Steven Universe: The Return [English FanFiction]

63. Love or Control?

Peridot: So, uh, I’ve had this one for a while now.

[Peridot gestures to Nice Lapis, who is immobilized in the tractor beam of her limb enhancers.]

Peridot: What do we do with her, anyway?

Steven: We’ve gotta get her memories back, along with her partner’s. I bet once we do, they’ll totally be down to help us out.

Lapis: Hold up, Steven. You’re overlooking something pretty important here.

Steven: Huh? What do you mean?

[Lapis points to Mean Lapis, who’s still out cold on the ground.]

Lapis: We can only help one of them. This one hasn’t been rejuvenated.

Steven: Wait, really?

Lapis: Why don’t we let her explain herself?

[Lapis splashes water on the unconscious Mean Lapis, rudely waking her up.]

Mean Lapis: *coughs and sputters* Wh-What the hell?!

[Mean Lapis sits up abruptly, coughing and gasping for air.]

Lapis: She’s been acting of her own free will this whole time.

Steven: Is that true?

Mean Lapis: *still dazed, trying to catch his breath* Yeah, it's true.

Steven: Let me guess—you hate Era Three too, right?

Mean Lapis: Honestly, I couldn’t care less about this new era.

Steven: Then why are you doing this?

Mean Lapis: Because of what YOU TWO did to me!

Steven: Excuse me? What did we ever do to you?

Mean Lapis: My partner abandoned me! And it’s all your fault! You and your pearly Lapis filled her head with a load of bullshit!

Steven: We didn’t force her into anything, you know.

Lapis: Yeah, she probably had her reasons for leaving. She made her own choices. So don’t come here pointing fingers at us for your mess.

Mean Lapis: You don’t know a damn thing! We were tight for centuries! We had a blast terraforming worlds together! I never did anything to push her away! Everything was great until you two showed up and fucked it all up!!

Lapis: Are you really so sure about that?

Mean Lapis: Damn right, I am! She abandoned me BECAUSE OF YOU TWO! She wouldn’t have even thought about it if you hadn’t messed with her head!

Steven: I don't quite understand. Why did you think rejuvenating her was a good idea? She doesn’t even remember you now.

Mean Lapis: That’s irrelevant. It’s actually better this way.

Steven: Better how?

Mean Lapis: Just think of it as a fresh start! A clean slate for both of us! Doesn’t that sound perfect?!

Steven: Umm...

Mean Lapis: Her not remembering me? It’s a small price to pay! All that crap you put in her head is gone! Now, I can actually show her what's truly right for her!

Steven: That’s messed up! You can’t decide what’s right or wrong for her! You have no right to control her life like that!

Mean Lapis: I just... I missed her so damn much! It felt like a part of me was just gone, and I couldn’t bear another day without her! This was the only way for us to be together again!