196 days until final report.

Steven and Lapis sit on the roof, admiring the ocean as it sparkles in the mid day Sun, a breeze blows from the sea, cooling the air, filling it with the smell of salt.

"Hey Steven," Lapis asks, "why don't you ever talk to the humans in Ocean Town?"

"I never got along with humans," Steven explains, "I have you guys anyways. Most of the people here though..."

Steven grips his gem.

"They don't like me," Steven explains, "they always glare at me, calling me things like freak, gem kid, and stuff like that. I just wish... that I could fit in with humans, but I never will."

Lapis looks at Steven, surprised by his answer. She knew he preferred to hang out with Lapis, Peridot, and as of late, Jasper, but she never knew the humans hated him so much.

"Don't worry Stevey," Lapis smiles, "the gems and I are always here for you."

"Thanks Lapis," Steven smiles. The two go silent, the waves sloshing apon the shore with a steady, soothing rhythm. Steven begins to think. He begins to wonder if he's even half human at all. After all, he never knew his father, and according to Jasper, his father was dead.

Steven decides to go see lion. "I'm gonna go warp somewhere," Steven explains, "if anyone asks, I'm in town."

"Got it," Lapis replies, "and Steven..."

"Yeah?" Steven asks as he gets down off the roof.

Lapis sighs. She's felt guilty about Steven having to face Pearl. She wasn't there for him. None of them were. If it had come to that with Garnet, or even Amethyst...

Lapis shutters at the thought. She thinks about Jasper and Peridot. She lied and said she found Rose's fountain herself when they asked about her gem. If they learned the truth...

Lapis shutters once more. She has to protect Steven, no matter what.

"I'm sorry," she explains, "for what happened. If I had just taken care of that Pearl you wouldn't have had to go through that. I'm Sorry Steven, I couldn't protect you."

"It's OK," Steven replies, "I'm getting the hang of my shield. If push comes to shove, I can fight. You don't need to worry about me Lapis. I mean, I have you guys, don't I? Listen, I gotta go. We can talk later. See ya Lappy!"

"It's Lapis," Lapis chuckles as Steven heads inside and warps. Lapis sighs, looking out at the sea. She's still worried about Steven, but it's clear he didn't want to be followed. Lapis decides to follow Steven. She can fly fast enough to figure out where he went. Lapis takes flight...

Meanwhile, Steven arrives at the strawberry field, where he accidentally left the sword when he faced Pearl. Lion offers him his sword, its hilt appearing from his mane.

"Not today Lion," Steven explains, "I just came to ask you something."

Lion lets out a soft growl, like a sigh, and returns the sword to his mane.

"Do you know anything," Steven asks, clutching his gem, "about my real parents?"

Lion doesn't move to a moment, he only glares under the blazing sun. The sun beats down on both of them, bright, fiery, intense.

"Lion?" Steven asks.

Lion pounces Steven, but instead of biting or clawing, he absorbs Steven into the pocket dimension in his mane.

Steven looks around.

He wonders where he is. He examines the pink grass. Wait, pink? He puts the pieces together. He's in Lion's mane! Steven tries to breath, but there's no air. He desperately tries to get out, first looking around at the endless field. He looks for the ground, eventually popping his head out of Lion's mane. He gasps for air.

He does so again, in and out, just to test. He does so many more times, just for fun. Lion lets off a soft growl, to indicate annoyance.

"Sorry," Steven chuckles, "I couldn't resist."

Steven goes back into Lion's mane, occasionally coming out for air. He notices a hill and moves towards it. Apon arriving, he sees two things that catch his eye. First, is a tape, labled "for Steven."

Second, is a bubbled gem, In a bubble not unlike his own. He pockets the tape and examines the gem in the bubble. Steven decides to take the bubble out of the mane to examine it more closely as he's running out of air. As Steven returns to the grass (or was it fur? He wasn't certian.) and exits the mane, he accidentally drops the bubble.

Afraid the gem may be corrupt, he summons his shield. Only to be surprised to be greeted by a gem with rainbow dreadlocks and blue skin. The gem's gemstone goes inwards instead of outwards. Steven dispells his shield.

"Hey," the gem greets, "what's your name?"

"My name's Steven," Steven replies, "what's yours?"

"My name is Bismuth," Bismuth replies, "tell me, have you seen Rose Quartz? She's a friend of mine and I really must speak with her."

"Lion," Steven demands.

Lion gets the message and summons Rose's sword.

"Bismuth," Steven explains, "I know only one thing about Rose. She shattered countless gems, even Pink Diamond. If you are her ally, then it's back in a bubble for you."

Steven grips his sword.

"So you better have a good explanation for how you know Rose," Steven elaborates, "or else..."