73. Game 2

August opened his eyes and they were looking at the sea. The sound of the waves woke him up. He got up slowly, there was a lot of sand in his mouth, but most importantly, he was without clothes.

--- Great, I think I'm home. But only naked.

He looked around, but did not find anything to cover himself with, he also noticed that it was night.

" I need to sneak in unnoticed and take clothes. I hope no one will find me like this. "

He went to the beach house, quickly took the key that lies under the rug and entered the house. Everything was quiet, the only sound that could be heard was Stephen's strong snoring.

He carefully went to the bathroom and started looking for his clothes. The problem was that his clothes weren't here.

" Where are my clothes ? There are only Stephen's clothes here, did Lapis take them away from here ? " - he kept rummaging through the lockers, and the only thing he found were shorts, he quickly put them on and left the bathroom.

As soon as he came out, a sleepy Stephen was walking towards him.

--- Good morning - August left the house and went to the mansion. maybe he'll find some clothes there.

--- Good morning.....Wait. Who was it ?! And it's not morning, is it ?!

......

August headed for the mansion. He wanted to walk along the forest path that he had trampled himself in the past, but it was not there, and he had to make his way through the thickets to his house.

Soon, he reached the place where the mansion was supposed to be. Except, there was a huge empty space.

--- What's going on here ?

--- You got there pretty quickly, I thought it would take longer. - Straza's voice came from behind, he turned around and saw her. She stood there and looked at him smiling.

--- What have you done ?

--- Me ? I didn't do anything. It's you, who made a wrong wish.

--- Explain !

--- Okay, let me explain it to you on my fingers.. - she started to approach him. - You wished that I would return you to your friends. I brought you back, but not to where you wanted.

--- ?

--- I hope you know the theory of the multiverse ?

--- What does she have to do with it?

--- Huge. According to the theory of the multiverse, there are many parallel realities. And we are in one of them.

--- You...sent me to another world ?

--- Rather, to the nearest reality from our reality.

--- Where did you get such power from ?!

--- Perhaps, I will keep silent. Continue. - she began to walk around him in a circle - I sent us to a reality where you don't exist. You have never been here, the world has gone along a different line of events, what exists in our reality does not exist here. Here we are with you, no one and nothing.

--- .....

--- Don't worry, I know how to cheer you up ! Another game !

--- God, no.

--- God, yes ! This time we will play.... catch-up ! The rules are the same, the reward is the same, only now...you drive ! - she abruptly touched August and ran away into the thicket of the forest, he stood for a while and finally realized what he had to do.

--- Heck ! How I hate you ! - he ran after her, the game began.

....

They were running. They ran all over the forest. but Augustus could not catch her. Therefore, Straza decided to change the location, to the city.

--- You won't catch it, you won't catch it ! You're too slow !

--- Look what you'll say, when I catch you !

But they kept running and running, and August couldn't catch her. And an idea came to him.

" If she cheated in the last game, why wouldn't I do it in this one ? " - therefore, he used the power of the Pink Diamond. Time has slowed down.

" I love this power ! " - he started to approach Straza, but she abruptly continued running

--- Haha ! Silly ! You didn't think it would work on me ! We have one power !

--- Heck ! - time continued its course

--- Here it is ! I was talking about him ! - August heard a voice, but decided not to pay attention, he continued to run....but for some reason, he did not move from his place.

--- Ha ? - he turned around and noticed that Garnet was holding his shorts and he couldn't move.

--- It's him ! I told you, I wasn't dreaming !

--- So, who....

--- I don't have time for this ! - August jumped up sharply, took Garnet's head in a headlock with his feet and hit her on the ground.

--- Garnet !

--- Excuse me ! But I have to hurry ! - he ran after Straza

--- Follow him ! We need to find out who he is !

....

--- The time is almost up, and you still haven't caught me ! Faster!

--- Shut up !

He continued to run after her, to his surprise, the gems quickly fell away from them.

--- Gotcha ! - but suddenly, Amethyst and Pearl with a net appeared ahead, he caught both Straza and August. It was very bad for Straza , for August, it was a gift from heaven.

--- Ha-ha ! Gotcha !

--- Heck ! Because of you, I lost !

--- My desire, send me to my reality, to my time, to my friends, to my home.

--- Tsch, you thought everything out. - she snapped her finger and they disappeared from this reality, leaving Pearl and Amethyst with big eyes.

....

August opened his eyes, he was in bed.

" Finally, I'm home. " - he went to the window and opened it, but instead of Beach City, he was met by his hometown. Where he was born.

--- Straza !

--- You said it yourself, to your house ! You didn't say which one ! Hahahaha !

--- How I hate you !

--- I love you too.