Sex, Lies, and Diamonds | By : hathawaynoa0093 Category: +S through Z > Steven Universe Views: 13267 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: I do not own "Steven Universe", its characters, fandom, or related properties. Those belong to Cartoon Network. I do not make money from this piece of fanfiction. |
--One week after "Shattered Thursday"--
"King?"
"Yes?"
"An emissary from the Diamonds has arrived."
Naqid clasped his hands together. So soon? He wondered. Word must get around fast.
She stepped in, pushing the messenger to her side. A green Gem with long hair and a flowing dress stood before him, and she didn't look amused.
"Sadiq?" she asked. "What is the meaning of this?"
"...The meaning of what, dear representative of my intergalactic overlords?" he playfully responded.
"Don't test me, Sadiq. What you're doing in Beach City isn't necessary."
"What I'm doing is what our owners want me to do," he replied. "Nothing works like hostages and contaminated drinking water to scare the masses into accepting your Authority."
"We have decided your services are no longer required," the gem bluntly spoke. Naqid's brow furrowed.
"No longer required? Without my services, you wouldn't be here right now!"
"Without Ashami's services. And he's dead now. Your organization-"
Naqid stood up, his fists clenched as he stepped towards her.
"MY organization has the huddled masses crying in a corner, waiting for the Diamonds to pick them up. MY organization is what gave our owners the excuse they needed to begin again! MY organization-"
"YOUR organization stopped being relevant six days ago!"
Naqid grabbed the gem by the neck, grinning devilishly as he held her face to face.
"My organization will continue to be relevant as long as your owners need people to be scared... And why should I listen to you, anyways? You don't scare me, you stuck-up, little bitch."
"You're wrong... I do scare you..."
Then, her form changed in a flash of light. Naqid looked away, breaking his grip to cover his eyes, when the light subsided. A green aura filled the room. Her hand was glowing. His face was one of stricken fear.
"No... No, My Diamond! I genuflect! Wait, My Diamond! WAIT!"
-
"Give the order."
"Y-... Yes, ma'am," the young man nervously spoke.
"Address me as 'My Diamond', worm!"
"Y-! Yes, My Diamond!"
He fumbled with his phone before keying in the PIN and dialing a number.
"Come on, come on," he frantically mumbled, an open green hand in his face. "Come ooon... Bishop!? Yes, this is Knight! King has been checkmated! Repeat, King has been checkmated! Abort! Abort!"
The green light subsided from the room. The man recieved a pat on the back.
"Good boy... Now, if that's it, I'm returning to Homeworld. The gems at HT are gonna get the scoop of a human lifetime..."
--Three days later--
"Ahem... This is Graphite with Homeworld Today, reporting live from Beach City. Hours ago, Mayor Dewey passed the 'One Family One Gem' act, which requires that human families of a certain size must share housing with gems, or vice versa, an innovative act that's drawn both criticism and praise. After both of the near-tragedies that threatened the city, Mayor Dewey, quote, 'has a burning passion to prevent tragedies like Shattered Thursday before they start, by teaching loving-kindness and tolerance'... How was that?"
"Nailed it," the cameraman said as he gave her a thumbs up. "Keep going, just pretend the camera's on."
Graphite cleared her throat.
"We've recently recieved word that the first human family to share spacing will be announced by the end of the week; although rumors have circulated throughout the small city, there has been no apparent evidence to substantiate the claims... And, uh, what else did the script say?... Oh, yeah. Also White Diamond praised the move, saying it gives plenty of children a chance to grow up just like him, blah blah blah. We don't have to use that line, do we?"
"Nah."
-
"Can you shapeshift, Emerald?"
"Pretty much all gems can."
"Can you fly?"
"No."
"Can you turn invisible?"
"Nope."
"Are you super strong?"
"Not really."
"Aww, I wanna know what your super cool Gem power is!"
"Peedee?" his father asked. "Give her a break. She just became a part of the family!"
"Sorry, dad," Peedee said back. The Gem gave Peedee a grin as she sat in between him and his big brother.
"I can't do anything the other gems can't," she said, "but... I'm rich. And I know a few of the Diamonds personally."
Peedee's face lit up.
"Woah... So you know Steven, too!?"
"Steve-? Oh, you mean White?"
"Yeah! How'd he get to be White Diamond anyways?"
"The first White Diamond entrusted her gemstone to him," she spoke with a smile. "Blue was so sad to see the original White leave, but she was much happier that Steven could become a Diamond like her."
His father gave the gem a look in the rear-view mirror.
"The same Blue Diamond who said 'age is just a number' on live TV yesterday?"
"What do you mean by that, Mr. Fryman?"
"That's not the kind of talk I'd expect from a leader. Let alone someone who works with a kid Peedee's age..."
He eyed the van in front of the house as they turned down their street. "HT Homeworld Today", the back of the van read. He was cautious as they pulled up to the house, everyone getting out as a two-person news crew stood on the sidewalk. The Gem walked up to Mr. Fryman and held out her hand.
"Hello. I'm Graphite with Homeworld Today. News agency, obviously," she said, cracking a smile. "Are you Humbert Fryman?"
"...Yes," he responded, raising a brow.
"Alright, sir. We just wanted to ask you some questions. What was it like when you found out you were the first human family to house a Gem under the law?"
"It was... It was interesting. Her name's Emerald, she seems nice enough. Always helps to have another helping hand, right?"
"Indeed. Those must be your children - how excited were they?"
"My younger son was very happy... But my oldest son, Ronaldo? He hasn't been the talking type since last week, I'm hoping this will help him break out of that."
"Alright, fantastic. Onto our next question..."
--The next day--
*knock knock knock*
*creeeaaak*
"Hello! It's so good to see you! How's it going?"
"I'm great," he heard an unfamiliar voice say. "Even better now that I'm here. And where's the family?"
"I'm pretty sure the dad's cooking up lunch for the kids. And the kids-"
"Excuse me?" Humbert butted in, peeking his head from the kitchen. Emerald was standing with another gem, this one yellow, her cold eyes meeting with his. "Emerald? Who is this?"
"Don't worry, Hubert. This is just a friend of mine from Homeworld. Meet Hessonite."
"Hessonite?"
He remembered something he caught a faint glimpse of on HT.
"Wait a minute... What's a politician doing in my home?"
"I'm not just a politician," Hessonite answered back. "I was an ambassador for peace... At least, before the Second Authority made most of the job pointless."
"And before that?"
"Military stuff. Started to hate it near the end, but oh well. Not much I could do about it anyways. Now, how about you? What's your backstory? Let me guess..."
She waved her hands in front of her as Humbert popped back into the kitchen.
"Hm... You've been disheartened, cold, and vengeful ever since the tragic death of your daughter in an unforseen accident..."
"What are you doing?" came the voice of a younger boy. Hessonite and Emerald both turned to face him.
"I am trying to discern your father's tragic backstory," she responded. "And you?"
"Uh... I'm Ronaldo. Emerald shares my room."
"Ronaldo! Good to meet you. Let's have a seat. I've got some good stories for you!"
"...I'm not ten, y'know," Ronnie said with a raised brow.
"I know, I know. Emerald told me all about you and Peedee. Just wanna pass the time while your dad gets your lunch going. Say, I haven't told the Prism story in a while..."
Humbert tuned out Hessonite's voice as he focused on dishing out the food. He washed his hands clean and began assembling a plate for Ronaldo when his phone buzzed, almost vibrating off of the counter. He grabbed it before it fell; the phone vibrated again. He checked the screen to find two texts from an unknown sender. He put it in his pocket, getting Ronaldo's sandwich ready, then Peedee's. His phone vibrated once more. He rolled his eyes, becoming irritated.
It'd better not be some garbled nonsense from the phone service provider again.
"Okay, boys! Come and get it!"
Humbert stood against the kitchen wall as Ronaldo and Peedee arrived, grabbing their plates and offering their thanks. He smiled and nodded before pulling out his phone, eyeing the first line of text.
"YOUR BOYS ARE IN DANGER"
...Eh?
He unlocked his phone and went right to the text messages. "Unknown" had sent him three messages. Peeking out from the kitchen again, he saw the boys happily eating their food as Hessonite droned on. Turning around, he tapped on the message from Unknown.
"YOUR BOYS ARE IN DANGER
EMERALD IS NOT WHO YOU THINK SHE IS
LEAVE WITH YOUR FAMILY ASAP
"THIS IS NOT A HOAX OR A PRANK
EMERALD IS VERY CLOSE IN THE DIAMOND INNER CIRCLE
SHE AND HER ASSOCIATES ARE CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGERS TO HUMANS, ESPECIALLY YOUNG BOYS
"HER WRITINGS BETRAY WHAT SHE SAYS HER INTENTIONS ARE.
THEY'RE ONLY SOLD IN GEM TERRITORIES FOR A REASON.
AND THEY'RE GETTING POPULAR AGAIN.
YOU'LL BE THE FIRST HUMAN TO SAMPLE HER WRITING
BRACE YOURSELF"
Attached were several photos. Emerald with the old White Diamond. Emerald and Hessonite. Pictures of the covers of books. He began tapping on each photo chronologically, starting with Emerald and White Diamond before-
"Hey, Hubert?"
Emerald's voice made him snap back to Earth.
"Eh?- It's Humbert."
"Yeah, I meant to say that. Anyways, Hess and I wanted to take your boys out for an hour or two. Go to the park, or the beach, or the movies, or whatever-"
"No."
Emerald was almost offended by his answer.
"No? Why not?"
"Because we met you yesterday, and we met Hessonite ten minutes ago."
"Aww, c'mon, daaad," Peedee whined. "Pleaaase?"
"No. And that's final."
"Aww," Emerald joined in as she wrapped an arm around Peedee. "Don't worry, Peedee. We'll go somewhere soon enough."
--The next day--
"Aye, ye don't look like my normal customer, bawbag!"
"Aiden!"
The rideshare driver cracked a beaming smile.
"God, I love messin' with ya. Get in back."
Humbert groaned and sat in the backseat, rapidly munching down his pre-made breakfast as they began the trip to his workplace.
"Why do you always do this to me?"
"Because I'm an asshole, lad."
"I know, but... Ugh. Why now?"
"Ye get up on the wrong side? Someone have a piss in yer shite frozen breakfast, lad?"
"Sorry, it's just... I'm not in the mood for this."
"Aww, don't tell me, boyo..."
"Yeah... Just realized that she's gone for real this morning."
"Oooh... Damn. Pull up a couch and let's chat about it."
"Well... We're the first family to get a gem under that gem, house, whatever law..."
"Aye."
"Yesterday was tough enough because she brings over this random person that I've only seen on the news."
"Wasn't fer touchin' kids, aye?"
"Shut up! No, she was just some random politican... Anyways. I wake up. Head out. Ronnie's sleeping in. The gem's in a makeshift bed on the floor. And I just stand there, like... My god, I really wish she was here with me right now. Just to help get Ronnie up and out, maybe help the gem get situated."
"I'm very sorry fer yer loss, lad," Aiden said with solemn respect. Humbert smiled back.
"It's alright. She's somewhere better now..."
-
"Aye, somethin' up, pisspot?"
"Aiden..."
"Right, right. Ye'r not in the mood... How about some music?"
"Sure..."
Aiden nodded and set the radio to automatic.
"-stocks are on the rise a-" "-lurking all the ti-" "-well, that's me, mothe-" "-with a high of ei-" "thanks to my fellow Dia-"
He recognized that voice.
"Go back."
"Aye?"
"Go back. The one that had the kid talking, go back to that station."
Aiden fiddled with the knob until he got the correct frequency.
"-afely say that everyone will have the ability to voluntarily choose their partners, no matter who. This isn't just for me and whoever I'll be with. It's for everyone under the banner of the Authority."
That's Peedee's friend from school, Humbert thought. That's Steven.
Then the newscaster's voice filled the car.
"The decision came after a poll that showed support for all-age marriage at the highest it's been since the Universe Concordat was passed. Over 68 percent of the millions of gems across the galaxy who were polled expressed supporting marriage with gems under what humans would consider the age of consent."
"WOOOAAAH!" the two in the car exclaimed. The newscaster's voice continued.
"Although some in the Authority controlled territories of Earth and its colonies might disagree with the supposed 'ethical nature' of the act, one Mayor Dewey of Beach City welcomes the decision with open arms and even suggests-"
"Turn this garbage off," Humbert demanded.
"With pleasure," Aiden responded.
-
"Hey. I'm home."
"Hey, dad..."
Ronaldo was watching TV by himself. Humbert took his shoes off and joined his son; Ronaldo scooted away once his father took his seat. Humbert sighed.
"Ronnie..."
"I don't wanna talk right now."
"Something happen at school today?"
"...Jane broke up with me again..."
"Aw."
"It's fine. I was gonna leave her anyways."
"Oh? Did you find someone else?"
"Yeah."
"Who?"
"...gem girl."
"Is she your age?"
"Yeah. We met at the coffee shop."
"You went to the coffee shop? When?"
Ronaldo got up and walked away, down the hall. A door slammed closed out of his vision. Humbert didn't even bother asking him to come back as he looked at whatever was on... It was the news. Homeworld Today.
"The rumors of White and Blue's relationship took a spicy turn earlier when the two were seen in public, entering and exiting a high-class restaurant by themselves. Crystal Guardian Amethyst says that it's nothing serious-"
Spare me, he thought. He switched the channel to the Earth based news station.
"Protests against the decision were heated and, in some places, violent as the Second Diamond Authority moved to legalize child marriage, or, as White Diamond called it, 'all-age marriage'. This comes at a time when over ten percent of millions of humans, overwhelmingly women, admitted they found, quote, 'nothing objectionable' about relationships with minors. Many fear marriage is inapproprate for and could have a detrimental effect on young humans, but the Authority leadership..."
Humbert's eyes widened at the statistic.
Ten per-...? What the hell is happening out there?
"And now," the anchorman continued, "onto our next story: the terrorist group known as Identity Terra Nova was officially declared defunct, as the work of military and intelligence agencies have ensured that all known active members have been imprisoned or killed. Its acting leaders have surrendered and admitted to their crimes in the wake of Naqid Sadiq's sudden disappearance..."
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