Chereads / Steven Universe: The Return / Chapter 8 - Pink Again

Chapter 8 - Pink Again

[Later.]

[Steven is seen running to the temple, he then bursts through the door of the beach house.]

Steven: No! No-n-n-n-no! Th-Th-This isn't happening!

[Steven, distraught, sits down on the couch.]

Steven: *sighs* Tell me this isn't true.

[Steven holds his hands out in front of him.]

Steven: If this is a dream, somebody please wake me up now.

[Steven says as he grabs his head, and that's when he remembers something.]

Steven: Heck, I forgot Peede also asked me to help him with something! I'd better call him now.

[Steven takes out his phone and calls Peedee, who picks up.]

Peedee: *through the phone* Steven, what's the matter?

Steven: Oh hey, Peedee, what's up? I'm just, uh... I'm calling you because of what you told me the other day.

Peedee: *through the phone* Oh, really? Well, don't worry about that anymore, we'll manage on our own. Anyway, I should go, I'm quite busy at the moment. *hang up the call*

Steven: Geez, I got the impression he was kinda upset about something.

[Steven tosses the phone aside on the couch.]

Steven: *grunts* Why?! Why is all this happening!? I did everything right! Sure, I could've prevented all this from happening, but... I was busy doing what my therapist advised me to do, otherwise this year of therapy would've gone down the drain, wouldn't it? *sighs* What do I do now!? Mr. Dewey's dead! Buck and Peedee are mad at me! Onion's hurt! On top of that, my stupid powers aren't workin--

[Just then, Steven's whole body turns pink after such a long time without that happening.]

Steven: Aahh!

[Steven is startled by such an event, but then takes a deep breath and returns to normal.]

Steven: This is more serious than I thought, only the Gems can help me now. None of them have been home in three days, I guess they must be out on a field trip, or maybe they are too busy with some important Little Homeschool business.

[Transition.]

[Steven warps into Little Homeworld and sees how in the whole place there is nothing but utter desolation.]

Steven: What the--?!

[A tumbleweed rolls by.]

Steven: Just like in the movi-- Hold on a sec, why is nobody here?!?!?!

[A bewildered Steven scours a desolate Little Homeworld in search of the Gems who should be there.]

Steven: *shouts* Garnet! Amethyst! Pearl! Where are you?!

[Scene change to Bismuth's forge.]

Steven: Bismuth, are you here?!

[Peridot's greenhouse.]

Steven: Peridot! Lapis! Are you guys in there?!

[The center of Little Homeworld.]

Steven: IS ANYONE HERE?!?! A NEPHRITE!!! A QUARTZ!!! A RUBY!!! WHOEVER!!!

[Steven walks near the Little Homeworld warp pad.]

Steven: This is worrisome, Little Homeworld isn't usually empty.

[A silhouette of a Gem carrying two strange cylindrical containers with her emerges from the bushes. At this very moment, she is walking towards the Little Homeworld warp pad by sheer chance/plot convenience.]

??????: *thinking to herself* It was hard to get rid of all these Gems, but I finally finished the mision. I can get off this crappy planet now.

[The Gem snaps a twig by accidentally/ conveniently stepping on it, the sound of which is heard by Steven.]

Steven: Huh!? *turns around* What was that?

??????: Damn it, I didn't think anyone was still out there!

Steven: Who's there?!

[Steven runs to the warp pad and looks at the Gem who caused the noise.]

Steven: You?

??????: *nervously* Oh, why, hello there!

Steven: Is that really you? I almost didn't recognize you.

??????: *giggles nervously* I-Is that so?

Steven: Yeah, you are unrecognizable, Spinel.

[The mysterious Gem had been Spinel all along.]

Steven: If it wasn't for your heart gem on your chest, I don't think I would've recognized you looking like that. Seriously, why did you reform in green clothes, and what's with that X? Not that it's any of my business nor do I want to pick on you, just curious.

Spinel: The likes of you wouldn't understand.

Steven: Anyway, it's up to you how you look, who am I to judge you?

Spinel: ...

Steven: So, what brings you to Earth today?

Spinel: The... warp pad?

Steven: Hehe, not literally, I mean what are you doing here. I heard that a few days ago some bad Gems attacked Homeworld, they even poofed you, is it true?

Spinel: *fidgeting* Um, you see, about that...

Steven: On second thought, if you're here safe and sound, that means everyone else on Homeworld is safe and sound too, right?

Spinel: Pfft! Heck yeah! I don't know what you heard, but everything's just fine! Homeworld has never been better!

Steven: Glad to hear that. By the way, I can't help but notice those things. *points at the containers* What's in them?

Spinel: Nothing! No, I mean, nothing special, just, uh...

[Spinel looks around nervously and catches a glimpse of a sign in the distance that reads "Earth Souvenir Shop."]

Spinel: Stuff from the Earth Souvenir Shop? Yeah! That's what's in these Gem containers-- I mean, only containers. *grins nervously*

Steven: Oh, okay. I don't quite understand why you put the souvenirs in those things, but I guess you must really like Earth, don't you?

Spinel: Obviously, dude! You have no idea how much I love it! That's why I bought a bunch of those, uh, what was it? Souvenirs? Yeah, that! *giggles nervously* Souvenirs!

Steven: I see. Changing the subject, haven't you seen Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, or any of the Gems who live here?

Spinel: Nope! I haven't seen any Gems anywhere!

Steven: Oh, man, you were my last hope.

Spinel: Well, um, if you don't mind... I gotta go!!

[Spinel quickly runs to the warp pad.]

Spinel: *waves goodbye* So long, you asshole! *warps out*

Steven: Okay, see ya. The insult was over the line, by the way. The disrespect is real around here-- Wait a minute, how come she bought so many souvenirs if there was no one in the souvenir shop to sell them to her? Hmmm...

[Steven ponders, but jumps to the wrong conclusions.]

Steven: *gasps in shock* No way! She took them without paying and thought I'd scold her if I found out, probably why she looked so nervous. I'll overlook it this time, but the next time I see her I'll let her know it's wrong what she did. Well, she and all the Homeworld Gems are fine, and that's the important thing. Now I just have to find the Gems here.

[Steven continues with what he was doing without noticing anything, his powers of deduction leave much to be desired.]