Summary:
More multiversal stuff
Chapter Text
Creepy piano music played as Steven walked to the top of a hill, wearing a suit and holding a heavy looking suitcase. He opened it, letting the papers within fly about, followed by a giant shadowy S that flew on the ground.
The papers flew all over the unsuspecting town of Beach Creek. The shadowy s flew right over Lion, as his eyes turned yellow and menacing once it passed.
The S continued to fly until it entered the entrance of the crystal gem temple, where on the warp pad images of the vast universes beyond their own began to display for everyone to see.
A toddler Star with lizard skin fighting over a toy sword with a little Rhinestone. A Steven with a fondness for blue sweeping Star off her feet at the silver bell ball. Eclipsa holding a slumbering horned Steven as a pearl with a cracked eye smiled as a baby meteora climbed up and down her body.
Many more images splay out, over and over infinity times, until the S reappeared, it's shadow expanding into a word with green goo … Stevenbumps
"Really, that's the name we're going with?" Marco asked.
"There's not a lot of anthology openings to work with." Steven complained.
"We could've done a crypt keeper homage." Marco suggested. "'Tales from the Stars' or something like that."
"Oh, I'm writing that down!" The girl in question did it. "So we're going with the same three this time? I thought there was a lot of Steven Universe stuff?"
"Yeah, but people don't really get into Star Vs The Forces of Evil, so the AU list there is very limited." Kelly said as they scrolled through the internet. "Lot of them are kind of the generic gender swaps or personality shifts, not to mention Marco pairings. What they did to me in season three and four in canon was a total waste!"
"Yeah, what we're doing is much more fulfilling." Jana patted her back. "Even if it is gonna be emotionally scarring for our characters."
"The best kind of scaring!" Ponyhead shouted
"What's life without a little trauma?" Star shrugged. "Well, it would be a hell of a lot easier, but you can't win them all."
"Nope, you just deal with the mental bruises as they come and hope for the best." Steven shrugged. "Ironically, trauma is the theme of today's special!"
"Yaaay, we aren't the only ones suffering!" Marco yelled out. "So let's sit back and watch other people struggle for a change."
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"No, you're the cutest, my beautiful butterfly." Pearl had to watch in slight discomfort and amusement of her diamond…her Steven…her Steven focused all of his attention on the multi armed Mewman princess he could never seem to take his arms off of.
"No, you're the cutest, my shining universe." While the Mewman made her happy by making her Steven happy, no matter the situation at hand, it still brought some discomfort from watching. "So, what lovely activities shall we do today?"
"I don't know, apparently I'm supposed to be getting a visit, but nobody has told me who yet." Her Dia-her Steven turned his head. "I haven't really talked to anyone from the other kingdoms lately, and I've hardly traveled to other dimensions yet, so that's off the table."
"I hope I don't scare them off." The Mewman frowned. "I know my appearance makes me appear a bit … monstrous."
"Don't say that my lovely angel, you bring so much beauty into the room with just your eyes, let alone your perfect and radiant smile." It was so weird to hear a diamond call something else radiant.
"Oh you're such a flatter, my sweet blueberry. I can barely compare to your ever shining gleam." The Mewman giggled as she nuzzled cheeks with him. "Whatever comes out that door, we'll handle it together."
The door finally opened, and in came-Pearl gripped her dress tightly, out of the corner of her eye she could see her Steven looking curious at both her and the visitor … after all, it wasn't every day White Pearl came onto another planet.
"Oh…it's you." Blue diam…Her Steven, groaned in disappointment. "Hello White…you know this would be better if you actually came off homeworld every once in a while."
"There is no need for me to leave, in fact, I am bringing up the opposite." White Pearl spoke with that ever present smile.
"Opposite? I visit Homeworld all the time." Her Steven stated. "In fact, you would've talked to me last week with yellow if you weren't in your ship."
"Yes Blue, you do. However, you haven't done your job in over a decade." They answered. "You've just spent your life here when you should be here, doing your job of enforcing my rules and helping expand our empire." They held out a hand to the window. "I even was nice enough to leave the stain known as Mewni alone, even when the actions of 'Rose' have forced my hand on earth."
"Mom managed to find peace living here, I see no reason why I can't do the same."
"There you go again with that 'mom' concept." The Pearl sighed. "How long until you stop acting like Pink used to, and stop playing 'human'?"
"You know, for a race almost as old as the universe, you know so little about it." The Mewman corrected.
The room got very cold, absolutely horrifically cold. It wasn't magic, it wasn't energy, it was just pure, raw, distaste . "The only reason you exist is because Blue protects you … know your place organic."
"Don't you DARE…" Her Steven, for the first time she recalled, glowed blue all over as a blue wave of emotional despair and grief was hurled directly at the white pearl…who's body shook in place, but otherwise didn't move at all. " Even thinkabout threatening my starlight, or I WILL come after you, family or not."
The Pearl stayed quiet for a moment. "You have one year to clean up your act, or I will do it for you."
"You thi-"
"Personally."
The pearl left the room and that left Steven shaking in anger, before letting that small concentrated wave of despair release all over. Sadness…misery…despair…melancholy.
"It'll be fine, my little starlight." The Mewman … The Star whispered as she hugged the boy. "I won't let her take you … there's much we can do to prepare."
"Yes…there is." Her Steven turned to her, the sadness and anguish vanishing slightly. "Pearl, please get in contact with Rose Quartz. I want to know how she shattered Pink Diamond."
"Yes, my Steven." Her Steven's… her son's happiness was all that mattered. No force in the universe would take that away.
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"Oww … my head." Star groaned, looking up at the sky. "What happened?" She remembered waking up weakly, her skin peeling, Mewberty was kicking in, so she went to get … "RHINESTONE!"
The boy himself was indented into a crashed brick wall, unconscious but breathing at the very least. She got herself up to check him over. "Rhinestone, Star!" She turned, seeing Connie stare at them with relief. "I'm so glad you two are okay."
"Of course we are … was it bad?" Star asked.
Connie blinked, looking at the half demolished and flaming city block. "... No, you were angels." Earth must have a vastly different interruption of what angels were.
"Ugh, my aching head…can anyone one get the number of the truck that hit me?" Rhinestone stirred himself awake as he looked at Star in a daze. "You're looking less ugly than you were a moment ago."
"And you look far less pleasant now." She helped the asshole up. "On the plus side, you can show off your back to the ladies."
"What the hell are you going on about.." Her brother felt around the top half of his back, and found what appeared to be tiny bat wings sticking out. "What the..Connie, what happened?"
"You … may have … just a tad … became a giant gargoyle and attacked all boys around." She answered.
"… And the girls?"
"Some things are best left unsaid." The spectacled girl said with a blush. Ooh, looks like something juicy happened. "And Star may or may not have become a sort of tengu-dragon creature and began breathing rainbow fire everywhere."
"Hah, I was a more badass animal." She smirked at Rhinestone.
"I think you didn't pay attention to the part where you set fire to everywhere." Nah, she just chose to ignore it. "This is such a mess. I don't know how we're going to cover this with Father." Rhinestone slammed his head against the wall. "So much for having a normal life on Earth."
"Who wants a normal life?" She and Connie looked at each other, smiling.
"Me, because for once I can actually choose what I want to do with my life." Rhinestone rolled his eyes. "I learned how to make an authentic burrito just yesterday with Marco, and it tasted amazing! I'm starring in a school play! And for once, I can leave all the tedious fighting for others to deal with."
Star groaned. "Fine fine, you whiny baby, I'll cover. I still have some leftover gold from my last birthday."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, you overgrown swamp gator!" Rhinestone grabbed her in a tight squeeze and lifted her up in the air.
"Yeah yeah, just make sure to owe me one. This is obvious blackmail material you know." She growled, lifting him up and tossing him through a brick wall. Ah, just like the good old days.
"So you guys are just like this all the time?" Connie asked them.
"Pretty much. He tries to one up me, I toss him out the window, he chops off a finger or two, typical family bonding. Trust me, you should see some of the stuff Mom's up to when Dad has his back turned."
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Jana took another bite. "Wow, Mewman pig is somehow better than Earth pig by being more bland … It's like the paradox of foods."
"The technical term is pig-goat, but I see what you mean." The mom to her probable boyfriend said as they all sat down around a dinner table in the middle of a barn. "The odd mix of kosher and non-kosher makes it a bit of an enigma.
"I never had it, so I wouldn't know." Steven answered, taking a bite of his salad. "But I'm glad you like the meal Jana."
"It wouldn't matter if it's bad, it's an excuse to hang around you crazy guys, isn't that right Earl?"
The gem began signing. 'Nice to be around others, it's good company.' She responded.
"Yeah, we don't get too many of those for some. reason, it's so weird." Meteroa shrugged as she practically inhaled her own piece. "That Ronaldo guy is always asking me weird questions about lizard people. I'm like 'dude, I'm a size shifter, not a lizard, stop asking me about this stuff'."
"Yeah, you don't even have the right skin tone." Steven added on. "Those guys are all scaled and stuff."
"And violent …" Eclipsa spoke, mostly to herself. "Surprisingly violent."
"I don't mind. Kinda wish we went to Mewni more often. Seems like a fun place." Meteora groaned. "And I could do without the pink lady constantly watching us."
"She's not so bad." Steven tried to justify. "She just … stands there … watching us." He responded. "It's not as if she's trying to murder us in our sleep."
"No, but she's too close to the edge for my liking." Eclipsa sighed as she turned to a dark corner of the barn. "Isn't that right, Rose? I know you've been standing there for an hour."
"It's not like I was hiding." The pink gem answered. "Just waiting for her to show herself …"
"Are you really being this stupid, Lady!?" Meteora stood on her chair. "My brother is not whoever you assume he is, so just buzz off!" Steven did his best to hide himself under his hoodie.
"Fine … I'll be back to check tomorrow." She said before walking away.
'Wow…what a bitch.' Earl signed with a scowl. 'How were you ever friends with her?'
"We're still friends, she just has had a hard time adjusting to recent developments happening on earth and Mewni."
"Like Aventurine running around, the 'Cluster', monster uprising." Steven began listing off. "I honestly don't blame her for being paranoid of me, she doesn't deserve to have another problem pop into her life."
"That doesn't mean she has a free pass to crap on you. You're your own person." Jana did her best to comfort with a back pat. "And if you were secretly evil, I'd be the first to join your galactic empire as the shady advisor."
"I'd actually prefer you to put me down. I mean, we'd rather not take over the world….."
"Yes, too much work." Eclipsa shrugged.
"People would get whiney ." Meterora rolled her eyes.
"… Correction, I'm the only one who'd morally not take over the world."
"And that's what makes you your lovable and adorable self, sweetie." Eclipsa smirked as Steven blushed.
"Eh, she ain't wrong." Jana laughed. Now this was a weird life she could get used to.
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"I must say, this is quite the delightful little read you have here." Eclipsa spoke, flipping another page of the book she was currently on.
"Yep, try to make new spells for a book and bam, new series of interdimensional reads." Star looked at the blue man. "Maybe when there's enough his brain will fix itself."
"Globgor! Globgor!" Eclipsa could watch on amused as her old mentor kept shouting her husband's name. Apparently Glosseryck was afraid of her beloved and felt the need to warn people. He was only going to get on their nerves by keeping up the confused dog act.
"It's like watching someone you've hated your whole life gain Alzheimer's. Cathartic at first, then annoying, then just really really sad." Steven sighed. "Revenge isn't worth it."
"Not entirely. In my experience, there's about a fifty-fifty chance of it working out." Eclipsa chuckled. "Most of the time I usually attempt to keep to myself."
"Oh Ponyhead is gonna love you." Star smiled. "So now we just need a way to prove your innocence … which I, for one, think it's a shoe in."
"I wouldn't count your kornals just yet." Eclipsa smiled. "I'll tell you why when he's gone."
"When who's gone?" Steven asked innocently.
Omnitraxus walked into the room, grabbing the pile of books. "Curse you, Steven Quartz DaMayo Universe Butterfly." He growled, walking out of the room.
"... You know, I know the entire commission is a group of assholes, but I really think we shouldn't be antagonizing them so much."
"I don't do it on purpose!"
"I see that breaking the conventional rules of the universe is a family trait that transcends even blood. You are definitely my grandchild." Rose's child was just a delight. "But as I was saying, the commission are utterly convinced what they know is right."
"But we can-"
"Which means that the fact I slept with a monster, ditched my kingdom, and did dark spells is already a death sentence in itself." She said solemnly, but kept her smile. "They probably already punished your mother for using my immortal slayer spell."
"Yet they sing her praises when it leads to monster subjugation." Steven rolled his eyes.
"Ah, the classic slaying of enemies." Eclipsa sighed. "I'm pretty sure that's why Solaria was their favorite queen … it's probably why they promoted Mina into an honorary commission member."
"Wait…she's what?" Star asked. "Last time we saw her, she went completely off the deep end and tried to take over Earth."
"Ah yes, it was a side effect I'm afraid." Eclipsa explained. "Immortality and deity like physical capability … in return for her constantly dwindling sanity and morality."
"So it's almost like gem corruption." Steven sighed. "I haven't even begun to make progress on that."
"Don't rush yourself." Eclipsa patted the boy's head. "Even Rose and past queens tried their best … and I'm sure what you manage to pull off at any point will be even more impressive." She looked into his eyes. "Because you have her kindness and her spirit."
"Thanks." Steven blushed. "I've had to learn a lot about her recently, and it's just nice to remember not all of it is bad."
"Good or bad, I just knew her as my best friend, so I choose to cherish the fond times we had." Eclipsa sighed. "My one regret is never telling her I didn't blame her for my mother's death." Rose tried to hide it, but it was so obvious.
"Is it weird that after Toffee happened I can understand her point of view?" Steven asked the two of them.
"A little/not at all." Star and Eclipsa said respectively. She would be sure to be here to help guide her grandchildren when they needed it…especially Rose's son. After all, they had just given her one of the greatest gifts of all.
She got to view a world where she had a full family…where she was able to hold her Meteora in her arms and watch her grow.