Roulette!AU | Steven Universe

Gem Heist (Zoo Arc: Part 2)

As their ship drifted closer to the enormous pink structure, the Gems grew quiet. The tension in the air was palpable. Steven noticed with mild alarm the Red Eye floating nearby, keeping watch.

        "The Human Zoo," Rose murmured. "I can't believe. . . they kept it."

        "Dad's gotta be in there," Steven affirmed, brushing off her strange comment. "We just have to find him and bust him out."

        Surprisingly, as they neared the entry bay, the panels opened easily. Still, everyone held their breath as they passed through the security field into the port. No alarms went off, no guards came running.

        The crew exhaled as the vehicle drifted into a vacant bay. Two large figures flanked the doors ahead and Amethyst gasped. "Those Gems. . ."

        "Oh no," Rose breathed, suddenly realising. "We can't go in like this! We—We'll be caught!"

        "We just need disguises!" Steven offered hopefully. "I'll be Esteban Universidad!"

        Rose gave a small laugh. "I'm sorry Steven, but it doesn't matter what your name is." Her brows furrowed. "We're all going to stand out."

        Behind them, Garnet shrunk down and unfused, leaving Ruby and Sapphire standing together, hand-in-hand. "We won't stand out if we play the roles we were made for," Sapphire said.

        "Ruby! Sapphire!" Steven cried, delightedly.

        "Okay everybody, hear her out," Ruby hushed.

        "Today, I'm a Sapphire travelling with my Ruby guard." Ruby nodded. "Esteban, I brought you as an offering for the Zoo."

        Steven brought his hands to his face in mock horror. "Pobrecito Esteban!"

        "Uhh. . . What about us?"

        Sapphire turned to Amethyst, gazing worriedly at Rose. "You two are accompanying me as extra muscle."

        "Muscle like them?" Amethyst glanced worriedly at the guards stationed outside.

        "Exactly."

        "But I've never even seen another Amethyst before! What do I do? What if I say something wrong!"

        "Just look the part," Sapphire soothed. "You're new, and we're rusty. We just have to sell this long enough to find Greg."

        "Is this really going to work?" Rose asked worriedly.

        "No."

        Everyone stiffened.

        "Just— stick together!" the smaller Gem said hurriedly, plastering on a nervous smile. "Play it straight! Let's. . . change the future!"

        Amethyst nodded, shifting larger and branding herself with a Quartz uniform. The Gems turned to Rose. She stood, frozen.

        "Rose Quartzes," she breathed. "They were all captured and bubbled eons ago."

        "What?" Steven cried. "Then how are we gonna get you in?!"

        "Rose, you'll have to shapeshift," Sapphire said. "But you'll have to hide your real gem somehow."

        Rose swallowed nervously and nodded.

○○○

"You'll never cage me, you rockheads!"

        The commotion made the Amethyst guards turn their heads. The motley crew filed out of the ship one by one, Steven struggling against Ruby's gentle grip.