as long as Lion doesn't sneak in to sleep on our face." They laughed, before letting out an excited gasp as another train of thought took them. "I've never slept as a fusion before! I wonder if our dreams will fuse with us! Oh, I sure hope they do! That'd be so cool!"
"You guys, wait-" Dipper tried, but he was too late to stop Maven as they headed inside the shack to get their slumber party underway. He let out a tired sigh as he followed, hoping against hope that the night ahead would go by fast. That he'd get Mabel and Steven back sooner than later.
Unfortunately, the evening went by anything but quickly. Or at least it felt that way to Dipper; for Maven, it seemed to speed by. They made a mess of the kitchen, baking up cookies, cupcakes, and any other sweet treat they could think of. They snuck Lion into the shack under Stan's notice to create a cozy "cuddle" pile with both of their pink pets. They tried on different pairs of sunglasses–sometimes two at once–over both sets of their eyes. By the time the night was through, they'd already filled several pages of Mabel's scrapbook with plenty of "Maven Memories". Memories that they couldn't wait to make even more of after a good night's sleep.
As they happily busied themselves getting ready for bed, Dipper sat on his bed, peering over the top of the journal at them. Any hopes he might've had that they'd somehow split sometime over the past several hours had been dashed. Maven wasn't just delighted to be together, they were determined to stay together, no matter what anyone else said or thought.
Still, that didn't mean Dipper couldn't try to change their minds– mind anyway.
"Um, Maven?" he spoke up, shutting the journal.
"'Sup, Dip-bro," Maven grinned back at him from their spot at the mirror.
He hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. Ultimately, he decided to tread carefully; the last thing he wanted was to set them off the way Pacifica had earlier. The last thing he wanted was to be on the receiving end of their haunting, almost hypnotic stare. "I was just wondering… how long do you guys plan on… being together like this?"
"Hm," Maven paused to stretch. "'Till whenever, I guess. I wanna ride this out for as long as it keeps feeling good. And right now? It feels really good."
"But… you guys know you can't just stay fused forever… don't you?"
Now it was Maven's turn to hesitate. Their steady smile faded and they made a point of averting Dipper's questioning gaze. "Y-yeah, I know that," they said, though they sounded noncommittal about it. "But… I don't see what the big deal is. We've only been fused for like, a day. What are you so worried about?"
"I'm worried because this is still totally new territory you guys are in," Dipper said. "You heard what the Gems said; before Stevonnie, there's never been any human-Gem fusions before. We still don't know if there's any crazy side effects to this sort of thing or not. I just don't want to see either of you get hurt."
For a moment, a fleeting moment, Maven almost looked like they were actually listening to him. They almost looked like they were actually thinking beyond themself. But then… "Aw, don't be silly, Dipper!" they assured, laughing. "We're not gonna get hurt just from being fused ! We feel fine–better than fine even. We feel perfect !"
No matter how bright their smile was, Dipper refused to share it. Instead, his brow furrowing in a mix of frustration and worry that Maven didn't give him a chance to speak to before they said, "B-but hey! If it makes you feel any better, we'll, uh… we'll unfuse, after the Gems get back tomorrow."
"Really?" Dipper asked, not convinced in the slightest. "You really mean that?"
Maven forced a smile, hiding their hands behind their back, just out of sight. They crossed their fingers, biting back guilt as they said, "I-I promise."
Fortunately for them, this was just enough to satisfy Dipper, at least for now. "Well, that's good," he let out a relieved sigh as he sat the journal on the bedside table. "I'm sure you guys are probably about ready for a break from each other anyway, right?"
Maven nodded absently. They plopped down onto Mabel's bed, only to take pause at the way their long legs dangled over its edge. "Aw, the bed's too short!"
"You're like, six feet tall now," Dipper said, finally managing a small smile himself. "Did you really think it wouldn't be? Anyway," he clicked the nearby lamp off just shy of saying, "Good night."
"Good night…" Maven's smile fully fell as they curled up into a ball on the tiny bed. The two halves that made them whole clung tightly onto each other, now more than ever, dreading the moment tomorrow when they'd have to let go.
But maybe, they thought, drenched in darkness and desperation alike, they wouldn't have to after all.
The next morning, Maven rose with the sun. And they made sure Dipper did too.
"Dipper, wake up!" they shouted, vigorously shaking him. "Wake up! Wake up!"
Dipper groaned, still groggy despite this rude awakening. "Ok, ok, I'm up-"
"Get up already!" Maven practically yanked him out of bed. "We gotta hurry! The Gems will be back from their mission any minute now! I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when they see me; they're gonna go nuts !"
"No more nuts than you already are," Dipper grumpily muttered as he slipped his hat and vest on.
"Come on! We've gotta go !" Maven grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the attic, down the stairs, and out of the shack entirely. They dashed up the hill to the temple, not wanting to miss the moment the Gems arrived. They made it just in time too, bursting into the house just as the warp pad lit up to signal their return.
"Steven!" Pearl called. "We're back and we-" She stopped short–all three of the Gems did, when they realized Steven was nowhere to be found. Instead a sparkle-covered, sweater-clad, four-eyed stranger stood before the warp pad with a smile as bright as the sun itself.
"Hi, guy!" Maven greeted as that smile turned a touch cheeky.
"Uh… who the heck are you?" Amethyst asked, confused.
Maven drew in a breath to answer, but they didn't get a chance to before Dipper finally arrived, utterly breathless from chasing them all the way up here. "O-ok," he leaned against the door for support. "I made it. What'd I miss?"
"Pretty much everything ," Maven smirked back at him. "Try to keep up next time, Dip-bro."
"Dipper," Pearl spoke up. "Do you know this… person?"
"Uh, yeah. They're-"
"Shh," Maven quickly cut him off. "I want them to guess!"
Despite their hopes to drag this out, it didn't take the Gems long to figure their identity out. All it really took was one look at the braces on their teeth and the gem on their stomach for Amethyst to let out a shocked gasp. "No way! Steven? And Mabel?"
"Maven," Garnet corrected her.
"Ding! Ding! Ding!" Maven grabbed a handful of confetti from yesterday and tossed it into the air. "You got it!"
"Hold on now," Pearl cut in, brushing the confetti off of her shoulder. "You mean to say that you're Steven and Mabel– fused ?"
"Yep!" Maven proudly grinned. "And aren't we awesome at it! Look! I even have extra eyes like you guys get when you fuse!" The Gems only had the chance to exchange a brief glance before Maven drew in an excited gasp. "Oh! I just thought of something! I'm technically a Gem now too, right? And if I am, then that means maybe we can break that flashy shield out! Oh yeah! Let's try it! Maven Fusion Weapon Summoning Powers… go!"
They struck a bold pose, arms wide in the hopes that a pink shield would appear over one of them. When it didn't, they were more than ready to try again. "Go!"
Still nothing. But that hardly stopped Maven from once again shouting, "Go!"
"I don't think it's working," Dipper flatly told them.
"I must be saying the wrong thing," Maven mused. "It's not really about saying the right thing, though. It's more about having… the right feeling . What kind of feeling? I'm not sure yet, but whatever it is, it's a good one! Oh, sort of like how we feel, all the time? Yeah, a lot like that, actually…" Their smile turned a touch softer, warmer and more earnest than it usually was. But it was swiftly switched out for surprise when they noticed their gemstone suddenly begin to glow.
"They… can't summon the shield when they're fused…" Pearl muttered to Garnet, incredulous. " Can they?"
"It's not a shield," Garnet shook her head as she watched an entirely new weapon materialize in Maven's hand. "It's a-"
"GRAPPLING SHIELD!" Maven exclaimed, grinning from ear-to-ear. There were no other words to describe such a weapon. With a purple gun and barrel and a small pink shield in the place of its hook, it was peculiar, to say the least. Even so, Maven adored it from the moment they laid eyes on it; it was special, unlike any other weapon they'd ever seen before. But even better than that, it was entirely, unquestionably theirs .
Dipper, on the other hand, wasn't quite as taken with it. "A grappling shield? What kind of weapon is that supposed to be?"
"This kinda weapon!" Maven took aim and pulled the trigger. The shield burst out of it, tethered by a shimmering rope that gave Maven full control over its trajectory. The Gems were just quick enough to duck out of the way when the shield darted at the, ricocheting off the warp pad. It bounced over to the kitchen, shattering the microwave door before it slung up to the loft, tearing through a pillow and sending feathers flying. By the time Maven finally managed to yank the shield back over to the barrel, it had left quite the mess in its wake. Maven simply let out a small, awkward laugh as they took it all in. "Oops. Guess this thing really packs a punch, huh?"
"Could you two please be more careful?" Pearl asked, distressed. "I know this is new for both of you, but you need to exercise at least some level of self control."
"Aw, don't worry, Pearl," Maven assured, twirling their grappling shield. "I've got it completely under con-" They cut themselves off when they accidentally fired their weapon. The shield struck them squarely on the side of the head, sending them falling to the floor. "I-I'm ok!" they assured as their weapon disappeared in a shower of sparkles.
"Pfft, you guys are hilarious together," Amethyst said, chuckling. "Steven and Mabel should have fused a long time ago. You're a total riot!"
"You bet I am," Maven smirked as they stood back up. "I'm just full of laughs, aren't I, Dipper?"
"Oh, you're definitely full of something alright," Dipper said, scowling.
"When did this happen anyway?" Pearl asked Maven. "Did you fuse just now, before we got back?"
"Nope," Maven shook their head. "It happened right after you guys left. We've been keeping this fusion party going ever since."
"W-what?" Pearl started, aghast. "You've been fused since yesterday ? That's… that's unheard of, especially for a first-time fusion! A few hours is understandable, but an entire day and night ? There's no telling what effect that could have on either one of you! You need to unfuse right-"
"Pearl," Garnet cut in, resting a firm hand on her shoulder. "I'll handle this."
Pearl stepped back to let her do exactly that. While Maven had been taken aback by Pearl's alarm, they quickly fell back into an easy smile when Garnet approached them. "So, Garnet?" they asked with eager anticipation. "What do you think? We're total experience , aren't we?"
For a long moment, Garnet said nothing. When she did speak, her gaze never left the fusion as she simply said, "You're not being careful."
"Huh?" Maven blinked, confused. "Oh, you mean the whole thing with the grappling shield, right? Like I said, I'm sorry about that, but if get some practice in with it, I'll be a grappling shield pro in no time-"
"That's not what I meant," Garnet shifted her shades. "When Gems fuse, usually they do it to get something done. Fusion allows us to work off of each other's strengths, to become something ever greater than we on our own."
"I know!" Maven enthusiastically agreed. "Steven and Mabel are both pretty great on their own, but now that they're me, we're even better than we've ever been!"
"It makes sense that you'd feel that way," Garnet said. "It's exactly how you're supposed to feel when you're fused. When the bond between your halves is healthy and strong, then so is your fusion. But ," her tone took a shift for the serious. Even more serious than she already was. "There's a danger to that feeling–the danger of becoming dependent on it. Of losing yourselves."
"L-losing ourselves?" Maven echoed, suddenly unnerved.
"It's what nearly happened to Amethyst and I the last time we formed Sugilite," Garnet explained. "For some Gems, the longer they remain together, the more their individual personalities begin to fade away into their fusion. The line that stands between them begins to blur, until there's nothing left to keep them apart. And once that happens, if they stay together for too long, the halves that make them who they are-"
"They disappear," Dipper gravely finished, figuring it out even before Maven did. Garnet only nodded as an uneasy sort of silence began to hang heavy in the air. Not that Maven let it last long as they forced out a harsh laugh.
"Whaaaaat?" they asked, scoffing. "Come on, you guys, you know us! We're not gonna 'lose ourselves' or anything like that! We're totally fine! We can stop any time we want to-"
"Oh, you mean like right now?" Dipper asked, pointedly looking up at them. "Like you promised you said you would?"
"Uh…. I…" Maven hesitated, especially when they met the expectant looks the Gems were sending their way. Still, despite those expectations, they still weren't ready to let go. Not now, not yet.
Not ever .
"I-I can't!" they exclaimed, all four eyes wide as they desperately searched for an excuse. "B-because… because… We have to wait until Connie gets here first!"
"Why?" Dipper pressed, crossing his arms.
"'Cause we just do , ok?!" Maven snapped, annoyed. They quickly recoiled, however, when they caught sight of the unimpressed glance Garnet was giving them. "I-I mean-"
"Maven, listen," she rested a steadying hand on the fusion's shoulder. "I'm not going to tell you that you have to unfuse. That's a choice for you to make on your own. I just want you to remember what I said. When the time is right, you'll know what's for the best."
"Uh, y-yeah, I'll know…" Maven anxiously agreed. But even as they did, they could still feel it. Their halves drawing ever closer, their bond cinching ever tighter. The line between them was indeed beginning to blur, just like Garnet had said.
If only they still had it in them to even care.
When Connie arrived at the shack a few hours later, she wasn't all too surprised to see that Maven was still around. What she was surprised by was the state they were in after everything Garnet had told them. What she was surprised by was that fusion who seemed so buoyant and bubbly yesterday… was slowly starting to unravel .
And even if that's what she'd wanted yesterday, she couldn't deny it was hard to watch now.
"And then she told us we might 'lose ourselves'," Maven hotly recounted as they paced around the den. "Which is crazy because who's more us than us?! So, I told her I'm fine, and I am! I mean, I look like I'm fine, don't I?"
"Um, yeah," Connie shrugged, frowning. "But maybe Garnet did have a point. I mean… you guys have to unfuse eventually… right?"
"Uh huh, yeah, 'eventually'," Maven flippantly waved a hand. "But I don't see why that needs to happen right now ."
"So when is it going to happen?" Dipper asked.
" Eventually ," Maven sharply answered. "We'll unfuse eventually , just like I said."
"And you're not at all worried?" Dipper pressed, every bit as doubtful as he was concerned. "About losing yourselves, like Garnet said? About your personalities totally disappearing?"
"Of course, I'm not!" Maven huffed, crossing their arms. "They're both still in here, in me! And that's where they're gonna stay till… till whenever!"
Dipper and Connie exchanged a glance. The way they fusion had phrased that hadn't been lost on either of them. "'They'?" Connie questioned, raising an eyebrow.
Maven flinched, quickly realizing their mistake. "I-I mean we ! We're both still in here." They paused, struggling to meet the openly apprehensive look the pair was giving them. "Oh, come on, guys! Quit worrying! Everything's gonna be just fine, you'll see!"
"So you keep saying…" Dipper said, sighing. There was a conversation they needed to have here, one that Maven clearly didn't want any parts of. They weren't getting anywhere with them, clearly. But maybe, between just the two of them, they might be able to find a solution to this problem, before it was too late. "Hey, Connie? Mind helping me in the kitchen with something really quick?"
"Ok," Connie nodded, already understanding his intentions. "We'll be right back," she told Maven as they hurried just out of their earshot.
"Ok, but don't take too long, you two!" Maven called after them as they settled into the recliner. "I have even more plans for all sorts of fusion fun today and I want to get started on it as soon as we can!"
And so they sat there and waited. And as they stared, all four eyes wide open, down at their hands they thought .
That strange feeling was back, the same one they'd felt earlier, up at the temple. A newfound sort of tightness, tugging on their heart, gripping their mind, squeezing their entire being without any signs of stopping. It had been there yesterday too, but back then, they'd barely noticed it. Now though? It was only getting worse by the minute, like a storm they couldn't stop, like a wave rolling in to pull them out to sea.
Like two voices fading into silence. Like two candles burning out. Like two souls, slowly melding together into only one-
Maven gasped, pressing their hands against their head to block out such troubling thoughts. They weren't losing themselves, they weren't . They were in control, they had to be. They could stop whenever they wanted to.
The only problem was… they still didn't want to.
It wasn't long before they heard it–small, faint snippets of the conversation in the kitchen. Curious, Maven got up and crept over, leaning in to hear what Dipper and Connie could be talking about. To their surprise, they soon realized they were talking about them .
"So you agree this is getting way out of hand, right?" Dipper asked, exhausted.
"Absolutely," Connie firmly nodded. "They've been fused for way too long now! We have to do something about it! But what?"
"Well, the last thing they're gonna want to do is unfuse," Dipper pointed out. "They're obsessed with staying together. It's like splitting up isn't even an option for them."
"It needs to be their only option," Connie asserted. "It's for their own good! If they don't unfuse, then they'll be gone and we'll be stuck with 'Maven' forever!"
"And what's so bad about that?!"
Connie and Dipper jumped, surprised when Maven emerged from hiding to confront them. Based on the look on their face alone, they'd heard plenty, and they were far from happy about any of it. "You guys," Dipper tried to ease them. "We were just-"
"I don't want to hear it!" Maven sternly cut him off. "You two are just as bad as the Gems. You all think you know what's best for me, but you don't ! None of you do! Only I know what's best and what's best for me is to stay fused, for as long as I want!'
"But it's not ," Connie protested. "Not if it means we all end up losing Steven and Mabel forever. Not if it means you end up losing them."
"For the last time, I'm not losing them!" Maven stomped their foot down, indignant. Neither Dipper or Connie were sure of what to make of it, of the way all four of Maven's eyes almost seemed to spark an even brighter shade of pink in their anger. "I'd know if I was, and I'm not !"
"Prove it then," Connie challenged, her hands in tight fists at her sides. "Unfuse and show us they're both still here."
"N-no!" Maven stepped back from them both, distraught. "If I unfuse, then you'll try to keep me apart, I know you will!"
"We wouldn't do that," Dipper tried to reason, but Maven was having none of it.
"Yes, you would! You don't like me! You never liked me! You only care about them ."
"You are them!" Connie fiercely reminded. "Or are you so far gone that you've already forgotten that?!"
"Ugh!" Maven bitterly turned their nose up at both of them. "I don't need to listen to this."
They turned on their heel, ready to leave them both behind–until a much smaller set of hands grabbed hold of one of theirs. "Maven, please ," Dipper implored them. He lacked any of the fury Connie was clinging onto; if anything, he choked up a little when he said, "I can't– We can't lose Steven. I can't lose my sister."
Maven shuddered as they yanked their hand away from him. The sheer sadness on his face was nearly enough to change their mind altogether. Nearly… but not quite. "You won't ," they said. But even they were starting to struggle to believe that.
"It's too late," Connie spoke up. The anger slowly drained out of her, and the same sort of sorrow that had already settled over Dipper quickly started to claim her too as she realized, "We already have."
For a moment, the room, the shack, the entire world seemed to fall into silence. But then… Maven began to laugh .
It wasn't anything like their usual cheerful laughter. Instead, it was a low, unhinged sort of sound, uneven and utterly joyless as tears filled all four of their eyes. That laughter echoed dangerously, to the point that Dipper and Connie stood ready to guard each other–from exactly what they had no idea. Even so, Maven kept laughing, kept crying, kept fracturing until they finally, quietly admitted the truth.
"You're right ," they said, somewhere between a chuckle and a sob. Between delight and devastation. "And you know what? I don't care."
With those three words alone, Dipper and Connie felt as though they'd both been shot straight through the heart. And as for Maven, they didn't even stick around long enough to watch the fallout of any of it. Instead, they swiftly turned, their laughter shifting into an all-out agonized wail as they rushed out of the shack. They didn't once bother to look back.
It had started raining sometime in the past hour, not that Maven even noticed as their sandals splashed in the mud. Somewhere in the distance, they could hear Dipper and Connie calling after them, but they didn't dare stop as they disappeared into the darkness of the woods. They didn't know how long they kept on running, even though their hair was sopping and their sweater was soggy. They kept on running, because they had no choice to do anything else, not now, everything they ever used to be was starting to fade away entirely. They had to escape, to get away from it all. From the others, from their guilt, from their fear–
Maybe even from themselves.
Eventually, their pace slowed to a walk before they finally stopped, hunching over to catch their breath. They felt cold, despite the humid air and warm rain drenching their skin. They felt cold right down to their heart, their soul, their halves–whatever might still be left of them. If there was anything even left at all.
In the wake of a distant clash of thunder, they heard it. Two voices, laughing somewhere in the rain. Their head bolted up as they desperately searched for any sign of them. They soon spotted them, but only just a glimpse. They were there, both of them, still warmly laughing as they weaved between the trees, just out of reach.
Steven and Mabel, still so close, still slipping away from them far too fast.
"W-wait!" Maven shouted after them. They stumbled forward, determined to reach them, to hold onto them and never let them go again. To never lose themselves they way they clearly already had. "Wait, come back!" Maven cried as tears slipped down their cheeks, mingling with the rain soaking them. Still, the pair was so far ahead of them, too far for them to ever hope to catch up with them, to ever hope to get them back. "Wait! Please , I-"
Their foot suddenly struck a rock, sending them crashing to the ground. They fell face-first into the mud near a small stream, and as they sat back up, they could still hear their halves. Laughing at them and their foolishness until they faded back into silence. Until they faded altogether. "Please…" Maven reached a trembling hand out into the empty air. "Come back…"
But they wouldn't. How could they, when they'd been the one to let them go in the first place?
A sob shook Maven as they wiped a bit of mud from their face. They peered down at the stream, finding their reflection staring back at them in its waters. Outside, they still looked like a perfect mix between Steven and Mabel. Inside… they weren't so sure if that was true anymore.
"It's just us…" they whispered, morose. "It's just me …"
They couldn't stand the sight of their reflection for a second longer. They pushed themselves away from the stream, taking refuge against a tall tree. As they pulled their knees to their chest, a soft pink bubble formed around them, to shelter them from one storm, even if it did nothing to keep out an entirely different one. The storm raging inside their heart and head, one that they feared might last forever.
And it would… as long as they stayed together.
"H-hey," they spoke to themselves, their voice small and anxious. "Are… are you still there? …Yeah, I'm still here." They winced against that awful feeling, against the line violently diminishing, determined to take both of their halves with it. "S-should we…? Yeah, I guess so, but… I don't want to be alone right now. Neither do I…" They hugged themselves even tighter, hoping for comfort and finding none as they woefully wondered, "What are we gonna do?"
"I think you both know the answer to that."
Maven glanced up with a gasp to find Garnet standing just outside of their bubble. She was just as drenched as they were, but she hardly seemed to care. "W-what… w-when did you-" Maven stammered, unsure of what to even ask as they let their bubble fall.
Garnet knelt down to their level, not hesitating to pull them into a tight, soothing hug. "Shh," she gently advised. "Relax. Steady yourselves and breathe."
Maven did just that, though the breath they took in ultimately came out as yet another ragged sob. They leaned heavily into Garnet's embrace, crying as they laid everything out, unable to fathom doing anything else. "I-I said… I said I didn't care if they disappeared, but I do, Garnet, I care so much!" they wailed, overwhelmed with grief. "I-I don't want to lose them, b-but I don't… I-I can't… Ican't unfuse!"
For what seemed like ages, they could only keep on crying, all while Garnet calmly kept a comforting hand on their back. Eventually, she spoke to them, her voice soft and sympathetic as she perched a hand under the fusion's chin, guiding their gaze up to her. "Maven, you and I both know you can unfuse. Nothing is stopping you… except yourselves. So, tell me why you don't want to."
Maven sniffled, wiping their face dry in vain. "Because it feels so good . It's like, oh, I don't know, like we're both at a party where the only guests are us, but that's ok because we're both having such a fun time together! It… It's wonderful . Or at least.. it was ."
"It's not wrong for you to feel that way," Garnet assured. "It's good that you're both so comfortable and carefree when you're together. But you have to remember, your feelings aren't the only ones that matter."
"...No, I guess they aren't…" Maven sighed, guilty. "Dipper and Connie were so upset when I told them I wanted to stay fused. I feel bad about that, but… they don't get it! They don't understand how much I like being me, being this! Why can't they just… let me?"
"It's not that they don't want you to be you," Garnet clarified. "It's that they can still see something that you've started to forget."
"A-and what's that?"
"For as much as you are a fusion, you're also two people with entirely separate lives," Garnet explained. "If you were to remain fused, then those lives would be forever intertwined, following the same parallel path through every moment and experience. For… some Gems," she subtly looked away. "That's better than staying apart would be. But Gems aren't like humans. They don't have the same kinds of connections–like friends or family–that you two do. And the effect that you two staying together would have on those connections… well, it could spread wider than you could imagine."
"I… hadn't really thought about it like that before," Maven said, frowning. "I guess… I was so focused on me that I blocked everyone else out. B-but I never meant to hurt anyone! I just… I love the feeling of being fused so much! I… I don't want it to ever end…"
"And it doesn't have to-"
"But it will !" Maven insisted, adamant. "Everyone's so worried about Steven and Mabel fading away, but what about me ?! If they unfuse, then… then I'll disappear…"
"No, you won't," Garnet countered, resting her hands on their shoulders. "Maven, you're now a part of Steven and Mabel every bit as much as they're a part of you. You're the symbol of their friendship, their bond. And as long as that bond exists, then so will you, whether they're fused or not."
"A-are you sure?" Maven asked, doubtful and hopeful all at once.
Garnet nodded with a knowing smile. "Still, it's your choice to make. I trust that you'll make the right one, for everyone."
The right choice… What was that choice, really? They only had two options, two paths they could possibly take, each equally uncertain. They could stay together like this forever, never to part, no matter what anyone might say. Or… they could split up.
It should have been an easy decision to make, but it wasn't. What they wanted, what they needed, what everyone else around them wanted and needed… none of it seemed to match up. That feeling still lingered, burrowing deep inside their chest, threatening to take them both down with it. To keep them trapped in a prison they built entirely on their own. To force them to stay fused, whether they wanted to be or not.
It was only as the storm began to fade that Maven realized… they couldn't let it. They knew exactly what they had to do and when to do it. They knew–they'd known all along–what the right choice really was.
The right choice for everyone–for themselves most of all.
The second it stopped raining, Dipper and Connie hurried out of the shack, determined to find Maven, no matter where they might be. Convincing them to unfuse was the furthest thought from either of the minds; all they really wanted to do was make sure they were ok after such a massive meltdown. And if that meltdown had been any indication, then they certainly weren't .
"What are we even supposed to say once we find them?" Dipper asked, frantic, as they headed for the woods. "Hey, guys, sorry for complaining about you two being fused earlier. Now do you mind finally unfusing already?' I'm sure they'd just love to hear that."
"We'll think of something," Connie said, resolved. "Right now, we need to focus on tracking them down. If they're anything like Stevonnie was, then being that upset and all alone could be… pretty bad."
"Yikes, you know, the more I hear about fusion, the more it makes me never want to experience it for myself," Dipper shuddered, anxious. "Let's just hurry and find them, before it's too late."
"Don't worry, it's not."
The pair stopped short just shy of the forest, surprised when Garnet emerged from behind the trees. "Garnet?" Dipper asked, confused. "What are you doing here?"
"Just bringing these two home," Garnet smiled, glancing over her shoulder. Nothing could describe the rush of relief Dipper and Connie felt when not Maven, but Steven and Mabel stepped out from behind her.
"Uh, hey, you guys," Steven awkwardly greeted them. "Long time no see, huh?"
"Steven!" Connie rushed forward, pulling him into a tight, happy hug.
"Mabel!" Dipper did the same, holding onto his sister tightly, lest she slip away all over again.
"I-I guess you guys really did miss us, huh?" Mabel let out a half-hearted laugh.
"You have no idea," Connie couldn't help but chuckle herself.
Still, for as warm as their reunion was, it didn't come without a bit of remorse on both sides. Mabel spoke to it first when they all finally parted ways, rubbing her arm as she looked away from the others. "Ugh, look, you guys, we're really sorry for, you know, going so nuts over this whole fusion thing."
"Yeah…" Steven scratched the back of his neck. "It's just… we were having such a great time together. But we were so distracted by that–by ourselves– that we didn't even realize we were hurting you."
"Steven, neither of you hurt us," Connie assured. "We were just so worried about both of you! We didn't want to lose you and we're so glad we didn't."
"That's right," Dipper soundly agreed. "If anyone should be sorry, it should be us! We didn't mean to set you guys off like that. We should have been more careful when we-"
" You should have been more careful?" Mabel asked, incredulous. "Bro-bro, we're the ones who should have been more careful. Did you forget the part where we almost jumped off the deep end into fusion insanity?"
"Yeah, we were pretty out there…" Steven admitted, sighing. "But maybe we can make up for it by finally throwing that party we were supposed to have yesterday?"
"That sounds like a great idea," Garnet grinned, already leading the way back up to the temple. Dipper and Connie eagerly followed her, but Steven and Mabel hung back a bit. After all, there was still plenty left to say that their fusion hadn't.
"Steven?"
"Mabel?"
They said each other's names at the exact same moment. Maybe it was a holdover, a sign that they were still of the same mind after spending so much time fused. Still, they shared a small laugh over it all the same.
"You first," Steven encouraged, still smiling.
"Well, I just… I wanted to…" Mabel trailed off, ashamed. "I'm sorry for… uh…"
"Holding on too tightly?" Steven finished. "I'm sorry too. I guess we'll just have to be a little more careful next time we form Maven, huh?"
Mabel started, genuinely surprised to hear this. "N-next time? You… you'd want to be Maven again, even after all that crazy drama?"
"Of course, I would!" Steven exclaimed, beaming. "Being Maven with you was so much fun ! We have to do it again sometime." His smile softened, turning a touch bashful as he held his hand out to her. Not with the promise of fusing again now , but eventually. With the promise of Maven's return… and so much more than that.
Mabel wasn't sure how long she stared at his hand, how long she stared at him . Her eyes were wide, her heart beating just a bit quicker, her face turning just a bit more flush. For all the time they'd spent together this summer so far, it had never felt like it had when they were fused. And it never felt like this either. It was a sensation she'd spent so long searching for, but she'd never truly known.
Until now.
When she finally took his hand, she felt like was flying and falling all at once. It was different than fusion had been, but no less wonderful. If anything, it felt even better when his hand gently squeezed hers. When his smile–a smile meant for her and her alone-widened ever so slightly. When they walked all the way up to the temple–hand in hand and hearts both light.
Maven may not have been there anymore, but in many ways, they still were. They were in Mabel, in Steven, in every smile and every laugh shared between them. They were there, waiting somewhere deep inside them both, until the day they'd finally bring them back again. But for now, they were simply glad to still be together , even if it couldn't last forever.
Because they were still together, even when they were apart.