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andrewmoocow · 2 years ago

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Steven Universe Snake Eyes chapter 10: Crossroads (originally posted on October 30, 2023)

AN: And now, the moment I've wanted to write for so long ever since I first started conceiving of this grand finale: the redemption of Black Rutile. Normally, trying to turn a proud psychopath who was not ashamed to say she regretted nothing good would be a very hard thing to do, but after all the emotional beatdowns she suffered throughout this story, Black Rutile might as well need one. But while many might say Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender had the best redemption arc, I'm actually taking a different route for Black Rutile's that is heavily based off of Megatron's portrayal in the twilight years of the original Transformers IDW comics. Anyone who read those comics should be very excited to see what I have in store for Black Rutile. Otherwise, prepare to feel a lot.

Synopsis: After Nosiop throws her out, Black Rutile starts rethinking her views.

Cast:

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Zach Callison as Steven

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl, Yellow Pearl, Blue Pearl, Volleyball, The Black Pearl Brigade

Grace Rolek as Connie

Shelby Rabara as Peridot, Squaridot

Jennifer Paz as Lapis, Laz, Zuli

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper, Dalmatian Jasper

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Patti LuPone as Yellow Diamond

Lisa Hannigan as Blue Diamond

Christine Ebersole as White Diamond

Sarah Stiles as Spinel

Christine Baranski as Hessonite

Olivia Olson as Citrine

Avi Roque as Cinnabar

Della Saba as Aquamarine

Charlyne Yi as Eyeball

Christine Pedi as Holly Blue Agate

Casey Lee Williams as Cat's Eye

Jinkx Monsoon as Emerald

Kari Wahlgren as Pyrope

Melissa Fahn as Demantoid

Hayley Kiyoko as Morganite

Idina Menzel as Amazonite

Halsey as Tanzanite

Mia Barron as Apatite

Awkwafina as Kyanite

Allison Janney as Pyrite

Zehra Fazal as Zoisite

Lena Hall as Bloodstone

Jodie Whittaker as Xenotime

Gina Torres as Andesine

Barbara Dunkelman as Amber

Kristen Schaal as Howlite

Catherine Tate as Lepidolite

Cissy Jones as Princess Naja Jormagundr

Henry Rollins as Captain Boa

Neil Flynn as Aescul

Samantha Newark as The Lapidarist

"Okay, how long do we have until Squamata leaves Serpentes and devours the rest of the universe?" Pearl asked as she, Garnet, Hessonite, Citrine, Aquamarine, Cinnabar, Andesine, Captain Boa, and Aescul watched a holographic image of Squamata continuing his rampage against the Slytherophidians.

"I'm betting not long." Hessonite proclaimed. "He'll eventually get bored and move onto another planet. Worst case scenario; he'll consume Earth or Homeworld next just to spite us."

"We need to act quickly." Garnet proclaimed stoically. "If Squamata succeeds in destroying this universe, there's no telling what kind of destruction he'll wreak upon other universes as well."

"It truly pains me to see Nosiop fall this far," Boa said mournfully of his prince's status. "I wish I could've informed Cobralan of this earlier."

"It's okay, Boa, we all didn't know," Aescul responded comfortingly before he turned around to find Black Rutile standing behind him. "Oh hey, I forgot you were still here!"

"Oh, hello, Black Rutile." Pearl greeted the Rutile. "Don't mind us. We're busy thinking of a way to save the known universe and beyond here. Just run along and play while we work here."

"But I can help!" Black Rutile continued urging the group. "Nosiop told me everything there is to know about Squamata, so unless you all want to die, I suggest you listen to me if you want to live!"

"Black Rutile, dear." White Diamond said calmly as she suddenly appeared behind her former subordinate. "They're making it clear that they're not interested in your help right now. So please, go run along and play by yourself while we sort things out."

"What are you, my mom?" Black Rutile scoffed as she stormed off in a huff. "Fine, but don't come crying to me once heads start rolling!"

"Someone needs an attitude adjustment," Aescul murmured at Black Rutile while watching her walk away.

"I think it's because we refused to believe her about Squamata," Garnet replied. "Perhaps she has been telling the truth and wants to change, but we'll just have to wait and see."

"I'll go talk to her." Cinnabar offered herself up and began following Black Rutile. "I've been her apprentice for centuries; I know her more than anyone else in this room."

Elsewhere in the castle, Black Rutile gazed out a window as she watched Squamata and his heralds start draining Serpentes of its energy, causing the land around them to decay. Black Rutile sighed nostalgically as she reminisced on how the Diamonds would cause the planets they colonized to die after draining them of their resources. But those days were long gone, just like what the universe will soon be once Squamata gets bored with Serpentes and moves onto another planet.

"Hello, Black Rutile." Cinnabar said as she walked up to Black Rutile and stood next to her, the two Gems now staring out the same window. "I'd like to talk to you about everything happening recently."

"Oh yes, about me betraying you all and unleashing Squamata only to get stabbed in the back as well?" Black Rutile asked.

"Exactly." Cinnabar answered.

"I know you and everyone else must hate me now for wanting to use the Lapidarist to push the reset button on all Gemkind," Black Rutile said. "But there's no harm in talking one last time before you disown your old mentor, huh?"

Cinnabar only responded by pulling out her broadsword and attempting to strike Black Rutile down. "You betrayed us! You betrayed me!" she screamed angrily as Black Rutile halfheartedly blocked the strike with her bowie knife. "What happened to you?! What have the Crystal Gems done to you?!"

"Enough." Black Rutile quietly commanded her former apprentice to stand down, which she obeyed.

"Did Steven finally corrupt you into his slave?" Cinnabar kept yelling. "Tell me, did he?!"

"No, it's not Steven's fault," Black Rutile sorrowfully revealed. "And I'm sorry if that disappoints you."

"But we believed in you. We dedicated our gems to you." Cinnabar cried in betrayal. "And this is how you treat us?!"

"Not just to me. Black Rutile declared. "But to your own twisted ego and selfishness as well that you used to serve my cause."

"But our cause was what you thought was best for all Gems!" Cinnabar exclaimed. "At least, I thought it was."

"You got that right." Black Rutile agreed dourly.

"I came here to tell you that we're teaming up with the Crystal Gems to stop Squamata from destroying the universe." Cinnabar revealed to her old mentor.

"Wait, seriously?" Black Rutile scoffed dryly. "And here you are, getting on my case for betraying you."

"Steven can be selfish and narrow-minded, sure, but he still accepted us despite what we've done because we have nowhere else left to go." Cinnabar added.

"Well then, off you go!" Black Rutile snapped at Cinnabar. "Go ahead and abandon your lives, your identities, the very reason you were created, all for his twisted ideals and principles!" The two Gems were silent for a few pregnant moments before Cinnabar sat down next to Black Rutile.

"The moment you tell me that this was all a trick, that you're going to kill the royal family and use their armada to conquer the universe, then Steven really did lie to us." Cinnabar stated, hoping what she just said would be true. "He doesn't care that we're without identity; he'll force a new one onto us."

"Ah yes, identity. I've forgotten how toxic that can sometimes be." Black Rutile declared calmly. "Speaking of identity, you're still falling for all the lies about how Pink Diamond didn't mean any harm in starting the rebellion, right?"

"Not entirely." Cinnabar answered. "She didn't care that so many lives were lost in her crusade against the Diamonds, but she still cared deeply for life."

"Organic life, I know." Black Rutile sighed. "So, what do you plan on doing with me now?"

"If you refuse to admit your flaws, I have no choice but to leave you here." Cinnabar declared coldly.

"And you found Aquamarine and the others?" Black Rutile then asked.

"A test. And you failed." Cinnabar replied. "I've been watching you for our entire sentence to Revanche 666. You've just sat in your cell with your eyes closed, doing nothing but think and think and think. And do you want to know what I think? I think for the first time in your life, you feel like you have no identity. You've been many things. An eager Rutile with big dreams, a confidant to White Diamond, a rebel leader. And now what?"

"A selfish fool." Black Rutile responded before turning her knife into a sword and gazing into her reflection on the blade.

"But why? If you did change sides, you'd become a Crystal Gem in all but name." Cinnabar wondered. "No more, no less. Why rethink your entire life now?"

"I once told Steven that the Rutile Rebels came together to seek retribution by any means necessary. I wanted to make him hurt, to make him feel the same pain that he unknowingly brought upon us with his blissful naïveté and optimism." Black Rutile explained to Cinnabar. "And the thing is, at the end of the day, I'm feeling the same pain I brought Steven, only far worse than I thought. If the universe sees you as a monster, what does it matter? The universe is filled with monsters. But when you start thinking that you're the monster."

Black Rutile let out a heavy sigh before continuing. "I came to hate what I've turned myself into. A cunning, devious, opportunistic, sociopathic monster that even Steven believed was beyond redemption. I thought the only way to restore my old legacy and set everything back to what it was before Pink even came into existence, probably the easiest way, was to gain the Lapidarist's godlike powers so I could rejuvenate the entire Gem race."

"You're not a monster. Well, you're not the monster that you think you are now." Cinnabar assured Black Rutile. "As humans would often say, nobody's perfect. We're all like Off-Colors in a way. We can't fit in with society, and that causes us to feel like we're alone in the world. It's why we formed the Rutile Rebels; we felt alone in Era 3, and you were the only one who could give us a purpose. Maybe in a couple of hundred years, we'll remember this conversation and laugh about how ridiculous it was for you to consider changing your ways."

"Consider, you say?" Black Rutile said, gazing down at her hands, calloused from years on the battlefield and years of plotting her grand uprising. "Look at me, Cinnabar. I'm a hopeless, bigoted shell of my former self. Ignorant and proud of it, too." She gently moved one of her hands to her face. "Would you still follow a Gem like me? My spirit now flickers when it once flared, but these days, all I am is nothing but bark without a single bite."

"I don't particularly appreciate hearing you say this." Cinnabar said nervously.

"Why not?" Black Rutile asked.

"Because this isn't you!" Cinnabar answered while taking her master's hands in her own. "Whatever happened to the Black Rutile I looked up to who bravely fought in the Rebellion, dared to challenge the Crystal Gems' tyranny, and basically conquered the Earth by turning the humans against them! The Black Rutile we followed, that we loved. What happened to her?"

I don't know." Black Rutile responded grimly. "I think she's dead."

"Dead?" Cinnabar asked sympathetically. "Or just resting?" The two fell silent once again, neither of them knowing the right words to say next.

"Just recently, I finally saw fit to talk with the Lapidarist." Black Rutile said. "But instead of asking her to rejuvenate the entire Gem race, I asked her what my purpose was now that I've lost everything because of Steven."

"And what did she say?" Cinnabar asked.

"She said that my true destiny won't be realized until I am at peace with myself or something like that." Black Rutile revealed. "She then showed me a vision of a possible future where I fought with Steven to save the universe. As a Crystal Gem. As a hero. As his friend."

"You're kidding. His friend?" Cinnabar gasped in shock. "But this is only a possible future, right?"

"Perhaps if I play my cards right, this could be my future right now." Black Rutile added with a slight smile. "Do you think there's any chance for me to make amends with everybody? Not just the Crystal Gems, but the Diamonds and all the other Rutile Rebels as well?"

"Destiny works in mysterious ways, I guess." Cinnabar realized what Black Rutile was planning to do and accepted it with a smile. "Go, change yourself for the better. You've already won me over."

"Thank you, Cinnabar, for listening to me." Black Rutile said and then suddenly hugged her old apprentice. "This is what is necessary to be forgiven, right?"

"Well, at least you're learning." Cinnabar laughed awkwardly. "Now, can you please let me go?"

"Wait, you're saying the ultimate fusion could be what now?" White Diamond gasped as she, Yellow, Blue, Spinel, and the Pearls stood before Princess Naja and the Lapidarist in the latter's secret chamber.

"Indeed, I believe it must be our only option." The Lapidarist stated. "Unless Steven has any other options."

"Well, there is the fusion with his human girlfriend, and I've also discovered he can fuse with his father," Blue replied. "But I think he might also be able to fuse with the pink boy and the fry boys, too."

"Ooh, ooh, can he fuse with me?!" Spinel asked while fluttering a pair of large eyelashes.

"Don't get too excited, Spinel." Yellow bluntly replied, much to the jester's dismay. "Anyone else he can fuse with?"

"Last I checked, he can fuse with Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, or even all three at once." Blue Pearl replied. "I wonder how he'd fuse with some of the other Crystal Gems?"

As the Diamonds continued conversing, Black Rutile crept into the Lapidarist's chambers, hoping that she would take them all by surprise with her revelation. Still, there was just one factor she didn't consider. "I can see you, Black Rutile."

"No, you can't!" Black Rutile yelled as she tried to hide from the Lapidarist, no matter how omniscient Rebeuger was. "Okay, I give up! I just want to talk!"

"What is it this time, Black Rutile?" Yellow said with a roll of her eyes. "Here to bluster about the injustice wrought upon you again till the heat death of the universe."

"No, that's not it." Black Rutile said firmly. "I came here to apologize for what I've done to you."

"Could you please repeat that? I think I might need my hearing checked." Yellow Pearl snarked in surprise. "Surely this is another one of her lies, right?"

"No, I am simply baring my soul to you all." Black Rutile declared as she got on her knees and begged for forgiveness. "I ask of you, grand Diamonds, to accept my apology for all the horrible, selfish things I did to our people in the name of my delusional crusade for justice against those who have wronged me! My experiences here have finally humbled me and taught me that my actions have consequences!"

"Are you serious this time, Black Rutile?" Volleyball asked the repentant Rutile. "Are you not just lying to us again?"

"Why is everyone assuming that I'm lying?!" Black Rutile complained. "I'm being serious this time. I've been convinced that to be at peace with myself, I must make amends with everyone! Don't believe me? Ask the Lapidarist!"

"It's true." The Lapidarist proclaimed. "I told Black Rutile that she had a grand destiny, but it won't be realized until she is at peace. To calm such a troubled mind, she must reconnect with everyone she's hurt."

"Well, this is interesting," Naja said with an eyebrow arched. "What do you think, Diamonds?"

"Come to think of it, we are at fault for Black Rutile's descent," White said mournfully. "After allowing her to rise to such power because I thought it was funny, I didn't expect such a joke would go so far."

"So, we'll give you a shot, Black Rutile." Yellow added. "But make no mistake, if you really are lying, then we'll make sure to have your head on a wall."

"Oh, thank you, thank you, my Diamonds!" Black Rutile cheered as she crawled over to White Diamond's feet and began kissing them. "You are so kind!"

"Zip it." White bluntly responded.

Next on Black Rutile's itinerary was trying to reconnect with her ex-minions, who she found were already preparing for the coming final battle against Squamata and his heralds. Naturally, Pyrite's keen business acumen had helped the former Rutile Rebels acquire some weapons generously donated to them from the various competitors and Slytherophidians willing to lend a hand. All she needed to do now was to talk to them. Hopefully, Cinnabar would help them hear her out.

"Hey, everybody." Black Rutile greeted her former subordinates, only to be greeted with knives surrounding her in all directions. "Well, not my idea of a warm welcome, isn't it?"

"You know what you did, Black Rutile!" Dalmatian Jasper snarled angrily.

"Trying to sell us all out for power and using the Lapidarist to rejuvenate us!" Tanzanite added, just as furious.

"Making everything we did completely pointless since a godlike being can just do all the heavy lifting for us!" Amazonite proclaimed dramatically. "What was even the point of the Rutile Rebels to begin with in that regard?!"

"Okay, everyone, calm down. No need to antagonize her." Cinnabar stated, much to Black Rutile's relief. "Black Rutile here came to apologize to you all."

"Apologize?!" Eyeball shouted in alarm. "Surely you jest! Black Rutile has never regretted anything in her life!"

"Until now, that is." Black Rutile declared, which was met with gasping in surprise. "Yes, I know, I actually regret something for once. Let me explain."

"Someone pinch me; I must be dreaming." Cat's Eye muttered to herself while scratching her hair.

"This has to be a bad comedy." Pyrite added curiously.

"Earlier, Cinnabar and I talked with each other about my recent emotions and how I've grown to hate myself for what my constant failures have turned me into." Black Rutile explained. "Cinnabar tells me that we are all like Off-Colors in a way; we can't fit in with society, which causes us to feel like we're alone in the world. And I've realized that fits me in more ways than one."

"So does that mean you are, how do you say, repenting now?" Holly Blue asked. "I'm not sure I like this."

"Well, I'm not sure if I like you guys betraying me for the Crystal Gems either." Black Rutile responded curtly. "Nobody's perfect."

"Are you sure we can still trust you, my Rutile?" Andesine asked hopefully.

"I swear on my life." Black Rutile replied proudly. "Unless anyone threatens my life. In which case, you're out of luck."

"Eh, I'm fine with it if you are." Apatite said with a shrug.

"Not going to lie, I was getting kind of lonely without you yelling at us." Zoisite added.

"But make no mistake, just because you're showing remorse for how you've treated us doesn't mean we're just going to totally forgive you." Xenotime declared with a blade to her old boss's gem. "You'll have to work to earn our forgiveness. Otherwise, you will be executed for one wrong move."

"Calm down, Xeno, no need to be such a terminator and all that." Howlite tried calming Xenotime down by lowering her arm. "So, what do you plan on doing now, Black Rutile?"

"I bet she's gonna talk to the Crystal Gems next!" Kyanite proposed.

"Why yes, that is exactly what I was going to do." Black Rutile replied. "I'm already on shaky ground with them as is. I do not want to know how they'll react when they find out I'm telling the truth."

"Well, I wish you the best of luck." Bloodstone said with hope for her old master.

"Famous last words, as they always say." Amber added wryly before Black Rutile turned away and left.

"I never figured Black Rutile for an atoner." Emerald shook her head in surprise.

"Me neither," Morganite added, just as alarmed as the former pilot.

"But maybe this could be a fresh start for her." Pyrope suggested. "For all of us."

"It better." Demantoid responded sourly.

"Any updates, guys?" Lapis asked Laz and Zuli as the Crystal Gems gathered one last time before the inevitable final battle with Squamata.

"Those Universal Lords are really holding the line, but I'm not sure for how long." Laz declared.

"Only a matter of time before we're forced to fight." Zuli added.

"The combined powers of the Universal Lords are extraordinary, but it won't be long until they're forced to retreat." Squaridot added. "By the way, I can see Black Rutile approaching behind you." At that moment, the Crystal Gems turned around and stared menacingly at Black Rutile, fearing that she had nothing good to say.

"You have a lot of nerve coming back to us." Jasper frowned at Black Rutile.

"You have a lot of nerve being alive." Black Rutile responded just as harshly. "I suppose you're all going to act super suspicious about what I have planned, but I'm here to prove you wrong by saying I'm sorry." The Crystal Gems were dead silent in shock in response to this. "Hello, anyone? Bueller, Bueller, Bueller?" Nobody answered. "Stop ignoring me."

"I should've known this was coming." Garnet said coolly. "Please tell us you're sure you're not lying to us this time."

"No, I'm being serious, for crying out loud!" Black Rutile yelled. "I'm trying to repent for my sins here, so please hear me out!"

"A likely story, Black Rutile!" Bismuth threatened Black Rutile with her hammer dangerously close to the Rutile's gem. "It's gonna take more than just 'I'm sorry' to compensate for what you've done to us!"

"Yeah!" Peridot and Squaridot added.

"No, I've discovered that I'm more like you than I realized!" Black Rutile cried in desperation. "I'm just as much of an Off-Color as all of you because I never quite fit into the society you created, so I decided to take matters into my own hands!"

"I still don't believe this," Amethyst replied. "As Bismuth said, it's gonna take way more than a simple apology to make us completely forget what you've done."

"But that's literally what you've done to every foe you've encountered, even Emerald!" Black Rutile complained while angrily stomping her foot. "You, Steven, you and your friend can vouch for me, right?!"

"Okay, I'll only accept that you've changed on one condition." Connie stated while crossing her arms.

"What's that?" Black Rutile asked.

"Say my name," Connie suggested. "Can you say it?"

"Of course I can!" Black Rutile chuckled before she immediately lost track. "You're, uh, Connie Steven's-Annoying-Human-Friend!"

"You don't even know my name." Connie groaned in disgust.

"I certainly do!" Black Rutile claimed. "It's Meeska-Mooska-Mickey Mouse-svetlana!"

"Sometimes, it feels like you're not even trying to bother." Connie grimaced. "It's Maheswaran, Connie Maheswaran. Can you say it?"

"Connie Maheswaran." Black Rutile repeated.

"Now say, "I'm sorry that I've tried to kill you and your friends and destroy the planet all the time, Connie Maheswaran." Connie asked Black Rutile.

"I'm sorry that I've tried to kill you and your friends and destroy the planet all the time, Connie Maheswaran." Black Rutile said reluctantly. "There, are you happy now for once in your pathetic, unbelievably short, organic life?"

"Hey, everybody, calm down!" Steven shouted as he got between Black Rutile and Connie. "How about I talk things out with Black Rutile, and maybe we can reach an understanding? White Topaz, you can join too."

"Sure!" White Topaz exclaimed brightly. "Be back soon, guys!"

"I got a bad feeling about this." Jasper frowned as she watched her girlfriend leave with Steven and Black Rutile.

Outside the castle, Steven, Black Rutile, and White Topaz all sat together at the front steps as they watched the sunset on a doomed Serpentes, where Squamata continued wreaking havoc while his heralds laughed maniacally. "So, what inspired this, Black Rutile?" Steven asked his archnemesis. "What made you now want to change your ways after all you've done to me?"

"You think maybe she's finally understanding where you come from?" White Topaz wondered before Black Rutile calmed her down.

"Don't get too excited, Topaz," Black Rutile said. "I'm not necessarily changing my ways; I'm just finally realizing how toxic my worldview has been to both myself and others, and I've been apologizing to everyone I hurt, hoping that we can all move on together. I finally accepted that I'm just as flawed as any other living creature, human, Gem, or otherwise alike."

"Yeah, I can see where you're coming from." Steven replied. "My dad once told me that if every porkchop were perfect, we wouldn't have hot dogs. In this case, you need to stop thinking of yourself as a porkchop by building this entire cult on the image of how perfect you think you are and blend in with all the other hot dogs in the universe, like me."

"I have no idea what your human food has to do with this, but you are indeed correct." Black Rutile said. "I said to Cinnabar that the only way I thought I could restore my reputation was to simply just erase everyone's memories of my actions through using the Lapidarist to rejuvenate all Gemkind, but after being abandoned by my minions and Nosiop's betrayal, I've realized that my glory days are long gone, so all that's left for me is just to accept the here and now and hopefully put my life back together." She then dropped to her knees with tears in her eyes. "Please, Steven, I know I'm asking for a little much, but would you please accept me as your friend?"

Steven was quiet for a moment as if trying to process Black Rutile's response, so the best he could do was give her a pat on the back that Black Rutile quickly turned into a hug.

"Whoo, group hug!" White Topaz cheered as she wrapped her arms around Steven and Black Rutile and picked them up in a big bear hug. However, their embrace would soon receive an unexpected visitor.

"Oh, what a touching scene." Nosiop hissed evilly as he towered over the three Gems. "Too bad I'll have to end it all once I assassinate Steven."

"Not on our watch!" Black Rutile exclaimed fiercely. "If you want to kill Steven, you'll have to go through me first, you scaly devil!" She then reached for White Topaz's hand. "Topaz, fuse with me!"

"Whoa, already?" White Topaz replied before she realized what Black Rutile had planned. "Wait, you don't mean-"

"No time!" Black Rutile yelled before the two did an impromptu tango dance, causing them to fuse into Lepidolite.

"HAHAHAHA, HEEEEERE'S LEPPY!" Lepidolite cackled as she embraced her grand return and pulled out her clawed gloves to use against Nosiop.

"A fusion, you say?" Nosiop chuckled. "This should be easy." Using the powers blessed upon him by Squamata, Nosiop made quick work of Lepidolite in their grand battle, but Lepidolite thought quickly and used her might to keep the evil prince at bay while making sure Steven was unharmed.

"Wait, let me help!" Steven yelled at Lepidolite.

"No, get out of here at once!" Lepidolite commanded. "This could be my last battle, and I intend to make it count!" With one last battle cry, Lepidolite charged at Nosiop and prepared to land the finishing blow, but Nosiop quickly dodged the attack and stabbed Lepidolite in the face, causing her form to destabilize.

"BLACK RUTILE, NO!" Steven cried in shock.

"This is goodbye to you all." Lepidolite monologued to herself in her final moments of consciousness. "To my Rutile Rebels, to my fellow Gems. And yes, even you, Steven Universe."

In a brilliant explosion of black and white smoke, a mighty fusion was eliminated, and her components were reduced to their gems lying at Steven's feet. Once known as menaces to the entire Gem race, they made the ultimate sacrifice to defend the boy they called their greatest foe. They were Black Rutile and White Topaz, partners in crime turned Crystal Gems at heart.

"In their last moments, people show you who they really are," Nosiop said with a smirk before slithering away in disgust. However, he felt a strange presence behind him as he turned around to discover that Steven was turning pink with rage at the prince's lack of empathy. "What?!"

"Okay, Inner Steven, don't fail me now," Steven muttered as he charged at Nosiop and threw a punch of pure serene fury. To Nosiop's surprise, Steven's current state meant that he was outmatched in every way imaginable. "I'm going to break you and throw you to the wind!"

"I need to get out of here!" Nosiop cried like a coward before flying away, knowing how outmatched he was. As Steven de-transformed and let out a sigh of relief, he heard Black Rutile and White Topaz's gems shimmering behind him, signifying they were about to gain new forms once they were reformed.

Once the pair's physical bodies were restored, White Topaz discovered that her white diamond symbol was replaced with a Crystal Gem star. Similarly, Black Rutile found that she had a star as well, where her white diamond symbol once was.

"You're back!" Steven laughed in delight as he raced up to hug them both. "And look, you're Crystal Gems now too!"

"Took me long enough to get one of these." White Topaz chuckled with pride while Black Rutile frantically tried to pull her star off.

"Get it off me, get it off me, get it off me!" Black Rutile yelled in terror before Steven put a comforting hand on her arm, telling her that things would be okay once she got used to things. "Uh, is there a way I can move this somewhere else?"

"Not that I know of," Steven replied just as he heard the Diamonds and the Crystal Gems step outside. "Hey guys, check it out! Black Rutile and White Topaz are Crystal Gems!"

"Babe!" Jasper yelled in delight before tackling White Topaz to the ground and kissing her. "I knew you'd get one someday!"

"Yeah, me too, honey!" White Topaz laughed.

"Okay, this is definitely going to need some getting used to." Pearl muttered. "Steven, as much as we'd like you to explain what happened, that will have to wait because White has something to say." She then turned to the Diamond and gave her a nod.

"Thank you, Pearl, for that marvelous introduction." White Diamond declared before turning to Steven. "Steven, we must fuse with you to stand a chance against Squamata." Steven then gasped in response. As much as he was happy to see that Black Rutile was starting on the path of forgiveness, there were still some things he needed to forgive as well.

Yep, White Diamond just went there! But with Black Rutile finally starting to redeem herself, fate could have other plans in store, and I don't think I have enough time to get everything I want in these final chapters as well. Go ahead, talk about how rushed Black Rutile's story here is and how she got off a little too easy, I'm on a tight schedule here! But now that I finally finished this really long-ass chapter, it's time we prepare for the coming conclusion of Snake Eyes and the end of Steven and Black Rutile's story. Happy Halloween everybody, and take care.

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andrewmoocow · 2 years ago

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Steven Universe Snake Eyes chapter 8: The Cosmos Quiver (originally published on October 16, 2023)

AN: And so, everything begins falling into place. Steven has some leftover drama to resolve with the Diamonds, Black Rutile's redemption arc is on the horizon, and there's a giant snake monster about to wreak havoc and destroy the cosmos. And I still need to finish my notes on the remaining few chapters on my phone! How can Steven save the universe now when there's a monster of pure, unadulterated destruction on the horizon? Is there a chance he could receive some unexpected help from someone who is also in need of help herself? Stay tuned, folks, for everything begins coming to a head here.

Synopsis: Tensions are high on Serpentes when Nosiop announces his plans for conquest, while Black Rutile ponders if he really needs her.

Cast:

Zach Callison as Steven

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl

Aurelio Voltaire as King Cobralan Jormagundr

Shirley Millner as Queen Constrictra Jormagundr

Cissy Jones as Princess Naja Jormagundr

Henry Rollins as Captain Boa

Jennifer Paz as Lapis, Laz, Zuli

Shelby Rabara as Peridot, Squaridot

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Tom Scharpling as Greg

Grace Rolek as Connie

Ron Perlman as Inner Steven

Neil Flynn as Aescul

Alexia Khadime as Sardonyx

Billie Eilish as Turquoise

Sarah Stiles as Spinel

Nicole Sullivan as Sylvia Spectre

Kari Wahlgren as Envyrno, Pyrope

Wally Wingert as Rigby Starglow

Dominic Armato as Captain Gearfeet

JP Karliak as S-L1M3

Rob Paulsen as Monty the Moarchean

Steven Blum as Earthos, Deputy Edward

Beau Billingslea as Sheriff Spiegel

Britt Baron as Michelle Angelon

Julissa Aguirre as Lady Imagineer

Terrence C. Carson as The Decimator

Della Saba as Aquamarine

Charlyne Yi as Eyeball

Christine Pedi as Holly Blue Agate

Casey Lee Williams as Cat's Eye

Avi Roque as Cinnabar

Gina Torres as Andesine

Jinkx Monsoon as Emerald

Melissa Fahn as Demantoid

Halsey as Tanzanite

Hayley Kiyoko as Morganite

Jason Marsden as Prince Nosiop Jormagundr

Keith David as Pyth

Crispin Freeman as Mr. Manco

Sam Witwer as Torius Vosania

Featuring Ray Porter as Squamata

And Tim Curry as Velhallen Beo

Serpentes was in chaos. Just moments before halftime of the Contest of Champions ended and the competition could resume, Prince Nosiop abruptly stole his father's throne and claimed that he would now become ruler of Serpentes in place of Cobralan, for he believed that Cobralan was incapable of ruling. In addition, he proclaimed that there was an ancient evil Cobralan was hiding from the public for years, and Nosiop intended to fight it with an army of Gems to prove that the Slytherophidians were meant to conquer.

As the Slytherophidians were sent into a frenzy, Nosiop sat confidently on his new throne while Black Rutile stood by his side. "Ah, this is what it means to take command." Nosiop grinned with his fangs out. "Watching all these worthless insects scurry about while begging for someone to give them orders. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes, I agree very much, my friend." Black Rutile declared snidely when she felt someone tug on her cape, that someone being Aquamarine. "Oh, Aquamarine, fancy seeing you here. It feels like we haven't talked in a long while. What's up?"

"We have a question about that army of Gems that Nosiop mentioned." Eyeball said. "How are you going to acquire one, if I may ask? What, will we just make more Gems to serve us?"

"Ah yes, then I suppose it's time for a little history lesson." Black Rutile smirked as she played a holographic video of the Lapidarist's history lesson she spied on. "This is what is known as the Lapidarist. As the name should imply, this being is the mother of all Gems through her creation of what would eventually become the Great Diamond Authority. She possesses the power to create life, and I'm certain she also can reset all Gems to their base programming."

"Wait, what do you mean by base programming?" Holly Blue wondered alarmedly.

"This is going somewhere that I surely won't like." Cat's Eye added morosely.

"Oh, you're going to like what I have planned for her." Black Rutile declared. "Once I plead my case to the Lapidarist and she recognizes me as a poor unfortunate soul in pain and in need of help, she will answer my cries by wiping out all Gems across the universe and forcing them to return to the states from which they first originated, thus making them perfectly willing to follow my every command!"

"So, you're going to brainwash us all?!" Emerald shouted as she combed through the Rutile Rebels to confront Black Rutile. "You're simply plotting to erase everything about us, our personalities, our experiences, our lives, just to fulfill your selfish agenda?! I have done horrible things under both the Diamonds' and your command, but this is going too far!"

"Oh, come now, Emerald, you would probably do the same to make yourself more capable of getting rid of Lars." Black Rutile assured her advisor. "Really, you all should've expected that I'd do something this cruel and unusual towards others."

"Yes, like poofing us, for example?" Cinnabar, now fully reformed after being poofed earlier, declared as she and Cinnabar revealed themselves to Black Rutile. "All because we fancied ourselves better leaders than you?"

"Backstabbing two of your closest confidants was bad enough," Andesine added hotly. "but threatening to erase us all, who have pledged our lives to serve you and your goal of a brighter tomorrow for all Gems?"

"Now, everyone, I know this may seem a little rash, but I promise you all that this is for the greater good!" Black Rutile nervously said, lying through her teeth as she felt her subordinates would soon turn on her like everyone else did. "Please, you all have to listen to me!"

"We are done listening to you." Tanzanite declared fiercely. "White Topaz was right about you; you're a bad leader and a bad friend to all of us. You'd sooner throw one of us to the wolves to see if it was safe before running away at the first sight of danger than actually admit how flawed you are."

"I am not flawed!" Black Rutile shrieked angrily, tears forming in her eyes yet again. "Just please, somebody take my side for once!"

"I believe we all knew this was coming." Demantoid proclaimed harshly before turning to the other Rebels. "Come along, Rebels. Let us find somewhere else where we won't be abused."

"No, wait, please, come back!" Black Rutile yelled as she fruitlessly reached out to her now-former pawns. "You can't just leave me like this! You know the Crystal Gems wouldn't dare take you in!"

"We are well aware of that," Morganite replied coldly. "But at least they'd treat us better than you have."

"Honestly, why did I bother continuing to side with her?" Pyrope scoffed as the Rutile Rebels left their master in the dust for greener pastures, causing Black Rutile to tear up again.

"So, after all we've been through, this is how I'm treated?" Black Rutile groaned as she started crying and groveling on her knees. "What's even the point anymore?"

"To give people hope, dear Rutile," Nosiop said as he hugged his partner in crime. "So we can rip it away from them."

"Indeed, my girl." Pyth agreed with the insidious prince-turned-king. "Now come along. We'd like you to meet the rest of what we call the Serpent Society." As the two Slytherophidians led Black Rutile away from the Ouraborium, Nosiop gave Pyth a firm nod, to which Pyth replied with an evil smile.

Elsewhere in the stadium, Steven roamed the halls as he brooded to himself over what he had just learned from the Lapidarist and the Diamonds. Not only was White Diamond more like Pink Diamond than he realized, but the Diamonds were also hiding the fact that they did indeed commit genocide on a few planets that they had conquered. He needed time to process everything he learned, to the point where he barely realized that Nosiop had just announced his conquest of Serpentes.

"You see what sparing the Diamonds will lead you to?" Inner Steven coldly stated as Steven imagined the manifestation of his darker impulses walking alongside him. "You should've let me shatter White when I had the chance back on Homeworld. Then we wouldn't have had to suffer all of this!"

"You and I both know I would never take a life!" Steven shouted angrily at Inner Steven.

"Then what about Jasper?" Inner Steven retorted snidely.

"Okay, you raise a good point," Steven agreed. "but I'd never intentionally take a life."

"Even after my change of heart, I always found it annoying how you'd rather sit back like a coward because you think everyone deserves a second chance." Inner Steven stated. "Much like you, I never fully trusted the Diamonds and thought they would go back on their word to destroy us again at any moment. If that day ever comes, you must be ready for the worst possible scenario."

"Yes, it's true that I feel so utterly betrayed, but I don't think the Diamonds would ever go that far." Steven replied. "I just want to live my life where everyone isn't lying to me and keeping secrets that could destroy us all!"

"You know, on that note, heard the news lately?" Inner Steven added as he tapped his foot, and a voice rang out in Steven's mind-space.

"As of today, I shall now take my father's place as your ruler, for he is not fit to be a king or a Universal Lord. Let this be a wake-up call to you Slytherophidians, the Universal Lords, the Gem race, and the ignorant masses across the entire universe!" the voice of Prince Nosiop declared as a holographic image of him appeared before Steven. "I shall soon arrive with an entire army of loyal Gems at my side to face down an ancient foe my father has hidden from you for so long! We all must answer to the hand of fate, and fate has chosen me to conquer this world!"

"Who is that?" Steven asked his darker half in wonder at the prince before him.

"Prince Nosiop Jormagundr, son of Cobralan and self-proclaimed next in line to become king of Serpentes." Inner Steven revealed. "I'm sure you heard of him before. He and Black Rutile teamed up to conquer the planet and reboot the entire Gem race to turn into their slaves. Don't think you met him in person, though."

"So what, is he meant to be like the Slytherophidian equivalent to Black Rutile or something?" Steven asked.

"Close." Inner Steven answered. "I think he may share some qualities with you. But he's the answer to a very important question."

"What was the question?" Steven asked, not expecting a good answer.

"What if you were more like Pink Diamond growing up?" Inner Steven answered forebodingly. "Think of it. This boy clearly wanted to get everything he ever wanted even though he had everything handed to him on a silver platter, so he resorted to drastic measures when nobody paid attention to him. Remind you of anyone?"

"So what do I need to do?" Steven asked his inner self.

"It's quite simple, really." Inner Steven said with his figurative hands on Steven's shoulders. "You must stop history from repeating itself, or it will mean the universe's destruction and possibly beyond."

"What is the meaning of this?!" Cobralan roared as he slithered into the throne room upon hearing the news. "Nosiop, you better have a very good explanation of what you are doing because you are in big trouble, young man!"

"I see you've heard, my old friend." Pyth declared as he ominously snuck up behind Cobralan and grabbed him by the neck with a jagged knife in his scaly hands. "It seems your son will be getting his coronation early. But unfortunately, you won't live long enough to see him all grown up."

"Pyth, what is going on?" Cobralan asked his insidious advisor. "What is Nosiop doing? What are you doing? Answer me, blast you!"

"It's just a little something I've been working on for the past couple of years," Pyth revealed to his former king. "I notice that Nosiop wants to be seen for his great ideas, introduce him to Squamata, and then covertly guide him along as I use him to gain ultimate power." He slowly pressed the knife to Cobralan's throat. "Now then, tell me where Squamata's resting place is, and I promise you'll only come out of this with a few scars."

"I'll never tell you!" Cobralan yelled fiercely and tried spitting poison in Pyth's face, but the vizier barely reacted to the attack. "It's a secret that our family has kept for generations, and I refuse to give it up to the likes of you!"

"So that's the way it is, then." Pyth cruelly hissed as he prepared to stab the king in his throat with the knife. "Long live the king." However, his murder of the Slytherophidian king would have to wait as a loud crash was heard from above, followed by a hearty "OOOOO-HOHOHOHOHO!" that made him jump. "What was that?!"

"Good day, your majesty!" Sardonyx laughed as she smashed a hole in the throne room's ceiling to view Pyth's attempted assassination. "Am I interrupting anything?!"

"What is that thing?!" Pyth screamed in terror as Sardonyx reached into the throne room and grabbed Cobralan in her giant hand.

"Oh, pardon me for being so rude." Sardonyx giggled. "You may call me Sardonyx. I'm here with my lovely assistant, Turquoise, to rescue the fair king of Serpentes and put a stop to your dastardly schemes! Turquoise, please take care of Mr. Pyth, s'il vous plaît"

"Already on it," Turquoise replied as she conjured up some liquid metal that solidified into metallic restraints to keep Pyth imprisoned while the two fusions escaped. "Catch you on the flipside, Dorkus."

"Get back here, you two! Unhand me at once!" Pyth yelled furiously as he tried to escape his imprisonment. "Ugh, this is what happens when you've been spying on Gems for who knows how long. Eventually, they'll overpower you in every way imaginable. Now, can someone get me out of this thing?"

On the other side of the Ouraborium, the competitors of the Contest of Champions were trying their best to stay calm amid the chaos. Still, each had their own views about Nosiop's planned takeover of Serpentes.

"Yes, Chief, I'm already calling for backup." Sylvia Spectre said to her boss over her communication device. "Prince Nosiop will be brought to justice by sundown. What do you mean what will the king think?! Nosiop just stole his throne and said Cobralan was unfit to rule!"

"Hey Sylvie, can you talk a little faster so we can get out of here?" Envyrno complained impatiently while leaning back against the wall. "I wanna get the Abe Due Dumballa out of here and cause a little mischief already!"

"No, we cannot!" Sylvia declared sternly. "As an officer of the Coalition of Galaxies, it is my sworn duty to root out evil wherever it may lurk and bring them to justice, no matter the species. And that includes thugs like you, Envyrno."

"Oh geez, another busybody rule-follower." Envyrno groaned in dismay. "You should embrace your inner bad girl already. Let's go kill some horrible bosses together, get a purge going! Live a little! In fact, I know of this great place to hang out at a few star systems away. It's a new club that plays really great hardcore techno for a really hip young crowd."

"The answer is still no." Sylvia turned down Envyrno's offer. "Though that club does sound intriguing."

"Now you're speaking my language!" Envyrno gave a hearty chortle while putting a lava-covered arm around Sylvia's shoulder.

Meanwhile, Rigby Starglow stood up on a makeshift stage in the middle of the arena while tuning his guitar. "Good evening, folks, or whatever time it is on this planet. My name's Rigby Starglow. I'm the biggest rock star in the universe and today, I'm going to play you all a song to calm everybody down." He then began to strum on his guitar. "Breath, should I take a deep? Faith, should I take a leap?" Rigby started singing. "Taste, what a bittersweet. All my, all my life. Let me face, let me face, let me face my fears!"

Within the city of Alethinophidia, Captain Gearfeet was having the time of his life as he tipped over market stalls and broke into shops to engage in some looting. "Hee hee hee, this is the most fun I've had in ages!" he laughed happily while diving into a store window to steal its contents. "Come on, everybody, it's the end of the world. Let's get looting!"

"Stop right there, Gearfeet." Sheriff Spiegel declared as he pressed a laser pistol to the captain's nose. "We're gonna need you to hand over everything you stole so we can return them to their rightful owners."

"I dare you to try, copper." Gearfeet said as he protectively held onto his loot. "I'm not even sure who the original owners are anymore!"

"Everyone please, cease this conflict!" Michelle Angelon exclaimed as she flew down from above to get between the sheriff and the pirate. "I understand that you are on different sides of the law, but there are far more pressing matters at hand, my friends."

"Yeah, yeah, the giant space snake is a-coming, or whatever." Deputy Edward replied. "Man, haven't had a day this crazy since we fought those spice cultists back home, eh Sheriff?"

"You said it, Edward. I can still hear them now." Spiegel smirked. "He who controls the spice controls the universe!"

"Can we please get on with it?!" Gearfeet yelled. "I just wanna find a ship and go back to my crew already."

"You and us both, Captain." S-L1M3 said as he slithered to the four with Earthos, Lady Imagineer, Monty, and the Decimator behind him. "I just want to go home already. I didn't even get a chance to fight anybody!"

"I, for one, am still not satisfied with the hand I was dealt on this planet." The Decimator replied in his trademark deep, booming voice. "I demand the greatest fight these creatures could offer, yet time and again, I've been greeted with nothing but disappointment! Whatever this ancient foe Nosiop speaks of may be, it has got to give me a satisfactory challenge!"

"Whatever you say, big guy!" Monty said meekly before pulling out a photo of his wife and children back on his home planet. "Hold on, my family, I'll be home soon."

"That your fam there, Monty?" Earthos asked about the photo. "Not a bad lot, I'll say. Maybe I can visit sometime, be like the cool uncle to your kids."

"That would be so nice, Earthos." Monty replied sweetly before all the fighters gathered in Alethinophidia looked up at the sky to find that the clouds had changed. "Hey, what's that up there?"

"I believe it's a message." Lady Imagineer answered and began reading the message. "I think it says, 'Meet us at the castle at once. Signed, the Crystal Gems'."

"That just spells out B.U.T.T.," Monty said as he read the message in the sky himself. "How are you able to get all that?!"

"Call it a hunch." Imagineer smiled kindly in reply before she flew towards the castle. "Come on, everybody, follow me!"

"Hey, I think I can see people coming towards us!" Laz exclaimed as she, Lapis, and Zuli watched the Contest competitors race towards the castle. "Our message worked!"

"Good, but next time," Lapis said before turning to Zuli. "let's try and get straight to the point instead of just writing funny words in the sky. You're lucky this didn't end up like last time, Zuli!"

"Oh, come on, Lapis, you told me it was a good idea back in the day on Tritek!" Zuli tried shifting the blame to Lapis. "Those Gremlins didn't know what hit them!"

"Can you three please stop arguing and get back in here?!" Jasper bellowed for the three Lapides to come inside. "We need to think of a plan!"

The three terraformers hovered into the main hall of the castle, where the Crystal Gems have gathered the royal family of Serpentes, Captain Boa, Aescul, the Metals, the various contestants in the Contest of Champions, the Diamonds, Bialyoom and Meinerr, the Little Homeworld gems, the Universal Lords, and the Off-Colors together to form an alliance to save Serpentes and the universe.

"Good day to you all." Connie announced to the ragtag band of misfits. "As I'm sure you're all aware of what has been happening lately, about the announcement that Nosiop is plotting to conquer the planet with an army of Gems. Today, we have gathered you all to stop that for the good of everyone in the universe."

"I can't believe my son would do this to me." Cobralan muttered in shame and regret while looking down at his hands. "I've done so much for his happiness, and this is how he repays me? What have I done that would warrant such a reaction?"

"Do you want me to be honest with you or not?" Greg asked Cobralan.

"I'll take any answer at this point," Cobralan replied.

"To be frank, you're kind of a mediocre father," Greg admitted bluntly, much to Cobralan's shock. "What? You said you'd take any answer!"

"Don't fret, dear husband, I'm sure he's just joshing with you!" Constricta tried to cheer her husband up.

"No, I'm being serious!" Greg exclaimed. "I can definitely see you're a great & loving husband and a pretty darn good ruler to your people, but this whole contest has distanced you from your kids and their needs. I mean, Naja probably has serious self-doubt issues, and Nosiop speaks for himself."

"The human is right, father." Naja agreed with Greg. "Ever since you made me the Contest's master of ceremonies, I've had to deal with the fear of disappointing the masses, that I'd be unworthy of being a princess if I make just one mistake."

"Oh my dear, you'll never be a disappointment to me." Cobralan said as he comforted his daughter with a hug. "No matter what you do to impress the masses, you'll always be my little girl. Now, please, Naja, your mother and I urge you this one time. Please stand, stand by us."

"Okay, Father, I will," Naja replied with a sniffle. "And hopefully, we can bring Nosiop back to his senses too."

"So, what do we do now?" Amethyst asked. "The Lapidarist said we needed an ultimate fusion to stop this Squamata guy once and for all, but which one is it? Opal, Sugilite, Sardonyx, Alexandrite? Maybe even Malachite?"

"Hey, speaking of which, anybody seen Steven lately?" Pearl added. "I haven't seen him since the Lapidarist's history lesson, and I'm getting worried. Hopefully, he hasn't decided to leave Serpentes early."

"No way Steven would ever do that, not in a thousand different timelines I've examined." Garnet proclaimed. "He has to be here somewhere; we just need to know where."

"Probably still somewhere in the castle." Peridot answered. "Hopefully, he hasn't gone too far."

"I'll go search for him." Squaridot declared as she tried leaving the group, only to be stopped in her tracks when Peridot grabbed her stubby green arm.

"Oh no, you don't!" Peridot yelled. "I've known Steven longer; let me search for him!"

"No, I'll do it, you obnoxious nacho!" Squaridot argued with her triangular counterpart before the two hissed at each other and got into a slapfight.

"Spinel, you find Steven." Bismuth ordered Spinel, who gave a hearty salute and ran off.

"Hang on, Steve Summers, I'm coming for you!" Spinel yelled as she ran deeper into the castle.

"I hope Steven can find it in himself to forgive the Diamonds for lying to him." White Topaz said.

"Then again, he's just a very forgiving person in general." Aescul declared. "So this should be pretty easy for him."

"Finding this resting place is not easy at all!" Nosiop complained as he, Pyth, Black Rutile, and a few Slytherophidian soldiers ventured into the desert plains of Serpentes in search of Squamata's resting place. "We could've stabbed the location right out of Father, but then we had a couple of fusions ruining everything! No doubt the Crystal Gems are plotting against us as we speak!"

"Thank goodness you eventually got me out of those restraints, Black Rutile," Pyth said with a sinister smile at Black Rutile. "Now look alive. We got some friends on the other side on the horizon."

"Yes, that Serpent Society cult you told me about." Black Rutile replied. "Shouldn't there be more of us?"

"Unfortunately, most of our ranks have been lost to time, except for a few members still alive and kicking today," Pyth explained as a massive spaceship began descending upon Serpentes. Upon landing, its passengers revealed themselves to be a few faces that Black Rutile found familiar.

"Well well well, Torius Vosania." Black Rutile said upon recognizing the crime lord and estranged criminal brother of Batsputin Vosania. "Fancy meeting you here after you got brought to justice by those Pearls."

"Indeed, Black Rutile and I brought along a few new friends I met in prison." Torius declared as he revealed two more thugs by his side who had joined the brother of Batsputin in his revenge plot. One of them was Mr. Manco, the cybernetic menace of East Walleef from Sergione-29 who, much like Torius Vosania, also formed an alliance with Cinnabar in the past before the Black Pearl Brigade foiled his plans. However, the next villain was an even bigger shock to Black Rutile's core.

"No, that cannot be!" Black Rutile gasped in shock at the humanoid figure dressed in green armor with a foghat gray mask, blank red eyes, a purple cape, and a red V on his chest. "Velhallen Beo?! I thought Batsputin defeated you in the Battle of the Night! Were you in prison this whole time?"

"Indeed I was, Gem." Velhallen Beo replied with an arrogant sneer. "But now, thanks to Prince Nosiop, I can retake control of the Twilight Zone with the power of Squamata! Now tell us, where is he hiding?"

"Unfortunately, I was outsmarted by a few of the Crystal Gems before I could extort His Majesty for information," Pyth said regretfully. "Anyone else got any bright ideas?"

"Oh yes, I have one." Mr. Manco declared. "A rumor spread by a fellow prisoner named Titanius Anglesmith says that there is an ancient temple hidden beneath the surface of Serpentes, and only one may be sacrificed for the beast within to be unleashed."

"And I think we know just the sacrifice." Nosiop declared as all the members of the Serpent Society turned to Black Rutile with evil grins. "Black Rutile, would you care to help us unleash total death and destruction at the cost of your life?"

"What?! You can't just betray me like this when I've already been betrayed!" Black Rutile yelled in horror while Beo tried to grab her by the wrists. "Let go of me!"

"Don't try to fight it. You've been craving the sweet release of death, haven't you?" Beo hissed eagerly, stunning Black Rutile for a few moments before she regained her composure and tugged at Velhallen Beo's grip before tossing him over her head, causing the former Universal Lord to lose his grasp on the Gem terrorist. "What the?!"

"I have to warn Steven!" Black Rutile shouted the absolute last thing she ever wanted to say before making her escape.

"What are you waiting for, you nimrods?! After her!" Beo shouted when Nosiop put up a hand to block him.

"Leave her. She's going to bring Steven to us." Nosiop proclaimed. "Now then, anyone else care to be sacrificed? How about you, Maverick? Would you like to give up your life for my cause?"

"Uh, what?" Maverick muttered before Torius picked up the snake guard with his new and improved cybernetics and dragged him away. "I do not consent to this! I demand a two weeks' notice!"

Back at the Jormagundrs' castle, Steven was sitting on one of the castle battlements as he gazed up at the bright afternoon sun when he heard someone approaching him.

"Hey, Steven!" Spinel exclaimed while sitting down next to her best half-human friend. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Yeah, it's about the Diamonds." Steven said softly. "I thought I learned all I could ever learn about them, but then they whip out this whole coverup and make me even more justified in my paranoia! If it turns out someone who loved you was hiding a huge secret this whole time, how would you react?"

"You mean the whole Pink Diamond thing?" Spinel replied with a blunt expression on her face. "Yeah, I'm not sure how to react, considering she died and didn't even tell me because I was standing in the middle of the garden for thousands of years! But the point is, you can't just hold it against the Diamonds for as long as you live, especially since we got a crazy prince about to kill us all!"

"I have every right to hold it against them!" Steven argued with Spinel. "I have every right to be so wary of them, considering that they're acting like they didn't scar me for life, brainwashed my friends, and nearly killed me just because I'm family!"

"Wow, never knew you could hold a grudge, Steven," Spinel muttered in shock. "But hey, it's not like things could get any worse from here on out, right?" Just then, the ground beneath the two began shaking, almost like an earthquake had struck Serpentes. "Me and my big mouth!"

The skies began turning darker than the blackest void as a massive snake creature with green scales, a yellow underbelly, and ginormous sharp fangs emerged from afar and released a mighty roar. "I have turned hundreds upon thousands of worlds to dust in the name of darkness and devastation until I was robbed of my glory." Squamata, the fearsome god of Serpentes, roared for all to hear across the universe. "I will stride across the bones of my enemies and bask in the glow of pure evil, for all of existence shall be mine to consume!"

It turns out that forgiving the Diamonds for their past atrocities would be the least of Steven's worries.

The worst has finally come.

Yeah, you and your big mouth, Spinel. At long last, Squamata has been unleashed and is free to destroy all that he sees! At least until an army of Gems can bring him down for good, but it won't be the army that Nosiop desires. Plus, it'll only be a matter of time before Squamata goes out of control and betrays the Serpent Society to pursue his goal of destroying everything he sees. How can the Crystal Gems possibly survive against a creature that only knows and revels in such levels of destruction and chaos? We'll just have to wait and see.

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