...
That's what I was thinking when I saw that tower. It was several blocks stacked so haphazardly that I couldn't understand how it could even stand up, much less serve as a communication hub. Steven looked at the gems around him: Amethyst, who seemed distracted and with her usual carefree attitude; Garnet, as resolute as ever, though a little tense since that incident with the water; and Pearl, who seemed nervous, but also excited.
So what are we doing here? I asked again, waiting for a clear answer.
Oh, Pearl replied, blinking a few times before snapping out of her little trance. We'll be dismantling this tower. It's important that we get rid of it to prevent other corrupted gems from communicating with Earth.
I looked at the structure once more, crossing my arms. It was enormous.
But it's not that big, I mean, we can do it, but don't you think it'll take too long?
Silence fell for a few seconds, until Garnet spoke with her usual composure.
We'll fuse.
My eyes widened.
I'm not in, I said without hesitation.
The three of them stood still.
Thoughts were swirling in my head. The idea of fusing still filled me with a kind of irrational fear. It wasn't because I didn't trust them, but because of myself. I had too many things on my mind, thoughts that didn't seem to be my own, voices that wouldn't always shut up. I felt that if I fused, something could go wrong, something could escape. I only felt truly at ease doing it with Connie, and even then, it wasn't something that happened very often.
It's not necessary if you don't want to, Garnet said softly. Then she looked at Pearl and Amethyst. We need strength.
Strength, Pearl repeated, raising an eyebrow and looking at Amethyst, who just smiled mischievously. Ah, strength.
Pearl sighed and stood beside me, frowning.
"Don't get mad at me," I said with a half-smile, glancing at her out of the corner of my eye.
She looked away, uncomfortable, and focused her attention on Garnet and Amethyst.
"Hey," I said, a little nervously, "don't you think that combination is a bit dangerous?"
Sugilite, the fusion they had formed before, flashed into my mind. I remembered it well: pure brute force and zero control.
"Don't worry, dude," Amethyst replied with a mischievous grin, "this will be quick."
Garnet nodded and said, "Synchronize."
They both began to move with a strange, almost hypnotic coordination.
I stared at them, confused. "What are they doing?" I thought. "They're dancing."
My face must have been a sight to behold.
"How vulgar," I muttered, loud enough for them to hear, though they clearly didn't.
Suddenly, I felt Pearl cover my eyes with her hands.
"Thanks a lot," I said, giving a thumbs-up.
"Don't even mention it," she replied, her tone serious, like someone who'd rather be anywhere else.
The dancing intensified, and frankly, it felt more like a rhythm competition than a fusion ceremony.
This is too much, I thought, barely peeking through the gaps between Pearl's fingers. The two of them were moving in such an exaggerated way that I couldn't tell if I was witnessing a fusion or an urban music concert.
Pearl, her face flushed, muttered under her breath that this was undignified.
I just nodded, stifling a laugh.
And just then, an explosion of light filled the area, making the air vibrate.
Oh no, I thought, as the colossal shadow of the new fusion began to take shape before us.
Hahaha, it's good to be back, baby. I'm Sugilite, the strongest and most powerful.
Steven and Pearl froze, their eyes wide at the enormous figure that loomed before them.
Hello, little one, the fusion said, leaning towards Steven with a smile that oozed pure arrogance.
Steven watched her in silence. She was just as he remembered her, though this time she looked even more imposing. Her body, a deep purple, glowed in the sunlight. She had four arms, three eyes, and a wild mane reminiscent of Amethyst's, but with Garnet's robust and powerful build. A combination that exuded pure energy and unbridled power.
"Hey," Steven replied dryly.
"Watch, little guy, as I destroy this whole structure. You'll be nothing to me!" Sugilite shouted, raising her voice in a triumphant roar.
"Just do it already, I want to go to sleep," Steven muttered, running his hands wearily over his face.
"Sleep? Why would you want to sleep when you can watch me destroy you?" Sugilite exclaimed, laughing maniacally. With a haughty gesture, she extended her arms. An intense glow emanated from her body, and two weapons appeared before her: Amethyst's whip and Garnet's gauntlets. Both weapons began to glow and fused together, forming a single, strangely designed weapon—half whip, half gauntlet.
Steven watched with a mixture of astonishment and resignation. He slowly turned to look at Pearl, who was as red as a tomato, covering her eyes with a trembling hand.
Why are you blushing? I thought as a bead of sweat trickled down my temple.
Y-you know, Steven, let's go, Pearl said suddenly, grabbing me by the waist like I was a sack of potatoes.
Huh? I thought as I was dragged along at top speed.
Then, a huge boulder broke loose from the top of the tower and crashed straight down toward us.
Shit, I exclaimed, activating the portal with a swift motion. In an instant, we both vanished before being crushed by the rock.
The portal closed behind us with a bang, and the connection shattered in a thousand flashes of light.
I remained silent for a few seconds, staring at the ground beneath my feet.
Why do I feel like this wasn't supposed to happen now, or... was it later? I murmured, confused, with that feeling that I had broken something in the timeline, again.
They both arrived at the temple enveloped in a brilliant glow. Pearl was visibly confused; she hadn't been the one to activate the portal, but remembering how Garnet had chosen to fuse with Amethyst, she decided not to ask questions. With a serene gesture, she lowered Steven to the ground, as if he were a child who had come home late, and gently ruffled his hair.
Steven looked at her with a raised eyebrow, completely bewildered.
What are you doing, he thought, as Pearl smiled at him. Come on, kid, go get some rest, she murmured in a motherly voice before disappearing into her room.
Steven sighed, too tired to question her. He walked to his bed and collapsed onto it. In the silence of the night, his gem glowed softly, pulsing as if it held a secret he didn't even know.
At dawn, he opened his eyes with a neutral expression.
"Hello, Pearl," he said dryly, noticing her watching him from the doorway with a fixed and somewhat unsettling gaze.
They stared at each other for a few seconds, the air thick with discomfort. Steven, without saying a word, slipped on his sandals, grabbed a towel, and tossed it without looking at Pearl's head before calmly leaving the room, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Pearl stood still, the towel covering her face. At least look at me, she thought, letting a single tear escape, vanishing before it hit the floor.
Steven went to the kitchen and started making pancakes, humming an improvised tune. Hearing footsteps, he turned and saw Pearl approaching.
"Want some?" he asked indifferently.
"Not at all, gems don't need to eat," she replied coldly.
"They eat light, I know," Steven said without taking his eyes off the pan.
"When did I tell you that?" Pearl muttered, frowning.
"I dreamt it," he replied with a mischievous smile.
Pearl decided not to play along. Steven, still half asleep, was speaking without a filter.
"Do you know where the girls are?" he asked suddenly. "I haven't seen them, although Amethyst always leaves a note when she wants to eat."
Pearl remained silent and looked toward the empty rooms. "I don't think they've come back," she said, her tone revealing concern.
Steven put down his spatula, crossed his arms, and remembered the scene at the tower, the chaos, Sugilite's laughter. In the series, his father always ended up embroiled in disasters, but now he was alone, without a human adult to blame.
"Maybe they're still fused," Pearl murmured uneasily.
"Do you think they'll go crazy?" Steven asked casually, as if commenting on the weather.
"If they stay fused for that long, they could lose control. Their personalities aren't exactly... compatible," she said, looking out at the sea.
Steven calmly poured the syrup over his pancakes before speaking.
So, he summarized between bites, right now they're all out of control, causing chaos, and since we don't have Garnet with her vision of the future, we're completely relying on luck to find them.
Pearl looked at him, a bead of sweat trickling down her temple. Did you get all that from what I told you? she wondered.
Uh... yeah, he admitted with a strained smile. But, Steven, does the sea have a new mountain, or am I crazy?
How does a mountain just appear out of nowhere? he replied, looking up, but his expression changed as soon as he glanced at the horizon.
It wasn't a mountain.
It was Sugilite.
The fusion strode along the beach with a determined stride, swaying her hips with the arrogance of a deranged queen. Her central eye spun erratically, and her laughter echoed like thunder.
Looks like she's after someone, Steven commented with a half-smile. I don't live here, he added as he turned toward the portal, testing Pearl's reaction.
The woman turned pale, if that was even possible, and grabbed his arm. "No, no, you're staying. You live here, you own the house. You have to stop her."
"Huh?" Steven replied, unsure if she was serious.
You want me to face a level 100 fusion when I'm only level 10?
They stared at each other, confused, until Pearl, desperate, suggested in a trembling voice, "We could leave her here, abandon Beach City, and move to another country."
Steven watched her silently, his expression blank.
"We could even take your father," Pearl continued, trying to joke, "use him as a pet or something."
"Pearl..." Steven murmured with a grim smile.
She swallowed hard.
"You know you're coming with me," he said as he grabbed her arm and dragged her along, three black marks of anger forming on his forehead.
Pearl, paralyzed, was carried like a sack of potatoes.
"Are you sure you don't want a pet?" she stammered.
Steven didn't even look at her. He just sighed and summoned his shield.
Pearl, resigned, summoned her spear. In front of them, Sugilite stopped with a deranged smile. Her eye spun endlessly, her presence making the sand tremble.
How crazy, Steven thought, watching her with a mixture of fear and fascination.
Sugalite glanced at him, but soon shifted her gaze to Pearl.
"Hello, little one," she murmured in a deep, mocking voice.
"Why are you looking at me?" Pearl asked, her voice trembling. "Do you hate me?"
Sugalite smiled cruelly, bending down to Pearl's level.
"You're weak," she finally whispered.
Steven could only stare at them with an expression that screamed, "What the hell is going on?"
End of Chapter 20.