Steven Universe Future: A Corrupted Identity

Chapter 11: A Fatal Mistake

He heard the commotion in the throne room and managed to force open his eyes and blink through the tears. Bismuths, amethysts, and pebbles were hard at work, patching the large hole. They all turned and let out a collective scream.

"Help," Steven told them, reaching out, but drawing back as he saw their faces. "Get the Diamonds."

"What is going on here?" Blue stormed in, her face frustrated at the excessive noise. She turned to the warp and gasped, her hand going over her mouth. "Oh, stars! Steven!"

She rushed over to him and bent down, reaching down to touch him.

"No!" Steven managed to gasp out. "I don't want to hurt you."

Blue's hand retracted slightly, but she set her face and scooped up the teen easily. She held him close to her gem, ignoring the amount of heat coming off Steven's skin, and looked around. "Get Yellow and White. Tell them to meet me in my chambers immediately."

She walked off before waiting for their response, keeping Steven out of sight.

"How did this happen?" She asked him as she walked.

Steven, who was shivering despite being nearly too hot to touch, shook his head. "I don't know," he whispered, barely able to form words through his ragged breathing. "Lost control."

"It's okay," Blue said, soothingly. "We'll fix this."

She entered her chambers and rushed over to her giant pool. The doors opened behind her before she stepped in. She turned and frowned.

"So you're finally talking to us again?" Yellow's voice boomed.

"Blue, let us explain," White said.

Blue huffed. "It's not that!" she exclaimed, her hand falling and revealing and trembling Steven. He uncurled himself and looked at the Diamonds. Their faces fell and mouths dropped open. "It's much worse," Blue said. "Look what you did to him!"

White and Yellow drew back in shock as they took in Steven's discolored skin.

"That wasn't us!" Yellow said. "White and I can't do that damage alone."

Blue let out a breath, clearly steadying herself. "It doesn't matter," she said. "We have to heal him."

She stepped into the pool of water, but Steven wriggled and violently shook his head at the look of it. "No. Tried that," he whispered. "Made it worse."

Blue looked down at him, shocked.

"A direct approach then?" Yellow asked, rubbing her hands together. "Don't worry Steven. We'll fix you right up."

Blue nodded, her gem glowing and bathing Steven in a calming blue glow. Her hand illuminated and Steven felt coolness slowly traveling up through his body.

Yellow gently pressed her fingers to his back and his tremors eased and it suddenly became easier to breathe.

"It's working," Steven gasped, watching the purple blotches on his skin slowly recede.

White, who had been oddly quiet, slowly approached. She looked repulsed by him, scared of what he'd become.

"I don't understand," White said, peering down at Steven. "How can he be corrupted?"

Corrupted. The word Steven was trying to avoid using. He can't be corrupted. He was half-human. He wasn't blasted by the Diamonds. Nothing happened except that he lost control. He couldn't be.

"White!" Blue cried, but White waved her off.

"In a moment, Blue," she said, dismissively.

White lifted up Steven's shirt and eyed his gem. Her nails ran over the surface and as they did, a new pain burst forward. It shot, white-hot, straight from his gem; a warning to White. Steven yelled out, Blue gasped, her hand jerking out from under him and White and Yellow both pulled back, as it burned.