#foundau

((I figured I’d try my hand at writing, so here’s the first chapter of a steven universe fic))

[Chapter Two] [Chapter Three] [Chapter Four]

She stands there, quietly waiting with her hands clasped together. Vines long dead, snaked around and up her legs, trapping her in place. Her eyes were half closed, staring idly at the warp pad in the short distance from where she is. No sign of life around her. Many of the plants now dead from the lack of care. Even since Pink Diamond had left her in their little waiting game, nothing had been tended to.

Spinel’s gaze fell, eyes now staring at the cracked ground beneath her. Was she doing this right? Surely Pink meant to come back… right? Or was she doing this wrong? Should she go looking for her? Would that be against the rules of the game? Her lips became a thin line, shaking her head, dismissing the thought. No, Pink wouldn’t do that, not to her best friend.

… Right?

Almost like it read her doubts, the warp activated and her eyes shot up to watch who came through. Had Pink come back? Did she win the game? She didn’t move, just like what she was told. Oh how she longed for this moment. A smile crossed Spinel’s face, a glimmer of hope in her eyes as the light from the warp faded away. Only, instead of seeing the familiar form of Pink Diamond. It was someone, something entirely different. The being looked around, finally spotting her in the distance. Then, unexpectedly, this being jumped in the air, towards the gem.

“Hey, are you Spinel?” they spoke up, the being landing gracefully before her. Spinel gasped, backing away, but as she went to move her legs, the vines held on and caused her to fall backwards onto the ground. Almost defensively, she brought up an arm, who was this? What are they? How do they know her?

“Wh-who are you? Where is… Where is Pink?” She managed to get out, her voice a tad foreign as she hadn’t needed to speak in such a long time, not since Pink had left her to their game.

“Oh, I’m Steven, Steven Universe! I’m so sorry it took so long to get here, I wasn’t sure where this garden was and had to look around just to figure that out.” He reached out a hand, offering to help the gem up. “Pearl told me about you, or at least what little there was known about you.”

“Little known… about me? I don’t understand,” she was hesitant, but eventually reached up a hand to take his. Letting the other being help her stand and help her keep her balance, she hadn’t moved her legs in so long, the vines were pretty much the one thing holding her up.

“Sorry, this must be weird, and confusing. Pink Diamond was my mom,” He shifted, his hand reaching down to pull up the bottom of his shirt, revealing a familiar gem embedded into his stomach. Spinel took a step back, she knew that gem. She would know that gem from anywhere. What was this? What’s going on?

“I… I still don’t understand, why do you have her gem? Where did she go? What’s going on?” She stared wide eyed at the gem on this ‘Steven’. She could feel the tears beginning to form. When Steven took notice, he moved closer, but she flinched back and as a reaction, formed a massive fist and punched him away hard enough that it sent him flying back into one of the pillars that were still standing. “St-STAY AWAY!” she yelled, though she gasped when she realized what she had done.

Steven groaned, standing in the rumble and brushing himself off before looking at Spinel. There was a clear look of worry on his face. Why did he look so worried? Shouldn’t he be mad that she punched him? The human steadies himself before he starts walking back over to her. He must have seen just how scared she looked.

“Spinel, it’s okay, you didn’t hurt me, I’m fine.” He held out a hand, which she backed away from. “Please, I just want to help,” he spoke more softly this time. “It has to be pretty lonely here in this garden.” He gives a soft smile, still holding his hand out to the frightened gem. “I can explain everything, I swear, but I want to take you away from here first before I do that.”

Spinel was shaking, her eyes frantically staring at this being as he spoke to her. She wasn’t really supposed to leave the garden, not when the game was still going. This ‘Steven’ seemed very adamant on getting her to leave. Maybe something bad happened to Pink, he did have her gem in his belly.

“Can’t… Can’t we just talk here? Pink and I were playing a game and I can’t stop playing it. What if she comes back?” She gives a half smile, maybe this being could be reasoned into staying.

“She won’t be coming back for you.” He sounded sad, a frown on his face.

“Why not? Why would you say something like that?” She started to shake, what was he saying? Why would he say something so… so mean. “Because she doesn’t exist anymore.” Steven stated, his expression a mixture of worry and determination.

“What?” Spinel felt a sudden pain in her chest. She brings her hands up to clutch at her gem. Her eyes shifted from staring at Steven to staring at the ground. Was that why he has her gem? But that doesn’t make any sense, how did he have her gem, it didn’t look cracked or shattered. “I don’t… I…” she fell to her knees, they suddenly felt very weak. Steven took a step forward, but he kept his distance, hesitant to approach.

“Spinel? I’m sorry, I know this is a lot to take in, but my mom, Pink. She gave up her physical form to have me. She’s gone, I’m what’s left of her now.” He took another step forward, before his body was met with another fist. Sending him flying into another pillar that shattered from the impact.

“NO!” The gem cried out, her body shaking. What was this feeling? Was this anger? Why was she angry? She shouldn’t be angry, best friends shouldn’t be angry, but she just felt… so damn angry. Her hands were clenched into fists, she looked angry and pained. Her chest was hurting a lot now, but she bit through her pain. “I DON’T… I don’t believe you…” she quieted herself, tears starting to run down her cheeks. “I refuse to believe Pink would just… l-leave her best friend here…” She was breathing harder now, the more she talked, the more believable the thought was that she was just left here, abandoned by the one person she thought was her friend. “Th-that she would j-just… leave me here.” She let out a choked laugh, “Why does… why does this hurt so much?” she reached a hand to her chest, “What’s going on?” She let out a sob, moving to wipe away the tears only to have them continue flowing.

“Spinel…” Steven stood up again, coughing through the dust and climbing out of the rubble again. He watched as the gem was clutching at her gem. “SPINEL!” He rushed over, dropping down next to her. He was met with a weak push to his chest as Spinel attempted to push him away, but her arms did listen to her very well, and simply rested against him instead.

"Go away," she choked out through sobs, her hand balling into a fist on his chest as he drew closer. She felt arms wrap around her, causing her to flinch. "W-Why would she l-leave me? Was I-I not good e-enough for her?" She was breathing pretty hard, a hand constantly trying to wipe away the tears while the other moved from Steven's chest to her own, clutching the gem placed there.

"I'm sorry, I don't know why mom did what she did, I'm sorry I dont have the answers you need." Steven gives her a gentle squeeze as the gem in his arms deflated a bit. Spinel leaned in against the human as he welcomed her into his embrace. She stayed there for a good while. At one point, Steven wasn’t sure she was even awake anymore, but remembered that gems don’t really need to sleep.

“Wh-why do you have it?” He blinks, looking to the gem, who was now poking at his stomach area, specifically where his gem is located. “Why do you… why do you have Pink’s gem?” she sniffled, rubbing her eyes a bit. It seems like the tears had at least stopped, but it still looked like there were some stragglers.

Steven stayed quiet for a moment, thinking about how to tell Spinel. Then he looked at the gem, who happened to be looking at him with wide, sad eyes. He cracked a small smile, then shifted to stand, pulling himself from the gem. His hand wanders to pull up his shirt again, showing her his gem.

“I inherited her gem when I was born. This is all that’s left of her now.” He paused for a moment, then gave a half smile to Spinel. “Well, this and all the bridges she left unburned.” He looked a bit frustrated, his hand gripping at his shirt as he brought it down to cover his stomach. “Pearl told me about you though!” He smiled at her, “She said you use to be mom’s playmate… or something like that, a best friend?” He thought for a moment. It took Spinel a moment, her eyes staring at the human before her. Her hands gripped all the more tighter around her gem.

“Pink and I were best friends, we would spend hours here in the garden.” she started, her voice shaky at first. “We would have so much fun, just the two of us…” there was a smile on her face, but no sooner was it replaced with a frown. “Or so I thought…” then the tears started up again, but she made no move to wipe them away. Steven stood there, watching the gem cry. He was silent again, unsure of how to proceed.

“Someday, somewhere, somehow…” he started, softly and slow, almost like a song. He held out a hand, reaching down to place it on Spinel’s hands, hoping she would stop clutching at her gem in fear that she might make herself poof. “You’ll love again, you just need to find… someone.” He gives her a soft smile, their eyes meeting as he helps her stand up, steadying her as she tried to regain herself. She kept a hand held to her chest once she was steady, gripping onto his hand as Steven began leading her towards the warp pad.

“Someday, somewhere… somehow…” Spinel chimes in, quietly joining along as she watches Steven cautiously. “I’ll love again… I just need to find… someone,” she wipes her eyes as best she could, not letting go of Steven’s hand. “Someone… who treats me better, someone who wants me around.” Steven smiles softly at her, stepping up and onto the warp.