(warning, non canon)
"You ready for tonight guys!" Steven shouted with excitement. He was so excited for the celebration that was so close at hand.
"Hell yeah!" Amythest shouted as she and Jorge walked with him outside.
"I think this is the first time I've seen a 4th celebration since the war. It'll be good to have some fun tonight." Jorge said with a smile. He was excited to use Etilkas twin.
As they walked outside they saw everyone getting the fireworks loaded. As well as setting up all the food and drinks that tonight needed.
Steven quickly jumped off the deck and ran over to John and Jasper. Both had large boxes of bottle rockets in their hands that they were hauling put to the dock.
"Hey, you guys seen Will and Peridot? I need them to help load the firecracker launchers. But I havent seen them anywhere." He asked the supersoldiers.
John thought for a second before he looked back to Steven.
"I havent seen them since lunch. I havent seen where Naomi went either. But if I had to guess the evil geniuses are off making a giant firework mech." John stated with amusement in his voice.
Jasper let out a cackle at that comment. She could imagine it now. A massive figure lumbering toward everyone. Before it launched thousands of fireworks out of it arms.
Steven just paled at that thought. He knew for absolute certainty that that was a possibility. He only hoped that they cut it back a little bit.
But he also knew that there was no chance of that happening.
"Thank you, I'll go ask Quasar then. He'll probably know where everyone is." Steven said as he walked away to let them continue what they were doing.
He spotted the tall robotic figure of Quasar tuning an electric guitar. It was bright blue and black with silver trimmings. All on a classic curved shape.
Steven bounded through the sands to get to the AI. But he bumped into Spinel on the way there. Steven nearly fell to the ground but she stretched her arms out to catch him. Pulling him around and onto his feet.
"Hiya Steven, where ya going!" She said with excitement. She retained some of her crazy appearance. Most notably the unkept pigtails and darker colors.
"Oh hey Spinel, I was just going to talk to Quasar. I was wondering where Naomi, Will and Peridot were. I need them to wire everything up."
Spinel jumped up and down with excitement. ",Oh, they asked Pearl to do that earlier. The arbiter helped her and it was done an hour ago. But as for those three I don't know where they are right now."
"Ok, thanks for the info Spinel." Steven said as he continued over to the AI.
Spinel waved as she bounced away like a spring.
"Well, at least all the wiring is done. And good to know Thel is coming to the party. The more the merrier." Steven said with a grin as he finally got to Quasar. The AI looking up from the guitar he was tuning.
"Oh, hey Steven. What do you need?" He asked.
"Well, have you seen Peridot, Will and Naomi around. I don't have any idea where they are right now." He explained to the AI.
"Oh god, their probably off making some ungodly creation. But I do know Will's supposed to play with me at the party. So you know where one of them supposed to be."
Steven folded his arms and thought for a second. That didn't give him much to go on.
"Oh, and th Pillar of Autumn was taken out of drydock by Cortana and Naomi this morning. I can only imagine what their using it for." Quasar said with a bit of fearas he returned it his guitar.
Steven then turned around to go looking but Lapis set done right next to him. Her form not changing much from the first time he saw her reform. But he liked that about her, she stayed the same person he fell in love with.
"Hey Steven, just finished up with the mortars on top of the hill." She said as she stretched.
"Hey, have you seen the evil geniuses around by any chance. I need to make sure they aren't making a doomsday firework." He said with a chuckle.
Lapis pondered it for a moment before turning back to him. "Well, I havent seen them anywhere and I'm sure you've already checked the temple. The only place I can think of is the barn."
Steven then held his hand out to his lovely wife. "Well then, would you like to go look for them with me."
Lapis took his hand and smiled. "How could I not. A chance to be with you and possibly see something blow up. It's a win-win."
The two then too each other's hand and fused with a brief flash of light. A female figure then soared off into the sky with wings of water that had pink crystalline feathers.
Iolite wore a dark purple tailcoat over her hot pink shirt. Her pants covered in dark blue jeans that covered her purple skin. Her purple Diamond pupils stared out at the clouds as a grin was plastered on her face.
But sadly the flight only lasted for maybe 3 minutes before she had to land in front of the barn. Iolite then split back apart into her two components and they walked into the building.
The red building had become Naomi's residence/workshop in the past decade. But Will and Peridot also came here when the three worked on a project together.
Some of which include
-plasma flame thrower
-hardlight shield
-giant robot mk I
-giant robot mk II
-giant robot mk III
-giant robot mk IV
-Wall-E
And many others Steven both didn't know and probably didn't want to know. Although Wall-E was adorable.
Steven walked in and was followed quickly by Lapis.
The entire ground floor was full of machinery. Ranging from 3D printers and hardlight projectors to bandsaws.
There were a few small projects that layer about on the benches that lined the opposite wall. And they weren't accessing the computer either.
Lapis flew up to the second floor while Steven jumped up. This was where the Spartan slept. With a queen sized bed and a nightstand with a Magnum set atop it. There was also a tv set facing the bed to complete it. But again there was nothing to give them clues there. So they continued to the deck on the second floor.
And as soon as they walked outside they noticed something was up. Usually there were two chairs and an umbrella that was attatched to the rail.
But now there was nothing other than a large Coilgun that was set up and facing the ocean. There was also 2 70mm Coilgun shells that were different than the ones he has seen before. For example the only thing metal on them was the outside shell. Inside were a bunch of cardboard shells.
"Oh god, did they make a firework Coilgun." Lapis size as she facepalmed.
"It would appear so." Steven said in both amusement and exasperation. He should have expected something more like this.
Add firework Coilgun to the list of groups projects.
"Well, we should be getting back." Lapis said as she gestured to the night sky that was getting closer and closer.
"Yeah, your right. Let's go have some fun. We'll just have to wait and see what they do with these." Steven said as the two fused once more into Iolite and quickly flew back. Missing the massive MAC gun sized firework shell.
They unfused just in time to see everyone getting ready to set off the fireworks. More than a few people already eating.
Garnet walked over to the two with a smile on her face.
"Where have you two been hhhmmm. Having a little 'fun'."
"No, but mmight later. But we could ask the same thing about Ruby and Sapphire couldn't we? We were looking for Will, Peridot and Naomi." Lapis told the fusion.
"Touche. Find anything?"
"All we know is that the Pillar of Autumn was taken out of port by Naomi and Cortana. While the three have made a firework Coilgun." Steven finished.
"Well it can't be to bad. Now go and have some food you two. The fireworks will be starting soon." She said as she rubbed the hybrids head and soaked back to everyone.
The two then wlaked over and parties with everyone else. With music being played over everything and a plentiful amount of bear being drank.
_______
Cortana grinned like a madwoman as she gazed out the viewports of the Autumn. She then turned back to Naomi, who was at the holo table.
"Well well well, looks like our plan will go off without a hitch."
"Well yeah, good thing big bro is an Admiral now. Otherwise we'd have to take the ship by force." She said to the AI.
Cortana laughed at that. "Like anyone other than a diamond or other Spartans found handle you three. If someone could, I'd pay a lot to see it."
"In your dreams Cortana."
Cortana then opened up a comm channel to the two lovebirds. They were the ones that came up with this idea. But Naomi encouraged it highly.
"We're almost to target area. You two ready to go?" She asked, but she already knew the answer.
"Do the prophets eat shit." They screamed.
Cortana turned to Naomi. "We're good to go."
"Alright, you two are ready to launch. Well handle the rest. Have fun!" Cortana said as she saw a massive streak of green fire and meatellic wings leave behind a figure in armor.
______
Jorge and the Arbiter were readying the fireworks as everyone partied.
"I just admit, I do like this Human celebration. It's nice to use explosives for something other than warfare." Said the Arbiter to Jorge.
The large Spartan nodded in agreement. He was finishing loading the belt of firework rockets into the chaingun. "Yep, I havent seen one of these celebrations in over 4 decades. I just have been a kid the last time."
"Well, you ready to light this?" Jorge said with a smirk.
"Affirmative, let the celebration commence." The Sangheili then pressed the red button and the preprogrammed firework sequence started.
(Play uncontainable by Set it Off)
Everyone looked to the sky as the fireworks started. Hundreds of bottle rockets lit off to start it. Their whistle deafening anyone who was to close. But the fireworks were a good thousand feet out to sea.
They exploded nice, but they were nothing compared to the rest.
Then the mortars started. Launching shells into the sky and temporarily turning night to day.
Everyone watched with smiles as the explains filled the air. This went on for a good ten minutes before they noticed something.
Steven smiled. "I think I found Will and Peridot." Lapis and everyone else trailer their eyes to the sorts green streak rocketing through the sky. If you looked closely you could see four cannons with massive drums magnetically held in the air around the fusion. They sure sky barked out and started spewing mortar shells into the air. Exploding several hundred feet away with bright colors.
The streak then started to do a barrel roll while increasing the firerate. Making an amazing tunnel of explosions.
They then went skyward and launched fireworks around in random directions. Making brief own firework display that complemented the one on the ground nicely. Making everyone clap.
Then to end it off guys launched a massive plume of flame over the horizon they came from. It exploded outward in a circle. Making sure to be several thousand feet in the air to avoid hurting anyone.
Out of the circle came the pillar of Autumn. Looking like it would when it exited Slipspace.
The green streak came in to some by everybidy before they dissapeared in a flash of light and Will and Peridot landed on the ground. Will in his armor and peridot with four large cannons drapped behind her.
There were claps of applause as the ground side fireworks died down after being nearly spent.
"Well, what did you think?" Will size as he extended out his arms like a showman. Peridot so.ply placed her cannons out of the way of everyone.
"That was spectacular." Pearl complemented.
"I should have known you would have done something like this." Japser said as she chuckled.
"Oh, that was just the introduction. The real show starts now." Peridot said.
Everyone then turned back to the sky to see the Pillar of Autumn start to fire shells out of it's 70 mm cannons. Once they were far enough away they exploded init even larger fireworks. Once again turning the night temporarily to day.
"Now that was what I expected from you three." John commented.
Everyone stood or sat to watch the seemingly endless supply of firework shells escape out of the 70 mm Coilguns.
"Now for the finale." Both Peridot and Will size at the same time.
Everyone watched the Autumn slowly turn it's front out to sea. The front of the ship angled slightly upward before three books erupted out of the MAC gun. The shells only firing at a fraction of the ships power to avoid ripping them apart and let everyone see them.
The first shell exploded into a bright blue ring with secondary explosions that were white aliens the edges. Making it look remarkably like a Slipspace portal.
The second shell erupted into white explosions that went into a straight line out of the portal to look like a massive plume of white smoke.
The third shell erupted right after the white streak and exploded with a massive good colored fireball that made it look like a second sun had appeared on the horizon.
Everyone clapped as the explosions died down. The Pillar of Autumn returning to orbit in the background.
"You guys made a spectacular display." Steven complimented them.
"Now that was an explain fit for a king." Yellow Diamond complimented.
Soon Naomi and Cortana got back and the rest of the night was a blast for everyone involved.
(Have a happy 4tu of July this year everyone. Hope you're day safe with covid and have a great rest of the year and enjoy the story. Now without further ado.)