Steven Universe: In Too Deep

Struggling To Form

The drill shakes as the Cluster tremors the area around it. Steven and Peridot shout in panic. "Ah! Ah!" Steven looks around in just as much panic. "What's happening?!"

The screen shows the Cluster starting to glow and shake as white matter ripples and surrounds it. The giant space around it lights up as well. Peridot's hysteria kicks up a notch. "It's too late! It's taking form!"

The Cluster continues to glow until it reaches its maximum capacity and white matter rises up from it to the drill. Peridot quickly retracts the binoculars as her face starts to sweat. She faces Steven, clinging to the controls.

"Steven, I'm sorry I couldn't save you or the billions of other lifeforms who matter far, far less to me." Peridot who looks up at the ceiling in anguish. Do you have any last words?!" Steven closes his eyes and hugs Peridot.

"I love you, Peridot!" Peridot's eyes well up. "Wow, thanks." The compartment shakes violently. Peridot hugs Steven back as she stares at the window. White matter rushes upwards, surrounding the drill.

The compartment continues to shake left and right as the lights flicker on and off. Voices of the Cluster cry out from below. After a moment, the white matter shapes into white hands which brush past the drill and reside back down to the Cluster.

Steven and Peridot look down at the window confused with what just happened. They let go each other as they watch white matter travel back down. Steven looks up at the screen as Peridot observes the Cluster's outstretched arms.

"It's still struggling to take its form! This means we still might have time! There's still a chance!" Peridot reaches for a panel and presses some buttons. She then grasps the controls, determined.

"Just a little repositioning." She thrusts the controls. Mechanical legs pop out the drill. They climb through the hole in the ceiling, suspending the drill above the Cluster. Glowing gem mutants swing their body parts around, stuggling.

Steven faces Peridot, still in anguish. "Peridot, I don't think we should hurt the Cluster." Peridot faces Steven. "I don't think it knows what it's doing." Peridot looks up at the screen. It doesn't matter if it knows what it's doing."

She looks down at the controls. "It's still going to do it." Her thumb presses the right button on the controls. The drillhead starts spinning again as it quickly picks up speed.

The mechanical legs retract and the drill springs straight down towards the Cluster. White matter gathers as white hands reach out from the Cluster and surround the drill. Steven and Peridot scream as they fall through them.

Once they reach the bottom, the drill is held back from the Cluster's surface by the force of white matter. The drillhead eventually makes contact and sparks fly, sending the white matter away from it.

Steven covers his face groaning in pain. Peridot quickly faces Steven as the drill continues to attack the Cluster.  Two other drill heads pop out.

"What?! Is the increased vibration causing damage to your head holes?!" Steven responds in anguish. "I don't know!" The drill is being held back from causing any actual damage to the Cluster by the surrounding white matter.

"We're not even piercing the crust yet! I need to increase power! Are you going to be okay?" Steven looks up holding a hand on his forehead. "Yeah, yeah. I think it's just the noise. I think. Keep going!"

Peridot looks away and focuses back on the controls. Affirmative! Activating triple tip penetration mode!" The three drill heads jump, sending the white matter away.

The drill heads seperate in a triangular formation as they land back down onto the Cluster. They carve into it as Steven's hands cling to his forehead. He looks down at the compartment floor as his face starts to sweat.

Steven sees flashing hallucinations of ghoulish faces floating up towards him. He gasps. One of the drill heads breaks off from the drill. Steven watches it from the glass. "Runaway drill!"

Peridot groans as she balances the drill on its two remaining drill heads. "There...just gotta...be balanced!" Steven looks away from Peridot and back at the window. "Okay." He sees another ghostly face.

Its mouth widen in a groan as rushes towards him. Steven screams as he knock himself back into Peridot, forcing her into screwing up with the controls. Another drill head breaks off and the drill spins around, no longer balanced.

"I...don't know...if it's going...to hold!" The force of the spinning drill throws Steven and Peridot against their seats. Steven grips his head and stomach, gritting his teeth in pain, his eyes closed tight.

"I don't...understand what's happening! Argh!" Peridot faces Steven. "What's wrong?!" "I don't know!" Steven's gem on his stomache  begins to glow. Steven sits upright in pain, panting heavily, sweat dripping down from his face.

Peridot rushes out of her seat. She grabs ahold of Steven by the arms. "Steven! Steven!" Steven sweats and pants heavily. He looks up, and again, sees a vision of ghoulish faces floating up. His seat is suspended among them, and Peridot is gone.

Steven stops panting and looks to his left. "Peridot?" Steven's gem glows furthur. "Peridot?" Steven's chair evaporates and he floats down into the vision of ghoulish faces below him.