present*

“The gauntlet the Onion gang put me through was fun, if a bit of a sensory overload, haven't been to Funland in a while, so.." Steven stretched upward, "it was fun to play like a kid." He smirked, "Actually, it's been a time since I gamed like that...Completely different from the following challenge." He snickered as he thought back to earlier. "That one...That one was much more revealing."

*earlier*

Steven walked along the boardwalk, orb in hand, trying to figure out the code. His present in a 'Guys&Gals' satchel he got from Soup, Garbanzo(and Pinto), and Squash, which he wore proudly over his chest.

 He narrowed his eyes, glaring at the crystal. Thinking of all the possible codes his genius Madd (Massively Actuated, Dangerously Determined) scientist of a Heartberry could have used."Love for...Mister?"

Nothing.

"Yeah, she's too smart for that." He sighed. "Hmmm...For love and peace." 

The orb remained silent.

"Yeah…" He scrunched up his face in pure drive. "Ok….What could Berry use? Maybe, it has something to do with us." He chuckled at that before a smile enveloped his lips. "That would be quite romantic of my 'Valen-cynic.'"  He hummed as a scent caught his nose 

The scent of a clue. 

"I'll never get tired of that scent." He mused as he put the crystal away, and an eager grin took over his mouth. "Now where" He sniffed upward " Are you exactly?" 

Steven did what he always did, followed his nose; as he did, the scent got more robust, but it was much more than the other two. He wasn't close to his target, and his nose was overwhelmed by the lily and chai fragrance associated with his Heartberry. Not that he was complaining. The surge of oxytocin and dopamine he got from her scent made him hover in bliss as if he was actually on cloud nine. He allowed the heartwarming aroma to guide him, unaware and uncaring of the teasing grins he was receiving. 

Lost in his daydream of his Heartberry. Her smile, her stance, her visage, and her personality; she was the main thing on this mind...The only thing at the moment.

"Whoa there, Stchu-ball!"

Steven blinked as he saw Greg and Garnet smirking at him; Greg had his left brow arched and looked as if he was trying not to laugh. "Dad, Garnet, what are you…" He stopped taking a deep breath...The scent filled his chest, causing him to sigh. " You guys are my next challengers." 

"No escaping you, Steven," Garnet commented. "Though you're not completely right." With a chuckle, the fusion glowed before splitting into her two components; Sapphire and Ruby. The two small gems' hands were interlocked, smiling at their surrogate son with pride and love. 

"Oh, I see. That's why I smell three clues." Steven mused. "So what do you guys have planned for me, hmm?"

"How about you come back down from cloud nine first?"

Steven looked at Greg's teasing grin in confusion." The heck you mean Daddio?"

"He might be as bad as you two." Greg turned to the external honeymooners, who shared the same amused look. 

"He's still a ways from becoming like us. Isn't that right, Sapphy?" The small red gem exclaimed before lifting her life partner in a bridal carry and nuzzling to her neck.

"Ruby!" The blue miniature cyclops exclaimed with a giggling sigh as she felt her lover kiss her neck. She pulled away gently to answer her lover's question. " Come on, stop teasing him… He'll get there soon enough." She grinned at the blushing adult. "Truthfully, Steven, you need to get down. You've been getting looks for a moment now."

"What, do you mean.." Steven glowed pink as he finally realized that he was floating a good six feet above the ground. With a sheepish chuckle, the man landed on his feet, his point of view didn't change, but his equilibrium was now intact. " I have no idea how that happened."

The trio glanced at each other. not saying a word, silently agreeing to let Steven have his dignity.

"That's love for you. It completely throws you off at times."  Sapphire commented. " Now that we had our fun, I think it's time we get to business."

"Which is more fun." Steven injected with a smirk.

"Wouldn't be much of a birthday without fun," Ruby stated as she tossed Sapphire up, getting a giggle from her. "Come on; we got everything set up for your challenge. " 

Steven and Greg followed behind Ruby and Sapphire. The hybrid turned to his father.

" So…? What's it you three have planned for me? Video games? Music challenge? Love test? "

Greg laughed at his son's excitement.  " Hold your horses' champ, I might be a code-barer, but this was set up by Sapphire alone. Me and Ruby have no idea what she planned."

"Well. that's not worrying at all." Steven stated, very worried.

"Come on, Stchu-ball. I'm sure whatever Sapphire has planned, it's not gonna be that bad. I mean, it's not like she's-"

"Kitchen calamity."

Greg paused at his son's interruption. The look Steven gave him said it all. A glimpse of pure disbelief and accusation. 

"Ok, but that just one-

"Uno...Beat meat mania...Lonely blade 6...Chutes and Ladders."

" Ok, she's competitive. Hyper competitive at that. Especially when she's trying to impress Ruby." Greg sighed at Steven's smug face. "But I do not think that's the case this time, I saw the setup, and it's pretty bare Stev-o."

"Oh, god...A word game." Steven panicked " How am I supposed to beat Sapphire at a word game?"

"I doubt it's a word game. It's bare, but it's not desolate. Besides, I heard she picked it up from Research and Development. So it might be more than we think."

"R&D again. Hmm, well, aren't they a busy bunch." Steven stated, with curiosity in his voice. "I think I might have played a game they created  at Funland, not to mention the gift Connie made." Steven gripped the orb in his pocket and felt his cheeks flared, a smile on his face at the thought of what it could be. 

"Yeah, they're trying to integrate humans and gems through pop culture, at least that's what Peridot told me. Either way seems like they're making progress."

Steven nodded in agreement as he scratched his chin. 'Guess I'll keep the more...Extensive projects R&D does to myself.' The hybrid thought.

" Connie said she found some buyer for the Cospheres and we have been talking to government officials speaking about visiting Little homeworld, so there's that." Steven looked up, pondering. "I gotta schedule that meeting between the Diamonds and the U.N." 

"Hey, all in due time," Greg assured his son, taking him into a one-armed hug. " Today is about fun. Your fun." 

Steven laughed at the seriousness of his father. "You're really sincere about this, huh?"

"Of course, Steven, you're my son. You deserve to have the greatest birthday. " 

"Well, It's certainly shaping up to be just  that."

"I'm sure if a certain someone were here, they would be beaming with pride at that," Greg said as he turned to his left among the trees watching a figure scurry by. He shook his head, smirking at the thought of the girl who stole his son's heart and became a daughter, in everything except name, to him. 

" So..Exactly where are we going? " Steven asked the two gems as they traversed the woods Ruby's camping grounds usually resides, " we're away from both Little Homeworld and Beach City.

"Nowhere far, just a few more meters and.."

"We're here, sweetie." Sapphire interrupted, kissing Ruby's cheek.

"I guess so. Hehe. "

In front of Steven was a stairwell path that led to a small opening with a stone square table in the middle and four benches along the perimeter, each the table's length. On the table were five hard-light machines, four rectangular and one spherical. The sphere sat in the very center and was a dark blue, while the rectangles were the colors of the diamonds, pointing towards the globe.

“What’s this all about, Sapphire?” Steven asked as they made their way to the table.

“You’ll see. Just know it’s going to be an adventure.” the blue gem smirked as she snuggled closer to Ruby. 

“You see these two, Dad,” Steven teased, “eternal honeymooners.”

“Jealous.” Ruby retorted with a playful sneer. “You know you’d act the same if Connie were here.”

“They probably would be worse,” Greg interjected with a smirk as he looked to the side.

Steven opened his mouth, feeling his cheeks blaze as he lifted his finger to respond. “I’m gonna remember that while we play." He warned, getting a laugh from the group as they walked down the cobblestones stairs and towards the game setup. They each took a seat behind a rectangular machine. Northern Pink for Steven, Western Blue for Sapphire, who was placed by Ruby, Eastern Yellow for Ruby, and lastly, Southern White for Greg.

"So, what do we do with this?" The birthday hybrid wondered as he took hold of the rectangle construct, turning it over to see a monitor the length of the machine itself.  He nonchalantly pressed his thumb on the dark screen, causing the device to glow and hum to life.

" Player one acknowledged: Mister.💝 "  

Steven refused to look at the three, who he can feel giving him joshing grins at his pink face. Not that he could help it, it was Connie’s voice came out of the machine; it caught him off guard.

" Waiting for other players ?"

The group looked towards the sphere as it hovered above the table, glowing pink. Upon it was a ten seconds countdown in an icy, crystal blue.

" Waiting for other players? "

The trio of adults followed Steven lead, stamping their thumbs on their dark screens bringing to life their controls.

Player two acknowledged: Mr.Universe.  

A fourth of the orb took on a white glow.

Player three acknowledged: Laughie Sapphy.

A fourth of the orb took on a blue glow.

Player four acknowledged : Eternal Flame Baby.

A fourth of the orb took on a yellow glow, leaving four horizontal stripes along its surface.

"Pfft!"

Ruby sneered in jest as the three held back their laughter. "Hahaha...Laugh it up, you three, you just remember that when I win."

"Big words from my adorable sweetie." Sapphire joshed as she reached over and pinched Ruby's cheek. " Wrong words, though." she teased.

"Ooo, Seems like the gauntlet's been thrown down." Steven instigated with a grin, rubbing his chin.

" Waiting for other players? " 

Steven looked at the module giving him a choice between 'Yes' and 'No.' He pressed on the 'No' gently.

" All players acknowledged; deploying C.A.R space."

The four watched in amazement as the orb spun and glowed, and the colors mixed in a blur. The top of the sphere burst open and shot out digital cubes of light like a fountain. The cubes rained down in the surrounding area rapidly, building a dome around the four. It was similar to Rose's temple room as black clouds seem to seep around the four calves. Once the mound was wholly established, the orb broke, and out of it came a full holographic hard-light Connie Maheswaran in an illuminated icy-blue.

Her smiling visage hovered above the broken orb, dressed in one of her usual outfits of Her hair in two twin-tailed braids goggles around her neck, ankle-length lab coat, thigh-length denim jumper dress over a t-shirt and mid-thigh tights, a pair of knee-high socks, and some boots.

"I take back what I said about this being bare?" Greg stated, completely awestruck. "R&D don't half-way anything, do they?"

"Nope." His companions answered just as amazed.

'Even as a hologram, she's so enchanting,' Steven thought, an appreciative smile on his face. 'The undaunted goddess look really fits her.'

"Hello players and welcome to the customizable alternative reality of 'Scenarios.' In this game, four players will be given a scenario that consists of a quest and objective. The players and their decisions will create the actual story of the scenario. Depending on the scenario, you might be forced to work against each other." Holo-Connie explained. 

"So it's like Wyrens and Wartime." Greg assumed.

"Pfft, they wish." Hollo-Connie taunted with a grin . "Do everyone understand?'

"Yes." The four answered eagerly.

" Acknowledged." The holo nodded, " Let's us begin."

The hologram clapped her hands; the darkness and clouds changed around them to a familiar scene of Connie’s cave-like lab. Even more than that, they were able to feel the ever-present chill, hear the running of the waterfalls falling into the deep diamond essence lake, and the strangely fragrant smell from the body of water. 

"Talk about being immersive," Greg commented, looking around. "It's hard to tell the difference from the real thing."

" R&D utilized a similar technique used for creating 'rooms' to create a loaded and customizable 'space' within these eggs." The Holo-Connie explained. "Researcher Maheswaran came up with the idea to make these customizable 'pocket dimensions' portable as well as the concept. While games such as the one we are about play are possible, Ms. Maheswaran plans to reach much further than entertainment purposes." The holo added, " but that is neither here nor there. ..." The holo pointed to the north of the 'lab.' The quartet followed her finger and gasped at what they saw. 

Before their very eyes in a chamber with eyes closed and body still. Surrounded by Bluebells, Pink roses, Dahlias, and Irises was Connie Maheswaran.

"Oh wow, this is a big difference from the last games," Steven commented. "Is that the real thing?"

"It is, and now my four investigators, you must solve…."

The four waited for the holo to continue, only for her to stay posed.

Really, Heart?" Steven asked the corpse.

"Can't talk, dead." 

Just as Steven was about to answer the cheeky dead girl…
"

The murder of me!"  

Holo-Connie proclaimed, clenching their fist and holding it to the sky shakingly as they dropped to their knees.

"That would have been way more dramatic if you hadn't interrupted, Mister." Connie implored.

"Hammy." The four players, accused.

"Oh, be quiet and solve my murder, you philistines!"