Corruption

The search

Back at the Temple.

The air was still and dead. No one dared to speak, no one had quite grasped what had happened. Connie was sitting next to the window, stroking lion's main, as waves crashed against the Sandy beach. The gems where all distraught, Garnet stood against the wall, showing no emotion, engulfed in sorrow. Pearl stayed around the kitchen counter, tears streaking down her face, and splashing against the counter top. Amethyst sat beside the Warp Pad, refusing to move, waiting for him to come back.

"What's going on?! Where's my son!?" Greg suddenly barged into the house, after receiving a text from Connie, explaining what happened. Pearl looked at the worried father, with saddened, sunken eyes.

"Greg...I'm so sorry...we should have seen his corruption sooner..." Said Pearls depressed voice.

"Why aren't you out looking for him?!" Worriedly yelled Greg, looking at all of the gem's faces.

"We don't know where to begin. Garnet's future vision isn't working properly...it didn't even seem he knew where he was going..." Explained Pearl, more tears flooding her eyes, She started to sob heavily.

"All we can do now is try and help him...but, where could he have gone?" Asked a teary Connie, who stood up and faced the gems.

Amethyst let out an angry sigh of frustration, "Why didn't I stop him from fusing?! Now he's out there hurting! This is all my fault! I should've heard better!" She yelled at herself, covering her face, sobbing heavily as well.

Garnet placed a steady hand on Amethyst's shoulder, "It's not your fault, Amethyst. We couldn't have known he was corrupted. But as soon as we find him, He wouldn't want you to blame yourself for this...it's No one's fault..." The fusion comforted her, but they all knew all they wanted was to blame Jasper for the loss of their leader.

"What should we do now? Steven could be ANYWHERE and he doesn't have food or water and he must be in so much pain...I can't even imagine what it must feel like" The purple gem vented, looking up at Garnet for guidance.

"We start looking now" Connie's voice filled the room, massively taking charge, "He needs help, he needs OUR help, we start by splitting up, me and Mr Universe will ask if anyone has anyone ideas in Little Homeworld, you three all go to different areas on the warp pad, once we find him, bring him back here, and whenever you finish with an area come back here just incase he came back." Ordered Connie.

"I should still have the Warp Whistle, if we find anything I'll call you back" Greg contributed.

"What if he refuses to come?" Pearl hopelessly Said, fearing the worst.

"Then come back and get the rest of us, if he won't come to us, we'll go to him" The determined Connie explained.

"I'm in, if Steven's out there, we have to help him" Amethyst Said, standing up and facing the group.

"I'll also help, anything for him.." Pearl agreed, wiping her eyes, and straitening her back.

"Right, let's all bring some food for him as well, he might need it" Garnet ordered.

The atmosphere lifted, the sadness and regret shifted into determination and hope. The gems all instantly went to the fridge, and to the Warp Pad, as Connie and Greg ran out of the house.

As three gems departured to different areas in the world, Greg and Connie got into his van and drove to Little Homeworld.

Connie instantly unbuckled her seatbelt and ran into Homeworld's centre. Gems of different shapes sizes and pasts all walked around freely, happily, oblivious that the creator of Little Homeworld was lost.

Greg walked up to Connie, "I'll head into town to see if I can find anything there, can be too sure"

Connie nodded as Greg drove to Beach City to start questioning his friends.

She ran from building to building asking all the gems she could about any information, a knot in her stomach formed whenever they declined any knowledge of his whereabouts. She spent hours looking around until she finished at the last building.

Connie ran up to the centre tower, she talked to anyone who passed by her, no one knew anything. Once at the top of the tower, the knot in her stomach was very tight, She couldn't stop thinking about her best friend, her Jam Bud.

She hastily rushed to the edge of the building and looked down, She couldn't see anything suspisous, so she ran back down to the Greg in the town.

Greg ran from house to house, begging for information about where his son could be.

"Are you sure? Nothing?" He begged Sour Cream at his door step.

"No man, I'm sorry, all I've seen recently is a big orange lady leaving the  store with alot of food, and I thought they didn't need to eat?" Sour Cream explained.

"Yes! I mean no, they don't...we'll Amethyst does but thank you for your help." Greg exclaimed and ran to find Connie.

The two met up outside the Big Donut, both out of breath.

"I couldn't find anything, I've been searching for ages I'm sorry" Apologized Connie, looking up at Greg.

"It's okay kiddo, I found out something, let's get the gems" Greg reassured, placing a hand on the worried child's shoulder.

He comforted her like he used to Steven, he gave her a fatherly look and she looked up at him and smiled.

The two ran to Greg's van and drove to the Temple, with nothing said between them. Connie looked into the back of the van and saw Steven's old Ukulele.

She reached into the back and brought it forward. "His ukulele..." she sadly Said, remembering the jam sessions the two took part in.

"Maybe it will help him, bring it along" Encouraged Greg, recalling the time he taught Steven to play. He started to tear up recalling his happy memories.

The two reached the Temple and ran inside.