"So..." Connie rubbed her nape bashfully, "If you guys have no reservations...I kind of was hoping to stay here with you." Connie asked Amethyst, Garnet, and Pearl.

Pearl stayed silent at first as she folded her arms. "It's not my choice. I don't live here," she spoke, her voice full of mistrust but a bit of guilt. "It's up to you two." She turned to Amethyst and Garnet.

"Well, if that's the case. The little fusion said, jumping and catching Connie in a glomp. "I say stay, Nini." Garnet smiled up at the Djinn.

"Well, not like we don't have the room or you don't have a room yourself. We can change it to be more than a chest temple," Amethyst stated before joining Garnet in hugging the Djinn. The three friends reunited after centuries.

"They're really close, aren't they?" Steven stated, looking at the three.

"They were old friends, hell, Kahanni...Connie and her parents were basically being crescent gems themselves," Onyx stated with a sad smile, "except for not being gems, but you know being friends and all."

Steven hummed at that before stretching. "Guess we should make our way home then."

"Aww, you don't wanna stay for a bit, Stevie!?" Amethyst asked, rubbing his head like an aunt or a big sister, "Today was a victory for the Crescent gems. We should celebrate."

Pearl hummed, unsure of that as well, thinking that the return of Connie was a bad omen. 'Who sent Kanaraka after Connie's chest, and who even knew about her,' Pearl wondered internally as she rubbed her chin, her black sclera and lightly gray Iris eyes narrowing a bit.

"Well, we can't ignore the fact that those Kanaraka was after Connie's chest," Pearl finally spoke up, her tone still reserved. "We need to be cautious. We don't know who is behind this or what their motives are."

Amethyst and Garnet exchanged glances, understanding the gravity of Pearl's words.

"You're right, Pearl," Amethyst acknowledged. "We can't let our guard down just because of Connie's back. We need to be vigilant and protect her."

Connie pursed her lips in a thin line of annoyance. "Hey now, I'm quite the powerful Djinn, you know? I don't need to be put under house arrest."

"No one was thinking that, Nini." Garnet assured her before turning to Pearl and Amethyst. "Right?"

Amethyst nodded, rubbing the small gem head. "Of course not. Though, Ni' here been out of commission for the better part of a millennia. She needs to accumulate to this new world."

Onyx looked at Pearl, who gave a curt nod before facing away and seeing a slight hidden sneer on her face. She sighed, knowing her old friend well enough that she could see what was going through Pearl's mind.

'Of course, she would be suspicious.' Onyx rubbed her eyes, only feeling the conversation that Pearl would want to have with her over Kahanni... Connie's return and Steven's new role as her 'lamp'.

Onyx looked over at the Djinn and how she was sitting down with crossed legs as Garnet, Amethyst, and Steven spoke with her, explaining what a tablet was seeing the Djinn's eyes widened in amazement. It was difficult to see anything more than a curious nineteen-year-old girl.

'Definitely hard to see her as an envoy for the Arcana.' Onyx thought as Pearl tapped her shoulder, getting her attention.

"Can I talk to you?"

Onyx pursed her lips, humming in slight discomfort. Pearl's tact could still use work after all these years.

Onyx nodded before turning to the four younger residents. "Steven, gonna speak with Pearl a bit before going. Be ready by the time I'm back."

"Come on, Ma. I'm Eighteen, you can trust -"

"Not today I can... remember, your new bond is still very unstable, and the increase need to be with Connie it brings," Onyx reminded her son, causing Steven to blush a bit. "Besides, school starts back in a couple of days. Take the time to relax and study a bit during your last days of spring break."

"Mom, I'm fine, and I-"

"Study!?" Connie called with a smile as she changed into a blue wisp and floated from Amethyst and Garnet to appear behind Steven, hugging his neck gently as she hovered behind him, "Studying what?" She asked, an excitable and ravenous look in her eyes.

"You ok?" Steven questioned, chuckling a bit at the Djinn's excitement

"I love learning new things!" Connie all but bounced in mid-air, "I've been dead for so long, and despite our bond giving me enough knowledge to operate socially, I still want to learn about this new modern world."

"Maybe I should let you go to class in my place then." Steven joked with a laugh while Connie's eyes widened at the thought, a look of excitement on her face.

"I can do that!" Connie nodded, " I can shapeshift into you and go in your place."

"Wait, can you do that?"

" I'm a Djinn, I'm magic! That ain't nothing!" Connie smiled.

"I'll never miss a day again," Steven whispered in shock.

"You can up your Crescent gem training while Connie goes to class in your place," Garnet added excitedly.

Amethyst smirked, saying nothing as she rubbed her chin in thought. "I mean.. that's not a bad idea... Would definitely help you get more use to the magic side of the world if you had a few more field missions and excursions."

"Hey, no. Don't even think about it, Steven," Onyx chuckled, her heart warming at the sight of their antics. "Don't renege on our deal now, Nero," Onyx reminded her son using his middle name.

"You do remember our deal, right?"

"Yes, mom." Steven sighed, "Have to balance normal life and magic life."

"and." Onyx urged her son, who muttered the next part, "I can't hear you."

"gotta maintain at least a B average in school."

"right and you can't maintain that if Connie goes for you." Onyx gently reprimanded him. "Besides, wouldn't you want to impress her with your knowledge and dedication."

"I guess that's true."

"Awww!" Connie moaned disappointed, pouting a bit, "How am I supposed to learn about this new world?"

"Same as you always did. Exploration and discovery, sure Garnet and Amethyst would love to show you around." Ony smirked as the two gems nodded

"Me too," Steven announced, squeezing the Djinn's hand.

Connie giggled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Fine, fine," she said, releasing her hold on Steven. "I'll let you have your precious school days. But you better teach me everything you learn!"

"Deal!" Steven exclaimed, a broad smile spreading across his face.

"Just don't forget your studies," Onyx reminded him again, "last semester or not, you can't just jump to being Connie's full-time tutor."

"Aw, come on, Mom," Steven protested. "It'll be fun! And Connie's really smart. Sure, she could teach me a lot as well, and we could teach each other a lot."

"I'm sure she could, and you two will." Onyx agreed with a nod. "But that's not the point. Connie needs to learn how to live in this world without relying on you." Onyx relented a bit. "and you both gotta learn to live with your new pact you two are in, making sure you balance your individuality and independence while nurturing your bond naturally." She reminded the two.

"We know." Steven and Connie spoke simultaneously before looking at each other.

"You're doing it again."

"Me, you're talking when I'm talking."

"See!"

Steven and Connie glared at each other before their eyes narrowed, chuckling and giggling, respectively.

As they continued to chat and laugh, Onyx smiled at the sight of her son and his newfound companion. Despite the lingering concerns about Connie's return, she felt a sense of hope and optimism.

She turned her attention to Pearl, who was waiting patiently by the door. "Let's go."

As they stepped outside, the sky was ablaze with a thousand stars. The air was crisp and cold, a welcome respite from the warmth of the house.

"Pearl," Onyx began, "I know you have your doubts about Connie's return. But she's changed, Pearl. She's not the same naive girl she was centuries ago."

Pearl remained silent, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

"I understand that you're worried about Steven," Onyx continued. "But we need to trust that he knows what he's doing. He's not a child anymore. He's growing into a young man, and he's quite capable as he showed today and time again and again." Onyx proudly stated.

"but"

Pearl's lips parted slightly, but she said nothing.

"We can't keep him sheltered forever," Onyx said. "He needs to experience the world and make his own decisions. And he's doing so in a fantastic way. Today events alone are a testament to that."

"You mean when he all but chewed us out."

"He was going to attack me while we were in the room. After seeing me 'kill' Connie." Onyx told Pearl, rubbing her, "he has definitely harnessed his power as Connie's lamp."

Pearl's gaze softened slightly. "I suppose you're right," she said. "But I still have my reservations."

"I know," Onyx said. "But I think we need to give Connie a chance. She deserves it."

Pearl nodded slowly. "Very well," she said. "But I'll be keeping a close eye on her."

Onyx smiled. "As expected from Gracia Forest's Black Shogun."

Peael let a small snicker, "The old epitaph, trying to butter me up?"

"Just a bit." Onyx teased as They walked in silence for a few moments before Pearl spoke again.

"So," she said. "What's the plan, we can't ignore the fact that Kanaraka was after Connie's chest," Pearl spoke up, her tone still reserved. "We need to be cautious. We don't know who is behind this or what their motives are.

"That's true," Onyx said. "We need to start searching some of our channels, maybe their loose lips that are willing to spill some information."

"agreed I'll put out some feelers," Pearl said. "but we need to be careful. I doubt it was the Kanaraka plan. "

"Right, they are usually the odd-jobbers of the magic community," Onyx said. "Someone knew about Connie's chest and sent someone to get it. We should assume they knew about Connie and the Djinn as well."

Pearl nodded, "I hope this doesn't turn out to be something world-changing."

Onyx's mind raced, considering the implications of Pearl's words. She hated the thought but the Kanaraka's presence could very well be a sign of an advent, of something momentous that would affect not only her son and Connie (while paramount in her mind), but so too was the well-being of the entire magical community.

'I hope I'm being paranoid.' Onyx thought as they headed back to the beach house, hearing the joyful commotion as they opened the door.

Meanwhile, on a city street a ways from the beach house, A Kanaraka was struggling to get away from her attacker. Stumbling into an alley and leaning on a green wall. Their body littered with burns as they heard footsteps coming.

"STOP!" They pleaded as saw their attacker, "Let me leave, I Finder, beseech you!" the Kanaraka pleaded.

"Hmm? Finder what are you looking for in my city. And why do you smell of magic, not of earth?"

"I...that Is to say..."

"You were fighting those aliens weren't you, that how you got those cuts and whip marks to think I'd be cleaning up after them."

"I....we were sent to capture the half-breed!"

The attacker let free an animalistic snarl as her eyes glowed, her silhouette cast by the evening dimming black sun changed as something sprouted behind her.

" no...You're a..."

The Kanaraka's words turned to screams as a bright orange consumed them, leaving no blood, no bone, no ash.

"Hmm... what have you got wrapped in, Nero?" The attacker spoke in a gentle concern to herself.

"Seem you've finished up." A man who looked 21 spoke from behind her, a staff in his hand. "come on, let's go home...We got school in a couple of days, treetop."

The woman hummed before leaping towards the man her body bursting into flames as she turned to a fox sitting on his shoulder and licking his cheek.

At the click of his staff, the colors of the world return to normal, Gray graffiti walls and a reddish setting sun.

no normal humans the wiser as the duo made their way home, preparing for the next day.