Trouble Arising

"Trouble Arising" is the tenth episode of the first season of Decay and Rebirth.

Synopsis
Homeworld's condition worsens.

Story
A group of four people, all covered in purple goo, were walking to the Temple. They were discussing the very thing they were covered in. "This goo could be poisonous, and yet you insist on getting it on us!" One of the more taller people said. "Well, excuse me, Pearl, but we could've just poofed if it was poisonous!" A shorter one said. "Well, what about Steven? Really, Amethyst, you need to think more about your actions before you do them." Pearl scolded. "Well, I'm not the one telling everybody to 'strike in this place, no this place! You have to be accurate or else you're a bad fighter!' Ugh!" Amethyst complained. "You two, stop fighting." The tallest one said. "Garnet, she's being reckless! Steven could've gotten hurt, or worse!" Pearl said fiercely, still defending her side. "That's still enough. We've reached the Temple. Steven does not need to hear your arguments." Garnet said, climbing up the stairs to the temple. Pearl blushed and followed Garnet. Amethyst rolled her eyes and followed. Steven stopped at the foot of the stairs, taking a glance at the sky before following the rest of the Crystal Gems.

As soon as Steven stepped inside his home, Pearl scooped a sample of the purple goo off him and put it under an analyzer. "Go take a shower to get the rest of that nasty goop off of you." Pearl said, concentrating on the analyzer. "Ok!" Steven said as he walked to the his washroom and took a shower. After he finished taking a shower, he went to go get his cheeseburger backpack and then went to the Crystal Gem's magical room door. "I would like to see Rose's Room!" Steven shouted at the door. When nothing happened, Steven sighed. "I wish to see Rose's Room!" Steven shouted once more. The door didn't budge. "I want to see Rose's Room!" Steven said with determination. His gem glowed and the door opened to reveal Rose's Room. "Aha!" Steven said as he entered the room.

"Good evening, room!" Steven said to nobody in particular. "I want... A door to the Pearl's room! A real one!" Steven said. A door opened up in the room, leading to Pearl's room. Steven entered the door, immediately falling from a waterfall. "Gaaaaaaaaaah!" Steven yelled as he fell. Pearl was elegantly dancing when Steven fell. Pearl opened her eyes and looked at Steven. "Steven! What are you doing in my room?" Pearl said as Steven landed, subconsciously using his powers to soften his landing. "I just wanted to know if you figured out what the purple goo was." Steven said. Pearl sighed and walked over to the analyzer, positioned on a short stand. "Come over here."

"So, what's the goo?" Steven asked. Pearl looked uncomfortable. "Well, I've analyzed the goo to reveal what kind of gem the corrupted gem used to be, and how recent they were corrupted. The results are unbelievable..." Pearl said uneasily. "And so...?" Steven said, questioning Pearl further. Pearl bit her lower lip. "Please?" Steven said, making puppy eyes. Pearl started to sweat. "Steven, the answers might not be quite fit for someone of your age to discover..." Pearl said as an excuse. "Aww, Pearl, c'mon! I'm already old enough to battle monsters!" Steven pleaded. Pearl broke into a heavy sweat. "They're just not for you in particular!" Pearl exclaimed. "Do Garnet and Amethyst know?" Steven asked with a sweet voice. Pearl winced. "Yes, yes they do know, but they're older than you, therefore, they are allowed to know." Pearl said. "Then I'll just ask Amethyst!" Steven said, running and leaping to the edge of the waterfalls where Pearl's room connected with Amethyst's. "No, Steven wait!"

"Amethyst!" Steven shouted, landing onto a piece of garbage. "Yo dude, what brings you to Garbage Central?" Amethyst shouted from the top of a garbage pile. "I've got old toys, some of Pearl's unused swords, this thingy, this moldy piece of cheese... and lots more!" Amethyst continued. "What was that purple goo?" Steven asked curiously. "Purple goo? Yeah, I've got that too. I scooped some into a bottle without Pearl noticing. It costs three tissue sandwiches." Amethyst said in a advertising tone. "No, I mean, what did Pearl tell you after she analyzed it?" Steven continued. "Ooh, well, that's important information. That costs four tissue sandwiches." Amethyst said. Steven sighed and rummaged in his bag for four tissue sandwiches. Steven found four of them and gave them to Amethyst. "Here you go." Steven said, waiting patiently for Amethyst to start talking. "Well, Pearl said that the corrupted monster was actually corrupted a few days ago and she predicted Homeworld sent it to Ear-" Amethyst said, being cut off by Pearl abruptly. "That's quite enough of that story." Pearl said, cutting in. "Aww, but Pearl!" Steven complained. "Enough. Go to your room, right now." Pearl said sternly. Steven left the room, disappointed as Pearl called out to him. "We're going stargazing again tonight!"

Steven left the room, feeling quite down. He had been so close to finding out what Pearl wanted to keep from him. At least he still had stargazing to look forward to. As Steven was lost in his thoughts, he bumped into Garnet, again. "Garnet!" Steven said, looking up at Garnet. "Steven." Garnet said as a way of reply. "Garnet, what's Pearl hiding from me? Why won't she tell me? What secret is the goo hiding?" Steven asked, firing all his questions in a quick blur. Garnet grimaced. "Look at it this way. When you asked what the goo truly was, Pearl had two options. Either hide it from you or depress you with the gruesome answer. The answer would truly make you much more sad and concerned than you need to be. If you were Pearl, what would you do?" Garnet said. "Oh.. But I still want to know!" Steven said eagerly. "I know. You'll get your answers once we go stargazing again." Garnet answered, walking away. "Ok!" Steven said, walking away to find his telescope again. After Steven found his telescope, he went to go make more tissue sandwiches for Amethyst, as he was running low on them and needed to purchase an old pair of telescope lens he saw at 'Garbage Central'.

"I'm back!" Steven announced, coming from Rose's Room. "Hey Steven, well uh, if you're back to ask about the goo, I'm strictly permitted not to..." Amethyst said sheepishly. "It's alright. But uh, I actually came here to buy something from Garbage Central..." Steven said. "Really? Well then follow me!" Amethyst exclaimed, leading Steven to a broken down office desk with a broken cashier. "Good afternoon, good sir! What goods would you like to buy from me?" Amethyst joked. "Uh well, do you have any telescope lens?" Steven asked. "Of course! Right this way, sir." Amethyst said, leading Steven to a messy collection of lenses. "I labelled them all!" Amethyst continued proudly. Steven looked at all the labels, which were all scribbled hastily. Amethyst rummaged through the pile, trying to find a pair of telescope lens. "Aha! Here you are... But uh, there's only one." Amethyst proclaimed. "Oh, that's alright. How much will that be?" Steven asked. "One." Amethyst replied, holding out her hand for her payment. "Oh, alright!" Steven said, pulling out one tissue sandwich. "Thank you! Feel free to browse around." Amethyst said, munching on the sandwich. "Ok." Steven responded, walking away. Steven walked toward the exit, leaving the room. "Hmm, now to switch the lenses." Steven said, climbing the stairs to his room.

"Steven, hurry up!" Pearl called out, waiting at the top of the cliffside. "Coming!" Steven said, huffing as he ran up the hill. "Where's Red Pearl?" Pearl asked. "Oh no! I forgot to check on her!" Steven exclaimed. "Go get her!" Pearl shouted as Steven ran back to the beach.

"Red Pearl!" Steven said as he knocked on her door. The door opened. "Yes?" Red Pearl asked. "Stargazing!" Steven exclaimed. "Right now?" Red Pearl frowned. "Yes, right now!" Steven said. "I'm coming." Red Pearl said, following Steven up the hill. When they arrived at the hill, Pearl had fainted, Garnet was gritting her teeth in a shocked way, and Amethyst's eyes were wide open. "Guys! Guys, what happened?" Steven asked. The Crystal Gems didn't respond. Steven walked over to the telescope and peeked through. Homeworld had turned a dark shade of multiple colours and took on the appearance of a rotting apple.

[To be continued in 'True Regret ']

Note: This series is now on a short hiatus.