(See the end of the chapter for notes .)

Chapter Text

Dinner at the Temple could be something of an affair.

Not always, of course. The Gems were busy, and Steven didn’t exactly have a normal teenager’s schedule. Often dinner could be nothing more than a cream-cheese bagel or a pizza. However, the Gems did attempt to have a Proper Family Night Meal™ once per week to ensure Steven got just enough human structure in his life. Those nights almost always blossomed into something elaborate. Foods of all kinds, dozens of dishes, cutlery flying everywhere, enough leftovers for weeks-- not to mention with the Gems’ limited knowledge of cooking-- it was only through sheer luck (and liberal use of Future Vision) that Steven didn’t get poisoned.

Eventually, a proper dinner came out of the mess, one ascribed to the latest Food Pyramid Pearl had memorized last year. Everyone sat down at the dining table set they laid out for such occasions. Two plates were filled with food, each serving carefully portioned out and separated (no matter how much Amethyst insisted on mashing it all together; they weren’t animals).

The other plates were all empty since only Steven and Amethyst were actually going to eat, but that didn’t matter. This was simply How Things Were Done.

The sound of cutlery scraping together filled the kitchen as Steven and Amethyst ploughed through the first course: roast chicken and stuffing, with a side of fresh garden salad, and an empty cheese packet for Amethyst.

“Delicious, Pearl,” said Steven, skewering some salad on a fork.

Pearl blushed as she absently straightened her cutlery and brushed a stray crumb off her pristine plate.

“Well, I’m glad you like it,” Pearl said. “It’s good to know the new spices are suitable—”

“I crushed the garlic,” said Garnet as she held up her fist.

“S’good,” Amethyst said, mouth stuffed with food. She swallowed. “But I still think it could use some soap.”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full!” said Pearl. “And you shouldn’t eat that anyway. Soap is toxic to humans.”

“Yeah? Well, why do they rub it all over their bodies?”

“You could still add some soap now,” suggested Steven.

“Yeah, but it’s not the same unless it’s cooked in the stuff,” Amethyst whined. “You gotta marinate with it, so it has all that clean flavor! Seasoning, you know. That’s like, cooking 101!”

“You’re absolutely disgusting,” Pearl said with a good natured smile.

“You know you love it,” Amethyst replied.

Wordlessly, Garnet walked over and grabbed the soap bottle. She tossed it to Amethyst, who quickly doused her food with it.

“Hooooh, yeah yeah! There we go,” Amethyst said. “Pearl, wanna bite?”

Pearl wrinkled her nose.

“I’ll pass,” she said.

Amethyst shrugged and shoved more chicken in her mouth as suds dripped onto her chin.

After a few moments of silent eating, Steven sat up straight.

“Oh, Pearl, I wanted to ask you— Connie was wondering if she could come over for training tomorrow?” he asked.

“I thought she had like, tennis or something?” said Amethyst.

“She did, but her coach got the flu and isn’t sure he’ll be able to make it,” said Steven.

Garnet said, “He won’t.”

“Well, in that case,” said Pearl, “Yes, we can certainly arrange training for tomorrow. Say, around ten? I was thinking that we’d try—”

She was cut off by the whoosh of the warp pad activating.

Everyone turned towards it, expecting Peridot or Lapis.

It was neither.

The Gem was tall. No, not just tall, but broad and towering. She wore a white dress, soot stained and burned at the hems. The smell of ash hung around her. Her left hand was completely encased in a weapon, one which tapered to a deadly point. Her other hand was clenched into a fist, knuckles white. Her long pink curls were tangled, drenched with sweat, and singed at the ends.

She stood on the warp pad, staring at the house and the people there. She met all their eyes. Amethyst. Garnet. Pearl.

Steven.

And she burst into tears.