"I can't believe that went so well!"

Pearl smiled, walking alongside Ameythyst from their latest capture. You walked out from behind a mound of flowers, followed by spinel as she dusted herself off.

"That was a tough one." Spinel said, lacing her hands behind her head with a sigh. "But they were no match for us, right mama?" She looked up at you with a sweet smile, to which you hummed softly to yourself as you reflected what had transpired just a few minutes earlier.

Everything did indeed go smoothly; of course at first you had difficulties trying to get the corrupt gem in question to listen to you; like most of them she was addled and angry, and attacked anything that moved. You had to have garnet subdue her enough, and finally pin her using Ameythyst's whip and Spinel's elastic arms. It was then you were able to explain your purpose to bubble her.

Understandably, she couldn't fully grasp your explanation and certainly didn't like the "bubbling" part of the process. It was only when you promised she'll be let out shortly that she submitted. After which, you regrettably had pearl destabilize her form.

"That was kinda great when you hit it with your spear and it went like, "bing-bong"!" You heard Ameythyst mimic the sound of the poor gem's destabilization and you winced.

Even if it was a relatively effective way to poofing a gem; it didn't particularly look painless.

"And the way you were circling around it? That almost looked like strategy." Pearl mused, a teal tint present on her cheeks.

Ameythyst chuckled, her own face flushing in flattery. "Well, you know... I can do that stuff, too."

"Ugh." You let your head drop. Wish they wouldn't talk about this like it's some sort of game...

"It's okay, (name)." Garnet praised, sending the bubbled gem off. "At least you managed to get through to her this time."

"Barely. She really only cooperated after she was tied up by Ameythyst and Spinny." You sighed. "(Name) just wishes there was a more... painless or quicker way to take care of the more lost of corrupt gems."

"Perhaps someday, we will." Garnet comforted, running a hand through your fur. The other was adjusting her visor. "Maybe we won't even need to poof them anymore. And you could be the key to that future."

You felt a bit lighter at the thought of that. You lifted your head to smile at the tall gem. "Thanks." You took a deep breath, ready to unwind from the mission. "It's nearly time for lunch." You turned towards the thick brush of flowers and called out to it as you. "Steven! It's time to go home!"

"I-I'm coming!" Out of the other brush of flowers came Steven, his face flushed red with his eyes and nose running like a waterfall. A sticky waterfall. He had to squint through the tears that blurred his vision. "Sorry I couldn't help much..." he sounded funny with a stuffy nose. "I think the flowers are making me.." he trailed off as he started to stiffen up again. "Ah... Aaah..."

"GAH!" Spinel quickly scurried to your other side, as You looked on in concern.

"ACHOO!"

He sneezes at Garnet's hip, covering it in a gooey substance. "Sorry, Garnet."

"I'll live." Garnet reassured, appearing unfazed.

"Oh, Steven, you're supposed to sneeze into your antecubital fossa." Pearl fretted, clearly disgusted with the display.

"A whatta now?" Spinel raised her brow at the strange words to which pearl huffs.

"His... this thing." She points to her inner elbow.

"His 'inner elbow.'" Your voice was mildly flat as you reached into your satchel. You pulled out a box of tissues and offered it to the two of them. "Thanks, (Name)." Steven sniffled, taking one, while Garnet takes one and wipes her hip off. With that you all walk to the warp and teleport off.

"Does steven, spinel and amethyst want anything for lunch?" You asked, holding the two small gems close to you.

"I want a hoagie!" Ameythyst pumped her fists in the air enthusiastically.

"Ooh, I want a grilled cheese!" Spinel chirped.

"I want a-- ah... Aah..." Steven tried to speak, but the urge to sneeze crept back up on him as he tensed up again.

"Do it at pearl!" Ameythyst mused, pointing to the thin gem, who immediately starts to panic. "Steven, your fos- Ah- I mean inner elbow!"

"Use your tissue!" Spinel reminded him, leaning back with her arms raised.

Instead of doing either of those, he directs his sneeze downwards, which carried enough force to propel him out of your arm and launch him upwards. The movement also caused his head to pop out of the warp's stream.

"BAH!!" You felt a burst of adrenaline at the sight and quickly paddled upwards to meet him, and quickly yanked him back into the warp, this time holding him more firmly.

"Careful! It's dangerous to stick your head out of the stream!" Pearl cautioned.

"There's not much air, and it's very cold." Garnet adds, flicking the now frozen ooze from the boy's nose.

Upon hearing this, you unconsciously pulled him closer to your chest, kind of squishing him into your chest fluff. Last thing I need is for him to get a cold...

"What did ya see out there?" Spinel asked idly, looking up the warp stream.

With a grunt, he pushed against you to give himself room to speak. "I saw something out there!" He exclaimed.

"Wha-?" Spinel turned to him, wide-eyed.

"I saw something warping!"

"Steven, that's not possible." Pearl states. "Is your vision blurry from the pollen?"

"I can see perfectly!" He reaffirmed in a bit of frustration. However, he needed to squint his eyes to confirm who was speaking to him. "...pearl? I know there's something out there!"

"There's nothing out there, steven." Garnet calmly assures. "There hasn't been anything else for a long, long time."

You hummed softly, your eyes flicking between Pearl, Garnet and Steven.

Even if whatever Steven saw could be a result in his hayfever, how could the gems know that there's nothing else out there?

"Hm... Steven take medicine for hayfever. Then some eyedrops." You stated. "Again, what would Steven like for lunch?"

He looks up at you briefly before sighing and resting his head against your chest. "Grilled cheese."

I... hope it's nothing.
~~~~~~~~~~~

I meant to ask; should I start showing some of the corrupt gems that have been captured?