Steven's first swimming lesson
Chapter 1: The Ocean
Author's note: Recent story reveals make the flashbacks and some of the events inaccurate to show canon, (this fic is old).
Young Steven Universe, Half Gem half Human boy had just turned 4 years old 3 days ago,
Still wanting to explore the world around him there is still one place the Gems will not let him explore…The magical Realm of "Underwater".
He has been there before in his bathtub. He's enjoyed seeing his vision blurred and blowing Bubbles, He enjoyed hearing his words gurgled.
However he can never explore it fully due to the Low water level, which he cannot understand, is just a precaution for drowning something he has never experienced.
Steven looks out of his window into the sea and looked around, nobody was around Greg his dad was working at the car wash and the Gems must be in the temple.
"Yay!" Steven exclaimed. He opened the door and ran out into the sand ready to jump into the water.
Breathing heavily and laughing all the way, he ran down the stairs of his house and ran across the beach, he got close to the waves when suddenly, Garnet jumped in front of him kicking up sand everywhere all over him and into the water.
" 'Ello Steven" she said with a tiny smile, "Where are you heading off to?" she said crossing her arms.
"To the ocean!" he said happily, "I wanna explore under the sea!" He exclaimed still breathing heavily from the running he did to get down there.
"Sorry Steven", she said with a more serious face picking him up, "But you humans need air! Even half humans." She added.
"And there is no air in water." She said tickling him.
Steven giggles, "But Garneeettt! Awww." Garnet walks up the stairs and opens the front door, suddenly a white light on the temple door activates and the star pattern on it rotates slightly and the door opens in a automatic door kind of way.
Pearl walks out, "Oh hello Garnet and hello to you too Steven." Pearl goes to the Kitchen to check if Amethyst hasn't eaten all the food that Steven actually needs to eat, "I caught 'im trying to "explore" the ocean again." She said with her regular stoic face.
Pearl stops and Immediately turns to Steven, "What?!" she said with a worried look on her face, "Steven, you know you cannot swim! You'll drown!"
Steven looked at her with curiosity, "What's drown again?" He asked quickly.
Pearl sighed, "Its, what is drowning again? Steven. Its when humans die through submersion in and inhalation of water."
Steven gave her a confused look, "What's that mean?"
Pearl sighed knowing human children do not know everything in birth and that its ok, "Its when humans die from breathing water or not breathing and passing out in water." Pearl returned to checking the stocks.
Steven suddenly became scared, "Die forever?" He asked tears welling up in his eyes.
"Yes Steven." She said turning around realizing she scared the poor kid, "B-but its ok Steven!" she said gaining a comforting smile "If you learn to swim you can escape that horrible fate if you do manage to fall in water"
"Learn to swim?" Said Steven starry eyed, "Can I learn to do it now?" he asked.
Pearl turned around and felt tears well up in her eyes, it had been 4 years since Rose Quartz gave her life so Steven could be born and she still is getting used to her absence. She remembers how, when she saw something that astonished her she would do the same.
"Sure Steven, tomorrow we can head to the Beach City Community Pool early when no one is around to teach you."
"Yay" Exclaimed Steven with joy.
"But first, lets get you out of those sandy clothes and into a bath" Pearl said smiling at him.
In the Bathtub Steven took a deep breath and put his face into the 12 inches of water looking around at the bottom of the bathtub.
"Blublbglugbl!"
He said trying to amuse himself bubbles rising and popping in front of his head. He swished his arms across the water he cannot wait to swim.
Pearl entered the room to see Steven in a sitting position face down in the water.
"Steven!" She yelled.
Steven immediately rose himself up and looked at her confused. "Huh?!"
Pearl let out a sigh "Don't scare me like that!" she said smiling preparing to bathe him.