Thank you all for reading, regardless of whether or not you leave a review. (though I would love if I got more reviews) By the way, some of these next chapters might be on the short side, just so you know. Anyway, on with the story!

Also, happy holidays. :)

Greg wrung his sponge over the soapy water bucket and gingerly scrubbed his new windshield. "Looks good as new. Though I had to spend a fortune on that windshield replacement."

"I'm sorry, Dad," Steven said. "If it weren't for me letting Lapis try to steal the ocean in the first place, you wouldn't have needed a windshield replacement."

"Don't worry about it, son." Greg put a hand on his shoulder. "The important thing is everyone turned out okay in the end."

Steven looked up at the sky. "I wonder if Lapis is okay out there, in space."

"I'm sure she's doing fine. Maybe she'll come back to visit and personally thank you for helping her."

Steven smiled. "Yeah. Maybe."

"Steven!" They saw Ronaldo running up to the car wash. "There you are!"

"Hi, Ronaldo. What's-"

The older boy grabbed Steven's wrist and started running off. "No time for greetings! I need you to come answer some important questions post-haste!"

"Hey! What are you doing with my son?!" Greg exclaimed.

"Sorry, Mr. Universe, but the truth waits for no one!"


Steven and Ronaldo were in the lighthouse at the top of the cliff, which Ronaldo had made into his personal research facility and observatory base.

"So, what did you wanna ask me, Ronaldo?" Steven asked.

"I have some questions for you, Steven. Questions that I know only you know the answers to."

"Yeah, but what are they?"

Ronaldo walked over to a table and grabbed a plastic zipper baggie off of it. In the baggie were a few feathers colored blue and gold. "I found these on the beach at the scene of the ocean's disappearance yesterday. I know you might have some clue as to what might have left them, seeing as you deal with the paranormal on a day-to-day basis."

"I think those are from Lapis Lazuli. She tried to steal the ocean when she tried to go back to her home planet, but I healed up her wings with my healing spit, so everything's fine now."

Ronaldo jotted something down in a notepad. "Interesting. You said you have healing spit?"

"Yeah. I also healed Connie's eyesight after she drank my pop that had my backwash in it."

Ronaldo scribbled something else in his notepad. "Fascinating! I'm veering off track. I've taken some pictures of what may be examples of paranormal activity, and I need you tell me what they mean." The teenager grabbed some polaroid photographs off the table and showed one of them to Steven.

The photo showed an image of a crater in the wooden boards of the boardwalk. "This crater was left behind by something big. I was watching a marathon of Koala Princess, but I heard it from in the break room of Beach Citywalk Fries and went out to investigate as soon as it was safe."

"I think that was left behind when the Rough Emerald that the Gems were fighting fell over. It looked like a giant praying mantis with a green gem in its head."

"Of course. I saw its remains after it was decapitated. How did you manage to clean it up afterward?"

Steven pondered this for a second. "Hmm. You know, I'm not really sure how the Gems clean up after their fights."

"How about this one then?" Ronaldo showed a photo of Funland Arcade ablaze. "My dad and Peedee both think the fire in the arcade was caused by faulty wiring, but I know that it was caused by something else."

"That happened after Ruby lost her temper and punched one of the arcade machines. We got banned for the rest of the year after that."

"So, who is this 'Ruby' you speak of?"

"She's one of the Crystal Gems."

"Crystal Gems?"

"Yeah! They're these four magical alien warrior ladies who protect the Earth from monsters."

"You mean they control the Earth and humanity from the shadows!"

"What?"

Ronaldo took out a dollar bill. "Look here, Steven. The diamond represents the Gem Authority, and the snake represents their hold on human society."

Steven looked at the dollar. "No way. The Gems wouldn't do something like that. They love humanity. At least my mom did."

"Yes way! The supposed 'monsters' they fight are a cover-up for their actual motive!" Ronaldo walked over to a corkboard plastered with pictures and notes connected by at least five different colors of string. "This board I set up shows you how everything adds up. These Crystal Gems simply take on a human form in order to blend in with the human race. Their true forms are the monsters they supposedly protect us from, when in reality, they were sent to Earth to assimilate us and turn the planet into a colony!"

Steven gasped. "You don't really mean that!"

"The data I've collected doesn't lie, Steven."

The half-Gem took a closer look at the board. "Well, it does look pretty scientific."

It was then they heard a knock on the door. "Ronaldo! It's Peedee! Dad told me to come get you!"

"I'm in the middle of something with Steven, Peedee!"

"Is it another one of your conspiracies?"

"Yes."

"Well we don't have time for that right now. We need you back at the fry stand."

"Is it important?"

"Yes! Obviously! Dad says you're not supposed to be missing out on such valuable frying time! Besides, you've already used up all your free days for the month."

Ronaldo turned back to Steven as he walked to the door. "I'm afraid this will have to wait." He opened the door to meet with his younger brother. "Remember, Steven... The truth is out there!"

"What's with you and your conspiracies anyway?" Peedee asked him.

"You'll understand when you're a little older, Peedee." And Ronaldo closed the door behind them.

Steven looked at Ronaldo's conspiracy board again. It didn't seem to add up, but then again, what did he know about conspiracies? Ronaldo seemed to put a lot of time and effort into his investigations. Surely, he had to know something about the Gems that Steven didn't.


Later that day, Steven sat on the couch of his beach house, deep in thought. How well did he really know the Gems? He'd lived with them for years, and yet there was still a lot that he didn't know about them. He didn't know anything about Gem culture, or what their biology was like, or even the Gems' favorite colors. For all he knew, Ronaldo could be right about them. Maybe they were secretly bent on taking over the Earth and using protecting it as a ruse.

He was taken out of his thoughts by the Warp Pad activating. The Gems had just come back from another mission.

"Yo, Steven!" Amethyst greeted. "How was your day?"

"Fine," he replied quietly.

"Are you still thinking about what happened with Lapis Lazuli?" Pearl asked him.

Steven didn't answer her, instead just looking down at his feet.

Pearl crossed her arms. "Steven, you're supposed to answer when somebody asks you a question."

"Pearl... what exactly are Gems?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, why are you guys on Earth in the first place?"

"To protect it, obviously," Ruby said. "We've told you this before."

"You say that, but I've had some doubts lately."

"How do you mean?" Pearl asked.

"Well, see..." Steven shifted in his seat. "I've been having a talk with Ronaldo, about the stuff that goes on in Beach City, and he says that you guys are actually evil shapeshifters that are trying to assimilate humanity and turn Earth into a colony."

Amethyst burst out laughing. "What?!"

Pearl hesitated a little before saying "Steven, Frynaldo or whatever his name is doesn't know anything about us. Certainly, he couldn't be right about whatever he's told you."

"But he had a board with data on it and everything."

"Whatever 'data' he's got is probably wrong, kiddo," Ruby said. "Most humans don't know jack about Gems."

"So, what about the Rough Gems that you guys fight?"

"Rough Gems are one of two Gem subspecies," Sapphire said.

Pearl projected a hologram of a horned, muscular humanoid figure with a long, thick mane of white hair standing next to a large beast that looked like the Rough Citrine that they encountered at the Solar Spire. "We Polished Gems are humanoid counterparts to certain Rough Gems. For example, a Polished Quartz is the humanoid form of a Rough Quartz." Pearl put the hologram away. "Pearls don't have a Rough counterpart, as we are already quite pristine by nature."

Amethyst rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Shapeshifting does sound pretty cool though."

Steven sighed in relief as he climbed off the couch. "Well, it's good to know that you guys aren't evil after all."

"Where are you going, kid?" Ruby asked him.

"To tell Ronaldo the truth." And he walked out the door.


Steven was walking over to Beach Citywalk Fries. At the counter stood Mr. Fryman. "Hey, Steven! If it isn't my most valued customer! How may I serve you today?"

"I was wondering if I could talk to Ronaldo."

"Hey, Ronaldo! Come over here!" Mr. Fryman called into the back of the stand.

Ronaldo walked over to the counter. "What is it, Dad?" He noticed Steven standing there. "Oh, hey, Steven!"

"Ronaldo?" Steven pushed his index fingers together. "There's something you should probably know about the Gems."

Ronaldo leaned forward. "Yes? Did you finally find out about their plans? I'm honestly surprised it took you this long to figure it out. You do live with them, don't you?"

"The Gems don't have any plans to take over the world, Ronaldo. They told me themselves that they really do want to protect it."

"What? If that's the case, then what about-"

"Those monsters they fight are actually a Gem subspecies."

"But... what about the truth?"

Steven shrugged apologetically. "Sorry, Ronaldo. Maybe the truth just isn't what you thought it was."

"Of course it is! Finding the truth isn't about mere facts, Steven. It's about looking for anything that proves that you're right, no matter how small or insignificant it seems on the surface, and holding onto that proof no matter what!"

"That kinda sounds like the opposite of the truth."

Mr. Fryman cleared his throat. "Hey, fellas, do you wanna move this along? I've got customers waiting to order."

Steven looked behind him and saw a line of people. "Oh, right. Sorry, everyone. I'll leave you to your business." And he walked away.


That night, Steven was fast asleep in his bed. He was a rather heavy sleeper, so he didn't hear the screen door opening and Ronaldo sneaking across the hardwood floor. He did, however, wake up to him banging on the Temple Door and shouting "Come on out, you so-called Crystal Gems! I know you're in there!"

Steven sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes before walking down the stairs of his loft over to the Door. "Ronaldo? What are you doing here?"

The bespectacled teenager looked over at him. "I'm here to talk to the Crystal Gems. I want to know the truth. And I mean the real truth, not whatever they told you."

"Ronaldo, it's late. Shouldn't you be home right now?"

"The truth doesn't have a curfew, Steven."

The Temple Door opened, revealing Pearl on the other side. She looked tired, and was wearing the robe Steven saw her wear the last time he visited her in her room, suggesting that she was also sleeping before Ronaldo showed up.

The lean Gem stifled a yawn before saying "Humans aren't allowed inside the Crystal Temple at any time. Please go back to your home and get your nightly eight hours of sleep."

Ronaldo pointed a finger at her. "I have some questions for you, shapeshifter! And I'm not leaving until I get the answers I want!"

Pearl just sighed. "Look. We Gems don't need to sleep as often as you do, but we still need to sleep sometimes, and tonight is one of those nights that I need to sleep, so I would very much appreciate if you would let me go-"

"What are you planning to do with the Earth?!"

Pearl blinked at him in annoyance. "Seriously? Alright, fine. If I answer some of your questions, will you please let me go back to my scheduled sleep in peace?"

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't. What are your plans for this planet?"

"Of course, to protect it from enemy Gems who want to turn it into a colony."

"So you do want to turn the Earth into a colony!"

Pearl brought her hands to her face. "No. We want to prevent the Earth from being turned into a colony. Whatever preconceptions you have about us, they're not true."

"But they have to be true! What about all the evidence I've collected? What about my conspiracies?"

"Your conspiracies? Listen, whoever-you-are. I don't care about whatever ridiculous theories you've concocted about us or what we're doing for this planet, they aren't, nor will they ever be true. So get over it."

Ronaldo stroked his chin in contemplation. "So what about this 'Lapis Lazuli' that Steven told me about? They were behind the ocean's disappearance yesterday, right?"

"Yes."

"And they were a Gem, right?"

"Yes."

"So, why would I expect that you Gems wouldn't also be hellbent on destroying and reshaping the planet for your own gain?"

Steven spoke up. "Ronaldo, Lapis was only stealing the ocean because she was trying to get home. Didn't I tell you that? I don't remember if I did. Anyway, she gave it back after everything."

"And not all Gems want to destroy the planet. There was even a war fought thousands of years ago to preserve it and its life forms!" Pearl's patience had finally worn thin. "And if you look around, you can see that Earth's life forms, including yourself, are all alive and well to this very day! And do you want to know why? Because we won! Us! The Crystal Gems, who protect humanity from monsters and enemy Gems to." She poked him in the chest. "This." She poked him again. "Day." She poked him a third time, then sighed. "And no, we don't shapeshift either."

Ronaldo stared at her dumbfounded. "So, does that mean I'm... wrong?"

"Yes. You are absolutely wrong about us in every way." Pearl yawned and stretched a little before going back in her room. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some sleep that I would really like to catch up on." She turned around and walked to her bed before the Temple Door closed once more.

Ronaldo fell to his knees. "I don't believe it. I'm actually wrong." He sounded utterly heartbroken. "I'm not really at the center of anything, am I?"

Steven walked up to him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Ronaldo. There's always more stuff to theorize about. Like what do they put in the sauce at Fish Stew Pizza?"

"It's too late now, Steven. Once I'm wrong, I'm always wrong." He stood up and walked out the door. "My theorizing days are over."

"But they don't have to be!"

But Ronaldo had already closed the door. He was already walking back home.

Steven just went back to bed.


Steven sat at the kitchen island eating a bowl of cereal for breakfast when Amethyst came out of her room in the Temple, stretching her arms over her head. "Hey, Steven! What's for breakfast?"

"Cereal."

"You seem bummed, dude. What, did you have that dream about the dolphins and the volcano again?"

Steven drank the leftover milk before setting his bowl down. "No. Ronaldo came in and tried interrogating you guys last night. He only got Pearl and she told him the truth about why you guys came to Earth. I think that broke his heart. He even quit his blog." Steven pulled up Keep Beach City Weird on his phone and showed Amethyst the web page. There was a message that simply read "I've decided to quit my blog indefinitely. I don't know when I'll be back, if at all."

"Man, why do you care about that guy's blog anyway? It's not like anyone actually reads that crap."

"Making up theories was Ronaldo's favorite thing, Amethyst." The half-Gem boy got up to put his bowl and spoon in the sink. "Now that he knows about how the Crystal Gems are trying to stop a colony on Earth instead of trying to make one, he's never gonna theorize about anything again. Wait a minute. That's it!"

"What's it?" Amethyst asked through a mouth full of dry cereal. (She'd been helping herself to some handfuls from the box while Steven wasn't paying attention.)

"I think I know how to cheer up Ronaldo!" Steven quickly ran up to his loft to get some supplies.


Meanwhile, a depressed Ronaldo was sitting in the back of Beach Citywalk Fries peeling some potatoes. He didn't even look up when the door opened and Peedee came in. "Hey. Dad thought you could use some help peeling those potatoes." The younger Fryman son closed the door behind him and sat down next to the elder son. "So, anything weird going on lately?"

"No," Ronaldo replied in a quiet monotone, still not looking up from his work. "Everything's normal."

"Normal? You mean no weird monster stuff has gone down in Beach City recently? You haven't tried finding some clue that the mayor is actually a lizard person in disguise? What's wrong with you, Ronaldo? You're kinda freaking me out."

"Peedee, sooner or later, you begin to realize that reality just isn't what you thought you knew it to be. The real truth comes crashing down on you like a ton of disappointing, perception-shattering bricks."

"Ronaldo!" their father called. "Steven's come by to see you again. He says he's got something to show you."

With a sigh, Ronaldo stood to his feet and walked out to the front of the stand. "What is it you want to show me, Steven?"

Steven showed him a piece of paper with some pictures and notes drawn on it in pencil. "I've collected some data of my own. I really think you should look into it."

"Why bother? It's probably all wrong anyway. What's the point of investigating and coming up with theories if you're not even right about them?"

Peedee then came to the front of the stand. "Hey. Just because you're wrong doesn't mean you have to stop investigating altogether."

"That's right! The way I see it, this new information is just a small piece of the puzzle. We still don't know who would try to make the Earth into a colony, or why they would try to make the Earth into a colony. But we can still gather evidence and do some investigating!" Steven handed Ronaldo the paper, which he took.

The older teen's eyes lit up behind his glasses. "You're right! How did I not consider that? The Crystal Gems aren't the ones trying to colonize the Earth, but someone else is!"

"Good to have you back, big bro," Peedee smiled at him.

A customer came up to the stand to order. "Hey, can I get some-"

"A mysterious society of extraterrestrial rock monsters from a far-off galaxy wants to assimilate humankind and colonize our world for purposes yet unknown! They can take on any form imaginable, and most of them congregate here in Beach City!" Ronaldo shoved his phone in the startled customer's face. "You can read more about it on! My! Blog!"

"Ronaldo, please!" Mr. Fryman grabbed his eldest son by the shoulder. "You're scaring away all our customers."

Ronaldo stepped back, looking sheepish. "Sorry, Dad."