Boiling Gems (The Owl House x Steven Universe)

Summary:

For their sake.

Sasha listened to the silent breathing in the room, eyes constantly switching around to take in any information she could. There were a lot of pictures around the house, mainly of the family when the daughter, Luz, was younger. A happy traditional family unit. The few pictures she saw of the girl near present date were either alone or with just her mother, so off the bat she could sense something happened to the father. She would have to bide her time to see if it was a divorce or passing away.

The pictures continued to seem happy, so her mental state was a recent thing, or so underlining she managed to masquerade it for years on end. The pictures of Luz depicted usually with messy hair or in some sort of outlandish outfit, so she was definitely someone very extroverted and used to living in her own head, much like her nerdy friend Marcy used to be.

The girl also seemed to have a very, very protective girlfriend, going by the leering from stairs Sasha was probably not supposed to notice. That combined with Luz's attire and Bi pin let Sasha know this was a girl used to defying the norm, social or otherwise, which in of itself probably led to ridicule from kid and adult alike, which could lead to feelings of loneliness, isolation, dependency, e.t.c.

It also partially explained the silent treatment the girl had been giving her. Sure, kids her age probably already detested the idea of having a therapist, but the barely hidden rage seething inside Luz was almost amusing if Sasha was a sadist. Not to mention this dark pit inside of them … reminded her of Anne.

Finally, she spoke after feeling she had enough to work with. "Therapy usually starts with the patient talking." Sasha joked.

"Maybe I just don't have anything to say." The girl finally spoke for the first time, crossing her arms.

"Alright." Sasha nodded, letting the awkward silence reign once more until they felt like cracking. "Got to say, quaint little town you got here. I was expecting something a little more dreary looking when coming to Gravesfield, but everyone I've seen so far seems pretty lively." Except the Onion looking kid…with those … lifeless eyes.

"Seems that way, but after a few days the name sticks in." She responded. "Just some dumb old town built by dumb old people who messed up everyone's lives by existing and making things worse for everyone."

Interesting choice of words. They seemed to be talking about someone specific, but they also seemed pretty inwardly directed in a self deprecating manner. "So I guess you have big plans of moving away after you graduate?" Another moment of silence, this time it didn't seem like she was going to answer. "S'kay. I didn't have any major plans either. When I was your age, I thought I had all the power in the world. Figured I go for world domination…" In a completely different world, but still… "..almost came close too, but it didn't pan out. Learn to control and channel my temper though, so progress."

"I see …" She spoke out, clearly half listening.

"I know there's these expectations and standards people have, that you gotta figure your life out right now, you need to map out some big grand plan or else everything falls apart, but the truth is anyone can start at almost any time." Sasha went on. "You don't have to feel pressured to do anything."

"Hah…if only." Luz laughed hallowly. "I've done things people only dream of doing, you have NO idea what kind of pressure I'm under."

Sasha sighed, deciding the only way she was getting through this was to drop pretenses. "Look, I can see that there's a bigger picture here that I'm not aware of, I've seen this situation before."

"Trust me, this is a lot more complicated than you think."

"What, the part about your girlfriend being from another world?" She stated, a noticeable tense in the floorboards from the stairs filling the air. "The hat isn't fooling anyone… at least anyone with experience."

"... If the government comes after us, you go first." They responded with a dark edge in their voice.

"Love to see you try with those shoddy swordsmanship arms."

" HOW do you know….!?"

"There are some scars that only appear from working a sword. Check out mine." She pulled off her glove and lifted her sleeve, giving a small flex while showing off the wounds. "I was a cheerleader, not a fighter, though the agility did help against fighting giant herons." She flipped to a new page on her notes. "Feel like talking now?"

"...Who are you?" Luz's mouth dropped to the floor.

"Sasha Waybright, Phd. Once a proud commander of the Toad army under General Grime, now you're everyday child psychologist." She snickered. "Me and a couple pals of mine stopped a newt army from taking over earth … surprised you haven't read about it…then again I guess I underestimated Mr. X's skills in clean up.."

"There was WHAT?!" Luz fell on the ground. "I … I heard rumors of a frog girl in LA, but I thought it was just rumors!"

"Dang, all it took was ten years to reach myth status." She smirked. "Then again we only blew up the moon in Amphibia, not on earth …"

"YOU BLEW UP THE MOON!?" The therapist turned to see the girl on the stairs scream.

"Yeah, my friends and I got these cool anime powers and basically became the Powerpuff girls. Good times." Sasha smiled. "You don't have to explain everything all at once, but I want you to know you can talk to me about your experiences. I know what it's like to long for another world over your own, to feel happier in a world you weren't born in."

Luz stared at her for a moment. "I … I need to go." The girl instantly ran upstairs, past her girlfriend, the sound of a slamming door was heard.

"... You mind getting her mom, kid?" She asked.

"Right…give me a minute…" The girlfriend looked up to the stairs, before going to the kitchen

"Maybe I came on a little too strong at the end." Sasha rubbed her chin. Whatever experiences Luz went through, it wasn't the exact same as the one with her and the girls. From the looks of it, the situation here ended much less positively, or was still going on. Being read like an open book probably scared her off.

Eventually the mother entered the room, a nervous look on her face. "I take it everything went …"

"Patient Doctor confidentiality." She stated. 

"...It didn't end well, did it?"

"I said patient doctor confidentiality." Sasha reiterated. "Regardless of what did or didn't happen, it's going to take more than one session for progress to be made. Everyone here needs to have patience." Also never letting anyone else try and play doctor.

"I see…" The mom nodded.

"As for you, Ms Noceda, I feel like there's a few things you need to work on as well." Sasha double checked to make sure the kid's to be out of earshot. "I believe you're focusing too much on the negative outcomes of your Daughter's experience."

They sighed. "I know … I should be focusing on the positives. She has friends, she has a girlfriend … but everything else just feels …" Ms. Nocdea rubbed her head. "She's already struggled with school both with grades and social, and from what the other children have explained, her time in the demon realm hasn't helped her more troubling habits-"

Sasha raised a finger to interrupt. "Have you considered that maybe sending your daughter back to school almost immediately wasn't the best idea?" Sasha pressed on.

"I gave her a week, but I wanted her to catch up on school work …"

"A week is nowhere near enough. I was stuck in another world for over half a year, and I didn't go back to school for at least another year. You'd be better off letting her drop out and re-enroll at a better time.

"... I'm sorry, what was that?"

"You heard me correctly. That's why I'm the only one out of all the therapists you contacted that responded. I have experience. I can relate to what your daughter is going through right now." Sasha explained. "Luz was in an entirely different world. That kind of experience, positive or negative, impacts your life forever. For you to immediately tell her to go back to a 'normal' routine when she's still reeling from the experience is a sign of very poor judgment."

The mother groaned. "I can't catch a break … alright, I'll pull her back for a couple of months."

"No. Right now I can tell she feels obligated to go for your sake. If you tell her right now to drop out, she's only going to feel more guilty and become more despondent." Sasha said. "Let her come to you first about it. The process will go over better if she feels in control of the situation."

"... And the grounding?"

"What was she grounded for?" Sasha asked.

"First for starting a fight at school where the principal threatened to expel her … again … and then for leaving home when she was supposed to stay in her room."

"Depends. What was the fight about and did she reconcile with the other party?" Sasha knew Highschool drama was messy as it is.

"She argued with a girl that led to property damage and a student who's threatening to sue." Camila answered. "But I don't know … the Manswhwas always claim that my daughter is the one instigating the situations, and most of the time they tend to be right."

"This isn't about the parents, did Luz reconcile with who she fought with?"

"...That's what the two of them told us but at that point there had been so many incidents that no one listened."

Sasha took a deep breath. "Look, I know this can't be easy, especially if you're taking care of people from another world. But your daughter means well, and clearly punishing her more isn't the answer here if it keeps escalating." Sasha gathered her stuff. "So you hold back next time, and try a little harder to understand what she's going through." Ms. Nocdea began to speak up. "I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm not calling you a bad parent, I just want you to make sure you're doing your part."

"I know … I'll try harder." The woman nodded.

"That's all any of us can do. My card." She began walking out. "Call me anytime. I'll be available." Something told Sasha she was going to stick around for quite a while.

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

Pearl warped back into the temple. "I …" She trailed off, seeing the imposter wearing multiple sheets and shirts while being held by Garnet, Amethyst trying to pull Spinel from the sink with shards of broken glass around them, and Luz staring at her expectantly with Rose's sword in hand. "I … have so many questions."

"I was playing pinball with Spinel, got out of hand." Amethyst explained with a shrug. "We're gonna have to get a plunger." Of course they were. Just add that to the list of problems in their lives.

"Garnet is dressing me up like a princess and taking embarrassing pictures as a form of punishment … it's fluffy torture." The imposter cried out from their bindings.

"The best type of torture." Garnet held a camera in her hands. Looks like the imposter manipulated her way into Garnet's good graces again. What else did she expect from a slippery snake like her.

The warp pad lit up once more as Lapis came through. "That's the west coast down with no activity. What about you?" Ever since the invasion they tried their best to find the fusion before they stabilized … or worse, cannibalized.

"I searched the east coast." Pearl explained. "There's no sign of Jasper … or Peridot … or …" She turned to Garnet. "What are we calling them? Citrino, Tiger's Eye?"

"Moldavite." The fusion responded.

"Heh, MOLDavite. I'm saying it like that every time we run into her." Amethyst laughed.

"There's not going to be everytime, there's only going to be the next time, which is going to be the last time!" Pearl exclaimed, taking a sigh. "So what brings you here, Luz?"

"A lot actually….I didn't expect to find myself coming here so soo…but…" The girl took in a deep breath and hugged Rose's sword. "I…I met a woman. She traveled to another world just like me." Luz huffed out.

"Wait what..?"

"She read me like an open book, she understood what I was going through….and it just hit me…eventually … I'm going to have to let go of them…." The girl cried. "She's still here … so … eventually … I'll have to let go of Lucci … of Amity, Gus, Willow, Hunter, King, Eda … all of them. She moved on … and … that means I'll have to do so eventually…" The girl wiped away her tears. "But, until that day happens, I want to dedicate everything I can into helping them, in serving them, into giving everything I am into them." Everything she was….just like Pearl did.

"Luz, I don't think you'd let go-" The Imposter tried to put in their two cents.

"I do! It's clear I can't leave the human world forever, not when the universe wants me to stay!" Luz shouted back, before turning to Pearl. "I want to advance my sword training. I want to be on Connie's level, and then some."

Pearl smiled at the determination. "If you're really up for it, I can advance your training."

"Pearl …" Garnet spoke up. "I would take it easy."

"No, no taking it easy! We survived Jasper and Peridot because none of us took it easy on them!" Luz screamed. "Please, I need to help my friends in any and every situation possible! I'm just a liability without my magic. If all I have is a sword, then I'm going to be the best swordsman in the world!"

"I don't know about the best in the world, but I promise to get you close enough. I'll put you on the same course as Connie." She led Luz onto the warp pad.

"Yes!" The human enthusiastically jumped forward. "You have no idea how much this means to me!"

"Actually, I do." Pearl smiled as they arrived at the sky arena. "I know what it's like to feel useless without the people you love right beside you. Back then … me and Rose … she was … everything to me." So many years together … so many plans … so many fusions … six thousand years of perfect tranquility. "Without Rose…I was just a Pearl, but when I was fighting next to her … I could be anything."

"That's exactly how I feel with Amity!" Luz shouted. "She's the amazing one, she's so smart, and capable, and always puts a smile on my face. She's the one that lifts me up…and makes me feel like I'm actually worth something to someone at all."

"That's the perfect attitude to have." Pearl nodded approvingly. "They lift you up, so you must dedicate yourself to proving you're something worth all that support. No matter how many blows you take for yourself, no matter how many times you're cut down.."

"No matter how many lasers you get in the chest." Luz continued.

"You keep going no matter what." Pearl nodded again, pulling out her sword. "Now remember … you do it for her…"

"Wait, we're singing?" Luz asked, confused, before being forced to block an incoming blow.

"And you would do it again." Pearl kept going, keeping her stance steady as she readied the next strike. "You do it for her, that is to say, You'll do it for them."

"So do you guys just sing spontaneously during moments perfect for montages, because if I finally explain that to Lucci, he might actually take to the idea…" First thing they needed to work on was ridding the girl of her scattered brain ideas.

"Keep your stance wide." Pearl struck the girl's legs. "Keep your body lowered." She sent a kick to her back to force her down. "As you're moving forward.." And move her into the direction of a pillar. " Balance is the key!"

"You were taking it easy on us this whole time, weren't you-YIPE!" She moved out of the way as Pearl kept her assault going.

" Right foot…."  Pearl leapt forward as Luz got to her feet. "... left foot…"  Luz dodged the incoming blow as she gripped her sword tightly. " Now go even faster!"

"Faster!?" Luz screamed as she was forced to walk backward to keep up.

"And as you're moving backwards." She forced blows that were numerous, yet blockable if they kept focus. "Keep your eyes on me."

Lus paused for a single second to catch her breath. " Keep my…stance wide…" Luz repeated, finally getting into the necessary position.

"Good."

"Keep my body lowered." She mimicked the necessary actions.

"Right."

"As I'm moving forward." Luz finally took the chance to make a blow herself.

Pearl blocked up easily, but for the first time, it was a blow she actually felt like she needed to block. "Concentrate. Don't you want her to live?" Luz was motivated by protecting her friends…and although Steven was among them, Pearl knew all too well it was to protect her girlfriend more than anyone else.

"Right foot….left foot." They got more motivated, repeating the actions as they gradually sped up once more.

"Yes, but put your whole body into it." Pearl explained. " Everything you have, everything you are….you've got to give." No matter how small you were, no matter who you were. "On the battlefield, When everything is chaos. And you have nothing but the way you feel, your strategy and a sword." She could see the recognition in those eyes, the desperate times. "You just think about the life you'll have together after the war. And then you do it for her." Pearl once more put pressure against the girl. "That's how you know you can win."

"....You do it for her, that is to say…." Luz began going along with the song, pressing back and managing to make Pearl slip just a little. " You'll do it for them." There was fire in this girl's eyes. A potential that burned bright, a light that would do anything for who they loved, no matter what the cost to themselves."

"Deep down you know…You weren't built for fighting." That was the sad truth. In this universe, not all beings were born equal. Some were just born more strong, more smart, and more capable than others. " But that doesn't mean…You're not prepared to try!" That's why Pearl dedicated every second of every minute of her existence to serving Rose quartz, to getting better FOR her! " What they…don't know…. is your real advantage." She struck forward, earning a cut on Luz. " When you live for someone … You're prepared to die."

Luz took a second to absorb those words, before stealing her gaze. "Deep down I know…That I'm just a human." She swung her sword, almost making Pearl lose balance.

 "True." Humans weren't all that impressive in the long run. It was in their simplicity as a species that anything fascinating could be found.

"But I know that I can draw my sword and fight." They added more force to their swings as they slowly abandoned defensive positions.

"But you know that you can draw your sword and fight." Pearl grinned as she picked up on it.

"With my short existence." They went forward.

"Good."

"I can make a difference." They ignored the damage to their body.

"Yes, excellent." She looked like she was going to parry left…only to go right.

"I can be there for them….I can be her knight!" Luz sliced a piece of fabric from Pearl's 'shirt'. " I can do it for them!"

"You'd do it for her…" Such quick advancement. The power of mind over matter was truly outstanding. " Okay, now do that again! 

"yes, ma'am!" Luz eagerly got back into her stance.

"You do it for her, and now you say…."

"I'll do it for them." And swung. "Wow….that was amazing…I just sang and matched your medley like it was nothing!"

"It's a gem quality, I never really comprehended it myself." Pearl bluntly admitted. "You're advancing quicker than Connie. You should surpass her level in no time."

"WHOHOOOO!" Luz jumped in adulation.

"She's what now?" Turning around, she saw Amethyst on the warp with Connie right next to her.

"Oh Connie, excellent! Luz came and eagerly accepted more advanced training, and she's taken to it like a charm. You never told me how much of a fast learner she was." Pearl wouldn't have guessed it during those first few lessons.

"I think I just learn better when my life's on the line. That's how I learned most of my glyphs." Luz waved off.

"... I see …" Connie dropped her bag as an aura came over her. "I think my competitive spirit is acting up."

"... I can't tell if this is something I want to watch or not." Amethyst muttered.

"I suppose it's about time for Connie to advance her training as well. Two young and capable knights … so this is how King Arthur felt around the round table." Pearl noted.

"Wait, Camelot is real!?" Luz shouted.

"Yes, but it's been lost to time … literally, I haven't seen it since the dark ages. Disappeared without a trace." Morgana was a bigger bitch than White at times.

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

Boscha, along with the rest of the witches from the Boiling Isles, stared at the bubbling, glowing, green concoction. "... So … this is a potion?" Gus asked.

"Filled with random ingredients and magic. The glow indicates that yes, it is a potion." Boscha nodded. "With that weird and freaky fusion running about, and who knows what else out there, I need to update my arsenal beyond fireballs. Of course, without the normal ingredients like Cockatrice blood and griffon nails, I have to improvise with earth ingredients." She gestured to the floor. "This is everything I've been able to gather from nature, under the kitchen sink, from the pizza show, and half used bottles of chemicals Lucci had left over from his haul, thank you very much, Crystal."

"Your welcome Angel." The boy gave his adorable smile as he kissed her cheek. "... So what does it do?"

"Dunno. Whenever we invent a new potion, we usually just throw it at someone and see the effects in action." She answered. "... Any volunteers?"

"Do you seriously need an answer for that?" Half a-Willow raised an eyebrow for that. "Why not get Lucci to do it? Isn't he your usual guinea pig for this stuff?"

"Yes, but because on the off chance this is a form of poison, it won't affect him because of his resistance, so we won't know its full effect." Boscha explained. "In fact, given that gems can pull stuff out of themselves, and a sword was in his pink magic lion, a part of me thinks it'll just get sent to another dimension."

"Another dimension … right, that reminds of something that happened the other day that was very weird." Amity spoke up. "Luz's mom got her a therapist…"

"A-whatathist now?" Lucci asked. "Is that some kind of gem like Amethyst?"

"I feel like the topic has been brought up enough times for you to understand what it is. This feels like willful ignorance by this point." Hunter groaned. "It's a person whose job it is to listen to other people complain about life."

"So you mean if I was a therapist I'd get money when you exist near me every day?" Lucci snarked.

"Off by so many levels, but not the point I was making." Amity interrupted. "Anyways, I was spying on their session, and the lady out of nowhere just says she used to be in another world too!"

"WHAT!?" Everyone screamed.

"That was my exact reaction." Amity said.

"Was it the Boiling isles?" Gus asked.

"No…at least I don't think so, she didn't clarify, but she did see past the ear disguise." Amity clarified. "I don't know if she's trustworthy or not. She really freaked Luz out with her psycho-bable.

"So she knows how to go to other worlds, and freaked out Luz." Lucci nodded. "Boscha, I think we found our test subject." She always knew she could count on him. "So where do we find this lady?"

"Don't know, I'd ask Luz, but she's been rather quiet since then. I haven't had the chance to talk to her." Amity looked at the rest of the group. "Have you guys?"

"No, she came by the fryshop once or twice, but she never said anything." Gus answered.

"She's been carrying her sword everywhere and heads towards the temple everyday." Hunter brought up. "I've seen a few scars and bandages on her hands. She's been training harder with that pink blade."

"Great." Lucci sighed. "Alright, let's try fanning out. Willow, Amity, go find Luz. Me and Boscha will talk to Ms Noceda to see if we can get anything, Hunter and Gus try to find her in town…."

"Hey guys." Rather anti-climatically, the human herself walked in, looking tired and serious with some deep dark circles around her eyes. "Came here for my bag. Be out of your hair in a minute."

"Hey Luz." Boscha spoke up. "Know where we can find your therapist?"

"The-the-therapist … what, why would you want to know…"

"Because she said she was from another world and we need all the leads we can get?" Willow asked.

"Also we can do torturous experiments on her as torture in case she ignores us." Lucci offered in a sing-song tone, pulling out the ladle of their potion … which was rainbow and dancing. "... The potion was green, how did the color even-not important."

"Maybe next time I see her, right now I'm training for the next big threat." She picked up a backpack. "Can't be too unprepared with Moldavite around."

"Moldavite? Is that what we're calling the Jasper/Peridot fusion?" Gus asked.

"Isn't any weirder than most of our fusion names?" Willow said. "Orchid, Pudding, Rubix. Glyphon themselves are literally a pun. At this point, naming one after an actual rock is normal."

"Sorry guys, I really can't stay for long, Pearl's taking the knight training to the next level, and I got to be on my A-game." Luz headed towards the door.

"You're training with the sociopathic maniac that doesn't care for anyone but her precious 'Rose'?" Lucci asked.

"Hey, it's that level of obsession that makes her so skilled with a sword. I didn't earn these scars and bruises for nothing." She showed her arms and hands … her HEAVILY scared and messed up hands.

"Luz! Why haven't you gotten those healed!?" Amiy shrieked.

"Pearl says pain builds character, and I like to think it gives me more personality. Nothing to worry about." Luz walked out the door. "Later!"

The cabin was silent for a minute. "...Did I used to sound that deluded?" Hunter asked.

"Yes, yes you did." Her Crystal muttered. "Alright Amity, you go comfort Luz, I'm going to go break Pearl's gem. Angel, you want in on the action?"

"Hmm…a chance to see my boyfriend go violent on someone annoying…eh, why not." She shrugged. "Who knows, maybe I'll find a use for this potion on the way there."

"Make it soon..I see black skulls forming on the inside." Willow pointed to the vial, which had begun emitting smoke clouds shaped like skulls. Seriously, what the heck did this thing do?

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

Vee groaned as another photo was snapped. "Why do you have so many dresses on hand?" She asked.

"Half of them were for Connie, the other half were for Masha, the third were just for fun when Sapphire and Ruby separate." Garnet answered. "Another fifty dresses, and your punishment will be over."

"I could've just shapeshifted all the clothes you wanted me to wear."

"Yes … but this is a punishment." They reminded Vee. "The tedium of taking off and putting them on is torture in of itself."

"Uggggh." At least she was finally talking to them again. It almost felt like the good old days…except Pearl wasn't with them. Even more so than usual lately. She had been spending most of her time training Luz and Connie. If that's what Pearl wanted to do, then so be it…but it did worry her that the two girls kept coming back with scars they didn't have Lucci heal for some reason. "How are you doing Amethyst?"

"Pretty good. Moving from blowtorches to chainsaws after we accidently got Spinel stuck even deeper somehow." The gem answered, revving up the machine.

"I haven't seen light in days! IT'S SOO COLD IN HERE!"  

"At this point, the expression 'everything except the kitchen sink' would be all too ironic." Vee laughed.

The door was kicked open. "Alright Bird Nose, prepare for-and they're not here." Lucci trailed off, losing the edge in his tone. "Damn it, that's the second time the drama was killed for me."

"Hey guys." She waved to them, only noticing Boscha and Willow behind them. "Gang hangout today?"

" LUCCI! IS THAT YOU?!" Spinel shouted from the sink. "My head's stuck in here! I haven't played a new game and I'm getting really bored!"

"Why don't you just shapeshift out?" Amity asked. "Your head's made out of light. Just shrink it, I've seen you grow it a dozen times."

"She got her gem stuck inside, and that can't shapeshift." Amethyst answered.

"Alright give me a second." Lucci glowed pink and headed towards the sink.

While they were doing that, Boscha turned to Garnet. "So…you're a fusion too, cube lady?"

"Yes, potion girl. I am." She answered rather cheekily.

"How does that…work?" Amity asked. "Lucci's longest fusion is Cherry for about eight hours."

"The power of love." Garnet answered with a smile. "It takes immense will power and dedication to each other to stay stable for so long. Especially in Lucci's case. From what I've seen, the love between you is nearly endless."

"You hear that, my love for my crystal and vice versa makes our fusion the strongest." Boscha bragged. "So HAH!"

"Don't get too ahead of yourselves. Fusion should never be a point of competition. The more you marginalize it, the less special it becomes." Garnet continued. "I exist from the love Ruby and Sapphire have for each other. Neither part is dominant, I exist together because they find comfort in each other's company, and together find ways to compliment each other."

She held out the hand with the red gem, small flames licking it. "Ruby could only create one gauntlet, unable to change its shape, living in the moment." The other one with the blue gem, frost gently forming. "And Sapphire could only see one future, bound by fate, living in the future." She brought them together as a tingly static filled Vee with a nice ticklish feeling. "I see all the paths, and carry all the power, every aspect growing from their bond."

"You're so awesome." Vee sparkled as she watched her Mom in action.

"One more … tug ... GOTCHA!" Lucci finally pulled Spinel out of the sink…breaking it in the process.

"OH THANK THE STARS LUCCI, YOU SAVED ME FROM A DARK AND LONELY FATE!. … AGAIN!" The lanky gem hugged the boy like he was a plush dull. "Now you're my Best bestest second best best friend!"

"Glad I could help." Lucci nodded. "Okay cube hair, where's Luz and Where's Pearl? We need to talk sense into one of them and annihilate the other."

"At the sky arena." She spoke.

"Wait, annihilate the other?" Vee asked. "Pearl's been training Connie for months, she wouldn't go so far as to critically injure them."

"Ah … have you seen Pearl train people Vee?" Amethyst spoke up.

"No, not really. I was never much of a fighter and unless it's fiction I get squeamish from people in pain." She replied. "It can't be that bad, right?" She turned to Garnet, who was silent. "...Right?"

Garnet stared at them all for a moment. "... When Pearl was with Rose, she acted as her Vanguard, the sword to her shield." Garnet began displaying a cool fighting scene.

"She was her knight." Vee smiled. "She loved Rose and did everything to help her, I know the story.

"However, she always prioritized Rose over everything …" It showed Pearl getting poofed. "... Even her own safety." And poofed again … and again … and again …

"How many times can one gem get poofed?" Boscha commented, looking a little uncomfortable at this.

"Pearl usually takes weeks to reform, but back then, it was nearly every five minutes." They watched as the things Pearl fought only got bigger, and nastier, and spikier. "She would even go as far as cracking her own gem to win a fight."

"And that's like … serious injury for gems." Amity muttered. "... Right?"

"My entire brain was splintered when Bismuth cracked me." Lucci nodded, before looking like he was getting a dark thought. "....Pearl understands that humans don't reform, right?"

Vee thought about it for a moment. "She understands … but … if she was willing to … get cracked for it …" She began putting pieces together, before her eyes widened. "WE NEED TO GO SAVE CONNIE AND LUZ NOW!" Vee answered without any hesitation, shifting out of the dress and making her way to the warp pad. "To the sky arena!" She paused. "I need a gem to help me!"

"Hold up, we're coming too." Lucci jumped on the pad with the other witches. "Vee, I know you like Pearl, but you know she's gone too far this time."

"I know … just don't hurt her gem, please." Vee pleaded.

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

Lucci warped with his friends plus Amethyst … as they arrived into a large arena in the sky. "... If my culture wasn't made of horrible people, this might actually be nice looking." He murmured. "Now where are they …"

"Over there!" Amity pointed down the stairs, where the pale gem was walking back and forth in front of Luz and Connie. "Huh, never seen Luz's training outfit before…she looks so…. toned.."

"Do you want to get horny, or do you want to stop your girlfriend from being skewered?" Boscha reminded her.

"Come on!" Vee instantly rushed forward.

They ran forward, as Lucci could now hear their voices. "Now remember the most important part of battle." Pearl looked over the two girls. "In the heat of a fight, you don't matter. Nothing about you matters. Only the ones you love matter."

"In a battle, I don't matter." Luz said. "I am nothing. My life is meaningless." Oh…that fucking bitch . Time seemed to slow down as Lucci ran, the hexagon shields forming as he aimed them straight for that bird bitch's gem.

"Then let us begin!" Fog came over the area as the group disappeared from view.

"Great, of course she has a smokescreen. Because if you're going to brainwash someone, you might as well do it with style!" Lucci sarcastically yelled. "Luz! You out there! We need to take you home now!"

"You bastards think you can look like my friends and get away with it!?" Luz shouted from the smoke. "Jokes on you, Lucci pulls the voice trick all the time!"

"Seriously?!" The ONE time it didn't pay off to have so much variety in his powers. "Come on, why does this fog have to be so thick?"

" Interloper detected." That sounded like pearl, but more….off. " Immediate disposal recommend."

"Oh no you don't!" He took out a drill and immediately sent into the woman's stomach…only it wasn't Pearl, but some sort of…weird pale blue version of her. "Someone explain!"

"Holo Pearls! They're built for combat!" Vee shouted.

"Don't worry Vee, I'll find you!" Connie shouted as the swinging and slashing of a sword could be heard. 

"Luz, please, just stop whatever you're doing and come back home with us, I don't want you to start getting seriously hurt!"

"Hah, like I'm falling for that!" Luz's voice stubbornly shouted back. "Lucci can heal me from any injury, I don't have to care about hurting myself at all!!"

"THAT DOESN'T MEAN GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO HURT YOURSELF!" Amity screamed from somewhere.

"Wow these hallucinations are vivid." Connie's voice spoke. "You'd think Pearl would ignore everyone other than Vee and Lucci."

"We're not getting through to them, not as long as this fog is here!" Amity groaned. 

"I got something that'll knock them out of it!" Boscha held up her potion, which was now shaking violently. 

"But that's untested!" Amity shouted. "And VERY dangerous looking!"

"Is it any more dangerous than the brainwashing alien trying to get them to kill themselves in a fight?" Boscha argued.

"Good point." Lucci nodded. "Throw it as you please, Angel!" At his command, she tossed it to the ground.

Crack Poof

… As the fog became rainbow colored, with some sort of weird beat he heard from what Luz called 'Nyan Cat' playing as the fog itself danced away. "… What was in that thing again?" Amity asked. "Drugs?"

"Bleach, pneumonia, carpet cleaner, something called cat nip…" Ahh, that made sense.

"Was that part of the test?" Finally, they could see Luz.

"Seemed a lot more random and upbeat than normal." Connie looked confused. "Do you think-"

"Connie!" Vee jumped the girl. "Are you alright? Are you hurt? How many fingers are on the human body again?"

"Vee!? Is that you…like really you!?" Connie asked as she felt up the Basilisk. "Feels like you."

"Oh wait, we got interrupted?" Luz asked. "Guys, if you wanted to come you could have just asked."

"LUZ!" Amity rushed over to the girl and hugged her. "I heard what Pearl was saying to you, WHAT IN THE COLD DEPTHS OF HELL WERE YOU THINKING!?" She shook her head. "IN WHAT UNIVERSE DID YOU THINK I'D BE OKAY WITH YOU CALLING YOURSELF WORTHLESS!?"

She winced. "The … one where you didn't hear me say it?"

"Be glad that we did, or else the brainwashing wouldn've set in and we'd be too late."

"What happened-" The bitch paused. "Lucifer?" She looked at them like THEY were the crazy ones. "This is a serious training matter. Luz and Connie are about to advance to the next stag-"

"What…the titan…is wrong with you!?!" Lucci yelled at the pointy nosed bitch. "You've been telling two teenagers that they're worthless if they don't sacrifice their lives!? What kind of manipulative brainwashing bitch are you!?"

"I brainwashed no one!" The woman shouted, having the gall to sound offended. "If you truly care about someone, you do everything to sacrifice yourself for them!"

"You don't tell them to sacrifice themselves for you! You're supposed to be there for them, care for them, talk to them, you find ways to live for each other, not die!" Amity yelled 

"I tried all that and it still wasn't enough when it came to your mother!" Pearl shouted, anger looking like it was snapping. "She still lost herself to … to …"

Lucci glared. "Go ahead. Say it, say it you sorry excuse for a knight." He dared her. "Say what you want to say"

"She chose a human to die with instead of the friends who she lived her entire life with! BECAUSE WE WEREN'T GOOD ENOUGH!"

There was a flash of light from the warp pad, some shouting, but Lucci paid no attention to it.

Smash

All he paid attention to was shoving his hand through the bitch's stomach. " You're mad and petty and spiteful because someone you love chose another species over you, and your jealousy can't handle that.."  He brought her in close. " You're no different than Belos."

Poof

He stared at the white stone on the ground. It was then that he processed Garnet's hand on his shoulder. "... Something to say?"

"You should check on your friends. Stay away from the temple for a few days..or more if you need to." She answered, reaching forward and picking up the stone.

"Trust me, I'm staying away. You don't need to tell me twice." Lucci grumbled.

"Guys…please…I need to do this…I need to do this for you guys…" Luz cried. "I need to be useful…"

"You are useful, Camote. You're here…standing right next to me." Amity kissed her girlfriend. "I can't even begin to describe how important you are to me, and I don't want a single hair on your head out of place."

"But I don't want your head hurt. I'm the girl without magic, or a palisman, I need to be able to pull muscle. Look at what Connie can do!"

"Do I look like someone who gives a flying fuck about what Connie does….no offense Vee, you have your taste." Amity excused.

"I understand, speaking of …" Vee began shaking the girl in question. "Are you out of your mind!? You could have been seriously hurt!"

"But you can't defend yourself!" Connie shouted.

"Exactly, I'm not like these maniacs, I know how to run away from danger and I want you to run with me … no offense to you guys." She excused.

"It's cool. You do you." Lucci waved off. "Come one, this is a horrible place to be. We're going back to the cabin."

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

"Amity … I think you're taking this a bit too far." Her girlfriend spoke.

"No, I think I'm taking this far enough."

"… I have to walk home eventually." Luz gestured to the abomination bindings Amity had set on her from the start. "Also someone has to calm the Centipeetles down, they're staring at Flapjack again."

"Krkrkrkr." In all honesty, it looked like they were staring at Hunter.

"No excuses Luz. We know you got freaked out by that whatathist lady, so we're going to plant ourselves here firmly until you finally realize how valuable you really are to us." Lucci crossed his arms.

"And that's your excuse for keeping me locked here?" She asked. "My mom is going to kill you guys if she sees this, you know."

"Luz." Amity stated firmly. "I love you and I will always treasure you and every relationship you have."

"… Okay …"

"But if your mom tries to take you back now, I will use Ghost and swing her like a frying pan." She stated firmly.

"Mew!?" 

"Sugar gets used as a war hammer against metal. A single skull shouldn't be that hard by comparison." Amity justified. "Just tell us…why did the therapist freak you out so much?"

Luz paused, blushing and turning away. "She read me so easily. She knew exactly what I was feeling at the moment…and…I never had that happen to me before….not from an adult anyway. It felt like she understood me…and it scared me." She let out a little tear. "So I wanted to get better so … I wouldn't make her mistakes. I thought I'd get better now…so…I wouldn't have to make the choice she made."

"What choice?" Willow asked.

Luz froze, and Amity could get the sense this wasn't the time to delve into it…even if she could feel like she knew. "Hey, you can tell us at your own time…and…maybe…maybe I can help." 

"It's fine, you're already helping enough with the money as it is." Luz said.

"I know…but you're my amazing girlfriend, so I want to do more. " She pecked her on the head. "Ms. Waybright said she was open anytime...how about we do this therapy thing together?" Amity suggested. "That way we're both uncomfortable together."

"But I did this so you wouldn't get hurt … I lost magic, I need a way to compensate."

"Luz, I don't know if you noticed, but we'd be lost without you." Willow said. "If we didn't have you, I would still think those cars were metal monsters eating people and Hunter would've been eaten by that pack of wolves a dozen times over."

"But they're so majestic and magical." Said boy responded with big eyes. "I want to join the pack and run alongside them."

"We're here to help Luz." Gus said. "Me, Hunter, Amity, Lucci, Willow, even Boscha trying to be antisocial in the corner."

"Reluctantly, but yes, I will help." Boscha rolled her eyes. "If only for the sake of getting us home faster."

"Guys …" She started crying, which was interrupted as the Centipeetles jumped her. "It's all right girls, I'm all right …" Luz assured them, even tied up in abomination muck.

"You know, I've never realized how much I've missed seeing adorably terrifying sights like this." Lucci laughed as the Centipeetle cuddled Luz.

"Kkkrrrr."

"No, you can not eat the tiny creatures."

Amity could see Ghost hold back a tirade. It would all work out in the end…they just had to get through it one day at a time.