"My Diamond, should we leave? This is a rather open place for you to be." Jasper said as Steven sat at the counter of the local bar. He was enjoying a rare drink. He had come to Earth due to having endured an attack from a powerful enemy and traced it to the planet. Even as one of the rulers of Homeworld, he couldn't catch a break.
"No. I will have visitors soon. That's the problem with family. MY family in particular. Stay in one place too long and one of them inevitably shows up. Sooner or later, there will be something they say that I won't be able to ignore. Steven said with a sigh. He left Earth years ago after he realized how little his family could help him and how they just made things worse.
Since living on Homeworld, he's much better mentally and emotionally, Spinel is a much better girlfriend than Connie ever was and he finally has family he trusts among the Diamonds and Homeworld Gems.
"But your wound? It must pain you. Spinel was worried about you coming here after your battle." Jasper said as Steven chuckled.
"Life is pain, Jasper. Trust me: I know that better than anyone. And anyway, I want to enjoy myself. I've been pretty bored lately." The hybrid replied.
*Meanwhile, Connie was being led into the Temple by Lapis and Amethyst*
"You couldn't have cleaned her up before you brought her here?" Garnet says in disgust as Connie rolled her eyes at the fusion.
"That's just the perfume. And you don't have to remind me that I'm not welcome here. It's not like I asked to come." The girl turned woman said bitterly. Once a promising young lady, she had turned to a life of promiscuous behavior after Steven's departure.
"Put aside your anger, Connie. There is something I need you to do for us." Garnet said as she led Connie further into the Temple. There sat a light blue chest that the fusion unlocked with a key. Connie looked at the contents...and gasped tearfully.
"P-Pearl? Please...tell me she isn't..." Connie said tearfully as she looked and saw Pearl's shards in a bubble. She had been shattered.
"Yes. She has been shattered. Or so we believe. While that is indeed the shards of a Pearl, we don't know if it's the one we know and love. Especially since I heard reports of a Homeworld Pearl being sent here at the time Pearl left." Garnet said as Connie looked away
"But assuming the worst, who do you believe shattered her?" Connie asked as Garnet looked away and directed her focus at an old picture of her, Pearl, Amethyst and a younger Steven.
"You still have that? Even after he left?" Connie asked with disdain.
"I'm never giving up on him. However, considering his history with Pearl, I have to suspect him, even though I believe he wouldn't, no matter his past with her." Garnet said as she handed Connie her old sword.
"He's at a local bar. Let justice guide you, not vengeance. If you have to engage him in battle, then I guess it can't be stopped. But I hope he'll at least try and listen." Garnet said as Connie left to find her ex boyfriend.
*Meanwhile...*
"I've been face to face with White Diamond, faced Yellow and Blue and come close to death so many times. I've endured and seen so much even after I left this planet. But it's amazing how many things either remained the same or just got worse." Steven said as he smoked a cigarette. Yet another habit the now 22 year old would do when he was on Earth.
"It's amazing indeed. I guess some things really don't change, My Diamond?" Jasper said as Steven chuckled.
"Indeed. It amazes me how they've all survived this long. I hear Yellow and Blue talk sometimes about how brutal the Gem War was and you can tell the one who stood against them to protect this planet was unique, to say the least." Steven said.
