Priyanka Maheswaran considered herself to be many things; a proud Indian woman, an educated doctor, a loving wife. But above all, she was a mother.

So when she saw the news about an alien attack that Connie, her daughter, was involved in, the second one that Connie had been involved in she made a point of noting, she knew what she had to do.

Heading on Lion, she arrived in Jump City within the minute she left. She appeared in the street and looked around for a moment.

The civilians of Jump City gave her glances, but after an attempted alien invasion that had been prevented by the newest ragtag team of superheroes, a lab coat wearing Indian woman riding a pink Lion barely seemed out of the ordinary.

The two travelled down the road, towards the large T shaped structure on the distant small island. For a fleeting moment Priyanka wondered how the pair would get across the water, but Lion solved this by striding over the water as though it were solid.

She dismounted Lion and walked through the door with the confidence that only a determined mother could possess.

Only to find it unoccupied, the room devoid of any signs of life, the walls black and blank.

"Well," she said to the empty room, Lion nuzzling her hand, "This isn't what I was expecting."

She sat on the ground and waited patiently, leaning against Lion as he curled on the floor. At some point she pulled out her phone, selected the contact listed as 'Doug 3' and sent a message reading "In Jump City now, will be back with them shortly."

She continued to wait on the floor. Eventually, she mused, Connie would come back to her.

In the Jump City Mall, the team that the media had dubbed the Teen Titans walked the stores. Robin had created an extensive list of items and decorations that were needed for the Tower to become a viable base of operations. "Everybody spread out," he said. "Find what you want and show them to me and will have it brought to us. Money is no problem, so don't hold back."

Beast Boy let out an excited cheer, drawing the attention of a few passersby, before he ran to the children's bunk beds, Cyborg immediately made a beeline for the electronic section, while the rest of the team looked at beds.

Robin and Starfire walked together, Raven behind them at a distance, while Steven and Connie walked as a pair. Connie, despite fighting the urge, couldn't help but glare at the back of Starfire's head as she walked. Starfire had kissed her best friend, her boyfriend, her Steven. Even though Gems and Starfire's race had an apparent dislike of each other, something she would have to ask the Crystal Gems or Lars about, she had kissed him. As though reading her mind, Steven held her hand and gently interlaced their fingers, giving a reassuring squeeze.

She flashed him a smile. She was content, for now at least.

The group picked their items, Cyborg giving his ideas on what rooms could be where, and soon the teens returned back to the Tower via Raven's teleportation.

They took in the appearance of the unexpected guest, immediately preparing themselves for another potential fight.

Before them stood a stern woman in a pristine lab coat, her skin a dark tan color while her hair was brown with gray streaks, stared at them, an oversized pink lion with a pastel colored star shaped mane behind her.

The two sides stared at each other, waiting for the other to act. "Mom?" Connie gasped in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Connie Maheswaran," she replied firmly. "Did you really think you were just going to move to the other side of the country, fight in another alien war, without me getting involved?"

"I didn't mean for it to happen," Connie replied defensively. "We just came here for a normal life. This-" she gestured to the interior of the alien tower they stood in, "just … happened."

Priyanka sighed, long and exasperated. "I know that. But I saw the news. I saw you charge into a fight with a sword, and I saw you get attacked right back. I couldn't just stand by and watch that happen. We are going back to Beach City. You too Steven."

"You can't stop me. You were going to let me go to the other side of the country for college, a normal life." Her voice got progressively more annoyed, more incensed, with each word. Why can't you let me do this instead?"

Priyanka stared her down, then laughed hard. "Let you?" she replied through tears of laughter, continuing once her composure had returned. "I couldn't stop you if I tried. I've let you befriend a human and Gem hybrid, take sword lessons from a sentient rock alien, and fight in an intergalactic war."

Connie blinked in confusion. "So, you're letting me do this? You're ok with this?"

"Ok with it? Gods no." She sighed again, resigned to her decision. "But I am letting you, but not alone. We are going back to Beach City, you will pick up your belongings that you left at the house, you and Steven will get some real armor that I'm sure that tall Gem with the multicolored hair-"

"Bismuth," Connie provided automatically.

"That Bismuth can make. Then we, myself included, will return. If what I saw on the news is any indication of what you will be going through, you will need to have a medical professional at hand." Her voice was firm, with no room for discussion.

The two Indian women looked at Steven. "I… sounds good to me," he replied. "Lion! Back to Beach City!" he ordered happily. Lion gave a loud yawn, stretched casually, before allowing the three on his back. "Be back soon guy," he added with a wave of his hands, before vanishing into a portal that the lion roared into existence.

The five remaining Teen Titans stared at the spot where they had disappeared. "I have questions for them," Robin said, more to himself than the others.

"Did she say intergalactic war?" Cyborg added. "I want to know all about that."

"How did a lion teleport them," Raven asked.

"More importantly," Beast Boy mused. "Why was that lion pink?"

Connie, Priyanka, Steven, and Lion appeared back in the Beachhouse. "Thank you Lion," Priyanka said gently as they dismounted. She then turned to look at Connie and Steven, "I will drive you to Bismuth, then I will drive Connie to pick up her belongings."

The two teens nodded in agreement, before Steven took in his surroundings. Amethyst, Pearl and Garnet sat on the sofa.

"Steve-O! Connie!" Amethyst yelled. "Long time no see!"

"It's been two days," he laughed.

"Well, two days is a long time when I usually see you everyday."

Pearl walked to Connie. "I saw you on the news," she said. "Excellent form and sword work," she complimented.

"Thank you Pearl," Connie replied formally. "It was thanks to your teaching."

Steven looked at Garnet. "Nobody seems exactly surprised that we're back," he eyed her. "Your doing?"

"Yep," she confirmed with a casual ease. "I peeked into your futures. In every timeline, you were back today."

Priyanka rose to her feet, drawing the teenagers' attention. "You have time to talk later. For now, we do have tasks to complete."

Steven and Connie bid their farewells and headed for Priyanka's car, driving in silence to Bismuth's Forge.

Bismuth greeted them as they arrived. "Steven! Connie! Connie's mom," she added awkwardly. "Garnet said you'd be back today."

Priyanka noded. "They need armor for battle. I thought you'd be best for the job."

"Damn right I am," she boasted. "What are you thinking?" she asked the new heroes.

Connie was the first to answer. "My training outfit with Pearl, you know it?" she asked and Bismuth nodded.

"Purple, lightweight, tight," she confirmed.

"I want that, but better. Sleeves, a hood, gloves and boots."

"No problem there."

"I want a new weapon as well," Connie added. "Aliens and Gems can take my sword, but I don't want to kill a human because I thought they could take it. Robin, he's a guy on the team, has a staff about this big-" she stretched out her arms in approximation. "I want one of them for myself."

Bismuth nodded again. "And you?" she said to Steven.

"Maybe something more fight ready. Like this," he said gesturing to his current outfit. "You can do all that right?"

"Two pieces of custom armor without any template, and a new weapon?" Bismuth laughed as she walked to her anvil. "Be done by the end of the day. You want to stick around?"

"Connie has to pick up her items that she left," Priyanka replied. "I presume Steven would like to return back to the house to see his father and family."

Bismuth gave a thumbs up. "See when you collect."

Back at Connie's house, her dad bustled around collecting her belongings while Priyanka packed her own things. She sat awkwardly, thinking of Starfire. "I need to make a call," Connie announced, already pulling out her phone as she left the room. She selected her most recent contact, Lars, and video chatted him. Lar's pink face came into view. "Hey Lars."

"Connie!" he yelled. "What happened with the Gordanians? Do you need us to help?"

"Oh, no. Thank you though," she added as an afterthought. "We took care of that."

"You and Steven took care of a whole Gordanian armada?" His tone lay in between sceptical and awestruck.

"No, there were more of us." She paused. "That's why I'm calling. You knew about Gordanians, so I was hoping you knew about another alien race."

"Lay it on me."

"She has orange skin. Red hair. Super strong and she can fly."

"Eyes turn green? Throws energy from her hands?" he questioned.

"Yes!" Connie confirmed eagerly. "You know them?"

"Tamaraneans." Connie made a mental note of the word. "Used to be at war with the Gems a few thousand years ago. Their current King and Queen are in power because their ancestors took control after the Gems killed their previous rulers."

"Ok. But what about… them kissing… people?" she asked.

Lar's eyes widened. "Did one of them kiss Steven?" his chuckle echoed in his ship much to Connie's annoyance. "That must suck for you. But, for a Tamaranean, kissing isn't romantic. At all. It's how they learn language, they call it 'localized language acquisition' or something."

Understanding built in Connie. "She didn't speak any English. Then she kissed Steven, and could speak it." She let out a relieved sigh. "So I have nothing to worry about?"

"Not based on the kiss at least." Connie hung up,as worry began to creep into her again.

She headed back to her parents, their belongings now in Priyanka's car. "Ready?" her mom asked as they entered the car. "We'll drive back to Steven's house to make it easier for Lion to take everything, and your father will drive the car back." Connie's dad gave a smile, sad but genuine, as the engine revved to life.

Back in Steven's Beachhouse, the Gems were gathered, now joined by Peridot and Lapis. "There's Robin, you would like him Pearl," Steven said to the gathered crowd. "He's a human, but he can fight. Like Connie," he added to himself before shaking himself out of his musings. "Then there's Beast Boy, Amethyst you'd love him, he's a jokester and he can shapeshift too. Peridot, you'd get on with Cyborg, he's 'limb enhanced' and the technician of us. Raven is-" he searched for an accurate word, "nice but kinda dark. Like you Lapis. And then there's Starfire," his mind blanked as he thought of the kiss. "She was a prisoner."

"Ah yes," Pearl mused. "The Tamaranean." Steven shrugged at the word. "I suppose you haven't heard of the Tamaranean/Gem War?"

"She kept saying Gem in her language. It was the only word I could understand. Is that why?"

Garnet nodded. "I know somebody that can explain," she said. Light filled her body as she split apart, Ruby and Sapphire taking her place.

Ruby began talking. "Back when I was a Gem for Yellow Diamond, about 6000 years ago, we were sent to Tamaran. Yellow wanted to colonize the planet, so we were sent to neutralize life there. There were hundreds of us Rubies, some Peridots, Topazes and Emeralds. We thought we'd be able to take them down."

"What happened?" Steven asked, leaning forward where he sat.

"We came to an impasse. The Tamaraneans were stronger than we thought. They could fly fast enough to hit the Emeralds' ships and they were strong enough to shatter Gems." She stopped, a wistful, faraway look in her eyes. "A lot of Gems were shattered before we could stop the war."

"How'd you stop it?"

"We gave up and ran. We killed their rulers, I think it was a Peridot that managed it. We hoped that would stop the rest fighting us but it only made them angry. Did you know their energy blasts are powered by rage? That their strength is from their confidence? The more we killed, and the more they shattered, the more dangerous they became. We had to tell Yellow that we were beat. She'd found another planet to be colonized, Krypton I think it was called, so we retreated." Sapphire reached for her hand and gently held it, refusing back to Garnet.

"Tamaraneans became remembered as the shatterers of Gems," Garnet said seriously. "And Gems were remembered as the killers of Tamaran."

"She doesn't seem to hate me," Steven countered.

"The relationship isn't personal, between individuals" Garnet replied calmly. "She might dislike Gems as a whole, but like you as an exception, just as we will potentially like her."

"I think we're friends," Steven said. "Either way, we're a team now."

He silenced as Connie entered. "Sorry," she apologized. "I waited outside until you were done catching up. All our stuff is packed now."

"Just Bismuth now then," Steven replied. "Want to head over?"

Connie smiled, grabbed her boyfriend by the hand, and began to walk to the forge. The two walked in silence before Connie broke it. Her words poured out of her as though she couldn't prevent the flood of words. "Steven. Starfire kissed you. And I know that it meant nothing to her, and I know it probably meant nothing to you. But I can't stop thinking what if it did mean something. To either of you. And I don't like her, and I don't like myself for not liking her. Because I want to like her."

"Connie," Steven said gently. "I'm not going to speak for her. The kiss was nothing to me. The only kiss that's important to me-" he gave a quick peck on Connie's lips, "are your kisses."

Cheeks reddening, Connie nodded, satisfied.

Entering Bismuth's Forge, they saw Bismuth. "Just your luck," Bismuth said. "Just finished everything." She pulled out two sets of clothes and tossed them over. "Get changed, try them. Tell me if you like them." She indicated a tall mirror nearby.

The two stripped down to their undergarments, pulling on their new armors. Connie dressed first and observed herself in the mirror, noticing Steven observing her as he was still dressing, and critically examined her new outfit. The majority of the outfit was a deep purple color, with the sleeves and hood being a silk white, topped by black gloves and boots. Around her waist was a red sash with metal clips for attaching weapons. On her torso, from her breast to mid stomach, was an emblem of a sword. "I like it," Connie grinned.

"Good. It's lightweight and mobile, made from Gem threads so it's pretty much impervious to most things. And…" she rummaged in the forge and pulled out a staff almost as long as Connie herself. "Your new staff." Connie gave a few experimental swings and nodded. "If you twist it, it separates into two staffs."

Steven finished dressing, looking at his outfit in disbelief. Like his normal clothes it was a tshirt and pants, all in black, other than the pink shield emblem on his lower chest. A pink hood fell neatly over his hair, and on his back was a cape in the same style of his mother's battle flag, diamond patterned with alternate shades of light and dark pink.

"Good job Bis," Steven said with a grin. Outside he heard the sound of Lion teleportation roar, I knew it was time to go.

Back to Jump City.

Back in the tower, just as Steven and Connie arrived back in Beach City, the Teen Titans stared at the intruder.

Their foe was an odd looking woman that Starfire immediately recognized as a Gem Fusion. The Gem was tall and thin, standing at over six feet tall. Her skin was a pale blue speckled with red. Her hair was a dark purple falling in pigtails, one blue and red. Her v-neck dress ended before her thigh and was a deep, pastel purple. Out of her back came snowflake shaped wings. Her right eye was aimed at the teenagers with rage, her left eye replaced with a round gemstone. Below her gem eye, was a tear shaped gem as well as another tear gem on her left shoulder. All of the gems were blue and red, glinting in the sunlight. "Beware Steven Universe!" the Gem yelled with rage. "For you face the wrath of Pietersite!"

"Steven isn't here," Robin responded, pulling out his bo staff. "And I suggest you shouldn't be here either."

Starfire hovered in the air, her eyes and hands glowing green. "Be careful friends, this Gem is powerful."

The sight of Starfire enraged the Gem Fusion, causing her to mutter to herself. "Take care of the leader. No, the Tamaranean must die. Idiots, destroy the tower. Leader should - Tamaranean - Tower sho-" The Gem shook violently, a bright light shining as they contorted violently, splitting into three Gems.

One of the Gems, with a gemstone in place of eye, was short and stocky with pale red with dark burgundy hair. The second was also small and had a tear-shaped gem under her eye, cyan skin and cerulean hair, with water wings shaped like a butterfly's. The third Gem was azure skinned and blue hair in a curled bob, a gem on her shoulder, water wings from her back.

"Titans, Go! Robin ordered as he lunged at short blue Gem who whipped a wand from her hair. Flying out her reach, she sent out a beam of light blue, which impacted Robin freezing him in place. She grinned as she waved her wand, sending Robin through the air until he hit the wall, showering him with debris.

The short red Gem stood forward, aggression evident in her stance. "The Tamaranean is mine!" She reached into her Ruby eye and pulled out a chisel knife, sharp and fuschia colored.

Cyborg blocked her path, aiming his hand cannon. "Listen pipsqueak, you want to fight you can start with me."

"Fine by me!" the Eyeballed Gem bounced forward, punching with more strength than her stature would suggest. Cyborg's skin sizzled at the heat of the impact and his heavy body was sent sprawling. The Ruby was flung across the room by a flying kick from Starfire. She laughed as he stood back to her feet. "Finally, someone worth fighting." Her stabs were quick but still blocked or avoided as the two clashed.

The tall blue Gem was by the window as Beast Boy and Raven attacked, only for them to pause at what they saw behind her. The Gem raised her arms, and the sea followed, forming a fist which struck the tower's windows and showered the room with glass shards and water as it returned to its original state.

Raven raised her hands in retaliation, dark energy gathering around them. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos," she intoned. The shards of glass and debris from the wall rose to the air, encased in black, before Raven sent them at the water-controlling Gem, barraging her with the remains of the tower. A wall of water slowed the momentum of the assault, but blinded her to Beast Boy, now in the body of an Octopus, as his tentacles wrapped around her limbs and immobilized her.

Angered, she forced the water to rise once again, making it take the shape of spinning saw blades which launched at the duo. Beast Boy panicked, returning to his human form allowing him to be ensnared by water chains and pinned to the wall soon followed by Raven. The two escaped with ease, Beast Boy temporarily taking the form of a cobra while Raven teleported through the wall.

The knife wielding Gem slashed at Starfire. "This is for what your kind did to my friends!" she shouted incensed as she pounced for attack. Starfire would have dodged if not for the wall she was pressed against. Instead, she ignitied her hands with her Starbolts launching them at the incoming Gem, briefly slowing her and allowing Cyborg to stop her with a tackle.

Robin continued to strike the small airborne Gem, slamming the tip of his staff into her torso, eventually managing to leap into the air above her and bringing his body weight onto her to send her to the ground.

Steven, Connie, and Priyanka arrived back to the outside of the tower, observing the scene. A section of the wall was dented, and a window had been shattered. Water ran from the missing window, drenching the soil outside.

The three entered the building and watched as Cyborg and Starfire jointly held Eyeball to the ground, Robin swatted Aquamarine out of the air, and Beast Boy and Raven encased Mean Lapis with their powers.

"I'll just let you get to it," Priyanka said. The three Gems quickly managed to escape their captors, spurred on by the sight of their enemy.

"Why are you doing this?" Steven asked, his hands turning pink.

"Why?!" Aquamarine replied, incensed by the question. "You ruined my life. Before you, I had power, I had status. Then you come along and suddenly I'm as valuable as the Diamonds and as meaningless as a Pearl."

"I had a squad!" Ruby yelled. "I had a job and then you ruin it all with your 'freedom' without asking if we wanted to be free. Now I'm a fugitive for wanting to do what I was made for!"

Mean Lapis spoke. "I had a friend. Then you appear and suddenly she doesn't want me, she doesn't want our life together, she wants to dance and go to school on some backwards, primitive planet."

Aquamarine stepped forward, her voice somber and grave. "You ruined our lives Steven Universe. And now, we will end yours." The hands met and immediately they began to fuse. Pietersite stood in their place. "I hope you're ready Steven. For you face the wrath of Pietersite!" Each Gem began to shine as their weapon formed, Eyeball's chisel knife becoming a sharpened hilt, Aquamarine's wand connecting, and water flowing from Mean Lapis' gem meeting the end of the wand, holding form in a way no natural water could. The weapons flashed together forming a water-based whip.

"You're not the only one here that can fuse." Steven grabbed Connie's hands tightly and she embraced it allowing the two to become one.

Stevonnie replaced them, their new outfits combining. A light, baby pink hood covered their head while the same colored sleeves covered their arms, contrasting with their royal purple torso and leggings. Steven's cape remained on their back, dark and light diamonds of pink. On their chest was an emblem, an interlaced and overlapping Sword and Shield.

"One chance," Stevonnie warned with seriousness, pulling their sword from its sheath and summoning their shield. "Leave now."

Pietersite grinned sadistically. Her whip lashed out at Stevonnie, severed neatly by a sword slash, only for it to regrow back to its original length instantly. Stevonnie dashed, throwing the shield and readying the sword. Pietersite ducked, the projectile whizzing over her head only for her to take the brunt of a sword thrust. Roaring in pain, Pietersite wrapped her whip around the blade and pulled, sending it spinning across the floor. Stevonnie countered, now with a shield in each hand, by bashing Pietersite with their shields, first the torso, then the arms, sending her to her knees by attacking the legs. "I gave you a chance," Stevonnie said sadly. They brought their shields together, crushing her neck. Her eyes widened in pain for a fleeting moment until she poofed and vanished into their three gems which clattered to the ground.

Stevonnie defused, leaving two grinning teenagers only for their faces to fall as they looked at the mess the fights had caused.

"Nicely done," Robin complimented. "But we have some questions about you and your life."

"Yeah," Beast Boy agreed. "First question, why is your lion pink?"