“So, are you from the future? Some kind of Alternate reality?”

“A bit of both?”

Connie could only stare at the obviously confused and disoriented boy in front of her. She wondered why he wasn’t able to go through his portal. It was confusing enough that she just asked.

“Oh, THAAAT. That is what happens when you try and make a portal to an invalid location”

“Why is it invalid?”

The boy, Steven she corrected herself, just shrugged.

Connie, while definitely interested, also had her friend to find. Maybe Other Steven could help her?

“Hey, do you know where Steven, as in the younger you, is? We’re just after that Giant Green Hand crashed”

He looked thoughtful.

“What time is it?”

“Around noon? Do you need anything more exact?”

Other Steven shook his head, then snapped his fingers. A pink portal opened, and he grabbed her hand, then they stepped through.

—————————————————

They were at Brooding hill, at this point Connie mentally berated herself for not thinking of that one first, and they saw Steven standing at the edge of the cliff. Connie decided to get his attention

“STEVEN!”

Steven turned in surprise, then stumbled backwards, Connie and Other Steven raced forward and grabbed Steven by the arms and pulled him back from falling to his death.

Steadying himself, Steven tried to run away, but ended up running head first into something glowing pink.

“Steven” Connie started “Is there anything you want to talk about?” She went for stern and calm, she didn’t want to treat Steven like a child, but he didn’t give him an answer.

Steven was looked nearly in tears, and was still looking for an escape route.

Other Steven decided to pipe up at this.

“You really should just tell her the truth, it makes things easier”

Steven looked at her.

“I-” a small stutter was all he could manage “I-”

Other Steven looked at this display, he hadn’t moved really, and his breathing was dead slow. Literally, she’d seen dead people breathe more quickly when her mother brought her to work once.

“Breathe, kid, Breathe. Slowly, like I’m doing. Breathe in, slower, now hold. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Okay, now slowly, let it out”

Steven and Other Steven (She really needed a better name for him) continued in this vein for several minutes. Then, when Steven could actually breathe enough to speak instead of choking on air, Other Steven asked him to tell her what happened.

The Story was, Scary. She could see why Steven didn’t want her to know it, but Connie DIDN’T run from problems. Connie Maheshwaren solved problems.

“Steven, I get it, that was scary. But I didn’t run away when I find out you were magic, I didn’t run away when being your friend put me in danger, not that anything more than a tactical decision anyway, so why would I run away because some Orange lady gave you a black eye?”

“Thqt isn’t the problem, I don’t want to see you hurt”

Connie nearly wanted to introduce the palm of her hand to her for head at that statement.

“Steven, you are NOT the one putting me in danger. When I hang out with you, things can go wrong, your ENTIRE life is like this. This warship, it ISN’T anything new. I STILL want to be your friend, because I ENJOY hanging out with you. Even when things go wrong, even when doing that might be dangerous,and that is MY choice”

Other Steven decided to comment on that.

“Plus, given the number of times I’ve seen Connie get hurt, even when actively fighting homeworld, I think you should be more worried about yourself than anything else”

Steven, looked torn, then stood up, still upset, but recovering.

“I am so sorry for this”

Connie smiled.

“Friends?”

Steven smiled, just a little, but it was there.

“Friends”