A New Era Three

Chapter 12: The Reveal

AN: I am hoping to get chapters out more routinely now that I am back in my office at work, which means less distractions and more time to focus on what really matters during dead periods. Like writing.

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Steven didn't know how long White had him sitting at the control console. He tried to keep up with the flashing images to learn more about the colony, but eventually, it all just faded into a tired blur. Plans upon plans flashed by, all approved by White or tweaked slightly until she was satisfied.

Small surges of her thrill would keep Steven awake — White was so out of touch with the world that planning a new colony was actually fun for her. But every time Steven's eyes would droop, her heart would leap at the sight of something Pink designed six thousand years ago and phrases like "No, this won't do" would float in and out of his head.

When he did have a chance to doze off, his sleep wasn't restful. His dreams, once filled with Crying Breakfast Friends, Cookie Cats, and Pizza Monsters, were so different now. In one, he remembered laying on top of a giant strawberry. The scent of the old battlefield was strong and sweet; his back cool against the fruit as little seeds poked him through his shirt. The wind rustled the leaves and everything was quiet.

Quiet as the night sky glistened with hundreds of injectors silently floating down, their drills pointed straight at Earth.

Another was of Blue and Yellow Diamond. They stood next to him and smiled at what they saw: humans being rounded up for a second Human Zoo. Stepping over gem shards as they moved in rows toward a giant spaceship.

"Pink, you really thought this through," White trilled again, her voice actually impressed at once. "Maybe we were wrong to doubt your ability to run a colony."

Steven just sighed; his eye lids were so heavy and his heart felt like a piece of living concrete in his chest. Every once in a while, he would catch a glimpse of himself in the reflection of the chair, floor, or console. The thing that worried him most wasn't the dark circles under his eyes and a frown that he was too tired to feel on his face — it was that it didn't show how he truly felt. For the first time in his life, he wasn't being betrayed by his face.

No one saw the nearly overflowing dam of tears that White struggled to hold back, or hear the silent plea that was stuck on his tongue, or see the look to utter panic that his eyes couldn't reveal. Everything inside of him just hurt. It was worse than when he convinced himself he didn't want to be friends with Connie, worse than when he couldn't heal Amethyst's gem and she almost died, and worse when he distracted Pearl and caused her form to poof.

It was even worse than when White removed his gem.

He doubted he could even describe to the gems, should they ever ask. He doubted he would even want to. They didn't need to feel like every inch of their hearts were being smothered in an icy hand with nails that dug into him and pulled at the very core of his being. They didn't need to feel needles running up and down their legs every time they were forced to move when they didn't want to, or yanked by unseen strings that were attached to their wrists. They didn't need to know what it felt like to be a puppet.

"They wouldn't even remember it," White waved off his thoughts without acknowledging the real worry behind them. "I suspect you only do, Steven, because you're human. But Pink? She doesn't feel a thing. She's just using you as a scapegoat to my power. Hiding behind your humanity."

Steven paused his self pity for a moment.

"What did you say?"

"Pink wouldn't feel a thing. Honestly, Steven, you should listen," White tutted, carelessly.