suau-projectmatriarch - Tumblr blog

suau-projectmatriarch · 7 months ago

Text

Chapter 8: Team

[TRIGGER WARNINGS: Swearing, firearms, graphic depictions of panic and anxiety, threats]

“It just doesn’t add up,” Nora grumbled under his breath, pacing around the room. Stars only knew how much time had passed, and they had nothing else to do but sit and think in the eerie silence of the cold steel prison. There was the occasional strange noise here and there, machinery noises, yelling, clicking, buzzing, and a variety of other weird noises that only made Nora and Steven more anxious and jumpy. Stuck with their thoughts, all they could think about was what happened, why, when, and how the hell it happened. But neither Nora nor Steven could come to a conclusion that made sense.

“I don’t… I-I don’t know what to tell you, Nora.” Steven stuttered nervously, fumbling with the edge of the blanket. He was sitting cross-legged on the bed, watching Nora pace back and forth in front of him, his cold gaze staring holes into the floor.

Nora gave a forceful sigh, stopping in his tracks. He glanced over at Steven, then at the patient monitors. Steven’s heart rate was still quickened, and he was still shaking. Steven looked like he was about to fall asleep, but he was trying to keep himself awake. His breathing was careworn and raspy, and he had an exhausted expression, even after sleeping so much. Nora frowned, another sigh escaping him as he walked back over to the bed. He sat down next to Steven, who blankly stared at his lap in thought, still fidgeting with the blanket.

“Are you in pain?” Nora questioned with a slight tilt of his head and a worried look in his eyes. Steven took a deep breath, rubbing his eyes and face, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before responding. “I… I-I don’t know. I don’t think it’s pain, it’s…” Steven trailed off with his mouth parted open, trying to find the right words. He then shook his head and leaned over, resting his elbows on his knees as he buried his face in his hands. Nora seemed worried, but he wasn’t too sure what to do.

“Do you want me to try and heal you again?” Nora suggested, but Steven shook his head again with another sigh, leaning over as he ran his fingers through his hair.

“You already did, it eased the pain but like I said… It isn't pain, it’s just this, sickening empty feeling. Feels like bricks in my chest and stomach.” Steven said with an uncomfortable expression, staring down at his hands. Nora placed a hand on Steven’s shoulder.

“I think it’s because we’re separated. I’ve been experiencing a similar feeling ever since I woke up. It gets worse the farther you are. But all we can bet on for a cure for it is that weird mech gemstone Azure made…”

Steven paused when he heard Nora mention Azure, zoning out for a moment. He mumbled a few things under his breath as he glanced at the patient monitor, still deep in thought, his brows furrowing a little. Nora arched a brow with a curious yet concerned look on his face. “I can’t hear what you're saying, Steven.”

Steven’s eyes stretched open wide as he gasped a little, sitting up straight, turning to face Nora’s concerned and puzzled expression.

“‘I’m sorry.’” Steven quoted with a look and tone of realization. Nora tilted his head again in confusion. “Sorry? For what?” “No, no, not me. That’s the only thing that the blue gem, no, Azure, has said to me… ‘i’m sorry.’ She said the same thing twice. And the look on her face when she…” Steven trailed off, his eyes lowering. Nora was obviously still confused but he waited for Steven to continue before asking anything else.

“She’s a prisoner too, Isn’t she?” Steven asked, his perkiness faltering a little. Nora paused, thinking for a moment before nodding. “I’m pretty sure. Unless it’s an act to get on our good side.” Nora grumbled, glaring at the door. Steven however, wasn’t convinced it was a lie. There was a short pause from Steven before he spoke again. “How many other gems do they have trapped here?” Steven said fearfully, looking around before he gave Nora another anxious look. Nora shrugged, seemingly apathetic. Steven was his only priority. Steven was the only one he could truly trust in this hellhole, and the only one he was intent on protecting. But the look in Nora’s bright pink eyes hinted otherwise, and so did the slight frown his lips formed at the thought that there might be more prisoners here.

“I don’t know… I haven’t seen any other gems besides Azure. But knowing the 2nd Armada, they probably have more. Stars only know how many more…” Nora spoke with a quieter, somber tone. Nora gripped Steven’s shoulder, clenching his teeth.

“But that doesn’t justify what she did. She sedated you for fuck’s sake- If she hadn’t weakened or distracted you, you would have been able to take them all out.” Nora growled under his breath, glaring at the cameras mounted to the walls.

“And if it wasn’t for her, you wouldn’t be hooked to that glorified kill switch. Sure it’s keeping you alive, but it can also take your life at any second. We could have fused and been out of here hours ago.” Steven was swept up in his thoughts once more as he stared blankly at the ground. He opened his mouth a few times to talk but never spoke a word. His mind was fighting itself, torn between two thoughts. Part of him wanted to believe there was something or someone good, even in this concrete laboratory hell. But the other part of him knew that Nora was right. They couldn’t take any chances or risks. He and Nora were vulnerable enough already. With another sigh, Steven eventually gave up continuing that conversation. He didn’t need to spend much time with Nora to realize that his other half had severe trust issues and a fixed, apprehensive mindset that was hard to change. But truthfully, Steven couldn't blame his other half for being so cautious.

“I don’t know, maybe I’m too hopeful.” Steven admitted defeat, rubbing the back of his neck with both of his hands in an attempt to comfort himself.

“Maybe, maybe not. There’s still a chance I’m wrong, I just, I don’t want to risk it. Maybe Azure could be good, but I don’t want to assume, trust her, and then lose you for good.” Nora admitted with a serious expression and tone, leaning forward to look Steven in the eyes, his unyielding diamond gaze sending a shiver down Steven’s spine.

“You’re right. I know you’re right, but…” Steven trailed off again, glancing at the cameras again. Before Steven could finish, Nora spoke up with a small smile. “You have hope. You always have. I’m not saying you can’t have hope, I’m just saying that we have to be careful.” Steven nodded, taking a few deep breaths. Nora reached down and squeezed his hand in a gesture of reassurance, glancing over at the patient monitors every now and then. The steady beeping of the machines made the deafening silence just a little bit less unbearable, but it was becoming repetitive and aggravating.

There was a sudden spike in his heart rate when a knock sounded from the door. Steven flinched, gripping Nora’s hand tighter. Nora tightened his grip as well, his eyes glowing as he glared at the door.

“It’s Azure. I’m not here to hurt you, I have some people that Black Diamond wants you to meet.” Nora rolled his eyes and scoffed. Yeah right, like he was gonna believe that weak ass promise. A familiar metal clang echoed throughout the room as the locks in the doors were released. The door slowly creaked open, revealing Azure, followed by two male soldiers Nora had not seen yet. The soldier on the left was taller than Azure and had a muscular build and darker skin. He had short military-style black hair, a chiseled face, and speculative brown eyes. A small chunk of his left ear was missing, and he had various other scars on his torso, face, and arms. He wore an outfit similar to Black Diamond’s, a small communication device in his ear, a Glock 19 pistol strapped to his thigh, and various knives and ammunition attached to his bullet-proof vest. Also attached to his vest was a small metal nameplate similar to Azure’s with the name “Gunner” engraved in the steel.

The soldier to Azure’s right was a tad shorter than the one on the left, with a similar hairstyle, outfit, and athletic build. He had dark, heavy-lidded eyes and an angled chin spotted with stubble and paired with chestnut-brown hair. His skin was weather-beaten and grayish, marked with scars similar to Gunner’s wounds. He also had a vest decorated with knives, ammunition, and a small silver name tag with the nickname “Echo” written on it. Along with a Glock 19 attached to his hip, he held an M-16 with both hands pulled close to his chest, aiming it at the floor in a low port position.

Azure noticed the disgusted, enraged look in Nora’s eyes as he glared at the assault rifle in Echo’s arms. They sighed, turning to Echo with knit brows.

“I told you not to bring the gun.” Azure scolded, scowling at the weapon with disdain, their expression similar to Nora’s. Echo glanced at Gunner, who’s gaze was transfixed on the bright pink Gem a few feet away from him.

“I have orders from Black Diamond, Azure. We know Matriarch is unstable, carrying a weapon is necessary.” Echo asserted, looking Azure directly in the eyes. Nora growled, his eyes blazing pink as he shot daggers at Echo with this irate gaze. “You’re gonna need more than that feeble chunk of metal to get through me you senseless fuckwit.” Nora snarled, his left eye twitching in frustration. His booming voice reverberated throughout the room, cracking the floor and the walls a little. Steven squeezed Nora’s hand again, reaching forward with his free arm to hold Nora’s hand with both of his own; in hopes of calming him down at least a little bit. Nora paused, turning his head to glance at Steven, who gave him a pleading look.

Azure fought the urge to grab the gun and just shove Echo back out into the hallway. Instead, they frowned with a low grumble, their eyes glistening with irritation. Echo swallowed and avoided Azure’s murderous expression. Gunner placed a hand on Azure’s shoulder to try and avert their attention, speaking cautiously with a gentle monotone voice.

“Easy there, Matriarch. We’re not here for a fight. We’re just here to talk, I promise.” Gunner reassured, easing Azure’s aggravation, but not Nora’s. Nora just scoffed again and rolled his eyes so hard he nearly gave himself a headache. Azure wasn’t entirely convinced either, but they knew starting a fight with a soldier would only make things worse. A lot worse, for all of them.

“You don’t walk into a room harboring weapons to talk .” Nora spat, gritting his teeth. Meanwhile, Steven’s heart rate and anxiety spiked every time Nora responded with cynicism and malice.

“Nora, we don’t exactly have the upper hand here- We probably shouldn’t make them mad,” Steven whispered, speaking only to Nora, who couldn’t physically care less about making Azure or either of the soldiers angry. In fact, he wanted them to retaliate, so he had more reason to crush every bone in their body and get away with it. Azure wordlessly looked up at Gunner with a concerned expression that said it all. Nora wasn't necessarily wrong. Even Gunner and Echo knew that even if they wanted to admit it or not.

“I know, I know. Call it a safety precaution, if you will. Our objective is to talk.” Gunner assured with a calm and collected tone. Nora knew he was making an attempt to be peaceful, but there was no way in hell Nora would trust any of them.

“Alright, fine. What do you want to “talk” about?”

Gunner opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself, taking a moment to think with a slightly nervous look on his face. Nora arched an eyebrow, tilting his head with cautiously curious expression, mixed with one that could kill. Echo and Gunner exchanged uneasy glances, which only made the anxiety and rage in Nora’s gemstone worse. It didn’t help Steven’s fear either. Steven had to fight the urge to run as the sickening dread twisted up his stomach and chest. Gunner took a deep breath, and began to speak softly again, as if he was talking to a scared animal.

“Okay, well… Let’s start with this. Azure will be Steven’s assigned nurse, since they are familiar with him. Azure is our most trusted combat medic, and they wouldn’t hurt a fly, believe me.”

Azure couldn’t help but crack a small smile after hearing Gunner compliment them. It was the first time Nora and Steven had ever seen Azure smile. They usually looked absolutely terrified, angry, or far off from reality. But this time, they genuinely seemed appreciative and somewhat joyful. It melted Steven’s heart a little when he saw Azure’s timid yet noticeable grin. Nora would have been lying if he said it didn't give him some sense of relief too.

But as soon as Nora felt a brief moment of euphoria, he crushed those feelings and shoved them deep inside the back of his mind. Ensuring his and Steven’s survival was the ONLY priority. He wasn’t about to let himself think about anything or anyone else. Taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself, Nora spoke with cautious curiosity mixed with a hint of irritation. “... Fine. I don’t have a say in this, do I?” Nora grumbled, squinting his eyes at Gunner, who shrugged.

“Yea, Black Diamond’s orders. But he’ll be in good hands.” Gunner reassured with a confident nod and grin. He glanced over at Steven, who surprisingly did not break eye contact. Steven was still scared, but he knew that Nora was right next to him, and these people seemed a lot more docile than the others.

“I’ll take care of him as if he was my own, I promise.” Azure avowed sincerely, looking Nora directly in the eyes, which surprised him. They were always afraid of looking at him directly, he could tell. However, they couldn’t hold eye contact for long before they resumed staring at the floor with a scared expression.

“Okay… I can live with that.” Nora muttered, although he wasn’t exactly telling the truth. But arguing and fighting with a soldier right in front of Steven and getting in more trouble was not something Nora was keen on doing.

Gunner sighed in relief, releasing the breath his nervousness had a fierce grip on.

“Okay. Now… Black Diamond’s other order…” Gunner trailed off, looking off to the side. He looked scared almost. Worried, definitely, but fearful too. He opened his mouth to speak, but paused when he saw the murderous look Nora was giving him. “Just spit it out.” Nora ordered, his somewhat neutral expression now morphed back into one of anger. Gunner sighed again, glancing at Echo before he started speaking. “I am the commander of a squadron known as the Force Recon Strike Team. Black Diamond has brought to my attention her plans on integrating you into my team as a reconnaissance sniper. You passed the combat test with flying colors, and I’m sure a person of your caliber would be useful to us.”

Gunner explained as calmly as he could, but it was clear he was as enthusiastic about the idea as Nora was. Nora’s eyes widened in shock, his mouth hanging open. He had to take a moment to process what the hell Gunner just told him. Both Steven and Azure had a similar reaction to the news, however neither of them could match Nora’s fuming temper.

“No. FUCK no. I won’t ever join your little butcher squad!” Nora swore through bared, clenched teeth with flaming pink eyes and a face contorted with fury, his voice echoing once again.

“I was afraid you would say that… I’m sorry. But this is a decision you do not have the power to change.” Gunner said with a heavy sigh and a stern expression.

Steven and Azure looked up at Gunner with horrified looks, while Nora only grew angrier with each response from the commander. He opened his mouth to shout back in retaliation. But he was interrupted by a disturbingly familiar, distorted voice that spoke through the blaring static which echoed from the speaker embedded in the wall.

“He’s right, Matriarch. Don’t act like you have a choice here. If you want to keep Steven safe, follow my orders. You will leave this room with Gunner and follow his lead.” Black Diamond commanded, sending chills down Steven’s spine. Azure shivered, eyes filled with terror hearing Black Diamond’s angry, demanding tone.

Nora ground his teeth, scowling at the speaker as Steven’s heart rate spiked again. He squeezed Steven’s hand in a silent gesture of reassurance. It was clear that Steven didn’t want to be alone, or at least, without someone he knew for sure he could trust. Nora glanced behind him with a worried look, seeing Steven’s terrified, pleading expression. But deep down, they both knew they had no choice but to split up and follow along. If not, there was a likely chance that they would suffer a fate worse than the one Black Diamond promised.

“I’m sorry, I have to go- I’ll come back as soon as I can, I promise. They broke a deal with me. They won’t kill you, and they sure as hell won’t hurt you if they want me to obey them.” Nora murmured to Steven with knit brows and a determined expression hinted with anxiety. Steven could only nod shakily in response, trying to keep his breath steady as Nora slowly let go of his hand and stood up. Nora shot Gunner another merciless glare as he walked up to Azure, giving them the same expression.

“If I see a single wound on him when I get back, I’ll shatter you.” Nora warned with a threatening tone only Azure could hear. Azure swallowed, nodding in compliance. After Nora was done glaring them down, they eventually wandered over to Steven’s side.

The moment Nora was no longer at Steven’s side, the ache and exhaustion from being split apart got worse. Steven watched Nora as he begrudgingly walked up to Gunner’s side, fear taking him in a chokehold. Nora spared one last glance at Steven, who gave him a nervous smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Nora frowned with a worried look, mouthing the words, “I’m so sorry.” Steven took a deep breath, his defeated expression saying it all. He was sorry as well. Nora kept his eyes on Steven, and Steven did the same until Echo sealed the door shut with a hiss and metal clank.

Nora’s worried, sympathetic, and caring expression immediately switched to a bitter one when Echo shut the door.

“Follow me.” Echo ordered, gesturing down the hallway with a nod of his head.

Nora ground his teeth and sighed as he marched forward alongside Gunner and Echo, but every inch of his light-composed being was screaming at him to stop and run back to Steven. But he kept himself poised, keeping his eyes on the floor as his feet carried him quickly through the concrete hallways. His form flickered and cracked a little more once he got far enough from Steven’s room, it felt like his gem and body was being violently split into two pieces. He could imagine what Steven was feeling in that moment, and it made the pain all the more worse. Nora just prayed Steven would still be alive by the time he got back. Echo and Gunner exchanged concerned glances, noticing Nora’s obvious discomfort, agony, and rage. Echo’s grip on his M16 grew tighter the more he looked at the furious look in Nora’s eyes. Each time Nora’s form glitched or broke, Gunner and Echo would both jump and stare at Nora, who acted as if they never existed in the first place, even though he could feel both of the soldiers staring holes into him. He could feel the tension and anxiety in the air and didn’t need to look up to know they were whispering and looking at each other. Nora just sighed and tried paying no mind to his surroundings. He was too angry and in too much pain to even see his peripheral vision clearly, much less process the sights, smells, and sounds. Every room in this diamond-forsaken construct looked the same anyway. Claustrophobic, dark, metallic, dreary, gross, and uncomfortable. A Gem could barely handle this place. It made Nora wonder why the hell these humans were still here, why they were still doing this in the first place. These humans really hated Gems this much, didn’t they? Those thoughts continued to swirl around in Nora’s head and haunt him, before they were abruptly interrupted by Gunner’s voice. “We’re here.” Nora nearly bumped into Gunner, his mind so out-of-reach he didn’t even realize Gunner mentioned they had arrived. While Gunner pressed a few buttons into a keypad to the right, Nora slowly lifted his head, eyeing the giant metal door in front of him labeled “Barracks A.” The doors opened with a loud clunk and hiss, revealing another large metal room decorated with what seemed to be sleeping quarters for the soldiers. Bunk beds were spaced evenly along both the left and right walls with metal lockers in between. Surprisingly enough, instead of stone, the floor was made out of a dark, dead-looking wood that Nora had never seen before, even through Steven’s eyes. Various personal items were placed neatly on each of the beds, including backpacks, boots, clothes, suitcases, and bags. Dim lights hung low on the ceiling, barely even illuminating the room. There were no windows, just stone walls, which made the room look more like a decked-out prison cell than an actual living space. Everybody in the room immediately froze when they sensed the diamond’s presence, still as statues, eyes boring into Nora, who simply glared in response. “This is Force Recon Strike Team. Figured it’d be best to introduce you to everybody before we begin any training. You already know me and Echo. Closest to us is Striker,” Gunner gestured to the woman standing a few feet away from Nora. She had long, paper-white hair tied into a high ponytail with a torn black ribbon. Her eyes were a deep hazel, almost red, her dark sienna skin rough and calloused, marked with numerous scars. She had tattoos peeking out from under her clothing, paired with many black piercings on her ears, brow, lips, and nose. Striker didn’t even glance upward upon hearing her name; her piercing gaze fixated on the floor near Nora’s feet.

“To the right, we have Reaper and Hogs,” Gunner explained with a nod toward the two men to his right. The two looked nearly identical. Messy blonde hair, pale skin, shorter stock build, wide cheekbones, brooding dark gray eyes, it was almost impossible to tell them apart. The only differentiating features were their scars, or lack thereof. The man wearing a jacket labeled ‘Reaper’ had a wide scratch mark across his nose and a burn mark on his left hand. The other guy had no visible scars. Everyone in the room besides Nora wore the same clothing as Gunner and Echo, give or take a few boots, jackets, and vests.

Nora’s eyes flicked askance, his gaze meeting a cold glare from one of the soldiers near the back of the room. He tilted his head, squinting his eyes, glaring right back at the dude. Gunner noticed Nora’s expression, and followed his look over to the sniper staring at him. Gunner sighed a little, seeing who it was, pinching the bridge of his nose before continuing. “And that, over there, is Whiskey.”

The soldier in question rolled his eyes and turned to the back of the room. His menacing brown eyes were so dark they were almost black. He had obsidian, reddish hair and a scar plastered across his forehead over his left eye. His face was more oval-shaped and he had a lean, muscular build. His skin, similar to the other soldiers’, was rough, calloused, and scarred. It seemed that all of them had been in the business for a while. They had to have been through hell. In a place like this, he didn’t want to imagine what happened to anyone within these walls. “And this, here, is Matriarch.” Gunner declared, dropping a hand onto Nora’s shoulder. Nora growled a little, shrugging Gunner off with a huff. All eyes were back on him, which only made him more defensive. His form cracked and faltered a little again, making everyone tense up.

“He will be working with us from now on as a fellow recon sniper. He needs a bit of training first, but soon enough he will be an extra pair of boots on the ground.” Every soldier in the room exchanged skeptical and concerned looks, while Nora gave a deep sigh. Clearly, no one in this situation was happy about it. But at the same time, nothing could be done.

“Alright, fellas, play nice.”

Gunner pats Nora’s back before heading towards his bunk to the right. Nora watched Echo climb onto a top bunk, standing still near the entrance for a moment, searching the room, trying to ignore the looks from the rest of the snipers eyeing him like some sort of weird zoo animal. “Matriarch, you can, uh… Sit down.” Echo suggested, nodding in the direction of an empty bed. Nora scrunched up his nose and grumbled at the horrid ‘nickname,’ taking his time to think if he really wanted to sit down. In the end, he muttered and gave in.

Carefully maneuvering his way toward the back wall, Nora sat down on a rather cramped bed toward the back left of the room. For the most part, the other soldiers seemed to finally ease up on the staring and whispering, which helped make the scenario slightly less uncomfortable, for Nora at least.

With another long sigh, Nora buried his face in his hands, propping his elbows up on his knees. Finally, he had a moment of peace. He rubbed his face, sniffling a little as his gaze burned holes into the dingy wood floor. Cautiously, he let his mind wander. Nora had an endless amount of questions swirling around behind his light-composed eyes, questions he’d probably never get answers to, the sheer amount and weight of them all giving him a headache.

What does the 2nd Armada want with him? Do they really only want him as a weapon? How did they get away with staging Steven’s death? How did they even manage it? What the hell was Steven’s family thinking right now? Stars, there was so much, too much. Nora pressed his palms to either side of his head, squeezing his eyes shut, shaking a little as he inhaled through his nose, holding his breath for a moment.

Nora paused, releasing his breath. He could use this. He could use his position to gain intel, to see the inside workings of the 2nd Armada. He opened his eyes, lowering his hands, surveying every crack and imperfection in his form. He curled his hands into fists, pressing his lips into a thin line as he sat up straight with a stern, determined expression.

That’s what Nora would do. That’s what he had to do. There was no time to sit and mope around, he had to act, and he had to act fast. Steven’s life was on the line, and so was Nora’s. He would search every nook and cranny of the entire facility if he had to. Gain information and weapons then get the fuck out of there, and maybe burn the place down as an added bonus, shut it down for good, maybe even free a few other prisoners while he’s at it. He wasn’t ecstatic with the idea, Steven was his top priority, nothing would change that, and he didn’t particularly care for the other hostages. But he knew Steven would be damned before he didn’t even try to help the others. Nora furrowed his brows, making up his mind. He would play along with Black Diamond’s little game, fall in line, play the role of the perfect reconnaissance soldier, until he had the perfect chance to tear the place down. He had to, there was no other option.

Previous | Next

#su au #steven universe alternate universe #SU AU Project Matriarch #fanfic #writing #steven universe #steven universe au #Project Matriarch #su au project matriarch #project matriarch

2 notes · View notes

suau-projectmatriarch · 2 years ago

Text

Chapter 7: Remembrance

[TRIGGER WARNINGS: Mentions of Violence, Funerals, Mourning, Threats, Swearing]

Seconds, minutes, and days passed by painfully slow as the Gems organized a funeral plan for Steven. They had close to zero information, all they possessed was his bloodied gemstone, but it would have to work. Bismuth pushed all her projects off to the side and dedicated all her time, her resources, and her energy to creating a memorial for Steven. Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst worked with Bismuth to hand-make a beautiful glass case containing a metal frame to hold Steven’s gemstone together. Close friends and family watched Greg and Connie closely. Sadie, her friends, and the Off-Colors stayed in Beach City to help out anywhere they could. They were all advised not to make his death public knowledge just yet. Only to tell people they knew for certain they could trust. None of them needed another warning, considering past experiences.

Before long, the day of the funeral came. The sky was darkened and dismal. The oceans roared and crashed against the sandy beachside, and gray clouds formed and twisted in the sky, heavy with rain as if the world itself was anguished with the murder of its beloved savior as its people were. But it would have taken the galaxy meeting oblivion face-to-face to hinder Steven's family and friends from going through with the commemoration. As everyone else was getting ready, Connie stood alone in the center of Steven’s room, her arms crossed over her chest, hugging herself tightly. The memories were flooding back to her like a tsunami, nearly knocking her out with the intense emotions attached to them. She could hear the faint call of Steven’s voice, distant, ringing in her ears like a blown-out speaker.

Connie’s eyes were darkened and empty, a shadow cast over her face. Her cheeks and nose were red and puffy, and her head throbbed with pain from crying. She felt like she had completely lost it: her mind, her will, her heart, everything. It was gone, and it wasn’t coming back. It had died alongside the person she loved the most.

Connie flinched a little when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Patricia, wearing an outfit similar to Connie’s. They both wore deep black clothing, close-toed shoes, and socks in preparation for the coming funeral dedicated in memoriam and respect to Steven. Patricia wore a long-sleeved high neck shirt, an ankle-length skirt, and a black hijab, while Connie donned a simple, collared, knee-length dress with a dark ribbon around the waist and elbow-length sleeves. Although, she was fighting the urge to wrap one of Steven’s jackets around herself, to mimic at least a semblance of his embrace and warmth. Steven always hugged Connie when she was sad or cold. At that moment, she was freezing and torn to shreds. But she knew she would never be wrapped in his arms again and that it was foolish to hope for it. But stars be damned if she did not miss him and need him so much it physically hurt.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this, Connie?” Patricia asked with concern in her voice. She was also upset at losing one of her closest friends, but she knew Connie had taken his death hard. Connie was his partner after all. And Patricia was worried that the funeral would be even harder.

Connie sighed then turned her head to meet Patricia’s worried gaze with her lifeless one, attempting a composed facade.

“I have to, Patricia.” Connie said finally with a broken voice.

Patricia wasn’t convinced, but she decided not to fight it. Patricia retracted her hand but immediately hugged Connie tightly afterward. Priyanka gently knocked on the door with Daniel at her side to announce her presence. They wore similar attire to Connie and Patricia’s clothing, and both Priyanka and Daniel seemed just as worried as Patricia was for Connie’s wellbeing.

“They’re waiting for you downstairs, honey.” Patricia spoke gently, giving Connie a warm, reassuring, yet concerned expression once Connie turned around to face her. Connie glanced over to Daniel, then looked back up at her mother. With a deep breath, she nodded.

“Okay. I’m ready.” Connie said, but even she did not sound convinced. She rubbed her eyes, then walked over to Priyanka and Daniel. Priyanka put a hand on Connie’s shoulder, while Patricia squeezed her hand in a gesture of reassurance.

Connie led the small group down the stairs, glancing over at the small crowd in the living room. Greg and the Crystal Gems were huddled around the coffee table, all wearing funeral attire. Black suits, dresses, pantsuits, paired with close-toed shoes. Garnet wasn’t wearing her visor, and neither was Peridot. Greg was sitting in the center of the couch, clutching the intricate glass case that held Steven’s gemstone, which had been pieced back together, held in place in a gorgeous hand-crafted silver frame that Bismuth had created. Greg’s hands were trembling, and he was trying to fight the tears threatening to well up in his eyes. He looked about as worse for wear as Connie and the gems did. Amethyst was at his side with a hand on his shoulder, and Pearl was standing at his other side with her eyes askance and downcast.

Greg looked up, his eyes meeting Connie’s broken torn and anxious expression. The Gems soon followed his gaze, looking up at Connie, standing on the stairs with Daniel, Patricia, and Priyanka beside her. Daniel looked out the large window near the staircase, seeing all the townsfolk crowded at the shore waiting for them. Close friends, new friends, complete strangers, and former enemies stood at the shoreline. Hell, every gem and every human that could attend the funeral was there, except the Diamonds. They were advised to stay in their palace and watch the broadcast instead, due to the possibility of their powers affecting everyone else. As well as other more personal reasons Steven’s family would rather not discuss with the Diamonds.

“I’m pretty sure everybody that can be here is here,” Daniel said, glancing over at Connie and Greg. Amethyst wandered over to the screen door, pressing her palms against the glass. With a sigh, she nodded, turning to Garnet. Priyanka put a hand on Greg’s shoulder while Amethyst walked over to Pearl, helping her up off the couch. All of the gems still had cracking on their bodies, but they were able to manage a somewhat stable form. But it was clear that trying to keep their light-composed forms from poofing was an extremely difficult task.

Holding her mother’s hand tightly, Connie was the first to step outside Steven and Greg’s home. She led Priyanka, the Gems, and Greg down the hill to the shoreline. Near the edge of the crashing waves was a small stone statue of Steven covered in vines and flowers. Bismuth had carved a hole into the hands of the statue to hold his gemstone encased in glass and silver. Everyone had surrounded the memorial with flowers, framed photos of him, his family, and friends, some of his personal belongings, and the gifts he had given to his family before the road trip on his 17th birthday. A gesture of reassurance, love, and respect to the ones who raised and protected him even at his darkest moments.

Nearby the statue, the Gems had set up seating arrangements for the attendants. And with the help of Sour Cream, a speaker and microphone was also placed near the statue so the family could speak clearly to everyone. Unfortunately, the Gems had sorely underestimated the number of people who planned to be there. But the visitors didn’t mind. Instead, they sat in the sand without complaint in respecting silence. Everyone directed their attention to the grieving family as they made their way down the split in the crowd in pairs of two, holding hands. Daniel and Patricia sat down near the front, keeping a close eye on Connie. Patricia couldn’t help but note all of the guards. Agates, quartzes, fusions, you name it, they were there.

Lapis lazuli’s were stationed beside the guards, holding back the rainwater and the ocean. Among the Lapis Lazuli were the two who had fought against Lapis and Steven. One Lapis was fighting tears and shaking violently, whilst the other had better composure. But it was evident she was grieving as well. Steven never gave up on either of them, even when they attacked him and his friends and tried to destroy a planet he was trying to save. They owed him a lot. More than either of them were willing to admit.

Each Gem, Connie, and Greg stood near the statue, forming a line. One by one, they stepped forward, taking one last glimpse at Steven’s gemstone before sitting beside the statue in front of the flowers and belongings. Peridot sat next to Lapis, Pearl sat next to Amethyst, Bismuth sat next to Garnet, and Connie sat next to Priyanka.

Greg gently placed the glass casing in the hands of the statue, staring at it for a moment, cupping his hands around the stone ones, shaking. After a moment, he rubbed tears from his eyes, whispered one final apology and goodbye, then finally managed to walk away from the statue and to the microphone stand. Blue Pearl set up a holo screen that projected the ceremony across the earth and galaxy. But she made sure to keep a distance from the group to be respectful. Greg wasn't keen on broadcasting his son's funeral, but it wasn't just a funeral. It was a warning to his enemies. A call to their allies. They wanted whoever killed him, so they could pay for their unforgivable actions. A statement made, and a message to the people that they had lost the one who saved them, the one who did not deserve to be slaughtered.

“Thank you, to everyone here. To everyone listening. I know this isn’t easy to witness.” Greg spoke with a shaky voice, trying desperately to keep himself together.

“Steven would have wanted to say goodbye to you all at least one last time. As much as we will love and miss him, he will love and miss us just as much, if not, more. His gemstone will not be buried here, but kept and guarded closely in the Diamond Palace instead. But for this ceremony, his gem will be inside the statue that Bismuth made.”

Greg gestured over to Bismuth with a nod as he spoke. Bismuth gave him a small, grateful smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Greg turned back to the microphone, glancing down at the little cards Priyanka, Peridot, and Garnet wrote down for him.

“Each of us will be giving a speech. After which, Steven’s gem will be relocated in the room dedicated to protecting it. If you wish to leave any parting gifts beside his statue, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all, again.” Greg looked up and gave everyone a small, broken smile. Mostly everyone had already placed something beside the statue, but a few townspeople, including gems, stood up to place a flower or two near the stone figure.

There was a moment of tense silence when a familiar, small pink gem stood up and walked down to the statue, placing a large pink carnation at the feet of the sculpture. It was Spinel, one of Steven’s greatest enemies. Lapis tensed up, grinding her teeth and glaring at Spinel as she walked closer. Everyone else was tense as well. Peridot placed a hand on Lapis’ shoulder, giving her an expression that said, “Please don’t.” Bismuth and Pearl did the same for Garnet, who had curled her fingers into tight, quivering fists and gritted her teeth. She knew there was no use in senseless violence, but seeing that horrid reminder of one of her worst memories made it a struggle. Although the others would be lying if they said they weren’t struggling as well.

They all knew why Spinel was here. She was here in place of the Diamonds. She wore a dark dress with the Diamond emblem embroidered on the back. While it was undeniable that Spinel had gotten much better, everyone was still on guard around her. Especially since she was walking around with the diamond emblem so bravely presented during Steven's funeral. Yet she wasn't wearing it of her own accord. Some part of her hated it too. But nowadays, she trusted the diamonds and wanted to show her loyalty to the ones who took her in as one of their own.

Spinel stood in front of the stone statue with her left hand folded over her right, resting on the front of her skirt. She lowered her head and closed her eyes for a moment, muttering something under her breath before turning around, hurrying back to her spot next to the Yellow Agate guard in the back corner, trying to disregard the awkward, piercing stares from everyone else.

The gem behind Spinel walked up to place flowers at the memorial; was Nephrite. The very same Nephrite that Steven tried to heal when he was young, Centi. The name Centi was a name she wore with pride and joy. She carefully sat down on her knees, gently placing a bouquet of gladioli flowers near all the other flowers. There was a variety and abundance of flowers. Carnations, chrysanthemums, orchids, and hydrangeas. The unspoken rule, however, was that no one was allowed to place a rose near his memorial. Flowers of varying colors, shapes, and sizes were among the bouquets, but not one single rose was in sight.

Centi placed her hands in her lap, staring at the cracked pink gemstone in the hands of the carved stone. She lowered her head, closing her eye for a moment. She muttered a few words before standing up, blinking away a tear forming in her eye. Another nephrite, Centi’s co-pilot, Nephie, walked up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Drawing a deep breath, Centi placed her hand on her co-pilot’s. She glanced over at Peridot, who gave her a weak, sad smile in return.

Taking Centi’s hand, Nephie led her commander back to their seating arrangements. As the last of the gems and humans placed their parting gifts and took their time to say goodbye, Greg stood up and walked over to the microphone. He took a deep breath, reading the papers in his hands before speaking once more.

Steven groaned, clenching his teeth as he slowly opened his eyes. He was met with a dim, flickering white ceiling light. The room was silent and eerie, and his shaking body was achy and weak. And he felt an intense, sinking empty feeling clawing at his chest, making him nauseous. The pain in his stomach didn’t exactly help with the nausea or fatigue. He glanced around, scanning his surroundings as some memories slowly drifted back to him. Right, still stuck in this glorified prison cell. Unfortunately the events that transpired weren’t a nightmare. There was a buzzing in his ears, followed by the faint beep of the patient monitor. Steven didn’t even have the energy to panic again. His head was throbbing, his eyes red and puffy, everything hurt, and he was completely drained, mentally and physically.

“Steven? You awake?”

A familiar voice called out to Steven, his voice. He squinted, his vision blurring a little. He squeezed his eyes shut and pursed his lips. He didn’t have the energy to be shocked or confused either, even at hearing his own voice talking to him.

“Ugh… Sort of.” Steven grumbled, almost incoherent with another pained grunt. He wrapped an arm around his stomach, rubbing his eyes with the other as he tried to wake himself up.

“Trust me, you aren’t the only one.”

Hearing the voice again, it suddenly clicked. Steven paused and blinked, his hand hovering over his wide eyes for a moment before he quickly propped himself up on his elbows. He nearly had a heart attack when his eyes were met with piercing diamond ones. He stared at the pink figure in front of him, his frazzled, probably still sedative overdosed mind trying to decipher what he was seeing.

“... Nora?” Steven said with confusion in his voice, slurring his words a little. His sentence seemed to be more of a question than a statement.

Nora blinked, staring at his human half with perplexion and slight concern. He glanced over at the patient monitor, then looked back at Steven.

“Did you forget about me already? I’m hurt.” Nora snarked with a raised brow, cracking a small amused smile after giving Steven a mock pout. It was obvious Nora was being sarcastic, but Steven immediately panicked, shaking his hands dismissively with a guilty look on his face.

“W-Wait! No! I-I’m sorry, I-I just-” Steven was interrupted by a chuckle from Nora.

“Relax, it’s okay. I’m just messing with you.” Nora reassured with another amused smirk, crossing his arms as he leaned against the metal frame behind him. He was sitting cross-legged, facing Steven at the foot of the bed.

“How are you feeling?” Nora asked, his smile fading, his expression morphing into one of worry. As much as he wanted to try and lighten the mood, he couldn’t help but be concerned.

“I’ve… Been better. But, I’m alive, right?” Steven said with a nervous laugh, sitting up straight. Pulling his legs up to his chest, Steven hugged his legs close, resting his chin on his knees. Nora sighed a little and nodded, recognizing Steven’s posture as an anxious, defensive one. Steven was chewing at his bottom lip too, which was never a good sign.

“Yeah, I figured… Don’t chew your lip, you’ll make yourself bleed again.” Nora commanded sternly with furrowed brows. Nora had good intentions, but unlike his human half, he was very intimidating and standoffish. Even when he didn’t mean to be. Steven gulped, nodding a little as he tried to fight the urge to fidget again.

There was a short moment of tense silence between the both of them before Steven finally spoke up.

“What about you?” Steven asked, looking up at his Gem half. Nora blinked in confusion once more, arching a brow.

“What about me?”

“Are you hurt?”

“I don’t see why that’s impor-” Nora cut himself off, seeing the pouty glare Steven was giving him. Nora didn’t need him to speak his mind to know what he was thinking, or feeling.

“...I mean, I’m fine. It’s kinda tough to hurt me anyway.” Nora said with a shrug.

“That’s true. But-” Steven was interrupted by a loud metal clang of the room’s door opening. Steven gasped and flinched as if he heard a gunshot, his eyes stretching open wide in horror when he saw who was behind Nora. Nora whipped his head around, following Steven’s gaze. Nora immediately scowled, his joy and gentleness rapidly switching into violent animosity as he growled and shot a ruthless glare at the people standing in the doorway.

It was Black Diamond, Azure, and the same woman from before, the officer that looked identical to Black. Somehow, she looked even more terrified and broken than when Nora saw her in the observation room. Azure seemed to be as scared as the smaller woman was. Their eyes were wide, their arms crossed, their body trembling.

“What the hell do you want now?” Nora hissed, his eyes glowing menacingly as Black Diamond glared right back at him. Nora shifted his gaze to the large radio in Black Diamond’s hand, confusion overriding his seething hatred for only a moment before Black Diamond spoke.

“I have a little surprise for the both of you. Want to see?”

Steven looked over at Nora with a terrified look in his eyes. Nora and Steven’s answer was already obvious, but so was Black Diamond’s intentions. She was going to show them whether they wanted her to or not.

Steven shuffled backward as Black Diamond took a few steps forward. Nora did the same, watching Black like a hawk as she got closer. He could feel Steven shaking behind him. And it only pissed him off even more. The patient monitor’s beeping grew more and more rapid as Black Diamond got closer and closer. Azure raised their head, a worried expression on their face when they heard the quickened beeping. But they didn’t dare move or speak out of line so close to their commander.

Black Diamond placed the radio in front of Nora, who was still scowling at her, seconds away from tearing out her spine. She reached down, pressing the power button. Blaring static rang throughout the room, making Steven flinch again and clasp his hands over his ears. Black Diamond turned the dial, the static noise shifting and distorting until it started to sound like a voice. A very familiar voice. Greg’s voice. Steven and Nora both froze, hearing the voice of their father, his tone soaked in despair.

Black Diamond grinned with a tilt of her head when she saw their expressions. Turning another dial, she raised the volume of the broadcast. Greg’s voice distorted and glitched out now and then, but they could still make out what he was saying, if just barely.

“I-I still remember the day Steven was given the opportunity to move in with the Crystal Gems. He was so excited that day, and from that day forward until he moved, it was all he could think about. Picked up the ukulele faster than I could teach him and w-wrote a whole song for them and everything. And the day he showed me his p-powers that he had finally mastered, each and every accomplishment on every mission, a-all of his friends… Couldn’t stop talking about it, he was so proud of himself and he was so happy. I could have listened to him ramble for hours.”

Nora and Steven could hear the dejected smile in their father’s voice, but they could also hear the absolute devastation. Steven looked up at Black Diamond, confused, panicked, and frozen with fear. Black met his gaze, and a cold chill ran down his spine. There was something about her eyes that made him feel sick from a kind of alarm he had only felt a few times before. Steven has faced fear, death, and worse when he was younger. He had even grown accustomed and completely numb to it. But the expression and the presence of this woman alone awakened a kind of terror Steven had not felt in a very long time.

Static hissed through the radio speaker, Greg’s glitched and distorted voice breaking through it.

“Ever since then, he worked himself to the bone. S-Saved Earth, saved the galaxy, even saved the people who didn’t d-deserve it. I knew he was going to be strong, but I’m sure he impressed all of us with the feats he managed to accomplish. I-I just wish that I could have been there to save him …”

It was evident that Greg was trying not to cry. His voice was shaking, he was stuttering, and it only became more and more difficult not to break down. They heard him take a deep, trembling breath before continuing.

“This morning, W-White Diamond called for a meeting at her palace. She had found my son’s sh-shattered gem in her old throne room. C-Covered in his blood, s-smashed to pieces l-lying on the f-floor.”

There was a moment of silence as Greg tried to compose himself, his breath hitching. Steven could see it now, his father standing there with tears running down his face like waterfalls. But his mind had no time to process that image before something clicked. Steven’s eyes stretched open wide as he stared at Nora with pure shock and terror. Nora turned his head to face Steven. Nora seemed as surprised and panicked as his human half was, if not more so.

“What… But-” Nora began, but was immediately interrupted by the radio broadcast.

“Steven has a-always been a good kid. Kind, thoughtful, s-strong, determined, brave, empathetic, a-and so much more... Even while fighting m-monsters of his own. After everything he went through, he put others first, even when it broke him. He didn’t deserve to die like this.”

Greg’s voice cracked as a broken sob escaped him followed by more static hissing from the radio. Nora and Steven could only stare at the radio with wide, panic-stricken eyes. They heard another distorted deep breath, then Greg continued.

“We don’t know who hurt him yet. But we need your help to find them. We need to find them and make them pay .” Greg spoke with desperation and anger in his voice.

Black Diamond held in a laugh, glancing at Azure and the woman behind her. Azure had cracks spreading throughout their body, and they couldn’t look Black Diamond in the eye. The woman gave Black Diamond an unnerved look, still shaking as much as Azure was.

“Oh, come on. It’s a little funny.” Black Diamond said with an amused smile. Nora was shaking with pure rage, while Steven was frozen statue-still in horror with a thousand questions racing through his head. The woman lowered her head again with a defeated expression. Black Diamond turned to Nora, her eyes glimmering with malice as she returned his murderous expression with a glare, still smiling. There was a distorted shuffling noise and incoherent conversations from the radio before another familiar voice spoke after a long, tense pause and another shaky breath.

“I-I remember the first time I met Steven. H-He was trying to ride a bike. Yes, in the sand…” Connie said sadly with a small chuckle. When Steven heard her voice, he finally snapped out of his trance and gasped, tears streaming down his face.

“Conni-” Steven exclaimed, but was cut off by Black Diamond switching off the radio with an audible click. He flinched once more when he heard the noise, and looked up at the looming death in front of him. He clenched his teeth, trembling. He wanted to scream, to yell, to fight, but he couldn’t move. Black Diamond rested her chin on her hand, smirking like the cat that ate the canary. Nora finally snapped out of his rage-induced catalepsy, his eyes blazing bright pink as the floor cracked and the machines malfunctioned under the sheer pressure of his hate. But before he could say or do anything, Steven grabbed his wrist, trembling.

“Nora. Don’t. Please.” Steven pleaded, the panic in his wide eyes made Nora stop immediately, his vicious scowl switching to a worried look. Steven slowly shook his head and whisper-begged the words “Please don’t.” Nora stared at his horrified human half, pink tears welling up in his eyes.

“Listen to your little pet, Matriarch. You have no power here.” Black Diamond commented with a snarky tone.

“They’ll come for you, Black. They will tear this place apart. And after, I will tear you apart.” Nora growled, his manic, fuming eyes meeting Black Diamond’s half-lidded gaze that was brimming with pride. His voice echoed and reverberated throughout the room, the walls and the floor cracking under the pressure. Black Diamond held in another chuckle and leaned over, resting her forearms against the frame at the foot of the hospital bed. She glared right back at Nora once again, her words soaked with venom.

“Don’t worry about us, we’ll be just fine.” Black Diamond reassured with a smug expression and a cocky, leering tone. It was clear she was enjoying making Nora uncontrollably enraged.

“They won’t find this place, Matriarch. We’re tucked away in the corner of the galaxy on a looong forgotten planet. And I know better than to not have tricks up my sleeve. My favorite diamond has such little faith in me?” Black Diamond mocked, arching a brow, her smile making Steven’s stomach churn. Steven held onto Nora’s arm in a silent gesture of reassurance, trying to keep him from doing something that they both would regret.

“Maybe HD-023 isn’t the pet after all. He’s got you leashed like a dog .” Black leered again as she insulted Nora with another sick grin.

“Don’t fucking call him that you insufferable-” Nora began, jerking forward with the intention of lunging and shredding Black Diamond into chunks of gore. But he was interrupted by Steven, who held onto his arm and raised his voice, glaring at Black Diamond.

“L-Leave us alone.” Steven demanded with shaking, stuttering words. Black Diamond’s eyes roved over Steven for a moment before she held in another laugh. She stood up, curling her fingers around the handle of the radio before picking it up and swinging it like a purse as she turned to walk out of the room.

“I’ve had enough fun with them. Lock them up, we have work to do.” Black Diamond ordered, giving Azure a disgusted look. Azure flinched and trembled in response. They nodded hastily, saluting Black Diamond with a diamond salute as Black walked out of the room, taking the radio that Black shoved into their chest.

Azure paused just before closing the door, turning to Steven and Nora. Nora shot daggers at them with his expression as soon as she turned around.

“I’m sorry.” Azure whispered, blue tears welling up in their eyes. Steven looked confused, his eyes widening in surprise as he looked up at them. But Nora was having none of it.

“Get the fuck out.” Nora growled, making Azure flinch once more and hurry out of the door, securing it closed behind them with another loud metal clang.

“Nora…” Steven began, but paused when Nora turned around to face him. Nora was completely irate, with wide eyes, furrowed brows, and bared teeth. Steven gulped. He was scared, but he knew deep down that Nora wouldn’t hurt him. He took a deep breath before returning Nora’s furious expression with a warm, worried one.

“B-Breathe, buddy.” Steven ushered, enunciating his words with a squeeze of his hands around Nora’s arm. Nora gave a forceful sigh, his haggard breathing evening out as the rage turned to shame and fear. As much as he hated Black Diamond, scaring his human half would break him completely, and he had a sinking feeling in his gem hearing fear in Steven’s voice.

“... I could tell you the same thing,” Nora muttered with a guilty look on his face. Steven shrugged with a “that’s fair” expression. He was still shaky and huddled up in a defensive position, and he would be lying if he said he wasn’t scared, upset, and angry too.

“I’m sorry,” Nora admitted with a heavy heart, looking Steven in the eyes. Shame, worry, and defeat was written all over his pale pink face.

“Me too.” Steven mumbled in defeat as he lowered his head, tears in his eyes. Nora shook his head, the feeling of guilt and shame building, nearly cracking him. He quickly reached forward and pulled Steven into another tight hug.

“You don’t have to apologize, I’m not angry at you. And I’m gonna get us out of here. I promise .”

Nora reassured, enunciating his last words by hugging Steven just a little bit tighter. Steven hugged him back wordlessly, taking another deep, shaking breath in an attempt to calm himself. They couldn’t give up, they had to fight this together and stay positive.. It was the only way they would persevere and survive.

Previous | Next

#su au #steven universe alternate universe #SU AU Project Matriarch #fanfic #writing #steven universe #steven universe au #Project Matriarch #su au project matriarch #project matriarch

5 notes · View notes