Robert finally woke up that morning, and the house was almost empty except for Garnet, who put the presents Robert bought for Steven on the table. "What's today?" Robert asked, wiping his eyes. "It's Tuesday, Steven's birthday. Someone called you, it went to voicemail"Garnet said.

Robert reached for his phone. He had one new voicemail from a friend from another reality: Craftfury, although it wasn't his voice, rather it was someone else.

"Hey, Robert. It's me, Lapis. When you wake up, would you please come to the barn? I want to see you again before you dissapear.

Robert's face turned red. He didn't know what to do. Nobody, let alone a girl, wanted anything to do with him before, and now the one he was crushing on wants to see him. Garnet took notice and it was hard not to laugh, but she managed to hold it in. "What's wrong?" she asked. "L-Lapis...w-wants...to see m-me..."he stuttered. He almost exploded with excitement. Robert picked up the presents and walked to the warp pad. Garnet helped him by getting the ones he couldn't carry.

In a flash, they appeared at the barn, where Connie, Pearl, Amethyst, and Peridot were helping set up tables and banners. Robert put the presents on the table. That was when he noticed the cake. It was an ice-cream cake that smelled like Cookie Cats, Robert's favorite childhood treat. He no longer ate them not due to them not being available in many stores anymore, but due to a prank that had Robert end up going to the hospital.

When Robert was in middle school, two bullies (who at the time he thought were his friends) gave him an expired Lion Licker in the Cookie Cat wrapper. Robert absolutely hated Lion Lickers on their own, due to them tasting like Jabba the Hutt's rear end, but due to it being expired, he had to go to the hospital to get his stomach pumped, which his parents didn't help at all. Robert didn't plan on having any cake. Peridot later walked up to Robert after she was done. "What's wrong, Huma-I mean Robert?"she asked

"Just thinking of the time the morons at my school poisoned me with an ice cream sandwich that tasted like Hutt Butt." He responded. Peridot saw the classic triology of Star Wars, so she knew what he was talking about. "I believe Lapis wants you in her presence." Peridot stated, pointing at the truck that was somehow lodged into the barn's top window. "That doesn't look very safe." Robert said as he looked at the truck. "Tell me about it" a voice that sounded like an angsty late teen. He looked sunburnt all over, had dark brown hair like Robert's but looked like a bowl cut. He wore a brown coat with matching boots and a maroon shirt underneath. Robert heard Connie groan at his presence. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "Just wanting to see Steven turn fourteen." he answered with a confident smirk.

"You're lying." Robert said. The man grabbed Robert by the shirt. "If you know what's good for you, you'll shut your mouth!" he threatened. Robert wasn't scared, as he knew his swordplay and pyrokinesis could outdo anything he could even possibly do.

Sorry, but due to time constraints, I'm cutting this chapter in two parts.

To be continued