Chereads / Steven Universe: The Return / Chapter 33 - Her Bad Experiences

Chapter 33 - Her Bad Experiences

[Due to the fight between Alexandrite and Lapis, all the surroundings and the buildings near the Palace were destroyed, leaving nothing but rubble.]

Lapis: Where the fuck did they hide?!

[Lapis, visibly angry, looks around in search of Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl.]

Lapis: Tch. Where are they?! Grrr! Damn it!

[A Short Fusion Gem suddenly flies up to the main water clone and angrily yells out at Lapis.]

????????: Hey, Lazuli! You plumb gone nutty in the head?!

[A bewildered Lapis turns around.]

????????: Why are you destroying everything?!

[Lapis' eyes widen at the sight of the Short Fusion Gem, who is a higher-ranking gem.]

Lapis: No way! It's...

[The aforementioned Short Fusion Gem has an azure complexion with red and mint patches, a single navy blue eye and burgundy hair stylized in a bowl cut. She has six limbs, consisting of two arms and four legs. Her gemstones are embedded in her left eye and cheek respectively. She dons informal clothing; a long-sleeved suit that is red on the right and teal on the left, a white collar and a dark green tie. She also wears pants that match with said tie and four burgundy boots.]

Lapis: It's Bluebird! What's she doing here?!

[Lapis stops exerting her hydrokinesis on the water, so the giant water clones dissipate without further ado, the water returns to where it came from.]

Bluebird: Well? Answer me!

Lapis: *bows* I-I apologize for all the ruckus, ma'am, I was in the middle of something.

Bluebird: Oh, yeah? What about what I asked you to do?

Lapis: Yes, that's what I'm talking about. I just found more traitor Gems in the palace, as you asked me to.

Bluebird: Really? So it wasn't just rumors, huh? Say, how many were there?

Lapis: A total of six. Two of them are fused.

Bluebird: I see. There's something I'm curious about, though.

Lapis: Wh-what is it, ma'am?

Bluebird: Where are they now?

Lapis: W-well, uh, you see... they got away from me... again.

Bluebird: So you destroyed half the planet for nothing?! How did they get away from you?! You're really stupid!

Lapis: *nervously* I-I-I'm so sorry, I won't let you down next time! I swear I'll hunt those damn traitors till I'm blue in the face!

Bluebird: But you're a blue gem, your face is already blue.

Lapis: That... that was an expression, ma'am.

Bluebird: ...I already knew that.

[Says a blushing Bluebird as she lets out a nervous laugh.]

Lapis: *awkwardly* ...Okay?

Bluebird: Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, there won't be a next time for you, Lazuli.

Lapis: *gasps in shock* Wh-what?! Don't tell me you're going to--

Bluebird: Don't fret, right now I need you for something more important. We'll talk about this later. For now, let the Quartz Soldiers take care them. Let's go!

Lapis: As you wish, ma'am.

[Lapis replied submissively as she bowed to Bluebird.]

[Lapis and Bluebird fly away to the palace; however, Peridot - who had been slapped into the ground nearby - managed to overhear their conversation.]

[Meanwhile.]

[Near a cliff Stevonnie is seen searching for their friends among the wreckage in order to heal their wounds.]

Stevonnie: Where are they?!

Garnet: *shouts* Stevonnie!

[Garnet peeks out from behind a rock, waving her hand. Then her body glitches out, causing her hand and foot to switch places.]

Garnet: Over here! *she said backwards*

Stevonnie: *turns around* Huh?

[Stevonnie spots Garnet and the others behind a rock.]

Stevonnie: Yes, I finally found you!

[Stevonnie runs up to their friends as the physical forms of the three are constantly glitching out due to cracks in their gemstones.]

Stevonnie: Guys, are you all right?!

[Amethyst's body glitches out, causing her head and hand to switch places.]

Amethyst: *in pain* My-my whole body hurts a lot. *she said backwards*

Pearl: *in pain* Our gems are cracked.

[Pearl says as her body glitches out.]

Garnet: Stevonnie, please fix this before it gets worse.

[Garnet's body glitches out, turning into a tiny version of herself.]

Garnet: Oh dear, I would've been better off keeping quiet.

Stevonnie: All right then, show me your gems, please.

[Stevonnie licks their palm, covering it in saliva.]

Stevonnie: Hope it works this time.

Pearl: *glitches out* Ha-having trouble controlling your powers again?

Stevonnie: Steven couldn't heal a broken leg a few months ago, I'm worried he won't be able to heal you either.

Garnet: Have more faith in yourself, Stevonnie. *glitches out* We have full confidence in you.

Amethyst: That's right, my friend. *she said backwards*

[Stevenonnie heals their friends' gemstones.]

Amethyst: Ack. This is humiliating, I can't believe we lost to Lapis!

Garnet: Lapis has extraordinary control over water, remember she kicked our asses in the past.

Stevonnie: True. She nearly drowned us with the ocean.

Pearl: Her gem was cracked if I remember correctly.

Amethyst: Yeah, but we managed to beat Malachite afterwards.

Garnet: We came close to losing the fight that time, we won because the Watermelon Stevens distracted Malachite. Also, Jasper didn't know how to exploit Lapis' powers correctly, even though she was in control.

Pearl: The same thing happened the first time we faced Lapis. If Steven hadn't gotten rid of her water clones with his shield, we probably would have died that day.

Amethyst: Oh, I see. You know, I think I'm starting to feel a little sorry for Jasper, she's had to put up with so much pressure for months.

Pearl: I don't think that brute cares anyway.

Amethyst: Hehe. So true...

[Just then, Peridot arrives where Stevonnie and the others are.]

Stevonnie: Peridot, are you okay?

Peridot: A little sore, but fine, thank you. I'm very tough after all. Are you guys all right?

Stevonnie: We are, don't worry.

Peridot: I see.

Stevonnie: I didn't expect that good memories of Lapis weren't the necessary piece to fix her.

Peridot: This only means one thing.

Stevonnie: Her traumatic memories must be her most important pieces.

Peridot: That's right.

Stevonnie: I don't want to do that to Lapis, she has grown up a lot. I don't think she'd love the idea of putting her through her bad experiences again, she... she would kill us all.

Amethyst: She wanted to kill us anyway.

Stevonnie: I know, but she's not like that.

Peridot: By the way, did you hear what Lapis said before he flew away?

Stevonnie: No, I didn't hear anything, what did she say?

Peridot: I was a bit far away and half knocked out, but I still managed to overhear her conversation with Bluebird. They were talking about her finding more Traitor Gems in the palace..

Stevonnie: What the--?! You're kidding, right?

Peridot: I wish I were.

Pearl: Could it be that our Gem allies on Homeworld have been caught?

Stevonnie: I hope not. *takes out a communicator* I'll see if I can contact the others.

[Before Stevonnie could even attempt to contact the others, a large group of Quartz Soldiers are spotted on a cliff.]

Amethyst: Uhhh, guys! I don't want to panic you, but we might have a bit of a problem.

Stevonnie: Huh?

Amethyst: We've got company!

[The hundreds of Quartz Soldiers descend from the cliff and quickly surround Stevonnie and company.]

Stevonnie: *looks around* They have surrounded us!