DREAMS • steven universe

| 01. DREAMLAND

IT HAD BEEN A WHILE SINCE STEVEN HAD A PEACEFUL DREAM. He had spent so many hours awake, trying to show the diamonds how to act less rude around normal gems that didn't have their status. The three didn't understand that humans needed to sleep, so they asked questions and begged for his attention for hours and hours on end. He didn't know how to break it to them that he wanted to go back home.

Eventually, he managed to slip away to the nearest warp pad (that had been repaired almost questionably quick) and teleported back home. The beach house was still being repaired when he got there but was almost done and, he had to admit, it was looking nicer than it had before.

But he couldn't wait any longer to sleep - his body was begging him to just relax for a few minutes and it was getting hard to stand. His eyes drooped in fatigue as he decided to just sleep on the sand, right behind the rock where he had first met Lapis. The instance he stepped foot by the rock, his knees gave out from underneath him, sending him catapulting onto the sand.

Almost instantaneously, the boy passed out underneath the moon's faint glow and begun snoring softly.

His eyes opened again, making him groan, before he realised he wasn't on his beach any longer. While it looked like the beach that he grew up with, it was different - mystical. The sea was a beautiful crimson colour, it's water floating up into the sky in bubbles. The sand was dark black, feeling both wintry like ice and searing like the sun's heat. The sky was the exact same shade, except with white, yellow, blue and pink stars dotting the sky and mixing into bewitching constellations.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Steven jumped instantly, tumbling backwards in shock at the sudden voice that came from right beside him. Out of pure instinct and alarm, a pink shield defended him from any possible person that could have the intent on harming him. They wouldn't be the first.

His eyes locked with black and white cloth, feeling a sense of serenity overcome him for a few moments before his guard picked up once more upon realising the sheer size of the person in front of him. He gulped as he cranes his neck slowly upwards before he saw a veiled face, a small smile faintly visible underneath.

"Apologies for the sudden scare, but you looked far too peaceful," the stranger said rather calmly. "I didn't want to disturb you."

Steven didn't answer, still shocked.

They chuckled. "Well, aren't you rather quiet? Your mother was never one to be silent however, so it's odd seeing her own child be so shy."

It appears that only after this did the boy remember how to speak. "You... Who are you?" He asked, his shield evaporating into thin air. He scooted slightly back until the red waves tickled his fingers. "How do you know my mum?"

"Oh! I'm... Erythro. She never said anything about me?" They sounded sad and their smile turned to a frown for only a split second before returning once more, making it seem as if that never occurred. "Your mother and I go back millennia. We've known each other for longer than your puny little planet has seen the divine light."

"You're over a billion years old?" Steven asked, intrigued. He didn't understand why, but he felt comfortable in their presence, as if he had met them before. That was probably his mum's feelings influencing him, now that he thought about it.

They looked down at him in question, realisation dawning on their face under the veil (which the boy couldn't see) before they nodded. "I suppose so."

"Cool!" He gushed, his eyes turning to stars. He perched up slightly, looking up at him in excitement. "Does that mean... that you're some type of gem? I've never seen any of your type before!"

Erythro nodded. "That I am."

"What type of gem are you? You're huge! How are you so tall?"

"I don't know the exact measurement, but I know that I used to be much taller." They chuckled at the amazed look on his face, reaching a grey hand out to pat the boy affectionately on the head, ruffling his curls. They withdrew it and curled it with their other hand in front of them, laying them on their lap. "You're aware of the diamonds, yes?" They took note of the sudden displeasure that crossed the boy's eyes, betraying his seemingly unbothered smile. They spent a few seconds to think about what they were going to say before continuing, "I was created by them."

"So... You're not a diamond?"

Erythro shook their head. "No, I'm not a diamond, though I am quite flattered you think me worthy of such an esteemed title. They created me as a way to infiltrate the government of different colonies and rebellions to disarm them and get everything back in control." They sighed. "That, according to you, must have been almost billions of years ago."

Steven furrowed his eyebrows in question, wanting to ask how they ended up here but he wasn't angel to say a single word before they stood up, reaching their full height. Steven felt his neck begin to ache from how he far had been looking up.

"I must apologise, but it appears that it's time for you to wake up." They motioned towards the sea, which was receding backwards and leaving a starch-white blankness in it's place.

Steven turned, his eyes widening as his hand slipped, causing him to fall backwards. He grabbed onto the edge, his body dangling off of it. "What's-what's going on?!"

"You're waking up." Erythro waved a hand slightly and a new person appeared out of thin air right in front of Steven's eyes. All he could see were a pair of black shoes and the ends of trousers.

Steven watched in horror as the ground cracked beneath his straining, white hand.

"I will see you soon, Steven Universe."

His eyes widened as the area that he was holding onto disappeared from existence, sending his body plunging down into the blank space. He screamed in panic and blinked for a second as wind rushed past his face, the next moment waking up on the familiar yellow sand.