A Diamond That Doesn't Shine

THE SEA IS GONE! *Rewrite*

"Steven, if you ever need me, just use this." I hand him a small box.

"My mom used this to communicate with other gems. The Diamonds could easily intercept our phone calls." I turn the box over and point to a white button. "Press this to call me." Then, I point to a grey button. "This button sends me an alert. Press it and I'll come as soon as I can." Finally, I indicate a black button. "Only press this if you need me right away. It will warp me to your location. Got all that?" Steven nods earnestly.

"Good. Well, see you later, Steven." I give him the box and warp away.

~~~~~

I was sitting on my bed engrossed in a book when Perry entered the room."Hey, Y/N, I think your box is trying to call you?" Perry said, a playful smirk on her face as she handed me the box.I sighed and set my book down, extending my hand to take the box from her."Hey, Y/N? What are you reading about?" Perry chuckled, taking the book and correcting its orientation."I have no idea. I can read Gem, but this... not so much.". Perry chuckles, takes the book, and flips it so it Is no longer upside down...

Oh...

Perry walks out of the room still laughing. I turned my attention to the box. It had been a while since I last saw Steven. The last time was during my month-long trip, when everything from Pearl poofing to him finding a lion, to opening his mom's door happened. On my final day there, I watched him sing in a concert. I wondered what had been happening since then.

I accept the call and a video begins. I close my eyes to the bright light.

"Hey, Steven it's been awhi-" I open my eyes and see a bright pink lion and I hear voices.

Weird? Oh well. I shrug my shoulders and end the call.

*****

It's so incredibly dull here! I decide to get up and stretch my legs. Heading to the warp pad, I teleport to a spot where I can view the vast, muddy, brown expanse where the ocean should be... Except it's gone.

My eyes widen in shock.

I immediately warp back to the house and gather all the gems.

"The ocean is gone! We need to move!" I shout urgently. The gems initially look confused but quickly spring into action. Together, we rush to the warp pad and start warping to various locations, searching desperately for where the massive body of water has disappeared to.Spinel transforms into a spring, launching us through the air as we soar toward a colossal swirling mass of water.

.

.

.

As we approach, I see the Crystal Gems battling... water clones? That's a question for later. Looking up, I spot a gem with Steven ascending.

"You guys handle the water clones. Spinel, get me up there," I instruct.

"Yes, my Y/N," Spinel replies cheerfully. Definitely an explanation for another day.

Spinel catapults me towards the platform where Steven and the gem are.

"Lapis, it's okay," Steven reassures her.

"What are you doing here?" Lapis asks, eyeing me curiously.

"This is Y/n. Anyway, this whole ocean disappearance thing, it's crazy! Can't we figure this out? Gems should be allies!"

Lapis pulls Steven closer. "Don't you get it, Steven? Your friends, they're only concerned about Earth. They don't care about other Gems like us. But I never belonged here..."

She gazes wistfully into the distance and releases Steven from the water bubble.

"What...?"

Steven moves towards Lapis and gestures for me to join them. I sit down beside him.

"I just... want to go home," Lapis confesses softly.

I look at Lapis with sympathy. "You know... Lapis, right?" I ask Steven, who nods in response.

"Home is where the heart is," I murmur, gazing up at the stars. "It's strange, Lapis. I feel like I understand you." The feeling was genuine; a sense of not quite belonging here, though I couldn't explain why. "Let me come with you."

My gaze shifts to the gems beside me, but Steven gasps, breaking the moment. He steps forward, taking the lead.

"I know how important home can be. But that's why I'm here. You took the ocean away, and the ocean is an important part of my home."

"I'm only using the ocean because my gem is cracked. If I just stretch it far enough..." Lapis sighs, her frustration evident.

Steven notices Lapis's cracked gem and gasps. "I can fix your gem! I have healing powers!"

"You have healing powers?" Lapis and I say simultaneously.

"I know, right?"

Lapis hesitates, then turns around. "Oh, uh, sorry. This might be a little weird."

"What?"

With determination, Steven licks his hand, covers it in saliva, and pats it on Lapis's gem. She shudders briefly, and then her gem begins to glow. Water wings sprout from her back, and her eyes return to normal.

"Ew," I mutter under my breath.

"Thank you, Steven!"

"No prob, Bob."

"... It's Lapis."

Steven awkwardly says, "Yeah."

Lapis turns to me, her expression thoughtful. "Did you still want to come with me... You seem different from them."

I consider her words for a moment before smiling gently. "I think I'm meant to stay here just a little bit longer... But thank you," I reply.

"Okay. Bye." With that, Lapis flies off into space, her newly repaired wings sparkling as she goes.

Steven and I watch Lapis disappear into the distance when suddenly, the water tower begins to rumble. Freed from Lapis's control, it starts to crumble and collapse.

Steven and I find ourselves falling alongside the crumbling water tower. Amidst screams, Connie and Steven's new lion arrive just in time, swooping in to save us and bring us to safety.

********

The citizens of Beach City surged forward, laughter and cheers filling the air as they celebrated. Mayor Dewey raced towards Steven, enveloping him in a tight embrace while the crowd cheered louder. Connie's laughter mingled with the jubilant noise, and Amethyst lovingly hugged Lion. Nearby, Greg stood by his broken van, tears streaming down his face, until Yellowtail offered him a handkerchief in comfort.

"So, Lapis made it off the planet," Garnet observed, turning to Pearl.

"What does this mean for us?" Pearl wondered aloud.

"We wait and see," Garnet replied calmly.

Amidst the continued cheers, the crowd hoisted Steven, me, and Connie above them in celebration. Steven and I gazed up at the sky together.

"See you, Lapis," Steven said softly.

"Wherever you are," I added, my gaze fixed on the brightest star in the night sky.