Steven Universe: The Return [English FanFiction]

71- Perfection

Emerald: What you said in your universal speech was not very clear, so let me see if I understood it.

Steven: ...

Emerald: When you undid the Diamond Empire, you said that everyone could do whatever they wanted and that no one was going to say anything or put any kind of reprimand, didn't you?

Steven: Yes, I did.

Emerald: Then why are you telling me what to do? Why do you want to control me, huh?!

Steven: Because your way of acting is so wrong! I don't want to control you or anyone else!

Emerald: You just contradicted yourself, you can't give total freedom to everyone and then want to control their actions, whether they are good or bad.

Steven: I just–

Emerald: *interrupts* No matter how hard you try to stop other Gems from thinking about doing bad deeds, you will never be able to stop or eliminate those kinds of thoughts in them.

Steven: You're right. I may not be able to stop other people's bad thoughts, but what I am able to stop is their bad deeds.

Emerald: So why did you undo the empire if you're still gonna control everyone's actions in the end?

Steven: I don't want to control anyone, I told you.

Emerald: Don't be a hypocrite! It's clear that you only want to control and get rid of those who don't agree with your ideology!

Steven: Of course not! I just want to change bad people's minds by making them see that their misdeeds are wrong, to achieve this I don't need the stupid rules of the Diamond Authority!

Emerald: That's the biggest bullshit I've ever heard.

Steven: Everyone deserves a second chance.

Emerald: So, if I magically changed my mind right now and regretted what I did, would you forget everything and give me a second chance? Would you forgive me?

Steven: Most likely I wouldn't. But if I see that your change is genuine and not a sham, I might consider it.

Emerald: *laughs* You don't know what you are doing and what you want, you're just an idiot!

Steven: I want to change and improve the lives of others!

Emerald: Who was the idiot who asked you that?

Steven: I don't need someone to ask me to do the right thing.

Emerald: Exactly! No one asked you to do anything, you're just a meddler! Our life was already perfect at the time when the Diamonds ruled, you ruined everything!

Steven: That wasn't a decent life! Living under a dictatorial regime is not a good way to live!

Emerald: You clearly don't know how a government works. It is a set of organs and institutions that control and administer the functions of power in the cosmos. In other words, it is the diamond authority that directs, administers and controls our lives. No one can just walk around free just like that, because it would be total chaos and in fact it was so because of you!

Steven: Maybe you're right, I don't know anything about governing. But I'm sure that governing is not about anything you say, if anything it would be about helping others, not controlling their lives.

Emerald: That's something necessary for things to work as they should. Everyone used to follow the rules and those who didn't were punished with death! There were no mistakes, flaws or shortcomings, everything was perfect! You can't just show up and want to change our society on a whim!

Steven: There is no such thing as perfection!

Emerald: Of course there is! The Diamonds were perfect, you ruined them along with this era! I will fix everything, our life will be perfect again!

Steven: Obsessing over perfection is a flaw! The Diamonds understood that, so they decided to improve and change!

Emerald: That's stupid! Gems don't change, that's why we have to be perfect!

Steven: To consider yourself perfect is to discover and accept your own imperfections to change the course of your life.

Emerald: *enraged* We Gems aren't the same as organics! Our life is always the same from the moment we pop out from the ground, we already have an established destiny and purpose! We are here not to make mistakes, we have to be perfect!

Steven: No! We're here to be ourselves and live freely! We're born to be real, not to be perfect!