(Narrator's POV)
Arriving on the Jungle Moon, Steven felt a wave of nostalgia hit him square in the face. The planet felt the same as it did the last time he was here. He knew where to go and where Holly Blue and Bluebird were keeping Connie hostage: The same dome where the dream Steven had took place.
"They want me in a place where I'll be off balance. Further proof that Homeworld really doesn't know a thing about me." Steven said with a sigh as he took a deep breath and headed towards the dome, knowing full well what was about to happen.
But because Holly Blue and Bluebird kidnapped Connie, they made it personal. That was what they were about to find out: Whatever problems they had with Steven? They made the worst mistake they could have made by bringing Connie into it. Now it wasn't about trying to reason with them or make them see the error of their ways.
Steven wanted to HURT them.
Soon he arrived. Taking a deep breath, he walked into the dome....only to see his own reflection! He saw a trio of mirrors all showing his reflection!
"Does this seem FAMILIAR, Steven?" The mocking voice of Bluebird called out as Steven had taken all he could. It was clear what was going on: They were trying to make him think about that dream he had about his mother as a way to throw him off and rattle him. But rather than throw him off or make him nervous, he felt himself getting angry. And just as his mother did in the dream....
*SMASH!!!!*
A pink fist shattered the mirrors as Steven was now in his Pink form, full of anger as he then saw a terrified Holly Blue and Bluebird, the former with Connie tied up in her whip! Knowing the hybrid was after them, Bluebird tried to go on the attack, darting right at Steven who caught the fusion in midair before binding them in Pink chains before tossing them aside.
Now all that was left was Holly Blue! Steven then silently approached the terrified Gem before using his super speed to deliver a series of blows to Holly Blue's body and face, flooring her immediately as Bluebird could only watch in pure fear as Holly Blue staggered to her feet.
"Well? You came here to shatter me, didn't you? Are you going to fight me or not? Say something, blast you!!!!" Holly Blue screamed in hatred as Steven never broke his glare at her before beginning to speak.
"All right. What I stand for. What I mean to so many people, both human and Gem, is something you could never understand. The bonds I've made, the promises of what I said I would do and all the things I promised I'd never do. All the lines I promised I'd never cross because doing so would destroy everything I stand for. And that is why you're confused. Because I'm not here to shatter you...." Steven said as he then powered down out of his Pink form back to normal...
"I am." He said, his eyes burning with hatred as he then dashed right at Holly Blue and decked her with a punch across the face!
Connie looked on in pure fear, letting out terrified yelps. She didn't want to see Steven like this. But even if she called out to him, she knew he wouldn't hear her. Even if she begged him to stop, she knew he wouldn't in his current mindset.
Bluebird was even more terrified. As they watched Steven pummel Holly Blue, they noticed there was no attempt at settling things peacefully or any kind of words being used by the hybrid. Because he's thinking only one thing:
"This is the Gem responsible for my pain. This Gem came after someone close to me."
And what was even scarier to both Bluebird and Connie? To Steven right now, Holly Blue wasn't a Gem.
She was a target.
And after landing yet another blow that sent Holly Blue flying, Steven stood over her as she staggered back to her feet.
"You forgot something, Holly Blue. Something you should have remembered before you decided to kidnap someone I care about just because you felt like messing with me. And it's this: For all your talk and blustering about being loyal to Blue Diamond, you don't have any REAL power and you know it. For all the tormenting you did to Spinel and the Famethyst, you knew you didn't have any true authority over them. At the end of the day, you're just a Gem with a massive ego and bad attitude. A balloon just waiting for someone to stick a needle into it. And me? I'm the needle."
"CURSE YOU!!!!! GAHHHHHH!" Holly Blue screamed as she lept at Steven, who dodged not only the leap, but the follow-up attempts at punches as Connie looked on in pure shock.
What was even more shocking was that Steven was doing all of this WITHOUT his Pink forms. Every dodge...every punch.....it was HIM doing it as HIMSELF. And that was easily the most demeaning thing Holly was suffering right now.
But it also made Connie wonder: Had Steven been capable of this the entire time? What was stopping him from doing this to someone like Kevin or Ronaldo? If he could do this much damage to a Gem without his forms, then humans would be dead after a couple of punches.
Bluebird was in utter fear, mentally regretting all of the other times Aquamarine and Eyeball ever tried to mess with Steven. If he could do this kind of damage to Holly Blue without the use of his higher form, then they'd be dust!
"Get up, Holly Blue. I said GET UP!!" Steven yelled as Holly Blue struggled to get to her feet but was unable to after the beating she had taken. So Steven "helped" her by grabbing her by her collar and lifting her up.
*SLAP! SLAP! SLAP*
Before laying into her with a series of open handed slaps as Connie and Bluebird looked on in pure shock and fear.
"Remember what I said earlier about the balloon and needle? Now here's how that'll happen: Your Gem is on the back of your neck, right? I don't even need to fully clutch your neck. All I need is a pinch with enough pressure and it'll shatter like glass. And you know what's more? No one will know about it. You'll die here alone before anyone even knows what happened to you, Holly Blue. No Rose Quartzes in sight to heal you or any Diamond Essence to revive you. It took you months to get me where you wanted me but it'll take me only 3 seconds to end you." Steven said in a dark voice as he positioned his fingers onto Holly Blue's Gem.
"One....." He counted as Connie looked on in fear, silently hoping Steven would reconsider.
"Two...." Steven continued, applying a bit more pressure onto Holly's Gem as the normally boastful Agate was silent.
"Three." He said as Holly Blue braced herself....only for Steven to remove his hand and toss Holly Blue back to the ground before untying Connie. Extending his hand to his girlfriend, Steven helped her up as the two began to walk out hand in hand.
"I thought...you said you'd shatter me, Steven Universe." Holly Blue said through gasps as Steven looked back at her.
"Oh I can and I will....just not today." He said as he and Connie left Holly Blue and Bluebird in their own fear.
Once they got to the Warp Pad, Steven looked at Connie, who had been silent the whole time and the hybrid knew exactly why.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry...you had to see me like that, Connie. I'm sorry you had to see me do and say all of that." Steven said as Connie kissed him.
"Just promise me....you'll never go that far again. That...scared me, Steven. But I love you. And thank you for saving me. I...knew you would." She said as Steven smiled as the two Warped back to Earth.
Steven saves Connie and puts the fear of the Diamonds in Holly Blue and Bluebird!
See ya next chapter!
