Steven Universe: Beyond The Mirror

The Boy and The Sphere

Just when Steven thought he was out of harm's way a second time, he has been pushed into yet a third situation of unfortunate events. The journey up to this point was bad enough for him. He nearly drowned, suffered from possibly corruption and almost suffocated in the chilling realm outside the warp. Now a new enemy has bumped into him in the form of a mechanical sphere.

Steven's heart starts pounding faster and faster from its slowing, dying beat as he grimaces at the object. He grunts as he thrusts his right arm out against the sphere. His gem glows and his shield flashes onto his arm just in time as the canon spews out a bunch of white goop towards him.

Steven's eye twitches as the goop splatters on the shield, covering it in white splotches. Steven brings the shield down with his arm, raising an eyebrow. "What...are you?" The mechanical sphere doesn't let up as it keeps its slot open for the canon to prepare a second assault for the intruder.

The canon retracts itself for a moment to reload before popping out into Steven's sight. Steven brings his shield back up but the canon doesn't fire this time. He lets his arm down along with his guard. "Where did you come from-?!" The canon spews out the goop into the star on Steven's shirt. Steven winces for a moment, squinting his eyes shut from the impact.

He gradually opens them in his grimace and he looks down at his shirt. Steven immediately drops the grimace, his shield dissipating as he gapes at the mess on his shirt. "Huh?" Steven pokes at the goop, allowing it to stick to his finger. He brings the tip of the finger to his mouth and he starts to suck on it...for a second.

He immediately thrusts it out of his mouth and he spits out the goop, sticking his tongue out. "Eww!" He spits saliva out of his mouth a few more times and he groans as he clutches his stomache. "That tasted worse than Lion Lickers! What the heck kind of bakery did you come out of?!" The canon spews out one last pile of goop at Steven's face as he squints his eyes shut.

Steven opens his eyes once more just in time to watch the canon retract. The slot door clicks itself shut and four jagged legs pop out of the sphere's sides. The sphere adjusts its legs and spreads them out until they're even. The sphere remains dormant on all fours as it heads up with Steven in the warp towards its destination. Wherever that may be.

Steven puts his hands on the sphere and he slides them through its surface, turning it upside down. The hovering legs of the sphere jab at Steven's hands, causing him to yelp and let go of it. The sphere adjusts its legs a second time as Steven's casts his eyes down on the back of his hands, now covered in scrapes from the legs of the sphere.

Steven rubs a finger against one of the scrapes. He flinches. "Ow!" He scowls at the sphere. "Hey! That hurt!" The sphere doesn't respond, devoid of emotion and feelings as it ignores the feedback of its action. Steven's arms drop as his forehead pounds. He presses a hand to his forehead, closing his eyes.

"Steven!" Steven opens his eyes, gasping. "Lapis!" Steven looks around only to realize that his beach summer fun buddy isn't around. Steven gapes, his forehead furrowing as he gazes and points at the sphere in front of him. "Uh, did YOU say that?" The sphere stays motionless, not bothering to answer as Steven lifts his head up, his eyes drooping. "Lapis."

Steven tilts his body back in mid air, folding his arms. "Please be okay. Wherever you are." He gazes at the blank oblivion above him as his eyelids start to drop. He lets out a heavy sigh as his eyes shut, allowing him to drift off with the sphere in front of him resting just the same.