The Nightmares of Steven Universe

The Garden (Word Count: 720)

Steven's eyes blinked open as he was invited into his dream. The sky was nothing but an inky black void, devoid of any welcoming pleasure. All there was there were pure white stars the size of pin-pricks.

He felt something latch onto his arm.

He felt pure, terrifying adrenaline shoot through his veins.

Panic was the only thing that was rushing through his head. It was frighteningly louder and bigger than the vast and roaring ocean in the nastiest storm humanly possible. Ripping his arm from whatever danger was lurching onto his arm was scarily easy. Lifting his head to face a potential foe Steven fell face to face with...

a plant root.

The plant hissed and almost sizzled at Steven's sudden assault as it curled in on itself and backed away.

Speaking of plants he seemed to be in Pink Diamond's old garden. It wasn't anywhere near pristine in terms of condition. Marble pillars and steps had been mercilessly chipped away with dust kicked up and dulling their once cool grey color. Dead plants wilted and withered after hundreds of years without water. The air around him was unbearably stuffy as the dust and disintegrated remains of plants danced in the air. The young boy stretched wearily as he stood up on the large crystalline blue disk shaped warp pad.

"Pink?" A saddened and awestruck voice called from inside the garden. Steven turned around a gem he was all too familiar with.

Spinel.

No smeared mascara ran down her face, her gem sat perfectly upright, and her buns were still perfectly intact. Her face was emotionless, glossed over, and teary eyed as she stood patiently encased in ancient and brittle vines. Steven felt a pang of guilt wash over him. His mother had discarded her like a child moving on from a toy forcing Spinel to sit in the garden.

Alone.

With no one there for her.

She was let to die, even if she couldn't.

Steven approached the gem with gentle caution. "Spinel?" His voice wavered. Her eyes locked onto him.

She did not recognize him, it was blatantly obvious.

"Oh, are you here to play with me? Do you know when Pink's coming back?" He could feel the excitement spring into her voice and eyes. It only made Steven feel worse. Pink Diamond wasn't coming back soon, not ever.

Steven knew that better than anyone else.

He shook his head. "I- uh, no. Spinel, it's me. Steven. You know? Pink's son? The one you..." He held it breath. "attacked with an injector filled with bio-poison?" Spinel's eyes widened instantly. Her pupils darted away frantically and her face contorted in deep thought.

"You..." She breathed. "You left me behind!" The gem broke free from the vines in a fit of anger as her appearance grew closer to the one he had grown to know. Steven raised her arm to summon his shield instinctively but no solid light creation came to his rescue. "You just couldn't wait to leave everyone that cared about you for your friends on Earth!"

"No one cared on Homeworld!" Steven shot back. "All they cared about was colonization! They couldn't have cared less about her!" Suddenly Steven couldn't even stand. He fell to his hands and knees in an instant. The hybrid's vision was filled with a neon fuschia as the ground around him split apart creating deep grooves in the dirt. A distinct ravine formed a line that separated Steven and Spinel. When Steven peered inside he saw it was filled pure and unfiltered bio-poison dyed a threatening neon fuchsia.

Steven could barely contain his thoughts. They ran rampant inside his head.

The noise was so loud.

Butterflies flooded his vision.

They swooped in from every direction.

Every

single

crevice, corner, space, and area seemed to spawn the wretched things.

He reached a hopeless hand out to what he hoped would be beyond the wall of butterflies for help but Spinel didn't care.

No one did.

He was alone.

Steven awoke breathlessly drenched in a cold sweat.

The sound of static faded from his ears. The sensation was amazing.

Looking down at himself Steven was greeted by a pair of trembling neon pink hands. Looking up he was greeted with Connie.

He had never seen her look so petrified for his safety before.