I DO NOT OWN STEVEN UNIVERSE

I'm really bad with all aspects of chapter stories, including completing them, so just bear with me here and don't get too attached.

Story takes place a little over a year after Full Disclosure.

"This is a bad idea," Pearl tells Steven as they float down to the bottom of the ocean. They're protected within a bubble manifested by Steven's gem, but Pearl worries that not even Steven can defend himself against the most terrifying fusion she had ever encountered.

"Trust me, Pearl. Look, I know you're worried-," Pearl suppresses a humorless laugh; what an understatement. "But I know what I'm doing. I've got a pretty good grip on my powers now... We'll be fine. We just gotta free Lapis and get out," Steven mumbles as they sink to the bottom of the ocean. Pearl gets the aching feeling that Steven's trying to convince himself more than her.

Thousands of feet below sea level, in the eternal darkness of the ocean, continuing to sink further and further with every passing moment. Pearl bites her lip and twines her long fingers, trying to relax and close her eyes. Garnet had offered to be Steven's escort, but Pearl instantly vetoed the notion. Garnet, although she was undoubtedly the strongest of the Crystal Gems, was impulsive and a poor diplomat- and disaster waiting to occur. Pearl is starting to regret her decision. What if Malachite isn't cooperative? What if they have to fight? The Crystal Gems hardly fared well against Lapis alone, not to mention when another incredibly powerful gem was fused with her. Pearl decides to get these thoughts out of her mind.

"Steven, it's rather dark..." she says to break the silence.

"Oh! Thanks for reminding me!" Steven sifts through his pockets and fishes out a translucent rod about a foot long. He bends it, and it pops, instantly glowing a bright green. "Connie got me this for us to see!"

"You're kidding," Pearl mumbles. Yet she's surprised- the glow stick is illuminating the ocean around them fairly decently.

Steven blinks and presses his face to the rose-hued wall of the bubble, trying to look out. He scrunches his thick brow, "I should've asked her to drop a whole bunch in the ocean so they sink and light up the floor. That way, it'd be a ton easier to find Malachite..."

"I don't see why you want to seek out that... Fusion so badly," Pearl grumbles. She'd already slipped a few times calling Malachite a monster, and Steven had refused to talk to her until she apologized and corrected herself.

"Lapis is my friend. She doesn't deserve to be all alone with Jasper like that," Steve n mumbles, knitting his eyebrows and playing with his thumbs. Pearl finds it odd that he describes Lapis' company with Jasper as being 'alone', but shrugs it off. "I miss her," he adds solemnly.

Pearl doesn't understand Steven's empathy. She's never met anybody, gem or human, more genuine and forgiving than Steven. He's like his mother, in every good way imaginable. Which is why Pearl is so apprehensive about risking him for Lapis, of all gems. He's worth more than her.

"Look, Pearl!"

Pearl squints through the haze, and makes out a lumpy striped creature about the same size of Steven. It resembles him a lot, actually. It scuttles to the bubble, which has made a soft landing at the ocean floor, and pushes its mushy face to the pink transparent surface.

"Look, It's one of my Watermelon Stevens! Hey little guy!" Steven laughs, and it's refreshing to hear his laugh. "Aw, he's kinda rotted. I guess he's more of an underwatermelon Steven now." Steven quirks his brow, and Pearl sends him a blank stare.

"Connie would get that joke," Steven huffs.

The Watermelon Steven shakes its soft body as if motioning for them to follow. The two gems share a shrug, and then reluctantly push the bubble forward to tail it. Steven hums and bites his lip as he pushes. "Don't worry, Lapis. We're coming for you."

Pearl says nothing. Only keeps her eyes locked forward and on the Watermelon Steven guiding them. If gems perspired, she'd be cold sweating like an Icy Hot patch by now. Instead, she's left just trying to breathe soundly through her nose and sheild Steven from how downsright terrified she really is.

Steven is rambling as they walk. Daydreaming aloud. He'd been doing that more often lately, especially when he went on more dangerous missions. "We'll free Lapis. And then I can show her around Beach City. She'll meet all the nice people here and realize that the Earth isn't all that bad. I know she will." He rolls his shoulders and squeezes his sweaty palms. "I know it."

The Watermelon Steven seizes suddenly, then shudders. Steven stops pushing to gaze at it. "What's up, little guy?"

The Watermelon Steven lifts his stubby arm in response, pointing stiffly to a heavy mass in front of them. Pearl holds her breath as her eyes inch up the scaly seaweed green monster in front of her. It's smaller than she remembered, and yet still collassal, towering over their small bubble and still lying down. It's legs are folded under it like a Spinx, and the watery chains bind it to the sea floor. Pearl readies her weapon, hands shaking as she summons it. Her eyes are trained on the beast. She wants to attack it, and is anxious like a predator hunting its prey. Her jaw is taut, pulled closed like it's bound by braces. Her legs are pulled like springs, ready to release. The air inside Steven's bubble feels shallow and humid.

Steven turns around and his eyes instantly lock on her spear. "Pearl, put your weapon away. Please." He begs softly, near silently so that he doesn't startle the caged beast only yards away.

Pearl stares blankly at Steven for a moment, before finally retracting her spear, although her hand still hovers just below her gem in case Steven overestimated Malachite's benevolence.

"You can do this, Steven," he hisses under his breath in an almost chastising manner. His entire body is tense, and he focuses on Malachite like she's a prize to be won.

"Malachite!" He roars, his surprisingly powerful voice bouncing around the bubble and elicting a flinch from Pearl. "It's me, Steven!"

The fusion twists around, all four eyes wide open in shock. Two voices, one vengeful, one shocked, reply:

"Steven?! What are you doing here?"

Malachite hisses and morphs slightly before stabalizing once more. "Steven!" Lapis' voice rings out, blurred by the ocean around them. "You need to leave! Now!"

"No! I'm not leaving you alone again." Steven snaps, his tone firm.

"Jasper will-," Lapis is cut off.

"Jasper scares me, too," Steven admits. "But I just can't bear to see you like this anymore. We're beach summer fun buddies. Aren't we?"

Malachite morphs again, this time more violently. Jasper is warring against her prison. The water around them vibrates with anticipation. Pearl catches Malachite twitching in excitement. Excitement to be freed and to be spendthrift with power as it pleases her.

"No! I-I just used you to free myself! I never, ever, cared about you!" Lapis screams desperately, as she struggles to keep her form. It quivers. Steven freezes. "Now just leave us alone!"

"Come on, Steven," Pearl whispers, placing her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "You heard it." Steven cringes.

"She's gotta be lying," he reassures.

Malachite hisses again, and Pearl can see the chains ripple with exertion. She wonders how tiring it is to keep up with Jasper's fits of struggling. She can hear Lapis' garbled wails as the Ocean gem forces the more brute side of her into dormancy.

"Steven, now!" Pearl orders. Malachite looks like she'll burst any second, and Pearl wants to keep the collateral damage to a minimum. Malachite sends waves of water at them as she thrashes.

"No!" Steven yells, shoving the bubble and forcing it through the now tumultuous waters.

Pearl wants to stop him, but she decides to let him go. She has to believe in him, no matter how much she wants to pluck him up and carry him away to safety. Garnet's voice rings in her head, "This is his battle, Pearl. Let him fight it." She agrees and relents. At least for now.

"Malachite!" He rolls his bubble right before the beast, so that he can stare her in the eyes. The water boils.

"Steven, get out of here! Y-you're making me lose concentration!" Lapis snarls. Pearl can tell she's struggling when Jasper's voice begins to fade into hers again.

"Lapis Lazuli! I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to protect me. But you don't need to suffer for me anymore! You never did. You don't have to be a prisoner anymore!" he shouts, his voice strong and almost regal. Pearl is startled. She's never heard him talk like this before. Whatever passion Lapis has created in him has made him foolhardy. Pearl doesn't like it.

"You don't know what you're taking about, kid! I hate you! I used you! Escape with your pathetic mortal life while you can." Pearl releases a whimper subconsciously. Jasper is freeing herself.

"Steven, please!"

Lapis and Jasper are roaring at each other now, battling for dominance. Pearl can tell by the crack of Lapis' tone that she's been worn down gradually over the year. Steven is just the tip of the iceberg. She's a prisoner with her own key, and she's so close to unlocking the bars. Pearl can feel the pure energy sending waves through the water. It's that feeling of static electricity popping and connecting every part of your being, making you hyper-aware. And to Pearl, the glo stick is overwhelming, and the air is suffocating, and the unintelligible roars from the beast rips through her heart.

With a ragged breath, Pearl rips out her weapon and prepares to take Steven to safety. "Steven, let's go." And this time when he protests, she ignores him. She picks him up with ease and slams her body to the other side of the bubble, throwing them both away from the impending explosion that is Malachite.

"Pearl, what are you doing?!" Steven yelps. "Please stop!" He whirls around in her grip to look behind them. "Lapis!"

As the riptide hits, Pearl swears she hears one last conjoined scream: "Steven!"