#dear old dad ~ [ alt greg rps ]

[two-sides-halved]

@erisdiamas | Continued

The cocoon of thorns completely encased the fusion, making the cocoon starting to form the shape of any egg. The sound of sobbing muffled through the vines, before the plants were thick enough to mask the sound completely. The sound of thunder boomed in the distance but it didn't bother the fusion inside the egg like cocoon.

Inside the mindscape, Human Steven was sobbing distraught. Gem Steven focused on the other trying his best to comfort his mourning brother. "Steven... I'm sorry about all of this... I I should never have made that stupid message to the galaxy if if I had just taken up the mantle of Pink Diamond like I was supposed to, we would have never been in this mess." Gem Steven replied rubbing the others back. Human Steven turned to the other, his sad expression morphing into one of anger, "Steven, would you stop blaming yourself for once in your life! I was so excited for you to get him... I'm happy I managed to get everyone's memories back but... it's not your fault... it's her fault" Gem Steven looked at his brother confused. "I gave her all my time, all my energy, I did my best to help her feel better about standing in the garden for 6000 years. I was so patient with her. I tried my best trying to be fair, to be nice... you were right... not everyone deserves that kindness." Human Steven's voice got darker, "she took away Connie's future... so now all she's going to do is live in a hell of her own creation."

The cracks between the vines of the egg shaped cocoon glowed with a vibrant bright pink glow. The egg had grown bigger and bigger before bursting into an explosion of roses, thorns and shredded vines. The gem on the fusion was no longer looked like the normal rotation of a round gem, the gem was rotated now showing the full size of the diamond gem embedded in their body. The large fusion stood up on his two feet, the clothes he was wearing stretched and torn to accommodate his bigger size only covering the upper part of their chest while a new pair of arms was coming out of the sides of their abdomen and they were unhindered by clothing.

Instead of standing at the height of an average Quartz solider the fusion stood the same height of Pink Diamond, dwarfing Spinel as now he was twice as tall as she was. The fusion sported pink skin, their hair no longer dual tone, now it was one solid light pink and the very tip of their large mane of light pink hair stopped at the knees. His eyes were fixed on Spinel, his breathing heavy. His mouth dripping with salvia due to not being about to properly close their jaw. Gem Steven looked over, "Alright, I gotta say I'm not sure how I feel about the energy but how do you suppose we do that?" "Just follow my lead." Human Steven replied, his arms lifting up. Gem Steven following the others lead. The two of them stared at each other, the pink eyes of the fusion's pupils changed now both of them a deep crimson red. The fusion's face soften and they extended both pairs of arms for the other as an apology? Spinel dropping her weapon to the side went in close for the hug. Perhaps she had been seen that she had gone to far and was accepting the hug as a truce? Or perhaps she thought that Pink had finally returned to her by mentally breaking her sons and now they could finally be together. "Steven, why are we giving her a hug?" "We're not hugging her... we're just getting her close enough to do this."

The fusion in one big swift movement, opened their dropping wet maw, revealing their two sets of teeth. Spinel looking up, realizing the trap she had just walked into, "oh fuu--" The fusion took a large chomp out of Spinel's form ripping her stretchy body to shreds causing her physical form to finally poof, the gemstone now in their maw and the massive fusion proceeded the chew on the gemstone in their mouth until it was practically a powder that turned into a thick paste, before they gave a thick gulp.

The fusion was brought back to the moment at hand by the thundering and lightening happening around them. Their eyes went back to the balanced form of normal. Black diamond pupil and white star pupil. The fusion had scooped up Connie's lifeless halves into the second pair of arms, carefully packing her organs into the cheeseburger backpack being extra careful that the majority of her corpse was in their trusty backpack. She deserved a proper burial even if it was going to be on Homeworld.

"Garnet!... Amethyst!... Pearl!!" He called out as he continued walking with picking up Connie's sword as well as the family's sword and bubbled them putting them into their gemstone. In the mindscape. "Ok, we gotta find Lion and Dad and get out of here, we can explain what happened with Connie and Spinel once we get to homeworld." Gem Steven replied, "... Steven?" "Connie..." He muttered, as he was holding a swarm of butterflies taking Connie's shape in his arms. "Alright, I guess I'll go find Dad and Lion and comfort you when we get to Homeworld when we're safe and sound." Gem Steven replied seeing how his brother was withdrawing in the fusion after what had happened to Connie, he didn't blame him, if he had seen Sadie like that he would be devastated. His breath hitched as he had realized that Sadie was at Beach-a-Palooza but he never got to see her play, not as himself anyway. He shook his head, "Focus Universe you got Lion and Dad to find."

"Must've warped." Mega Steven continued trying to look for Lion since he wouldn't leave them behind, nor would he be able to use the warp pad without them, seeing Lion in the distance as they ran closer hopping another gap while the lower arms had held on to Connie making sure she didn't fall out of the backpack, clinging for dear life. As Mega Steven landed gracefully against the ground, he heard the familiar sounds of his father. "Dad!!" He called out looking around for the source of Greg's struggling noises.

[two-sides-halved]

@erisdiamas | Continued

Raspberry Tart looked over with a chuckle as the performance had taken her out of her train of thought of pestering him to get to the point and to stop the constant reminders that time is running out. Raspberry Tart nodded, "Yes. That is usually the case, humans can't fuse with gems... but Human Steven is no typical human."

Raspberry Tart gently pet over the younger ones head, "I take it for the moment you forgot this was a memory... trust me this wouldn't be the first time that Greg would fall from a great height... and this surely isn't the last time either." He replied.

Human Steven struggled to get up to his feet, his body exhausted. "Rose, I need to help my son please." Greg replied, carfully climbing out of Rose's grip while she followed spotting the son the other was mentioning, she squinted at him, he was Steven, but why is there a strange familiarity with that name then there was before. "Steven, are you ok?" The human Steven breathed heard, "Oh, yea, I'm fine... great really." "Oh that's good." "Stchtuball, now's not the time for sarcasm." Greg replied moving to help up his son, to his feet. "??" Rose was confused now. "Well, If Steven's not hear who's gonna dish out the sass to keep the moral up?" He asked huffing. Pearl looking over, "We should get him home, he hasn't eaten a thing all day." "I have too... I shared an order of mozzarella sticks to teach Amethyst how to eat." "Dude, you had one, out of the whole basket you shared with me." "I still ate something today." "Clearly not enough, now let's get you feed and think of a new plan on how to speed up this massive trip down memory lane so I can have my other son back please." Greg replied, carrying him off stage by himself.

[two-sides-halved]

@erisdiamas | Continued

Raspberry Tart's eyes rested on the small child, even he looked tired, and he manipulates the realm of the mindscape just a snap of his fingers on a near daily basis. He took a breath, "As you want, but remember what I've said, it's not my fault if you don't take the chances I've given you to leave."

He commanded his swarm of butterflies. The butterflies flying faster and faster, before the two of them were teleported out side of the memory of the gem-space itself, and rather observing the actions outside, just like the third person observers they were acting as in that moment.

Human Steven, Greg, and Connie were looking over the gems splayed out on the coffee table. The kitchen still a mess from the days worth of baking the cookies uneaten. Human Steven still glowing pink. "hey Schtuball, its gonna be ok, they'll be back in no time." Greg replied trying to keep a positive attitude. Connie nodding, "Yea, I mean this isn't the first time they poofed right?" Human Steven gaze was at his brother's gem, "Yes, this wouldn't be the first time, but this was certainly different, this gem came out of no where, with this giant drill that's pumping the Earth full of something, and then she said 'my human half wouldn't stand a chance' I mean granted I think she might have thought Steven was a hybrid, maybe?... but she said she did something to his gem! What did she do to you guys??" The human's voice cracking feeling the sadness in his throat, before seeing Pearl's gem start to float up into the air, eventually forming a hologram of a clam asking for a name. Steven and Connie both silent before turning to Greg, who spoke out his own name with a shrug. Pearl reforming in front of them. However not in the same outfit that Pearl sported before. The short hair that stopped just at the neckline with golden choker, pink cold shoulder top with the small darker pink star on her chest, with the long green fingerless gloves, with a darker green pair of pants that stopped at the mid calf, with a muddy red pair of flats with green socks that matched the gloves, were replaced with a long braided hair style that came down to the Pearl's waist, her outfit now more of a fancy dress, a pink diamond on her chest to indicate the Diamond she served, while a second pink diamond where her navel would be as a way to match her diamond. This Pearl had walked past the concerned Steven that was so confused to see her like this, only for her to greet his father as her Um Greg Universe. His eyes widening in shock, as the Pearl began to sing. The gem residing in her right palm wasn't cracked at all adding to more of the confusion. As the others reformed one after another, Ruby sporting a pony tail holding her curly hair back, Sapphire, forming soon after her hair reminiscent of a Padparadscha rather than the long hair most Sapphires were known for, Amethyst looking like a little puppet mimicking everyone else's movements as she was overcooked. It became more and more clear to Human Steven, "They forgot who they were.... this thing made them forget who they were." His eyes widened, going to pop the bubble containing Spinel, as she floated up as the other gems besides his brother's gem who still laid on the table dormant. The once twisted gem's heart shaped gem formed with it right side up and her glowing arms wrapping around Steven practically launching her into a hug knocking him to the ground and making him roll into the counter, with the song from the reset Pearl explaining that this cutey heart clad gem with the perfect cut, and that was pink as well, was named Spinel. Human Steven looked at her confused at the form he had seen before getting reset back into this small innocent form. "..." Human Steven twitched, his mind putting the pieces together, if everyone had forgot who they were that meant.... He just started muttering no repeatedly under his breath, his tears welling up in his eyes, to the point where he couldn't see, he was shaking. He lost Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl and Steven all in one day. While this cute little gem had no recollection of the days events at all, even trying to cheer him up by making his cute little faces, but his grief was stronger than the efforts of those around him at the moment... after all, there was that voice... it seemed familiar but distant?

[two-sides-halved]

@erisdiamas | Continued

Raspberry Tart watched as Steven went outside with Spinel, the gems had fully put their trust him to fix things. The sound of heavy metal music had gained his attention.

Steven and Spinel had passed the van that was rocking back and forth, there was loud heavy metal music playing and through the door that was swaying with the music, long pink curls were moving in large waves as Rose was head banging appreciating the music as a human would. Steven was smiling as he walked with Spinel to the injector, Peridot, and Bismuth confused as to why she was ok to be free now that she remembered who she was, but decided if she wasn't harming Steven in that moment it was best not to call it out, in fact, Bismuth had noticed that Pearl and the others hadn't come out quite yet and went to go see if there was a plan for if this all went up in smoke. Then it was just Steven and Spinel, no other bystander's insight. Spinel looked back at Steven, with a deep breath, "Here we are... Steven, you said that I could have a second chance on Earth right?" "Yea, of course. I know the gems didn't give you the warmest reception, but you do have to remember they need sometime to process you're changing for the better too." He smiled. "Right... but what about after I stop the injector... and you get what you want... how do I know you're not going to reset me again..." She asked. "Well, I did that out of self defense before, and I believe you can change... I know you can turn this around Spinel... and..." He replied, paused calling for Lion again, Spinel stepping back knowing how the Lion would tackle Steven with nothing but love like she had seen him do before. Steven went out to take the rejuvinator out of Lion's mane, the sight of the device in his hands made her tense, she watched him like a hawk assuming that he was going to reset her once this was all over, she went to open her mouth, but Steven continued, "As a show of my faith in you." He extended the device and slammed the rejuvinator over his knee and broke the rejuvinator in two pieces they crackled with energy before fizzling out on the ground. "I'm not going to reset you... you deserve to have a second chance with all your memories to know how much you've grown and changed as a person." He smiled. Spinel stared at him, she almost couldn't believed what she saw, he really wasn't like his mother, he really meant what he had sung up in the garden and that wasn't just some catchy tune to convince her. Rose had finally grown tired from all the headbanging in the van, turning the music off, going to see how Steven was doing after his meal since she was still heavily worried about him from before. She looked over to the gems inside unsure of what they were talking about but seeing Steven was absent from the table, and turned to look out near the injector. her eyes set sights on Spinel, she looked more menacing than the little heart clad form she had been sporting for most of the day. Rose like the gems before had assumed that Spinel had reverted to her old personality, and she wasn't about to let Spinel hurt Steven, she summoned the family sword, Greg unable to stop his reset son from charging out of the van at a fast pace.

[two-sides-halved]

An Exciting First Day At School | @withinkandquill

Human Steven wore a bright blue shirt with a yellow star in the middle of the the chest, that stopped just above the knee, a pair of jean shorts, blue sandels and a novelty cheeseburger backpack, a lunch with his name on it in both English and Gem Glyph, a pencil case that contained pencils, pens, crayons, colored pencils and markers, a sleeping bag for nap time and his stuffed toy, Mr. Queasy.

It was the first day of human kindergarten. He was standing on the sidewalk outside the front door of the school. Greg, Rose and Gem Steven watched from the van. A teacher watching from inside the doorway was ready and waiting to greet him. Human Steven stood there shaking in his sandels. He gulped nervously, his stomach dropped to the floor.

He was so sleepless due to his excitement for school the night before but now that the time came, he was sick. The 5 year old had never thought that his parent's would leave him with a bunch of strangers after years of explaining 'stranger danger'. This was all so new and confusing. His father explained school was gonna happen on the weekdays, it was gonna be from 12pm to 3pm, and that they were always gonna drive to school and pick him up.

Human Steven muttered quietly to himself, "It's gonna be okay, Steven. Kindergarten is gonna be fun. I get to learn things and make new friends and eat the lunch my dad made and draw stuff. You can do this... you just gotta walk up inside the doors, of that super big, super scary building..." he gulped again.

Human Steven turned to look at his parents. Greg and Rose were waving to him with gentle smiles on their face, encouraging him from the van. Gem Steven was silent, blankly staring at him as he always did, but his hand was on the window as a form of encouragement.

Human Steven waved to his family. He was can do this.

[two-sides-halved]

@erisdiamas | Continued

Raspberry Tart looked over toward to the younger one with a simple nod. She wanted to see everything, so everything she'll get, he only hopes that she'd wake up thinking it was because she ate so soon before bed, or it was due to the heat of sleeping on the couch, instead of in a room with A.C.

Human Steven was right by Spinel's side. "Alright, you've got this." "You say that so easily, how do you know everyone's so willing to forgive and forget." "Well, usually the first step to solving a problem is admitting you had a problem in the first place." Human Steven encouraged. Meanwhile, Greg had taken the rejuvenated Gem Steven in the form of Rose, wearing Gem Steven's trademark clothing, which a similar outfit he changed into earlier in the day, toward the carwash to listen to music away from the rest of the bunch so Steven could focus on Spinel. However, Rose was getting increasingly worried about him, "Greg, I've had a wonderful time listening to music with you, but I'm worried about Steven... he seems stressed out and I wanna do my best to alleviate that stress." Rose mentioned. Before Greg could convince her other wise, she sped off home leaving pink molten footprints in the pavement as she headed toward the temple. Rose had slowed to a halt seeing Steven talking to Spinel but not being able to make a word out of what they were saying, but the fact she looked like she was covered in spikes put her on the offensive seeing her shift her fingers into a giant horn. Rose swiftly summoned her shield and sword, and sliced Spinel without hesitation, causing Spinel to poof and retreat into her gem. Before Rose was able to check if Steven was ok. The once calm Steven to turn bright pink growing to match her size in height. "What in the actual FUCK were you thinking?" Human Steven asked but putting a finger to Rose's mouth before she could let out a word, "No, shut up. That was a rhetorical question. I already know what you're thinking, it's what everyone's always thinking about me for years now, 'Oh, I hope Steven's ok, after all he's only a fragile little human, he couldn't hope to defend himself'" He exhaled through his nose continuing, "From the moment you all got rejuvenated, I was working my ASS off to try and fix this mess, that YOU caused. I've spent my entire childhood cleaning up after all of the shit YOU left behind... my brother solely wanted to shield me from it all..." He started tearing up, remembering when Gem Steven had unfused them and throwing him off the ship into the water with everyone else. "But you can't just tossing me out the ship like garbage every single time you think it's too dangerous for me." The tears in his eyes dripping down his cheeks, "I'm not this frail sick child any more... I can handle myself. Now I've gotta apologize to Spinel for you just attacking without any reason." He replied turning to Spinel's gem on the ground. Rose paused, "Steven, I..." "Just go... I can handle myself." His words cold, his tone stinging with a familiar anger. Rose was quiet before turning to head toward the house in quiet, slowly making her way back to the temple, in hopes of maybe trying to understand how to help Steven feel better after all this was over.