Chapter Text
The rubies led Zoroark disguised as Jasper, and The Crystal Gems up the stairs. Steven was still in disbelief. Rose Quartz, his mother, would shatter somebody, that's impossible.
He couldn't believe it, it had to be a lie, especially after all he heard about her from the gems. Even after what Bismuth told him, he still couldn't believe it.
Connie looked to Steven, she wanted to ask him if he was okay, but the current situation made her think it was best to leave it for now.
They passed by a huge room with a black orb hovering in the middle of it. Connie was curious, but Steven was still in a moral dilemma about his mother.
They had then reached the top floor "Oh! There it is! And it's still working!" Zoroark, keeping up its Jasper disguise via its illusion ability, unleashed a shadow sneak attack upon the console, damaging it beyond repair.
"Whaaaaaaaat!? What happened!?" Doc cried out in anger. "Nooo!" Eyeball cried out in dismay. "I think a shadow wrecked it" said Navy. "Oh! Wait! It's okay! I found a communicator!" said Doc holding a small prism like onject.
Zoroark then did another shadow sneak attack, busting the communicator! "What!? How did this happen!?" Doc exclaimed. "You broke it!" Eyeball accused. "I did not! It was the shadow!" said Doc.
"It must have been a Crystal Gem shadow!" said Army. "But there's no light source behind them" said Leggy. "Then what could that shadow have been!?" Eyeball asked.
"It could have been a ghost" Connie interjected. The rubies paused. "Elaborate, human" said Leggy. "A ghost!" Steven added "they're the lingering apparitions of those who have died!"
The rubies all scoffed and laughed, not believing in Steven and Connie's little lie. "Then how do you explain the console and the communicator just spontaneously being attack by a shadow?" asked Pearl, who caught on to Steven and Connie's little ploy.
The Rubies had no answer. "Well...let's assume you're telling the truth...who's "Ghost" could be attacking us?" asked Doc. "Maybe Pink Diamond's?" said Steven.
"Wh-wh-wh-whaaaat!?" The Rubies exclaimed. "But the ghost of a diamond sabotage those loyal to Homeworld like us?" asked Navy.
"Ghosts have no memories of who they were when they were alive...all they know is their lingering, indiscriminate resentment!" said Connie, as if she were telling a campfire story.
Zoroark then used its illusionary abilities to conjure up a pink figure based off of Pink Diamond's mural, but with huge red eyes and a wide open mouth lined with sharp teeth and a sharp tongue!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The Rubies all fled. The Gems, Steven and Connie followed them. Zoroark undid its "Pink Diamond's Ghost" illusions and cackled "Kishishishishi!"
The Rubies all fled right into the ship "Come on, Jasper! Hurry! Hurry!" Eyeball pleaded. Zoroark, keeping its Jasper facade up, let Steven, Connie and Gems onto the ship first.
As soon as everyone got in, Doc shut the ship's door "Okay...looks like we'll have to make this report to Homeworld in person" "No!" Amethyst threw her voice.
"What? Why not?" asked the Rubies. "Look, someone's gotta keep an eye on these prisoners, why don't you make the report for me?" Amethyst said through Zoroark's illusion "I'm trusting you, soldier!"
Zoroark pat Eyeball on the head. "Y-yes! Of course! Do you need us to drop you off on Earth?" "Yes, I'd like that very much" said "Jasper"
The rubies happily took off and landed the ship back on Earth. After Steven, Connie, Zoroark, and The Gems went off, they all waved as the ship flew off back to Homeworld/
Zoroark undid its Jasper disguise and breathed a sigh of relief. "Good job, Amethyst!" Bismuth praised as she gave Amethyst a huge pat on the back!
"And Zoroark's illusion was very convincing!" said Steven, reaching up to pat Zoroark. "Kiiiiishishishi!" Zoroark cackled humbly. "And let's not forget Connie's ghost story!" Amethyst chuckled "you and Steven had them scared!"
The gems all laughed in relief. "Now, I would have preferred old fashioned combat, but the whole deceiving Homeworld strategy does have its entertainment value!" said Bismuth.
"And I must say, Amethyst, I didn't think it would, but your self taught ventriloquism was very useful!" Pearl praised. "Which reminds me..." Amethyst grinned "remember that little wager we made."
"Uh oh..." Pearl realized.
Later that day, Pearl was sat at a picnic table, wearing a bib. "You know, uh, Pearl, you don't have to do this..." Greg suggested.
"I...I made a bet...and I lost, I...I have to preserve my sense of honor" Pearl answered. "Well, here we are, Pearl" said Amethyst wearing a chef's hat and holding a silver platter with a lid.
She lifted up the lid, and on the platter was a pair of Greg's used underwear. "Not that pair! That's my lucky undies! I don't even wash those!" Greg said in dismay.
Pearl's eyes widened in horror.