Lost

Chapter 14

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Connie and Greg grin and giggle at Steven's antics. Seeing him leap easily several hundred feet into the air, or across the sand, alarms them at first until they realize he must still be able to use some of his powers, namely, floating. The other gems return just as a low rumbling sound begins in the air. Knowing it's most likely the Diamond ship entering the Earths atmosphere, they all gather closer to the temple. Amethyst calls Steven back over the house with her, joining Greg and Connie at the base of the steps. Peridot and Lapis fly up onto the deck while Bismuth stands next to Greg. Pearl and Garnet stand next to Amethyst. Everyone is tense, and standing as though ready for a fight, despite knowing there won't be one. Old habits die hard. Before long the rumbling intensifies and the torso and arms of the Diamond Ship appear on the horizon, rapidly closing in on their position. The ship reaches the beach where they alight carefully next to the temple.

A white bubble phases through the ship and lands on the sand, dissipating to reveal the Diamonds, with Spinel on Blue's shoulder. The gems remain in place as they close the distance between them. They each stop and gasp as they get a closer, in person, look at Steven. Yellow scrunches her brow and looks away, unable to bear the image her mind supplies of how much he must be suffering. White's face becomes a blank mask, carefully hiding the guilt she feels deeply, blaming herself for all of this. Blue, tears in her eyes for the first time in years, kneels in front of the group. She shakily reaches out to Steven as Spinel climbs off her shoulder, only to halt as Steven cowers behind Amethyst and Connie, shaking like a leaf. Spinel watches the interaction, remembering how heartbreaking it felt for Steven to be so scared of her, and knowing the pain must be so much worse for Blue.

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As soon as the giant metal half person appeared in the sky he felt fear course through him. It's different from what he felt with Amethyst and the others. That was simply a fear of something new and unknown, this is deep in his bones, making them ache, muscles tense and twitch, and heart race so fast it's like a buzz in his ears. The feeling only intensifies as three giant women exit the giant metal person, and approach him and his family. The feelings become the most intense when he looks at the white one. The yellow and blue ones frighten him, but the white one downright terrifies him, rooting him to the spot with the echo of cold heartless laughter ringing in his ears. He doesn't know why they affect him so.

"Let's skip the pleasantries shall we? Yellow, why don't you start?" The white one says.

The yellow one steps forward, the blue one moving aside to give her room, sparks flickering around her hands as she leans down and points at him. The power reaches him, and courses through his body. It's uncomfortable, makes his fur stand on end, makes his skin feel tight, as if it's too small for his body. He whines, he wants it to stop. Needs her to stop. His muscles spasm and he collapses to the ground. Please make it stop!

The static energy begins to dissipate and he heaves a sigh of relief. "With my new power I should be able to alter his physical form!" He peeks an eye open at the giant women. He's not sure what they're saying, every sound has a static quality to it now.

"He may be resisting, maybe he needs to feel better first. I can help with that!" The blue one gestures and a fluffy blue cloud appears in her hand. She daintily blows it toward him, he braces for the impact, but feels nothing. He opens his eyes and looks around himself, the cloud around him quickly dissipating, along with the static in his ears. He huffs and shakes off the remaining cloud clinging to his fur.

"Your new power didn't work either!" the blue and yellow ones stand back to their full, giant, heights.

"Enough of this. Maybe if I connect with him and he speaks through me we can better understand what he's going through." The scariest giant woman steps forward. Her steps make the ground beneath him shudder.