#princess naja serpentes

[andrewmoocow]

Steven Universe Snake Eyes chapter 5: Be Prepared (originally posted on September 25, 2023)

AN: We only have one chapter to go before the big halfway point, and I got quite a few things planned for it. We'll be getting the long-awaited rematch between Steven and Black Rutile, the beginning of the end of the Rutile Rebels, the true nature of Prince Nosiop's plans for the universe, and many more. Tensions will run high as the story reaches the second half, and the endgame will be the most epic that Alternate Future has seen yet. Now without further ado, let's get things started.

Synopsis: Black Rutile and her subordinates find themselves caught in a scheme by the insidious heir to Serpentes's throne to conquer the universe, and Black Rutile is all too eager to get in on the plan for the sake of revenge.

Cast:

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Jason Marsden as Prince Nosiop Jormagundr

Della Saba as Aquamarine

Charlyne Yi as Eyeball, Doc, Navy, Army, Leggy

Christine Pedi as Holly Blue Agate

Casey Lee Williams as Cat's Eye

Gina Torres as Andesine

Avi Roque as Cinnabar

Awkwafina as Kyanite

Allison Janney as Pyrite

Kimberly Brooks as Dalmatian Jasper

Zehra Fazal as Zoisite

Lena Hall as Bloodstone

Jodie Whittaker as Xenotime

Barbara Dunkelman as Amber

Kristen Schaal as Howlite

Idina Menzel as Amazonite

Halsey as Tanzanite

Mia Barron as Apatite

Jinkx Monsoon as Emerald

Kari Wahlgren as Pyrope

Melissa Fahn as Demantoid

Hayley Kiyoko as Morganite

Keith David as Pyth

Cissy Jones as Princess Naja Jormagundr

Aurelio Voltaire as King Cobralan Jormagundrr

Shirley Millner as Queen Constricta Jormagundr

Zach Callison as Steven

Zach Steel as Ronaldo

Atticus Shaffer as Peedee

Matthew Moy as Lars

Julissa Aguirre as Lady Imagineer

John Mulaney as Flipso

--

Prince Nosiop Jormagundr wasn't always the way he was today. When he was a young snake, Nosiop was a prince with big dreams for the future of his race. However, not everyone was willing to listen to him because he was so young, but he didn't let that deter him. One year, during the 419,982nd annual Contest of Champions, Nosiop tried once again to plead his case to his father.

"Conquering the Ood? Surely you jest, my boy!" King Cobralan objected to what his son had just said as the two slithered through the castle halls. "You know we'd be no match for their psychic abilities! It would be utterly stupid!"

"But please, Father, our lives could be so much easier with a hivemind serving us!" Nosiop stated, but his father still wouldn't listen. "In fact, tons of races and planets would be of great use to our people, like the Shamoians, the Mooninites, and the Watchdogs. Maybe we could even abduct ourselves a few Gems!"

"Enough, my son." Cobralan urged his future successor. "I can see you have big ideas, but unfortunately, they don't align with our culture. Now, I'm going to speak with the Universal Lords for a bit. You go off and have fun at the Contest with your mother and your baby sister." He then began to slither away. "I'll see you again soon."

Although Cobralan left the conversation with a smile, Nosiop wasn't as happy as his father. "He just doesn't get it!" Nosiop grumbled angrily. "We could be perfect conquerors, just the two of us ruling the universe as father and son!"

"It truly is a shame that your father wouldn't give you the time of day," Pyth said as he appeared behind Nosiop. "My father was like that too when I was your age. Unlike yours, however, he didn't live long enough to see things my way."

"Are you suggesting I kill my father?" Nosiop asked curiously, causing Pyth to laugh at the idea.

"No, my boy, I'm way past killing parents!" Pyth chuckled loudly. "What do you think I am, Uncle Claudius?!" After another round of laughter, Pyth decided to get serious as he put a hand on the young prince's shoulder. "Come with me, child. There are many things I wish to teach you."

Nosiop obediently followed the royal family's grand vizier down the hallways and into a hidden room within the castle walls. As loyal as he was to his father, the prince of the Slytherophidians often believed that Pyth was more of a dad to him because of how much they agreed with each other on certain topics, chief among them being what should the future holds for their race.

--

"Let's hear it for the Andesine Armada, the new and improved rebellion against the Crystal Gems!" Andesine cried as her new subordinates chanted her name to celebrate her and Cinnabar's victory against Rigby Starglow and Captain Gearfeet. "Today is a most momentous occasion in our time together. With Black Rutile no longer fit to lead our cabal of insurgents against the tyranny of the Crystal Gems, I have proven myself more than worthy of replacing her and instating myself as a gentle guiding hand in our grand mission." The Armada all cheered in excitement. "Under my leadership, not only shall we finally put the Crystal Gems out of their misery, but Black Rutile will soon be next!" Her new subordinates cheered again. "And furthermore, with the Diamonds temporarily out of commission, this shall be an ample opportunity for us to race back to Homeworld when no one's looking and seize power for ourselves!"

"But what if Black Rutile hears us?" Holly Blue asked nervously while looking left and right.

"Stuff and nonsense, we're behind closed doors here." Aquamarine snidely declared. "There's no way she can find us." Just then, the doors to the Andesine Armada's quarters opened behind Aquamarine, and in came Black Rutile with Nosiop and Pyth, much to the other Gems' shock as they tried silently begging her to shut up. "Of course, that is if she hasn't been brainwashed by Steven right about now."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Am I interrupting anything?" Black Rutile abruptly interrupted Aquamarine's bravado, sending chills down her spine as she turned to face her former master. "So, this is what you've all been doing, huh?"

"Uh, my Rutile, this isn't what it looks like!" Cinnabar awkwardly apologized to her old mentor. "Andesine and I were just playing a little game of follow the leader!"

"A likely story." Black Rutile replied while pulling out her bowie knife. "Tell me more about this Andesine Armada you've all been bragging about."

"Should you tell her, or should I?" Tanzanite asked Amazonite.

"No, I value my life too much to even talk to her right now," Amazonite replied fearfully, casting an illusion to hide herself from Black Rutile.

"Now, everyone, let's just calm down here and talk things out." Amber tried to ease the tension, but Black Rutile quickly shoved her out of the way to confront Cinnabar and Andesine.

"I'm going to assume this was all your idea, Andesine." Black Rutile said to her old friend. "After all, your name is literally in the team name!"

"No, it wasn't, it was Kyanite's idea!" Andesine tried to shift the blame onto someone else.

"Hey, I've only been here a few minutes!" Kyanite cried. "What's going on?!"

"Please forgive us, Black Rutile, but we simply believe you can no longer lead us into battle." Cinnabar firmly stated. "Your exile to Earth has turned you soft and pathetic, and you are perfectly aware of it yet never once bothered to fix it!"

"I did!" Black Rutile exclaimed. "I tried allying with a Steven from another universe where I'm the good guy, I struck a bargain with an extra-dimensional jester, and I even used the Internet to turn humanity against the Crystal Gems!"

"But that's the thing, dearie," Pyrite stated while filing her nails. "You failed at every single one of those." She added while poking Black Rutile in the chest with her nail filer. "For all your planning and thinking you're one step ahead of everybody, you fail to realize that you're just as flawed as the rest of us."

"Is that so?" Black Rutile said before turning the knife into her massive sword. "How's this for flawed?!" With a mighty swing, Cinnabar and Andesine were sliced in two and poofed, to the horror of the other Gems around them.

"Boss, no!" Bloodstone yelled in horror as she raced to scoop up Cinnabar's inactive gem while Howlite did the same to her superior's.

"Now then, anyone else care to join them?" Black Rutile smirked while menacingly pointing her sword at the surviving resistance members. Although they were more willing to speak up to their fallen superior, this ragtag band of Gems had every right to keep their mouths shut until one of them spoke up.

"All hail Black Rutile!" Eyeball chanted vigorously. "All hail Black Rutile! Come on, guys!"

"All hail Black Rutile! All hail Black Rutile!" the other members of the newly rechristened Rutile Rebels joined Eyeball in cheering for their new leader.

"Now that's more like it!" Black Rutile laughed evilly while sneering at Cinnabar and Andesine's followers mourning the loss of their leaders. "Now that I've reinstated myself as your fearless leader, allow me to introduce a new acquaintance I've made in my time here." She motioned for Nosiop to step forward. "This is Prince Nosiop of the Jormagundr royal family, and much like me, he also desires a new era for his people."

"Yes indeed, I now present to you a grand idea for the Slytherophidian race," Nosiop stated. "With all of you at my side, we can overthrow my good-for-nothing father and instill myself as not just the new ruler of his empire but as the most powerful Universal Lord there is."

"Are you crazy?!" Holly Blue yelled. "You'd be a fool to challenge a Universal Lord, especially if it's your father, Nosiop!"

"My father is yesterday's message, a clapped-out and distracted regime." Nosiop began singing to the Gem rebels. "Whose failings undoubtedly presage the need for a different dream. Yes, serpentine times are a-changing, meaning you must do so too. My vision is clear and wide-ranging and even encompasses you."

"So, prepare for the coup of the century. Prepare for the murkiest scam." Black Rutile also began singing, and far more intensely than Nosiop, as if she was using the song to air out her insecurities. "Meticulous planning and tenacity spanning centuries of denial is simply why I'll be empress! Undisputed, respected, saluted, and seen for the visionary I am! Yes, my gem and ambitions are bared. Be prepared!"

"Yeah, be prepared, we'll be prepared!" Zoisite exclaimed. "Uh, for what?"

"For the death of my father and the beginning of a new era for Serpentes!" Nosiop loudly announced.

"What do we do, make him sick?" Dalmatian Jasper asked before Pyth coiled his tail around her neck.

"No, you fool, we're going to kill him." Pyth proclaimed.

"And Steven, too." Black Rutile added sinisterly before DJ was dropped to the ground.

"Splendid idea!" Xenotime cheered. "Who needs either of them?!"

"Idiots, there will still be someone to rule!" Nosiop yelled. "Together, Black Rutile and I shall conquer the universe together using the power of the Lapidarist, who has the power to reset all Gems to their basic functions!"

"Wait, really?" Emerald asked nervously, not having a clue as to what Nosiop was talking about.

"Yes, you would all be rejuvenated on a massive scale, so to speak." Nosiop grinned with a hiss. "With her powers, I shall have myself an unstoppable army to overthrow my family and conquer all that I see! Now, who's with me?!"

Despite the dire circumstances this would place not just them but all Gemkind in by wiping everything that made them the Gems they are today, the Rutile Rebels had no choice but to agree out of fear for their lives. However, some were still nervous about how Black Rutile would play a part in this, especially after how she heartlessly poofed two of her most loyal subordinates. "All hail Black Rutile and King Nosiop! All hail Black Rutile and King Nosiop!"

"So, prepare for a glorious future!" Black Rutile announced as the Rutile Rebels chanted, 'Be prepared!'. "Be prepared for a universal golden age!"

"And like any other who'd murder their father!" Eyeball laughed before Aquamarine pulled her fusion partner aside.

"If we don't spread rumors, she'll feed us and groom us!" Aquamarine stated.

"When we've got friends in high places, we hold all the aces!" the Rutile Rebels and a few snake guards chanted harmoniously.

"So don't try and rattle my scales." Nosiop snidely added.

"Oh, imagine if anyone dared!" the chorus cried out. "BE PREPARED!"

"So prepare for the coup of the century!" Nosiop and Black Rutile sang together. "Be prepared for the murkiest scam!"

"Meticulous planning, tenacity planning!" Nosiop proclaimed.

"Centuries of denial is simply why we'll!" Black Rutile added.

"Rule supreme undisputed, respected, saluted, and seen for the visionaries we are!" the villainous duo declared. "Yes, our gems, fangs, and ambitions are bared; be prepared!"

"Yes, our gems, fangs, and ambitions are bared!" Aquamarine, Eyeball, Holly Blue, and Cat's Eye, who have all loyally followed their leader despite everything that's happened, sang together.

"Be prepared!" the newly-formed union of the Rutile Rebels and Nosiop's followers announced, sealing their alliance with a shared evil laugh.

"Pleasure to be working alongside you, partner." Black Rutile said as she and Nosiop shook hands.

"The pleasure's all mine, partner." Nosiop hissed while covertly crossing two scaly fingers behind his back, which implied he desires to stab Black Rutile in the back when she least expected it.

--

"And that's the whole story of how we got here," Ronaldo said to Peedee elsewhere in the Ouraborium. "Though I'm pretty sure I didn't need to tell you all that since you did hitch a ride with us."

"You are definitely right on that one," Peedee answered.

"So why did you do it?" Steven asked. "What would Mr. Fryman say?"

"He said I should keep an eye on him no matter what," Peedee replied firmly. "And if that means hitching a ride with you guys on a spaceship heading for an alien planet in another galaxy, then I'll do it, no problemo. Plus, it would be nice to participate in one of your big adventures, Steven."

"It's nice to have you join in, too, Peedee," Steven said to his old friend with a hand on his shoulder. "But be warned, this planet is insanely deadly. You might be forced to fight for your life in a gladiatorial death match where you might die if you aren't careful!"

"Luckily, you got your big brother to protect you!" Ronaldo exclaimed excitedly while raising his sword.

"Yeah, good luck with that." Peedee dryly remarked, recalling Ronaldo's cowardice in his fight against the Decimator.

"Yeah, ditto." The three boys heard the voice of none other than Lars say as he walked up behind them. "Hey Steven, long time no see. Sorry we had to meet again like this."

"Lars, did they capture you too?!" Steven exclaimed at the undead human before him. "Oh no, where are the Off-Colors? Are they in trouble?!"

"Don't worry, they're fine," Lars assured Steven. "They're just stuck in a cell somewhere since none of them can fight per se. They only want me since I can't really die." Before Lars can continue, he suddenly noticed Ronaldo and Peedee standing behind Steven. "Wait, Ronaldo?! How and when did you and Peedee get here?!"

"We followed Steven here!" Ronaldo answered, smiling. "I was vindicated upon learning that the snake people, I mean, Slytherophidians, were real all along, like many of my theories, and I came along to gather as much info as I could about their people so I could spread them to the humans!"

"And I came along to keep Ronaldo from accidentally killing himself," Peedee added. "So, how's your space adventures been going?"

"That's actually a funny story. The Off-Colors and I were journeying to Wasprus when we got abducted." Lars revealed to the two humans. "Once their guards noticed that I'm basically invincible after experimenting on me, they said they wanted to keep me here forever so I'll keep fighting for as long as the universe lives."

An intercom crackled to life as if the Slytherophidians heard Lars' explanation. "For our next fight, we shall be pitting the one and only Lars of the Stars against the flying dreamer Lady Imagineer!" the voice of Queen Constricta announced. "Now, Lars, be sure you're as ready as you'll ever be because Ms. Imagineer is a very tough opponent."

"Well, speak of the devil." Lars muttered in surprise as the guards moved him to the arena. "Wish me luck, guys! I'm going to need it!"

"Good luck, Lars!" Steven hollered as Lars got further away from him and the Fryman brothers.

--

"Nosiop, are you there?" Naja called for her older brother while slinking through the castle halls. "Where are you? Father is getting worried and wants to see you." Unfortunately, her big brother did not answer. "Come on, Nosey, where are you?"

"Looking for someone, my dear?" Aquamarine asked as she fluttered down and landed on the floor next to Naja. "I once felt lost, too, but then I realized I had someone right by my side this whole time."

"You're one of those Rutile Rebels, aren't you?" Naja asked Aquamarine. "What do you want with me?"

"Oh, how very astute, your grace," Aquamarine replied with a mocking curtsy. "Now then, you were looking for someone, right?"

"Yes, I'm looking for Nosiop," Naja stated. "Have you seen him?"

"I am right here, dearest Naja." Nosiop hissed as he, Pyth, and Black Rutile emerged from the shadows. "Oh, I am so sorry that my sweet baby sister was so scared her big brother wasn't there to keep her safe. Then again, you were always pretty scared but always tried hiding it by acting like the showman you want to be."

"He does raise a good point there, princess." Black Rutile snidely added before cupping Naja's face in her hand. "You ever feel like your old man and the queen have been holding you back from reaching your full potential, Naja?"

"Nosiop, what are you doing fraternizing with Black Rutile?!" Naja asked hurriedly. "You know she's an intergalactic criminal imprisoned for multiple counts of attempted genocide! Stay away from her!"

"Oh please, you threaten to destroy one planet multiple times, and everyone treats you like the bad guy." Black Rutile rolled her eyes in disgust. "Anyways, your brother isn't fraternizing with me. I'M fraternizing with HIM. As it turns out, the two of us have something in common, and we became close quite instantly."

"Perhaps you'd like to join us on our little crusade." Nosiop offered while taking his sister's hand. "Together, the two of us can rule the universe side by side as brother and sister with an unstoppable Gem army at our command, and no one will have to judge you for what you really are!"

"What are you saying?" Naja asked, growing more concerned for her big brother's mental status by the second.

"I'm saying that Mother and Father are holding us back!" Nosiop yelled in his sister's face, momentarily flicking his forked tongue at her. "I have legitimately good ideas for our people, but no one ever takes me seriously! But Black Rutile, on the other hand, truly understands my suffering, for she has encountered the same problems as I!"

"Indeed, I was made an outcast because I disagreed with the current status quo of my race." Black Rutile added, trying to look as innocent as possible with a pout and big, pleading eyes toward Naja. "I was even betrayed by my friends who started thinking little of me, but I changed that quickly."

"I know where this is going, and I refuse to take part in it!" Naja exclaimed as she tried to escape the oncoming swarm of Rutile Rebels. "Father will hear about this!"

"Well, excuse me, Princess, but I think not." Black Rutile hissed angrily. "Rubies, seize her!"

"Yes, my Rutile!" the Rubies obediently chorused as they jumped up and tackled Naja to the ground. "Princess has been secured!"

"Excellent, little Rubies." Pyth purred eagerly. "Now, please show the dear princess to her room until further notice." He gave orders with a sadistic smile. "Wouldn't want her getting in the way by telling everybody."

"You won't get away with this!" Naja yelled angrily as the Rubies dragged her away. "Steven will find out!" As Nosiop watched the Rubies carry off his sister, he turned away in shame at having to betray his sister like this. But alas, their worldviews had no choice but to clash as he still had far grander designs in mind, and she didn't play a role in them. With a heavy sigh, the visionary prince looked to his new Gem ally and his royal vizier, who looked back at him with sinister smiles.

--

Meanwhile, in the Ouraborium, Lars had been pitted against the flying dreamer Lady Imagineer in combat, but despite his moderate skill in combat, the donut boy turned undead space hero was outmatched in every way possible.

"Stay still, for Pete's sake!" Lars groaned as he tried catching up with Lady Imagineer's airborne acrobatics. "Just because I'm human doesn't mean I can't beat you!"

"But that's what makes your race so fun, Lars!" Imagineer laughed sweetly. "You have so much potential; you just need to learn not to waste it!"

"Yeah, that's my sister up there!" the reality-warping trickster Flipso cheered for Lady Imagineer while conjuring up a smartphone to record the fight with. "You're doing amazing, sweetie!" Suddenly, Solaris Noctua turned his gaze to find Flipso in the audience below where he and the other Universal Lords were seated. Flipso immediately hid himself by disguising himself as a Slytherophidian. "Gotta keep up appearances."

"Quit flying around so much!" Lars yelled as he tried using his portal powers to scream his way to Lady Imagineer, but she was far too quick on her feet for him to keep up.

"Gonna have to catch me first!" Imagineer giggled before conjuring up an illusion of Sadie that made Lars blush, distracting him long enough for the space pirate to realize he was now falling to the ground. "I can also conjure up illusions based on what I find in your mind."

"YOU SUUUUUUUUCK!" Lars screamed before he landed on the ground with a loud thud, prompting the audience to chant.

"FINISH HIM! FINISH HIM! FINISH HIM! FINISH HIM!" the Slytherophidians cheered as Lady Imagineer floated down to where Lars landed and helped him up.

"Ugh, my back." Lars groaned in pain as he shuffled away. "This is probably the second most humiliating moment in my life, right after Steven possessing my body."

"Oh, come on, Lars, at least you had fun, right?" Lady Imagineer asked with a cute smile.

"Yeah, maybe it was a little fun." Lars laughed dryly before continuing his walk of shame.

--

"Oh, my back." Lars groaned in pain as he struggled back to the quarters the Jormagundr royal family gifted him upon his arrival on Serpentes and slumped on the closest velveteen couch to sleep his troubles away. "Oh, sweet Velveteen Rabbit. Take me away on your Edwardian adventures."

"Anything the matter, Lars?" Emerald asked while walking in and stroking Lars's aching back.

"Just lost to Lady Imagineer," Lars said while turning his head to face Emerald. "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to comfort an 'old friend' of mine in these trying times," Emerald replied. "Seeing you so humiliated like that, while it was cathartic to see you feel how you always made me feel back in the day, it just pained me to see a worthy opponent go down like that."

"What are you saying?" Lars asked, not expecting a good answer at all.

"I'm saying is that Steven has ruined your life for long enough!" Emerald exclaimed. "First, he repeatedly robs you of your dignity, then he takes you away from your home planet where you were forced to die for him, and now you're fighting for your life on another alien planet! And you're expected to become his friend after all that?!"

"You're wrong!" Lars yelled as he bolted up, briefly yelping in pain. "Yeah, Steven and I got off on the wrong foot, but he still willingly gave up everything for the wellbeing of others, even me, and I returned the favor! Now, I'm living the dream as a badass space hero like in the old TV shows with a bizarro found family of Off-Colors!"

"That's what I hated about you, Lars, outside of the fact you stole my favorite ship and got away with it," Emerald stated while pulling out her spiked club from her gem, now pulsating with electricity as she pointed it at Lars. "You're way too human!" She swung her club at Lars, who deflected it with a kick.

"No, I'm just human enough!" Lars smirked before punching Emerald's face and knocking her down. "What's with the change in attitude? Last time I saw you, you were willing to face punishment for your crimes."

"Things have changed. Though I wanted to atone, eventually, I grew tired of Black Rutile's wailing and believed my failures were because of her." Emerald revealed. "Ditto for Demantoid, Pyrope, and Morganite as well."

"Guess old habits die hard, I suppose," Lars muttered before Emerald tried taking him by surprise with another swing of her club, but Lars dodged in the nick of time and sent her flying towards the wall with a combo of fists and feet. As Emerald lay injured against the wall, Demantoid, Pyrope, and Morganite raced to see what was happening.

"Emerald, what happened here?!" Morganite asked while helping the renowned pilot to her feet.

"Seems like I got a little shortsighted again." Emerald laughed weakly. "At least I tried to get one over on him."

"This won't be the last you'll see of us, Lars of the Stars," Demantoid said to Lars. "When next we meet, you will face the full might of the Rutile Rebels."

"And I'll be onto you like a Langdon Cobb movie." Lars replied firmly.

"Do any of you have a clue as to what he said?" Pyrope asked while the three Gems carried Emerald away, to which Demantoid and Morganite responded with hushed confusion.

--

In the Crystal Gems' room in the arena, Steven was sitting worriedly on the couch with Peedee as Ronaldo paced around the sofa, thinking about Lars's loss and how it would affect them. "Well, there goes Lars." Ronaldo declared bluntly. "Either of you got any bright ideas?"

"I'm not sure what to do now," Peedee replied. "I mean, what chance do we have now that the Diamonds have been poofed and Lars is out of commission? In fact, where are the Crystal Gems?"

"Off being forced to fight more innocent aliens," Steven added. "Speaking of which, I wonder how Black Rutile is doing."

"Attention all combatants, our next fight is a very special one!" Constricta's voice announced through the arena's PA system. "For quite possibly the biggest show yet in the Contest of Champions, we give you Steven Universe versus Black Rutile!"

"What?!" the three boys yelled while Black Rutile stormed into the room with an evil laugh.

"I see you just heard my big surprise for you, Steven!" Black Rutile announced joyfully. "As arranged by my dear friend Prince Nosiop, we shall have our long-awaited rematch, and I'll finally get the chance to destroy you once and for all!"

"No one destroys a boy like you, my Rutile," Aquamarine said while perched on Black Rutile's shoulder. "See you soon, Steven." The two Gems laughed as Black Rutile turned around and left, leaving Steven horrified at what he had just heard.

"This is not good; this is not good at all," Steven muttered nervously. "Everyone here already hates me because I don't want to kill people, so they'll no doubt be rooting for Black Rutile to destroy me! What do I do?!"

"Hey, don't fret, Steven, just believe in yourself," Ronaldo suggested. "Believe in the Ronaldo who believes in you."

"He's right," Peedee added. "Some people can't believe in themselves until someone believes in them first. Remember that no matter what, everyone back at Beach City has your back."

"Thanks, guys," Steven said with his eyes closed. "But I guess I have no other choice." He opened his eyes, revealing that one of them now had a diamond-shaped pupil.

--

And so, we finally reach the halfway point of Snake Eyes with the long-awaited rematch between Steven and Black Rutile, allowing them to finally settle the score after their numerous fights in Alternate Future. And this time, Black Rutile won't just decide to give up on Steven and let him wallow in shame, she's going in for the kill and has a lot of issues left over she'll use their upcoming fight for. How will things turn out? Find out next week.

[andrewmoocow]

Steven Universe Snake Eyes chapter 7: Gods and Monsters (originally published on October 9, 2023)

AN: And so, we enter the biggest bomb I've ever dropped in one of my stories since I revealed that Haruko Haruhara was saved from her destroyed home planet by Rick Sanchez and eventually betrayed him for Atomsk before meeting Dipper and Mabel Pines. The origins of the Gem race has been one of the biggest mysteries in all of Steven Universe with tons of fans giving their own ideas on it, even as far back as the first season. I've pondered that too sometimes, but there are some parts of the series that are best left to the imagination. Well, until now that is! In this version of Steven's universe, the story of Gemkind shall finally be revealed for all to see, and you all have front row seats to a glimpse at a whole universe's worth of backstory and quite possibly the biggest threat Steven will face yet.

Synopsis: Steven and company meet the creator of all Gemkind and learn of an evil far greater than Black Rutile.

Cast:

Zach Callison as Steven

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl

Aurelio Voltaire as King Cobralan Serpentes

Shirley Millner as Queen Constricta Serpentes

Neil Flynn as Aescul

Henry Rollins as Captain Boa

Jennifer Paz as Lapis

Shelby Rabara as Peridot

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Grace Rolek as Connie

Tom Scharpling as Greg

Patti LuPone as Yellow Diamond

Lisa Hannigan as Blue Diamond

Christine Ebersole as White Diamond/Gem

Sarah Stiles as Spinel

Peter Cullen as Titanium

Frank Welker as Tungsten

David Kaye as Steel

Corey Burton as Chromium

Bumper Robinson as Gold

Scott McNeil as Iron

Jeffrey Combs as Mercury

Hailee Steinfeld as Zinc

Jason Marsden as Prince Nosiop Jormagundr

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Keith David as Pyth

Matthew Moy as Lars

Zach Steel as Ronaldo

Atticus Shaffer as Peedee

Cissy Jones as Princess Naja Jormagundr

Enuka Okuma as Rhodonite

Kathleen Fisher as Fluorite

Erica Luttrell as Padparadscha Sapphire

Ashly Burch as Rutile Twins

Jeff Bennett as Murinus/The Sheriff

Featuring Samantha Newark as The Lapidarist

And Joel Grey as King Serpentes I

---

The date, 420,000 years ago. The place, the prehistoric planet that would someday become Serpentes, the capital of the Slytherophidian empire. Before it would become the mighty metropolis that thrived on forcing species from across the universe to compete, Serpentes was a small scattering of snake people colonies dotting the planet's countryside, all under the shaky rule of one monarch, its namesake king Serpentes the First. Serpentes typically spent time away from his subjects on expeditions to explore the planet and learn its history, as he proclaimed himself a scholar. But there was one discovery that would change not just the history of his home planet but the entire universe as well.

"Found anything yet, sire?" a Slytherophidian dressed as a cowboy asked while spitting into a bucket. "We've been out here for weeks and still haven't found any ancient ruins and all that! Might I suggest we quit the tomb raider business, cut back on searching uncharted lands and temples of doom, and go home already?"

"No, Murinus, there has to be something we're missing. I know it!" Serpentes muttered to himself while examining the map in his hands. "We just need to keep looking!"

"Look, Your Highness, I can totally get your eagerness to explore, but I'm happy with just kicking back and letting you do all the work." Murinus said before turning his tail into feet and kicking them on a rock. "Hey, do you see a light somewhere over there?"

"A light? Where?!" Serpentes excitedly replied while gazing out into the horizon. "By Jove, I think you're right! We must go there immediately!" To the king's delight, he could see a faint beam of light ejecting from an ancient temple hidden in the distance. "Come along, Murinus!"

"Me and my big mouth," Murinus said to himself as his king dragged him along toward the temple as the beam got even brighter the closer they got. Upon arriving at the temple, the beam of light was at its absolute brightest, and Serpentes couldn't be more excited.

"Hm, I must say, this would make a nice castle to live in." Serpentes mused as the duo entered the temple, which was filled with crystals and rocks jutting out of the walls and the ceiling. But the most peculiar inhabitant was a large, crystalline being gently clutching a bubble housing a strange gemstone. "And who might you be?"

"Almost there, my child. Almost there." The being whispered to her bubble before she turned to discover Serpentes and Murinus in front of her. "More snakes? You shouldn't be here."

"Do not worry, giant woman. We come in peace." Serpentes calmed the being down. "My name is Serpentes, the king of the Slytherophidians. And this is my companion, Murinus. Say hi, Murinus."

"Howdy." Murinus tipped his hat to the giant woman. "Say, what's that you got in there, madame?"

"Oh, this?" the giant said, presenting the gemstone inside her bubble to the two Slytherophidians. "I've been working on it for the past couple of eons. I call it Gem. It is an advanced lifeform that possesses extraordinary powers unseen by mortals, but I'm not sure how I can test it to make sure it won't harm anybody with how powerful it is."

"Then, why don't I help you take care of it?" King Serpentes offered his assistance. "Maybe I can set up a way for it to grow and control its powers so that everyone can watch and see how strong it is."

"That is a wonderful idea, Serpentes." The giant agreed with the king and shook his hand, sealing the deal.

"By the way, I don't think I ever got your name," Serpentes said.

"My name?" the giant replied. "My name has been lost to time, but you may call me the Lapidarist."

--

In the present day, Steven and the Crystal Gems were being taken through the Jormagundrs' castle towards a hidden doorway by the royal guards, all having no idea what to expect when King Cobralan said it was time for them to learn the truth. As the trip grew longer, the group was soon joined by different sets of guards escorting Greg & Connie and the Diamonds.

"So, uh, what are we doing?" Greg asked nervously. "I was going to cheer you up after your big fight with Black Rutile, but then suddenly, these guys told me they had something I needed to see."

"Do they have a birthday surprise planned for Steven?" Peridot added just as curious.

"I don't know." Yellow Diamond answered. "But whatever it is, I don't think we'll ever be the same after today."

"You are indeed correct, Yellow Diamond," Aescul said as he led the group through the dark corridors hidden within the castle walls to a mysterious chamber that closely resembles the Crystal Temple back on Earth. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet your maker. Hee, I always wanted to say that."

"Wait, our maker? As in the creator of all Gemkind?!" Pearl squawked in shock as the Gems and humans bore witness to a massive, crystalline being kneeling before them, its face utterly blank except for a large diamond on it and wild, spiky hair not unlike White Diamond's.

"Hello, my children." The giant said. "I am the Lapidarist. I am the creator of all Gems."

"Dude, this is so sick!" Amethyst yelled in amazement. "We're face to face with our actual god here!"

"Correction, she is our god as well." Titanium declared as he and the other Metals emerged from the shadows of the chamber to meet their sister race. "So the rumors were true. Our creator still lives."

"Hello there, Miss Lapidarist." Steven greeted the Lapidarist. "My name's Steven Universe. Uh, do you like being called Miss, or do you prefer any other pronouns?"

"On the contrary, my friend, my species has evolved past the need for what you call genders." The Lapidarist explained. "But Miss Lapidarist does have a nice ring to it."

"So, this is the mother of all Gems?" Spinel wondered while scratching her head and sitting on Yellow's shoulder. "How come we never knew about this?"

"Hello there, Lapidarist." White Diamond said sourly as she glared at the creator of the Gem race. "Fancy seeing you again after millions of years."

"Ah, Gem. What a surprise." The Lapidarist greeted White with an inquisitive tilt of her head. "What is it you're calling yourself these days, White Diamond? Not sure if I like the name."

"Okay, enough with the introductions, everybody!" Mercury complained. "Now then, big lady, the snake people said they were going to give us answers, and by your name or whatever, we're gonna get some answers!"

"Actually, we prefer to be called Slytherophidians, Mr. Mercury." Captain Boa corrected the curmudgeonly Metal medic. "The Lapidarist has been the royal family's best-kept secret for generations, all the way back to our first king Serpentes I."

"We've been watching your race for a few years now because the Lapidarist wanted to see if Steven truly meant well in making the radical changes he did to Gem society." King Cobralan added.

"Well, I sure did, no matter what certain emotionally stunted terrorists may say," Steven said assuredly, unaware that Black Rutile, Nosiop, and Pyth were watching from afar.

"Hmph, yeah, right." Black Rutile said glumly while the three villains kept themselves hidden. "Just wait until I use the Lapidarist's powers to wipe you out for good."

"So Miss Lapidarist, earlier you called White Diamond by the name Gem," Garnet said. "We'd like to learn more about that; thank you."

"That was the name I was given when the Lapidarist created me," White said, rolling her eyes as she cringed at the thought like a human would when remembering their awkward teenage years. "And a name I've abandoned for eons."

"Well, allow me to enlighten you." The Lapidarist said while altering the entire room like a holodeck to present the Crystal Gems with White Diamond's hidden past.

--

In the beginning, there was only one. A single black infinitude, so cold and dark for so very long that even the burning light was imperceptible. But then the infinitude found release, and at last, the darkness broke, filling it with shining stars. From these stars came the Lapidarists, who filled this newly born universe with life. On that day, the universe as we knew it was born. Cells, molecules, atoms, from ions to pions, muons to gluons, neutrinos, gravitinos, these were the first planets to be forged by this race of builders, with life blossoming on each one. Life, a precious gift persevering in the face of every obstacle, but it would soon come under attack.

Where there was light to create the first sentient beings, there was a being of pure darkness and evil that sought to extinguish it. A terrible snake-like creature of frightening power known as Squamata devoured planet after planet, millions of voices suddenly crying out in terror before they were just as suddenly silenced. The Lapidarists tried all they could to stop this threat from becoming more powerful. They created many races like the Magmen, the Metals, the Slytherophidians, and the races of the first Universal Lords to combat it. While they successfully sealed Squamata away beneath the future planet of Serpentes, it came at the cost of the entire Lapidarist race being wiped out except for one. Declaring itself the guardian of the monster's resting place, the last Lapidarist isolated itself from the rest of the universe in a hidden temple where it spent millenniums forging the being that would eventually save the universe from their ancient foe. But all of that changed one fateful day.

--

"Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the first-ever challenger of the Contest of Champions, Gem!" King Serpentes announced as he revealed the Lapidarist's creation to the other Slytherophidians. Gem was a tall, pale-skinned female humanoid with copious amounts of mascara applied and dressed as a warrior, but her most distinguishing feature was a gemstone attached to her forehead. "I had found this creature one day years ago on an expedition to the wilderness of our planet and brought her home with me. That was when I got the idea to have her compete against species from other worlds to see who is truly the strongest in the universe. Now then, release her competition!"

The gates opened, and out came a green, hulking humanoid with massive muscles wearing only purple pants that let out a booming roar. Gem just smirked and pulled a spear from her gem that she used to fight the monster.

"What an astounding display of strength, ladies and gentlemen!" King Serpentes exclaimed as Gem duked it out with the ogre-like beast, showing great tenacity and grace compared to the monster serving as her opponent. "Perhaps if more were to come, we would make this into an annual event where champions from far and wide could come and display their powers, like the Grendel we captured, for example!"

"Just a little bit more, you disgusting Grendel!" Gem exclaimed eagerly as she began stabbing at the monster with her spear, causing it to leak pink blood to the cheers of her adoring fans. "Yes, you all love me!"

"And what a shocker, everyone!" Serpentes exclaimed as Gem finished off the Grendel. "Gem has slain the creature! She is truly an amazing warrior!"

"Oh, thank you, thank you all!" Gem accepted the riotous applause as she reunited with King Serpentes outside the arena. "Oh, Your Majesty, I had so much fun today!"

"Perfect, Gem. And you'll be having more fun for years to come." Serpentes said as the two walked away to the temple from whence she came, which was now having a new castle built over it.

"Um, Mr. Serpentes, if I may ask a question," Gem asked her king. "Have you ever thought about letting me explore the planet like you do? Maybe even the whole galaxy, the universe even? I bet there are infinite possibilities for me to explore out there!"

"Now, now, Gem, don't get too excited." Serpentes calmed Gem down. "I admire your enthusiasm, but your one true purpose is here, right at my side and fighting in the Contest of Champions."

"But I just want to explore like you do!" Gem urged her father figure, now sounding an awful lot like a certain pink diamond. "Why can't you let me?!"

"I understand, my dear, but the universe is a vast and dangerous place filled with millions of species that could no doubt either kill you or steal you for themselves," Serpentes explained. "Please understand that this is why you are forbidden from ever leaving Serpentes. Now, I'm off to speak with the construction workers, so you behave yourself, young lady."

Although Gem understood why Serpentes was so protective of her, she felt utterly sheltered in the world she called home. However, while the king did say Gem was forbidden from ever leaving the planet, she assumed he didn't mean more than one of her.

--

"Wow, White was just like Pink when she was created?" Steven realized as his eyes were opened to White Diamond's past while giving the three Diamonds a smug smirk.

"Maybe that's why you abused her so much because she reminded you of yourself," Connie added wryly.

"Guess it's true what they say. Some people are more alike than you think." Gold giggled at White's embarrassing memory while the Diamond blushed in shame.

"Don't make that face at me, White; don't deny what you were in the past." The Lapidarist chided her creation. "Do you remember what happened afterward?"

"Do you not?" White asked, her eyes widened in genuine surprise as she tried to dodge the question.

"Ooo-hoo-hoo, this should be juicy!" Steel giggled eagerly as White took a deep breath and came clean.

"Yes, I remember what happened afterward," White admitted. "For hundreds of years, I took advantage of a loophole created by Serpentes and created the first Gems."

--

Using technology stolen from another race that she reverse-engineered herself into what would later be known as Injectors, Gem began using Serpentes's resources to create more beings like her that she would dub Gem. However, this would come at the cost of the planet slowly suffering the effects of these Injectors draining its life energy, causing dozens to die in uncharted parts of the planet. Upon discovering this courtesy of Murinus, Serpentes sought to do something about this crisis.

"Are you sure that Gem could be to blame for all of this?" Murinus said as he and Serpentes marched to the Devil's Palm canyon, named as such for resembling a humanoid hand with a plateau in the center where the palm would be. "At least she ain't running off to explore the universe."

"And that's the problem!" Serpentes exclaimed. "When I said she was forbidden from leaving, this was not what I meant!" Soon, the duo arrived at the Devil's Palm, where they discovered not just one colorful humanoid with a gemstone on her body but dozens upon dozens more of them. "What in the?!"

"SERPENTES!" the new species all cried out in delight at Serpentes's arrival.

"Hey, your Majesty." One of them greeted casually as Serpentes tried moving his way through the sea of humanoids to reach Gem.

"Gem, what is the meaning of this?!" Serpentes yelled angrily at his creation. "Whatever you are doing, you will soon destroy this whole planet! Is this what you wanted, to tear our world apart and then abandon it to find some other planet to terrorize?!"

"No, my lord, this is not what you think!" Gem urged Serpentes. "You forbade me from leaving Serpentes, but you didn't say the same for all these creatures that I call Gems. Nice name, don't you think?"

"Yes, that is a very nice name, but that's not the point, my child." Serpentes said while drawing out a sword from his hip. "I am sorry, but to ensure the safety of our planet, I'm afraid I'll have to shatter you."

"Is that so?" Gem said as she drew her spear with a smirk. "Then come on, enough talk! Have at you!"

"I will do what I must," Serpentes replied as he readied his blade.

"You will try." Gem added before the two went head-to-head in a mini-Contest of Champions. The Gems that Gem created began cheering for their mother figure as the Slytherophidian and the Gem clashed under the scorching afternoon sun, while Murinus saw fit not to get involved in the situation and wait until it got better.

"You can't keep doing this, Gem!" King Serpentes urged his mighty warrior. "This technology you stole from the Metals was designed to harvest resources from planets at the cost of slowly killing them! How did you even find such things?!"

"Steel practically gave them away when the Metals decided they wanted to live in harmony with their colonies instead of committing genocide." Gem revealed while nimbly dodging a sword swipe. "He just happened to dump them all here one day and let me take some for myself."

"I should really tell them to stop using other planets as a garbage dump for their old tech." Serpentes muttered to himself before seeing an opening on Gem and jabbed his sword into her gem, causing a slight crack.

"W-what did you do?" Gem whimpered in fear as her form glitched while Serpentes looked down at his tail in shame at what he had done. "What did you do to me?"

"I'm sorry, my dear." Serpentes apologized while stroking Gem's face. "But I am only doing what is right." With another stab of the snake king's sword, Gem was utterly shattered, her namesake gemstone on her forehead being reduced to four pieces in four very familiar shapes. "Murinus!"

"Yes, my liege?" Murinus asked as he emerged from his hiding spot before being handed the four gem shards. "Oh no, you didn't."

"I want the Lapidarist to find somewhere for these shards and all of these Gems to flourish so they won't cause any more damage to Serpentes." King Serpentes ordered, looking out at all the Gems inhabiting the Devil's Palm Canyon. "I can handle one Gem, but this many would give me a headache."

And so, with help from the Lapidarist, once she was told of what happened, Gem and all of her creations were exiled to an uncharted planet that would one day become the Gem Homeworld. Hundreds of years afterward, the first of Gem's shards would reform into White Diamond, followed by Yellow, Blue, and Pink Diamond over the next couple thousand years, eventually forming the Great Diamond Authority and beginning to conquer a good portion of the universe that the Universal Lords didn't dominate.

Though the Lapidarist was disappointed at what Gem had become, she vowed not to interfere. She had no choice but to watch as the Diamonds wreaked havoc across the universe, conquering and destroying planet after planet as her story was passed down for generations. At the same time, her fallen kinfolk's other creations, such as the Metals and the Magmen, began rising to prominence in the intergalactic community.

--

"And that is the story of the Gem race." The Lapidarist concluded her story, having blown everyone's minds with the history she revealed to the Crystal Gems once hidden from the public eye. "I am truly sorry that I have been the author of all your pain through my creation of the Diamonds."

"We know you didn't mean any harm, Lapidarist," Bismuth said. "You only wanted to create life, but then it went horribly wrong."

"And we've carried it with our family for generations." Queen Constricta said while everyone was still unaware of who was spying on them.

"This is most interesting." Nosiop muttered excitedly. "Perhaps once we gather our army, we can unleash this snake creature and prove to the Slytherophidians that we were meant to be conquerors!"

"Yes, conquerors," Pyth smirked deviously like he had other plans in mind that didn't align with the prince's.

"As I said, I am truly sorry, but I can make a change." The Lapidarist stated while presenting a mechanical, orb-like device. "This is an Accretionator. A powerful device with the ability to create a strong gravitational pull that can draw in various asteroids and cosmic dust to revive an entire planet. Observe." To demonstrate, the Lapidarist created a hologram of a Gem colony that Steven and Connie recognized, the planet that the jungle moon they once visited as Stevonnie orbited. When the Accretionator was inserted into the planet, asteroids and space dust were vacuumed to the planet's surface, making it as good as new, like it was never conquered and colonized. "Impressive, isn't it? So tell me, do you accept this bargain?"

"Uh, we're going to need to discuss this among ourselves first," Peridot said as the Crystal Gems huddled together to discuss the Lapidarist's offer. "You saw what that Accretionator can do, right? Hundreds upon thousands of worlds revived in seconds! Do you realize what this means?!"

"Yeah, but what about afterward?" Lapis asked. "Are we just going back to how things were before Era 3 started? I think I know someone who would love that."

"Yeah, yeah, Black Rutile and all that," Jasper added sarcastically. "If Steven didn't completely break her body and her spirit, she'd accept the deal faster than you can say, 'Pull the lever, White Topaz.'"

"So what should we do?" White Topaz asked while looking back at the Lapidarist, patiently awaiting their answer. "I don't want to keep our literal goddess waiting."

"Well, ladies, your final answer?" Captain Boa spoke up. "No need to keep a lady waiting."

The Crystal Gems broke their huddle and turned to the Lapidarist. "Look, we're flattered by your offer and tempted by the chance to heal those broken worlds." Pearl declared. "But we just can't do it; the price is too high."

"The entire reason why we became who we are today is because we wanted to freely express ourselves," Amethyst added. "We wanted to live our own lives without anyone telling us what to do or how to do it."

"And we don't want to harm others simply because they are different. Everyone should be able to coexist regardless if they are flawed." Garnet stated firmly. "Like the Diamonds, for example. They have done horrible things in the past, but they're working to make a change for the better, no matter how hard it may be. I'm sure we have made ourselves loud and clear."

"How interesting." The Lapidarist said with a tilt of her head. "I thought I could coax you into complying like you did with so many other individuals, but it seems I was wrong. You prefer to make a change in your own way."

"You're right," Steven replied. "Besides, we once met alternate versions of ourselves from another dimension who were like our polar opposites, and they didn't want to make a change either."

"Should you tell them, or should I?" White whispered to the other Diamonds.

"Tell them what?" Iron asked, overhearing the three Gems' conversation.

"I don't think I like where this is going." Zinc said disdainfully as the Diamonds turned to face the Gems.

"Steven my dear, lately there have been rumors going around of a cover-up we've been performing," Yellow stated shakily. "Well, I must say that the rumors are true."

"What rumors?" Tungsten asked curiously.

"There were rumors that we were hiding the fact we did indeed wipe out organic life on a couple or so planets." Blue Diamond declared. "Well, suffice to say, the rumors were true. We exterminated all life on planets that were trying to fight back, and we hid the truth by saying we would never kill organic life. It's a secret we've been hiding for years, but somehow, the Slytherophidians found out and used it to blackmail us into coming along with them!"

The Crystal Gems all gasped in shock at this revelation. While they were aware that the Diamonds had done many horrible things over thousands of years, they were always told that the planets they conquered were primarily uninhabited, so hearing that a few worlds turned into colonies did house intelligent life was quite possibly just as, if not even an even bigger shock than learning of their species' origins. But no one took this harder than Steven.

"Why am I not surprised you'd hide something so horrible from us?" Steven said gloweringly, trying his best not to lose his temper again. "I wanted to give you three a chance, even after all the horrible things you did to me, us, and everyone. But no, you just keep hiding secrets from everyone, just like my mom did when she was alive. And especially a secret this awful. This is why I'm always so uncomfortable around you because I'm worried that any moment, whenever I turn my back, you'll just go back to your old ways and try to kill me. So destroy all my friends if you want, because I will make you pay for it."

"Steven, you don't understand. We never wanted it to be like this!" White exclaimed as Steven quietly stormed off.

"You pressed the Mom button." Amethyst declared. "You shouldn't have done that."

"Steven, wait!" Spinel yelled as she jumped off Yellow's shoulder and ran off after Steven, leaving the Crystal Gems, the Diamonds, the Metals, and the Slytherophidians alone with the Lapidarist.

"You know, my offer is still on the table." The Lapidarist suggested to the Diamonds.

"We appreciate the gesture, but it will take more than just one device to atone for what we've done." Blue politely declined the offer. "Is there anything else you want to tell us?"

"Indeed, there is." The Lapidarist replied. "There is a prophecy that states that on the day of Ragnarok, there will be a mighty warrior who will emerge from the merger of a group of troubled beings to save all reality from Squamata." She then began to chant the prophecy out loud while her body shined every possible color in existence. "Enlightened warriors of clashing kinships come from afar to banish the Eclipse. Only when united in heart and mind, can they stop the worlds from being aligned."

"So definitely a fusion then." Garnet declared after a quick analysis of the prophecy.

"Yeah, but of who?" Greg asked curiously.

"That is for you to find out, my mortal friends." The Lapidarist said while reverting her body to normal. "But in the meantime, I sense a great crisis on the immediate horizon."

--

Elsewhere in the Jormagundrs' castle, Princess Naja was pacing about her room after being locked away by her brother's enforcers for trying to interfere with his plans. "Nosiop can't get away with this." She muttered to herself. "But who can possibly help us in this hour?"

"Hey, anyone in there?" Lars asked as he knocked on the door. "One of the guards told us that somebody got locked up in their room. Can you tell us who you are before we break you out?"

"I'm Princess Naja Jormagundr!" Naja introduced herself to her rescuer. "My brother had me imprisoned here because he's plotting to conquer our race, and he and Black Rutile didn't want me getting in the way! You must tell Steven Universe at once!"

"Don't worry, miss, we got your back!" Ronaldo yelled as he tried breaking down the door by ramming into it. "Agh, my shoulder!"

"Hey, Paddy Sapphire, can you shapeshift us a key hand?" Peedee asked Padparadscha.

"Ooh, Peedee will ask for my help to free the pretty princess!" Padparadscha said before the door opened, revealing Lars, Ronaldo, Peedee, and the Off-Colors on the other side of the door.

"Looks like our princess wasn't in another castle after all," Lars said as he took Naja by the hand and gave her a gentlemanly kiss. "So, what's this about your brother?"

"He wants our race to become conquerors because no one could take him seriously," Naja explained. "He has aligned interests with Black Rutile to further those goals, and I fear they will doom you all."

"Oh dear, not Black Rutile." Fluorite shook her head in disgust. "Nosiop has made the wrong choice. Black Rutile is one of the evilest, cruelest Gems we know."

"Or is she?" Rhodonite wondered. "After her big meltdown to Steven, I'm having second thoughts about Black Rutile."

"Of course, she could also lie to gain people's sympathy." The left Rutile twin suggested.

"That is so like Black Rutile to do that." The right Rutile added.

"So, now, what do we do?" Peedee asked. "Are we just going to wait and see how this goes?"

"Everyone, I have another vision!" Padparadscha exclaimed. "Prince Nosiop Jormagundr is going to make an announcement!"

"Hey, she's right!" Ronaldo gasped before pointing at Nosiop slithering into the stadium. "Look over there!"

--

At the Ouraborium, Nosiop had returned to his family's viewing box, where he sat on his father's throne alongside the other Universal Lords to make his grand speech. "Today, people of Serpentes, shall be the most glorious day our planet has ever seen." Nosiop declared with Black Rutile and Pyth standing on either side of him. "As of today, I shall now take my father's place as your ruler, for he is not fit to be a king or a Universal Lord. Let this be a wake-up call to you Slytherophidians, the Universal Lords, the Gem race, and the ignorant masses across the entire universe! I shall soon arrive with an entire army of loyal Gems at my side to face down an ancient foe my father has hidden from you for so long! We all must answer to the hand of fate, and fate has chosen me to conquer this world!"

As soon as Nosiop finished his speech with an evil laugh, the entire stadium was sent into a frenzy, wondering if their prince was joking or if he intended to conquer Serpentes. The Universal Lords were left shocked at this declaration, but none were as affected by this as Black Rutile, who looked to one side as she began contemplating her role in Nosiop's plans.

And so, Nosiop pulls off step one of his grand plan. Announce what he's doing to the world and make everyone so scared and confused, they'll have no idea what to do with him. Yeah, talk about dropping a lot of bombs in just one chapter, but this isn't the end of it! Next chapter, we'll be in the homestretch with chaos aplenty and a contemplation of where certain characters will end up by the end. It can only get crazier from here, folks.

[andrewmoocow]

Steven Universe Snake Eyes chapter 10: Crossroads (originally posted on October 30, 2023)

AN: And now, the moment I've wanted to write for so long ever since I first started conceiving of this grand finale: the redemption of Black Rutile. Normally, trying to turn a proud psychopath who was not ashamed to say she regretted nothing good would be a very hard thing to do, but after all the emotional beatdowns she suffered throughout this story, Black Rutile might as well need one. But while many might say Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender had the best redemption arc, I'm actually taking a different route for Black Rutile's that is heavily based off of Megatron's portrayal in the twilight years of the original Transformers IDW comics. Anyone who read those comics should be very excited to see what I have in store for Black Rutile. Otherwise, prepare to feel a lot.

Synopsis: After Nosiop throws her out, Black Rutile starts rethinking her views.

Cast:

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Zach Callison as Steven

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl, Yellow Pearl, Blue Pearl, Volleyball, The Black Pearl Brigade

Grace Rolek as Connie

Shelby Rabara as Peridot, Squaridot

Jennifer Paz as Lapis, Laz, Zuli

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper, Dalmatian Jasper

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Patti LuPone as Yellow Diamond

Lisa Hannigan as Blue Diamond

Christine Ebersole as White Diamond

Sarah Stiles as Spinel

Christine Baranski as Hessonite

Olivia Olson as Citrine

Avi Roque as Cinnabar

Della Saba as Aquamarine

Charlyne Yi as Eyeball

Christine Pedi as Holly Blue Agate

Casey Lee Williams as Cat's Eye

Jinkx Monsoon as Emerald

Kari Wahlgren as Pyrope

Melissa Fahn as Demantoid

Hayley Kiyoko as Morganite

Idina Menzel as Amazonite

Halsey as Tanzanite

Mia Barron as Apatite

Awkwafina as Kyanite

Allison Janney as Pyrite

Zehra Fazal as Zoisite

Lena Hall as Bloodstone

Jodie Whittaker as Xenotime

Gina Torres as Andesine

Barbara Dunkelman as Amber

Kristen Schaal as Howlite

Catherine Tate as Lepidolite

Cissy Jones as Princess Naja Jormagundr

Henry Rollins as Captain Boa

Neil Flynn as Aescul

Samantha Newark as The Lapidarist

--

"Okay, how long do we have until Squamata leaves Serpentes and devours the rest of the universe?" Pearl asked as she, Garnet, Hessonite, Citrine, Aquamarine, Cinnabar, Andesine, Captain Boa, and Aescul watched a holographic image of Squamata continuing his rampage against the Slytherophidians.

"I'm betting not long." Hessonite proclaimed. "He'll eventually get bored and move onto another planet. Worst case scenario; he'll consume Earth or Homeworld next just to spite us."

"We need to act quickly." Garnet proclaimed stoically. "If Squamata succeeds in destroying this universe, there's no telling what kind of destruction he'll wreak upon other universes as well."

"It truly pains me to see Nosiop fall this far," Boa said mournfully of his prince's status. "I wish I could've informed Cobralan of this earlier."

"It's okay, Boa, we all didn't know," Aescul responded comfortingly before he turned around to find Black Rutile standing behind him. "Oh hey, I forgot you were still here!"

"Oh, hello, Black Rutile." Pearl greeted the Rutile. "Don't mind us. We're busy thinking of a way to save the known universe and beyond here. Just run along and play while we work here."

"But I can help!" Black Rutile continued urging the group. "Nosiop told me everything there is to know about Squamata, so unless you all want to die, I suggest you listen to me if you want to live!"

"Black Rutile, dear." White Diamond said calmly as she suddenly appeared behind her former subordinate. "They're making it clear that they're not interested in your help right now. So please, go run along and play by yourself while we sort things out."

"What are you, my mom?" Black Rutile scoffed as she stormed off in a huff. "Fine, but don't come crying to me once heads start rolling!"

"Someone needs an attitude adjustment," Aescul murmured at Black Rutile while watching her walk away.

"I think it's because we refused to believe her about Squamata," Garnet replied. "Perhaps she has been telling the truth and wants to change, but we'll just have to wait and see."

"I'll go talk to her." Cinnabar offered herself up and began following Black Rutile. "I've been her apprentice for centuries; I know her more than anyone else in this room."

--

Elsewhere in the castle, Black Rutile gazed out a window as she watched Squamata and his heralds start draining Serpentes of its energy, causing the land around them to decay. Black Rutile sighed nostalgically as she reminisced on how the Diamonds would cause the planets they colonized to die after draining them of their resources. But those days were long gone, just like what the universe will soon be once Squamata gets bored with Serpentes and moves onto another planet.

"Hello, Black Rutile." Cinnabar said as she walked up to Black Rutile and stood next to her, the two Gems now staring out the same window. "I'd like to talk to you about everything happening recently."

"Oh yes, about me betraying you all and unleashing Squamata only to get stabbed in the back as well?" Black Rutile asked.

"Exactly." Cinnabar answered.

"I know you and everyone else must hate me now for wanting to use the Lapidarist to push the reset button on all Gemkind," Black Rutile said. "But there's no harm in talking one last time before you disown your old mentor, huh?"

Cinnabar only responded by pulling out her broadsword and attempting to strike Black Rutile down. "You betrayed us! You betrayed me!" she screamed angrily as Black Rutile halfheartedly blocked the strike with her bowie knife. "What happened to you?! What have the Crystal Gems done to you?!"

"Enough." Black Rutile quietly commanded her former apprentice to stand down, which she obeyed.

"Did Steven finally corrupt you into his slave?" Cinnabar kept yelling. "Tell me, did he?!"

"No, it's not Steven's fault," Black Rutile sorrowfully revealed. "And I'm sorry if that disappoints you."

"But we believed in you. We dedicated our gems to you." Cinnabar cried in betrayal. "And this is how you treat us?!"

"Not just to me. Black Rutile declared. "But to your own twisted ego and selfishness as well that you used to serve my cause."

"But our cause was what you thought was best for all Gems!" Cinnabar exclaimed. "At least, I thought it was."

"You got that right." Black Rutile agreed dourly.

"I came here to tell you that we're teaming up with the Crystal Gems to stop Squamata from destroying the universe." Cinnabar revealed to her old mentor.

"Wait, seriously?" Black Rutile scoffed dryly. "And here you are, getting on my case for betraying you."

"Steven can be selfish and narrow-minded, sure, but he still accepted us despite what we've done because we have nowhere else left to go." Cinnabar added.

"Well then, off you go!" Black Rutile snapped at Cinnabar. "Go ahead and abandon your lives, your identities, the very reason you were created, all for his twisted ideals and principles!" The two Gems were silent for a few pregnant moments before Cinnabar sat down next to Black Rutile.

"The moment you tell me that this was all a trick, that you're going to kill the royal family and use their armada to conquer the universe, then Steven really did lie to us." Cinnabar stated, hoping what she just said would be true. "He doesn't care that we're without identity; he'll force a new one onto us."

"Ah yes, identity. I've forgotten how toxic that can sometimes be." Black Rutile declared calmly. "Speaking of identity, you're still falling for all the lies about how Pink Diamond didn't mean any harm in starting the rebellion, right?"

"Not entirely." Cinnabar answered. "She didn't care that so many lives were lost in her crusade against the Diamonds, but she still cared deeply for life."

"Organic life, I know." Black Rutile sighed. "So, what do you plan on doing with me now?"

"If you refuse to admit your flaws, I have no choice but to leave you here." Cinnabar declared coldly.

"And you found Aquamarine and the others?" Black Rutile then asked.

"A test. And you failed." Cinnabar replied. "I've been watching you for our entire sentence to Revanche 666. You've just sat in your cell with your eyes closed, doing nothing but think and think and think. And do you want to know what I think? I think for the first time in your life, you feel like you have no identity. You've been many things. An eager Rutile with big dreams, a confidant to White Diamond, a rebel leader. And now what?"

"A selfish fool." Black Rutile responded before turning her knife into a sword and gazing into her reflection on the blade.

"But why? If you did change sides, you'd become a Crystal Gem in all but name." Cinnabar wondered. "No more, no less. Why rethink your entire life now?"

"I once told Steven that the Rutile Rebels came together to seek retribution by any means necessary. I wanted to make him hurt, to make him feel the same pain that he unknowingly brought upon us with his blissful naïveté and optimism." Black Rutile explained to Cinnabar. "And the thing is, at the end of the day, I'm feeling the same pain I brought Steven, only far worse than I thought. If the universe sees you as a monster, what does it matter? The universe is filled with monsters. But when you start thinking that you're the monster."

Black Rutile let out a heavy sigh before continuing. "I came to hate what I've turned myself into. A cunning, devious, opportunistic, sociopathic monster that even Steven believed was beyond redemption. I thought the only way to restore my old legacy and set everything back to what it was before Pink even came into existence, probably the easiest way, was to gain the Lapidarist's godlike powers so I could rejuvenate the entire Gem race."

"You're not a monster. Well, you're not the monster that you think you are now." Cinnabar assured Black Rutile. "As humans would often say, nobody's perfect. We're all like Off-Colors in a way. We can't fit in with society, and that causes us to feel like we're alone in the world. It's why we formed the Rutile Rebels; we felt alone in Era 3, and you were the only one who could give us a purpose. Maybe in a couple of hundred years, we'll remember this conversation and laugh about how ridiculous it was for you to consider changing your ways."

"Consider, you say?" Black Rutile said, gazing down at her hands, calloused from years on the battlefield and years of plotting her grand uprising. "Look at me, Cinnabar. I'm a hopeless, bigoted shell of my former self. Ignorant and proud of it, too." She gently moved one of her hands to her face. "Would you still follow a Gem like me? My spirit now flickers when it once flared, but these days, all I am is nothing but bark without a single bite."

"I don't particularly appreciate hearing you say this." Cinnabar said nervously.

"Why not?" Black Rutile asked.

"Because this isn't you!" Cinnabar answered while taking her master's hands in her own. "Whatever happened to the Black Rutile I looked up to who bravely fought in the Rebellion, dared to challenge the Crystal Gems' tyranny, and basically conquered the Earth by turning the humans against them! The Black Rutile we followed, that we loved. What happened to her?"

I don't know." Black Rutile responded grimly. "I think she's dead."

"Dead?" Cinnabar asked sympathetically. "Or just resting?" The two fell silent once again, neither of them knowing the right words to say next.

"Just recently, I finally saw fit to talk with the Lapidarist." Black Rutile said. "But instead of asking her to rejuvenate the entire Gem race, I asked her what my purpose was now that I've lost everything because of Steven."

"And what did she say?" Cinnabar asked.

"She said that my true destiny won't be realized until I am at peace with myself or something like that." Black Rutile revealed. "She then showed me a vision of a possible future where I fought with Steven to save the universe. As a Crystal Gem. As a hero. As his friend."

"You're kidding. His friend?" Cinnabar gasped in shock. "But this is only a possible future, right?"

"Perhaps if I play my cards right, this could be my future right now." Black Rutile added with a slight smile. "Do you think there's any chance for me to make amends with everybody? Not just the Crystal Gems, but the Diamonds and all the other Rutile Rebels as well?"

"Destiny works in mysterious ways, I guess." Cinnabar realized what Black Rutile was planning to do and accepted it with a smile. "Go, change yourself for the better. You've already won me over."

"Thank you, Cinnabar, for listening to me." Black Rutile said and then suddenly hugged her old apprentice. "This is what is necessary to be forgiven, right?"

"Well, at least you're learning." Cinnabar laughed awkwardly. "Now, can you please let me go?"

--

"Wait, you're saying the ultimate fusion could be what now?" White Diamond gasped as she, Yellow, Blue, Spinel, and the Pearls stood before Princess Naja and the Lapidarist in the latter's secret chamber.

"Indeed, I believe it must be our only option." The Lapidarist stated. "Unless Steven has any other options."

"Well, there is the fusion with his human girlfriend, and I've also discovered he can fuse with his father," Blue replied. "But I think he might also be able to fuse with the pink boy and the fry boys, too."

"Ooh, ooh, can he fuse with me?!" Spinel asked while fluttering a pair of large eyelashes.

"Don't get too excited, Spinel." Yellow bluntly replied, much to the jester's dismay. "Anyone else he can fuse with?"

"Last I checked, he can fuse with Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, or even all three at once." Blue Pearl replied. "I wonder how he'd fuse with some of the other Crystal Gems?"

As the Diamonds continued conversing, Black Rutile crept into the Lapidarist's chambers, hoping that she would take them all by surprise with her revelation. Still, there was just one factor she didn't consider. "I can see you, Black Rutile."

"No, you can't!" Black Rutile yelled as she tried to hide from the Lapidarist, no matter how omniscient Rebeuger was. "Okay, I give up! I just want to talk!"

"What is it this time, Black Rutile?" Yellow said with a roll of her eyes. "Here to bluster about the injustice wrought upon you again till the heat death of the universe."

"No, that's not it." Black Rutile said firmly. "I came here to apologize for what I've done to you."

"Could you please repeat that? I think I might need my hearing checked." Yellow Pearl snarked in surprise. "Surely this is another one of her lies, right?"

"No, I am simply baring my soul to you all." Black Rutile declared as she got on her knees and begged for forgiveness. "I ask of you, grand Diamonds, to accept my apology for all the horrible, selfish things I did to our people in the name of my delusional crusade for justice against those who have wronged me! My experiences here have finally humbled me and taught me that my actions have consequences!"

"Are you serious this time, Black Rutile?" Volleyball asked the repentant Rutile. "Are you not just lying to us again?"

"Why is everyone assuming that I'm lying?!" Black Rutile complained. "I'm being serious this time. I've been convinced that to be at peace with myself, I must make amends with everyone! Don't believe me? Ask the Lapidarist!"

"It's true." The Lapidarist proclaimed. "I told Black Rutile that she had a grand destiny, but it won't be realized until she is at peace. To calm such a troubled mind, she must reconnect with everyone she's hurt."

"Well, this is interesting," Naja said with an eyebrow arched. "What do you think, Diamonds?"

"Come to think of it, we are at fault for Black Rutile's descent," White said mournfully. "After allowing her to rise to such power because I thought it was funny, I didn't expect such a joke would go so far."

"So, we'll give you a shot, Black Rutile." Yellow added. "But make no mistake, if you really are lying, then we'll make sure to have your head on a wall."

"Oh, thank you, thank you, my Diamonds!" Black Rutile cheered as she crawled over to White Diamond's feet and began kissing them. "You are so kind!"

"Zip it." White bluntly responded.

--

Next on Black Rutile's itinerary was trying to reconnect with her ex-minions, who she found were already preparing for the coming final battle against Squamata and his heralds. Naturally, Pyrite's keen business acumen had helped the former Rutile Rebels acquire some weapons generously donated to them from the various competitors and Slytherophidians willing to lend a hand. All she needed to do now was to talk to them. Hopefully, Cinnabar would help them hear her out.

"Hey, everybody." Black Rutile greeted her former subordinates, only to be greeted with knives surrounding her in all directions. "Well, not my idea of a warm welcome, isn't it?"

"You know what you did, Black Rutile!" Dalmatian Jasper snarled angrily.

"Trying to sell us all out for power and using the Lapidarist to rejuvenate us!" Tanzanite added, just as furious.

"Making everything we did completely pointless since a godlike being can just do all the heavy lifting for us!" Amazonite proclaimed dramatically. "What was even the point of the Rutile Rebels to begin with in that regard?!"

"Okay, everyone, calm down. No need to antagonize her." Cinnabar stated, much to Black Rutile's relief. "Black Rutile here came to apologize to you all."

"Apologize?!" Eyeball shouted in alarm. "Surely you jest! Black Rutile has never regretted anything in her life!"

"Until now, that is." Black Rutile declared, which was met with gasping in surprise. "Yes, I know, I actually regret something for once. Let me explain."

"Someone pinch me; I must be dreaming." Cat's Eye muttered to herself while scratching her hair.

"This has to be a bad comedy." Pyrite added curiously.

"Earlier, Cinnabar and I talked with each other about my recent emotions and how I've grown to hate myself for what my constant failures have turned me into." Black Rutile explained. "Cinnabar tells me that we are all like Off-Colors in a way; we can't fit in with society, which causes us to feel like we're alone in the world. And I've realized that fits me in more ways than one."

"So does that mean you are, how do you say, repenting now?" Holly Blue asked. "I'm not sure I like this."

"Well, I'm not sure if I like you guys betraying me for the Crystal Gems either." Black Rutile responded curtly. "Nobody's perfect."

"Are you sure we can still trust you, my Rutile?" Andesine asked hopefully.

"I swear on my life." Black Rutile replied proudly. "Unless anyone threatens my life. In which case, you're out of luck."

"Eh, I'm fine with it if you are." Apatite said with a shrug.

"Not going to lie, I was getting kind of lonely without you yelling at us." Zoisite added.

"But make no mistake, just because you're showing remorse for how you've treated us doesn't mean we're just going to totally forgive you." Xenotime declared with a blade to her old boss's gem. "You'll have to work to earn our forgiveness. Otherwise, you will be executed for one wrong move."

"Calm down, Xeno, no need to be such a terminator and all that." Howlite tried calming Xenotime down by lowering her arm. "So, what do you plan on doing now, Black Rutile?"

"I bet she's gonna talk to the Crystal Gems next!" Kyanite proposed.

"Why yes, that is exactly what I was going to do." Black Rutile replied. "I'm already on shaky ground with them as is. I do not want to know how they'll react when they find out I'm telling the truth."

"Well, I wish you the best of luck." Bloodstone said with hope for her old master.

"Famous last words, as they always say." Amber added wryly before Black Rutile turned away and left.

"I never figured Black Rutile for an atoner." Emerald shook her head in surprise.

"Me neither," Morganite added, just as alarmed as the former pilot.

"But maybe this could be a fresh start for her." Pyrope suggested. "For all of us."

"It better." Demantoid responded sourly.

--

"Any updates, guys?" Lapis asked Laz and Zuli as the Crystal Gems gathered one last time before the inevitable final battle with Squamata.

"Those Universal Lords are really holding the line, but I'm not sure for how long." Laz declared.

"Only a matter of time before we're forced to fight." Zuli added.

"The combined powers of the Universal Lords are extraordinary, but it won't be long until they're forced to retreat." Squaridot added. "By the way, I can see Black Rutile approaching behind you." At that moment, the Crystal Gems turned around and stared menacingly at Black Rutile, fearing that she had nothing good to say.

"You have a lot of nerve coming back to us." Jasper frowned at Black Rutile.

"You have a lot of nerve being alive." Black Rutile responded just as harshly. "I suppose you're all going to act super suspicious about what I have planned, but I'm here to prove you wrong by saying I'm sorry." The Crystal Gems were dead silent in shock in response to this. "Hello, anyone? Bueller, Bueller, Bueller?" Nobody answered. "Stop ignoring me."

"I should've known this was coming." Garnet said coolly. "Please tell us you're sure you're not lying to us this time."

"No, I'm being serious, for crying out loud!" Black Rutile yelled. "I'm trying to repent for my sins here, so please hear me out!"

"A likely story, Black Rutile!" Bismuth threatened Black Rutile with her hammer dangerously close to the Rutile's gem. "It's gonna take more than just 'I'm sorry' to compensate for what you've done to us!"

"Yeah!" Peridot and Squaridot added.

"No, I've discovered that I'm more like you than I realized!" Black Rutile cried in desperation. "I'm just as much of an Off-Color as all of you because I never quite fit into the society you created, so I decided to take matters into my own hands!"

"I still don't believe this," Amethyst replied. "As Bismuth said, it's gonna take way more than a simple apology to make us completely forget what you've done."

"But that's literally what you've done to every foe you've encountered, even Emerald!" Black Rutile complained while angrily stomping her foot. "You, Steven, you and your friend can vouch for me, right?!"

"Okay, I'll only accept that you've changed on one condition." Connie stated while crossing her arms.

"What's that?" Black Rutile asked.

"Say my name," Connie suggested. "Can you say it?"

"Of course I can!" Black Rutile chuckled before she immediately lost track. "You're, uh, Connie Steven's-Annoying-Human-Friend!"

"You don't even know my name." Connie groaned in disgust.

"I certainly do!" Black Rutile claimed. "It's Meeska-Mooska-Mickey Mouse-svetlana!"

"Sometimes, it feels like you're not even trying to bother." Connie grimaced. "It's Maheswaran, Connie Maheswaran. Can you say it?"

"Connie Maheswaran." Black Rutile repeated.

"Now say, "I'm sorry that I've tried to kill you and your friends and destroy the planet all the time, Connie Maheswaran." Connie asked Black Rutile.

"I'm sorry that I've tried to kill you and your friends and destroy the planet all the time, Connie Maheswaran." Black Rutile said reluctantly. "There, are you happy now for once in your pathetic, unbelievably short, organic life?"

"Hey, everybody, calm down!" Steven shouted as he got between Black Rutile and Connie. "How about I talk things out with Black Rutile, and maybe we can reach an understanding? White Topaz, you can join too."

"Sure!" White Topaz exclaimed brightly. "Be back soon, guys!"

"I got a bad feeling about this." Jasper frowned as she watched her girlfriend leave with Steven and Black Rutile.

--

Outside the castle, Steven, Black Rutile, and White Topaz all sat together at the front steps as they watched the sunset on a doomed Serpentes, where Squamata continued wreaking havoc while his heralds laughed maniacally. "So, what inspired this, Black Rutile?" Steven asked his archnemesis. "What made you now want to change your ways after all you've done to me?"

"You think maybe she's finally understanding where you come from?" White Topaz wondered before Black Rutile calmed her down.

"Don't get too excited, Topaz," Black Rutile said. "I'm not necessarily changing my ways; I'm just finally realizing how toxic my worldview has been to both myself and others, and I've been apologizing to everyone I hurt, hoping that we can all move on together. I finally accepted that I'm just as flawed as any other living creature, human, Gem, or otherwise alike."

"Yeah, I can see where you're coming from." Steven replied. "My dad once told me that if every porkchop were perfect, we wouldn't have hot dogs. In this case, you need to stop thinking of yourself as a porkchop by building this entire cult on the image of how perfect you think you are and blend in with all the other hot dogs in the universe, like me."

"I have no idea what your human food has to do with this, but you are indeed correct." Black Rutile said. "I said to Cinnabar that the only way I thought I could restore my reputation was to simply just erase everyone's memories of my actions through using the Lapidarist to rejuvenate all Gemkind, but after being abandoned by my minions and Nosiop's betrayal, I've realized that my glory days are long gone, so all that's left for me is just to accept the here and now and hopefully put my life back together." She then dropped to her knees with tears in her eyes. "Please, Steven, I know I'm asking for a little much, but would you please accept me as your friend?"

Steven was quiet for a moment as if trying to process Black Rutile's response, so the best he could do was give her a pat on the back that Black Rutile quickly turned into a hug.

"Whoo, group hug!" White Topaz cheered as she wrapped her arms around Steven and Black Rutile and picked them up in a big bear hug. However, their embrace would soon receive an unexpected visitor.

"Oh, what a touching scene." Nosiop hissed evilly as he towered over the three Gems. "Too bad I'll have to end it all once I assassinate Steven."

"Not on our watch!" Black Rutile exclaimed fiercely. "If you want to kill Steven, you'll have to go through me first, you scaly devil!" She then reached for White Topaz's hand. "Topaz, fuse with me!"

"Whoa, already?" White Topaz replied before she realized what Black Rutile had planned. "Wait, you don't mean-"

"No time!" Black Rutile yelled before the two did an impromptu tango dance, causing them to fuse into Lepidolite.

"HAHAHAHA, HEEEEERE'S LEPPY!" Lepidolite cackled as she embraced her grand return and pulled out her clawed gloves to use against Nosiop.

"A fusion, you say?" Nosiop chuckled. "This should be easy." Using the powers blessed upon him by Squamata, Nosiop made quick work of Lepidolite in their grand battle, but Lepidolite thought quickly and used her might to keep the evil prince at bay while making sure Steven was unharmed.

"Wait, let me help!" Steven yelled at Lepidolite.

"No, get out of here at once!" Lepidolite commanded. "This could be my last battle, and I intend to make it count!" With one last battle cry, Lepidolite charged at Nosiop and prepared to land the finishing blow, but Nosiop quickly dodged the attack and stabbed Lepidolite in the face, causing her form to destabilize.

"BLACK RUTILE, NO!" Steven cried in shock.

"This is goodbye to you all." Lepidolite monologued to herself in her final moments of consciousness. "To my Rutile Rebels, to my fellow Gems. And yes, even you, Steven Universe."

In a brilliant explosion of black and white smoke, a mighty fusion was eliminated, and her components were reduced to their gems lying at Steven's feet. Once known as menaces to the entire Gem race, they made the ultimate sacrifice to defend the boy they called their greatest foe. They were Black Rutile and White Topaz, partners in crime turned Crystal Gems at heart.

"In their last moments, people show you who they really are," Nosiop said with a smirk before slithering away in disgust. However, he felt a strange presence behind him as he turned around to discover that Steven was turning pink with rage at the prince's lack of empathy. "What?!"

"Okay, Inner Steven, don't fail me now," Steven muttered as he charged at Nosiop and threw a punch of pure serene fury. To Nosiop's surprise, Steven's current state meant that he was outmatched in every way imaginable. "I'm going to break you and throw you to the wind!"

"I need to get out of here!" Nosiop cried like a coward before flying away, knowing how outmatched he was. As Steven de-transformed and let out a sigh of relief, he heard Black Rutile and White Topaz's gems shimmering behind him, signifying they were about to gain new forms once they were reformed.

Once the pair's physical bodies were restored, White Topaz discovered that her white diamond symbol was replaced with a Crystal Gem star. Similarly, Black Rutile found that she had a star as well, where her white diamond symbol once was.

"You're back!" Steven laughed in delight as he raced up to hug them both. "And look, you're Crystal Gems now too!"

"Took me long enough to get one of these." White Topaz chuckled with pride while Black Rutile frantically tried to pull her star off.

"Get it off me, get it off me, get it off me!" Black Rutile yelled in terror before Steven put a comforting hand on her arm, telling her that things would be okay once she got used to things. "Uh, is there a way I can move this somewhere else?"

"Not that I know of," Steven replied just as he heard the Diamonds and the Crystal Gems step outside. "Hey guys, check it out! Black Rutile and White Topaz are Crystal Gems!"

"Babe!" Jasper yelled in delight before tackling White Topaz to the ground and kissing her. "I knew you'd get one someday!"

"Yeah, me too, honey!" White Topaz laughed.

"Okay, this is definitely going to need some getting used to." Pearl muttered. "Steven, as much as we'd like you to explain what happened, that will have to wait because White has something to say." She then turned to the Diamond and gave her a nod.

"Thank you, Pearl, for that marvelous introduction." White Diamond declared before turning to Steven. "Steven, we must fuse with you to stand a chance against Squamata." Steven then gasped in response. As much as he was happy to see that Black Rutile was starting on the path of forgiveness, there were still some things he needed to forgive as well.

--

Yep, White Diamond just went there! But with Black Rutile finally starting to redeem herself, fate could have other plans in store, and I don't think I have enough time to get everything I want in these final chapters as well. Go ahead, talk about how rushed Black Rutile's story here is and how she got off a little too easy, I'm on a tight schedule here! But now that I finally finished this really long-ass chapter, it's time we prepare for the coming conclusion of Snake Eyes and the end of Steven and Black Rutile's story. Happy Halloween everybody, and take care.

[andrewmoocow]

Steven Universe Snake Eyes chapter 8: The Cosmos Quiver (originally published on October 16, 2023)

AN: And so, everything begins falling into place. Steven has some leftover drama to resolve with the Diamonds, Black Rutile's redemption arc is on the horizon, and there's a giant snake monster about to wreak havoc and destroy the cosmos. And I still need to finish my notes on the remaining few chapters on my phone! How can Steven save the universe now when there's a monster of pure, unadulterated destruction on the horizon? Is there a chance he could receive some unexpected help from someone who is also in need of help herself? Stay tuned, folks, for everything begins coming to a head here.

Synopsis: Tensions are high on Serpentes when Nosiop announces his plans for conquest, while Black Rutile ponders if he really needs her.

Cast:

Zach Callison as Steven

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl

Aurelio Voltaire as King Cobralan Jormagundr

Shirley Millner as Queen Constrictra Jormagundr

Cissy Jones as Princess Naja Jormagundr

Henry Rollins as Captain Boa

Jennifer Paz as Lapis, Laz, Zuli

Shelby Rabara as Peridot, Squaridot

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Tom Scharpling as Greg

Grace Rolek as Connie

Ron Perlman as Inner Steven

Neil Flynn as Aescul

Alexia Khadime as Sardonyx

Billie Eilish as Turquoise

Sarah Stiles as Spinel

Nicole Sullivan as Sylvia Spectre

Kari Wahlgren as Envyrno, Pyrope

Wally Wingert as Rigby Starglow

Dominic Armato as Captain Gearfeet

JP Karliak as S-L1M3

Rob Paulsen as Monty the Moarchean

Steven Blum as Earthos, Deputy Edward

Beau Billingslea as Sheriff Spiegel

Britt Baron as Michelle Angelon

Julissa Aguirre as Lady Imagineer

Terrence C. Carson as The Decimator

Della Saba as Aquamarine

Charlyne Yi as Eyeball

Christine Pedi as Holly Blue Agate

Casey Lee Williams as Cat's Eye

Avi Roque as Cinnabar

Gina Torres as Andesine

Jinkx Monsoon as Emerald

Melissa Fahn as Demantoid

Halsey as Tanzanite

Hayley Kiyoko as Morganite

Jason Marsden as Prince Nosiop Jormagundr

Keith David as Pyth

Crispin Freeman as Mr. Manco

Sam Witwer as Torius Vosania

Featuring Ray Porter as Squamata

And Tim Curry as Velhallen Beo

--

Serpentes was in chaos. Just moments before halftime of the Contest of Champions ended and the competition could resume, Prince Nosiop abruptly stole his father's throne and claimed that he would now become ruler of Serpentes in place of Cobralan, for he believed that Cobralan was incapable of ruling. In addition, he proclaimed that there was an ancient evil Cobralan was hiding from the public for years, and Nosiop intended to fight it with an army of Gems to prove that the Slytherophidians were meant to conquer.

As the Slytherophidians were sent into a frenzy, Nosiop sat confidently on his new throne while Black Rutile stood by his side. "Ah, this is what it means to take command." Nosiop grinned with his fangs out. "Watching all these worthless insects scurry about while begging for someone to give them orders. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes, I agree very much, my friend." Black Rutile declared snidely when she felt someone tug on her cape, that someone being Aquamarine. "Oh, Aquamarine, fancy seeing you here. It feels like we haven't talked in a long while. What's up?"

"We have a question about that army of Gems that Nosiop mentioned." Eyeball said. "How are you going to acquire one, if I may ask? What, will we just make more Gems to serve us?"

"Ah yes, then I suppose it's time for a little history lesson." Black Rutile smirked as she played a holographic video of the Lapidarist's history lesson she spied on. "This is what is known as the Lapidarist. As the name should imply, this being is the mother of all Gems through her creation of what would eventually become the Great Diamond Authority. She possesses the power to create life, and I'm certain she also can reset all Gems to their base programming."

"Wait, what do you mean by base programming?" Holly Blue wondered alarmedly.

"This is going somewhere that I surely won't like." Cat's Eye added morosely.

"Oh, you're going to like what I have planned for her." Black Rutile declared. "Once I plead my case to the Lapidarist and she recognizes me as a poor unfortunate soul in pain and in need of help, she will answer my cries by wiping out all Gems across the universe and forcing them to return to the states from which they first originated, thus making them perfectly willing to follow my every command!"

"So, you're going to brainwash us all?!" Emerald shouted as she combed through the Rutile Rebels to confront Black Rutile. "You're simply plotting to erase everything about us, our personalities, our experiences, our lives, just to fulfill your selfish agenda?! I have done horrible things under both the Diamonds' and your command, but this is going too far!"

"Oh, come now, Emerald, you would probably do the same to make yourself more capable of getting rid of Lars." Black Rutile assured her advisor. "Really, you all should've expected that I'd do something this cruel and unusual towards others."

"Yes, like poofing us, for example?" Cinnabar, now fully reformed after being poofed earlier, declared as she and Cinnabar revealed themselves to Black Rutile. "All because we fancied ourselves better leaders than you?"

"Backstabbing two of your closest confidants was bad enough," Andesine added hotly. "but threatening to erase us all, who have pledged our lives to serve you and your goal of a brighter tomorrow for all Gems?"

"Now, everyone, I know this may seem a little rash, but I promise you all that this is for the greater good!" Black Rutile nervously said, lying through her teeth as she felt her subordinates would soon turn on her like everyone else did. "Please, you all have to listen to me!"

"We are done listening to you." Tanzanite declared fiercely. "White Topaz was right about you; you're a bad leader and a bad friend to all of us. You'd sooner throw one of us to the wolves to see if it was safe before running away at the first sight of danger than actually admit how flawed you are."

"I am not flawed!" Black Rutile shrieked angrily, tears forming in her eyes yet again. "Just please, somebody take my side for once!"

"I believe we all knew this was coming." Demantoid proclaimed harshly before turning to the other Rebels. "Come along, Rebels. Let us find somewhere else where we won't be abused."

"No, wait, please, come back!" Black Rutile yelled as she fruitlessly reached out to her now-former pawns. "You can't just leave me like this! You know the Crystal Gems wouldn't dare take you in!"

"We are well aware of that," Morganite replied coldly. "But at least they'd treat us better than you have."

"Honestly, why did I bother continuing to side with her?" Pyrope scoffed as the Rutile Rebels left their master in the dust for greener pastures, causing Black Rutile to tear up again.

"So, after all we've been through, this is how I'm treated?" Black Rutile groaned as she started crying and groveling on her knees. "What's even the point anymore?"

"To give people hope, dear Rutile," Nosiop said as he hugged his partner in crime. "So we can rip it away from them."

"Indeed, my girl." Pyth agreed with the insidious prince-turned-king. "Now come along. We'd like you to meet the rest of what we call the Serpent Society." As the two Slytherophidians led Black Rutile away from the Ouraborium, Nosiop gave Pyth a firm nod, to which Pyth replied with an evil smile.

--

Elsewhere in the stadium, Steven roamed the halls as he brooded to himself over what he had just learned from the Lapidarist and the Diamonds. Not only was White Diamond more like Pink Diamond than he realized, but the Diamonds were also hiding the fact that they did indeed commit genocide on a few planets that they had conquered. He needed time to process everything he learned, to the point where he barely realized that Nosiop had just announced his conquest of Serpentes.

"You see what sparing the Diamonds will lead you to?" Inner Steven coldly stated as Steven imagined the manifestation of his darker impulses walking alongside him. "You should've let me shatter White when I had the chance back on Homeworld. Then we wouldn't have had to suffer all of this!"

"You and I both know I would never take a life!" Steven shouted angrily at Inner Steven.

"Then what about Jasper?" Inner Steven retorted snidely.

"Okay, you raise a good point," Steven agreed. "but I'd never intentionally take a life."

"Even after my change of heart, I always found it annoying how you'd rather sit back like a coward because you think everyone deserves a second chance." Inner Steven stated. "Much like you, I never fully trusted the Diamonds and thought they would go back on their word to destroy us again at any moment. If that day ever comes, you must be ready for the worst possible scenario."

"Yes, it's true that I feel so utterly betrayed, but I don't think the Diamonds would ever go that far." Steven replied. "I just want to live my life where everyone isn't lying to me and keeping secrets that could destroy us all!"

"You know, on that note, heard the news lately?" Inner Steven added as he tapped his foot, and a voice rang out in Steven's mind-space.

"As of today, I shall now take my father's place as your ruler, for he is not fit to be a king or a Universal Lord. Let this be a wake-up call to you Slytherophidians, the Universal Lords, the Gem race, and the ignorant masses across the entire universe!" the voice of Prince Nosiop declared as a holographic image of him appeared before Steven. "I shall soon arrive with an entire army of loyal Gems at my side to face down an ancient foe my father has hidden from you for so long! We all must answer to the hand of fate, and fate has chosen me to conquer this world!"

"Who is that?" Steven asked his darker half in wonder at the prince before him.

"Prince Nosiop Jormagundr, son of Cobralan and self-proclaimed next in line to become king of Serpentes." Inner Steven revealed. "I'm sure you heard of him before. He and Black Rutile teamed up to conquer the planet and reboot the entire Gem race to turn into their slaves. Don't think you met him in person, though."

"So what, is he meant to be like the Slytherophidian equivalent to Black Rutile or something?" Steven asked.

"Close." Inner Steven answered. "I think he may share some qualities with you. But he's the answer to a very important question."

"What was the question?" Steven asked, not expecting a good answer.

"What if you were more like Pink Diamond growing up?" Inner Steven answered forebodingly. "Think of it. This boy clearly wanted to get everything he ever wanted even though he had everything handed to him on a silver platter, so he resorted to drastic measures when nobody paid attention to him. Remind you of anyone?"

"So what do I need to do?" Steven asked his inner self.

"It's quite simple, really." Inner Steven said with his figurative hands on Steven's shoulders. "You must stop history from repeating itself, or it will mean the universe's destruction and possibly beyond."

--

"What is the meaning of this?!" Cobralan roared as he slithered into the throne room upon hearing the news. "Nosiop, you better have a very good explanation of what you are doing because you are in big trouble, young man!"

"I see you've heard, my old friend." Pyth declared as he ominously snuck up behind Cobralan and grabbed him by the neck with a jagged knife in his scaly hands. "It seems your son will be getting his coronation early. But unfortunately, you won't live long enough to see him all grown up."

"Pyth, what is going on?" Cobralan asked his insidious advisor. "What is Nosiop doing? What are you doing? Answer me, blast you!"

"It's just a little something I've been working on for the past couple of years," Pyth revealed to his former king. "I notice that Nosiop wants to be seen for his great ideas, introduce him to Squamata, and then covertly guide him along as I use him to gain ultimate power." He slowly pressed the knife to Cobralan's throat. "Now then, tell me where Squamata's resting place is, and I promise you'll only come out of this with a few scars."

"I'll never tell you!" Cobralan yelled fiercely and tried spitting poison in Pyth's face, but the vizier barely reacted to the attack. "It's a secret that our family has kept for generations, and I refuse to give it up to the likes of you!"

"So that's the way it is, then." Pyth cruelly hissed as he prepared to stab the king in his throat with the knife. "Long live the king." However, his murder of the Slytherophidian king would have to wait as a loud crash was heard from above, followed by a hearty "OOOOO-HOHOHOHOHO!" that made him jump. "What was that?!"

"Good day, your majesty!" Sardonyx laughed as she smashed a hole in the throne room's ceiling to view Pyth's attempted assassination. "Am I interrupting anything?!"

"What is that thing?!" Pyth screamed in terror as Sardonyx reached into the throne room and grabbed Cobralan in her giant hand.

"Oh, pardon me for being so rude." Sardonyx giggled. "You may call me Sardonyx. I'm here with my lovely assistant, Turquoise, to rescue the fair king of Serpentes and put a stop to your dastardly schemes! Turquoise, please take care of Mr. Pyth, s'il vous plaît"

"Already on it," Turquoise replied as she conjured up some liquid metal that solidified into metallic restraints to keep Pyth imprisoned while the two fusions escaped. "Catch you on the flipside, Dorkus."

"Get back here, you two! Unhand me at once!" Pyth yelled furiously as he tried to escape his imprisonment. "Ugh, this is what happens when you've been spying on Gems for who knows how long. Eventually, they'll overpower you in every way imaginable. Now, can someone get me out of this thing?"

--

On the other side of the Ouraborium, the competitors of the Contest of Champions were trying their best to stay calm amid the chaos. Still, each had their own views about Nosiop's planned takeover of Serpentes.

"Yes, Chief, I'm already calling for backup." Sylvia Spectre said to her boss over her communication device. "Prince Nosiop will be brought to justice by sundown. What do you mean what will the king think?! Nosiop just stole his throne and said Cobralan was unfit to rule!"

"Hey Sylvie, can you talk a little faster so we can get out of here?" Envyrno complained impatiently while leaning back against the wall. "I wanna get the Abe Due Dumballa out of here and cause a little mischief already!"

"No, we cannot!" Sylvia declared sternly. "As an officer of the Coalition of Galaxies, it is my sworn duty to root out evil wherever it may lurk and bring them to justice, no matter the species. And that includes thugs like you, Envyrno."

"Oh geez, another busybody rule-follower." Envyrno groaned in dismay. "You should embrace your inner bad girl already. Let's go kill some horrible bosses together, get a purge going! Live a little! In fact, I know of this great place to hang out at a few star systems away. It's a new club that plays really great hardcore techno for a really hip young crowd."

"The answer is still no." Sylvia turned down Envyrno's offer. "Though that club does sound intriguing."

"Now you're speaking my language!" Envyrno gave a hearty chortle while putting a lava-covered arm around Sylvia's shoulder.

Meanwhile, Rigby Starglow stood up on a makeshift stage in the middle of the arena while tuning his guitar. "Good evening, folks, or whatever time it is on this planet. My name's Rigby Starglow. I'm the biggest rock star in the universe and today, I'm going to play you all a song to calm everybody down." He then began to strum on his guitar. "Breath, should I take a deep? Faith, should I take a leap?" Rigby started singing. "Taste, what a bittersweet. All my, all my life. Let me face, let me face, let me face my fears!"

Within the city of Alethinophidia, Captain Gearfeet was having the time of his life as he tipped over market stalls and broke into shops to engage in some looting. "Hee hee hee, this is the most fun I've had in ages!" he laughed happily while diving into a store window to steal its contents. "Come on, everybody, it's the end of the world. Let's get looting!"

"Stop right there, Gearfeet." Sheriff Spiegel declared as he pressed a laser pistol to the captain's nose. "We're gonna need you to hand over everything you stole so we can return them to their rightful owners."

"I dare you to try, copper." Gearfeet said as he protectively held onto his loot. "I'm not even sure who the original owners are anymore!"

"Everyone please, cease this conflict!" Michelle Angelon exclaimed as she flew down from above to get between the sheriff and the pirate. "I understand that you are on different sides of the law, but there are far more pressing matters at hand, my friends."

"Yeah, yeah, the giant space snake is a-coming, or whatever." Deputy Edward replied. "Man, haven't had a day this crazy since we fought those spice cultists back home, eh Sheriff?"

"You said it, Edward. I can still hear them now." Spiegel smirked. "He who controls the spice controls the universe!"

"Can we please get on with it?!" Gearfeet yelled. "I just wanna find a ship and go back to my crew already."

"You and us both, Captain." S-L1M3 said as he slithered to the four with Earthos, Lady Imagineer, Monty, and the Decimator behind him. "I just want to go home already. I didn't even get a chance to fight anybody!"

"I, for one, am still not satisfied with the hand I was dealt on this planet." The Decimator replied in his trademark deep, booming voice. "I demand the greatest fight these creatures could offer, yet time and again, I've been greeted with nothing but disappointment! Whatever this ancient foe Nosiop speaks of may be, it has got to give me a satisfactory challenge!"

"Whatever you say, big guy!" Monty said meekly before pulling out a photo of his wife and children back on his home planet. "Hold on, my family, I'll be home soon."

"That your fam there, Monty?" Earthos asked about the photo. "Not a bad lot, I'll say. Maybe I can visit sometime, be like the cool uncle to your kids."

"That would be so nice, Earthos." Monty replied sweetly before all the fighters gathered in Alethinophidia looked up at the sky to find that the clouds had changed. "Hey, what's that up there?"

"I believe it's a message." Lady Imagineer answered and began reading the message. "I think it says, 'Meet us at the castle at once. Signed, the Crystal Gems'."

"That just spells out B.U.T.T.," Monty said as he read the message in the sky himself. "How are you able to get all that?!"

"Call it a hunch." Imagineer smiled kindly in reply before she flew towards the castle. "Come on, everybody, follow me!"

--

"Hey, I think I can see people coming towards us!" Laz exclaimed as she, Lapis, and Zuli watched the Contest competitors race towards the castle. "Our message worked!"

"Good, but next time," Lapis said before turning to Zuli. "let's try and get straight to the point instead of just writing funny words in the sky. You're lucky this didn't end up like last time, Zuli!"

"Oh, come on, Lapis, you told me it was a good idea back in the day on Tritek!" Zuli tried shifting the blame to Lapis. "Those Gremlins didn't know what hit them!"

"Can you three please stop arguing and get back in here?!" Jasper bellowed for the three Lapides to come inside. "We need to think of a plan!"

The three terraformers hovered into the main hall of the castle, where the Crystal Gems have gathered the royal family of Serpentes, Captain Boa, Aescul, the Metals, the various contestants in the Contest of Champions, the Diamonds, Bialyoom and Meinerr, the Little Homeworld gems, the Universal Lords, and the Off-Colors together to form an alliance to save Serpentes and the universe.

"Good day to you all." Connie announced to the ragtag band of misfits. "As I'm sure you're all aware of what has been happening lately, about the announcement that Nosiop is plotting to conquer the planet with an army of Gems. Today, we have gathered you all to stop that for the good of everyone in the universe."

"I can't believe my son would do this to me." Cobralan muttered in shame and regret while looking down at his hands. "I've done so much for his happiness, and this is how he repays me? What have I done that would warrant such a reaction?"

"Do you want me to be honest with you or not?" Greg asked Cobralan.

"I'll take any answer at this point," Cobralan replied.

"To be frank, you're kind of a mediocre father," Greg admitted bluntly, much to Cobralan's shock. "What? You said you'd take any answer!"

"Don't fret, dear husband, I'm sure he's just joshing with you!" Constricta tried to cheer her husband up.

"No, I'm being serious!" Greg exclaimed. "I can definitely see you're a great & loving husband and a pretty darn good ruler to your people, but this whole contest has distanced you from your kids and their needs. I mean, Naja probably has serious self-doubt issues, and Nosiop speaks for himself."

"The human is right, father." Naja agreed with Greg. "Ever since you made me the Contest's master of ceremonies, I've had to deal with the fear of disappointing the masses, that I'd be unworthy of being a princess if I make just one mistake."

"Oh my dear, you'll never be a disappointment to me." Cobralan said as he comforted his daughter with a hug. "No matter what you do to impress the masses, you'll always be my little girl. Now, please, Naja, your mother and I urge you this one time. Please stand, stand by us."

"Okay, Father, I will," Naja replied with a sniffle. "And hopefully, we can bring Nosiop back to his senses too."

"So, what do we do now?" Amethyst asked. "The Lapidarist said we needed an ultimate fusion to stop this Squamata guy once and for all, but which one is it? Opal, Sugilite, Sardonyx, Alexandrite? Maybe even Malachite?"

"Hey, speaking of which, anybody seen Steven lately?" Pearl added. "I haven't seen him since the Lapidarist's history lesson, and I'm getting worried. Hopefully, he hasn't decided to leave Serpentes early."

"No way Steven would ever do that, not in a thousand different timelines I've examined." Garnet proclaimed. "He has to be here somewhere; we just need to know where."

"Probably still somewhere in the castle." Peridot answered. "Hopefully, he hasn't gone too far."

"I'll go search for him." Squaridot declared as she tried leaving the group, only to be stopped in her tracks when Peridot grabbed her stubby green arm.

"Oh no, you don't!" Peridot yelled. "I've known Steven longer; let me search for him!"

"No, I'll do it, you obnoxious nacho!" Squaridot argued with her triangular counterpart before the two hissed at each other and got into a slapfight.

"Spinel, you find Steven." Bismuth ordered Spinel, who gave a hearty salute and ran off.

"Hang on, Steve Summers, I'm coming for you!" Spinel yelled as she ran deeper into the castle.

"I hope Steven can find it in himself to forgive the Diamonds for lying to him." White Topaz said.

"Then again, he's just a very forgiving person in general." Aescul declared. "So this should be pretty easy for him."

--

"Finding this resting place is not easy at all!" Nosiop complained as he, Pyth, Black Rutile, and a few Slytherophidian soldiers ventured into the desert plains of Serpentes in search of Squamata's resting place. "We could've stabbed the location right out of Father, but then we had a couple of fusions ruining everything! No doubt the Crystal Gems are plotting against us as we speak!"

"Thank goodness you eventually got me out of those restraints, Black Rutile," Pyth said with a sinister smile at Black Rutile. "Now look alive. We got some friends on the other side on the horizon."

"Yes, that Serpent Society cult you told me about." Black Rutile replied. "Shouldn't there be more of us?"

"Unfortunately, most of our ranks have been lost to time, except for a few members still alive and kicking today," Pyth explained as a massive spaceship began descending upon Serpentes. Upon landing, its passengers revealed themselves to be a few faces that Black Rutile found familiar.

"Well well well, Torius Vosania." Black Rutile said upon recognizing the crime lord and estranged criminal brother of Batsputin Vosania. "Fancy meeting you here after you got brought to justice by those Pearls."

"Indeed, Black Rutile and I brought along a few new friends I met in prison." Torius declared as he revealed two more thugs by his side who had joined the brother of Batsputin in his revenge plot. One of them was Mr. Manco, the cybernetic menace of East Walleef from Sergione-29 who, much like Torius Vosania, also formed an alliance with Cinnabar in the past before the Black Pearl Brigade foiled his plans. However, the next villain was an even bigger shock to Black Rutile's core.

"No, that cannot be!" Black Rutile gasped in shock at the humanoid figure dressed in green armor with a foghat gray mask, blank red eyes, a purple cape, and a red V on his chest. "Velhallen Beo?! I thought Batsputin defeated you in the Battle of the Night! Were you in prison this whole time?"

"Indeed I was, Gem." Velhallen Beo replied with an arrogant sneer. "But now, thanks to Prince Nosiop, I can retake control of the Twilight Zone with the power of Squamata! Now tell us, where is he hiding?"

"Unfortunately, I was outsmarted by a few of the Crystal Gems before I could extort His Majesty for information," Pyth said regretfully. "Anyone else got any bright ideas?"

"Oh yes, I have one." Mr. Manco declared. "A rumor spread by a fellow prisoner named Titanius Anglesmith says that there is an ancient temple hidden beneath the surface of Serpentes, and only one may be sacrificed for the beast within to be unleashed."

"And I think we know just the sacrifice." Nosiop declared as all the members of the Serpent Society turned to Black Rutile with evil grins. "Black Rutile, would you care to help us unleash total death and destruction at the cost of your life?"

"What?! You can't just betray me like this when I've already been betrayed!" Black Rutile yelled in horror while Beo tried to grab her by the wrists. "Let go of me!"

"Don't try to fight it. You've been craving the sweet release of death, haven't you?" Beo hissed eagerly, stunning Black Rutile for a few moments before she regained her composure and tugged at Velhallen Beo's grip before tossing him over her head, causing the former Universal Lord to lose his grasp on the Gem terrorist. "What the?!"

"I have to warn Steven!" Black Rutile shouted the absolute last thing she ever wanted to say before making her escape.

"What are you waiting for, you nimrods?! After her!" Beo shouted when Nosiop put up a hand to block him.

"Leave her. She's going to bring Steven to us." Nosiop proclaimed. "Now then, anyone else care to be sacrificed? How about you, Maverick? Would you like to give up your life for my cause?"

"Uh, what?" Maverick muttered before Torius picked up the snake guard with his new and improved cybernetics and dragged him away. "I do not consent to this! I demand a two weeks' notice!"

--

Back at the Jormagundrs' castle, Steven was sitting on one of the castle battlements as he gazed up at the bright afternoon sun when he heard someone approaching him.

"Hey, Steven!" Spinel exclaimed while sitting down next to her best half-human friend. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Yeah, it's about the Diamonds." Steven said softly. "I thought I learned all I could ever learn about them, but then they whip out this whole coverup and make me even more justified in my paranoia! If it turns out someone who loved you was hiding a huge secret this whole time, how would you react?"

"You mean the whole Pink Diamond thing?" Spinel replied with a blunt expression on her face. "Yeah, I'm not sure how to react, considering she died and didn't even tell me because I was standing in the middle of the garden for thousands of years! But the point is, you can't just hold it against the Diamonds for as long as you live, especially since we got a crazy prince about to kill us all!"

"I have every right to hold it against them!" Steven argued with Spinel. "I have every right to be so wary of them, considering that they're acting like they didn't scar me for life, brainwashed my friends, and nearly killed me just because I'm family!"

"Wow, never knew you could hold a grudge, Steven," Spinel muttered in shock. "But hey, it's not like things could get any worse from here on out, right?" Just then, the ground beneath the two began shaking, almost like an earthquake had struck Serpentes. "Me and my big mouth!"

The skies began turning darker than the blackest void as a massive snake creature with green scales, a yellow underbelly, and ginormous sharp fangs emerged from afar and released a mighty roar. "I have turned hundreds upon thousands of worlds to dust in the name of darkness and devastation until I was robbed of my glory." Squamata, the fearsome god of Serpentes, roared for all to hear across the universe. "I will stride across the bones of my enemies and bask in the glow of pure evil, for all of existence shall be mine to consume!"

It turns out that forgiving the Diamonds for their past atrocities would be the least of Steven's worries.

The worst has finally come.

--

Yeah, you and your big mouth, Spinel. At long last, Squamata has been unleashed and is free to destroy all that he sees! At least until an army of Gems can bring him down for good, but it won't be the army that Nosiop desires. Plus, it'll only be a matter of time before Squamata goes out of control and betrays the Serpent Society to pursue his goal of destroying everything he sees. How can the Crystal Gems possibly survive against a creature that only knows and revels in such levels of destruction and chaos? We'll just have to wait and see.

[andrewmoocow]

Steven Universe Snake Eyes chapter 3: Here Comes a New Challenger (originally posted on September 11, 2023)

AN: Buckle up ladies, gentlemen and every other gender in-between, we finally go back to Steven as he reaches Serpentes and comes face to face with King Cobralan, who I argue might be just as much Steven's opposite as Black Rutile was. Though unlike Black Rutile who wears how much of a sociopath she is on her sleeve and is not ashamed to show it, Cobralan is a pretty okay guy who has a very strange view on morality where anyone who doesn't like what he does can take a hike unless he can convince them otherwise. The Jormagundr royal family will all be very interesting characters for me to write, so I don't want to waste your time any longer.

Synopsis: Steven, Connie, Greg, Black Rutile, and Ronaldo finally reach Serpentes, where Steven is welcomed by the royal family.

Cast:

Zach Callison as Steven

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl, The Black Pearl Brigade

Jennifer Paz as Lapis

Shelby Rabara as Peridot

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Grace Rolek as Connie

Tom Scharpling as Greg

Zach Steel as Ronaldo

Aurelio Voltaire as King Cobralan Jormagundr

Shirley Millner as Queen Constricta Jormagundr

Jason Marsden as Prince Nosiop Jormagundr

Cissy Jones as Princess Naja Jormagundr

Henry Rollins as Captain Boa

Keith David as Pyth

Neil Flynn as Aescul

Patti LuPone as Yellow Diamond

Lisa Hannigan as Blue Diamond

Christine Ebersole as White Diamond

John Moschitta Jr. as Bialyoom Milamin

Stephanie Escajeda as Meinerr

Nicole Sullivan as Sylvia Spectre

Kari Wahlgren as Envyrno

Featuring JP Karliak as S-L1M3

Dominic Armato as Captain Gearfeet

Wally Wingert as Rigby Starglow

Britt Baron as Michelle Angelon

Julissa Aguirre as Lady Imagineer

Rob Paulsen as Monty the Moarchean

Steven Blum as Deputy Edward

Beau Billingslea as Sheriff Spiegel

Christopher Lloyd as Batsputin Vosania

Anna Akana as Dionna of the Sands

Peter Stormare as Reximillian

Elizabeth Maxwell as Vigrid

James Earl Jones as Wobbla the Butt

Barrett Wilbert Weed as Ezlipsia

And Anthony Stewart Head as Solaris Noctua

--

"Well, here we are on the Slytherophidian home planet of Serpentes!" Aescul exclaimed as his ship returned home at last and landed in Alethinophidia. "Ah, it's good to be back home after so many years. Now watch your step as you get out, everybody."

"Wow, I haven't been on an alien planet in this long." Connie gasped in amazement as she took in the sights and sounds of Serpentes. "This is the place where they took the Gems, right?"

"Seems like it," Steven answered as he followed Connie out of Aescul's ship. "I thought Ronaldo was just talking crazy when he said the Slytherophidians existed, but I never realized they were real all along."

"Finally!" Ronaldo cried as he burst from the spaceship and began harassing Slytherophidians for their knowledge. "Excuse me, sir, do you have any holidays you celebrate on your planet?" The snake awkwardly slithered away in response. "Okay, I'll ask you later." Ronaldo then walked over to another snake. "What kind of food do you eat here?" The snake slithered away as well. "Hm, tough crowd."

"Okay big guy, now that we're here, I think it's about time we see your boss," Greg said to Aescul as the two walked out of Aescul's ship. "The Crystal Gems are getting us real worried, and I do not want to see any of them losing a head or two. Then again, they can just walk it off."

"Don't worry, everyone will know he's here," Aescul assured Greg as Steven quickly became surrounded by Slytherophidians wanting to meet him. "See what I mean?"

"Uh, hello everybody." Steven nervously said to the Slytherophidians surrounding him. "My name's Steven Universe. Nice to meet you all."

"Oh my gosh, it's Steven!" a young female Slytherophidian squealed eagerly. "Sign my face, please!"

"Hey now, no need to get too obsessed over me, I'm just here to get my friends back." Steven laughed. "The last time I discovered my fans, they chased me all around the country."

"Is that Steven Universe I see?!" Pyth asked as he arrived on the scene and gently pushed his king's subjects out of the way. "Greetings my boy, I am the royal advisor Pyth and I'm here on behalf of his royal highness Cobralan Jormagundr to collect you and bring you to him. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to fight for survival in the Ouraborium if you want your friends back."

"Wait, fight for survival? You mean you want me to kill people in this world?" Steven gasped in surprise before being wrapped in Pyth's tail and taken away.

"Unfortunately for you, yes," Pyth explained. "More will be revealed once you meet our ruler." He then turned to look back at Greg, Connie, Ronaldo, and Lion. "And take those four along with him and throw them with the other competitors."

"Wait, you want us to fight too?" Greg asked before the three humans were seized by the royal guards. "But we're just puny, squishy Earthlings, we'll all die in there!"

"That's the idea," Pyth replied with a villainous sneer as he turned back to Steven, who was looking at him with a face full of worry and suspicion.

"Looks like our new arrival is gathering quite a crowd." King Cobralan said as he watched the commotion with Captain Boa from above. "As expected for the legendary Steven Universe."

"My enforcers tell me that Pyth should be here momentarily with Mr. Universe." Boa calmly stated. "Plus, his plus-ones shall be sentenced to the Ouraborium until further notice."

"All I needed to hear, Captain. You are dismissed." Cobralan stated and commanded Boa to leave before taking a glass of Slytherophidian alcohol and taking a sip before Steven was escorted into his quarters. "Steven Universe, we meet at last! Apologies for the way I had to get your attention, but I know you love those Gems so much!"

"Enough with the pleasantries, just give me my friends back and leave my planet alone!" Steven abruptly yelled at Cobralan, shocking the king of the snake people at how curt his guest was.

"Wow, I'd thought you'd be way nicer than that," Cobralan said before offering his drinking glass to Steven. "You look stressed. Care for a drink? Finest snake oil on the planet, aged to perfection."

"Sorry, I'm not a drinker." Steven turned down the offer. "I just want to get in, get my friends back, and get out. That's all I want."

"All you want?" Cobralan asked before sitting Steven down at a bar and ordering his servant to pour another glass of snake oil. "Well, what are you willing to do for it?"

"What do I want to do for it?" Steven muttered before he heard music playing. "Wait, are you going to do what I think you're doing?"

"Right here, right now, come on, just hear me out. I don't wanna strike you down, I hope you come in peace." Cobralan began singing to convince Steven. "You fight for me, and I'll set your friends free. Out of the carnage and the violence they're trapped in." The bartender serving as the king's backup passed Steven a glass of snake oil. "Just trade your life so peaceful, for something more colorful. If you think it's crazy, well sometimes, crazy works. You can play it normal, you king of traditional. Or you can risk your life and see!"

"Don't you want to get away, from the boring life you live every day? Because I have just what you need, so come with me and you shall see!" Cobralan exclaimed as he slithered on the walls and spun around a flagpole. "All you need to do is fight for me! I'll let you do as you do, or you can do it like me. Fight in my games and I'll surely give you the key. Oh dang, the audience will be filled with glee! All you have to do is fight for me!"

"Thank you, but no, I don't want in on your show. I hate to tell you, but I'm not the killing type." Steven objected to Cobralan's offer while pushing the glass away. "Thank you, but no, just let all of my friends go. I don't want to slaughter just for the hype. I'm not sure if I like you, and this whole show you do. Without violence, you're nothing. Yes, you're nothing." Cobralan wasn't sure if he should be offended by the remark or impressed at Steven's audacity. "But I just want to live in peace, and not covered in grease. What would make me reconsider you?"

The servant quickly took the glass away as Steven continued singing. "Don't you think I'll be okay, with murdering innocents every day? I still got what I need, count me out of your crew. I would never fight for you!" Cobralan started nodding along to the song while banging the floor with his tail to the beat. "But you can still do as you do, just do not involve me. Just let my friends go, I don't even need a key! I am rubber and what you say won't stick to me like glue. What makes you think I'll fight for you?"

"Now, is this how you'd prefer to spend your days," Cobralan asked with a scaly arm on Steven's shoulder while Boa played the piano in the background. "With songs and ice cream and playing it safe?"

"If I were joining you, people would never let me live it down," Steven responded. "Disgraced and regretful, with a big ol' frown."

"But you'd finally see my point now, stop with that furrowed brow. Sometimes, fighting's the only thing we need." Cobralan replied while twisting Steven's mouth into a smile with his hands. "I'll finally wake you up, and stop your heart from breaking. Keep that little organ from aching." Putting his hands away, Cobralan turned around and stood back-to-back with Steven to await his answer. "Now, is my deal a little worth taking? I guess I'll leave it up to you."

"The answer is still no." Steven firmly declared, much to Cobralan's anger.

"No? NO?!" Cobralan asked, furious at the rejection while baring his fangs to intimidate Steven with. "I put on this whole song and dance number for you, and you still refuse?!" His face then perked up. "Oh wait, you must be joking! Well, don't make me laugh!"

"Your offer's intriguing, but I don't know how it would cost me." Steven began singing again. "I'll do whatever you want, just as long as you set everyone free."

"Oh, fair enough. I can free you from the action." Cobralan replied. "Just name your price, we can shake and make it happen."

"I wasn't born this morning, do whatever I think is fine." Steven declared while crossing his arms.

"Okay, just tell me already!" Cobralan urged his guest.

"Fine, I'll fight for you." Steven caved into Cobralan's requests, much to the snake king's delight.

"I knew you'd come through." Cobralan smiled happily before the two shook hands and became a duet.

"Don't you want to get away, from the boring life you live every day?" the half-Gem and the Slytherophidian king began singing in harmony. "Because I have just what you need, so come with me and you shall see! All you/I need to do is fight for me/you!"

"I'll let you do as you do, or you can do it like me." The two continued as the song reached a bombastic conclusion. "I have to fight for you! All I have to do is fight for you!"

"Wow, you're a surprisingly good singer," Steven said to Cobralan.

"Why thank you, I'm classically trained by my servants," Cobralan replied before summoning more guards with a clap of his hands. "Guards, bring Steven to his friends at the Ouraborium! And try not to be too rough on him, he's going through a lot right now."

"Okay guys, do your worst," Steven said as the snake guards took him away from Cobralan while he wondered just what went through the alien king cobra's head. He seemed nice on the surface, but he also forced species from across the stars to fight in his twisted gladiator games. Was Cobralan truly evil, or was Steven simply misunderstanding this new alien race and their morality? That would have to wait as Steven would soon be reunited with the Crystal Gems in time to fight in the Contest of Champions.

--

"Steven!" the Crystal Gems, Greg, Connie, and Ronaldo all cried out as Steven was thrown into the dungeon with the other competitors in the Contest of Champions, after which he was greeted with a big group hug.

"We're so glad you came for us!" Pearl exclaimed as she hugged Steven the tightest out of everybody in the dungeon.

"Yeah, really wish there was a better way to celebrate your birthday, little man." Amethyst laughed nervously before the hug dispersed.

"It's great that you came to rescue us, Steven," Garnet said with a smile before looking at Black Rutile, who was sulking in the background with her back against the wall. "Now what's she doing here?"

"Oh yeah, funny story," Steven said with a blush. "Black Rutile crashed on Earth at the same time I came back to Beach City because her team was abducted by the Slytherophidians, and now we've been forced to team up against a common enemy to save our friends."

"WHAT?!" the Gems all shouted in alarm at the idea that Steven would team up with someone like Black Rutile.

"Why are you so shocked? Half of you tried to kill him at some point in his life." Black Rutile deadpanned. "But yes, we had no choice but to align our interests to combat our new enemy and return everyone to Earth. Unfortunately," she shot Ronaldo a disdainful glare. "We picked up an unwanted passenger along the way."

"Hey, I volunteered on this adventure!" Ronaldo shouted, utterly offended.

"But in the meantime, while we wait for our turn to fight for our lives, allow me to introduce to you the other competitors." Black Rutile turned to face the many colorful characters forced to join the violence. "These are all the other individuals abducted by the royal family to fight in their games from across the universe. And I must say, this is a very stacked roster."

"Oh, saints be praised, I thought I was going to be dragged out to fight for a second!" a grasshopper-like alien gasped in delight as he skittered towards Steven to greet him. "Hello, my name's Monty! I'm a Moarchean from the planet Caelifera. Pleased to meet you, little one."

"Nice to meet you too," Steven replied to Monty while shaking his foreleg. "Who are the rest of these guys?"

"Oh, I believe we can help with that," Cap said before walking over to Sheriff Spiegel. "These are Sheriff Spiegel and Deputy Edward from Sergione-29."

"Howdy." Edward tipped his hat to Steven.

"These are Sylvia Spectre and Envyrno, who we fought before." Tails introduced the Coalition of Galaxies officer and the Magman mercenary next.

"Hello, Crystal Gems." Sylvia waved to the Gems, trying her best to keep a polite smile on her face.

"Oh great, their friends." Envyrno rolled her eyes.

"'Ello, I'm Rigby Starglow, I'm the biggest rock star in the universe." Rigby Starglow introduced himself with one flashy pose after another, making Greg think of the rock stars of his youth. "I got kidnapped here on my way to my next show."

"Call me Captain Gearfeet, mighty pirate and the third most feared pirate in the seven galaxies!" the cyborg Captain Gearfeet declared. "My crew and I accidentally raided a Slytherophidian ship, and I sacrificed myself to make sure they all got away."

"Call me Earthos, and the big guy above me is the Decimator," Earthos stated. "We fought your friends before you got here." The Decimator growled while nodding in agreement.

"You may call me S-L1M3." A cybernetic blob creature introduced himself. "My species has dedicated itself to self-improvement since the day we emerged from the primordial soup thanks to our advanced technology."

"I am Michelle Angelon." A figuratively and literally angelic-looking young woman with large white wings sprouting from her back added. "I am but a humble angel forced against my will to fight in such sinful battles while being separated from my home planet."

"And I'm Lady Imagineer." A jester-like humanoid stated as she took a break from her imaginary flute playing to meet Steven. "I can make your dreams into reality."

"They have abducted the Metals as well, but unfortunately, they're elsewhere in this arena." Black Rutile revealed just as Bialyoom and Meinerr entered the dungeon. "Oh, a servant. Let's make this quick, I don't tip the waiter."

"Ah, you-must-be-Steven-Universe!" Bialyoom greeted Steven. "It's-a-pleasure-to-meet-you-young-man. Here, my-card." He then lent his business card to Steven. "Here-in-this-arena, you'll-be-fighting-for-survival-against-a-variety-of-opponents-from-across-the-universe, and-your-reputation-means-everything-in-here-too."

"Hey, you kind of sound like that fast-talking guy from those old toy commercials." Greg pointed out Bialyoom's voice.

"Please, he's-nowhere-near-as-fast-as-I-am!" Bialyoom bragged.

"Now that you are here Steven, you will be pitted against your first opponent," Meinerr said while looking at her tablet. "And it shall be Miss Sylvia Spectre."

"Wait, me?!" Sylvia yelped in surprise as the guards grabbed her by the arms and dragged her away, while another pair did the same to Steven.

"Wait, I have to fight and kill people here?!" Steven cried before being separated from the Crystal Gems yet again.

"Them's the rules, my boy, whether you like it or not." Meinerr bluntly replied.

--

"And now ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for!" Naja announced to the excited fans of the Contest of Champions. "In this corner, all the way from planet Earth, is the one, the only, Steven Universe!" The audience began cheering as Steven was shoved out into the arena. "And in this corner, representing the Coalition of Galaxies, one of the last survivors of Invisibo-9, the illuminating invisible icon of justice, Sylvia Spectre!"

The crowd continued getting excited as Sylvia Spectre appeared from thin air, ready for a fight. "Now then, are you ready for some MORTAL COMBAT?!" Naja continued yelling, causing the crowd to cheer louder than ever. "That's what I like to hear! Heaven or hell, let's rock!"

As soon as the bell rang, Sylvia charged towards Steven and landed a furious punch to his face that sent him flying into a nearby wall. Although Steven was able to summon his shield to protect himself, Sylvia barely gave him any chances to fight back. "What's the big idea? I know we have no choice but to fight, but why are you so violent?!"

"It's because of you and your kind!" Sylvia declared while delivering a roundhouse kick to Steven's hip, causing the boy to fall over and run. "The Black Pearls may have taught me that you're not all bad and I took it to heart, even helping them a few times, but that doesn't mean I'll ever forgive you Diamonds for taking away my home and my family!"

"Oh, she just had to go there." Yellow Diamond groaned in disgust.

"Listen, I understand what you've been through, but revenge will only get you nowhere but down!" Steven said as he began throwing some punches of his own, but Sylvia was far faster. "Didn't the Black Pearls also teach you this?"

"Yes, but you think that simply forgiving the Diamonds and having them apologize will make everything better!" Sylvia said before trying to deliver a strong uppercut, but Steven dodged before her hit could connect. "And what's more, there are still Gems out there who refuse to accept what you've done!"

"Yeah, I know, I've dealt with them before!" Steven replied, utterly frustrated with Sylvia's anger before summoning his shield again and tossing it at her face. What he didn't realize however was that he was slowly starting to glow pink.

"And look at them, still running around because you think we should give peace to terrorists a chance!" Sylvia exclaimed, gesturing to Black Rutile and her rebels watching from afar, eager to see Steven be given the judgment he deserved and possibly killed too. "In my line of work, I've had to fight and defeat people who are no better than you are!"

"SHUT UP!" Steven burst into a pink-colored fit of rage and initiated a nonstop assault on Sylvia, managing to see right through her powers and attack every possible weakpoint she had. When Sylvia eventually lay beaten and bruised on the ground, Steven finally returned to his senses and realized what he had done before the audience started cheering.

"FINISH HER! FINISH HER! FINISH HER!" the crowd of Slytherophidians cheered as Steven looked around the arena at the audience urging him to land the killing blow. Although Sylvia was very harsh in her critiques of his worldview, Steven couldn't help but feel sorry for her because of how her prejudice was rooted in tragedy.

"No!" Steven firmly declared to the spectators. "I will never take a life for your amusement!" Everyone started gasping, and then they started booing Steven as he helped Sylvia up.

"Well, he's dead," Monty said flatly.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened just now, it's just my powers that make me go crazy when I'm under extreme stress." Steven apologized to the Invisibon heroine. "I've been trying real hard to keep them under control, so please don't hold this against me."

"Wow, you really aren't anything like the Diamonds." Sylvia wheezed in surprise. "At least they're willing to admit their mistakes."

"Hey, hold on a minute," Steven said before he licked his hand and slapped his saliva-covered palm on Sylvia's injured wrist, making her cringe in disgust before the spit suddenly healed all her wounds. "There, all better!"

"You can do that?" Sylvia gasped in wonder at Steven's abilities. "Please, tell me more of what you can do!"

"I'll talk later." Steven replied. "But right now, I'm sure certain people have some choice words for me."

--

"WHAT-WERE-YOU-THINKING?!" Bialyoom shrieked angrily once Steven returned from his fight. "The-Crystal-Gems-sparing-their-opponents-was-embarassing-enough, but-you-had-the-power-to-kill-Sylvia-Spectre-right-then-and-there! There-are-three-ways-to-win. One, you-knock-your-opponent-out. Two, the-opponent-quits, and-shouts-'Uncle!' Three, you-kill-them-right-on-the-spot!"

"I know the rules, but you should know that Sylvia here lost her family years ago." Steven objected. "She was so lost and angry at Gems for destroying her home, that she decided to take her anger out on me even though she learned Gems aren't all bad."

"We're very proud of you for sticking to your morals, Steven." Blue Diamond sighed in relief, prompting Sylvia to give the Diamonds the stink-eye before Steven calmed her down.

"Oh, she's got a temper." White Diamond declared with a joking smirk.

"So what do we do now?" White Topaz asked. "Are we just gonna keep killing people until they let us go?"

"I guess we have no other choice." Yellow folded her arms in acceptance. "Steven, you tried convincing the king to let us go, correct?"

"Yeah, but he got really mad that I didn't like his way of thinking while we were singing together," Steven replied. "I just want to know what goes on in that head of his. Does he have some kind of generational trauma he doesn't want to talk about?"

"Steven, you know not everything can be solved by talking to people." Black Rutile crossly said to her archnemesis. "Oh forget it, I'm too good for all of you anyways." She then turned around and stormed off. "Call me when one of you dies looking like a total fool or something!"

"Are you sure she's teamed up with you to save us?" Blue asked Steven.

"I'm sure, but I can't help but feel she probably has some kind of ulterior motive," Steven replied as Black Rutile retreated into the shadows.

--

"What's taking everyone so long?" Cobralan muttered to himself while pacing around his throne room and looking at his watch. "They should've been here in time for the opening ceremonies, but they're running late!"

"Don't worry my darling, they never once refused to come to the Contest." Constricta tried easing her husband's worries. "Why should they do so now?"

"Your Majesty, the other Universal Lords are here." Captain Boa stated as he slithered into the room with Dionna of the Sands, Batsputin Vosania, Reximillian, Vigrid, Wobbla the Butt, Ezlipsia, and even the long-retired Solaris Noctua behind him.

"Sorry, we were so late, Cobralan." Solaris apologized on behalf of his former fellow Universal Lords. "Space traffic was an utter nightmare."

"We've heard word that you have captured a vast assortment of Gems to compete this year," Vigrid stated. "Could we perhaps get a look at them?"

"Wait a second everyone, you all just got here!" Cobralan laughed. "Why not stay a little and I can treat you all to lunch? You must be starving after the long trip here!"

"Well, I am awfully famished," Dionna replied while stroking her stomach. "What have you got to eat?"

"That reminds me, where is Nosiop right now?" Batsputin asked, trying to listen out for Nosiop with his massive ears.

"No dice, everyone." Constricta replied. "He's been missing ever since the games began."

"I'm sure he'll come up at some point." Wobbla said with a loud, disgusting laugh.

"Ugh, charming as always, Wobbla." Ezlipsia groaned in irritation while using her parasol to protect herself from Wobbla's gross bodily fluids.

"Oh come now, let's have some fun this year!" Reximillian exclaimed as the Universal Lords prepared to sit down to lunch. But little did they know that Nosiop was still involved with the Contest of Champions, and he was going to make his presence known in a big way.

--

"I could've had a worthy ally in Spectre, but of course, Steven had to mess everything up with his dumb talk-no-jutsu or whatever!" Black Rutile grumbled as she walked deeper into the arena, not realizing how far she had gotten until it was too late. "What the? Where am I?"

"You must be Black Rutile, correct?" the voice of Prince Nosiop asked for Black Rutile as he and Pyth emerged from the shadows.

"Of course I am," Black Rutile answered while cautiously drawing her bowie knife. "What's it to you?"

"We've heard you also desired to upend your people's current status quo and turn them into what you think they should be." Pyth declared with a sneer.

"Wouldn't you know it, I think the same way," Nosiop said as he took Black Rutile's hand. "Come with me. We need to talk."

--

Now that Steven and Black Rutile are finally on Serpentes, things can really get going as dark secrets of the Slytherophidians and their connections to the Gems are unveiled while the Crystal Gems fight for survival in the Contest of Champions. But what does Nosiop have planned for Black Rutile, you may ask? You'll have to find out next time on Steven Universe: Snake Eyes!

[andrewmoocow]

Steven Universe Snake Eyes chapter 2: Let the Games Begin (originally published on September 4, 2023)

AN: Now that we have our first chapter out of the way, I'm sure you're all wondering what the Crystal Gems were doing before they got captured by the Slytherophidians. Well, you won't have to ask any longer because this chapter will answer any questions you might have about what happened after the end of Little Homeworld Life and set up what's to come for the remainder of Snake Eyes. With that out of the way, let's get it started!

Synopsis: On the planet Serpentes, the Crystal Gems are forced to fight in gladiator death matches against captive warriors from across the stars.

Cast:

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst, Famethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl, The Black Pearl Brigade, Yellow Pearl, Blue Pearl, Volleyball

Jennifer Paz as Lapis, Laz, Zuli

Shelby Rabara as Peridot

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Charlyne Yi as Ruby, Eyeball

Erica Luttrell as Sapphire

Patti LuPone as Yellow Diamond

Lisa Hannigan as Blue Diamond

Christine Ebersole as White Diamond

Sarah Stiles as Spinel

Christine Baranski as Hessonite

Olivia Olson as Citrine

Della Saba as Aquamarine

Christine Pedi as Holly Blue Agate

Avi Roque as Cinnabar

Gina Torres as Andesine

Peter Cullen as Titanium

Jeffrey Combs as Mercury

Bumper Robinson as Gold

Aimee Mann as Opal

Neil Flynn as Aescul

Featuring Aurelio Voltaire as King Cobralan Jormagundr

Shirley Millner as Queen Constricta Jormagundr

Jason Marsden as Prince Nosiop Jormagundr

Cissy Jones as Princess Naja Jormagundr

Henry Rollins as Captain Boa

Keith David as Pyth

John Moschitta Jr. as Bialyoom Milamin

Stephanie Escajeda as Meinerr

Terrence C. Carson as The Decimator

Steven Blum as Earthos

Jim Ross as Jiross

Michael Buffer as Michauffer

Peter Linz as Heckler #1

And Dave Goelz as Heckler #2

--

A few weeks before the attack of the Slytherophidians, Beach City was in celebration. At long last, Black Rutile had been defeated yet again, this time possibly for good as she and her Gem supporters were taken to prison in the darkest depths of space, and now life could go back to normal. For the Gems, this moment has become even more special as now they can finally get back to planning Ruby and Sapphire's wedding anniversary. With the decorations hung back up and a new cake on the table, the party could finally get started.

"Happy anniversary!" the Crystal Gems and people of Beach City cried as they celebrated Ruby and Sapphire's marriage. Ruby and Sapphire were so delighted to have everybody come to such a momentous occasion, they both thought it was like a dream.

"I wish this moment could last forever," Ruby said as she scooped up her blue wife in her stubby red arms. "Of course, I already have you to do it."

"Oh stop, Wuby!" Sapphire laughed and started baby-talking to her significant other while Amethyst and Pearl watched from the refreshments table.

"Ah, this is livin', Pearl Jam." Amethyst sighed in relief while taking a big gulp of punch. "Maybe now, we can finally have some peace and quiet with Black Rutile out of the way."

"Don't count on it, Amethyst." Pearl shook her head in reply. "With the Crystal Gems, you just never know when danger will be around the corner. Though frankly, I'm concerned that we've been in a lot more trouble than usual lately."

"Like I said, hopefully, we can have some peace and quiet for now," Amethyst said optimistically. "Though if trouble does come our way, you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be ready!"

"Nice to see you're so positive, Amethyst." Pearl laughed at Amethyst's remark as the two continued watching Ruby and Sapphire embrace each other. "That reminds me, we should start planning for Steven's birthday soon. I think he's turning 18 now."

"Wow, eighteen, I can't believe it." Greg sighed in disbelief as he sat by the two Gems with a slice of cake in hand. "Well, better break out some of the good beer to celebrate."

"Hey, save it for when he's 21!" Amethyst exclaimed. "Though you're free to give me some if you want. I promise this won't end up like the last time I went out drinking."

"Yep, I had to explain everything to Mr. Dewey." Pearl groaned at the memory while Greg and Amethyst laughed the day away. Yes, it seemed like the Crystal Gems could finally return to their happily ever after, but unfortunately, this wouldn't last for long.

---

About three weeks later, Little Homeworld has come under attack. The Crystal Gems had received an urgent message from Peridot that a group of strange invaders had descended upon the town and were carting Gems off into their ship. The Crystal Gems raced to Little Homeworld as soon as it ended and were ready for a fight as soon as they got off the Warp Pad.

"Okay you intruders, surrender our friends now and we won't have to hurt you!" Garnet exclaimed as she prepared her gauntlets and pointed them at the armored snakelike invader pointing a futuristic blaster at Teal Zircon's head.

"Well, well, well. The Crystal Gems." The invader said, turning his head to face the Gems ready to fight him. "Hey guys, the Crystal Gems are here!" The other masked snakes all stopped what they were doing and politely greeted the Gems, ignoring the fact that just now they were holding everyone at Little Homeworld hostage. "Hey wait a sec, shouldn't there be a human sidekick with you? About yay high, inherited his mother's gem and has some serious emotional issues. Ring any bells?"

"Unfortunately, Steven is not with us right now." Pearl declared. "But that won't stop us from taking you down!"

"Then, by all means, come and get us." The snake leader proclaimed before firing from his blaster, only to be deflected by Lapis shielding the Crystal Gems with her water wings. "Watch out, they got a Lapis Lazuli!"

"Everyone spread out and get everyone away from these snakes!" Jasper commanded the other Crystal Gems before spin-dashing straight into the snakes' leader.

"Oh, you think we are snakes, eh?" the leader snake confidently said. "Perhapsss you'd like to ssssee how ssssnake-like we can BE!" Retracting his visor to reveal his reptilian face, the snake bared his fangs and bit Jasper on the neck, causing her to yelp in pain and surprise. "Here I thought you Gems were stronger than that!"

Meanwhile, Pearl and Lapis had enlisted the help of the Lapis twins and the Black Pearl Brigade to fight back against the snakes. "Okay girls, you take the 50 on the left, we'll take the 50 on the right."

"Screw you, we'll take all 100!" Braids of the Black Pearl Brigade yelled as she charged into battle against the snakes.

"That's the spirit!" Zuli exclaimed before turning her wings into a pair of water fists to punch the snakes away. "DORARARARARARARA, DORA!"

"Did you have any idea of where they came from?" Pearl asked Cap while slashing away at a few snakes.

"We have no clue!" Cap exclaimed. "Just this morning, they descended from the sky and said they were going to enslave us all or something. Well, I don't believe I'll ever be a slave again!"

"That's what you think, Pearlie." Another of the snakes said before brandishing a pair of handcuffs and trying to restrain Cap with them, but Nacre and Pearl got in his way. "Unhand me, Gems!"

"We won't let you hurt any of our friends!" Pearl exclaimed.

"You sure about that?" the snake said before pointing with his tail at Garnet, Amethyst, White Topaz, and Bismuth already restrained, with Peridot and Jasper on the run. "Face it, ladies, you're all coming with us now."

"To where?" Laz asked before she was quickly taken down.

"To meet your makers, that is." The snake smirked with a hiss. "Cuff 'em, boys!" At his command, the invading snakes had all of the Crystal Gems herded onto their ship in handcuffs and forced onboard along with dozens of other abducted aliens for yet unknown purposes.

"How did we get defeated so easily?!" Jasper roared furiously. "I could've sworn we had them in the bag!"

"I don't know, they ran circles around us!" Peridot replied nervously. "And they said we were going to meet our makers or something! What does that mean?"

"It means we have a special friend waiting for you in our world." The snake carrying Peridot under his arm like a large package said before speaking into a wrist communicator. "Maverick to Goose, how are things holding up on Homeworld?"

---

"Goose to Maverick, we got 'em pretty easily." Another snake soldier stationed on Homeworld replied. "Turns out they shut down their entire military at the beginning of Era 3 except for a few mercenaries. It's like they were asking for us to overpower them!"

"I want a lawyer, I want a doctor! I want a cheese sandwich!" Spinel yelled as she was tied up into a ball by a pair of snakes and rolled onboard their ship.

"You won't get away with his, Slytherophidians!" Yellow Diamond yelled as the Diamonds were given a special cell on the ship to accommodate their massive size. "The Crystal Gems will find you and you will soon pay!"

"Oh, don't get too cocky, because no one will miss you once you get slaughtered in the Contest of Champions." Goose sneered. "Guess that's what you get for slaughtering thousands over the years, trying to cover it up by saying you never destroyed a planet with sentient life, and brushed it all under the rug just because that pink brat is somehow still alive."

"Wait, a cover-up?" Yellow Pearl asked as she, Blue Pearl, and Volleyball were carted into a cell.

"Of course, there was a cover-up!" Goose explained. "What, you're their Pearls, you mean to tell me they don't trust you with any dark secrets? Oh wait, you're their Pearls, so they don't trust you with anything except standing around and looking cute."

"Hessonite, were you involved in this cover-up or whatever?" Citrine asked Hessonite in their cell.

"Yes, I did indeed lie about how some planets were completely barren once or twice," Hessonite admitted. "Like for example, remember what happened to Hosnian Prime?"

"I thought that was completely barren when you fired that giant laser at it," Citrine replied before the realization dawned on her. "Oooohhhhh noooooo."

"Yes, that was a part of us we refused to bring up for ages now." White Diamond declared. "I don't want to think of how Steven would react."

"We're already on thin ice with him as is, as the saying goes." Blue Diamond agreed.

"Okay, enough chit-chat, let's get this ship flying!" Goose commanded his subordinates as he pounded on the ship and ordered the vessel to start flying away from the Gem Homeworld.

---

Meanwhile, Maverick was piloting the ship that the Crystal Gems were on while his squad kept watch over their various extraterrestrial prisoners. In each specialized cell, their respective prisoners were kept under lock and key to prevent anyone from rebelling. In the Crystal Gems' cell, Pearl's face was pressed up against the glass barrier as a large hologram of an anthropomorphic king cobra dressed in regal attire activated to make an announcement.

"Good day to all my prisoners!" the snake greeted the reluctant passengers. "I am King Cobralan Jormagundr, the supreme ruler of the Slytherophidians of Serpentes, and I welcome you as the next generation of combatants in the Serpentes Contest of Champions! For those not in the know, we Slytherophidians live for gladiatorial combat, so we abduct species from across the universe to compete for our people's amusement. This was a tradition started eons ago by my beloved ancestor King Serpentes I, whom our beautiful planet was named for."

As King Cobralan continued explaining, he began presenting pictures of the Slytherophidians' home planet, which Pearl observed to have a fantasy-like architecture that seemed like a heavy mix of Indian, Egyptian, and Roman aesthetics. "You'll all be taken here to the Ouroborium, a very special arena built to suit the environments and needs of our competitors. And speaking of which, if you mess up or aren't seen as entertaining enough, there will be consequences."

To demonstrate, the scene changed to a pair of robots fighting each other before one of them suddenly blew up. And there was much rejoicing. "But don't you worry your pretty little heads, y'all!" Cobralan continued. "That's reserved for if everyone really hates you and wants you dead. But what are the odds of that happening, eh? And for our Gem friends in particular, we'll be keeping a close eye on you through your new producer! Give it up for the lovable Bialyoom Milamin and his beautiful assistant Meinerr!"

Automated clapping sounds began playing as a blue-skinned, birdlike humanoid in a fancy suit stepped forward along with a bronze-skinned woman in a power suit with her hair in a tight bun. "These two shall be your talent agents for the duration of your stay here, now play nice with them. And speaking of which, here we are on Serpentes now!"

Indeed, the ship had finally landed on the planet of the Slytherophidians, where the Gems would be forced into the biggest battle of their lives.

"I-do-declare, it-is-an-utmost-pleasure-to-be-serving-you-today-Crystal-Gems!" Bialyoom greeted the Gems. True to his last name, he was literally speaking a mile a minute. "I-had-served-as-producer-to-such-interesting-competitors-before-in-my-long-career, but-never-before-had-I-ever-dreamed-of-meeting-you!"

"Uh, could you repeat just about everything you said?" Amethyst asked, not understanding a word Bialyoom just said.

"You'll have to excuse my partner here, his species all talk faster than light." Meinerr apologized on Bialyoom's behalf before explaining herself. "What he is trying to say is that you are among the most unique competitors he has ever sponsored. With us, you are entitled to full merchandising and sponsorship rights for the duration of your stay, or however long you last in the games."

"Celebrity status again?" Pearl groaned disdainfully at the thought. "Look, we didn't even ask for this, we just wanted to live a normal, quiet life away from all of this. We literally just had this same escapade not too long ago!"

"Ah, so-you-have-experience-then!" Bialyoom exclaimed delightedly. "Then-you'll-fit-in-just-fine! Now-come-with-us, we-shall-show-you-to-your-accommodations!" As the ship landed in Serpentes's capital city of Alethinophidia, the Crystal Gems were escorted out and paraded through a crowd of cheering snakes toward the Ouroborium. In the near distance, another ship landed, and out came the Diamonds, but unlike the Crystal Gems, they were met with scorn and prejudice.

"Gems? This planet has really gone to the dogs." An elderly Slytherophidian in the crowd muttered disdainfully.

"That would require there to be dogs, to begin with!" another elderly Slytherophidian joked, causing the two to laugh at their joke.

---

At the Ouroborium, the Crystal Gems were shown to a rather lavish room where they'll be staying on Serpentes. There was a large chandelier hanging over them, a positively gorgeous rug beneath their feet, and all around them were paintings depicting the Slytherophidian royal family throughout the years. "Nice place we got here." White Topaz muttered in amazement. "I wish we could stay here forever!"

"Don't get too excited, we've been forced here against our will," Garnet said while sitting down on one of the plush couches. "Ooh, this is a nice couch. What material is it?"

"Some of the finest leathers in all of Serpentes," Meinerr answered. "But don't get too comfy, your first big battle is coming very soon!" She pulled out a tablet and began reading off of it. "You shall be pitted against three Metals in the competition, and it is absolutely recommended you slay them to gain the audience's approval."

"Wait, the Metals?! As in our ancient relatives created from the same cosmic deity, the Metals?!" Peridot exclaimed. "You have no idea what slaying them will do to our relationship with them, you clod!"

"Hey, we-don't-make-the-rules-here-Gems!" Bialyoom shrugged as a pair of snake guards grabbed Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl and escorted them out of the room. "Now-go-on-and-make-us-proud!"

---

Soon, the original three Crystal Gems were taken into the Ouroborium, where true to what King Cobralan said, it was a massive arena filled with throngs of cheering snakes all excited about the carnage that was about to take place. Towering above their subjects in a special box was what Pearl assumed to be the royal family of Serpentes, including their ruler King Cobralan Jormagundr. Alongside him were Queen Constricta, a female constrictor snake sitting on a throne alongside her husband, and their two children; a female Indian cobra named Naja and a male black mamba named Nosiop, Captain Boa and Pyth, an Indian python who served as the family's grand vizier.

"Ah, there they are." Cobralan hissed with a smile. "I see they've made themselves comfortable. Naja, my darling daughter, would you care to introduce them to our adoring fans?"

"It would be my honor, Father." Naja smiled back at her father before grabbing a microphone with her tail and tossing it into her hand. "Welcome adoring fans of all scales to the 420,000th annual Serpentes Contest of Champions!"

"420, nice," Amethyst smirked before Pearl shot her a glare. "Come on, they knew what they were doing!"

"For this contest, we have some very special guests fighting for our entertainment here today!" Naja declared. "Please put your hands, tails, and other limbs together for the Crystal Gems!" The reception to the Crystal Gems was rather mixed. Many were excited to see such intergalactic celebrities on Serpentes today, but tons of others were eager to see Gems get the karma they deserve for the chaos they brought over thousands of years. "We have been keeping an eye on our ancient foes for eons, always plotting to invite them here but never quite catching up with them. But that all changes today! Which reminds me, our guests should find their opponents very familiar! Give it up for the Metals!"

The crowd began going wild as Titanium, Mercury, and Gold were forced out into the arena by Slytherophidian guards to combat Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl. "The Crystal Gems, we meet at last." Titanium declared morosely. "I hope this won't damage our relationship with the rest of your kind."

"Man, I always wanted to fight one of you guys!" Gold said eagerly, only for Mercury to give him a gentle slap on the head.

"You realize that if we lose here, we'll die, right?" Mercury cautioned the young Metal. "Hopefully they can go easy on us."

"Face front, true believers, for we are about to witness history in the making!" Jiross, a Slytherophidian commentator in a cowboy hat exclaimed. "The Gems versus the Metals, which of these sister races shall come out on top and settle this age-old debate?!"

"Well, here we are today to answer that question once and for all!" the second commentator Michauffer added. "LET'S GET READY TO RUUUUUUMBLEEEEEE!"

"So we're all in agreement that we should go easy on the Metals, right?" Amethyst asked the other Crystal Gems as their battle against the Metals began.

"Agreed." Garnet complied with the smaller Gem's idea while clashing fists with Titanium. "We need to get to the bottom of this and quick."

"Makes me wonder how Steven is doing," Pearl stated as she was pitted against Mercury. "He must be worried sick about us."

---

High above the arena where the carnage has begun, the Jormagundr royal family spectated the fight from above, each displaying a variety of emotions. Naja was hyperventilating from the stress of opening up such a big event with Boa there to comfort her, Constricta remained stoic to hide her devilish smile, Cobralan eagerly watched the Gems fight for their lives, and Nosiop reclined in his chair with a bored expression on his face. "Father, must we force these Gems onto our planet instead of visiting them in person?"

"Come on son, it's tradition!" Cobralan merrily said to his son. "Live a little and enjoy the fight!"

"I agree, but can't we break tradition just this once?!" Nosiop objected. "Come on, let's conquer a planet or two!"

"Nosey, dearie, we're already the rulers of an entire galactic empire, what would a few planets change?" Constricta stated, stroking her son's back with her tail just as she saw Garnet clock Titanium in the face. "Ooh, right in the kisser!"

"And of course, nobody understands me." Nosiop rolls his eyes before turning his head away from the action to face his family's advisor. "They just don't get it, we should be out there enslaving and conquering, not sitting here and forcing species to come to us!"

"Oh, don't be so sad, my boy." Pyth purred with a hand on the angry prince's nose. "Perhaps there are other ways we can convince them, mark my words."

"Everyone, look!" Captain Boa shouted as he pointed towards the Crystal Gems having beaten the Metals at last. "Alright Naja, now's your time again!"

"Oh, right!" Naja nervously said before picking up the microphone again. "It seems the Metals have been taken down for the count! Now, what do we say when that happens?!"

"FINISH HIM! FINISH HIM! FINISH HIM!" the audience chanted vigorously, eager to see some heads roll. "FINISH HIM! FINISH HIM! FINISH HIM!"

"AS SQUAMATA AS MY WITNESS, IT'S OFF WITH HIS HEAD!" Jiross yelled excitedly.

"FINISH HIM! FINISH HIM! FINISH HIM!" the snakes continued chanting for the Gems to slay the Metals once and for all and win this round. However, the Crystal Gems quickly came to a decision.

"No!" Pearl announced. "We will never take a life for your entertainment!" Unfortunately for the Gems, the spectators weren't pleased and began booing them instead.

"Go back to Earth, you hippies!" one of the audience members jeered before throwing a block of cheese at Amethyst, who quickly caught it in her mouth.

"See, told you the Gems wouldn't kill." One of the hecklers said to his elderly friend.

"How can somebody die when they're barely alive?" the other heckler stated before the two laughed.

---

"Well, this is an interesting development," Cobralan smirked before taking the microphone from his daughter. "As king, I shall allow this even if it means breaking the rules a little. We wouldn't want such special guests to have their time cut short."

"Are you serious right now?!" Nosiop yelled angrily. "They aren't even respecting the rules! We should have them executed on the spot at once!"

"Come on Nosey, just let Dad handle this." Naja tried calming her big brother down.

"No, I will not allow any breaking of our rules to go unpunished like this!" Nosiop continued yelling before Pyth put a scaly hand on the prince's shoulder.

"Just let it go, young man. Now come with me." Pyth said calmingly before the grand vizier took Nosiop away. "We have much to discuss."

---

"What-was-the-meaning-of-this?!" Bialyoom yelled angrily. "You-can't-just-decide-not-to-kill-your-opponent-like-that! It's-unheard-of!"

"Let us tell you what else is unheard of." Garnet firmly stated to Bialyoom. "We would never kill anybody for entertainment, especially if they were begging for their lives."

"We understand your fears Crystal Gems, but know that your approval rating means everything on Serpentes," Meinerr explained while presenting the Crystal Gems with a tablet demonstrating just that. "And wouldn't you know it, it's falling pretty quick."

"No matter what you tell us, we won't obey!" Pearl exclaimed. "But would it be okay if we just knocked out our opponents and let them live?"

"Oh, look at that. The Crystal Gems refuse to listen to anyone but themselves." Aquamarine smirked as she, Eyeball, Holly Blue, Cinnabar, and Andesine entered the Crystal Gems' room.

"Ugh, these guys." Bismuth rolled her eyes. "What do the Rutile Rebels want now?"

"For the record, we have now called ourselves the Andesine Armada." Andesine stated. "On account of our former leader being too much of a coward to continue guiding us before she abandoned us and ran off."

"Hey, I thought we agreed that we were going to call ourselves the Aquamarine Militia!" Aquamarine snapped at Andesine.

"No, I distinctly remember that our new name was going to be the Agate Gang!" Holly Blue yelled at the other rebel Gems.

"This arguing is getting us nowhere." Cinnabar quickly shut everyone up. "What we're trying to say is that we could lose our lives in these games. If you don't toughen up and start killing a few people, you will very well be killed. Which is why we've taken the initiative and started taking a few lives for ourselves."

"That-reminds-me, Amethyst-and-Pearl-have-a-fight-coming-up-against-the-Decimator-and-Earthos, two-of-the-deadliest-fighters-in-the-galaxy!" Bialyoom stated. "Now-go-go-go-make-us-proud!"

"The Decimator? He sounds awesome!" Amethyst cheered as she and Pearl were forced out of their room and back into the arena. "Can't wait to see how he decimates us!"

"Amethyst!" Pearl yelled.

---

"Well, it seems that our Gem friends are back for another round." Jiross declared as Pearl and Amethyst were forced back into the arena, this time against the Decimator, a massive, tattooed warrior wielding a pair of blades connected by an iron chain, and Earthos, a wolverine-like alien with sharp iron claws. "In this corner, we have the Decimator, one of the most fearsome warriors in the universe who is feared for rampaging across five galaxies in search of his enemies, and Earthos, who can make claws out of iron sand beneath his feet!"

"I have butchered millions across countless moons." The Decimator boomed in a deep, intimidating voice.

"We are totally ill-equipped for this." Pearl quivered in fear of the Decimator before Amethyst took her hand.

"Not entirely!" Amethyst exclaimed before twirling Pearl around and causing the two of them to glow, culminating in them fusing into Opal.

"And it looks like we got ourselves a fusion here, folks!" Michauffer exclaimed. "Looks like an Opal too, with those multiple arms and the bow and arrow! Jiross, what are your thoughts?"

"It's gonna be a slobberknocker!" Jiross yelled at Opal aimed down her sights and fired straight at the Decimator's eye, but he dodged just in time and the arrow accidentally stabbed a Slytherophidian in the audience. "Ooh, talk about a sorry excuse for aiming straight and true!"

"Dammit, let me handle this!" Earthos snarled as he formed claws of iron sand on his hands and began slashing at Opal, giving her a few scratches in the process but nothing too serious. "That's right, away you go!"

"On your left!" Opal cried before launching an arrow up into the air, making Earthos wonder if she was crazy or something. However, the arrow quickly returned to the Ouroborium and stabbed Earthos in his left side, knocking him out for the count. "And as for you."

"This should be easy." The Decimator said confidently while cracking his knuckles and throwing his blades at Opal, but she nimbly dodged them as they smashed to the ground, climbing her way up the giant's body and dodging more of his attacks. "Hold still, little fusion!"

"Not a chance!" Opal yelled as she did a spinning kick to the Decimator's face, sending him falling to the ground directly on top of one of the bleachers, crushing numerous spectators in the process. "Oh my goodness, I didn't realize there were innocents there!"

"Now you're getting it." The Decimator laughed weakly as he lay defeated. "Now finish me."

The chanting started again. "FINISH HIM! FINISH HIM! FINISH HIM! FINISH HIM!"

"The answer's still no!" Opal proclaimed, sticking true to the Crystal Gems' principles even when the Slytherophidians started booing yet again.

"Can't please everybody," Pearl said as she and Amethyst unfused and began leaving.

"Life goes on, but I believe we'll forever carry the pain on the inside, P," Amethyst added. "Got it from that janitor on TV."

---

"Why are we still allowing this?!" Nosiop yelled angrily at Opal's refusal to kill the Decimator, even though their battle had unknowingly claimed the lives of hundreds. "We should execute them immediately; this is an utter affront to our warrior culture!"

"Oh come now Nosiop, you're being too overbearing," Cobralan stated with a laugh. "Those Gems will be very important to us when the time comes, but in the meantime, we can just enjoy the festivities."

"Your Highness, we have a message from our deep cover agent on Earth!" a Slytherophidian servant yelled as he raced to his liege and presented a crackling communicator. "He says Steven Universe is coming!"

"Is he now?" Cobralan smiled as he picked up the communicator and started speaking into this. "Hello Aescul, I trust that you completed your mission?"

"Yes Milord, I have Steven on my ship as we speak, along with a few extra passengers," Aescul replied. "We'll be within Serpentes airspace in just a few moments."

"Wonderful! It'll truly be an honor to meet Steven at last!" Cobralan laughed while his son rolled his eyes.

"If he's anything like the other Gems, I'm not holding my breath," Nosiop said before Cobralan put the communicator down and began leaving. "Where are you going?"

"To visit our special friend, so to speak," Cobralan answered, knowing that his son and heir knew what he was talking about. "Gather the rest of the family, my boy." He then snuck away into a hidden chamber within the castle to meet with this special friend.

"The one called Universe is upon us," Cobralan said as Nosiop, Naja, Constricta, Boa, and Pyth stood before a large shadowy figure. "Soon, he will tell us all that he knows."

---

Seriously, who is this guy that the royal family keeps talking to?! Well, I'm the only one who knows the answer, but I'm not telling until the time is right! In the meantime, keep those theories a-coming and I'll see you next time!