Boiling Gems (The Owl House x Steven Universe)

Summary:

Anything sufficiently advanced enough counts as magic ... oh, and some swaps.

Stephan walked along the night time forest, skipping every step. "Free as a apatate, free as a kite." He hummed to himself along the night. "Nothin there holding me back, no gem, not even an agate." Nearly five hundred years roaming the Diamond, and he had little care in the world, and that was fine with him.

He had some issues with his family, trying to make him mom, but he found his own way … eventually … or at least put enough distance between him and them. Those that knew of him saw a vagabond, an outcast, loner, thief, whatever name under the son, but he didn't pay that any mind. To him, only one word matters: Free. Stephan was free. Free from society, from standard, from anyone trying to impose structure on his life.

Sure Emperor Iron Heart probably had a few 'opinions' on his lifestyle, but that ment little in the face of the Greatest Gem in the Frozen Isles. Now the only thing on his mind was what he was going to eat tonight? Fireflakes were a classic, but they gave him acid reflux. Pop rocks were good, but they always went off halfway before they hit his stomach. Maybe he could cheat tonight and have some good old rocky road. The question was whether or not they'd put enough gravel in his sundae.

He looked up to the sky with a smirk. "Do the stars have a future for me to see?" He asked … only to see a star grow brighter with an almost almond glow. "Rocky Road it is!" Stephan grinned as it became brighter and brighter … "Man, that things … gettin close …" And bigger…and more fiery…it was heading right towards him.

Kapoooosh

He didn't even bother putting up his shield. "I needed a bath anyway." Stephan sighed as she let the fire wave hit him as whatever it was in the sky landed. The cold didn't bother him so much, but it was nice to have some heat exposure in this freezing wonderland.

Stephan watched as the smoke dissipated and revealed … a metal sphere? "Someone launched a case into the sky?" He asked, moving closer to look the thing over. It looked like it opened up, but the mechanism didn't look like any lock he's seen. "Ironheart, this better not be another one of your projects to capture me." It was made up of metal, so it wouldn't surprise him.

After a minute, a whirring sound could be heard from within the machine, opening up, and a blast of warm air shot out at him. Okay Stephan, be ready for anything. You've fought golems, gargoyles, rock bites, dragon's made from solid steel. Whatever was in this thing shouldn't surprise you in the least.

"Gaaagggaa…"

"...Okay, didn't expect that." But then again, what could make you expect a baby? Not a baby animal, not a gemling … but an organic baby. "What are you doing in there?" He looked at the little creature. Orange hair, golden bird-like eyes, pale skin and pointy ears, not to mention a smile that seemed equal parts mischievous and playful.

"Bawwuuu." Right, baby, like he was getting an answer.

Stephan checked the little spot the thing was in, seeing if there was any kind of message or way to learn anything about the creature. Nothing, nothing but a weird log of wood placed right in the back of it. "Out of everything whoever shoots you down into space could have sent with you … they give you firewood?" He asked nobody in particular.

"Agga!"

He sighed. ' Okay, let's run down the options we have.' Option one, give this kid to an orphanage. Option two, give this kid to an adult you trust. Option three, walk away cause it wasn't your problem. The third one was out of the question, he wasn't that heartless, sadly. "Either way, I guess I'm giving you to someone. Let's get you out of there before you freeze." He began to grab the baby.

The baby's eyes widened with excitement as she crawled on his extended hand and began climbing all around his body. "Aggaaaggaaa!" She giggled as she placed herself on top of his head.

"Don't get comfortable like I'm your daddy or something. I just need to get you out of here." He said dryly.

"Da-da!" It gurgled.

"Do not utter those words." He said firmly.

"Da-da!" The thing hugged his face.

"I'm not going to let you guilt trip me."

"Da-Da! Da-da!"

Resist the eyes…resist those cute eyes…..damn it. "Great, not only am I a criminal across the entire Diamond, I'm a criminal with a daughter." Stephan grumbled.

"Abwaaa."

"You better pick up Larceny, or I'm gonna lose it."

========================================================================

Luz watched as her daughter excitedly ran around the front lawn. "Space camp! Space camp! Space camp!" Camila shouted. "I'm going to space!"

"Yes, yes you are honey." Ever since this fad came in Luz had to prepare for everything beforehand. From toys, to media, to this. Hopefully this Cameron Campbell could make the trip interesting. "Camila, are you sure this is something you're into? This is something you're ACTUALLY going to take to heart?"

"Does Captain Avery ever back down from a challenge?" The girl asked with a grin.

"... You do realize you answered with a no, right?"

"Wait, rephrase the question and I'll come back with something better." 

"You're lucky you're so lovably adorkable or I would've gone crazy." Luz smirked. "Look sweetie, I need you to stick with it this time, and by stick with it, I mean don't immediately bail and give up after two days. Everytime you get into a new hobby, you quit and I lose about two hundred dollars."

Her daughter snorted. "Name one time."

"Sewing, Swimming, Band, Bowling, Archery, Kendo, Jujitsu, Karate-a surprising number of those were just how to beat people up with different styles." Luz noted.

"..I said just one time…"

"I named multiple times because I'm concerned." She leaned down. "One day you're gonna have to take an interest to heart. It'll be a job you live with, and I don't want you to pick the wrong one."

"Mom, you and your old people problems." Camila smirked. "I can do anything once I set my mind to it." If only Amity was still around to help her on days like this … why did she have to get married when Luz was single again? "And once I get to this camp, I'm gonna go to space!"

"That's what it said on the brochure." At least it was a money back guarantee … plus double the money. Whoever came up with that one must've faced a lot of lawsuits in their life. "Just stay safe Mija, and make some friends."

"You mean someone like that Amity woman you write about in your diary?"

"When did you-give me back my key." She glared, holding out her hand.

"Don't be ashamed mom. I mean, she IS the inspiration of your romance novels, right?" Camila smiled.

"And here I was going to pack cookie cats into your bag." Luz snarked.

"Mom, don't be like that, I won't read it again, I swear!"

"Maybe I'll believe you once I get a new safe for my diary." She groaned. "Now, you sure you know what to do at the bus stop?"

"Wait for the bus. I know the drill mom."

"And you're not going to go anywhere else , except the bus to take you to camp?

========================================================================

Jasper, Warden of the Rejuvitorium, gazed down at the criminals. "If it isn't the daughter of the Pink Geode, the criminal in question himself, and their pet dust bunny."

"My name is Queen! You will respect my authority!" The white gremlin shouted, hanging onto a plastic crown. They were a little cat with a unicorn horn sticking out of their head.

"Remind me again, why did we risk our lives for a piece of plastic?" Stephan's daughter, Ammolite, questioned as she was tied up next to her father.

"Do you know how rare plastic is around here? I'm not losing a gold mine like that." The criminal mastermind answered.. "Also it makes Queen look adorable."

"Take that back!"

Jasper punched a hole through the wall. "You. Will keep. Quiet." She threatened. "For years I have chased the lot of you down. So many plans, so many tricks I had to plot….and you come right to me."

"Yeah, we felt really bad for you and decided to give you an easy win, you know, for your self esteem." Ammolite laughed.

"MY SELF ESTEEM IS PERFECTLY HEALTHY!" She punched another hole in the wall.

"... Are you sure?" The Pink Geode asked. "That reaction didn't scream healthy at all."

"You do not get to judge me on what is or isn't healthy. You eat organic food…what kind of maniac does that?" Jasper questioned.

"You could too, it just takes a little hard work to keep down the flavors." Stephan laughed. "Now, you were going on with your whole evil monologue?"

"I am a warden, I keep criminals from flooding the street, I am anything but evil." She corrected him. "I've captured every single scum off the earth, yet you have always evaded my capture…and that has always fascinated me. "

"... What?" He asked with a look of mild terror.

"Stephan Quartz Galaxy…" She took out those organic flowers, though they looked more dead and whitered than the last time she saw them.

"Please don't do this."

"Will you do me the honors …"

"I do not need this today, my headache is big enough as it is." He adamantly shook his head.

"Come on, I went through all this trouble to kidnap your pet cat, just let me finish the bit."

"Yeah, come on." The white cat spoke. "Before she makes another 'kidnapped child' joke about Ammolite."

"Yeah, come on dad, you can have adult fun with someone close to your age, and I can finally see what it's like to have a mom." The daughter laughed.

"Don't make me ground you, Amoli, because I will."

"We're getting off topic." Jasper said. "Stephan … will you marry me?" She asked, displaying the ring.

"WHAT!?" He shouted. "Isn't that a little too fast!? We haven't even gone on a date!"

"What's the point? I've been chasing you for three hundred years. Who else but me knows you so well?"

"I could name many a people actually. Most of them far, far away from being a jerk like you." He said. "And as soon as I bust out of here, you're toast."

"Oh, you're not getting out of here, I made sure of it." Jasper smirked. "Nothing in this universe could ever hope to break in or out of here alive."

KABOOOOOOOOMMMM

"Hey, Stephan! Amoli! I made some new friends!" A human girl said as a wall broke down, as the ruby quintuplets barged in and started burning the whole place down.

"Viva la revolution!" One shouted, setting the pictures ablaze.

"Violence is always the answer!"

"You fool! You let out the most mentally deranged psychos in the entire prison!" Jasper shouted.

"AHAHAHAHAA! Now that's what I'm talking about!" Amoli laughed. "I knew it was a good idea to not eat her."

"Okay, you were right, every once in a while." Stephan let out pink blades that cut apart the chains. "Come on everyone, we're running!"

"Not on my watch!" She sent a fist to the man, sending him flying into a wall. "No one is leaving this prison while I'm in charge!" Jasper ran at the criminal, tackling him through wall after wall.

"Yeah, that wasn't a suggestion." The man placed her in a bubble. "Do you know why you're always chasing me?" He smirked. "It's because in a fight…. I'd always win." He tapped the bubble.

The next thing Jasper knew, she was outside the prison, watching the entire facility burn to the ground. "He…He got away… again!" She pounded on the ground. "WHY! WHY! CAN'T! YOU! BE! MINE!"

=======================================================================

Peridot needed to keep her attention completely focused. If she took her attention off focus for even a single second, everything could fall apart in an instant. "Steady…steady.." Organic Biology…the most difficult subject to learn in the Frozen Isles. Thus, absolutely nothing should interfere with her experiment in this most sterile of environments.

Crash

Or a ball could break through the glass and land in the middle of her work. The subject known as a 'frog' was now contaminated, and thus, needed to be put down from its misery. "To think I was on the verge of discovering resurrection by electrical impulse." Peridot groaned.

"Hey there!" She turned to see an organic that, against all logic, was allowed to attend the institution of Homebound School. "Can you pass the ball back, pretty please?"

"Should I? Should I return your orb of rubbery 'fun' back to you because you told me something as simple as 'please'?" Peridot snided.

"... I mean, that is common courtesy." She answered obliviously.

Peridot glared, placing the orb on her knife, tossing the deflating object back. "There you go." 

"...Thanks." The girl pouted.

"You're most certainly welcome." Peridot turned her head. "Now if you excuse me, I have an experiment to repeat…because you ruined my progress." She took out another frog. "Now where was the heart located again?"

"You're….dissecting frogs?" The human glared.

"Yes, because for some inane reason, the biology of organics is a subject the school has deemed necessary for my education, so loathe as I am to do so, I must abide by the curriculum." She began replacing her gloves. "Disgusting creatures."

"You're….dissecting animals…."

"Yes, I believe I made myself abundantly clear the first time." Peridot reiterated. "Now, unless you have vital information for me regarding the experiment, I must return to-"

Pow

Peridot was knocked out of her chair as the human began strangling her. "WHAT IN THE STARS IS WRONG WITH YOU!?"

"I WON'T LET ANY INNOCENT CREATURES SUFFER AS LONG AS I CAN HELP IT!" They shouted.

"WHY DO YOU MAKE IT SOUND LIKE I WANT TO DO THIS!?" Peridot shouted, trying to pry the fingers from her throat. "I'd rather free myself from touching organics of any kind if I can help it!" Once she got free, she immediately went to sanitize herself. "Disgusting creatures …" She groaned.

"Wait, so why are you studying them?"

"Because it's part of the curriculum. How to understand and best 'live with' organic life, though honestly it should be about eliminating their existence."

"So…what you're saying is that you'd want the school to stop getting kids to stop dissecting tiny animals."

"If I had the legal authority to do so, I would."

"Then We'll force them!" The human shouted.

"Oh really, you're going to walk up to the Emperor and tell them to stop making it a mandatory class across all schools?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of sneaking into this school at night and freeing all the frogs."

"Ah, criminal activity. Something even worse than touching organics." Peridot winced.

"Think of it this way. Would you rather risk getting in trouble, or spend the rest of the school year ripping apart frog bodies, getting their blood, their guts, sweat, pus, plasma, spit; brain, arteries all over your body?"

"….If we get caught, I reserve the right to blast you to dust." She denied.

"You have a point, we might get caught …" MIGHT!? "We'll need a powerhouse … know anyone we can get to be discrete?"

"No sane gem would agree to help us.."

"Know any insane gems that can?" The human asked.

"…Just one." They pulled up their communicator. "My former partner for emotional comfort."

"You mean your ex?" The human asked.

"That's what I said." Peridot called the number. "Hey…Lazuli..:"

"Peridot …" oh boy, this wasn't going to be pretty. " If you think I'm gonna accept you crawling back to me.."

"You still a fan of vandalism and anarchy?" Peridot interrupted.

"... Talk fast." That was the most they got in years, roll with it.

"An organic and I would like to destroy-"

"Set free!"

"-the organic testing subjects the school uses. We require your assistance in breaking into the institution at night."

"…Fine, but you two have to help me break in somewhere else later down the line."

Well that would be ominous and sket-"Sure." The human agreed on their behalf. "I'll even throw in Ammolite Galaxy, daughter of the Pink Geode."

"Sweet. I'll bring the explosives. Talk to you later." Peridot already regretted this.

========================================================================

Lilith drummed her fingers across the desk as they searched. "Fifteen systems … and she wasn't in any of them." Thirteen years…thirteen years searching every inch of the universe and she was no closer to finding any trace of her sister.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, we've only searched half the known sectors. That's a lot of unexplored territory to keep searching." Her partner, Steve, handed her the morning bean blood she needed to wake up.

"That's the problem Steve." She muttered as she drank. "The more room there is to search, the longer she could be suffering out there without any help." Her younger sister Edalyn…the only family she had left since their planet exploded. "She probably hasn't even begun understanding the full nature of her powers, if she even developed them at all. What if she's being taken advantage of as we speak!? She could be helpless and defenseless!"

"If she's anything like you, then she's probably fine." Steve reassured her. "You're the toughest officer we have on the force. Not to mention kind and sharp, she wouldn't be doing anything illegal."

"...I wasn't even worried about that before; but now I am. She could've landed on a planet where morals don't exist!" She screamed.

"Now I feel you're being overdramatic." He deadpanned. "She's probably someplace lovely. Like a land full of domesticated animals."

"…Or she was rocketed towards a planet full of undomesticated wild animals and has grown up feral, or worse, has been eaten by now!"

"You're just gonna panic no matter what I say, aren't you?"

"What if she's on a planet made of antimatter!?"

"You know that only exists in black holes."

"What if her rocket fell off course and into a black hole!?"

"... I'm just gonna …" Steve took her cup of bean blood. "Yeah …we're cutting off your caffeine…for a year." He looked at her bulletin board. "Have you considered tracking the ship itself and not just your sister?"

"Of course I have, that was the first thing I did, trying to tail it's trail, but I got nothing." Lilith groaned.

"Well, is there anything on the ship you can track?"

"All that was left with her was Palistram, and an engraved message on the ship." She groaned. "The only way I could even hope to track the Palistram was if she used it in some way and activated its unique energy signature."

"Did you check the Palistram tracker?" Steve asked.

"Every five hours for the last thirteen years." Lilith groaned. "How long until the next planet?"

"Two days. Just keep holding out Lilith. We're going to find her eventually."

"I know … I know." Just keep the hope flowing.

========================================================================

Ammolite double checked the chain. "Alright … this seems secure enough." The plan was simple. Use a chain made by her lovely date of the evening, Bis, hook Camila, pull her out of the gravitational range of the black hole, and run for the hills. "People call me a psychopath when this school literally sacrifices one kid a year into a dank hole."

"There's a difference between psychopathy and sociopathy, Amoli." Bismuth said. "One is just looney and wild, the other is heartless in the face of pure warped logic."

"Oh, then I'm definitely the former." She smirked. "It's like daddy always says; violence is justified if your enemies are more violent than you." 

"Your dad sounds like a wise man." Bis smirked. "So, is there any date of your friend's we need to drag along?"

"Hm, Camila's been hanging around peri-dork lately, so I think we should save them if we have a chance. Those Ruby kids seem real attached to her, so guess they're on the list." Amoli nodded. "Though if you see Aquamarine; push her in. I've had enough of that stuck up snob getting me in trouble."

"I've got the firework launcher." They smirked. "Alright, one minute until show time. Get your throwing arm ready."

"Might be hard. They're bizy getting busy with your muscles." Amoli smirked, rubbing her shoulders. "After we blow this joint, how about you and me have a little after party; in private."

She could see the faint rainbow glow on those cheeks. "I um … yeah sure, that sounds lovely." 

"For a gall so bold and muscular; you are too easy to tease." Amoli laughed as she checked the time. "Three….two…one…" She kicked the door down. "Sup bitches! The life of the party has finally arrived!"

"Oh, Amoli!" Camy waved from the stage. "I've been looking around, but couldn't find you anywhere!"

"Yeah, sorry, had to find a strong enough steel chain for you so you don't die." Amoli answered. 

"Wait what-" She didn't let her finish, hooking onto the girl.

"I knew you wouldn't believe me until we almost died, girl!" She shouted, pulling back. "You're so positive and upbeat, and I like that about you, but you get so dense!"

"Dense about what!?" She shouted.

"Dense about how the school sacrifices one kid a year to a black hole, and that kid this year is you!"

"Oh come on, they're not gonna-"

Brrrraaaaa

The wind began to pick up. "... It's right behind me isn't it?" Amoli nodded. "In hindsight, I should have suspected Aquamarine being nice was something very wrong."

"You just made my job of preparing the sacrifice all the more easy!" The flying blue pupsqueak laughed. "Seriously, what kind of moron willingly goes along without a fight!?"

"Well I'm fighting for her!" Amoli groaned as she pulled on the chain, as objects began flying to the vortex. "Hand on for your life!"

"What else would I be doing right now!?" Camila screamed, holding onto the chain as the vortex got more violent. "Please tell me that chain wasn't your whole plan!"

"Of course not!" She screamed back. "After I pull you close enough, we run really, really far!"

"Your plan…is to outrun a black hole!?" Camila shouted. "Amoli, I'm the space nerd, nothing escapes a black hole, not even light!"

"Wait; what was that about light-" That big bulky gem , topaz, that was standing too close was dissipated, her forming poofing until the gem was laying on the ground.

"Well you could always stop it by feeding the thing a soul!" Bisy screamed as she grabbed onto the gang of rubies, using some Spinel girl as a sling. "So, you know; throw one in if you got a spare on you!"

Camila stared at the massive vortex. "The theory of relativity alone has so many questions about this ….honestly it's a miracle that my skin hasn't flown off and gotten sucked in yet."

"This is why we sacrifice people!" Aquamarine screamed as she made her way out of the window.

"We're going to die!" Peri screamed out, clutching onto that Lazuli girl. "If these are my last moments then I'm sorry I was a terrible partner!"

"I'm sorry for forcing you to commit crimes with me, that was uncool!" The tall blue gall shouted. "If we get out of this, I want to try us again!"

"Awww, love blooms even in the darkest of times-ah, forgot I was in the middle of dying!" Camila shouted. "Is there literally no other way to stop this?!"

"Human, I know you might be opposed to this plan, but considering the alternative, I think it balances it out." Peridot took out a box. "Sorry you amphibious fiends, but know your sacrifice will not be in vain!" She let it go as the box opened…revealing several frogs that were now flying into the vortex.

"NOOO! LET ME GO! I NEED TO SAVE THEM!" Camy began trying to unhook herself.

"Don't be crazy, they're just a bunch of frogs!" Amoli began working faster.

The creatures all flew into the vortex … as it closed right back up … rather anticlimactically in Amoli's opinion. "...That's it?" Biz was just as flummoxed. "That's ALL IT TOOK!?"

"We just had to feed it a soul … we never expected just shoving a bunch of organic animals inside to work." Zircon Blue, the school counselor, spoke. "That makes the past nine hundred children sacrifices we've made look rather … meaningless in hindsight."

"Nine HUNDRED!?" Camila screamed. "You've done this for NINE HUNDRED YEARS!?"

"Change has never been our strong suit as a species. We hold traditions in high regard." Peridot raised their hand. "Oh well, can't change the past." But you can make the future better … time to bring out those fireworks.

========================================================================

Ironheart gazed down at the fallen children."So naive." It was kinda pathetic in the long run. Guess it was just the optimism of kids. "What did you two expect? If the Pink Geode, your own father, couldn't even put a dent in my armor, what made you think you two had a chance?"

"I was banking on you being too arrogant to surprise you….works all the time…when Amoli gets a big head." The human girl hugged as she held herself and leaned against the wall.

"Clearly … he didn't keep this position … otherwise." The child winced as she tried to get up again. You'd expect a gem to take a better beating … even if he couldn't find her gem at the moment.

"Kid's…I said specifically not to follow me or try to free me." Stephan gagged as his arm began to grow furry.

"I had to do something! Your corruption is getting worse and he was about to rejuvenate you on live crystal! Who knows how that would've affected you

"How touching … family." He glared at Stephan. "How come I never got that appreciation?"

"I don't know, maybe it has something to do with you using Yellow's gem as your own personal powersource." The pink gem growled. "Taking over the Diamond and hunting the rest of us down, yeah, I really appreciate all the brainwashing and propaganda."

"You try to put your family in the best possible light, but suddenly they have a problem with it." Annoying in the long run.

"Dad …" He turned to Amolite. "What's going on?"

Right … 'dad'. "Such pity, I go through all this trouble to greet my son, and he doesn't even introduce a man to his own grandchildren."

"Grand…Grandchildren?" The human asked. "Wait…don't tell me this is a Darth Vader moment, it's so cliche and so messed up!"

"Dad, please tell he's making this up…please…" Ammolite pleaded.

Stephan groaned, shaking his head. "Ammolite…Camila….Meet Gregory Demayo…aka Emperor Ironheart…aka….my….father."

"Yes." He sighed, revealing his scarred face. "The son of the Emperor is the greatest criminal on the Frozen Isles …. you're right, human, that is really cliche." 

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO … again, that is sooo messed up!" The human shouted. "Why are you doing any of this, why do you hate your son so much!?"

"Hate … hate is a strong word. I prefer lightly disagree." He expressed. "Like you, I came to this world ages ago, back when it was fresh and new, when the golems were just one the verge of progress. My people taught to destroy the kind … but I was fascinated by them. His mother, Pink Diamond, showed me much to appreciate-"

"Wait, Pink Diamond!?" Amoli shouted. "As in one of the creatures so tall the entire Island is made up of their corpse!? Powerful enough to tear holes in reality with their fingers!? My Dad's a Diamond!?"

"Part, so only semi-immortal, as you can see here." Stephan showed off his corruption.

"I'm curious on the size." The human child deadpanned. "The conception alone …"

"Not important!" Stephan yelled. "What he won't tell you is that he still killed three of them even after switching sides, because he's an indecisive bastard."

"I've had my mistakes, people are allowed to mess up from time to time." Ironheart excused. "You and your daughter have killed plenty of people as it is."

"Yeah, your army of brainwashed goons that you practically lobotomized with, again…Yellow Diamond's gem!"

"Had to make use of it somehow. Can you imagine if I found the other two gems? I'd be unstoppable."

"Not unstoppable…because you'll never have mine." Stephan growled.

"True…But I'd rather not have you die in order to extract it." He said. "It's my love for you that's stopping me from killing you, not pragmatism." He watched as the corruption began to spread. "Besides, I say…in a good month or so, I'll be forced to cage you like a wild animal, so you'll join me either way."

"Aren't you going to cure him!?" Ammolite shouted. "He's your son!"

"I've been trying for the last twenty years. Without the other Diamonds…nadda. On the plus side, I think a few years in a cage without his mind will make him a little more appreciative of his family." Ironheart shrugged.

"You…you…" The little girl's eyes glowed….it felt… unworldly , like it physically didn't belong to this world at all. "YOU BASTARD!!!" The girl waved her arms around in a circle….where a light circle was made….before a BALL OF FIRE CAME OUT OF IT FROM NOWHERE!

"Wha-!" He was barely given the time to put his helmet on to shield his face…as the fire hit him… searing the metal to his skin. "GAAHHH!!"

"Grab dad and RUN!" She shouted, throwing another ball of flames, which he blocked with energy this time.

"Amoli, what have I told you about facing off against powerful tyrants clearly out of your powerset!?"

"Only do it if I have an instant kill move."

"And was that an instant kill move?!"

"I don't know…I just realized I could do it!" Ammolite…no…whatever she was…it wasn't a gem…the power…was just too unnatural.

"Figure it out later, we need to head out-doors locked!" The human pounded on the door. "Queen, if you're sleeping instead of undoing the security, I'm going to kill you!"

There was a clank of metal nearby. "I couldn't open the door, use the vents!" Shouted some small furry thing.

"Really!? That's the best you could do!?" Stephan shouted.

"Be grateful I could do anything! I had to get through about a dozen Agates! They weren't that tough but they were super annoying."

"None of you…are going anywhere!" He manipulated the ground to form spikes. "Do notmake me launch them at you. Come to my side."

"Yeah, threatening my family, you're really swaying me right now!" Stephan sarcastically spouted. "Anyone else here have spontaneous and miraculous powers they want to unleash!?"

"Humans aren't really known for superpowers, so I'm tapped."

"I … I …" The little creature took in a breath. "Leave my family … ALONE!!"

At the little thing's scream, something shifted in the air, as he could feel the energy from Yellow's Diamond wither a bit. "What was …"

" Stay…. back!"  

Ironheat felt his body freeze…his legs being forcibly moved back…like he had no free will of his own. "I…I can't….WHY CAN'T I MOVE!?"

"I don't care, we can get out of here now!" Amolite…whatever she was, shouted as she climbed up the vent. "Come one! Unless we all want to be shattered, you'll move like your fanny's on fire!"

Damn it … damn it!

========================================================================

"And there we go." Camila listened as the Collector listened to the whole story. "We need one magic portal straight to home." With the whole Queen being a Diamond thing, it was a minor jump to believing gods exist … until they showed up out of nowhere . It was in a mirror thing, but still.

"You want a portal..but just to the plain old boring human realm? Why not someplace more fun? Like a world full of frogs? Or a world made up of cobs? Or a world where everyone shouts every fifth word. Those are much better worlds to vist." The shadowy godchild thing laughed.

"Because my family lives in the human realm and I love them." She answered. Not to mention how hard it's been on her mom … that would suck to address.

"Fair enough … so, I'll help you…but you gotta do something for me." They smirked. "You gotta keep the game going."

"Crazy godchild says what now?" Amolite asked.

" Do you know how long I've been stuck here? Thousands of years. It's been soo boooooorrrrrrriiinnnnnng." The shadow whined. "I want something fun and crazy to watch and be on the edge of my seat for! Drama. Suspense! Action…maybe keep romance on the down low, I haven't really understood the concept, being the same age for the last thousand years and all."

"Don't worry, the only things we have for romance are Amoli and Bisy, along with whatever on and off thing Peri and Lapis have going on." Camila told the mirror. "That counts more as drama, I think."

" Oh, a colorful side cast of characters, more toys to play with!"

"What?"

" I mean more people to play with!" That was totally suspicious. "Anyways, you can totally build a portal on your own, but it's gonna be a bit of a scavenger hunt, a giant game withing a game housing tiny smaller games. Games, games, games all around!"

"... Anyone else find this guy not trustworthy?" Queen asked.

"Do we really have a choice?" Amoli retorted. "Dad's barely holding back corruption, we're all wanted across the isles, and Camy needs a way home. We need every bit of help we can get." She turned to the shadow thing. "By the way, do you find the brutal torment of bastards fun?"

"Depends. Do you find arson fun too?"

"... Bisy, Camy, I'm sorry." The girl grabbed the mirror. "But you have new competition for BFF."

"We're all going to die, aren't we?" Queen pouted.

"Probably." Camila sighed. Just another day in the Golem Realm.